Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 489 Drinking with Father
While having dinner in the evening, Yan Jiekuang looked at his smiling father pouring wine for him and felt a little uneasy, as if his father was thinking about him again. During the meal, Yan Jiekuang didn't say much.

Only Chen Liang and Chen Fang kept saying that their grandmother's cooking was delicious and had the taste of home, which made Yang Ruiping very happy and he kept picking up food for the two children.

When they were almost done eating, Yan Bugui picked up his glass and said, "Third brother, come here, let me toast you and congratulate you on your safe return."

"Dad, what are you doing? If there's anything, just tell me. I'm unsure if you're like this." Yan Jiekuang gritted his teeth and clinked glasses with his dad, then took a sip.

Yang Ruiping, who was standing next to him, was already laughing so hard that he couldn't help laughing and said, "Come on, you two are just talking nonsense here. Come on, Liangzi and Fangfang, go for a walk with grandma and push your daughter."

Yang Ruiping took the children and left the house without caring about the dining table. Yan Jiekuang guessed that he was going to look for Jia Zhang.

Yan Bugui said, "Third brother, you see, your father is getting old, and I have nothing to do. It's boring. Recently, I met some old friends in Liulichang and Shichahai, and we decided to set up a folk collection association."

Hearing this, Yan Jiekuang's heart skipped a beat. This old man was thinking about his collection, but he didn't stop Yan Bugui from continuing. He continued, "Every week, we compete with each other for our collections. I used to have two pieces that were worth showing off, but later on, they were all gone. I'm always outclassed. Don't you think it's embarrassing?"

Yan Jiekuang raised his glass, clinked it with Yan Bugui, and said, "Dad, why do we need that face? If we want to get something good, it will cost a lot of money. Look at the current market, it can cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands, and it may not be a good product. It's not easy to get it now."

Yan Bugui heard this and thought this kid was playing tricks on me, and said, "Third brother, don't talk nonsense to me. I don't want your things. I just want to borrow a few. Your father has a bad habit of showing off. Just tell me if it's okay or not."

When Yan Jiekuang heard this, his father immediately stopped talking. Having said that, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and said, "Okay, I'll lend you some, but let's make it clear that some things can't be borrowed. It will be difficult to deal with them if they are revealed, just like the Jun kiln wedding jar last time."

Yan Bugui said with a smile: "That's right, that's right, just get some from the Qing Dynasty. By the way, Lao San, how many collections do you have? I haven't even visited them once."

Yan Jiekuang said proudly: "Dad, let me tell you this, if I say that this is the best private collection, no one in the world dares to say that I am second."

In fact, Yan Jiekuang was not showing off. In the past, he was always on guard against Yan Bugui because the only one in the family who might care about his things was his father. But after coming back this time, Yan Jiekuang's mentality changed. His father was so old, why would he care about his things? He just sometimes cherished these items. Since he had them, why not make his father happy?

Yan Bugui was a little anxious and wanted to put down his glass, but Yan Jiekuang quickly stopped him and said, "Dad, don't worry, you can't run away. Go early tomorrow morning and I will show you my collection."

Yan Bugui then took a sip of wine, ate a few bites of food and said, "Old Third, I have lent out all the money you put with me, but don't worry, I have asked both your eldest brother and your younger sister to write IOUs. This is mainly because it will be hundreds of thousands, almost nearly a million, and it would be a bit of a waste to leave it alone. This time I am also formally saying hello to you."

Yan Jiekuang waved his hand and said, "Dad, it's okay. I'll take it back and leave it with you. I have no use for it and I won't need it. Just ask Xu Damao to maintain my house. I'll find someone to take a look around one by one in the next day. Don't worry about it."

Yan Bugui was stunned and asked, "Who are you going to let go?"

"He's my apprentice. Xiaobao is free now, so let him go." Yan Jiekuang said.

Yan Bugui nodded and said, "You are Xiaobao's only good disciple. The other two have barely even shown up."

