The two families had a simple meal. Except for one dish, Comrade Gu's other dishes were not burnt. Maybe because he was in a good mood, the dishes he cooked were several times more delicious than usual, and the whole table was eaten up.
Gu Sheng drank and Wang Youli fell down drunk by him. He was drinking happily by himself. Finally, Zhan Aiping dragged him back to the room. He was already dizzy and stuck to her like a big puppy, laughing foolishly.
"You are so old now..." Zhan Aiping laughed and scolded him, but Gu Sheng didn't care. He was just happy, and he kept calling his wife and daughter-in-law in a daze. Later, he didn't know whether he was sober or not, and he pulled Zhan Aiping to talk about a lot of things when he was studying in the military academy.
He said how much he loved her at first, how he couldn't sleep in the middle of the night because he missed her so much, how he wrote her many letters but tore them up in the end and didn't dare tell anyone else, how he climbed over the wall in the dark to look at her photos under the lamp...
Zhan Aiping took out a small notebook and wrote down everything while listening. It is really a good habit to talk about one's dark history when drunk.
When he woke up the next day, ran, took a shower and shaved, he turned into the cold and mature Instructor Gu again, as if the silly and happy big dog yesterday was not him.
Zhan Aiping said, "Old Gu, I have written it all down in my notebook, so don't deny it."
Gu Sheng said calmly: "Everyone has a time when they are young and frivolous."
Zhan Aiping sighed: "I see you blushing."
Gu Sheng: “…”
"Wife, you too."
*
Just two days after their wedding anniversary, Gao Jingmei and her son came over. She didn't come to see them just for the sake of it. She was going to the neighboring province of Guangdong and came to see Zhan Aiping on the way.
Gao Jingmei hesitated whether to leave Lu Cheng at Gu's house. She said to Zhan Aiping, "I want to ask Lu Ming for a divorce! This bastard!"
Zhan Aiping asked: "What's wrong? Hasn't your relationship always been stable? You've been married for ten years, right?"
"Yeah, it's been ten years, this bastard! I'm so mad at you!" Gao Jingmei slammed the table, making the Gu family's table bang loudly.
Zhan Aiping: "What happened? Why did he go to Guangdong Province?"
Gao Jingmei said: "He said before that he was old and didn't want to continue working in the army. He wanted to retire and change jobs. I agreed, contacted my father, and arranged a good job for him in Beijing. Everything was arranged. But at the critical moment, he gave up. This guy took the initiative to go to Pengcheng Development Zone with his old leader, to the Foreign Investment Promotion Bureau, and said he wanted to do something big. What can he do?"
Gao Jingmei always felt that her husband, who had a gentle and good-looking face, a soft personality and a good temper, was not suitable to be a soldier, but more suitable to be a gentle scholar. But Gao Jingmei really liked him, liked this man with a good personality who could tolerate all her bad tempers.
Lu Ming married her not to marry into the Gao family, but over the years, he was like a son-in-law, listening to her suggestions in everything and doing whatever she wanted. But now Lu Ming dared to resist her arrangements and ran away without her knowledge!
Zhan Aiping asked: "Do you really want to divorce him?"
Gao Jingmei said angrily: "I'll give him an ultimatum. If he doesn't come back to Beijing, then we'll get a divorce."
"This bastard has been with me for so many years, he has grown wings. If he doesn't want to live with me anymore, then let's divorce him!"
Zhan Aiping said: "Look at you, you keep saying you want a divorce, are you really willing to do so? I think you are just bluffing."
Gao Jingmei said with a stern face: "If you say divorce, then divorce. Who is afraid of who?"
Zhan Aiping said: "What if I really divorce you?"
Gao Jingmei slammed the table with great force, "He dares! I will beat him to death! We will die together! If he dares to do me wrong, I will kill him first and then commit suicide. Pingping, Xiaocheng is left to you!"
Zhan Aiping: "... Sister, don't get excited yet."
