Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 200 New Year’s Purchase
The Lou family and the city's responsible leaders discussed for two days, with Chen Xueru participating throughout the process. The final plan was to cooperate with the city's Second Textile Factory to rebuild a new factory. Of course, the Lou family invested 10 million Hong Kong dollars, which was also a considerable sum of money. In return, the factory would be managed by someone sent by the Lou family, but the finances would be jointly managed by both parties, and the city would send a financial director to supervise the work.

At this time, the Second Textile Factory was actually in name only. The workers' wages were maintained by relying on grants from the company itself. The products it produced could not be sold, so it simply stopped production. However, the workers' wages became a huge burden.

This factory is well-known throughout the entire city. The city also wants to use the Lou family's capital injection and introduction of equipment to revitalize this factory, otherwise the burden will be too heavy.

After discussing the cooperation, the two parties signed a memorandum, and Lou's mother and her party were about to go back. When leaving, Lou Xiao'e quietly went to Yuer Hutong and gave Yan Jiekuang a travel bag. Yan Jiekuang knew that these were US dollars left for him.

On the day of farewell, Lou Xiao'e burst into tears again. Yan Jiekuang coaxed her and said, "We will meet soon. Don't worry. I will cook for you and make you plump and white."

Lou Xiao'e burst out laughing, hit Yan Jiekuang, and said, "Do you think I'm a pig? Come on, come and see me soon."

Yan Jiekuang sent the Lou mother and daughter away and returned to Yuer Hutong. He said hello to Aunt Wang and went to the study. He opened the suitcase, which contained 100,000 US dollars. Yan Jiekuang felt that it was a bit too much, so he put away the travel bag. He still had more than 50,000 US dollars in his hand. He was ready to seize the upcoming trend of going abroad. Of course, if he could buy a house now, he would also do so.

In 1979, Yan Jiekuang always felt that he had forgotten something and was a little uneasy, but he couldn't remember what it was. Ji Lian looked at him strangely and asked him if he was feeling unwell.

Yan Jiekuang waved his hands and said that he was fine, and instead asked Ji Lian how her university life was. Ji Lian became excited upon hearing that and talked to Yan Jiekuang about her university life with great excitement.

Yan Jiekuang listened patiently. He learned about her dormitory and roommates, which food in Ji Lian University cafeteria was delicious, and that her classmates came from all over the world. It was not until the crying of the two little babies was heard that Ji Lian stopped talking and ran to the inner room.

Yan Jiekuang planned to take his wife and children back to the Siheyuan the next day, so he was packing some things. This time he might not come back until after the Chinese New Year, after all, Grandpa Ji and his family were all in the Siheyuan.

Ji Lian had no objection, she just wanted to buy a coat for Grandpa Ji. Grandpa had been wearing the cotton-padded jacket for several years and had never bought a new one. Yan Jiekuang was annoyed when he heard this, wondering why he hadn't thought of it. He said to Ji Lian, "The Lou family gave me a lot of foreign exchange coupons when they came. Let's go to the Friendship Store tomorrow and return to the courtyard in the afternoon."

Ji Lian's face was full of surprise. She knew about the Friendship Store, but she had never been there. She was not allowed to enter. Even if she was allowed in, she could not buy anything because she did not have foreign exchange coupons.

Yan Jiekuang informed Aunt Wang that she would need her help to look after his children tomorrow morning. Aunt Wang said that it was her job and she should do it.

The next morning, the couple went to the Friendship Store. When they entered, they were holding a stack of foreign exchange coupons in their hands. The service staff were stunned, but they still asked Yan Jiekuang to show his ID. Ji Lian was a little nervous. Yan Jiekuang shook Ji Lian's hand and took out his Hong Kong Island identity card. After the staff looked at it, they did not stop him and let him go.

The two of them strolled inside. Yan Jiekuang bought an old Russian coat with a mink collar for Grandpa Ji, and a mink scarf for his mother. Thinking about how expensive it was, Yan Jiekuang walked to the first floor and took a careful look. To be honest, Yan Jiekuang had never expected that there were so many rare treasures. There was an official seal, so Yan Jiekuang bought it and prepared to give it to his father.

