Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 459 A Deep Talk Between Husband and Wife
After the fifth day of the New Year, Yan Jiekuang took Ji Lian and the children back to Yuer Hutong. During the past few days, Yan Jiekuang wanted to find time to talk to Ji Lian, but he never had the chance. When he returned home, Yan Jiekuang told Ji Lian that he would take her to a cafe tomorrow. For this purpose, Yan Jiekuang specifically asked Xiaopang for the key to the cafe.

Although Ji Lian was very confused about what Yan Jiekuang wanted to discuss, she did not object. After becoming the head of the company, Ji Lian became more steady and calm in his work.

When Yan Jiekuang returned home, he went to the basement and started to organize the things he had prepared. While he was busy, Shi Lei came down, looked at Yan Jiekuang and asked, "Dad, is there something wrong?"

Yan Jiekuang looked at Shi Lei curiously and asked, "Why do you ask that?"

Shi Lei found a box, sat down, and said, "Dad, although I've been very busy recently, I can feel that you were in a bad mood before the Spring Festival. Then you decided to go to XZ. I believe that it was because of Da Wang and Xiao Wang, but the important thing is that you wanted to go. During the Spring Festival this year, you decided not to prepare meals, so I knew that you had your own reasons."

After listening to Shi Lei's words, Yan Jiekuang also pulled an official hat chair, sat on it, took out a cigarette, lit it, took a puff, thought for a while and said: "Xiao Lei, you are grown up too. My story is a bit complicated to talk about, and I can't tell you from beginning to end. Let me put it this way, when one day you lose interest in everything, then you have to pay attention. There must be something wrong with you. It's the same for me. I feel that I have no interest in anything all of a sudden after returning from Switzerland. The most important point is that I always feel that there is a call for me to go there. So, some things are hard to explain, but you may not understand this. Just think of me as going out for a trip to relax."

Shi Lei looked at his father in confusion. He couldn't understand such a mysterious thing. He was rational, but after listening to Yan Jiekuang's words, he said, "Okay, I'm not trying to persuade you. I'm afraid you have something on your mind and are holding it back. Since you don't have anything on your mind and it's just a matter of your mood, I won't ask. I support you."

Yan Jiekuang smiled, patted Shi Lei on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I'll be back soon. Help your mother more when you have time."

Shi Lei said: "I will, don't worry, Xiao Hai and Xi Xi, you don't have to worry, I will take care of them."

Yan Jiekuang nodded and said, "Okay, go ahead and do your thing. I still have to clean up."

Shi Lei turned around and walked out of the basement. Yan Jiekuang watched Shi Lei go out and was stunned for a while. In fact, only he knew the reason.

The next day, Yan Jiekuang and Ji Lian walked to the cafe. During the Chinese New Year, the two girls had already returned home to celebrate the New Year, so the cafe would not open until after the 15th.

Yan Jiekuang opened the door and walked in with Ji Lian. Yan Jiekuang walked to the workbench and turned on the lights and speakers on the first floor. He smiled and said to Ji Lian, "This is your first time here. Please sit wherever you want."

Ji Lian walked to the table where Yan Jiekuang often sat and sat down. Yan Jiekuang was also quite surprised when he saw her and asked, "Which one do you want to drink?"

"American style, with sugar." Ji Lian said, then stood up and walked to the huge bookshelf, picked up a book from it, and returned to her seat and sat down.

Yan Jiekuang was busy for a long time, then he walked over with two cups of coffee and sat down opposite Ji Lian, placing the coffee on Ji Lian's table.

Ji Lian smiled, took a sip, and said, "Third brother, your cooking skills are pretty good, no wonder you want to open a coffee shop."

"Unfortunately, when I opened it, there were very few people coming. There were only two or three people coming every day, and it was not enough to cover the water and electricity bills," said Yan Jiekuang.

Ji Lian said, "Third brother, what are you talking to me about? You are being so mysterious."

Yan Jiekuang was silent for a while, then said, "Lian'er, how long has it been since we sat together and chatted peacefully like this?"

Ji Lian was silent for a while. After a long while, Ji Lian said, "Third brother, I admit that we haven't sat down and talked for a long time. Since you pushed me to that position, I seem to have found my direction, so I dare not slack off for a moment and devote myself to it. I don't care enough about you and the children. I apologize here."