Gao Jingmei couldn't hold back her tears. How could she bear to divorce him after so many years of love? This man had always been good to her. He was just an idiot. "Pingping, I used to dislike him, but I didn't expect him to do anything big. Can't he just stay here? He has to wade into trouble instead of enjoying a good life."
Pengcheng was designated as a special economic zone. As a frontier demonstration point for reform and opening up, everything about it is unknown. Even now, there are still a lot of controversies. The development of Pengcheng is under tremendous pressure, and no one knows what it will look like in the future.
Especially this year, the reform of state-owned enterprises has been hindered, many opening-up policies have been tightened again, and newspapers have begun to crack down on speculation and profiteering...
People like Gao Jingmei just want stability. She thinks her husband Lu Ming has no special abilities, so it would be enough for him to just stay in Beijing and be protected by the Gao family and live a stable life. There is no need for him to go to the development zone to do something with an uncertain future.
Zhan Aiping advised: "That doesn't necessarily mean wading into muddy waters. Who knows, Pengcheng may develop rapidly in the future and take off overnight."
"Whether he flies or not is another matter." Gao Jingmei wiped her tears: "After so many years, he actually dared to disobey me. This is the first time he has disobeyed me. Pingping, do you think he has changed his mind?"
Zhan Aiping said: "How about I call Lu Ming, Meimei, don't get excited yet."
Zhan Aiping spent half a day and finally contacted Lu Ming. Lu Ming knew it was her who called. He was a little timid and a little excited: "Doctor Zhan, please help me calm Meimei down."
Lu Ming said: "Tell Meimei that I love her."
"I'm a man, I also want to make a career, I don't want to be accused of relying on my father-in-law, I... I'm not as bad as she says." Staying in the Foreign Investment Promotion Bureau, he sees investment projects worth millions, tens of millions or even hundreds of millions every day, which has greatly broadened his horizons. Lu Ming feels that there is a lot to do here, and once all these investments are implemented, he can foresee the future glory of this city.
After hanging up the phone, Zhan Aiping persuaded Gao Jingmei: "You used to dislike him because he was a coward, but now that he is not a coward anymore, you are not satisfied again."
"Don't pretend to be angry, he said he loves you, did you hear that, Comrade Meimei, he said he loves you!"
"Love, love, love, love, love, bullshit." Gao Jingmei cursed: "This man just wants to hit his head against the wall."
"I won't go looking for him anymore. Let this bastard come back and ask me for a divorce." Gao Jingmei said angrily, "Let this stinky man come back and beg me like a drowned dog."
Zhan Aiping couldn't help laughing: "What if they really succeed in doing something big? There's gold everywhere over there, so they can make a fortune by doing anything. They can make a fortune just by reselling."
Now is the period of prosperity for coastal areas. There is a lot of smuggling and reselling. Not only can you make a lot of money by smuggling foreign electronic products, but you can also make a lot of money by reselling domestic handicrafts.
Gao Jingmei shook her head: "What's the point of making so much money?"
"If you really engage in speculation and profiteering, you will end up in jail."
Zhan Aiping: “…”
In the past, everything had to be purchased with coupons, which limited everyone's imagination of money. Commercial housing had not yet begun to be developed on a large scale, and every household did not need to buy a car. It seemed that if you earned too much money, you really couldn't spend it
Unless you go abroad to shop.
Zhan Aiping said, "If you think the money is too much in the future, can you ask your old Lu to build a few buildings in Pengcheng? Please save two for me, as they will be for my future grandchildren."
Gao Jingmei burst out laughing: "Several houses? Why do you need so many houses? Can you live in them? Now there is family planning. Even if each of your children gives birth to two children, there will only be six. How many buildings can you live in?"
"Why do you want to live so far away?"
Zhan Aiping said: "I like houses. I like houses with yards."