Yan Jiekuang said, "Dad, you don't know that those two are Ji Lian's right-hand men and left-hand men. They are very busy all day long. Besides, they are not in Beijing, but in Shanghai. They will probably not be back until next year."

Yan Bugui then understood why he could never see Yang Liwei and Yin Liguo. Yan Jiekuang said, "This Xu Damao didn't try to cheat our family, did he?" "How could he dare to do that with me here? But he has already opened three real estate agencies. According to him, he wants to open some chain stores and even boasted that he would open them across the country." Yan Bugui said.

Yan Jiekuang nodded and said, "With that kind of brain of his, it's really possible. By the way, what are those two uncles doing?" Yan Jiekuang raised his wine glass and clinked it with his father's.

When Yan Bugui heard Yan Jiekuang's question, he sighed and said, "Old Liu, he doesn't have any thoughts now. His second son, oh, Liu Guangtian is willing to take care of the old couple in their old age, so he doesn't want to think about anything else. It's just that the third son refuses to leave, and he doesn't like it. They quarrel every now and then, but everyone is used to it, so it's just like that."

Yan Jiekuang said: "This second son is quite filial. Why hasn't his eldest son shown up?"

Yan Bugui took a bite of the dish and said, "Why show up? He returned to Tianjin after retirement, and his two sons also returned. It is said, I also heard that his two sons are now in prison and sentenced, but I don't know why."

Yan Jiekuang clinked glasses with Yan Bugui, took a sip, and asked, "What about that old fellow Yi Zhonghai? Isn't he waiting for Xu Delin to come out?"

Yan Bugui looked at Yan Jiekuang in confusion and asked, "You don't know about Xu Delin's lawsuit. Is this your family's business?"

Yan Jiekuang shook his head awkwardly and said, "I basically never asked about the affairs of Kodak Company, and Ji Lian didn't tell me anything when she came back."

Yan Bugui said: "Xu Delin lost all his money and paid the fine, and then he was given a lighter punishment. Who would have thought that Xu Delin never came back here after he was released, and went abroad with his wife and children. Old Yi's wife Li Cuilan also followed him. He wanted Yi Zhonghai to go, but Yi Zhonghai refused. But Old Yi was too stubborn and said that fallen leaves return to their roots. So he found a large compound and built two simple houses. Fortunately, he still has a pension, so he lives here. Jia Dongxu and He Yuzhu also visit from time to time."

Yan Jiekuang sighed and said, "Things have really changed. When I was a kid, this compound was so lively. It's really different now."

Yan Bugui said: "Everything is about money now, which makes us all confused. Look at He Yuzhu, he is competing with his wife and sister. The two of them are only interested in making money, but He Yuzhu likes to hang around, so his family ignores him."

"Haha, Brother Zhuzi is just like that. It's the thinking of the old people in Sijiu City, but he is not wrong. Didn't we get through it this way too? What's the use of having so much money? Time flies, so live in the present." Yan Jiekuang said.

Yan Bugui looked at Yan Jiekuang suspiciously and said, "No, Lao San, why do you seem to have changed since you came back from XZ? What happened?"

Yan Jiekuang said: "I was enlightened by Toga Buddha. He told me, 'Past, present and future, you are your present, the past is to fulfill your past promise, and the future is another you, don't worry about it.' It's true, dad, don't disbelieve it, I heard it with my own ears."

Yan Bugui stayed there and thought for a long time. Finally, he shook his head and said, "I don't understand. It sounds quite profound. I guess it's meant for you alone."

Yan Jiekuang didn't know how to explain it, so he picked up his glass and said, "You don't need to understand. Just live in the present and take good care of the people around you. Everything else is illusory. Don't think about it."

Yan Bugui nodded and said with a smile: "It is right to live well in the present. Don't forget to lend me a few more tomorrow so that I can also be proud of myself in the present."

Yan Jiekuang spat out a mouthful of wine, thinking that his father was waiting for him here.

(End of this chapter)