Chapter 111: The More and More Charming Da Yizi

Apply the highest tier.

Su Yu, without hesitation, said, took out the official seal, prepared the certificate for issuing Manuscript Payment, and handed it to Liu Xinwu.

Liu Xinwu took the certificate to the Finance Department, arranged the Manuscript Payment, and returned to the reception room to give it to Xu Yuexin.

Xu Yuexin, with his arms crossed, was browsing the list of outstanding works of October Magazine in the reception room.

When he heard the door open, he turned to look at the entrance, saw Liu Xinwu holding several envelopes, and walking in with a smile.

"Congratulations, the Chief Editor has approved it."

Liu Xinwu placed the thick envelope on the table and said to Xu Yuexin, "Manuscript Payment is 2435 yuan 6 jiao, click once."

That much? Hearing Liu Xinwu's words, Xu Yuexin was somewhat beyond his expectations.

Wukong Legend totals over 240,000 characters, and according to his prior calculation, the Manuscript Payment should have been around 1700.

Could it be that the state raised the Manuscript Payment standard? Xu Yuexin voiced his doubt.

Liu Xinwu gave a confirming answer.

"Yes, the notice issued just last month raised the Manuscript Payment standard from 2–7 yuan to 3–10 yuan, and we paid you at the highest standard."

"That's great, it jumped almost 50%."

Xu Yuexin said cheerfully.

Today is truly a good day; the same novel brought an extra 700 yuan directly into his hands.

Even as he walked out of the Small Wooden Building of the October Magazine office, Xu Yuexin was still delighted about the Manuscript Payment increase.

Before parting, Liu Xinwu said that in the future they would contact him by phone if anything arose.

Xu Yuexin readily agreed, thinking it was time to install a phone at home.

In 1980, the state authorized the Dianxinju to charge an initial telephone installation fee to raise funds for communication infrastructure.

Phones thus entered ordinary households, shifting from exclusive use by government and enterprises to personal communication tools.

At first, the initial fee was relatively cheap; residents could install a phone for 60 yuan.

The fee increase occurred after 1982, because the public's enthusiasm for installing phones was so high that the initial fee rose from the then 60 yuan to several thousand yuan in the 1990s.

The later impression of installation fees reaching four to five thousand yuan was already a situation many years later.

Xu Yuexin rode a motorcycle to the City Telecom Bureau, queued for several hours, and finally it was his turn to take a number.

He took 120 yuan from the Manuscript Payment, grabbed two numbers at once, intending to install a phone at his home and at Da Yizi's home.

Despite the long queue at the Dianxinju entrance, actually few people proportionally know about this yet.

When personal telephone installation becomes widely known, the waiting time for installation will lengthen and the cost will become even higher.

It would be better to install both phones now, making life more convenient.

After several days of waiting, a technician from the Dianxinju came to install a phone at Xu Yuexin's home first, then at Da Yizi's home.

When the phone was being installed, Qiao Qiao and Chen Yixue were both present.

As soon as the phone was installed, Qiao Qiao couldn't wait to try it, and Chen Yixue watched with interest beside her.

"This phone is different from the ones I've seen before."

Qiao Qiao picked up the handset and said curiously.

The newly installed phones now have two options: one is the old rotary phone, just like the ones used in old movies.

The other is a modern plastic button phone, which, like later phones, dials by pressing keys.

Xu Yuexin chose the latter, paying an extra five yuan for installation.

"Press the number on the top, then press dial, and it will connect."

Xu Yuexin instructed his daughter-in-law beside him.

"Um um, I'll call our Chinese Department."

It was still Qiao Qiao's first time seeing this kind of new phone; after hearing Xu Yuexin's guidance, she cautiously began to operate it.

People nowadays generally hold a reverence for new products, fearing they might break them by a careless move.

Soon, the phone connected to the City Switchboard, then was transferred to the Chinese Department.

When the call went through, excitement lit Qiao Qiao's face, and Chen Yixue also lifted the corner of her mouth.

"Hello, teacher, this is Qiao Qiao of Class 78, I would like to ask you something."

Qiao Qiao improvised a question and asked the teacher, "It's about our senior-year internship course: does the school arrange it centrally, or do we contact employers ourselves?"

"Oh, you're asking about the later internship issue; currently the school plans it like this..."

From the handset, the teacher spoke calmly and clearly, each syllable audible.

The call quality was superb! After hanging up, Qiao Qiao happily grabbed her sister's hand: "This phone is really easy to use."

"It's far better than the Communist's phone when I cut in line with him."

"Remember my home phone number; if anything, call me and Qiao Qiao."

Xu Yuexin reminded Da Yizi.

Da Yizi lives alone at Tuanjie Lake, and having a phone there is even more reassuring.

That was one of his reasons for installing a phone at Da Yizi's home.

Bing Xue, as clever as Chen Yixue, instantly sensed Xu Yuexin's concern.

"Hmm, you can contact me anytime if you have matters."

"Ha, it will be convenient if you want to invite my sister out for a meal later."

Qiao Qiao spoke before Xu Yuexin.

"Let's go, we'll eat right now."

Xu Yuexin said generously, "It just so happens that the Manuscript Payment came out these past two days."

"Where to?"

Chen Qiaoqiao said excitedly.

"Xin Qiao Hotel."

Xu Yuexin gave a slight smile and said, then led his daughter‑in‑law and Da Yizi toward the entrance, went downstairs and took a car to Dong Chang'an Street.

Since the royalties have risen, we must eat at the highest level! On the way, Chen Yixue was very interested in today's destination.

