It was already the end of June when Wen Nuan's newly bought house was renovated.
Beijing is hot and dry in July. If the children hadn't clamored to see the new house, Wen Nuan would definitely not have taken them out in this weather.
Before entering the house, several children asked: "Mom, is this our home too?"
Now they live in a small detached house. Although it is not as big as Commander Lu's, the airfield is large enough for several children to play.
The alleys here are different. They are narrow and face the street, and the houses are smaller than those in the family compounds.
Wen Nuan nodded: "Yes, let's go and see if you like it."
Not only has the house been renovated, but the kitchen and bathroom have also been renovated to current new building standards.
Not only is there a shower for bathing, but there is also a separate toilet.
After opening the door, Lele immediately ran into the house and looked at several rooms in the new house: "Mom, which one is my room?"
Lele has finished the exam, but Wen Nuan and her classmates haven’t yet.
And Wen Nuan is busy preparing for the next class's orientation, so she may come back to school often during the summer vacation.
After Lele, Baobao and Zhouzhou found out, they said they would come over and play when the time comes.
Just think of warmth as taking them out for a trip.
Although this house is not as good as the one allocated in the staff quarters, it is renovated and looks very new and clean, and is much more comfortable.
Wen Nuan pointed to the house on the left and said, "Can you take a look at that room? Your father and I put a desk and a wardrobe there."
Because Gu Qinghan and Wen Nuan did not plan to live here often, they asked Pianerye to ask craftsmen to make the furniture. It was simple but practical.
The furniture in the house consists of cabinets, beds, tables, and chairs. Wen Nuan doesn't plan to buy too many. She will probably rent out the house after graduating from college.
However, the living room is not very big and there are not many things in it, so the house seems more spacious.
Lele immediately ran to his room. The bed was already made and he could lie down right away.
Lele smiled and said, "Wow, everything in this room is new. I'm going to stay here tonight!"
Then Lele made another plan: "I will also hang white floral curtains here and put a pot of flowers on the table."
Wen Nuan listened to Lele's words and nodded with a smile: "Okay, if Lele likes it, just prepare it yourself. Mom will take you to the supply and marketing cooperative later."
Wen Nuan always subconsciously thought of Le Le as the little fat girl who only knew how to eat and drink.
But after the end of this semester, Wen Nuan discovered that her daughter had grown up and started to have her own ideas about many things, and gradually began to have her own aesthetics and arrangements.
Wen Nuan decided to let Le Le prepare on his own.
Bao Bao and Zhou Zhou also ran into the room Wen Nuan mentioned and shouted, "Mom, we want another wooden horse!"
Wen Nuan said straightforwardly: "You guys are just staying here for a night or two, why do you need a Trojan horse?"
There are two wooden horses in the staff quarters. Uncle Zhao made them for the children when he was bored.
This place is different from the staff quarters. You can find friends to play with just by going out. There are residential buildings and dormitories for faculty and staff nearby.
Lele and the other children haven't made any new friends yet, so they have to stay at home and play with their own toys.
However, Wen Nuan did not plan to bring them to live for a long time. Although this place had been renovated, many daily necessities had not yet been prepared.
It's okay to stay here for a night or two, but if you stay for too long, the little ones will start to feel bored.
Bao Bao felt wronged: "No one wants to play with us here, so what should we do?"
Wen Nuan: "Then go back to the family compound. There's not even a fan here. You guys will start to cry again at night."
Zhou Zhou compromised and hugged the warm thigh directly: "Okay, I won't argue anymore, I want to follow my mother."
Bao Bao also hugged Wen Nuan and said, "I don't want a Trojan horse anymore. I want to go to college with my mom."
Wen Nuan pinched the two boys' faces and said with a smile, "Okay, then you guys should be obedient."
Lele walked out of his room and said, "Mom, I think it's much more fun here than in the family compound. There's a very big library here. I'm going to the library with you to read comic books later."
Wen Nuan glanced at Le Le and said with a smile, "Then mom will take you to the library later."
Lele started learning to read since he entered primary school.
She knows a lot of words now, so Wen Nuan sometimes takes her to the library and lets her find books to read by herself.
Lele jumped up and said, "That's great! I like the library at mom's school the most. There are so many books there!"
