Chapter 679: I'm not here to give gifts, I'm here to settle accounts

"Grandpa, why did you only buy a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment? Doesn't the unit over there have four bedrooms and two living rooms?"

After Li Ye heard Grandma say that Grandpa had moved into the dormitory building of the Qingshui River Food Company, what flashed through his mind were the cadre buildings and expert buildings he had seen in his previous life, claiming to be one hundred square meters but actually being one hundred and eighty.

But after he entered the door, he discovered that Comrade Li Zhongfa, a dignified deputy department-level retired cadre and the actual controller of the first tax-paying enterprise in Qingshui County, had only asked for a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment, with a practical area of only a little over one hundred.

But Li Zhongfa laughed and scolded: "You're still not satisfied with three bedrooms and one living room? Look at how big this bedroom is. If you really want to talk about it, this is already a bit over the standard. Are you trying to make me commit a mistake?"

In the 1980s, levels corresponded to various welfare conditions. Section-level cadres were two bedrooms and one living room, and department-level was three bedrooms and one living room. If you wanted a big courtyard or a small villa, not only did your level have to be higher, but the unit also had to be suitable.

Many poor government organs might not even have three bedrooms and one living room for department-level cadres!

Li Ye curled his lips and said: "Over the standard, over the standard. It was bought with your own money, what standard is it over? You and Grandma are really something. What's wrong with telling me about such a big thing? I'll show my filial piety and buy you a big house. Who dares to say I'm over the standard? Besides, it's all our own business, why be so fussy about those things?"

In the early 1980s, commercial buildings had already appeared in big cities, but the Qingshui River Food Company adopted the "welfare price" method for these dormitory buildings.

If calculated according to Li Zhongfa's various conditions, it was only a hundred or so yuan per square meter. Buying a few dozen more square meters was just a few minutes of Li Ye's profit.

Besides, Li Ye was a major shareholder of the Qingshui River Food Company. It was already good enough that they followed the rules and spent money to buy it.

"Alright, alright, whether it's three bedrooms and one living room or four bedrooms and two living rooms, there's no shortage of a room for you. You two haven't seen each other for more than half a year, and you're bickering as soon as you get back. What are you doing?"

Grandma Wu Juying glared at Li Ye unhappily: "Hurry up and help Little Yu back to your room to rest for a while. She's suffered a lot on this journey."

Watching Wen Leyu, who had been smiling on the side, hurriedly said: "I'm not tired, I'm not tired. Grandma, I'm not that delicate. Li Ye and I will cook! Li Ye taught me a few local dishes, and I stir-fry them very well."

"Hey, how can I let you cook? You and Grandma are both tired. I'll cook today."

Before Grandma could say anything, Grandpa Li Zhongfa stopped Watching Wen Leyu and entered the kitchen first.

The second one to enter the kitchen was Li Juan. Perhaps because Mother and Li Ying had gone to Hong Kong, she felt lonely, so this younger sister had spoken very little along the way.

Watching Wen Leyu glanced at Li Ye, and Li Ye nodded and entered the kitchen as well.

"Grandpa, let Little Juan and me cook! You go talk to Grandma."

"Hmm? What can't be said later? You want to let your Grandma talk to me on an empty stomach? You two give me a hand, and it'll be ready in a while."

"..."

Li Ye couldn't win against Grandpa, so he could only watch him open and close with a bang, mainly focusing on large portions and heavy salt, which was both filling and satisfying.

"Sigh~"

Li Ye sighed, thinking that a family without a woman really wouldn't work! Wu Juying had gone to the capital, Han Chunmei had gone to Hong Kong, and these two big men, Li Zhongfa and Li Kaian, lived too roughly.

*Ring, ring, ring~*

The phone in the living room suddenly rang. Li Zhongfa went to answer the phone, and Li Ye took the opportunity to occupy the chef's position, hurriedly making a few delicate dishes. Otherwise, if Watching Wen Leyu couldn't swallow her food later, wouldn't that embarrass Grandpa?

"Who's here to give gifts? What gift? Oh, oh, you put the gift there, make a record, and I'll deal with it later..."

While cooking, Li Ye listened to Grandpa's tone. Someone should have come to give gifts but was stopped at the gate of the residential area.

Li Zhongfa asked the guard to make a record, estimating that he would return the gifts later, not losing etiquette, but keeping a distance.

After Li Zhongfa returned, Li Ye asked in a low voice: "Grandpa, can the gate guard of this dormitory area block everyone who comes to find you?"

Li Zhongfa exhaled and said calmly: "Must block. When it's time to cut, cut; don't let it get chaotic!"

"..."

Li Ye heard Li Zhongfa's desolation.

He had raised his daughter for decades, and now he had to harden his heart and shut her out. He must also feel uncomfortable inside.