Chen Yixue had never been to Xin Qiao Hotel, but from her sister's delighted expression she guessed it must be a very good hotel.

After arriving at Xin Qiao Hotel, the three of them got off the car. Xu Yuexin, with his daughter‑in‑law and Da Yizi, entered the hotel gate and found the business here had become even more bustling.

Cantonese‑speaking Hong Kong merchants, Fujian‑dialect‑speaking overseas Chinese, and blond‑eyed Westerners…

Compared with last year's customer base dominated by Hong Kong merchants, this year's patrons appeared more diverse.

Chunfeng, already blown from China to the world, has been perceived by keen observers of various nations as an opportunity they try to seize.

After entering, the two Chen sisters unsurprisingly became the focus of nearby diners' attention.

The youthful and radiant Chen Qiaoqiao, and the poised and elegant Chen Yixue, were like two shining pearls, breathtakingly beautiful.

And Xu Yuexin also successfully garnered a wave of resentment from the men present.

Amid dozens of jealous glances, Xu Yuexin, with his daughter‑in‑law and Da Yizi, sat at the table and took a menu handed over by a server.

Hmm, the variety of dishes was richer than last year—king crab, lobster—so luxurious it seemed out of this era's menu.

"Added quite a few dishes, huh."

Xu Yuexin flipped through the menu pages and said with a smile.

"Sir, this is the situation: the country has now organized large‑scale fishing fleets, so the supply of various seafood is increasing dramatically."

The server kept a smile and said politely, "We can assure that all aquatic products are freshly caught."

Xu Yuexin nodded slightly, without doubting the server's credibility.

This is Xin Qiao Hotel; the quality of the dishes will never be an issue.

Xu Yuexin ordered a king crab, three lobsters, and two bottles of wine, then handed the menu to Da Yizi.

"Feel free to order whatever you like."

"Let me see…"

Chen Yixue took the menu and examined it carefully.

"Do you eat scallion‑braised sea cucumber?"

A moment later, she asked Xu Yuexin and Chen Qiaoqiao.

"I'll have it."

"I won't have it."

"Alright, two orders of scallion‑braised sea cucumber."

"Qiao Qiao, you order."

Chen Yixue handed the menu to her sister.

Chen Qiaoqiao took the menu, glanced at it, and ordered two dishes.

Soon after, the server first brought the wine; Xu Yuexin opened the bottle, let it breathe, and poured a glass each for his daughter‑in‑law, Da Yizi, and himself.

Chen Yixue was the first to elegantly raise her stemmed glass, lightly parting her red lips to congratulate Xu Yuexin: "Congratulations on publishing another new work."

"May your ideas flow like a spring, your writing improve, and your royalties keep rising."

Since the last time she traveled with Xu Yuexin in Xiangjiang, Chen Yixue has become accustomed to the atmosphere of such upscale venues, her gestures exuding a noble and natural bearing.

Xu Yuexin looked at Da Yizi's charming smile and felt a moment of emotion.

A year had passed, and compared with before, Da Yizi had become more elegant and more full of charm.

Having followed him and seen so many worlds, Da Yizi's temperament further improved, becoming an even more perfect woman.

"Thank you, cheers."

"I hope my efforts can make our lives better and better."

Xu Yuexin also raised his glass high and said.

With a crisp clink, the two glasses met, the wine inside rippling gently.

Then Chen Qiaoqiao also lifted her glass.

"Great, a new book so soon; you're really amazing at writing!"

"Wishing you continued academic success and many more good books."

Chen Qiaoqiao's smile turned her eyes into two curved crescents, genuinely delighted by her husband's achievement.

"Cheers!"

After receiving the congratulations from his daughter‑in‑law and Da Yizi, the dishes began to be served to the table one after another.

King crab, lobster, sea cucumber, and various delicate vegetarian dishes…

One must revel when life is successful! Xu Yuexin, buoyed by the birth of his new work, ate fine food with Chen Qiaoqiao and Chen Yixue, drank fine wine, and unknowingly finished the two bottles of wine to the bottom.

Chen Qiaoqiao, unable to hold her liquor, first leaned on Xu Yuexin's shoulder and murmured indistinctly.

Of course, as a literature girl from Yanda Chinese Department, Chen Qiaoqiao could not babble nonsense from drunkenness; she was merely recounting some amusing incidents she and Xu Yuexin had shared.

From time to time, she would look up, gazing at Xu Yuexin with deep affection.

Xu Yuexin gently touched his daughter‑in‑law's cheek and kissed her forehead.

Across the table, Da Yizi was also a bit tipsy.

Her once fair and smooth face flushed, looking even more enchanting.

After tallying the bill, the total was 310 yuan.

Chen Yixue sighed lightly: This meal is worth a normal person's half‑year income.

"Count it."

In front of Da Yizi, Xu Yuexin smoothly pulls out 31 Great Unity and settles the bill.

After stepping out, he takes his half‑drunk daughter‑in‑law and the beautiful, slightly tipsy Da Yizi, and rides a taxi back to Unity Lake.

When they got off, Chen Qiaoqiao had already recovered almost completely.

Xu Yuexin grabs his daughter‑in‑law's hand and, together with Da Yizi, walks toward the entrance of several apartment buildings.

At that moment, he notices the wooden sign at the doorway of a pork shop across the street.

"Effective immediately, pork is openly supplied, no tickets required!"

Seeing those dozen‑plus characters, Xu Yuexin feels a surge throughout his body.

The bet he made with Zhu Chen has finally paid off.

Shall we go look for her later? (End of chapter)