Zhou Zhou here heard this and complained: "Ah?! Mom, can I not go?"
Bao Bao nodded in agreement: "I don't want to go either. I hate reading!"
Wen Nuan said, "Then wait for your father to come over and let him take you to the park next door to play."
Wen Nuan knew that Bao Bao and Zhou Zhou were not old enough to sit still, and the library was supposed to be quiet, so it was definitely not suitable for these two kids.
When Bao Bao and Zhou Zhou heard this, they quickly shook their heads and said, "Then I'd better go to the library with my mom!"
Compared to playing with my dad like he was training as a soldier, the library wasn't that hard to endure.
Wen Nuan chuckled: "It's up to you guys, but mom has to tell you first that you must keep quiet when you enter the library."
Bao Bao and Zhou Zhou nodded repeatedly: "We know!"
Lele acted like a big sister and said to her two younger brothers, "If you don't want to stay in the library, go to the football field outside and play football with other kids, okay?"
Wen Nuan smiled: "Your sister is right."
Because there are not many students now, the school is in a semi-open state, and most family members of teachers and students can enter at will.
Usually there are many children on the football field.
But when they were about to go to the library, Bao Bao and Zhou Zhou escaped at the last minute and went directly to the football field to play in the sand with the other kids.
Wen Nuan happened to meet Xu Huilan on campus, so she asked Lele to follow her into the library first.
Lele shook his head: "I know Baobao and Zhouzhou don't want to go to the library. They definitely can't sit still."
Wen Nuan smiled and said, "Then Lele, you go in with your sister first. I will go find you after Aunt Meijiao comes over."
Xu Huilan smiled and said, "Don't worry, Lele is so well behaved. He will sit still when he is reading. Come over later."
Lele nodded: "Mom, then Sister Huilan and I will go in first, it's too hot outside!"
Lele is getting taller and taller. Now her hair has reached the warm chest height. Her two little braids are swinging back and forth, and she is still so cute.
*
Wen Nuan was not idle while looking after Bao Bao and Zhou Zhou. She planned to take an additional major in English when school starts in September.
The current School of Foreign Languages has not yet been formally established, and retains its previous name, the Department of Western Languages and Literature.
Beijing is an international city. Although Wen Nuan had a good foundation in English before, in order to avoid being exposed, she now has to put in more effort and complete two majors before graduating.
While she was sitting by the football field reading a book, Chen Meijiao came over with her daughter Belle.
When the college entrance examination was resumed, Comrade Chen Meijiao followed Wen Wen's advice, sold her job at the state-owned hotel, and took the college entrance examination.
Now she is studying at the University of Foreign Languages. She knew that Wen Nuan brought her children here, so Chen Meijiao also came to join in the fun.
Wen Nuan handed Bei'er a chocolate and said, "Bei'er, Sister Lele has gone to the library to wait for you. Do you want to go in first?"
Bei'er saw Bao Bao and Zhou Zhou playing in the sand pool where they did long jump, so she smiled and said, "I'm going to play with my brother."
Chen Meijiao fiddled with her hair. "Don't worry about her. When she was little, she played with guns and cannons with my brother's kids. She doesn't even look like a girl. I really envy your Lele. She can sit down and read at such a young age, and she even has the energy to learn piano."
Wen Nuan had asked her before if she wanted to send Belle to the music group, but Belle refused after studying for a month and later insisted on learning painting.
The result was good, but later I said I couldn’t continue to study painting, and now I want to study sports…
Wen Nuan looked at Bei'er's active appearance and said with a smile: "Every child is different. I also envy your Bei'er for being so energetic."
The two chatted for a while before Chen Meijiao said, "Qinglan came to me before and asked me to help her keep an eye out for a female comrade named Lin Meizhi. What is Qinglan doing?"
Wen Nuan didn't expect Gu Qinglan to still be on guard, so she said directly: "Comrade Lin Meizhi is the wife of the second son of the Gu family. She has offended Qinglan before."
"What? Is she okay?"
Wen Nuan was sure that the person she had asked at the courtyard last time was Lin Meizhi, but she didn't know why she did that.
