Chapter 1349: Help or not help?

"Ah, so annoying—"

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai let out a long sigh, as if on purpose, and said, "Someone confessed to me again; I don't know how to reject him."

"Who? How come I don't know?"

Luo Yun took a bite of her ice cream, her gaze sweeping toward the man sitting in the flower hall drinking tea, and raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?"

"You should know him, Zheng Xiaogang from the Sea Division."

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai coughed lightly twice, also glanced toward the flower hall, and then raised her volume. "I said, 'I'm sorry, I already have a boyfriend, although he isn't very good to me.'"

"This tea tastes really strong."

Li Li Xuewu heard it, but pretended he hadn't. However, the taste of the green tea in his mouth became much richer.

With just those two sentences of hers, who knows how many innocent boys from later generations could be fooled.

Li Li Xuewu was a man who had seen it all; what kind of tea hadn't he tasted? Could he still be trapped by Zhou Zhou Xiaobai?

Seeing no reaction from the flower hall, Zhou Zhou Xiaobai felt a bit discouraged, looking at the ice cream in her hand as if it were an enemy.

Luo Yun shifted her bottom slightly; she was afraid Zhou Zhou Xiaobai would lose her temper and, after finishing the ice cream in her hand, come to vent on hers.

Eating ice cream in such cold weather is indeed a northern specialty. This popsicle, like ice cream, is more enjoyable the colder it is.

"Take it easy, watch out for a total loss."

Luo Yun leaned over sideways and reminded her softly, "This one might not necessarily fall for your act."

"He is just a big bad egg—"

Glancing at the flower hall, Zhou Zhou Xiaobai was too embarrassed to say that the other party had eaten and wiped clean and wanted to renege on the debt, but she was still somewhat indignant.

He used to be so indifferent to her, and he was still like that afterward; wouldn't she have done that for nothing!

"Hehe—" Luo Yun scooped ice cream and laughed secretly, completely ignoring Zhou Zhou Xiaobai's increasingly dangerous expression.

"Hey! Don't mess around, I'm eating— Oh my—" The two little sisters sat in the warm shed outside the flower hall and started playing.

Since the beginning of winter, Beijing had seen a few light snows, none as fierce as that heavy snow. Once the snow melted, only the cold remained.

This club was most spacious around the flower hall, with the convenience of a parking lot and the accessibility of several gates.

Yu Li was someone who liked flowers and plants, so she had people build a glass warm shed on one side of the flower hall using bricks and wood.

In previous years, the flowers and plants in the club relied entirely on this flower hall at the entrance to survive the winter, because it was connected to the heating pipes, so it didn't feel cold.

It was just that starting this year, every time Li Li Xuewu came to the club, he would sit here for a short rest, and he had gradually gotten used to it.

For his convenience, Yu Li decided to store the flowers and plants that needed to survive the winter in the warm shed.

The heating pipes in the flower hall were inconvenient, so a stove was built here, and the inside was very spacious and warm.

Connected to the flower hall, opening the windows here allowed one to continue enjoying the green and bright flowers.

Li Li Xuewu was not a person greedy for colors, but the female comrades in the club fell in love with this place.

While taking care of the flowers and plants, they hung two swings and a set of chairs in the warm shed, and people often came here to rest.

Looking at the heavy snow flying outside through the glass, and turning one's gaze back to be amidst the flowers and green grass, it had a unique charm.

If it weren't for the lack of conditions, they would even want to keep the summer butterflies and let them lay eggs in the warm shed.

And don't say, as long as the temperature and humidity were suitable, it was really possible for butterflies to fly in this warm shed.

However, this place was located in the north after all, and limited by the technical conditions of the era, even if they hatched, they wouldn't live long.

This day happened to be the weekend, and Li Li Xuewu didn't want to move, so after coming out of the house, he hid in the flower hall.

Recently, his nerves had been stretched a bit tight, and things had all come together, so he wanted to relax.

Regarding Zhou Zhou Xiaobai's complaints, he really had no interest in going out to comfort her; at this moment, he just wanted to be in a daze.

"Li Ge, you're here—"

Zuo Yan Jie pedaled his bicycle in from the gate, but after parking the bike, he caught sight of someone drinking tea in the flower hall.

The morning sun was just right, and relatively speaking, it was still very warm. The glass windows of the flower hall had no frost at all, and one could see very clearly.

On a weekend morning, generally, no one would be so idle, and even club members who came to exercise wouldn't waste time here.

