Chapter 144

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"Raising children is too exhausting."

Uncle had only stayed up one night and already had a profound understanding: "Mom is old, it's too hard for one person to raise children alone, it's better to let Jin Fang stay at home to help take care of the children."

"Isn't she working at the hotel anymore?"

Grandmother's hand fanning with the palm-leaf fan paused: "Can you support the two of them by yourself?"

"I've thought about it, working at the hotel earns too little, it's better to drive a taxi."

Uncle tentatively discussed with Grandmother: "Driving a taxi now makes a lot of money, at least two or three thousand a month, much better than working at the hotel."

"Who told you that?"

Grandmother glanced at him sideways, half-believing and half-doubting his words.

"Jin Fang's Second Brother."

Uncle glanced at his aunt, his expression somewhat unnatural: "His Second Brother knows people at the taxi company, saying there's no need to buy a car himself, pay two thousand yuan in rental fees to the rental company every month, and the rest of the money is what he earns himself."

"Two thousand a month? That's too much,"

Grandmother looked doubtful, tapping his head with the palm-leaf fan: "You always come up with one idea after another, don't you think carefully about whether you can earn it back?"

"Second Uncle Brother has already asked, two people taking shifts, running 24 hours without stopping, can earn six or seven thousand a month, after deducting the rental fee, splitting it between two people, each can still get over two thousand."

Uncle, fearing Grandmother wouldn't believe him, covered his head and explained sheepishly: "He also saw that I know how to drive, and that we are family relatives, so he told me the inside information he found out, wanting to partner with me, to do it together......"

"Is driving a taxi really that profitable?"

Grandmother was still not reassured: "Haven't you asked someone yourself?"

"It really can make money."

His aunt chimed in from the side: "My Second Brother says, as long as it's something new, it can make money, taking a taxi is also a kind of fashion, now more and more people are taking taxis, more people than cars, during rush hour it's often hard to get a taxi, especially at the doorways of the hospital and train station, people line up waiting for cars, on rainy and snowy days business is even better, basically the car won't be empty all day."

"Xiyu, help Uncle calculate......"

Uncle asked his niece for help: "The taxi starting price is 5 yuan, calculating two orders per hour, how much can be earned in a month?"

"Let me think......"

Lin Xiyu counted on her fingers: "Starting price 5 yuan, twenty-four hours a day, two orders per hour, 240 a day, 7200 a month, after deducting the car rental money and fuel costs, there can still be four or five thousand left, split between two people, each gets at least two thousand yuan, and this is only calculated at the starting price, longer distances earn even more......"

"Xiyu calculated it, Mom, you believe it now, right."

Uncle took the opportunity of his niece speaking: "Now as long as one is flexible-minded and willing to work hard, anything can make money, I also saw Leilei quit her job and earn money, which made me realize, previously our vision was too limited, only knowing to work for others, not knowing how to adapt, earning only a few hundred yuan a month, unwilling to eat, unwilling to spend, wronging oneself too much."

"Uncle is right."

Lin Xiyu strongly supported: "Sister Leilei said a few days ago she wanted Uncle and Aunt to work with her, Uncle doing decoration, Aunt selling clothes, doing anything is better than working at the hotel."

"That's also a path."

Grandmother smiled with relief: "How about this, if you want to drive a taxi, try it for a few months first, if it doesn't work, go to the decoration company, with Leilei there to support you, you'll also have a backup plan."

"Okay."

Uncle, having received permission, was so happy he couldn't close his mouth.

"I want to stay home to watch the children......"

Aunt showed some regret: "Can't help Sister Leilei sell clothes anymore."

"It's fine."

Lin Xiyu had great confidence in Guben's vision and judgment: "Even if she doesn't sell clothes, she can rent out the shop, later when the Small Commodities Market has more foot traffic, the shop will definitely be in high demand, and rent will rise with the tide, Sister relying only on collecting rent can earn quite a lot of money."

"Leilei really bet correctly."

Uncle did not hide his envy at all: "If I had her courage a few years ago, quitting early to earn money, I wouldn't have been forced to leave my job, making my wife and children suffer hard days with me."

"Did you have children back then?"

Grandmother laughed in anger, and tapped his head again with the palm-leaf fan: "Hurry up and go to sleep, don't talk nonsense here late at night."

"Hehe, sleep."

Uncle had a goal to make money, his mood became extremely wonderful, happily humming a little tune as he flopped onto the bed: "Wife and children on a warm kang, living this little life, it's so wonderful......"

"That's all the ambition you have......"