"Do you like the courtyard houses in Beijing? I have a whole set. If you want, I'll sell it to you." Gao Jingmei took a sip of tea and said, "I think it's much more comfortable to live in a building than a courtyard house. It's not easy to get infested with rats. Who wouldn't want to live in a building if they live in a slum over there?"
Zhan Aiping was shocked: "Are you really going to sell it to me?"
"If you want it, I'll sell it to you. I can also give it to you as a gift." Gao Jingmei is very generous. She has basically no concept of money because she has been in the army for a long time and does not need to spend money on food, clothing, housing and transportation.
She thinks having money is useless.
Zhan Aiping: "... Sister, I won't take advantage of you. You should keep your courtyard as a family heirloom and leave it to your grandchildren, so that you won't regret it if you sell it."
A set of commercial housing developed and supplied to foreign investors costs tens of thousands of yuan, while the small courtyard houses inherited from ancestors in Beijing are not worth that much, only about ten or twenty thousand yuan.
Chinese people are now fed up with living in bungalows and are looking forward to moving into high-rise buildings, which are so grand!
"Ask your people to help me keep an eye out for anyone who wants to sell a courtyard house there in the next few years. I want to buy two. My brother and sister are there, so it's just right for them to live there."
Zhan Mingzhao and Gu Xiangyi will graduate from university next year.
Gao Jingmei said, "Okay."
The two chatted for a while, and Zhan Aiping advised her again: "Your old Lu has supported your work for more than ten years. Now you should give him a chance and support his work."
Gao Jingmei snorted. Although she didn't say anything, she had already agreed in her heart.
In the summer of 1981, Gao Jingmei also transferred to the administrative post of the military academy. Zhan Aiping felt that she was very awkward. Zhan Aiping said, "Believe it or not, you will have to leave sooner or later. Your job has been changed. Why don't you just go to the next province in one go?"
"I take the initiative to run over? Am I that cheap? I want him to beg me!" Gao Jingmei shouted, crossing her arms.
Zhan Aiping couldn't help but smile, but she felt that it might not be a bad thing for Gao Jingmei to transfer out. In the 1980s, military spending was tight and the staff was bloated. The military was about to be cut by one million, including 600,000 officers and cadres and a reduction of more than 4,000 regimental-level units. If Gao Jingmei was transferred to a government department casually, it would not be convenient for her future development.
Gu Yuan and Lu Cheng stayed in the same class again. Lu Cheng stayed with his biological mother. They also brought rice dumplings with them. Gu Yuan was very happy. They now had a place to raise rice dumplings. They raised them in a small courtyard of a private house near the oil tea house. Zhan Aiping rented it. Lu Cheng and Gu Yuan went to see the rice dumplings every day and fed them meat every now and then.
Now that people’s living conditions have improved, dogs’ living conditions have also improved.
Pork was hard to buy, but free fish was easy to get. Lu Cheng and Gu Yuan would go fishing in the river and lake when they had nothing to do. They would catch big river fish, cook them, remove the bones, and feed them to Zongzi.
Gu Chen loves to eat fish, especially the river fish and Hehua fish here. "You feed the big fish to the dogs. Do you still love your brother? Are zongzi more important than your brother?"
Gu Yuan: "Brother, your fish is not missing. Zongzi is bigger than you, so of course it will eat the big one."
Gu Chen: “…” It’s not that he was reluctant to give Zongzi fish, he just felt that bigger fish should be given to him.
Gu Yuan and Lu Cheng were lazy because it was easy to remove the bones of big fish, but it would be too troublesome to remove the bones of small fish one by one.
In order to eat good fish, Gu Chen figured out a way. He cooperated with several old men living by the river and planned to raise fish by the river. Because his mother ran an oil tea shop and sold fish, meat and vegetables at night, the fish he raised would not have to worry about marketability.
Several old men were fooled by his sweet words. They originally thought that there were many fish in the river and there was no need to raise fish themselves. However, Gu Chen said that by raising fish scientifically, they could raise the fish big and fat and make more money.