Moreover, many people knew that Li Li Xuewu would come here to relax every weekend, and they would only come here to find him if there was something going on.

Therefore, seeing someone drinking tea in the flower hall, Zuo Yan Jie's first reaction was that Li Ge had come.

Sure enough, when he walked up the steps, he saw Li Li Xuewu sitting in the inner room with his gaze somewhat unfocused.

"Mm, you're here." Li Li Xuewu heard someone greeting him, focused his gaze, and only then realized it was Zuo Yan Jie.

He smiled slightly and asked, "Why didn't you rest for a few more days? It's rare for your parents to come back once."

Zuo Yan Jie's parents, who were building the Third Front in the frontier, had returned, and Li Li Xuewu only heard about it after coming here.

Yu Li gave Zuo Yan Jie time off, letting him accompany his parents well at home, and return to work whenever it was convenient.

"They went out, and I was idle at home alone." Zuo Yan Jie smiled, picked a seat opposite, and sat down. "It's the busiest time after the beginning of winter; even if I wanted to rest, I couldn't be at peace."

"Hehe, it looks like you're busier than me."

Li Li Xuewu chuckled and picked up his teacup to tease him, which made Zuo Yan Jie somewhat embarrassed.

"How could I compare to you."

He smiled sheepishly, took the teacup, and said, "I'm too humble to say I'm just busy blindly, but I haven't made much progress in a year."

"Do you want me to praise you? Or—" Li Li Xuewu looked him over amusedly and asked, "Don't tell me you're trying to trick me. Tell me, what kind of progress do you think counts as progress?"

"Hehe—" Zuo Yan Jie smiled embarrassedly and said, "That's not what I meant, it's just my parents..."

He raised his hand to touch his neck, glanced at Li Li Xuewu, and said softly, "My mother isn't very satisfied with my aimlessness, but my father is okay; he supports my current work quite a bit."

"Mm, your mother wants you to find a 'proper' job?"

Li Li Xuewu picked up his teacup and took a sip, saying very understandingly, "Afraid you'll go astray and waste your youth, right."

"My mother just has that kind of personality."

Zuo Yan Jie also learned from him and picked up his teacup, saying, "My father told me that he was also very confused when he was young."

"And the only path to walk out of the confusion of youth is to find something you like to do, work hard for it, and persist."

"Mm, I can tell, your father supports you very much." Li Li Xuewu nodded with a smile, put down the teacup, and said, "Do you have any ideas yet?"

"Not yet, but I'm thinking about it."

Zuo Yan Jie took a sip of tea, felt it was a bit hot, put down the teacup, licked his lips, and said, "I'll definitely tell you once I've thought it through."

"Good, I also support young people starting their own businesses." Li Li Xuewu nodded, looked at him, and said, "But in the process of thinking, you still have to do your current work well; don't give up eating for fear of choking."

"I understand, the things in my hands now are also very important."

Zuo Yan Jie understood his words and made a very serious guarantee. At this moment, movement came from the parking lot outside the window. He glanced at Li Li Xuewu and got up to welcome the guest.

Young people always learn things quickly, especially after experiencing lessons or being misled by successful people.

The Antelope car had just stopped steadily when a middle-aged man with ordinary features and a dark complexion jumped out of the back seat.

Not knowing what he said to the driver, he saw Zuo Yan Jie coming out of the flower hall, and a smile appeared on his face again.

"Xiao Yan Jie, haven't seen you for a few days."

"Hello, President Dou, had some things at home."

Zuo Yan Jie walked a few quick steps and took the initiative to reach out his hand, shaking hands with Dou Dou Yaozu.

If an old carpenter could achieve such success by following the right person, how could he, Zuo Yan Jie, be lacking in ambition at such a young age?

The previous two years couldn't be called wasted; it should be called learning and training. Even a fledgling bird has a trial before spreading its wings to fly.

"I heard, your father and mother have returned, right."

Dou Dou Yaozu let go of his hand, raised his hand to signal them to walk together, and said with concern, "In the past two years, Dongfeng Construction has received quite a bit of care from your father. I really wanted to visit and thank him, but I never had the opportunity."

"You are too polite." Zuo Yan Jie understood the politeness in the other party's words and said with a smile, "My father went to visit friends today. Once he returns, I will discuss it with him and then contact you."

"Good, definitely." Dou Dou Yaozu turned his head very formally to look at him, pointed his finger vaguely, and said, "You must give me this opportunity."

