As they prepared to leave after eating and drinking their fill, Shen Jiaru couldn’t help but stare at the Northeastern rice dumplings and vegetables for over ten seconds.
Finally, fueled by alcohol, he mustered the courage to speak and happily pocketed a jar of the chicken and mushroom sauce that Hua’s mother had fried and stored in the fridge.
Shen Mo couldn’t help feeling embarrassed for his father. He feared that when his father sobered up tomorrow, he would feel ashamed to the point of suicide.
Supported by Hua’s father, Shen Jiaru walked out, praising each other’s children along the way.
Hua’s mother walked ahead to hail a taxi. It was difficult to catch a taxi at this time in the north. There were already few taxis, and it was New Year’s Eve. Hua’s mother had to walk nearly a kilometer before finally hailing one.
Shen Mo and Hua Jie walked at the back, while Huanhuan ran around their legs in circles. After being scolded away by Hua Jie, he came back, almost tripping them.
With its wildly wagging tail and its accelerating pace around their legs, it seemed to be shouting: “Step on me, step on me! If you dare, step on me!”
In the end, Shen Mo had no choice but to pick it up, afraid that they might actually step on it.
This little thing had no sense of being a mother at all and was still as crazy as ever.
Watching his father’s rarely drunken figure, Shen Mo felt a mix of emotions. He turned to look at the girl beside him and said solemnly, “Thank you.”
“Why are you thanking me? The food was made by my mom, and the alcohol was poured by my dad. We both just freeloaded.” Hua Jie patted Huanhuan’s head in his arms as she spoke.
There were no streetlights in the alleys, only the faint light from residents’ windows.
The young man lowered his head to gaze at the girl’s hazy features. When he met her bright eyes as she looked up at him, he recalled the torment of longing over these days.
Looking at Hua Jie, not only has she gained weight, but she’s also surrounded by various scoundrels from Beijing. Surely those boys are both flattering and showering her with gifts. Little potato must be having the time of her life, right?
Maybe she hadn’t even thought of him at all.
Unfilial daughter!
Watching the girl, his melancholy gaze suddenly reveal a fierce intent, he reached out and firmly pressed her head, vigorously rubbing it until her short hair was disheveled and she resembled a little madwoman.
“Ah! Shen Mo!” Hua Jie reached out and slapped his arm vigorously. The youth then swiftly handed Huanhuan to her, trapping her hands with the dog, pinched her cheek, and then suddenly accelerated.
Running to the taxi parked in front, he helped his drunken father into the car, politely bid farewell to Hua’s parents, and without even acknowledging Hua Jie, he got into the car and closed the door.
The driver stepped on the gas, and the instigator of Hua Jie’s messy hair ran off under the car.
Hua Jie placed Huanhuan on the ground, freed her hands, and used her five fingers to comb her hair again.
Lifting her head, she saw Huanhuan darting after the car.
“Huanhuan, come back!” Hua Jie shouted anxiously.
“Come back!” Hua’s father also yelled.
Only then did the dog stop, turn to look at its owners, then reluctantly glanced at the distant taxi. After hesitating for a moment, it turned around and trotted back.
There weren’t many cars on the road, just the moonlight and a little dog.
The free-spirited Huanhuan frolicked on the street for a while before darting ahead, overtaking Hua Jie’s group and running back home first.
Standing in front of the door, it impatiently turned back and barked, as if mocking the slow movements of the bipeds.
The car drove away, and Shen Mo kept looking back, watching the girl gradually shrink in the moonlight.
He rubbed his right hand and suddenly remembered the feeling of pinching her just now.
Thoughts of “Sakura Diaries” and the several borderline novels he had recently acquired surged in his mind, and his thoughts began to wander.
Turning his head, he suddenly noticed his father had been watching him through the rearview mirror.
The young man’s expression turned serious, quickly putting on a poker face and looking out the window, restoring his usual indifferent demeanor.