She knew that Lin Meizhi had gone to see Gu Qinglan, and thought that she would also find an opportunity to look for her.
I never thought there would be no follow-up.
Chen Meijiao said: "I don't think there is anything wrong with her. She is either in the library or in class. She is a very hardworking lesbian."
"but… "
Chen Meijiao hesitated to speak, and under Wen Nuan's suspicious gaze, she lowered her voice and said, "But there are quite a few gay men who admire her. I heard that some of them even send her breakfast every day."
Chen Meijiao looked at Wen Nuan in surprise: "Is she married?"
Or the daughter-in-law of the old Gu family
Wen Nuan nodded.
Ordinarily, Lin Meizhi is the standard female lead, and there must be many gay men who admire her. However, like many people, she probably doesn't want to reveal the news about her hometown to others.
Chen Meijiao frowned: "But she didn't pay attention to those men. But I heard from her roommates that she would go out to hang out outside the school by herself before Sunday. I don't know where she goes."
Wen Nuan never took Lin Meizhi too seriously. She just said to Chen Meijiao, "Meijiao, you have a lot of study to do now. Don't waste so much time on others."
The same goes for Gu Qinglan, she doesn't have to be so wary of Lin Meizhi.
She also went to Qinglan to apologize, most likely because she came here to study.
Chen Meijiao nodded: "Of course, don't worry, I never thought about getting into such a good university, I must study hard."
If Wen Nuan hadn't insisted that she quit her job to take the college entrance examination, Chen Meijiao would not have dared to take this step.
Although she felt a little sad about not having a stable job, after entering university, she felt that this was just the beginning and there was still a longer and longer road to go in the future.
A day passed in a flash. After playing at school for a while, Chen Meijiao hurried to take the children back to her parents' home for dinner.
Wen Nuan took the children to a nearby store to buy some basic daily necessities, and then bought some vegetables and meat.
Although I don't live in the house all the time, I still want to keep it warm.
In the evening, Gu Qinghan came over and brought some spare clothes for the child.
The family had a simple meal. After Gu Qinghan gave Bao Bao and Zhou Zhou a bath, he also took a quick shower, wanting to hug his sweet wife to sleep.
The two of them were lying in the master bedroom of the new house. Gu Qinghan looked at the bright light and said, "Gu Qingsong has gone to take the college entrance examination."
Wen Nuan kicked away the man's hot body, hummed, and said, "Lin Meizhi came so far to study, Gu Qingsong must have thought about coming here too, otherwise he would feel uneasy."
When it comes to infatuation, you still have to look at Gu Qingsong.
Lin Meizhi had deceived him before, and now she came to Beijing to go to school without saying a word, but Gu Qingsong never left her.
Now that I have the chance, I will definitely try my best to follow Lin Meizhi.
But for now, we still don't know what Lin Meizhi thinks. Will she be like others and abandon her partner and children in her hometown when she goes to college
Gu Qinghan said: "I think there is a high probability that Gu Qingsong will not pass the exam."
Wen Nuan agreed: "I think so too. There are several children in the family, and your mother may not be able to help take care of them."
There was already a child who was not Gu Qingsong's, and the two behind Lin Meizhi were daughters.
Zhao Wuzhu is the most patriarchal person. Now Lin Meizhi has abandoned several children and her precious son in her hometown without saying a word. He must be very angry.
It would be good enough if you didn't scold Gu Qingsong to death, but you still expect her to help take care of the children
So Gu Qingsong probably doesn’t have much time to review.
This time, Gu Qingsong probably really would lose everything, with the people gone and several hungry children left behind.
Those days...
However, with the IQ of the Gu family, it is not difficult for them to get into a university in the province. However, Gu Qingsong took the college entrance examination in order to follow in Lin Meizhi's footsteps, and his goal should be a university in Beijing.
It depends on how Gu Qingsong chooses.
Gu Qinghan sniffed the scent of his wife and asked, "Are you going to be in school all this time?"
Wen Nuan: "Yes, we need to prepare things for the new year."
Because we have more students this year than last year, Wen Nuan has to help clean and tidy up the dormitory.
The previously vacant classrooms have to be reorganized and cleaned again, otherwise with more and more students enrolling, it would be a laughing stock if the supporting facilities could not keep up.
