Chapter 576

Old Guan is a truly lonely old man. For so many years, he has done the washing and cleaning himself sometimes, sometimes Han's mother comes to help, and sometimes it's his apprentice Han Chunming who does it. After he got married, Cai Xiaoli came to help. Eating is also simple; after all, this old guy is a drunkard, as long as there is wine. Peanuts are constant all year round, cooking some porridge casually, and stir-frying some vegetables in the pot, and he gets by. It was because Han Chunming had a child that he went to the old Han family to eat, which saved some trouble.

However, his heart is still lonely, and he is naturally very happy to be able to drink and chat together.

So Old Guan's courtyard has popularity again and has become lively.

Han Chunming bought some fresh hairtail, pork, and other messy vegetables, and was busy in the kitchen. Old Guan was curled up in a reclining chair in the courtyard. The sun was shining brightly in the morning, and the courtyard was surrounded by walls on all four sides, blocking the cold wind from the north, and enjoying the warmth before spring.

Wang Yan brought Ma Du, who had just congratulated Su Meng and teased the little one for a while, into the courtyard.

Ma Du lived in the Air Force compound near Bawangfen, twenty miles away. He didn't live up to Wang Yan's expectations. The university admission letter only arrived yesterday, and the road was still icy, but he pedaled his bicycle slowly all the way, frozen like a grandson.

"Oh, Admiral, basking in the sun, good mood." Greeting Old Guan, he carried the things in his hand and turned into the kitchen: "You said you were drinking Moutai today, I specially bought spiced beef to go with the wine. I'll leave it to you, I'm just waiting to drink in a while."

Han Chunming, who was stir-frying, replied: "Just put it there, you go and warm up, it'll be ready to drink in ten or eight minutes."

Old Guan, who was lying down, also got up. Wang Yan and the three entered the room first. The bowls and chopsticks had long been placed on the table, and Wang Yan brewed a pot of tea to drink first.

"Kid, haven't seen you for a while, what good items have you collected again?"

"Hi, Admiral, all the good things in Beijing have been collected by Grandpa Wang. What good items can I collect? The best thing recently is the blue and white jar from the Jiajing period. Good things are really hard to come by."

Wang Yan shook his head and smiled: "Don't push it on me. In the eight years I've been collecting, I only have over ten thousand pieces in my hands. There are plenty of good things, and there are plenty of opportunities. It's not okay now. Although the situation is a bit relaxed, there is no rule about these things. Wait another two years, until the 1980s, and there will be plenty of good things. Now it's you looking for things, and then it will be things looking for you.

If I'm not mistaken, the ten-plus years from the 1980s to the 1990s will be the best time to collect these old items. When people realize that these are good things and can be sold for a lot of money, and picking up leaks can make people rich overnight, then there will be no chance at all. So there is still time, don't worry, and don't be frustrated."

"I also have this feeling. Now the state holds meetings every day, and policies are issued one after another. People in our courtyard say... if it's really like that, good days won't be far away."

Old Guan nodded and asked: "You didn't take the college entrance examination?"

"Hi, Admiral, you really think highly of me." Ma Du shook his head repeatedly: "I only went to the fourth grade of elementary school. Although I've read plenty of messy books over the years, and I've finished reading the pile that Grandpa Wang gave me, these things in the books don't have anything to do with the college entrance examination. I have self-knowledge, I didn't even think about it."

"You don't want to, but someone's stomach is sour." Looking at Han Chunming, who was just bringing dishes in, Old Guan snorted, thinking his precious apprentice was very useless.

Han Chunming giggled: "Master, you're talking about greed, anger, and ignorance, who can control it? If I didn't have any reaction, that would be abnormal."

"No, I didn't understand. What's the matter? Why is it sour and why is it greed, anger, and ignorance?"

"Grandpa Wang, please explain it to him. There are still dishes on the stove." After saying that, Han Chunming hurriedly left. Although they were all his own people here, it was not good to talk about embarrassing things, but he was embarrassed to say it himself...

Ma Du naturally knew about Han Chunming calling Cheng Army Supervisor "Grandpa" earlier. It was Wang Yan who laughed at Han Chunming and said it, so he explained the whole story without saying too much.

At this time, Han Chunming had also brought all the dishes in. He had made eight dishes in total. Wang Yan liked to drink, but he wouldn't drink dry with just peanuts; he had to have good food...