"I believe my father also hopes to see you." Zuo Yan Jie asked him to go first, then walked shoulder to shoulder, saying politely, "In the past few years, the resettlement of demobilized personnel still needs to rely on you a lot."

"Look, aren't you mocking me."

Dou Dou Yaozu laughed, raised his hand to press Zuo Yan Jie's arm lightly, and said sincerely, "It was the engineering troops that supported us."

"Hehe—"

Zuo Yan Jie didn't stand on ceremony anymore. The two walked to the steps of the flower hall, and he raised his hand to signal toward the entrance. "The leader is inside."

"Good, good, let's talk later." After Dou Dou Yaozu nodded to him, he took the initiative to go up the steps, entered the flower hall in three steps, and laughter and greetings followed.

Zuo Yan Jie saw all this worldly wisdom in his eyes. He used to look down on this old carpenter, but later he realized he had misjudged him.

The plays always say that heroes rise from humble beginnings. In Dou Dou Yaozu, he saw another kind of worldliness.

Simple on the outside, shrewd on the inside.

A carpenter, it's impossible to draw blueprints for craft work. He couldn't draw, and didn't draw, because the blueprints were all in his heart.

If you savor it carefully, mature craftsmen are always meticulous, patient, and don't fight for short-term gains.

One must have a plan in mind and be confident.

"Why don't you go in and listen?"

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai saw Zuo Yan Jie come to the warm shed, curled her lips, signaled toward the flower hall, and said, "It's not like it's a secret."

"It's none of my business, why listen to that."

Zuo Yan Jie found a chair and sat down, stretched his legs, looked at Zhou Zhou Xiaobai, and asked, "Why didn't you return to Jinmen?"

"Got a bit lazy, don't want to go back."

Zhou Zhou Xiaobai's answer was just that frank, and the temperament she displayed was also lazy, unable to lift her spirits.

Luo Yun sat on the side and gave Zuo Yan Jie a wink, telling him not to ask such sensitive topics again.

Zuo Yan Jie understood, nodded with a smile, and said, "I also have times when I'm lazy. After staying at home for so many days, I don't want to go out at all."

"Pfft—" Zhou Zhou Xiaobai curled her lips, pulled her best friend's right hand, looked at him, and asked, "When are you going to take Luo Yun home to see your parents? Don't tell me you want to eat and wipe clean without taking responsibility?"

"Want to die—" Luo Yun was flushed red by her righteous words, patted her hand, and whispered, "There are guests in the flower hall!"

"Hee hee—" Zhou Zhou Xiaobai smiled embarrassedly. "I forgot about that."

She hadn't forgotten that at all; she had clearly put her own inner monologue onto Luo Yun.

Luo Yun glared at her and warned softly, "If you dare to use me to make jokes again, I'll have Aunt Fang properly deal with you."

"Ah!" Zhou Zhou Xiaobai raised an eyebrow, turned her head to look at Zuo Yan Jie, and asked, "When do you plan to get married and have children?"

"Zhou Zhou Xiaobai! I'll fight you!"

Luo Yun's face turned red, cursing Zhou Zhou Xiaobai for not acting like a human, being so bold and presumptuous!

At this time, purity was most important between men and women. Having facts without marriage wasn't that something to be laughed at?

Laugh at what?

Laugh at her for not knowing shame and trampling on herself like this.

Of course, if you say young men and women all restrain themselves and keep their purity, that's impossible.

But this kind of thing is like some work; you can do it but can't talk about it.

The two girls laughed and played together again, making Zuo Yan Jie dumbfounded; the scale was really beyond his imagination.

Who says women don't talk about that kind of topic? Don't narrowly think they only talk about clothes and cosmetics when sitting together.

Size, time, technique—if you aren't careful, these spendthrift women won't treat your privacy as privacy.

Maybe at some gathering, the look in your best friend's eyes will carry some kind of perspective-like certification and suspicion.

"Youth is really good—"

Dou Dou Yaozu glanced at the laughter and play outside the window, turned his head, and sighed to Li Li Xuewu, "Even envy can't bring it."

"You shouldn't be at this age yet."

Li Li Xuewu looked him over and asked, "Work isn't that busy now, didn't you think about having some fun?"

"Please don't tease me, I'm at this age."

Dou Dou Yaozu waved his hand with a smile and said, "The children are all grown up, and in a few years I'll be holding grandchildren; how dare I mess around."

"But I've been too busy these two years. Once I'm idle, I really have a feeling of being in another lifetime."

