1994: From a young man from a small town to a second-generation resident of Shanghai

On the day of the Autumnal Equinox, the morning dew is just beginning to fall.

A Mercedes slowly drove out of the county and headed towards the provincial capital along the provincial highway.

Chen Fang's car did not go directly to Shanghai. There was a distance of more than 2,000 kilometers in between, which would be too much for even a man, let alone a woman.

Upon arriving in the provincial capital, a driver who had been waiting there took over Chen Fang's car and drove her back to Shanghai.

The aunt and niece then flew to Shanghai.

If you want to take the train, then you'll have plenty of seats!

Back then, trains were incredibly slow due to poor technology; many trains didn't exceed 100 kilometers per hour. In 1996, the Guangzhou-Shenzhen line reached a speed of 160 kilometers per hour and was called an express train.

Although flying is not safe, it's still worthwhile for people in a hurry, and the ticket price is quite high, costing over two thousand yuan per person. Ordinary working-class people simply don't dare to fly, which results in a limited number of flights.

As the plane flew over Shanghai, Pudong New Area was under construction at a rapid pace, with the Oriental Pearl Tower already standing tall. Construction had begun on the site of the Jin Mao Tower, as well as the Guizhou Tower, an investment project from Guangdong Province, and the Wanguo Financial Tower, the first financial building in China.

Shanghai, one of the most dynamic economic centers in China, is the home of countless people's dreams of getting rich quick.

After getting off the plane, Chen Yong went to the restroom first. Hongqiao Airport is already very modern, with subway and train services, and even the restrooms would surprise out-of-towners.

As a gateway for many people entering Shanghai, Hongqiao Station makes an excellent first impression on visitors from other places, inspiring many to want to stay here.

Who wouldn't want to stay in such a great city? Right now, you could buy a house and stay with just 30,000 yuan, but that's still too difficult.

The average salary is only a little over 300 yuan, and it would take 3,000 to 4,000 yuan a year to earn that much. It would take 10 years.

From Chen Yong's perspective, it's not impossible to settle down in Shanghai in just ten years and take out a loan to buy a house!

But for people at that time, there was no concept of commercial housing, nor was there any habit of buying houses.

The cheapest thing is when no one notices it; by the time everyone realizes it, it's too expensive. Most people certainly lack long-term strategic vision.

…………

"Sister-in-law, Chen Yong has arrived in Shanghai. Would you like to meet him?"

Avoiding Chen Yong, Chen Fang called her former sister-in-law.

"Is it convenient for me to see him now? Will he acknowledge me as his mother?" A hesitant voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Let him stay at your place for now, I'll secretly go see him again in a while."

"I owe him so much, and I'm worried that I won't be able to stop crying as soon as I see him."

Chen Fang quickly comforted her, saying, "Sister-in-law, the responsibility isn't entirely yours. Chen Yong will have many opportunities while he studies at university here. Take it slow, there's no rush."

These words calmed Bai Susu down.

"Does his dad know he's in Shanghai?"

Chen Fang hesitated for a moment and said, "You probably guessed it. I didn't tell him, but he's such a smart person, and a wealthy boss, it's not hard to guess his little tricks."

"I suggest that if he doesn't ask, we shouldn't tell him. That way, Chen Yong's life in Shanghai won't be affected."

"I know that. Okay, Chen Yong must be getting impatient. I'm going over there."

Chen Fang hung up the phone and saw that Chen Yong was already waiting for him in the lobby.

He walked up to Chen Yong and said, "How was it? Shanghai didn't disappoint you, did it?"

Chen Yongxin said that he had been to Shanghai countless times, so it was expected. However, he still acted like a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time. "Shanghai is so prosperous, a hundred times better than Xina County! I really like it here."

"If you like it, stay here after graduation. Since your major is finance, you'll definitely find the best job in Shanghai. The Lujiazui Financial Center, which is currently under construction, will be where you work in the future, so work hard!"

Chen Fang hailed a Santana.

In Shanghai, taxis are mainly Alto models, while Santana is a high-end car and a business vehicle.

