Chapter 311: The In‑Laws Arrive

Then I won't be polite.

Wu Guiwen mentioned this matter with a worried expression.

"Recently my daughter wrote again, and she mentioned wanting to marry locally, saying there's a country fellow who treats her well; you don't know how worried my wife and I are after receiving the letter."

If she marries there, she may never be able to return to the city, so I was thinking of having your Ying Ying see if she can arrange a job placement to bring her back quickly, then my wife and I wouldn't have to worry.

Wu Guiwen's worries about his children are completely understandable to Lu Beitang, because when his eldest said he wanted to marry a country girl, he and his wife Chen Xianglan did not consent.

He had also written letters to dissuade him several times, but the eldest persisted.

Unlike Wu Guiwen's family, theirs have a daughter and a younger son staying with them, so they are not as opposed to the eldest marrying a country girl.

Moreover, the eldest's family is now very happy; his daughter‑in‑law recently gave birth to a son, so they have both sons and daughters, and Lu Beitang is completely at ease.

As for Wu Guiwen's suggestion to have his daughter Ying Ying help arrange a job placement, Lu Beitang is a bit worried.

He heard from his daughter that recently the department store has been packed with many educated youths, almost overcrowded.

Seeing Lu Beitang pause, Wu Guiwen became a bit anxious.

"Beitang, we are in the same courtyard; this is the only difficulty my family has right now, you must help me no matter what."

Seeing Wu Guiwen's pleading, and recalling they both live in the same courtyard, Lu Beitang finds it hard to refuse, but there is something that must be clarified.

"Teacher Wu, you know our Ying Ying; she works for a collective unit…"

Wu Guiwen immediately understood Lu Beitang's meaning; collective units have always been considered lower.

"Oh dear, who cares about dignity now? As long as Gui Yun can return and become a city resident, even if she has to dig big dung, I'm willing."

There are no extra positions for digging dung; jobs that young people once looked down upon as undignified are now fiercely contested for the chance to return to the city.

First, come back; as for the future, we'll figure it out gradually.

Lu Beitang smiled: "Alright, Teacher Wu, when I get back I'll tell Ying Ying. I'll do my best; if it can't be done, don't be angry."

With Lu Beitang's words, Wu Guiwen felt reassured.

"I trust Ying Ying; the three children in your family, I can see each one is more promising than the last.

Take the eldest, even though he's also an educated youth, he now works at the commune, which is a secure iron rice bowl; your Ying Ying, though in a collective unit, works at a department store whose performance isn't worse than a regular factory, and the salary is higher."

"And your Lu San'er; to be honest, I used to look down on him, but now he's different—his Train Police job is respectable, and his father‑in‑law is a high official; in the future, just look forward to enjoying the blessings of your children."

Lu Beitang, flattered, smiled and said: "Teacher Wu, it's not as good as you say; sometimes it does cause worries."

"If the children are like that, fine. You keep busy; this plate of peanuts and sunflower seeds, you can eat it, no need to return it. When you're done, just give me the plate."

"Hey, thank you, Teacher Wu."

Wu Guiwen, now resolved, shouted into the courtyard: "Listen, everyone, today is the Lu family's big celebration. Our in‑laws aren't ordinary people, so I suggest we all stop loitering in the courtyard; we don't want them to see a mess and leave a bad impression."

Someone called out: "Today is Sunday; if we're not in the courtyard, where can we go?"

Wu Guiwen replied: "Where can we not go? Drop by a neighbor's, watch a movie, or stroll around Hu Tong Li for an hour or two. Come on, everyone, support it."

Hearing Wu Guiwen's shout from outside, Chen Xianglan felt rather surprised.

"Hey, I'm telling you, Old Lu, today Teacher Wu is really pushing us hard."

Lu Beitang placed the plate of peanuts on the table: "Ha, you think it's just empty effort, but it's not—asking our Ying Ying with a plate of peanuts to get a job placement for Gui Yun."

"You agreed?"

"If I didn't agree, what else could I do? He's already asked; I can't just flatly refuse, can I?"

Living in the same courtyard, constantly bowing heads and never looking up, Chen Xianglan finds it hard to say anything.

"Ah, Teacher Wu! Fine then, if there's a job opportunity, we can arrange it for Gui Yun first; it's not for you, it's for Gui Yun—this child isn't easy…"

While Chen Xianglan muttered, Lu Beitang surveyed the house: everything was spotless, tables and chairs neatly arranged, and the neighbors had contributed many items for entertaining guests.

"Today the courtyard folks are a great help; see how placing this grandmaster's chair like this instantly elevates our setting, guaranteeing the in‑laws won't find any fault." After setting the grandmaster's chair upright, Chen Xianglan sat on it herself.

Lu Beitang continued: "When a family has trouble, they still rely on courtyard neighbors for support. In the future, don't always be unforgiving; argue less with people."

"I… alright, I'm in a good mood today, won't argue with you."

Chen Xianglan stood up from the grandmaster's chair, looked around, and felt something was still missing.

Suddenly, she clapped her hands, remembering.

"By the way, Old Lu, we haven't stocked cigarettes, and I didn't hear Qing Yan say whether her father smokes?"

Lu Beitang nodded: "Whether he smokes or not, we should have some ready, but Lu Cheng isn't home, I don't smoke, and the usual cigarette coupons have been used by Lu Cheng to buy cigarettes for Xu Erye."

"Then why not borrow two packs from Zhao Daye's house and repay him later?"

Lu Beitang was about to go out for cigarettes, then turned back: "No, Zhao Daye would be stingy, keeping the money for his two sons; he usually smokes a few cents per pack, which is a bit hard to hand over."

Chen Xianglan thought the same: "Then what to do? We don't have any cigarette coupons right now; if it really can't work, maybe we can buy some premium cigarettes—if they're expensive, so be it."

Estimating that the Lin family was arriving soon, Lu Beitang put on his coat, about to leave, and almost bumped into the rushing Sun Yan Hong.

"Uncle Beitang, where are you going?"

"It's Yan Hong. I was just about to buy cigarettes; isn't that Lu Cheng's father‑in‑law coming?"

Sun Yan Hong hurriedly produced two packs of cigarettes: "Then you don't need to buy any; I thought Lu Cheng wasn't home and the house had no cigarettes, so I bought them already."

Lu Beitang looked down and saw Sun Yan Hong holding two packs of Zhonghua cigarettes, which are pricey, a high‑end brand also called "leadership cigarettes," costing 0.72 yuan per pack.

"Yan Hong, what's this? How can I take the cigarettes you bought? They're too valuable."

Everyone in the courtyard knows that Sun Yan Hong, alone with two children, has it especially hard.

"It's fine, Uncle Beitang, Lu Cheng helped me get a job; I've never known how to thank you. Two packs of cigarettes are nothing; please take them."

Sun Yan Hong stuffed the two packs into Lu Beitang's hand and left.

Lu Beitang had no time to fuss over the cigarettes; at that moment a car horn sounded in Hu Tong Li—obviously the Lin family had arrived.

At the Hu Tong Entrance, Yu Wanrong, dressed in aristocratic attire, stepped out of the car, instantly drawing the attention of the people in Hu Tong Li.