Chapter 932: Why Don't We Go to Yanjing for a Trip?

They chatted a lot while eating, but Li Long basically didn't interrupt. After all, the father and two daughters had just met and had many things to say, so he mainly took care of Mingming and Haohao.

"Sister Yang's cooking is still delicious." Gu Xiao Yu said while eating, "The breakfast at the guesthouse is not good. The food in our school cafeteria is also... maybe it's because there's no oil."

"Then cook it yourself when you have time." Gu Bo Yuan said again, "Buy a house near the school, size doesn't matter, have your own space, cook your own food, of course, you can also let your mother go over to cook."

Gu Xiaoxia asked:

"Gu Xiao Yu, how is your cooking? Anyway, my cooking is average, not as good as Mingming's dad's cooking, he knows quite a few patterns."

Gu Xiao Yu looked at Li Long with some surprise, and then said embarrassedly: "I can cook ordinary meals, that is, there's no problem with cooking them, but it can't be called delicious."

"That's fine," Gu Bo Yuan didn't have high requirements for his daughter. Although he occasionally said something about Gu Xiaoxia, it was only occasionally.

In his view, his daughter was very excellent, and if she couldn't cook, she could practice slowly. This standard now was not only for Gu Xiaoxia, but also for Gu Xiao Yu. People who could be admitted to university, what couldn't they do well? The focus of work was different, if she wanted to do it, she would practice more, and she would be qualified to do it well.

Li Long smiled when he heard himself being mentioned, looking at Mingming and Haohao while eating.

Sister Yang and Han Fang also didn't say much. At this time, the father and daughters were talking together, so others shouldn't interrupt.

After all, they hadn't seen each other for twenty years, and those words couldn't be finished in a while.

After eating, Gu Xiao Yu wanted to help clean up, but Sister Yang pushed her out, and even Gu Xiaoxia wasn't allowed to stay in the kitchen.

Li Long went to coax Mingming and Haohao to sleep, and Gu Xiao Yu quietly said to her sister:

"Sister, you are too happy! No need to cook, no need to clean the kitchen, and don't even have to worry much about the children... heh, if I can live this life in the future, I can wake up laughing..."

When she was in middle school, she had to help with housework at home. Although the work she did was less than that of children in the countryside, she didn't grow up carefree either.

Not to say she was cautious in that family, at least when she communicated with classmates when she was a bit older, she found that life wasn't completely the same.

However, Gu Xiao Yu was already sensible at that time, knowing that her family was different from others, so she didn't have any complaints.

Until she graduated from university, until now, she originally thought that such a reorganized family should be like this, and her life should be like this, but today hearing what her sister said, Gu Xiao Yu suddenly found that it was different.

In the first twenty years, there was no biological father in her life, and no mother in her sister's life. Her sister might have suffered more than her.

But looking at it now, her sister's life was much happier. Maybe this was bitterness ending and sweetness beginning.

Her sister's happiness, Gu Xiao Yu just envied, and then blessed, of course, she also hoped that she could find a lover like Li Long—very difficult.

"Heh heh, actually I'm also lucky because I'm silly, do you know? Your brother-in-law had a partner before, also from our village, that girl was also my friend..." Gu Xiaoxia whispered the story about Wu Shufen to her sister.

"Is she that silly?" Gu Xiao Yu naturally didn't know that Li Long was very mixed-up before, taking it for granted, thinking that Li Long at that time was just young and frivolous, so she couldn't help but say, "Giving up such a good person, she should be particularly regretful now, right?"

"Don't know, she got married earlier than us, and gave birth to children earlier too. But I guess she definitely regrets it..." Gu Xiaoxia couldn't tell others such private whispers usually. Now that her sister suddenly appeared, and they had only met for half a day, but there was no strangeness at all, these private whispers were said out.

At this time, Gu Xiaoxia was completely different from usual. After all, she was only in her twenties. Although married women in their twenties at this time could already hold up half the sky, how could she not have a girl's dream?

Usually, the older sisters and aunts in the unit would only envy and be jealous of her, and some would say some sour words, so these little secrets naturally couldn't be shared with colleagues.