He put down the teacup in his hand, looked at Li Li Xuewu, and said, "Sometimes I really want to hand over all the work in my hands, carry my toolbox again, and go make cabinets and furniture for others."

"Still thinking about your adze, chisel, axe, and saw?"

Li Li Xuewu said with a smile, "This is a kind of nostalgia. If you really went back to the life of the past, you would be disappointed again."

"Hey, people are always greedy—"

Dou Dou Yaozu naturally understood the warning in his words, sighed long, looked out the window, and said, "Can't go back, can't go back."

Li Li Xuewu lowered his eyes, drank the warm tea in his cup slowly, and listened to Dou Dou Yaozu's sigh, but his heart was as firm as a rock.

Some words are just for listening; if a billionaire tells you he likes eating farm food and misses that bite of corn cake, do you really think he wants to live your current life and eat your current bitterness?

Stop messing around, this is just affectation.

"The renovation has been arranged; you don't need to worry about this. If you have any requirements, just tell Zuo Yan Jie."

Li Li Xuewu sat cross-legged on the kang and drank small wine in the winter with his father-in-law.

Lou Yu glanced at Zuo Yan Jie sitting by the kang, nodded with a smile, picked up his wine glass, and said politely, "Thank you for your hard work."

"You are too polite, it's what I should do."

It was the first time Zuo Yan Jie had been brought here to eat by Li Ge, and he appeared very cautious.

He hung around the club all day and was very familiar with this courtyard. He was also no stranger to the old couple who often came to live here.

But they had never really had the opportunity to eat together, and this old couple never went to the restaurant to eat.

He could see them strolling in the courtyard and taking care of their grandchildren, but rarely saw them interacting with people in the club.

He knew this old man was named Lou Yu, the father of the former person in charge of the club, and also the financier of the club.

He didn't know anything more specific; after all, it was Li Ge's connection, and it wasn't good for him to ask around.

Everything here was handled and communicated by Sister Yu. His level in the club wasn't low, but he didn't have this qualification yet.

In the flower hall, before Dou Dou Yaozu left, he was called in by Li Ge and given instructions about the renovation.

It was three apartment buildings in the Liangma River Ecological Industrial Zone Workers' New Village. Dongfeng Third Construction Cooperative would be responsible for the renovation, and Li Li Xuewu wanted him to be responsible for docking and handling all subsequent issues.

Zuo Yan Jie agreed without hesitation; this was Li Ge's private matter.

His work in the club looked proper, but it was actually a learning process, relying on the Youth Society to train his management ability.

This year, Shen Shen Guodong took him to do some things, which counted as an internship and also earned him some spending money.

Including the Jinmen Shunfeng Trading Company building a distribution network in Beijing, with Shen Shen Guodong in command, he also contributed a lot.

With Shen Shen Guodong's bright personality, he naturally wouldn't treat him unfairly, but it still depended on his own ability.

Don't look at Li Li Yuanchao, Zhang Li Haiyang, Zhong Zhong Yuemin, and others buying cars to show off one after another; with Zuo Yan Jie's savings, he could also afford one.

Especially with the welfare of mastering the car purchase quota, if he really wanted to buy a car, he would have bought it long ago.

Even if the money in his hands wasn't enough, if he told Li Li Xuewu, he wouldn't be riding a bicycle now.

Luo Yun was a bit puzzled at first as to why he wanted to be so low-key.

Zuo Yan Jie's answer was very simple: he didn't have the ability to control these external things yet, and having more was just trouble.

Therefore, he rode his bicycle very confidently; compared to Li Li Yuanchao and the others, he didn't feel inferior at all.

Especially with Li Li Xuewu here, who could be more prestigious than him?

Why didn't Li Li Xuewu hand this private matter to others, or let Dou Dou Yaozu be directly responsible for everything?

To put it bluntly, Li Ge did things flawlessly and didn't give anyone a chance to be arrogant.

Look at Dou Dou Yaozu achieving today's success by following Li Ge, but here, he was still the person who did the work.

At the dinner table in the small courtyard, the food was cooked by Aunt Tan herself, and the taste really opened his eyes.

Li Ge talked with Mr. Lou, and he listened silently. He didn't expect them to talk about the house renovation.

No need to guess, those three properties must have one for Mr. Lou, otherwise how could he be so polite to the other party.

"Xiao Ting's academic performance has improved again." After thanking Zuo Yan Jie, Lou Ting looked at Li Li Xuewu again. "The teaching quality of the joint school is indeed much stronger than on the mountain."

