Chapter 580: Having Face

As the saying goes, listen to advice and you'll be well-fed, but if one can truly listen to advice—regardless of the world, just speaking of the individual—one can definitely avoid a lot of trouble. After all, in daily life, those who can open their mouths to advise others are either family or friends, or at worst, colleagues with a decent relationship. There are indeed people in this world who cannot bear to see others doing well or being brilliant, but there are more who, without infringing on their own interests, speak a word or two out of kindness. In general, the starting point is good.

Su Fu is a conscientious people's teacher. He is happy when students study well and worries when they don't. Although there are no evening self-study sessions yet, teaching seriously, passionately, and as a career to dedicate oneself to is inherently a very tiring thing. His health is not very good, and with his thin, gaunt appearance, working like this year after year, he naturally couldn't hold up.

"Grandpa, are you sick?"

In the Su family in the backyard, seven-year-old Wang Bin, who is about to enter the first grade, stands by the bed with a wooden sword, raising his head and blinking his big eyes, looking at Su Fu leaning against the head of the bed with concern.

Stretching out his hand with difficulty to rub his grandson's little head, Su Fu smiles very kindly: "Grandpa is fine, just tired. I'll be fine after resting at home for a while. Binbin, go play with your little friends."

"Oh, then you rest well, Grandpa." Wang Bin, like a little adult, turns around and waves at Wang Yan and the others: "Let's all go, let Grandpa rest well."

Su Meng pulls her own son's ear with annoyance and sends him out the door: "Go, go play by yourself, don't be annoying here."

Su Mu sighs: "Tell me, how many times have I urged you over these years? I said it, Mom said it, and Mengmeng and Wang Yan have also been saying it, but you haven't listened to a single word. Now it's good, you're lying at home, right? Money has been spent, suffering has been endured, and you've implicated the whole family in worrying. Fortunately, the surgery was successful; what would you have done if there had been an accident?"

"Alright. It's already like this, what's the point of saying so much? Can't you just let me have some peace?" Su Fu uses his illness to escape his wife's nagging. He naturally knows it's concern, but he can't stand too much of it. He says: "Fine, you don't need to watch over me. Go do what you need to do, I'll just stay here by myself. Mengmeng, Wang Yan, you two hurry to work too. You've already delayed for several days, don't let the leaders have opinions and affect your future."

"Don't worry, it won't affect any future." Wang Yan smiles and shakes his head: "Leave was requested by the full day; going back early is useless. I'll go buy some vegetables and some medicinal herbs, and in a while, I'll make you a nourishing soup to properly recuperate your body so you can recover sooner."

Old Mrs. Su is a bit worried: "The doctor said there are many dietary restrictions. You aren't stewing old hen soup again, are you? Will that be okay?"

"His body is weak now and cannot be heavily supplemented. Old hen soup has strong potency, so of course, it won't work. But I have something else, which counts as medicinal diet therapy. I specifically asked someone for the prescription, so it's guaranteed to be no problem. It just has more nutrition than normal meals and is easier to absorb, so he will recover faster."

While speaking, Wang Yan turns and leaves the room, goes home to get the keys, and rides off on a motorcycle.

He had tried his best to persuade Su Fu and even prepared medicinal soup to regulate his body, but because Su Fu didn't listen to advice and remained as overworked as before, he ended up lying in bed after all.

Originally it was 1982, now it is 1983. Being able to drag it out for one more year counts as Wang Yan having done his best. After all, he didn't reveal his superb medical skills this time, only showing that he could make some medicinal diets and treat colds, fevers, and runny noses. Previously, when he prepared medicine to regulate Su Fu, Su Mu, and Old Mrs. Su, their ability to drink it was already a great trust in him.

In fact, even if he were a doctor, perhaps Su Fu might have fallen even earlier. After all, the son-in-law is a divine doctor, so there's a bottom line in the heart, feeling that he won't die, so the problem isn't big.