Grandmother couldn't bear to look, laughing as she scolded him: "Haven't earned money yet, already showing off."

"Grandmother, let's sleep too."

Lin Xiyu saw Uncle lie down, and didn't want to stay in their couple's room anymore, pretending to be tired she rubbed her eyes.

"Sleep."

Grandmother saw through her niece's intention, waved her fan, and left the room first.

Lin Xiyu followed Grandmother's departure, watching Aunt turn off the light, when there was no movement in the inner room, she then lay down comfortably on the bamboo mat.

Having been busy for half the night, she was also very sleepy and tired, and soon closed her eyes, entering dreamland.

——

The last days of demolition were approaching day by day, every family was busy moving, the alley was noisy, the sharp sound of truck horns rang from morning till night.

Grandmother visited every household, saying goodbye to familiar neighbors.

The old neighbors were not young anymore, after this move, they would be far apart, and in the future they didn't know if they could meet again, every time she saw off a family, the loneliness in her eyebrows and eyes would become even more apparent.

——

"Jing Daniang, we're leaving, keep in touch often in the future."

On the last day of the end of August, Zhang Dashan's family also moved away.

Worth mentioning, Zhang Dafen actually gave Grandma an invitation card before leaving, inviting Grandma's family to attend her wedding.

Grandma accepted it graciously, wrapped twenty yuan in red paper as a red envelope, and gave it to her brother Dashan.

The truck roared as it drove away from the alley, leaving only Grandma's household in the yard.

Lin Xiyu saw that Grandma was in low spirits, and after dinner accompanied her as she strolled around the yard, touring each empty house one by one.

"The Huang Daye family's assets were truly rich. I remember when we first moved here in '58, every summer Huang Daniang would take the leather jackets out of the trunk to air them, hanging them one by one from the pomegranate tree at the north end all the way to under the windows at the south end."

Grandma was gratified by her granddaughter's filial piety and was willing to share some heartfelt words with her: "Back then, leather jackets were rare goods; you couldn't buy them even if you wanted to. And because of that, someone bore a grudge. During that big movement a few years ago, our home was raided, everything valuable was taken, and even the floor tiles were pried up one by one to see if anything was buried underground."

"Fortunately, they didn't discover our family's antique bed."

Lin Xiyu loved listening to Grandma talk about the past, listening with great interest.

"Our family was fortunate because of your great-grandfather..."

Grandma thought of her departed relatives, her eyes showing longing: "When your great-grandfather fought in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, he donated all the savings the family had accumulated over the years, causing quite a stir at the time. Everyone in the neighborhood knew. Since then, our family has been dirt poor, so poor we could barely keep the pot boiling. How could there be anything valuable left for them to raid..."

Lin Xiyu smiled luckily: "This could be considered a blessing in disguise, right?"

"It was also fortunate that back then, people didn't value old objects."

Grandma knew the situation well, and smiling again said: "Not like these past couple of years, after reform and opening up, businessmen had money and also developed an interest in collecting antiques, and prices went up as a result..."

"I don't know if our family's bed is still in Fan Wei's hands."

Lin Xiyu's heart stirred, her eyes showing expectation: "I hope we have a chance to buy it back."

"What good thing are you thinking about?"

Grandma dismissed it: "Something given to someone else, how can you buy it back? Do you really think that bed is only worth twenty thousand? Impossible. Even if Fan Wei keeps saying you are the benefactor who saved his wife and children, he's still a businessman. Can a businessman do business at a loss? Let me tell you the truth, Grandma: that bed in his hands is worth at least double, no less than forty thousand yuan. He won't sell it..."

"Hmph."

Lin Xiyu's eyes showed displeasure: "This person is too dishonest."

"Talking about honesty with a businessman?"

Grandma laughed: "You little girl, are you really stupid or pretending to be stupid?"

"Hehe."

Lin Xiyu touched her nose and chuckled hehe, deliberately acting silly to make Grandma happy: "If I were really stupid, Grandma would be the one anxious."

"Fortunately, you are a sensible child..."

Grandma patted the back of her hand with satisfaction: "Unlike your female cousin, who knows what she's messing around with all day? Her face is sunny one moment and cloudy the next, making people worry endlessly for her."

"It won't happen again."

Lin Xiyu spoke with meaning, comforting Grandma: "For her, the most difficult time has already passed. As long as there are no more clowns causing trouble, clinging to her shamelessly, her future will be a smooth road, and no one will be able to hinder her anymore."

"Did something happen to Leilei?"