"As long as he is willing to learn." Li Li Xuewu looked at the little boy sitting on the stool in the room with a smile. "It seems he has already adapted to life in Beijing. Moving to a new home before the New Year will make going to school even more convenient."

"Thank you for your concern." Lou Yu picked up his wine glass and clinked it with Li Li Xuewu, then signaled to Zuo Yan Jie, and only then took a sip.

Eldest son and eldest grandson—if there were no accidents, this was the only seedling left of the Lou family.

As for other children, Lou Yu didn't dare to think; thinking about it made his heart ache.

The eldest son of the first wife and the eldest daughter-in-law eloped. If there were children in the future, he wouldn't recognize them; recognizing them would be a loss of face.

Besides, the Lou family in Hong Kong had already scattered. The eldest son and the eldest son of the second wife were nowhere to be found, not to mention other children.

Lou Watching Lou Xiaoe did leave a hand in her dealings, keeping the eldest daughter of the second wife, Lou Xiaohan, by her side to serve as a legal consultant.

As for the eldest daughter of the first wife, don't mention it.

In the past two years, he had gradually figured it out. Things had come to this, and he couldn't blame Li Li Xuewu, because Li Li Xuewu was also in the mainland.

Even less could he blame his daughter Lou Watching Lou Xiaoe; it was his own obsession, not balancing the bowl of water, that led to today's situation.

From Lou Watching Lou Xiaoe's reply, between the lines, there was resentment toward him. He accepted all of this and was convinced.

Being able to send the eldest son and eldest grandson to his side was already the greatest tolerance toward him as a father.

There are no fathers and sons in the shopping mall, and no grace in noble people.

He didn't even care much about things on the mountain now, putting all his heart into the education of his eldest grandson.

Lou Yu knew too well that there were too many rich people in this world, but few could keep their family wealth.

But knowledge entering the brain is something no one can snatch away.

If a vast family fortune can't raise a filial son or a virtuous grandson, then it's better to discard the fortune and exchange it for a good child.

Aunt Tan Tan Yali came in from the outside, holding a bowl of hot soup, enthusiastically greeting them to drink less and eat more.

Zuo Yan Jie sat by the kang and busily reached out to help.

"Sit and eat yours, I'll do it myself."

Aunt Tan Tan Yali looked at him with a smile and nodded, saying, "I've relied on your help many times before, and I'm troubling you again this time."

"Aunt Tan, you are too polite—"

Zuo Yan Jie looked at Li Li Xuewu with a smile and said flatteringly, "Eating a meal of yours, helping with any amount of work is worth it."

"Then eat more." Aunt Tan Tan Yali looked with a smile, helped them serve the food, and looked very virtuous.

Although she was a concubine, having lived in luxury for many years and having experienced family changes, her temperament had long been restrained and without edge.

What Zuo Yan Jie could feel, besides kindness and gentleness, was only a sincere love for traditional women.

If Luo Yun also had this steadiness and gentleness, how good that would be.

"The renovation will be fast; a month or so is no problem."

Li Li Xuewu looked at his mother-in-law and reminded her, "What needs to be packed can be prepared, and what needs to be purchased can be listed."

He signaled to Zuo Yan Jie sitting opposite and said, "I've already told him about the furniture and utensils; when the time comes, let him help move them."

"If there is anything else to add, leave it to him to purchase; you don't need to worry about the rest."

The furniture and utensils mentioned here refer to those that were kept for him when the Lou family moved away, so they were naturally easy to use.

"Good, good, we don't have any special needs."

Aunt Tan Tan Yali took the wine pot on the table to pour wine for her son-in-law, but there was no excessive politeness in her words.

She only had two daughters. The eldest daughter was limited by her husband's status and it wasn't convenient to interact with them, so they hadn't spoken for many years.

The younger daughter had a rough life, but she did find such a good man, yet she still couldn't escape her old path of being a concubine for someone.

Speaking of which, Aunt Tan Tan Yali didn't care about her daughter's status as a concubine, only whether her son-in-law cherished her daughter.

A huge wealth empire was handed over to her daughter, and she was fully trusted to display her ambitions and talents in Hong Kong. What else could she ask her son-in-law to show?

For Li Li Xuewu, she was satisfied no matter how she looked at him, especially toward her and the old couple, showing great concern.

Even because of her lover's muddled behavior, her son-in-law didn't have a word of blame and cared for them even more than before.

She didn't understand things in the shopping mall and couldn't explain them clearly; she only looked at family affairs and human hearts.