And even with medicine to regulate, one must pay attention to rest. Otherwise, while supplementing on one side and tiring on the other, it would be good if even thirty percent of the medicinal effect remained. Besides, Su Fu didn't drink it all the time; he just drank a couple of doses and that was it. Being able to delay the onset of illness by a year and having a situation better than the original is already quite good.

It wasn't until a few days ago when he felt uncomfortable that Wang Yan encouraged him to go to Peking Union Medical College Hospital for an examination, and in the end, it still cost more than thirty thousand to solve the problem. Whether it was the original 1982 or the current 1983, thirty thousand yuan is a desperate figure.

Let's not mention Su Meng's attitude in the original drama; after all, her own father was waiting to die without medical treatment, and she was still worried about face and went to find Cheng Jianguo to borrow money from Han Chunming. Now the trajectory is different, so saying those things is meaningless.

When they learned how much money was needed, Su Meng directly took the passbook to the bank and withdrew forty thousand. At that time, the expressions on the faces of Old Mrs. Su and the others were quite spectacular. They knew Wang Yan didn't lack money and knew Wang Yan still had businesses in the south. They had never asked how much he earned in these years, only knowing he hadn't lost money. But in any case, they never expected that in the four years from 1979 to now, Wang Yan could casually take out forty thousand. Later, they asked Su Meng and learned that he still had fifty thousand left...

This money was all brought back by Wang Yan to give Su Meng peace of mind and also as living expenses. Having worked for four years, how could he not make money? The sketches he drew casually were enough for a book. And his four years were different from others. At first, he sold clothes and shoes, then he sold garment-making equipment, and at the same time, he started to engage in some electronic products, such as watches, game consoles, and so on. In this era, as long as you aren't a fool and have some courage, you don't need any ideas; as long as you do it, you can earn silver. Not to mention that Wang Yan still had quite a bit of technology here.

Counting the government's policy support and financial assistance for these private companies and factories, the development was very fast, and he earned a lot. Of course, in Wang Mouren's eyes, these were all small change...

Buying some vegetables and medicine outside, it was almost noon when he returned. Just as he brought the things into the house, he saw Su Meng chatting with a woman by the desk in the inner room.

The woman greeted with a chuckle: "Yo, the great scientist is back."

Wang Yan nodded and asked: "Aren't you at work? Why did you run here?"

"It's not that I knew you were picking up Su Meng's dad from the hospital today, and since it's not far, I just came over during lunch break to see how Uncle is doing."

"You have a heart. You guys chat, I'll go out and pack a few dishes, and we'll eat at home in a while." Wang Yan put down the things, turned around, and walked out again.

"No need to bother, I'll just have a bite..." She shouted at the top of her lungs, but didn't get a response. The woman looked at Su Meng: "I really envy you. He is such a great scientist, yet he can treat you like this, treat your family like this. How good your life is."

Su Meng laughed with her teeth showing: "Actually, sometimes when I think about it, I feel like I'm dreaming. Didn't I tell you before? We lived in the same courtyard for so many years and didn't have much interaction, rarely even talking. As a result, in those less than two months, our feelings heated up rapidly, and then we were together, and we got married directly that year. At that time, he was specially approved by the leaders to study at Peking University, had column interviews, was in the People's Daily, and later when he was studying, he didn't attend classes properly for a few days, always following those professors and experts in the laboratory. In a few years, he became an academician, and it's been like that until now.

Comparing this, I feel I'm particularly useless. Let me tell you, Yuan'er, you don't need to envy me. If you really had a man like this, you should be worried. Think about it, he is so capable, how many young women must be surrounding him every day? You trust him, but he is also a man; who can guarantee he will never make a mistake? If you don't believe it, he has never changed toward me and my grandma all these years. What we were like when we first got married is what we are like now. I even feel guilty for doubting him myself."

This woman chatting with Su Meng is Li Yuan, Su Meng's good friend in the original drama. Although Su Meng changed universities, after graduation, she still chose the Education Bureau, and naturally, she went to work at the Dongcheng District Education Bureau. There, she met Li Yuan, who had also graduated from university and was assigned to work there. The two worked in the same office, chatted well, and naturally became good sisters.