Everyone poured their own wine, took a sip first, and ate dishes with the wine. Ma Du started to comfort: "I just heard from Grandpa Wang, I think you should look at it openly. This person's fate is destined by heaven, and you can't help it if others have that luck. Besides, you didn't lose anything. Didn't you get the quota to work at the hardware company? Grandpa Wang said you're doing well, and you won't be bad in the future."

"Don't comfort me, buddy even called him 'Grandpa.' This is nothing. Actually, it's just that yesterday, I didn't expect that kid to be able to get into university. I, I just simply wanted to drink Grandpa Wang's Moutai."

Watching Han Chunming pretending to be carefree, Wang Yan pointed at him with chopsticks: "You, you're just stubborn. As long as you can calm down and do it, I believe someone like Cheng Army Supervisor is definitely not as good as you. That person, when the friendship is shallow, he does a good job of face work. But as long as you get to know him deeply, as long as you're not a fool, you know this person is no good. Don't worry, such a person will definitely not go far, and won't be as promising as you."

"Grandpa Wang, I've remembered everything you said. If I'm not promising, then I'll have to rely on you, old man."

"This is fresh. Following Grandpa Wang, can you still be hungry?" Ma Du shook his head and raised his wine glass: "Don't talk about that, come, drink, drink. Admiral, you drink as you please."

Old Guan gave a "hey": "You're talking, how fresh. Does your Nine-Gate Admiral grandfather need you to manage his drinking?"

The four of them started drinking like this, chatting and laughing about antiques, as well as the interesting things they saw when collecting things. Han Chunming, who learned from Old Guan since he was a child, didn't say anything, but Ma Du's progress was very fast. He didn't even enter the door when he first met Wang Yan. With Wang Yan leading him in, and communicating with Old Guan, who could tell stories, plus his own reading and learning, and practical experience, he had some level in just over two years. Of course, this was inseparable from his own talent; otherwise, in the original life trajectory, he wouldn't have become a generation of collection masters.

Chatting like this, it was inevitable to talk about the future. Ma Du sighed: "I really envy you two. Wang Yan has many brothers helping him collect things, and he is a scientist and very free. Chunming is also not bad. Now he is running business at the hardware company, strolling outside every day, and earning a lot. Unlike me, working in the factory, working from morning to night, and the money I earn is not enough to collect many things. Hey, it's hard..."

"If it's hard, think of a way to change it." Han Chunming was very disapproving: "You're twenty-three this year, right? Find a wife and it will be fine. The days will definitely be different from now."

"It's different, even harder." Ma Du said unhappily: "Do you think every woman is like your wife? She can just watch you be so prodigal and collect all those old items with the money you earn? I haven't thought about getting married yet. If I don't meet the right one, I won't get married. It's comfortable to live by myself."

"I just want more free time and earn more. I actually have an idea..."

Seeing the expectation in Ma Du's eyes, Wang Yan smiled: "Through our contact in these two years, and you've read so many books over the years, I think you can try to write it down yourself. When you have a certain influence, there is a high probability that you can be transferred to work in the cultural center or magazine office. Even if you can't be transferred, it doesn't matter. I know a few people in the literary world at school, and they all have relationships with some magazine offices. I can recommend you and go through the back door, but you have to have works that can be taken out."

"If it really happens, this job is both clean and decent, and the time is definitely sufficient. Whether it's reading or going out to collect things, it's freer, and the income won't be lower than what you have now. By then, the girls you come into contact with will all be decent literary and artistic youths, and it will be easy to find a wife."

That was Ma Du's original life trajectory. He published the love novel "The Moon is Round Tonight," and entered the Youth Literature as an editor because of this. It was also because of this editor position that he got to know other writers who came later, and little by little, he had the later so-called Beijing circle.

I don't know when he had the idea of writing, but now that Wang Yan brought it up, if he already had this idea, then strengthen it. If not, then he had it now. At the moment of this thought, his life had changed. It had already changed, after all, there was a Wang Mouren who shouldn't have appeared.

Ma Du frowned and thought, drank a glass of wine and nodded: "Grandpa Wang, what you said is really feasible. I'll ponder it when I go back and try to write it. Try to write a short story, anyway, it's not strenuous."

Wang Yan raised his glass and smiled: "I'm waiting for your good news."

Ending this topic, they turned to talk about history and culture, and didn't break up until after four o'clock in the afternoon.

