Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 447 Accompanying Parents
The warm autumn sun shines on the grape vines in the courtyard, which are laden with fruits. Today, Yan Jiekuang called Wei Xiaobao and his apprentices, intending to keep a few bunches and send the rest to a private restaurant.

A few people were busy in the backyard when the doorbell in the front yard rang. Wei Xiaobao said, "Xiaojun, go open the door and see who is looking for my master."

After a while, Li Hongjun led Xu Damao in. Xu Damao smiled and said, "Oh, you came at the right time. Decorate for me later so that I can satisfy my son's craving."

Wei Xiaobao knew Xu Damao, so he curled his lips and ignored him. Yan Jiekuang said, "Why are you here? You don't come here for no reason. What's the matter?"

Xu Damao took out a cigarette and passed it around, then he pulled Yan Jiekuang to sit at the stone table on the side and said, "Third brother, can I ask you a favor?"

Yan Jiekuang said, "You talk and I want to listen." Yan Jiekuang sat down while smoking a cigarette.

Xu Damao said, "It's like this. I want to open a real estate agency, but you know, most of the houses are introduced by acquaintances. I want to open one in Nanluoguxiang first, but houses are really hard to find. I heard that you have a lot of houses for rent here, so I came here. How about I be your agent for free?"

Yan Jiekuang looked at Xu Damao carefully, as if he didn't know him. He was so scared by Xu Damao's stare that he asked, "Why, Third Brother, is there any problem?"

"It's true that one should look at people with new eyes after three days of absence. Your idea is good. This industry has development prospects. You really have a good vision." Yan Jiekuang said.

Xu Damao was overjoyed and said, "You think it's good, don't you? I said that everyone can't be like my father, who is always stubborn and says that I'm a dentist and that 'dentists in car and boat shops should be killed even if they are innocent'. It makes me so angry."

Yan Jiekuang said, "There is no problem on my side. Ji Lian's company is now representing all my houses. You can go directly to Kodak headquarters to find her. I will call her."

"Okay, thank you, Lao San. Don't worry, I won't charge money from both sides like other agents. I definitely won't ask for a penny, and I will even bear the maintenance costs of your house." Xu Damao said.

Yan Jiekuang still believed Xu Damao on this point and said, "Okay, you pack some grapes for the child and I won't send you off."

Xu Damao happily left with the grapes. Wei Xiaobao came over and said, "Master, why are you still talking to him about this? You know this guy well. He's full of bad intentions."

Yan Jiekuang smiled and said, "I'm not talking to him. Your master's wife told me a few days ago that the sales department has limited staff and can't take care of all my houses. She asked me to find someone else. I was worried, and now he's here."

When Wei Xiaobao heard this, he burst into laughter and said, "He has become a timely rain. Haha, Master, you are amazing."

"By the way, is your second senior brother getting married? Is it to that Chen Zhaodi?" Yan Jiekuang asked.

Wei Xiaobao said, "If it's not her, then who else could it be? It's already been decided, probably in mid-October."

"By the way, I brought some gifts for you and your apprentice. They are placed on the table in the living room in the front yard. You can take them with you when you leave and divide them among yourselves when you get back." Yan Jiekuang said.

Wei Xiaobao smiled and said, "Thank you, Master, for thinking of us when you go abroad."

"Okay, stop talking about those useless things. Your senior brother is married, so you should also make some arrangements. You are so old now, you've become a bachelor at middle age." Yan Jiekuang said unhappily.

"Master, don't worry. My master has someone he likes, and she's from our village." Li Honggang said from the side.

Wei Xiaobao went up and kicked him, saying, "Do the work, it's up to you to decide."

Yan Jiekuang laughed and said, "Your mother must have arranged this for you. I heard your mother mention it the last time I went there."

Wei Xiaobao said embarrassedly: "Isn't our family from the countryside? Life has been good in the past two years, and we are talking about the old customs again. We have already paid the bride price. I just want to wait until my second brother gets married before I get married."

"Okay, when the time comes, I, your master, will prepare a big gift for you. Don't worry, your senior brother will have one too." Yan Jiekuang said.

After finishing the work with the grape vines, Wei Xiaobao took his apprentice, loaded the grapes and gifts onto the tricycle, and left.

Yan Jiekuang returned to the yard and looked at the bare grape vines in the backyard. He felt a little uncomfortable, so he went to the warehouse in the front yard and found two used red lanterns and hung them up.

After calling Ji Lian and explaining the matter of Xu Damao's agency, Yan Jiekuang turned around and left the house, heading for his parents' home.

When Yan Jiekuang arrived at the gate of the west wing, Widow Wang was sitting at the door of the teahouse. The teahouse is now run by her family. In addition to being a teahouse, it is also a tavern. Her family makes full use of the three storefronts. In addition to selling tea, they also sell wine and some snacks, but have removed all newspapers and magazines and are no longer operating.

It's no wonder that after this change, the number of customers increased. The storyteller was also replaced, and a new one was invited, from the overpass. His stories are more exciting and richer than those of old man Yang. Now Widow Wang and Zhou Nianping are busy here, while Sun Xiaolong bought a Lada and started driving a taxi.

Yan Jiekuang greeted her warmly, saying, "Aunt Wang, your business is booming."

