Chapter 121: Three-Day Return Visit

The two returned to the Siheyuan, and the women and children at the entrance were all filled with curiosity when they saw the iron contraption behind Zhang Ping'an.

"Uncle Zhang, what is this?"

"This is an Electric Fan; it blows air as soon as it's plugged in."

Although everyone had heard of it, and a few had even seen one, they had rarely seen a spinning fan, so they all followed Zhang Ping'an to take a look at the novelty.

Zhang Ping'an felt helpless and had to place the Electric Fan on the table in the main room. After plugging it in, the blades started, and everyone clearly felt a hint of coolness from the breeze.

"Wow!"

"Hey, don't get too close. If you're not careful, the fan will cut your fingers off."

Zhang Ping'an deliberately scared the few children who were jumping around, and sure enough, they were all held down by their parents after hearing that.

"Ping'an, how much is this thing?"

"About the same as a Bicycle."

"Hiss~" Everyone instantly dismissed the idea of buying one; isn't a palm-leaf fan good enough?

A group of women left with their children, shaking their heads as they walked.

"This Ping'an is too wasteful. Spending over a million just to buy an Electric Fan; not only is it expensive, but it also wastes electricity."

"That's right, it's not as practical as a palm-leaf fan."

"True, the high temperatures in summer only last two months. You go out to enjoy the cool air during the day, and at night it's only for a few hours. It's not worth it."

"No seat."

"Brother Ping'an, are we being too wasteful?"

"Hahaha, what do you mean wasteful? That's called enjoying life. Isn't working hard to earn money just so we can have a good life? If you have money and don't spend it, isn't that just suffering for no reason? Don't you think so?"

"Mm." Wang Xiaoling also felt it made sense; after working for so long, can't one enjoy themselves a little?

However, they didn't really need the fan for the time being; they only got sweaty after their nightly "battles," and washing up then was enough.

In the evening, San Jie, Lao Jia, and the Xiao Jia family heard that Zhang Ping'an had bought an Electric Fan and all came over to take a look, clicking their tongues in wonder.

"Uncle, how much is this fan?"

"A little over two million."

"Ping'an, you really are wasteful. When Ruihua and the others said you spent over a million on a fan, I could barely accept it, but how did it become another million more with you?"

"Ahem, I was just afraid they would talk nonsense. Besides, with this fan, it really will be much cooler in the summer."

"Ping'an, you should still keep a lower profile in the future. We don't know the character of the new residents in our courtyard."

"Alright, I understand, San Jie Fu."

Everyone didn't stay long after looking. The twins didn't want to leave, so they were carried away by Zhang Xiaohua and Lao Jia, one each; they couldn't delay Zhang Ping'an from making babies.

After eating and locking the door, the two washed up simply and prepared for their second deep exchange.

"Brother Ping'an, be gentle."

"Alright."

In the midst of their deep exchange and learning, Wang Xiaoling eventually failed and was defeated. Zhang Ping'an wiped them both down simply before holding his wife to sleep.

In the morning, Zhang Ping'an woke up early as usual. Looking at the restless Xiao Ping'an and the pretty face within arm's reach, Zhang Ping'an couldn't help but kiss her.

"Brother Ping'an, stop it~"

Wang Xiaoling opened her hazy eyes, but that lazy, coquettish tone only made Zhang Ping'an's fire burn even hotter.

"Don't~"

In the end, Zhang Ping'an, who should have gotten up at 5:30, only rose feeling refreshed after 6:00, while Wang Xiaoling fell back into a deep sleep.

After 8:00, Zhang Ping'an finished cooking and brought the food into the room. The enticing aroma made Wang Xiaoling open her sleepy eyes.

"Little lazybones, get up and eat."

Wang Xiaoling finally came to her senses. She had actually done the thing she loved with Zhang Ping'an during the day, so she covered herself with the quilt and played the ostrich.

"Ahem, Xiao Ling, get up and eat." Zhang Ping'an placed the food on the table and scooped up Wang Xiaoling, who had burrowed into the quilt.

"Ah~ put me down, I'll get up myself!" Wang Xiaoling exclaimed as she felt herself in mid-air.

"It's all your fault."

"My fault, my fault. Who told me to be so fond of you?"