Yan Jiekuang said: "I don't mean to blame you. What I mean is that you have found your direction now, but I have lost mine. In the past two years, nothing I have done has been going well. I don't know what I should do, so this time I chose to go to Tibet. I want to find myself."

Ji Lian looked at her husband in confusion, and asked, "Third brother, you have no direction, this is not like you?"

Yan Jiekuang sighed and said, "I don't know. My original goal was to become a scholar and study history, but then I lost interest. When I got bored, I thought I should become a successful businessman, but during that time, money poured in like snowflakes, and I lost interest again. Then, I wanted to open a coffee shop to see the different lives of people of different ages, but it failed. Otherwise, I would not have given the coffee shop to Xiaopang."

Ji Lian thought for a moment and said, "What does this have to do with your trip to Tibet?"

Yan Jiekuang said, "Isn't it said that it is a pure land? After going through so much suffering, I want to go there to find that pure land and see if I can find my true heart." Ji Lian took a sip of coffee and said, "Third brother, go ahead. I support you this time. If you need, I can go with you."

Suddenly, Yan Jiekuang felt relieved. It seemed that he had thought too much. He was still very important to Ji Lian, so he said, "Lian'er, no need. I will go alone this time. When I am familiar with the route and you are not busy anymore, we can go together."

Ji Lian nodded heavily. Yan Jiekuang lit a cigarette, took a puff, and said, "I'm leaving now. I'll trouble you to take care of the family. Oh, there's one more thing."

Ji Lian looked at him and asked, "Tell me, you don't have to worry about me at home."

"You still remember the classmate who cheated me, the one named Jin Jing." Yan Jiekuang said.

Ji Lian nodded and said, "I know. That greedy man, why is he looking for you again?"

Yan Jiekuang said, "Yesterday Xu Damao told me something. He said that Jin Jing is eyeing our project in Shanghai. You have to be careful. Oh, there is also a guy named Zhang Weiqing. He used to be the boss of our dormitory and he is also a greedy guy."

Ji Lian said, "I've got it in mind. I'll pay attention to it. Wang Xuan is here to deal with the situation in Shanghai. He's a cunning man. Don't worry, Third Brother."

The two of them spent the morning together in this cafe, listening to music and chatting about their children. When it was almost noon, they headed home.

After this in-depth discussion, Yan Jiekuang completely let go of his worries, and he began to make the final preparations in a very relaxed manner.

On the 15th day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival, early in the morning, Yan Jiekuang looked at Xiaohai who was anxious to go out, frowned, and asked: "Xiaohai, what are you busy with? You just entered middle school and you have made such a good friend? You are not at home every day? Today is the 15th day of the first lunar month, aren't you going to your grandparents' house?"

Xiao Hai said disapprovingly: "Yes, that's why I'm in a hurry to go out. I've made an appointment with my classmates to go ice skating. If I don't go earlier, I can come back earlier to visit my grandparents."

Yan Jiekuang was so angry that he couldn't say anything. Not to mention that it seemed to make sense at first. He said, "You must come back at noon, otherwise I will ask your grandmother not to save any food for you."

Xiao Hai put on his coat, a cotton hat, hung a pair of skates around his neck, and ran out.

Xixi said, "Dad, don't worry about him. He is used to being crazy. I will go back to grandpa and grandma's house with you later. By the way, my brother and sister didn't let me tell you that they will be there this afternoon."

Yan Jiekuang was stunned. He had always thought that those people had not yet gotten up, but it turned out that they had already run away. He sighed and said, "My old daughter is the most considerate."

Xixi said: "Alas, no one has invited me, otherwise I would like to go out and play. In ten days or so, I will have to go to school again, and the air of freedom is becoming increasingly rare."

When Yan Jiekuang heard this, he burst into laughter and said, "Okay, stop complaining. What do you want to eat? Let's go out for a walk and then go to grandpa and grandma's house at noon."

Xixi thought for a while and said, "Dad, I want to eat sugar-coated steamed buns and beef tongue biscuits. Let's go to Niujie."

Yan Jiekuang said, "Okay, let's go to Niujie and pack up quickly."

The father and daughter packed up, and Yan Jiekuang pushed out his 28-inch bicycle. Xixi was very excited, as she hadn't ridden her father's bicycle for a long time.

Yan Jiekuang said, "What's the matter, girl? Shall we go?"

"Let's walk." After saying that, he jumped on the back seat of the bicycle, and Yan Jiekuang took her straight to Dashunzhai in Niujie.

(End of this chapter)