Later, she naturally learned that Su Meng's man was Wang Yan, an academician of the Academy of Sciences and a great scientist. Their bureau leaders wouldn't say they were worshipping Su Meng, but their attitude was definitely different. Having such a colleague who had previously become a friend, they definitely had to maintain the relationship carefully. Li Yuan to Su Meng is roughly equivalent to Taozi to Han Chunming. However, perhaps Li Yuan is not that pure and mixed with some utilitarianism, which is also normal.

Li Yuan asked curiously: "Then what do you think?"

"I don't think!" Su Meng rolled her eyes: "That's just looking for trouble for myself."

Obviously, she has made a lot of progress...

Wang Yan rode his motorcycle to the Tea Fragrance Restaurant located at Dashilan, near Qianmen Street.

Compared to the first "Tea House" opened by Han Chunming, Taozi, and Cai Xiaoli in the original drama, this "Tea Fragrance" is much larger. It is a three-story building with a large area, capable of accommodating dozens of tables, and has private rooms of various sizes.

The large plaque hanging on the top floor has vigorous and powerful regular script, and the characters are grand and majestic, with their own rules. Those who understand can see the strength, and those who don't can also recognize the plaque; it was written by Wang Yan, the calligraphy master himself. Han Chunming doesn't understand calligraphy, but he knows goods and asked Wang Yan for it. The remaining signs for the wine house, gathering friends, and the building were also written together, just waiting to open the shop again.

It is currently mealtime, and many bicycles and motorcycles are parked outside the shop, and even a line of cars is parked on the side of the road, showing its popularity.

The large area is because Han Chunming now is not doing small money-making jobs like the original, but has opened up the path to circulate goods between the north and south, earning more money than the original. This three-story building now is not rented; it was bought by Han Chunming and Taozi together, through many twists and turns. Taozi owns sixty percent, and Han Chunming owns forty percent.

As for the popularity of the shop, firstly, although there are many restaurants now, those with large scales are relatively few. In addition, the chefs introduced by Wang Yan are not bad, and their skills are truly good, basically all having passed the fourth-level threshold, so the taste is naturally not bad. And the location of this shop is also quite good. Combining these, it is naturally full of diners and very popular.

On the other hand, Wang Yan, Ma Du, and Han Chunming didn't bring fewer people to eat here at the beginning. Even now, when there are occasional invitations, they mostly eat here. Eating well for the first time and having the face to get a discount, many of those who interact with Wang Yan, Ma Du, and Han Chunming will continue to come. In this way, it naturally brought up the business and made a name for itself...

Consistent with the original plot, Meng Xiaoxing still didn't want to be a villager, so she still entered the city in 1982 and lived in the Old Han family. At that time, this Tea Fragrance had already opened. Neither Han Chunming nor Cai Xiaoli participated; this couple was doing big business in the south and had no time to manage a restaurant. Meng Xiaoxing came and couldn't be ignored, but they couldn't take this yellow-haired girl to do business with them, so she was arranged to this restaurant.

The wife Taozi married this time is also not bad, not a person who haggles over every ounce. Except for holding money tightly and not letting Taozi spend it randomly, everything else is quite good, and she is also very decent in dealing with people. Besides, although Taozi opened a restaurant, he still works with Han Chunming, and no one dislikes having too much money. So she also took good care of Meng Xiaoxing. Plus, although Meng Xiaoxing has a sharp mouth and sticky hands, she is truly quick at work, and with Han Chunming's face, she was allowed to be the manager.

In the noisy and chaotic environment, Meng Xiaoxing leaned against the cashier, lowered her head to tidy up the small suit she was wearing, and fiddled with the trendy curly hairstyle she had just gotten not many days ago. Looking at the situation of the diners in the field, she fiddled with her nails boredly.