This son-in-law was good in every way; if he could be willing to give her daughter a hope and reliance, that would be even better.

"Outside the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, the wind and rain are violent; where does the sad sound break the loneliness?

Through the curtain, only a flower sedan is seen; it must be a newlywed crossing the magpie bridge~"

On the stage, Tong Tong Huimei played the character Xue Xiangling, and her movements and singing had already transcended the traces of performance.

Of course, don't expect Li Li Xuewu, sitting in the audience, to hear what was good or bad; even the character Xue Xiangling was told to him by Aunt Tan Tan Yali.

However, good things can withstand the test of time; no matter how the years pass, they will only hide their edge, but will not fade.

Li Li Xuewu knew about the cultural renaissance decades later, and many literary works were on the verge of being lost.

But are there few cultures that have disappeared in Chinese history?

This nation has the genes and soil to nurture excellent culture, and the literature and art lost in history will one day reappear.

Later generations say crosstalk is finished, Beijing opera is finished, but there are always artists inheriting it, pointing to this to eat.

Art will not die out as long as there are people who know how to appreciate it.

Don't take an individual like Li Li Xuewu to compare with this era; he hasn't reached the age of liking Beijing opera yet.

Influenced by movies and more forms of literary performance, young people have less and less patience to savor these old things.

This situation didn't start from later generations; young people of any era chase fashion.

You think Beijing opera hasn't changed, hasn't innovated, hasn't been fashionable since its creation?

Hey, that's because you haven't eaten or seen it.

This was the second big play organized by Mai Gao Xiaotian after he took over as the person in charge of the club's Beijing opera troupe.

At the Red Star Theater, he led the club's opera troupe to cooperate with the cultural troupe to perform a Beijing opera reflecting industrial development.

The script was brought out by the Red Star Factory Cultural Troupe, and he cooperated to study and finalize the singing style, and the performance received great recognition.

Because traditional plays were not allowed to be performed on external stages now, but he couldn't bear to let these old things be lost, so he thought about preserving these things in written form.

At the same time, he also unselfishly taught all the techniques and collections he had mastered to Tong Tong Huimei and Jin Jin Jiaojiao.

"I don't have the opportunity to take apprentices anymore."

Chatting with Li Li Xuewu in private, Mai Gao Xiaotian said with regret, "Now no one is willing to learn opera anymore."

"Even Mai Qinglan doesn't plan to engage in related work, and doesn't want Little Tiger Girl to learn opera. This opera is considered finished."

"No, there is still hope."

Li Li Xuewu didn't say too much, but couldn't help but comfort him; these words were really heartbreaking to hear.

Mai Gao Xiaotian looked at the performance of his two registered apprentices on the stage with longing, shook his head slightly, and said, "I'm afraid I won't be able to wait for that day. It still depends on them, look at them."

"All I can do is try to leave them more."

Tong Tong Huimei and Jin Jin Jiaojiao were indeed very talented. Their master had chosen them very carefully when he bought them back.

There is a saying that is very correct: effort is really worthless in front of talent.

Learning opera is like this: no matter how many times you practice, it's not as good as someone's natural good voice; opening your mouth makes you look inferior and destroys your confidence.

Li Li Xuewu really knew about the good voices of Tong Tong Huimei and Jin Jin Jiaojiao, because he had felt it at close range.

However, he also had things to apologize to the Pear Garden for, because his rough handling almost destroyed Mai Gao Xiaotian's hope.

Well, he can't brush his teeth like that next time.

The stage only sang a fragment; if they really sang the whole book, let alone the club's opera troupe not having enough people, even the two people on the stage couldn't withstand such a big job.

Today, the club's people were all there, and it happened that Mai Gao Xiaotian was testing the effect of the play he directed, so everyone had a chance to watch.

When the play ended, Li Li Xuewu, sitting in the audience, could clearly see the sweat beads on the noses of Tong Tong Huimei and Jin Jin Jiaojiao.

Don't think that singing opera is just standing on the stage and babbling, not consuming physical strength; go to KTV and howl two songs to try.

The singing style is all based on the dantian qi; if you can't get one up, to put it early, the audience under the stage will throw teacups and shoes.

Didn't you hear what the little black fatty said? When he was young, he wasn't popular, and there were people throwing bricks under the stage.

To put it exaggeratedly, one performance could cover three northern houses.

Of course, these are all jokes; throwing bricks is not to that extent, but throwing teacups and fruit plates, throwing shoes is really true.

Especially the audience in Jinmen earlier, that path was really wild, but their ears were very professional.

