Chapter 451: Old Lady

"Xiao Yu, I'll probably get to Jingcheng in the middle of the night; once I'm there, I won't call you—I'll contact you tomorrow morning."

"Mm-mm-mm, drive slow, and if you really can't make it, just stay overnight—you can come over tomorrow morning or evening."

"No problem, me and Qiangzi are together—don't worry!"

On the first day of the New Year, Li Ye left home after lunch, accompanied by Wang Qiangqiang.

Wang Qiangqiang and Huang Suwen were nearly at the point of marriage, and they were also planning to visit Huang's family on the second day of the New Year.

Since the Lu Xun had been temporarily impounded by the Qingshui County Bureau as "evidence," Li Ye and Wang Qiangqiang traveled together in Wang's Volga.

"Pfft~ as if!"

"You see it but don't say it—how clueless are you? I didn't even take the test."

Wang Qiangqiang wasn't a new driver, so technically he shouldn't have swollen feet after driving a few hundred kilometers, but the road conditions in 1985 were terrible, so Li Ye had no intention of letting him drive all the way to Jingcheng.

"You've been drinking—you can't drive. I'll take the wheel."

Li Ye smiled and said: "It's normal—you'll get used to it over time."

"Qiangzi, you've got it good—landed yourself a great wife," Li Ye said with a grin. "So when are you planning to get married? Aren't you and Huang Suwen both old enough this year?"

Wen Leyu picked up the phone and said: "It's my brother calling."

"Xiao Yu, the fact that he drove after drinking and without a license—"

But then he was promptly kicked out.

"Today you're the guest—just sit still and behave."

Li Ye and Wang Qiangqiang arrived at Zaojunmiao that night, ate a quick bite, collapsed into bed, and woke up the next morning to find it was already past nine.

"Neither is suitable," Li Ye said bluntly. "Although both me and Peng Ge know the Huang family, it's better to have an elder handle it. Should you ask one of your uncles or elders from your side, or should I ask my grandfather?"

Wen Leyu covered the phone receiver and turned to Li Ye: "My brother says we're going out together later—do you want to?"

Huang Suwen would turn 23 this year, so Wang Qiangqiang now met the age requirement for marriage.

Seeing Li Ye carrying so many gifts, Wen Leyu complained: "Why bring so much? Who are you trying to impress?"

The legal marriage age on the mainland was 22 for men and 20 for women, but due to 1980s state policy, many regions enforced stricter limits: 25 for men and 23 for women, though in practice, the main restriction still targeted women's age.

Li Ye said in surprise: "Isn't he supposed to be drinking his heart out with his future father-in-law today? Why's he inviting us out? We can't help him do something that'll offend people."

The house phone suddenly rang.

Li Ye couldn't help asking: "Are you really that interested in your future sister-in-law?"

"Huh? Wait, let me ask him."

Wen Leyu happily set a time and place with Wen Guohua on the phone, sounding almost impatient.

Li Ye gestured toward the outside: "Several families are watching me right now—if I showed up empty-handed, how would I prove I'm Wen's son-in-law?"

At the door, before Li Ye could even knock, Wen Leyu opened it with a smile—clearly she'd seen him arrive through the window.

Li Ye returned to the sofa and suddenly realized someone was missing, so he asked Wen Leyu: "Hey, where's your brother?"

"This year, hehe," Wang Qiangqiang said shyly. "Brother, when I go to propose, do you think it's better for you to go with me, or should Peng Ge go instead?"

"Fine, you decide."

"Heh~"

"Alright."

"I'll ask the Private Secretary," Wang Qiangqiang insisted. "I dare not ask any of my uncles back home—you wouldn't believe how overbearing they've gotten this year. One wants me to get his son a job, another wants me to invest money with him. Why didn't I remember having so many relatives when I was a kid?"

"That one wants me to arrange a job for his son, another wants me to fund a partnership with him—why didn't I remember having so many relatives when I was a kid?"

Professor Ke was very good at reading people's feelings—normally, Li Ye was the main cook when he visited, but today, Professor Ke insisted Li Ye enjoy the treatment of a prospective son-in-law.

Blocking Wen Guohua might not help much, but if she didn't block him at all, wouldn't she have zero chance?

Wang Qiangqiang first drove Li Ye to the Pengcheng Seventh Factory's Beijing office, borrowed a Santana, then went separately to pay respects to their respective future mothers-in-law.

After registering and entering, Li Ye felt that at least four pairs of eyes had carefully observed him during the hundred-meter walk from the courtyard gate to Wen Leyu's home.

Normally, visitors were just ordinary friends; today, if you're allowed inside, you're clearly a prospective son-in-law.

Wen Leyu pouted, helped Li Ye slip on slippers, and ushered him onto the living room sofa.

Wen Leyu said: "Same as you—going to be a prospective son-in-law."

Li Ye nodded silently, understanding now why Ning Pingping had blocked Wen Guohua in front of the Zhongliang Courtyard before the New Year.

Professor Ke called from the kitchen: "Xiao Yu, answer the phone—find out who it is."

Wen Leyu whispered: "He's probably uncomfortable over there—he said he's going out with my future sister-in-law."

But Wang Qiangqiang grinned: "No worries, Brother—I usually only drink half a jin, never more. Tomorrow, Suwen will side with me—her brother and father won't force me to drink more."

Because of Wen Guohua's situation, Li Ye held back his drinking at the banquet, letting Wen Qingsheng get just drunk enough—eight-tenths full, perfect.

Fine! Wen Leyu had her driver's license too.

A person's status among relatives and friends is proportional to how "useful" they are—the better you do, the warmer people become toward you; if you're drowning in tens of thousands of debts, only your parents remain your true relatives.

Then the red Santana swayed drunkenly, lurching left and right as it headed toward Qianmen.

"Xiao Yu, was the examiner asleep during your test?"

Wen Leyu blinked her big eyes and whispered: "I heard she's really good—I need to see for myself."

The two stepped outside, and Li Ye was just wondering how they'd reach the meeting spot when Wen Leyu darted forward and slid into the Santana's driver's seat.

"Ding-ding-ding~"

Li Ye was about to say that driving without a license was illegal, but Wen Leyu pulled out a red booklet.

Seeing Professor Ke and Wen Qingsheng busy in the kitchen, Li Ye grew restless and stood up to help.

"Qiangzi, if you're tired, say so—we'll take turns driving. Otherwise, you'll be exhausted by the time we reach Jingcheng, and tomorrow you won't be in shape to drink—you might only manage eight taels when you could've handled a jin. That'd be embarrassing."

"Hey, Brother, what's up?"

When Li Ye arrived at the Zhongliang Courtyard, the guard at the gate wasn't Lao Lu—it was a young stranger, probably single, with nowhere to drink today.

"You can drive so well even without a license—you must be a natural genius."

Because of painful memories, Li Ye understood one thing clearly: when a female driver is behind the wheel, you must praise her—never scold her—or she'll show you exactly what "old lady's whim" means.