Gu Qinghan said "hmm" with little interest, and then said: "So you can't go back to the family compound for the next two months?"
I thought Wen Nuan would stay in the family compound during the holidays, so I could see her more often.
Who knows that plans cannot keep up with changes.
His wife is busier than he is.
Wen Nuan laughed and put her arms around his neck. "Of course I can come back. I'm not busy every day."
Gu Qinghan hummed, obviously not trusting her words.
Wen Nuan turned over and sat on his waist, smiling at him condescendingly: "Chief of Staff Gu, aren't you busy too? I won't be able to see you all the time when I go back."
Gu Qinghan's test flight work is coming to an end, and now the new fighter has entered the finalization discussion stage. If all goes well, it will be finalized next year, and the new fighter will be in service the year after.
There is also some training in Beijing, but the training ground is some distance away from the Air Force Academy, so Gu Qinghan sometimes stays at the training base for three to five days.
It's not often seen.
Gu Qinghan stretched out his hand, placed it on the warm back of his head, and said in a muffled voice: "It's just that everyone is busy, I miss you so much."
Wen Nuan leaned over, kissed the corner of the man's lips, and said with a smile: "So, didn't I buy a house to make it more convenient for you to come over?"
She even spent several hundred dollars to make furniture just for the couple to kiss each other. Who would believe it if she told others about it
Then she closed her eyes and licked her lips gently: "Qinghan, kiss me quickly."
Gu Qinghan was stunned for only a second, then he reacted quickly, raised his chin slightly, pressed the back of his wife's head with one hand, and kissed her wildly.
This was one of the few times Wen Nuan took the initiative, and after they finished once, Gu Qinghan was so satisfied that he carried her to the bathroom and did it again.
*
While Wen Nuan and Gu Qinghan were being affectionate with each other, Gu Qingsong was in agony waiting for the results.
That day, everyone went to get their college entrance examination transcripts. Zhao Wuzhu saw Gu Qingsong coming home and asked, "How was it? Did you pass?"
Gu Qingsong threw the report card on the dining table and said unhappily, "I didn't pass the exam."
Although Zhao Wuzhu couldn't read, she still walked over and picked up the report card and looked at it. "Isn't there three hundred... six..."
"Isn't it over 300 points? Why can't I go in?"
Zhao Wuzhu couldn't stop Gu Qingsong from taking the college entrance examination. There were several children at home, and she certainly couldn't let Lin Meizhi just abandon them like that.
Therefore, she had nothing to say about Gu Qingsong's college entrance examination. She just hoped that these two people would take care of the child and not force everything on her.
Gu Qingsong slumped down on the armchair and said, "With only 306 points, I can't get into Meizhi's school."
"This..." Zhao Wuzhu got angry and said, "Gu Qingsong, you are so stupid. Can't you go to another school? Why do you have to go to the same school as her?"
Otherwise, if you go to university here, aren't you also a college student? Do you have to go to such a far place?"
Zhao Wuzhu was so angry that her chest heaved: "I told you to just divorce that woman. She obviously wanted to get rid of you, and you were so stupid as to go along with her!"
If Zhao Wuzhu hadn't been counting on this son to support her, she would really want to pry open his head to see what it was made of and how could he be so stupid
Gu Qingsong frowned: "Meizhi won't do that. She just wants to go to college so that our future life will be better."
"Forget it. If I fail this time, I can just take it again next year. I'll ask Meizhi when she comes back for the New Year."
Zhao Wuzhu sneered, "Next year? Don't you see how old you are now? You don't need to raise children? Are you expecting an old woman like me to help you raise a few children?"
"Don't let me tell you, your baby Lin Meizhi won't be back for the New Year. Open your eyes and take a good look. You've been deceived by her, Gu Qingsong!"
Gu Qingsong shouted angrily, "No! Meizhi said she was going to study and she would not abandon me and the child."
While the two were arguing, several children came back.
They looked at Gu Qingsong, then at Zhao Wuzhu, and cried pitifully, "Grandma, Dad, we are hungry."
Gu Qingsong glanced at Zhao Wuzhu, but Zhao Wuzhu was too lazy to pay attention to him and just closed the door.