"You're still saying it!" Wang Xiaoling pinched Zhang Ping'an's waist again.

"I won't say it, I won't say it. Let's eat first," Zhang Ping'an laughed with a chuckle.

The two finished their meal while bickering, and after a simple cleanup, Zhang Ping'an took Wang Xiaoling to organize the items for tomorrow's return visit to her parents' home.

Zhang Laohan had already instructed him on this; it was just things like cigarettes, alcohol, tea, snacks, and fruit, but they all had to be in even numbers, and wrapped in red paper if possible.

"Brother Ping'an, my father and grandfather don't smoke, so we won't bring cigarettes. They don't drink much alcohol either, so we won't bring that. Tea..."

"Xiao Ling, returning to your parents' home isn't about what your father and mother need, but about what I have."

"Ahem, what I mean is, we can't be lacking in what's expected. In the future, when Father and Mother go out to chat, if people ask, they'll have face, right?"

"Alright then, I'll just take them back when I go there in the future."

"..."

"Xiao Ling, we still have over a week of vacation. Do you want to go out and play?"

"Okay, okay! Then let's go tomorrow afternoon."

"Mm, how about this: tomorrow afternoon we'll go see a movie, and now let's plan where we want to go."

"I want to see the ocean."

"Done, then we'll go to Jinmen; it's the closest to us."

"Mm, okay." The two wrote and drew in a notebook, planning the route to Jinmen.

The next morning, Zhang Ping'an woke up Wang Xiaoling, who was still fast asleep.

"Xiao Ling, hurry up and get up to wash, it's time to visit your parents' home."

"Mm~ what time is it?"

"It's almost nine o'clock."

"It's only a two-step walk, let me sleep a bit longer."

"...."

He had been a bit greedy last night, but he had called it a night by ten o'clock; even he, an old workhorse, didn't feel tired, so how could she be?

At ten o'clock, at Wang Xiaoling's home, the room was full of people, with Zhang Ping'an being the only "outsider."

"Dad, it's no solution for Lao Er and me to just sit around at home like this. Now that private business isn't allowed, we can't just sit and eat through our savings."

"You weren't willing to be Purchasing Agents for the Pharmacy back then, so isn't it too late to be anxious now? The Pharmacy already has its purchasing staff."

Divine Doctor Wang's two sons didn't have much talent for Traditional Chinese Medicine, but they had always been engaged in the medicinal herb trade; when the Pharmacy underwent a Public-Private Partnership, they were resentful about handing over the family business, so naturally, they wouldn't become Purchasing Agents.

"Fine, you two can come and decoct the medicine. There are many more patients every day now than before, and Old Zhang can't handle the decocting all by himself."

"Alright."

For the past six months or more, the two of them had been unable to stand the gossip; how could men not go out to work and earn money?

Zhang Ping'an found it inappropriate to interject from the side; those who had previously done business could hardly settle down to be Workers, so they were likely doing this just to shut people up.

His master's class status was the same as Yan Bugui's, both being Small Business Owners; both sons had been in medicinal herb wholesaling on a fairly large scale, so their class status was that of the merchant class.

Ten years from now, their class status wouldn't be viewed very favorably, so if they could settle down to be Workers now, it would be for the best; at least when the time came for evaluation, they shouldn't be targeted too severely.

"Don't talk about these things on such a joyous day, you'll make Ping'an laugh at us."

"Not at all, not at all. Actually, being a Worker is quite good."

"Heh heh, perhaps."

In the afternoon, a well-fed Zhang Ping'an took Wang Xiaoling to see a movie; Zhang Ping'an had never been to a cinema in this era before, and aside from the decor and technology, it felt much the same as in later generations.

That old broadcast-style tone of the dialogue—don't say, really don't say—it was actually quite catchy after listening to it.

It was already past five o'clock in the afternoon when Zhang Ping'an and his wife left the cinema.

"Brother Ping'an, let's go to the vegetable market to buy groceries and go back to cook." With Zhang Ping'an's affirmation yesterday, Wang Xiaoling was full of motivation.

"Alright."

Grain Coupons haven't been issued yet; once they are officially issued next year, other corresponding vouchers will appear one after another, so currently, many things don't require vouchers to purchase.