Han Chunming wasn't as carefree as he appeared. Even if others didn't take it to heart, he still felt bad even if he felt much better. This thing, whoever calls "Grandpa" knows it. Cheng Army Supervisor was petty and didn't want to be worse than others. Although he wasn't small-minded, he didn't want to be worse than Cheng Army Supervisor either. Now that he really got into university and looked like he had a bright future, he was showing off in the courtyard this morning, saying how Han Chunming was no good, not to mention the matter of calling him "Grandpa" earlier. How could he easily let go of this?

Ma Du didn't drink much, but he drank quite a bit. Because in the second half, he had started to communicate with Wang Yan about literature, thinking about what story to write. Wang Yan, who had been a big shot in the literary world, didn't spare his spit and talked to Ma Du about his writing experience. The main discussion was still about the spirit conveyed in the book, as well as what spirit should be conveyed in the current era, rather than the superficial article structure and words. Who needs to be taught that? When they discussed happily, it was one glass after another, and finally, he pushed the car and left slowly against the cold wind.

Old Guan drank after the last meal, but he had a degree in drinking, still six or seven taels. After Wang Yan and the dazed Han Chunming washed the dishes and bowls, and pressed the stove, he lay comfortably on the bed listening to the program on the radio, feeling at ease.

Wang Yan went home and had dinner again...

The wheel of time turned quickly again. Su Meng went to Peking University happily. She listened to Wang Yan and lived in the dormitory at school, only returning home once or twice a week to see the child, comfort Wang Yan, and comfort herself, releasing the heavy pressure from the endless learning and reading.

Su Meng was quite outgoing and got along well with her roommates and other classmates. She even brought her roommates home to see the child and eat. Of course, she also saw Wang Yan. After all, it was Sunday, and he was taking care of the child at home. It was also because of this that Wang Yan was also from Peking University, was researching computers, and Su Meng's family conditions were good, which spread through the mouths of these classmates.

Because Su Meng looked good, there were several young men pursuing her. Su Meng was annoyed, so she brought her classmates home to prove it. The effect was naturally there. After all, they were all from Peking University. As long as they inquired, they would know Wang Yan's level. Besides, the child was already over a year old, so those boys didn't have that intention anymore. Of course, there are messy things now, but compared to forty years later, this era is really pure. At present, they really cherish poetry and the distance...

As for the other university student in the courtyard, Cheng Army Supervisor, he was basically not seen in the courtyard. Because he also lived on campus, sometimes he didn't even come back once a month. Even if he came back, there was only one purpose: to ask his father for money.

Han Chunming, who didn't go to university, packed up his mood and set off again. He still worked well. With the personality charm of the protagonist of the day, he was still flourishing in the hardware company. In the environment that had loosened up a little, his performance was always the best, and he had a good relationship with the leadership and colleagues.

Cai Xiaoli worked in the food factory for another period of time, and also found a relationship like the seventh uncle's grandmother of the third aunt, and was transferred to the trading company to work. Only Taozi was left in the food factory.

However, Han Chunming didn't forget such a good brother. He ran around all day, and the social environment was also loosening up bit by bit. Plus he had that brain, occasionally he would find some ways to earn money, no longer the physical labor as before. Taozi earned a lot of money following him, and the money in his own hands also increased. Part of it was handed over to Cai Xiaoli to save, and the other part was all used by him to walk the streets and alleys, or to collect things in the suburbs of Beijing with Broken-Stuff Hou.

And after the special zone was opened in 1979, Han Chunming was also sent by the factory to Pengcheng to see if there was any possibility of cooperation with the factories there. It was this official business trip that made Han Chunming see countless opportunities. When he came back, he chatted with Wang Yan about what he saw and heard on this trip, and began to ponder how to earn money by taking the opportunity.

Unsurprisingly, he combined with Taozi to do the work of a scalper. This is the thing that requires the least capital, as long as you are clever and avoid it, you can earn money if you are not caught. Han Chunming's courage wasn't actually very big, but it wasn't small either. After all, he was a player who walked with Yang Huajian to smuggle cars. It was impossible to say he was timid. The main thing was that he knew many people who did this work, which gave him the confidence to do it. He was responsible for bringing goods from the south, and Taozi was responsible for selling them. Don't look at Taozi's poor mouth, but setting up a stall and changing places after one shot was not a problem at all, and he earned a lot of money.