But these audiences liked to join in the fun; after one performance, there was silence, just waiting to hear you make a mistake.

Don't let them catch an opportunity, otherwise they can hiss you to death.

There was a Beijing opera master who folded in Jinmen; he didn't sing it the first time, and later reorganized and didn't sing it again.

Just these two times, the master never dared to sing opera in Jinmen again. This is the appreciation ability and deterrent power of the theater audience.

Are Tong Tong Huimei and Jin Jin Jiaojiao singing well? Good, really good. Their foundation was laid well when they were young, and their opportunities were good when they grew up.

If they had really been following their master to learn, they wouldn't necessarily be as good as they are now.

Why?

Because the master's skills were limited. To say they were strong, strong also has high and low; can high be higher than the several masters of the two now?

Besides, they had many fellow apprentices and sisters. If there hadn't been that turmoil, how many learning opportunities could they have obtained?

It's different now. When that master left, he took the two as apprentices, so they had both the name and the status.

Plus, they had forces to guarantee them, had Mai Gao Xiaotian to support them, and had visited and asked for advice from the masters who had retired in Beijing.

Let's put it this way: gathering the strengths of everyone is a bit mysterious, but to say they are learned and erudite, this is no problem.

The school has the master's recordings, the guidance of descendants, and the inheritance and advice of senior fellow apprentices.

Other schools also have the idea of clinging to and preserving themselves, so they are very polite to these two people.

Tong Tong Huimei is older, understands more, and is also cautious.

She knows very well that she and Jin Jiaojiao can get so much guidance from masters all because of Li Li Xuewu's face.

Precisely because of Li Li Xuewu's protection, they can learn skills.

But she is also afraid that their identities will bring him trouble, so every time she learns, she confirms it with Mai Gao Xiaotian.

Mai Gao Xiaotian understands her thoughts. At that time, he didn't give a definite answer. Today, seeing Li Li Xuewu, he took the initiative to mention it.

Li Li Xuewu understood and nodded, saying with a smile, "Don't worry about these, tell them to just learn."

"That couldn't be better."

Mai Gao Xiaotian also breathed a sigh of relief, looked at him with expectant eyes, and asked tentatively, "Is it..."

Before he could finish his question, Li Li Xuewu had already shaken his head slightly.

It wasn't that the tight hoop on everyone's head had loosened; it was that he was backing Tong Tong Huimei and Jin Jin Jiaojiao, and the situation hadn't changed.

Mai Gao Xiaotian had a moment of distraction, and that look of loss and disappointment made one's heart ache.

After a long while, he let out a long breath, nodded, and said, "That's good, that's good, anyway there is still hope."

Li Li Xuewu understood Mai Gao Xiaotian's personality very well. This was also a cautious person, just without a good background.

Look at some so-called "masters" now; don't they also openly sing "A Million Heroic Troops Crossing the Yangtze River"?

The father-in-law of Old Lao Biaozi can be considered one of his own people. Seeing Mai Mai Qinglan is also determined to live a life with the big brother.

Li Li Xuewu wouldn't harm him, and he wouldn't harm Li Li Xuewu, so there was no risk.

Those people took the initiative to curry favor with them, wanting to please Tong Tong Huimei and Jin Jin Jiaojiao to gain a sense of security.

Li Li Xuewu didn't have much ability in literature and art, but in work, he still had a certain ability to distinguish right from wrong.

He didn't dare to touch deep water, but if it was a circle that Tong Tong Huimei could touch, he still had the ability to protect her and have a good reputation.

This circle is no different in essence from the entertainment industry of later generations; it also depends on certain layers.

Let's put it this way: there were no poor people who watched Beijing opera before.

You say your family eats meat twice a week, better than the neighbors, but you don't necessarily walk into the theater to listen to opera.

This is not something that is appreciated by both refined and popular tastes; many plays need to be chewed and savored to listen to, and they are not all the red-faced kind.

He knows history. If Tong Tong Huimei and Jin Jin Jiaojiao want to gain a foothold in this circle and have a place, they must have responsibility and a certain influence.

No need to say more; as long as they can protect a few peers and retain some face, that is also a great status.

Don't look at them being young now; ten or twenty years later, their skills will be mature, combined with their influence and the changes of the era, it won't be difficult to get the title of master.

Master Tong Tong Huimei ran down from the stage like a bird returning to the forest, wanting to be close to him, but was a bit embarrassed.