His mother would buy all the fish he raised, so the old men agreed.
Zhan Aiping knew that her son was using her name to guide fish farming. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but she didn't stop him. It was already remarkable that such a small liar could fool a group of people to listen to him. "Old Gu, your son is so courageous. He wants to start a fish farming business when he is only in junior high school, and he can coax a bunch of old men to trust him."
This little guy specializes in fooling old men... Since there are no aunties fishing by the river, I don’t know if he can fool the aunties. If so, then he has really learned a lot from his uncle.
Gu Sheng asked: "Why? Are you worried that he will lose money?"
Zhan Aiping shook her head: "That's not the case."
Gu Chen skipped a grade and is now in junior high school. He has good grades and has always been ranked first. Zhan Aiping doesn't pay much attention to her son's studies. She is not afraid that he will have bad grades, but she is afraid that he will accidentally go astray by being clever.
This guy has a strong desire to make money. He could make money by selling homework when he was a child. Now is a good time to make money by speculating and profiteering. Zhan Aiping is afraid that he will engage in speculation and profiteering.
Gu Chen himself feels that there is no sense of accomplishment in reselling and driving up prices. He prefers a model where he works hard and earns money. The point is not to make money, but to enjoy the joy of delving into it.
Zhan Aiping encouraged him: "You have the heart to study, and I believe in you. Go and study fish farming. Even if you can't do it well, I will compensate you."
Increasing production and income, and scientific planting and breeding are the general directions encouraged by the country. Her son wants to do this, and she fully supports it.
Gu Chen: "... Mom, don't lose confidence in me. Think about how to sell the big fish I raise first."
Zhan Aiping said: "Raise it first."
Gu Chen asked: "If you raise them, will you keep them all?"
"Collect, collect, collect!"
Gu Chen: "I feel relieved when you say this."
Zhan Aiping was puzzled: "How many fish do you want to raise as a junior high school student?"
"It's not much. Just give it a try. I'll give it a try."
Zhan Aiping let him try.
Gu Chen skipped a grade and went to junior high school, but he is still not that old. Lu Cheng is one year older than him and is still in elementary school. Zhan Aiping had been hesitating whether to change her son's age.
The household registration system is not very strict nowadays, and there are many opportunities to change your age. You can change it to a higher or lower age.
Gu Sheng asked her: "Why do you want to change your age?"
Zhan Aiping joked: "Change your age to a little older so you can retire earlier."
Gu Sheng laughed: "Are you looking forward to my early retirement?"
Zhan Aiping: "Yes, I am in need of a gardener."
Gu Sheng: "I am the fifth child in the family. It is okay for me to change my age to a little older. It is okay for me to change my age to a few years older. But how can we change our Youyouyuan?"
"They are three years old, and their parents are not married?"
Zhan Aiping: “…”
"Old Gu, you are wrong." There are many problems with the current household registration system, all kinds of problems. "Who would care about this? Many people have their names randomly changed when registering their household registration... But what you said is true. There is really no need for our family to change these things."
Zhan Aiping thought, what does it matter if the child is born and the parents are not married
Gu Chen went to find a group of old men who were raising fish, and he was quite serious about it. Luo Zhiguo also wanted to join in, because he always came up empty-handed when he went fishing, and he was very resentful. If he couldn't catch any fish, couldn't he just raise the fish in captivity
Gu Chen didn't want him to get involved.
Lu Ming works in Pengcheng Development Zone. He remembers to send something to his wife and children every month. As it was summer and thinking about the children at Gu's family, he asked someone to send a large amount of Coca-Cola.
During the Republic of China period, Coca-Cola was first translated as "tadpoles gnawing on wax", and later it was changed to "Coca-Cola". Seven or eight years ago, Coca-Cola withdrew from the domestic market for 30 years, and it has reappeared in the domestic market in recent years. Gao Jingmei feels that it does taste like a lot of tadpoles, especially after being chilled.
(End of this chapter)