Grandma cared about her granddaughter and sensitively sensed something was wrong.

"It's okay, already resolved."

Lin Xiyu didn't want Grandma to worry and told her everything about Xu Rui in detail.

"Sigh, this girl, how can she be so stupid..."

Grandma knew the truth and felt lingering fear: "Fortunately you were quick-witted and exposed that person's true face in time. Otherwise, your female cousin wouldn't know when she would wake up, and would keep being deceived."

"With this lesson, your female cousin should understand now."

Lin Xiyu smiled and agreed: "You can't be kind to everyone and help everyone. There are too many white-eyed wolves. You help them, and they think you're using money to buy them, hurting their self-esteem."

"Xiyu..."

Grandma was still uneasy: "In the future, regarding your female cousin's matters, you need to pay more attention. That girl has a stubborn temper, a one-track mind, and easily gets stuck in a rut. I'm afraid she might not be able to take it and go to extremes, or stop trusting anyone, stop looking, and grow old alone, or throw caution to the wind and mess around with anyone she takes a fancy to..."

"It won't happen..."

Lin Xiyu felt a chill down her spine: "I trust my female cousin. She's not that kind of casual person."

"During this time, when you're free, comfort her more."

Grandma softly instructed: "Take her out to relax, don't let her focus all her thoughts on making money, just caring about earning money and making everyone foolish."

"Okay."

Lin Xiyu gladly agreed: "I also have that plan. Before school starts, we'll leave a few days early, call your female cousin to go to Shanghai with us. She wants to sell export-to-domestic Shanghai foreign trade clothing, right? Going to Shanghai will broaden her horizons and increase her knowledge. It's better than wandering around this little plot of land in old Jinan."

"That's reasonable..."

Grandma felt deeply gratified: "You have this heart, and Grandma is relieved. With you backing your female cousin, she won't suffer losses."

"Family, after all."

Lin Xiyu wanted to speak up for her female cousin: "Helping each other is only natural. Isn't your female cousin also thinking of making money to help Uncle and Aunt, and let Grandma enjoy happiness with her?"

"This child has a good heart, but is too stubborn, only recognizes her own reasoning, and won't listen to what others say."

Grandma knew her own granddaughter inside out; how could she not know she truly meant well for this family?

It's just that girl's temperament is like a stubborn donkey, truly making people worry.

"She still knows in her heart who is truly good to her."

Lin Xiyu was about to explain a few more words for her female cousin when the weak crying of a baby came from the window. She didn't want to trouble Grandma anymore and took the opportunity to divert her attention.

"Oh, the baby is crying again. Probably wet the diaper again. Let's hurry back. We're moving tomorrow. Aunt has to pack things and take care of the baby. One person probably can't manage."

"Let's go back. There's nothing much to see in a few empty rooms."

With a baby in the family, Grandma had another concern, and in a blink she threw the sorrow of parting to the back of her mind.

"Qinglong Back Street isn't far. It's about twenty minutes on foot."

Lin Xiyu supported Grandma back into the house: "Grandma, if you want to come back and see the place in the future, you can come back anytime."

"The old house is gone anyway. What's there to see?"

Grandma was concerned about the baby and hurried a few steps: "Let it be demolished. We'll come back after the new building is built."

"We'll be able to move back in two years."

Lin Xiyu smiled and agreed: "I really want to see it soon—what the new building will look like."

"One year passes so quickly..."

Grandma said with emotion: "In the blink of an eye, ten years have passed, and you and your cousin have grown up so much."

"Moving tomorrow—invite Wu Ma and Aunt Da and them all to come."

Lin Xiyu's heart stirred, and she smiled again: "I'll have Guben bring a camera to take a family portrait in the yard, as a keepsake."

"Fine."

Grandma readily agreed: "Our family hasn't had our picture taken in many years; it's time for a family portrait."

"Then it's settled—I'll call them..."

Lin Xiyu was overjoyed and rushed out of the yard, unable to wait.

"Aiyo, this child, so hasty, saying whatever she wants..."

Grandma watched her run off, seeming to dislike her but actually full of pampering.

—

September 1st, clear autumn skies.

Early in the morning, Grandma's small courtyard became lively; Da Yifu borrowed a pickup truck from his unit to help Grandma move.

Guben also had people from the Gardening Bureau come to transplant the grape vine and pomegranate tree.

Cousin, knowing they were moving, specially took leave and hurried back from the Southern Mountain Area.

Sister no longer sulked, left the stray dog in the office, and entrusted it to Li Xiao for care.