She feels very good now. Taozi's wife above basically doesn't manage things, only telling her when she sees problems, and mostly manages procurement, accounts, etc. So she is very comfortable here. Big and small things, front desk and back kitchen, she basically manages everything, and a feeling called success has surged in her heart.

Just as she was playing with her hands, she saw Wang Yan walking in from the door facing the cashier. The face that was stiff a moment ago changed into a big smile the next instant: "Yo, Prince is here. Just you yourself? Hurry up and sit in the private room upstairs; it's quieter to eat."

Wang Yan waved his hand: "No need, Xiaoxing, make eight dishes for me to pack and take away."

"Got it, I'll arrange it right away. You sit and drink some tea. Oh, by the way, Prince, Brother Taozi is upstairs, and Brother Ma is also eating with people here. Aren't you going to see them?"

"I won't go. You hurry and let the master cook; the family is hungry."

Wang Yan waved his hand, watching Meng Xiaoxing turn to the back kitchen. Not liking the buzzing noise, he turned and went outside to the place where bicycles were parked, sat on the back seat of someone's bicycle, lit a cigarette, and looked at the passing vehicles and pedestrians, looking at their mental outlook. Compared to 1975, it was already very different.

People's living standards have improved significantly, public facility construction has been obviously strengthened and improved, and people's mental outlook is also different. They look like they have drive, which is a desire for money. As a result, entering the new century, the contradiction has become the contradiction between advanced material life and backward spiritual civilization. It means that society has progressed, but people have not; moral education has not kept up, but in general, it is still good. After all, when you can't eat your fill, don't talk about any spiritual civilization.

And brought about by the difference in material living conditions is the pursuit of more and better material conditions by those with average or poor conditions.

This is not wrong, but it inevitably causes some bad things.

In this process, because legitimate profit is too tiring and too difficult, some choose to take shortcuts. Also because information is developed, they have seen what they shouldn't have seen, and thus experienced what they shouldn't have experienced, thereby losing their minds and sinking. Wandering in the flow of material desires, indulging themselves. The most typical is the extreme chaos of male-female relationships.

Although that matter has always been chaotic, it has never been as easy as it is now. After all, there was the decaying clan and village elder system, which could sink people in pig cages. Now, if one party doesn't have evil intentions and wants to die together, it can be said that regardless of men or women, there is almost no punishment for this kind of thing, and almost nothing needs to be paid, which is quite sad...

Although Wang Yan, who deserves a thousand cuts, should also be sunk in a pig cage, this doesn't prevent him from being sad about the spring and autumn. It's like some people opposing some things, but in fact, they have done those things themselves. He is only reflecting on social phenomena, not himself. People, who isn't a double-standard dog?

Although faults cannot be compensated by achievements, except for his shortcomings in male-female matters, he can truly become a saint on the spot. He has treated countless illnesses and saved countless people. He supports children who can't afford to go to school or eat their fill, and he funds help in poor mountains and bad waters. He has also educated the people, allowing countless common people who couldn't eat their fill to eat their fill and eat well. Having passed several hundred years like this, he is worthy of immeasurable merit. Even if he has killed quite a few people, even God, King Yama, God, and Satan would forgive him...

"Xiaoxing just said you came over. I didn't see anyone when I went downstairs, and the waiter said you were outside. I say Prince, at noon, what are you sunbathing here for? Aren't you afraid of the heat?"

Taozi, who is already a father of two children, jumped down from the steps and stopped in front of Wang Yan with inertia.

Wang Yan smiled and shook his head: "There are too many people inside, it's unbearable. It won't be hot for long, and sunbathing is good for the body."

"You bully me for being uncultured all day, deceiving me. Even if I don't understand, I know that even if sunbathing is good, there is no fool who sunbathes in the noon sun." After joking, Taozi continued: "Ma Du is eating with friends upstairs and told me he is getting married next month. He also said he would find you tonight to tell you personally."