Originally there was this friend Wu Shufen, but since arriving in the county, plus the factor of Li Long, the two drifted apart, and occasionally bumped into each other, at most just saying hello.

Now Gu Xiao Yu's appearance filled the vacancy in her life, so she had to "crazy output".

The two chatted and chatted until they reached the large courtyard.

"You live here? This courtyard... is the old courtyard, right?" Looking at Gu Xiaoxia going to open the door, Gu Xiao Yu was a bit surprised. She was clear about the fact that Maxian was an old county town. Old county town, naturally there would be some old buildings, but she had also looked yesterday when she came, and most of the courtyards in the county were built in the past ten years, and some older houses were very small, very low, and very dilapidated.

"Dad, what are you talking about?" Gu Xiaoxia didn't care, Gu Xiao Yu seemed to hear the word house, so she asked.

"Mingming's dad said he was thinking about whether to buy a house in Yanjing, so that if Li Juan and Li Qiang are admitted to university in Yanjing, they will have a place to stay, of course, Mingming and Haohao are the same..."

"Li Juan and Li Qiang?" Gu Xiao Yu was a bit confused, this is...

"They are Mingming's cousins, the children of Li Long's eldest brother." Gu Xiaoxia explained.

"Then brother-in-law is too good to these two children, right?" Gu Xiao Yu was a bit puzzled, "The children of the eldest brother..."

"That's because your brother-in-law was practically raised by his eldest brother." Gu Bo Yuan knew this matter relatively well, he signaled the two daughters to sit down and talk, "When your brother-in-law was young, Mingming's grandfather sent him to the Northern Territory, and he lived in the team, and his eldest brother raised him like a son...

You don't laugh either, this is true. After all, your brother-in-law is much younger than his eldest brother, very doted on, and didn't often let him do farm work, let alone earn work points."

Gu Xiao Yu couldn't imagine that kind of situation. Li Long was a bit embarrassed when he was told this to his face, so he changed the topic:

"I was just thinking that since Mingming and Haohao's aunt is in Yanjing now, we have our own people there. After buying the house, even if we don't go there, someone can look after it occasionally.

Actually, I also thought about buying a house in Shanghai, and Chang'an, just because we don't have our own people in these places, it's more troublesome to look after it after buying a house."

"Why buy so many houses?" Gu Xiaoxia naturally didn't know how hot real estate would be in later generations, she was against it, "Don't talk about those places, just look at now, look at the houses we have in several places in the county, Dad, your small courtyard has to be looked after from time to time; the courtyard in the team is also. And Sister Yang's courtyard in the south... it's so good to live in the large courtyard..."

Li Long smiled, Gu Bo Yuan also smiled, and even Gu Xiao Yu smiled.

Gu Xiao Yu's smile was still full of envy. Her sister was protected very well, and life was also smooth sailing, basically not encountering any big troubles, so she didn't see the future as clearly as her father and brother-in-law.

"One generation has one generation's responsibility." Li Long thought for a while and said, "We can be considered to have walked from the countryside to the county town, and caught up with the dividend period of reform, earning some money.

It's equivalent to us laying a foundation for Li Juan and Li Qiang, including Mingming and Haohao. When they are admitted, they can step on our shoulders and go to a higher level.

The old saying goes, all roads lead to Rome. But some people can't reach Rome in their whole life, and some people are born in Rome. Gu Xiao Yu should feel this most deeply."

The golden sentences that could be used to tease at will in later generations were shocking and thought-provoking at this time.

The three Gu family father and daughters were all savoring this sentence of Li Long. After a while, Gu Xiao Yu said admiringly:

"Brother-in-law, did you really not graduate from middle school? I feel that our professors can't say such philosophical words!"

Li Long was ashamed, shook his head and smiled, "A fool's thousand thoughts must have one gain, I just read more novels usually, and occasionally piece together some sentences. By the way, let's talk about the house, Gu Xiao Yu, do you know how much money it takes to buy a courtyard in Yanjing?"

Being praised by Gu Xiao Yu, a university graduate in Yanjing, Li Long was still a bit proud and secretly happy, but he knew his own level. Some sentences from later generations were indeed amazing, but after all, there was only that much stuff in his stomach. If he said more, it would be difficult not to reveal his secrets. Let's talk about business.