Gu Qingsong sighed and said to the children, "I'm going to cook now. You guys can have some peach cakes first."
Several children shook their heads: "The peach cakes are gone."
Gu Qingsong: "What about the other cakes?"
Several children shook their heads: "All gone."
Gu Qingsong frowned and subconsciously wanted to take out money, but then he realized that he had no money on him.
Gu Zihao took a step forward and asked, "Dad, it's summer vacation now, when will Mom come back?"
He glanced at his eldest son, not knowing how to confess to him for a moment.
Then he changed the subject and said, "Zihao, go into the room and get two cents to take your sister to buy popsicles."
Gu Zihao saw that Gu Qingsong didn't want to answer, so he had to take his two sisters out.
Gu Qingsong saw the children go out, then he took out the letter Lin Meizhi wrote to him. In the letter, Lin Meizhi said that she couldn't buy a train ticket back to her hometown, so she would wait until the Spring Festival to come back.
The letter also mentioned the situation at her school and her roommates. Throughout the entire letter, she didn't even ask how he was doing now. She only mentioned the child at the end.
Finally, she asked him to send her a hundred dollars.
Gu Qingsong collected the letter, put it back in his pocket, washed the rice and put it in the pot before going back to his room to check his salary passbook.
In the past two years, after he remarried Lin Meizhi, he has not been as idle as before. He can still save some money every month. However, Lin Meizhi took away 300 yuan before going to school, leaving only 100 for him.
A few months passed, and there was not much money added to his passbook, especially in the first two months, when he took leave to review at home and did not even receive any salary.
So there was only a little over 150 yuan left in the passbook.
After thinking about it, Gu Qingsong decided to go to the post office.
*
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye it was December 1978.
The household contract responsibility system implemented in Xiaogang Village, Fengyang County, Anhui Province, officially opened the curtain on economic opening up.
The first thing Wen Nuan did was to contact Sister Guihua and her father Uncle Zhang.
After the call was connected, Wen Nuan asked directly: "Uncle Zhang, have you read the newspaper? Have you considered contracting a few articles about raising seafood on the beach?"
Wen Nuan had asked Sister Guihua to do Uncle Zhang's homework first, so when she received the call from Wen Nuan, she agreed directly: "We must follow the organization's policy. Guihua also said that she will not have any more children in the future. She doesn't need anyone to take care of her now. She asked my wife to come back to our hometown, saying that we can do it together!"
In recent years, their village has made a lot of money with the help of the Beicheng Army. Now that the land can be distributed to each household and individuals can contract the land, they must give it a try.
Besides, who is Wen Nuan
She is Commander Lu's granddaughter and has a lot of inside information. Since she is so kind to remind him, Uncle Zhang must seize this opportunity.
Wen Nuan: "That's good. Uncle Zhang, please do your best. I wish you all the best."
After 1979, a large number of educated youth began to return to the city. Due to the severe shortage of jobs, the organization encouraged the educated youth to become self-employed.
When Wen Nuan went back to the Siheyuan to celebrate the Spring Festival, she saw someone selling large bowls of tea in front of the gatehouse of Daqianmen.
However, people in the alley have both praise and criticism for this phenomenon.
Most people who were paid by the emperor scoffed at this and said bluntly: "Even if we want to beg for food, we would rather be middlemen. It's shameful!"
Some people also remain optimistic: "Since the organization has introduced such a policy, it must be right and it won't be embarrassing."
Of course, the majority of people are neutral and waiting, and no one wants to be the first.
After all, we still don’t know whether we are trying out new things or being a guinea pig.
Everyone is waiting for clear news.
When Grandpa Li came to Wen Nuan's house, he brought up this matter: "Girl, what do you think of this self-employed person?"
Wen Nuan was cutting paper-cuts with some children, and then smiled: "We must support it."
Uncle Li raised his eyebrows: "Oh?"
Wen Nuan: "There is nothing wrong with following the organization's footsteps. Besides, how can it be shameful to update it with your own hands?"
There were too many educated youth returning to the city, but they could neither get into university nor be assigned a job.
Being a self-employed person is the best option at the moment.
However, it is still in the initial exploratory stage, and only some "thick-skinned" people dare to get involved.