The starting fare for taxis is also particularly expensive, at 10 yuan.

Santana taxis are all company-operated taxis. If ordinary residents can afford a Santana, why would they need to drive one as a taxi? Besides, if a private individual doesn't have an operating license, it's an unlicensed taxi and they'll be fined severely!

At this time, taxi drivers are all high-income earners, making several hundred dollars a day! Moreover, these taxis mainly pick up foreigners, as Chinese people's spending power isn't as high yet. They often receive tips in US dollars. If someone looks particularly like a country bumpkin, these taxis won't even bother to approach them.

"You can stay at my place temporarily before school starts. The staff dormitory allocated by the school is just the right size with you in it."

Chen Yong asked curiously, "Auntie, you don't have a boyfriend yet?"

"Does Auntie look like she has a boyfriend? She arrived in Shanghai and no man came to pick her up! Look at those girls who have boyfriends, their boyfriends have been waiting for them for ages."

"My beautiful aunt doesn't even have a boyfriend, it's an injustice! She must have dated someone in college, right?"

"In college, your aunt had a long line of suitors! She received hundreds of love letters. But it was also a huge headache for her, there were just too many, and she didn't know who to choose! By her senior year, the guy she liked had chosen to go abroad. So she ended up single."

Just as Chen Yong guessed, Chen Fang's current material conditions, if not supported by her boyfriend, can only be provided by her relatives here.

Chen Yong was unaware that his parents had broken up after arriving in Shanghai.

While in Yunnan, the two didn't register their marriage; many couples are just illicit affairs. How can they return to the city after getting married and registering their marriage?

What are my aunt's criteria for choosing a boyfriend?

Chen Fang pursed her lips, thought about it seriously for a moment, and said, "The standards are pretty vague. Handsome? Rich? And able to take care of me and love me. Or maybe it's about feeling?"

"But now I realize that I could consider a guy like you."

"Like me? There are far too many of them."

"Not much~" Chen Fang denied, "You don't know yourself at all. My nephew is excellent! He's handsome and has a great personality."

Chen Yong does not deny this point...

The school assigned Chen Fang a single apartment, which only has one bedroom, one living room, one kitchen and one bathroom.

It doesn't look very good. At that time, university teachers weren't well paid either.

Chen Yong was wondering if he would sleep on the floor tonight in such a small room with only one bedroom.

"Auntie's house is a bit small, but it will definitely be improved in the future. The new house is being renovated, and we will be able to move in soon."

"Watch TV for a while, I'll make you something to eat."

Chen Fang's family had a color TV, and they happened to find Shanghai TV, which was showing the TV series "The Debt of Sin".

The story is about a group of children from Yunnan Province who, after growing up, go to Shanghai to find their parents, only to discover that their parents have already started new families there.

The music in the play brought tears to Chen Yong's eyes.

Beautiful Xishuangbanna couldn't keep my father.

Shanghai is so big, is there a home for me here?

[Dad has one family, Mom has one family]

……

Chen Fang finished preparing the meal and came out to see Chen Yong with tears in his eyes. A pang of heartache welled up in her heart. "Why do you like watching this TV series?"

"I even cried while watching it."

Chen Fang took out a tissue and wiped away his tears.

"The TV series was so realistic; this is something that really happened to people around me. They've been unlucky; they're all grown up and no one has come to take them home yet. My former classmates had their families come and take them away when they were in junior high school."

"You're different from them. You have loving biological parents! You've had a complete family since you were little."

Chen Fang originally wanted to find a suitable opportunity to reveal the truth to him, and Wang Juan agreed, and even carried the letter written by the couple.

Seeing Chen Yong's current state, we can only keep quiet about it for now.

But my nephew is so smart, he must have guessed it long ago.

How could a university teacher like her, without a boyfriend, possibly afford a Mercedes and be so extravagant?

Moreover, the claim that Chen Dagang is Chen's sister is also untenable.

Chen Yong was clever enough not to expose the lie at all.

Her elder brother and sister-in-law owed the child so much. Thinking of this, her eyes welled up with tears, and she reached out to hug her nephew tightly.