"You want to buy a courtyard?" Gu Xiao Yu was a bit surprised, "Are you used to living in this large courtyard? Or... the courtyards in Yanjing are not cheap, those near the center of Chang'an Street cost tens of thousands for one! Those four or five courtyards are even more expensive..."

"Don't want those, even if I can afford it, I can't hold it." Li Long had self-knowledge, it would be fine to buy one or two courtyards, keeping a low profile. Buying those courtyards that were originally Ming and Qing prince mansions or big figures, was he looking for excitement?

His "sphere of influence" didn't go out of the county. Being a strong dragon in a place like Yanjing, he would definitely be chopped. "I just want to buy one or two small courtyards in ordinary areas, the courtyard is small and it's best if there are no tenants inside, that is, no trouble. Then find someone to renovate the courtyard, fix the water and electricity, wires, etc., it's best to restore it in an ancient style, we can't go there often, Gu Xiao Yu you can live there, help us look after it when you have nothing to do, find someone to clean it up."

Although he had some money in the county, Li Long really had self-knowledge.

His ability and money were fine in the eyes of ordinary people, but in the eyes of those big figures, they were really nothing.

So he only thought about things he could do. There were very many large and small courtyards in Yanjing city, so buying one or two inconspicuous ones shouldn't make anyone have ideas.

After all, Li Long didn't plan to buy them near those scenic spots, city centers, and important places. The kind of courtyard that a certain Li actor said was near the Forbidden City, Li Long definitely wouldn't touch.

With his current financial resources, buying a courtyard was no problem. He didn't want to buy the small courtyard like Poverty Zhang Damin, the family courtyards of the unit where Kuitun's second brother was were like that, Li Long didn't like it.

"If it's like that, it should be easier to buy." Gu Xiao Yu thought for a while and said, "A few months ago, a colleague in our teaching and research section bought a house, not a courtyard, just an ordinary small courtyard, and spent more than five thousand yuan.

At that time, he said he also took a fancy to a courtyard, just felt that the courtyard had many houses and was not easy to manage, so he didn't buy it. The courtyard he took a fancy to had no tenants inside, the original owner sold it directly, heard that he wanted to go abroad to save money, the price was more than nine thousand."

This price met Li Long's price range. He had heard a certain Beijing master who collected and opened a private museum say in a video in his previous life that the price of courtyards in the 1980s and early 1990s was roughly around ten thousand, because of the location, conditions, size, and specific situation inside—of course, it refers to ordinary courtyards.

The one like Yonghe Palace, even if it was sold now, Li Long couldn't afford it.

"But brother-in-law, I know the price, but I can't buy it for you." Gu Xiao Yu said seriously, "Buying a house is a big deal, I can't make the decision for you, it's best if you go and buy it yourself, I can help inquire, find an intermediary, etc. Later after you buy it, I can also help you look after it and tidy it up, but I can't do the buying."

Li Long thought it was the same. Buying a house was very simple for him, but for the vast majority of people in this era, it was a very big thing, especially buying a house in Yanjing—if the people in the Fourth Team heard that he bought a house in Yanjing, would they think he was crazy?

Running so far to buy a house, and not living in it himself, wasn't that crazy?

Actually, Li Long not only wanted to buy a house in Yanjing, but also wanted to buy a house in Wucheng. Most middle-aged people in the Northern Territory had an obsession, which was to allow their children to go out to university, but hoped that their children would return to the Northern Territory to work and live after graduating from university.

Of course, it wasn't to say building the Northern Territory, this word was a bit big, the reason was probably that they felt that first, the children grew up in the Northern Territory, although they were outside for four years of university, their living habits were still here; second, they also hoped that their children would be by their side—even if not by their side, it would be good to be in Wucheng.

So the housing price in Wucheng in the next thirty or forty years, including the years when the housing price began to fall, was one of the cities that fell the slowest, some didn't conform to the convention.

Buying a house from the township to the county, from the county to the prefecture, from the prefecture to Wucheng, became a major norm in the Northern Territory in the future.

But those who were admitted to university and went out, many settled in other provinces, and there were people from Li Qiang's generation all over the country.