At this time, it was difficult not to earn money by doing this. After all, as long as you weren't caught, bringing goods from the south to the north was a success. Han Chunming's eyes were red with earnings, and he couldn't even take care of collecting things. The so-called "if the sky is crazy, there will be rain; if a person is crazy, there will be disaster." He was caught once by accident, and of course, it was Wang Yan who saved him.

Han Chunming, this kind of scalper who connects the north and south, is a scalper, and Wang Yan, who also scalps tickets, is also a scalper. And as a scalper who has been scalping tickets for nine years, at this time of rising wind, he should naturally ride the wind, rather than being a useless person like Han Chunming who connects the north and south.

So he opened a class for his little brothers, and then sent his trusted general, Fatty Liu Dahai, with several people who had bad family backgrounds and had no work, taking a part of the money he had accumulated over the years to go south, and directly opened a clothing factory, making clothes and shoes.

There was no positioning, just to earn this first big money. For example, it was just a simple red "China" character written by his own hand in a dragon-flying and phoenix-dancing style, on colorful short sleeves, which were sold everywhere in the north and south. Of course, there were those who plagiarized the ideas, and many of them, and they drew inferences from one instance, such as "Socialism is Good," "China Must Be Strong," and so on, whatever there was. And the autumn long-sleeved sportswear was also the same as later, with words printed on both sides of the chest of the cardigan.

With just such a small idea, Wang Yan earned a lot of money, and also let the newly built factories, as well as the inland clothing factories, earn a lot. It doesn't matter if others plagiarize; anyway, the one who earns the most money must be him...

Ma Du was also not bad. In mid-1979, after brewing for more than a year and changing the manuscript several times, he finally published the short love story "Meeting in September." The story wasn't very complicated; it was just a man and a woman dating in September. But it spoke out the hearts of young people. After publication, it did have a certain influence, and the feedback and evaluation received were quite good.

So not long after publication, just like the original fate, he was transferred to Youth Literature as an editor. The difference was that this time was two years earlier.

The treatment was better, the time was more, the person was freer, the social status was improved, and all this was just because Wang Yan said it casually, which plucked the strings of Ma Du's fate.

In a blink of an eye, it was the summer of 1981. It was still that alley, still the corner of the small shop. With a sound of a horn, not long after, a military green sidecar motorcycle turned over. The person riding the motorcycle was a man with long parted hair, a kind face, deep eyes, wearing casual pants, classic white sneakers, and a "China" short sleeve on his upper body. Sitting in the sidecar was a woman with her hair coiled, a beautiful face, and a floral dress.

Besides Wang Yan and Su Meng, who else could it be?

Wang Yan was very idle, so he grew his hair and got the popular parted hairstyle of the time. It had to be said, he still had a lot of temperament...

As for the mount under his crotch, there was no doubt that it was the classic Changjiang 750. He saw that there were more and more motorcycles on the street, and some people were riding such sidecars, and even Han Chunming was riding a two-wheeled motorcycle, so he bought one.

The reason for doing so was to maintain a certain degree of low-key while being high-key. It's like now he could fully drive a Mercedes-Benz, but he didn't. He only bought one when there were more motorcycles on the street. People would be amazed that he had money, but wouldn't think he was too rich. This degree must be controlled. It's not just for the neighbors in the large courtyard, but for everyone. He rarely sticks his neck out; being too ostentatious is not good.

He parked on the side of the courtyard gate next to Han Chunming's two-wheeled motorcycle. Wang Yan got off the car and greeted Old Guan and others who were fanning, playing with prayer beads, and playing chess there.

Then he heard a sound of footsteps from the courtyard, and immediately saw a little one running out with a wooden knife in his hand. Of course, he wasn't here to chop people, but to welcome his biological parents.

Wang Bin was already five years old this year, lively and active, enthusiastic and cheerful. Plus he started jumping and doing strong-body martial arts with his father early in the morning, his body was very strong, and he currently dominated the group of children under six years old in the nearby alleys. After all, his body was good, so he liked to move, and when he moved more, he easily had friction with other children. This kid's body was good, and he knocked people down in a few moves. The one who was beaten the most was Cheng Army Supervisor's son, who had the same personality as Cheng Army Supervisor, remembering to eat but not to beat.

Of course, this little thing dominating the alley wasn't without a price. After all, there was friction with other children. At first, he didn't have a count, and his hands were heavy. Wang Yan personally took him to apologize. Later, when he got home, he was hung up and whipped by Wang Yan, his biological father, demonstrating how painful it was to hit people with such force and how much damage it caused. He was five years old and remembered things, so he could be taught clearly.