However, the gate guard of the dormitory area was indeed powerful. For two consecutive days, not a single person could reach Li Zhongfa's door, until the first day of the Lunar New Year when an exception was made.

"Little Ye, Dayong and your classmates are all at the gate! You go and pick them up to recognize the door."

"Oh, you got it~"

Hearing that Hu Man and Li Dayong and the others had come, Li Ye and Watching Wen Leyu went downstairs to pick them up.

Don't look at how the eight-person group couldn't get together often when they were in the capital, but every first day of the Lunar New Year, Jiang Xiaoyan, Hu Man, Han Xia, and others would definitely come to Li Ye's house to pay a New Year's call.

Li Ye hadn't reached the gate of the dormitory area yet when he saw the six classmates waving at him, very happy and laughing.

"Li Ye, you even brought Watching Wen Leyu back! I heard from my mom that you'll be a dad this year!"

"Hehehehe, otherwise why is Li Ye the number one? The exam is number one, and being a dad is also number one!"

"Hahahaha~"

Everyone teased a few words and walked inside together.

But suddenly a timid voice came from behind: "Wait a minute, Li Ye, you wait a minute..."

Li Ye turned his head strangely and found a little girl standing on the other side of the gate, holding two packages of snacks and two bottles of liquor, looking at Li Ye anxiously.

Li Ye asked: "Are you calling me?"

The girl nodded vigorously and smiled awkwardly.

It could be seen that she was very nervous.

Li Ye frowned and said apologetically: "I'm sorry! Our family doesn't accept gifts. If you have something to find my grandfather, go to the unit and say it! Tell me your name, and I'll tell my grandfather. If it's a reasonable request, my grandfather will handle it for you."

This girl was dressed ordinarily, wearing two braided pigtails, and looked like an honest child who rarely asked for help. Li Ye didn't want to hurt her self-esteem.

But after Li Ye finished speaking, the girl shook her head like a rattle.

"No, no, you misunderstood. I'm not here to ask for help, I'm here to settle accounts."

"Settle accounts?"

Li Ye asked in surprise: "What accounts are you settling? Who are you settling accounts for?"

The girl swallowed her saliva, moistened her throat, and said in a low voice: "I'm settling accounts for Li Ying. I'm her former classmate. My name is Sang Xiaomin."

"Before Li Ying went to Hong Kong, she handed her clothing business to me to manage, but she hasn't contacted me..."

Sang Xiaomin spoke very fast, as if afraid she wouldn't explain clearly and make Li Ye misunderstand.

And while she was narrating, she also took out an account book: "I've been keeping accounts! In these three months, I earned a total of four hundred and sixteen yuan. According to the four-six split Li Ying said, I have to give her one hundred and sixty-six yuan and four..."

Li Ye looked in surprise as Sang Xiaomin took a handkerchief from her bosom, and inside the handkerchief were neatly folded banknotes.

"I, I, I originally wanted to give this money to Boss Qiu, but my dad said money matters shouldn't be handled by others, so I came to settle the accounts. But the guard wouldn't let me in..."

Sang Xiaomin said timidly: "I'm not as good at shouting as Li Ying, so I didn't meet her requirements, but I'm familiar with it now, and I'll definitely earn more in the future..."

"No... my sister has already left, and she still lets you sell clothes for her? Aren't you going to school anymore?"

Li Ye couldn't help but laugh or cry. He really couldn't imagine that Li Ying had already gone to Hong Kong and still wouldn't let go of her clothing business.

Listening to Sang Xiaomin, she was getting goods from Little Qiu and splitting four-six with Li Ying. Li Ying took four, and Sang Xiaomin took six.

Li Ye admired Li Ying very much for this decision of who takes the big share and who takes the small share.

Shrewd, but not greedy, firmly grasping Sang Xiaomin's Achilles' heel.

Sang Xiaomin smiled awkwardly: "I dropped out of school last year. Li Ying saw that I was idle at home, so she handed this business to me. Don't worry, I will work hard..."

Li Ye pursed his lips and froze for several seconds.

"Then fine, you come in with me!"

Li Ye reached out and took the snacks and liquor from Sang Xiaomin's hands, greeting her to follow him inside.

"No, no, I won't go in. This is the account I should settle. You count it."

Sang Xiaomin clearly didn't want to follow Li Ye in, just trying hard to stuff the accounts and banknotes to Li Ye.

Li Ye waved his hand with a smile and said: "Didn't you say money matters shouldn't be handled by others? I'll dial the phone to Hong Kong for you, and you settle the accounts with Li Ying yourself, okay?"

"..."

Hearing that she was going to talk to Li Ying in Hong Kong on the phone, Sang Xiaomin froze for a long time and finally nodded.

Upon hearing that she was to speak on the phone with Li Ying in Hong Kong, Sang Xiaomin was stunned for a long time before finally nodding.