"Yo, there's such a thing. Then I really have to go see him, so he doesn't have to run another trip. You don't have to worry about Chunming; I'll tell him when I go back. When the time comes, the three of us, Taozi, will help you out. The place is ready-made, just use this Tea Fragrance. If it can't fit because there are too many people, then we can only go to the Beijing Hotel."

"You are teasing me. You know how many people I know. This Tea Fragrance can't even be filled, so where would we need the Beijing Hotel? It's not like I have to show off. Following you all these years, not to mention anything else, I've learned this low-key style perfectly." After laughing twice, Ma Du looked at Taozi: "I've been too busy lately. I was just busy telling you about getting married and forgot that I need a place to get married. We decided yesterday, and nothing has been arranged yet. It's definitely not that I'm treating you like an outsider, so don't mind me."

"Don't say that, I was really wondering if you had opinions about me and Chunming." Taozi laughed and punched Ma Du: "Just joking. If you do things here, just rest assured. We'll do it according to the highest standard, and you don't have to worry about anything. I'll speak directly: you definitely can't not pay money. Let's not push or yield; let's say it first: it's all cost price, don't pay more, and I won't ask for less."

"Painful, painful, fast, just... let's decide it like that." Ma Du replied in a stammering manner, laughing and taking another punch.

"Fine, let's leave it at that for now. I won't disturb you. Just call me if you have anything. You guys drink, I'm leaving." Patting Ma Du on the shoulder again, Wang Yan and Taozi turned and left...

Seeing the door close, someone asked curiously: "Brother Ma, who is that?"

Others also asked curiously, wanting to know who it was.

Introducing friends also depends on the situation. Usually, when meeting acquaintances, one would introduce them and have a drink. Ma Du is broad-minded and has wide connections, so naturally, he wouldn't not know this. Now that he didn't introduce them, plus Ma Du's respectful attitude, it meant that introducing them would be useless and would only waste people's time.

Ma Du returned to his seat and said with a chuckle: "The one I've always talked about, who takes great care of me, Wang Yan!"

He is just an editor of a literary magazine, which is already quite prestigious among those people. After all, mixing in the cultural circle is a high-level circle, and he knows many literary celebrities, all of whom have interactions.

But Wang Yan, an academician of the Academy of Sciences, a commander steering the development of computers, a city representative, and a national representative—among the people of the same age he knows, and even many of the older generation he knows, no one is as awesome as Wang Yan. Being able to know him is enough, not to mention that he calls him brother, which is really a face-saving thing.

Although he is almost thirty, walking in the world, it's all about face. It is this kind of inadvertent, deep showing off that makes people feel secretly refreshed.

Ma Du smiled and raised his wine glass, enjoying the joy of showing off by borrowing someone else's name at this moment...

Seeing the door close, someone asked curiously: "Brother Ma, who is that person?"

Others also asked curiously, wanting to know who that was.

Introducing friends depends on the situation; usually, when meeting acquaintances, one would make introductions and have a drink or two. Ma Du is a man of the world with wide social connections, so of course, he wouldn't be unaware of this. Since he didn't introduce them now, coupled with Ma Du's respectful attitude, it meant that introducing them would be useless and would only waste the other person's time.

Ma Du returned to his seat and said with a chuckle: "It's the one I've always talked about, who takes great care of me, Wang Yan!"

He is just an editor for a literary magazine, which is actually quite prestigious among those people. After all, those in the cultural circle are in a high-end circle, and he knows many literary celebrities, all of whom he has connections with.

But Wang Yan, an academician of the Academy of Sciences, the commander steering the development of computers, a city representative, and a national representative—among the people of the same age he knows, and even many of the older generation he knows, none are as impressive as Wang Yan. Being able to know him is enough, let alone being on brotherly terms with him; this is really a face-saving thing.

Although he is almost thirty, walking in the world and mixing with people is all about face. It is this kind of casual, high-level showing off that makes one secretly pleased.

Ma Du smiled and raised his glass, enjoying the joy of showing off by using someone else's name at this moment...