Widow Wang saw that it was Yan Jiekuang and said, "Third brother, are you here to see your parents? They are at home, come and sit with them if you have nothing to do."

Yan Jiekuang said, "Okay." After that, Yan Jiekuang went to knock on his own door.

It was Yang Ruiping who opened the door. He saw that it was the third brother and said, "Your apprentice just went back and brought the grapes here."

"He and I spent the whole morning picking them. Where's my dad?" Yan Jiekuang said.

The two men entered the yard, Yang Ruiping closed the gate and said, "I'm sitting in the backyard listening to the radio." "What? Are you free? Why don't you go out for a walk?" Yan Jiekuang said as he walked towards the backyard.

"Mom, would you like something to drink? I'll go make two dishes." Yan Jiekuang asked with a smile.

Yang Ruiping was happy. He looked at the time and saw that he had just finished lunch. He said, "Okay, let's have a drink together."

Yan Jiekuang walked into the kitchen, looked at the ingredients, then went out of the yard and went to the restaurant next door to pick some vegetables. When he arrived at the restaurant, Wei Xiaobao was busy. Yan Jiekuang signaled to him not to worry about him and went to the warehouse to pick some vegetables himself.

After Yan Jiekuang had made his selection, he put them into a bag and returned to the kitchen in the west wing. Today he planned to show off his cooking skills to the old couple and make some cold dishes that they had never eaten before.

Braised mushrooms with honey tomatoes, beef with tangerine peel, cold jellyfish head, kelp with balsamic vinegar, served with fried peanuts and mixed pig ears.

When Yan Jiekuang came to the back garden with the tray, Yan Bugui was already sitting there. There was a bottle of Moutai and several small wine glasses on the stone table. Yan Jiekuang placed the dishes on the stone table one by one.

Yan Bugui took a look and said, "You haven't made these dishes before?"

"Yes, we didn't have the ingredients before, but I saw they had some at the restaurant just now, so I brought them here. What do you think, Dad? It's worthy of your bar." Yan Jiekuang said.

Yan Bugui said: "Not bad, not bad, good wine goes well with good food, let's have a drink today."

At this time, Yang Ruiping came over with a plate of grapes and put it on the table. The three of them sat down and began to eat. Because they had just finished lunch, the two elders ate less and mainly just to taste the food. They ate a few more bites if it suited them, and mainly drank and chatted.

Yan Jiekuang also told Yan Bugui about Xu Damao's plan to open a real estate agency. Yan Bugui said, "Why don't you stop Old Xu? His daughter-in-law's restaurant is doing well, and he's still making trouble."

Yan Jiekuang said: "If Xu Damao wants to make trouble, no one can stop him."

The father and son clinked glasses, and Yan Jiekuang asked, "Mom, is Aunt Jia feeling better?"

Yang Ruiping said, "If I say she is half sick and half pretending, would you two believe me?"

Yan Bugui said without thinking, "Believe it, this is Jia Zhang's style."

"I guess Aunt Jia is old and lonely, so she wants the children to accompany her," said Yan Jiekuang.

Yang Ruiping nodded and said, "To put it bluntly, I just want to make trouble for my son and daughter-in-law, to make them angry that they never show up."

"Hey, Mom, how much money do you think Aunt Jia can save?" Yan Jiekuang asked curiously.

"I really don't know about that. I guess she's similar to your father. She only takes in money and never spends out." Yang Ruiping said.

Yan Bugui sneered disdainfully. Yan Jiekuang looked at his father and said, "Dad, it seems that you think you are the richest. Come on, tell me about it."

"Don't try to trick me. I can't possibly tell you." Yan Bugui picked up the wine glass, drank a glass, and then continued eating.

Yang Ruiping and Yan Jiekuang looked at each other and laughed. Yang Ruiping said, "Your father is very tight-lipped when it comes to money. I don't even know how much money he has."

Yan Jiekuang looked at Yan Bugui and said, "You are rich, but not as rich as I am. Dad, I am not bragging to you, but if I say I am the richest in the country, no one dares to say I am second."

Yan Bugui was shocked when he heard the third brother say this. He quickly covered his mouth and said, "What did I teach you? Keep a low profile and don't show off your wealth. Nowadays, there are people who are crazy about money everywhere on the street, and you are still talking nonsense here."

Yan Jiekuang took a bite of the dish and said nonchalantly, "Do you think I look like someone who is into money? My money is all in the bank and abroad. Besides, I'm just talking to you two."

Yang Ruiping asked: "San'er, tell me the truth, is this the reason you went to Switzerland?"

Yan Jiekuang said: "Yes, I am going back this time to integrate the overseas assets. Now that the integration is completed, there is only money and a foreign shell company left. The next step is to consider making some big moves after 1997."

Yan Bugui asked curiously, "How much money do you have abroad, not counting that company?"

Yan Jiekuang stretched out a hand, spread his fingers, and gestured.

Yan Bugui asked, "Fifty million?"

Yan Jiekuang shook his head and said, "Five billion US dollars are all lying in UBS Bank in Switzerland."

Yan Bugui and his wife looked at Yan Jiekuang in amazement, somewhat unable to believe it.

(End of this chapter)