After all, the older generation in the old alleys still cursed quite harshly.
Anyone with a slightly thinner skin would probably be scolded by them so much that they dare not go out, let alone go to Daqianmen to sell big bowls of tea.
On the way back from school, Wen Nuan heard some people crying and making a fuss about severing ties with their families because their children were self-employed.
They all thought it was a disgrace.
Wen Nuan finished cutting a paper-cut for the window, and asked Uncle Li to take a look at it. She asked, "Uncle Li, can you help me check if it looks good?"
Uncle Li smiled and said, "It looks good. Our girl is very clever and skillful."
Wen Nuan smiled and said, "Then I'll cut a few for Uncle Li later."
Wen Nuan seldom comes back here often after she goes to school, so she usually asks Grandpa Li to help look after the yard. Sometimes when Gu Qinglan goes to Li Yunhua Hospital to study on Saturdays and Sundays, she will also come to visit.
Uncle Li nodded with a smile: "That's great, it saves me from going out to buy it."
Lele wrote the word "Fu", and then gave it to Grandpa Li, saying, "Grandpa, look at the word "Fu" I wrote. Does it look good?"
"Of course it looks good." Uncle Li said flatteringly.
Regardless of the fact that Lele's handwriting is very good, it doesn't look like the crooked handwriting of a child at all, it looks quite neat.
Lele handed over the word "Fu" that he had written: "Then I'll give this word to you as well."
When Bao Bao heard this, she handed the haircut she had made to Grandpa Li: "Grandpa, I have some here too."
Zhou Zhou also took the lead: "Grandpa, there is also mine, look at mine first."
Lele took the paper-cut from Zhou Zhou and frowned: "Lu Zhengqi, what are you cutting?"
Zhou Zhou raised his chin and said proudly: "This is a fighter jet. My great grandfather taught me how to cut it."
Lele: “…”
Don't want to discourage you.
Then Lele looked at the one that Baobao had cut and was completely speechless: "Lu Zhengyang, what is this?"
Bao Bao said with a smile: "Sister, this is a little goat. Isn't this the Year of the Goat? Our teacher taught me how to cut it."
Lele shook his head: "Don't tell me which teacher it was."
The teacher doesn't want to acknowledge you as a student.
Bao Bao looked at his sister in confusion and asked, "Why?"
Lele didn't criticize him directly, but said: "Because you are too careless, the teacher must not teach you this way."
Bao Bao: "Nonsense, this is what the teacher taught us."
Zhou Zhou took the paper cutting from Sister Lele and said with a smile: "Lu Zhengyang, your paper cutting is so ugly, what are these?"
When Lele heard this, he bent his fingers and tapped Zhou Zhou's head, and scolded him with a stern face: "How can you talk to your brother like this?"
Bao Bao gloated: "Serves you right!"
Zhou Zhou was not convinced: "Mom said he and I are twins! I am not his brother!"
Lele: "Even if you're one minute earlier, you're still my brother. Pay attention to me, or I'll beat you up."
Zhou Zhou was scared. His sister didn't beat him like his parents did, just to scare him. She really beat him hard.
Grandpa Li took the things the children had cut and said with a smile, "It doesn't matter. Grandpa is not that particular. In previous years, I just pasted two pieces of red paper together to celebrate the New Year. This year, you kids cut window decorations for me, and Grandpa is very happy."
Wen Nuan heard this and said, "Uncle Li, then have dinner with us tonight."
Uncle Li waved his hand and said, "No, no, I don't want to bother you every year. I'll just come over for a drink tomorrow."
After saying this, Uncle Li also went back to his home.
The warmth cannot be retained.
Gu Qinghan and Commander Lu did not return from the meeting until after five o'clock. After the family had their New Year's Eve dinner, they took the children out to set off firecrackers.
On the next day, New Year's Day, Commander Lu took Wen Nuan and the others to the cemetery to pay tribute to her grandmother and biological parents. This is also an annual event.
Commander Lu was going to be busy on the second day of the new year, and Wen Nuan and Gu Qinghan had originally agreed to take the children to climb the Great Wall.
However, Gu Qinglan came over and said that Gu Qingsong had brought a few children to Beijing.