Just as he was about to walk out of the Friendship Shopping Mall, he saw a copper furnace and was attracted to it at first sight. The price at that time was marked as 300 foreign exchange coupons. Yan Jiekuang thought that this was a fake.

Yan Jiekuang turned around, walked to the counter of the tripod furnace, and asked, "How much is this?"

The service staff said very respectfully: "Three hundred, foreign exchange coupons."

Yan Jiekuang quickly took out the foreign exchange coupon and bought the item. Only Yan Jiekuang knew that this was a Xuande furnace built during the Zhengde period. Yan Jiekuang obviously doubted whether this item had been selected by professionals. For a long time afterwards, Yan Jiekuang regarded the Friendship Store as one of the places he must go to, and therefore received many antiques.

Yan Jiekuang was in high spirits when he returned to the courtyard. He was very happy because he had found a great bargain today. But the old couple Yan Bugui were not happy at all. Everyone at home was there. It turned out that Shi Xiaoya had sent several letters to the army, mainly asking whether her husband would come back during the Spring Festival, but now there was no news from the second son.

The old couple Yan Bugui were very worried. Yan Jiekuang woke up all of a sudden and suddenly realized what he had forgotten. He knew why he always felt something was wrong. The war had begun and his second brother might have gone.

He is in a dilemma now. He wants to say something but dares not. However, he is still worried about his second brother. You know, his second brother has always protected him since he was a child.

Yan Jiekuang had no choice but to comfort his parents.

Rumors were flying everywhere outside, and finally the Yan family knew about the self-defense counterattack. Yan Jiekuang no longer had to hide. His second brother must have gone, otherwise there would be no news at all.

At this time, Yan Bugui and his wife had calmed down. Yan Bugui was walking around the neighborhood diligently with his red "patrolman" armband, while Yang Ruiping basically did not go to Yuer Hutong anymore and stayed at home to take care of Yan Yongchang and Yan Yongxin.

Yan Jiekuang knew that his parents were suffering and were afraid that they would suddenly receive bad news one day. Yan Jiekuang also understood, so he often brought his children back, mainly to look after his parents.

The two younger brothers asked Yan Jiekuang if something happened at home. Yan Jiekuang always said that nothing happened. However, the sensitivity of the two children reminded Yan Jiekuang. Yan Jiekuang quickly found his mother and said, "Mom, this is not okay. The atmosphere at home is very depressing. Yongchang and Yongxin always ask me that you are making the whole family worried."

Yang Ruiping thought about it and felt that he had thought too badly about the situation, which had caused the temperature at home to drop. He said a little sadly: "I don't want to, but I am always worried about the second child."

Yan Jiekuang consoled him, "You're making the whole family feel depressed. The adult is fine. We still have Yongchang and Yongxin. Do you want to talk to them about their father?"

Yang Ruiping quickly shook his head, sighed and said, "Okay, I'll try my best to control my emotions. Your dad should also remind you that for the sake of the child, you have to endure it."

Yan Jiekuang said, "Okay, I see you guys don't have any intention of celebrating the New Year. I'll go make the preparations for the New Year this year, and you go tell Big Brother."

Yan Jiekuang is now busy again. Firstly, someone has to take care of the family, otherwise they won’t be able to celebrate the New Year. Secondly, he also wants to keep himself busy to stop himself from daydreaming.

In the next few days, Aunt Wang was still taking care of the child, and Yan Jiekuang began to visit various ghost markets and black markets. It was a coincidence that he met the same Wang Qing on the first day. Now Wang Qing was a frequent visitor to this market. He asked Yan Jiekuang about his needs. Yan Jiekuang said that he just wanted to buy some rare food to prepare for the New Year.

Wang Qing took Yan Jiekuang to various markets. He didn't expect that Yan Jiekuang would really buy everything and never ask the price, but he didn't have the intention of blackmailing Yan Jiekuang, and he took Yan Jiekuang to look for it seriously.

This Spring Festival, Yan Jiekuang really spent a lot of money. As long as the ingredients were good, he would buy them all without asking the price.

(End of this chapter)