So it was just an expectation of parents in this era.

Thinking was thinking, as for the money to buy a house—according to what that Beijing master said, the money he lost in filming at that time was more than forty thousand. Li Long thought, if he wanted to squeeze, he might be able to squeeze it out.

Of course, it was unnecessary, just have one or two in Yanjing, no need to buy more, count as investment, but not really investment.

Since Gu Xiao Yu didn't buy, Li Long thought for a while and said to Gu Bo Yuan and Gu Xiaoxia:

"Why don't... we go to Yanjing for a trip before the New Year? By the way, handle this matter?"

When saying this, he also winked at Gu Xiaoxia.

Gu Xiaoxia wasn't stupid, and instantly understood his meaning, asking with some hesitation:

"This... is it okay?"

Gu Bo Yuan also thought of that possibility, shook his head and said:

"You go, I won't go."

Gu Xiao Yu heard her father's words and then reacted. She actually wanted her father to go, but what could he do if he went? For so many years, she heard mostly bad words and complaints about her father from her mother's mouth.

But her mother remarried, and her father didn't marry. Her mother's life was relatively happy, and her father's? It could be considered happy? But there would always be guilt in his heart.

Then what could he do if he went? Meet once? Definitely didn't want to meet, what could he do if he met? Better not meet.

"Can go see the national flag raising, see the Forbidden City, see the Summer Palace..." Li Long still wanted to persuade, but didn't say any more.

He also thought of this problem. Went, distance was close, meet or not meet?

"Mingming's dad, you definitely have to go once." Gu Bo Yuan said, "If you really want to buy a house, you have to see the house. By the way, I'll give Gu Xiao Yu some money, let her buy a house herself, you help look at it together then."

Gu Xiao Yu thought about the money her father said he would give her, she didn't know if her sister would be angry.

Just looking at Gu Xiaoxia, she found that Gu Xiaoxia had no displeasure at all, and was saying to Li Long:

"Right, right, right, look at Gu Xiao Yu's together then, always have to let her live at ease."

Her sister was indeed protected very well, and she had no reaction at all to her father giving her money.

She naturally didn't know that Li Long gave Gu Bo Yuan dividends, and Gu Bo Yuan refused quite a bit, this matter was told to Gu Xiaoxia by Li Long.

Their own family had a lot of money, giving her father two shares, her father still thought it was too much. Although in Gu Xiaoxia's view that money was indeed quite a lot, it was also what her father deserved, right?

Of course, the money couldn't be spent, she had been by her father's side, her sister hadn't enjoyed real fatherly love, now using money to compensate a bit, it was very normal and very should be.

"You go tell your eldest brother and sister-in-law, if you really want to go to Yanjing to play and buy a house, you should take Juan and Qiang. Let them go see Yanjing, let Gu Xiao Yu take them around the university then, so that they can be encouraged, maybe after being admitted to high school, there is really a possibility of being admitted there."

There were many universities in Yanjing, not just two. Li Long didn't think about Li Juan and Li Qiang, including Mingming and Haohao later, being admitted to these two, others could also be admitted, of course, being admitted to Chang'an, Shanghai, or other provinces was no problem.

It was just a hypothesis for now, still early.

This topic didn't continue. Li Long didn't say much, he felt he should give the three father and daughters more space, after all, they had reunited after a long separation and had more words to say.

But Gu Xiao Yu didn't seem to think so, continuing to talk about some things, and asking for Li Long's opinion.

Li Long could hear that she had the meaning of testing, wanting to hear Li Long's judgment on some trends in their school at present.

"You don't participate." Gu Bo Yuan suddenly said, "Just do your job well. Young people, although bravery is a very good quality, it is also easy to become reckless and easy to be used."

Gu Xiao Yu was a bit surprised, but also a bit unconvinced, she looked at Li Long.

"Yes," Li Long thought of the matter that would happen in three years and be remembered for decades, and until the mask era was faded, he said seriously, "Some things are really not what you young people should do, you should believe in our country, believe in those who walked out of the battlefield."

Some words were not suitable to be said too deeply, Li Long believed that Gu Xiao Yu would understand by then. (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 933 =====