Li Li Xuewu praised her and Jin Jin Jiaojiao a few times with a smile, making them almost red-eyed.

Mai Gao Xiaotian chased them away to remove their makeup with a smile; this makeup is still very unfriendly to the skin. He had seen too many children's love affairs.

As for Li Li Xuewu's relationship with the two, Aunt Tan didn't care, and Mai Gao Xiaotian wouldn't care even more.

Speaking of which, they are all "remnants" of feudal society. In the era they lived in, there were plenty of things more exaggerated than this.

Having seen too many problems, small problems are no longer problems.

Li Li Xuewu stayed in the club until after two in the afternoon, and then went to Tong Tong Huimei and Jin Jin Jiaojiao's home for more than two hours.

Rushing to eat in the courtyard before dark, Sha Zhu had already arranged it properly, just waiting for him to enter the courtyard to start the pot and burn the oil.

"I'm not talking nonsense; these are all true things."

There are fewer people at the recycling station now, and the east room is too spacious, so they all crowded into the west room kang to eat.

Winter is too cold; eating on the kang feels warm, especially with a little wine, it's even more beautiful.

With fewer people, the food is easy to make.

Sha Zhu's skills are unquestionable. Now Qin Qin Huairu has started three restaurants, and he is responsible for one of them.

He bought a tricycle and said he wanted to do extra work, but as a result, he is too busy to handle it now, and has to work overtime at Langtaosha every day after work.

He arranged two of his apprentices to go over, and Ma Hua is one of them, now managing things at Langtaosha.

He found several Sichuan cuisine chefs, and Sha Zhu is in charge of the back kitchen, having a sense of holding great power.

Shen Shen Guodong teased him, saying he looked more like a cadre.

"Hey—serving food—"

The kitchen was bustling, and everyone who came in had to praise Sha Zhu, and he worked even harder.

In the west room, Yan Yan Jiefang sat by the kang holding his legs and telling everyone about the Beijing freight station, which was more interesting than telling stories.

Whichever unit had a change would become a topic of conversation on the dinner tables of workers or surrounding ordinary people.

After Li Li Xuewu entered, he didn't call a stop, but waved his hand to signal Yan Yan Jiefang to continue; he also wanted to hear this story.

Seeing Li Li Xuewu enter, Yan Yan Jiefang didn't dare to deliberately sell suspense anymore, and the truthfulness of his speech rose in a straight line.

He didn't dare to tell hearsay anymore, only picking what he knew and saw to talk about to relieve boredom.

"Yo, Qin Jie, you came just in time."

Sha Zhu's greeting came from the kitchen. Li Li Xuewu, sitting in front of the kang cabinet, turned his head and saw Qin Qin Huairu walking in.

Inside the cyan cotton jacket was a bright red sweater, black pants matched with black leather shoes, and the whole person looked capable and spirited.

"After all, there is a 'root' and a 'bottom'." Sha Zhu was so joking that he didn't even care about the pot. "Qin Jie, your state looks different from before you were married."

"Go away, a dog's mouth can't spit out ivory—"

Qin Qin Huairu had been a widow for many years; she had long been immune to this kind of joking, and could even scold back with a smile.

She raised her hand to pat Sha Zhu, scaring him into hiding back, and everyone laughed again.

"When did you come? I didn't see you when I passed by just now." Qin Qin Huairu nodded and greeted everyone in the room with a smile, but who she wanted to see was Li Li Xuewu on the kang.

Li Li Xuewu also looked at her following Sha Zhu's words; this temperament really looked different.

Is it psychological, or has cognition changed?

If it is said that this woman was a green tea flower about to wither before meeting him, and was saved by his few splashes of urine, then now she is a big peony blooming again, spirited, brilliant, and plump.

"Just took off my shoes and got on the kang, and you came."

Li Li Xuewu was also good at joking, especially good at double entendres. These words sounded awkward no matter how they were heard.

Qin Qin Huairu didn't care, patted his shoulder lightly, and sat by the kang next to him.

"Bang Geng shouted at me, saying your car entered the courtyard, so I came over to see, didn't expect it was really you."

She didn't stand on ceremony, chatted with everyone for a few words, and then frankly said to Li Li Xuewu: "Our family wants to go to the freight station. The station side has already been negotiated. Can you help?"

PS: Sorry, organizing the detailed outline is brain-burning and dizzying, and I wrote it late. Sorry.

The second volume is about to end, I have to do the finishing work, and I have to prepare for the beginning of the third volume, so my head has been hurting a lot recently.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 1350 =====