It wasn't that this child bullied people; it was mainly that children were like this. They were fine at this moment, but not fine the next moment, and they gathered together to play again the next day. Fighting and making trouble was very normal. Besides, Wang Yan taught martial arts, not martial skills, just to build a foundation and strengthen the body. The changes in these moves and flexible application were not something that Wang Bin, this little one, could understand. This was also why this kid only knew how to wrestle and butt heads when fighting, and the high-damage means like pinching, scratching, and biting were all beaten back by Wang Yan...

After being active all morning, the grandfather and grandson walked back slowly. It was not even eight o'clock when they got home. They took the child to wash up, ate a simple breakfast, and started a beautiful day.

Wang Bin wasn't relaxed. He was at the age where he could recognize characters. With three teachers in the family, it would be strange if he were relaxed. How could any child like this boring activity that only relied on repetitive memory? So this kid was in pain.

And Su Meng wouldn't get up until it was really hot. Wang Yan had nothing to do, so he carried his hands behind his back, tapped his back with his rosewood fan, and strolled out to Old Guan's house.

Just as he walked out of the door, he met Cheng Army Supervisor who was pushing the car in: "Grandpa Wang, going for a stroll." He grinned and accompanied him with a smiling face, as if he were very happy to see Wang Yan, and hurriedly stepped aside to let him pass.

Wang Yan nodded with a smile and brushed past him...

Until Wang Yan's figure disappeared from the entrance, Cheng Army Supervisor spat on the ground, then pushed the car around the shadow wall and entered the courtyard.

What he had to admit was that Wang Yan's strength made him feel desperate. That was an academician of the Academy of Sciences, a great scientist, who was elected as a supplementary member last year at only twenty-eight years old. How could his future be immeasurable? With such a person, he didn't know what to do to retaliate against Wang Yan.

Countless nights, thinking about Wang Yan snatching his woman and making him lose face in front of his classmates, but he couldn't hurt Wang Yan in the slightest. With his vengeful personality and his petty mind the size of a needle's eye, how could he live peacefully? In four words: life is worse than death.

Even Han Chunming's life was getting better now, and he rode a motorcycle earlier than Wang Yan. As a university student, he was the most miserable one...

His life was a mess, after all, he was in university. Although there were subsidies, it was money for food, and there wasn't much left. He was also active in school and loved to show off and act like a big shot, so he spent a lot of money.

And now it was different from the original drama; he had a wife and child. His wife hadn't passed the college entrance examination for two years and was still working in the factory. It was arranged by his father. He was away at school and didn't come home unless he had no money. Even if he said it was flowery, the husband-and-wife relationship wasn't very harmonious. Just because his wife didn't get into university, and he was a university student with a bright future, she was enduring it.

Cheng's father and mother also had opinions about his spending, but he lied and fooled them. Thinking about his future after graduating from university, Cheng's father and mother endured it. This was family disharmony.

Letting out a long breath, slightly easing his negative emotions, he entered the house...

In Old Guan's small courtyard, summer was very atmospheric. There were creepers on all four walls, and several pots of various flowers in the courtyard, as well as lotus flowers and carp in the large vat, which had a very summery meaning.

At this moment, Old Guan was curled up in a reclining chair in the shade of the wall, taking advantage of the morning sun. Next to him was a small low table with a purple clay pot and several Qing Dynasty tea bowls. He was still holding a fan in one hand and prayer beads in the other. If it were winter, the fan would be replaced by walnuts. Anyway, these two hands were never idle all year round.

Han Chunming bought some fresh vegetables in the morning and was busy in the kitchen. Not only him, but Cai Xiaoli also came over to help. Their child was counting ants in the courtyard.

Besides that, a young girl was sitting on a small stool on the side, flipping through a book. It was Guan Guan Xiao Guan, Old Guan's granddaughter, who had just returned from abroad not long ago. She was twenty-one years old this year and worked as a manager in a hotel.

In the original drama, Guan Guan Xiao Guan's appearance was in 1982, and she was a manager in a four-star hotel. It didn't matter when she appeared. After all, the situation was much looser now. Guan Guan Xiao Guan was born when she went out, had a Beijing household registration, and just happened to return now. But it was strange to be a manager in a star-rated hotel, because there were no foreign hotels in Beijing at this time, and there were no documents issued by the country for hotel star rating and management.