…
Back home, Hua Jie and her family began to work together to tidy up the dishes. Huanhuan, who had been busy all night, was exhausted and crawled back to its dog bed for a nap.
After everything was tidied up, Hua Jie went back to her room, opened her suitcase, took out her passbook, and neatly arranged some souvenirs she had brought back.
Some were for the neighbors, some for classmates like Liao Shanshan, and some were for Shen Mo. The rest were for herself and her parents.
She decided to show the sketches of the furniture to her father once they were perfected.
Carrying the first batch of souvenirs and the passbook she had brought back with her, she walked into the living room.
Her father was sitting at the table, drinking the honey milk her mother had cooked, dazedly waiting for the alcohol to wear off.
As soon as he saw Hua Jie, he waved to her.
As soon as his daughter sat down beside him, the man began to rub her head and shoulders, his emotions more evident after drinking. Hua Jie obediently let her father massage her and took a couple of sips of honey milk.
When her mother also sat down at the table, Hua Jie began to distribute the gifts:
“These are some souvenirs I bought while touring the museum, the Great Wall, and the Forbidden City. You can display them at home, or even hang them on your keys. They can also be given as gifts to my friends.”
“And these are some specialty snacks like pea cakes, which were given to me by classmates who painted together in Beijing.”
“Here are fridge magnets, small glass ornaments, and a Chairman Mao badge…”
“Wow, these little things are quite nice! I’ll give some to Aunt Wang and them later. I’ll say my daughter went to Beijing, was treated to sightseeing everywhere, and bought these as souvenirs, haha. My daughter is really something.” Hua’s mother was already skilled at showing off without saying a word.
“When we go back to our hometown for the New Year, we can give these to your aunt, uncle, and cousins,” Hua’s father selected three items, one to use as a motorcycle keychain, one as a house keychain, and one as a spare.
The rest was left for his wife to arrange.
Hua Jie also placed a small Beijing lion dog plush toy at Huanhuan’s dog bed entrance as a gift for it.
“This must have cost quite a bit. In the future, when you go out, don’t buy these little things anymore. It’s better to save money for food.” Hua’s mother admired each item one by one while nagging and holding her daughter’s arm uncontrollably.
“…” Hua Jie.
Um… If they think this is spending too much money, what would they do when they see the several large boxes of gifts delivered?
“And… Mom, Dad, when I was sketching at the Forbidden City in Beijing, I met a teacher who admired my drawings and bought one on the spot.” Hua Jie slowly explained the cause and effect while holding her passbook.
She was afraid that if she suddenly spent the money, her parents would have a hard time accepting it.
Although she had sold a painting before, selling another one within a year was indeed quite surprising.
“How much was it?” Hua’s mother immediately grasped the key point, living up to her reputation as the accounting expert who counted every penny.
“120,000 yuan,” Hua Jie licked her lips.
“…,” Hua’s father clicked his tongue.
Going out for a while and selling paintings, his daughter could earn money much more efficiently than him tinkering as a carpenter.
He couldn’t help but smile. Rather than feeling unhappy about being outdone, he felt proud and couldn’t wait to boast to relatives and friends.
It seemed that once humans became parents, they all liked to show off their children. He couldn’t escape it either.
Didn’t he support his daughter’s painting in the first place?
He truly was a wise father.
Pinching the passbook and opening it to check, he smiled and tapped the passbook twice, then suddenly burst into laughter, not even knowing what he remembered.
“Also, I have 10,000 yuan in my own private stash, which I’ve added to the savings,” Hua Jie pointed to the passbook in her father’s hand.
“My daughter even has her own savings now~!” Hua’s mother exclaimed as she took the passbook, sighing:
“Your dad and I only have a little over 112,000 yuan in our passbooks combined. You’re richer than us now, honey.
The first day of opening, the two furniture stores were booming, but there weren’t as many orders afterward.
Although they sold better than other furniture stores every day, it was just steady earnings.
Plus, they bought two storefronts facing the street on the first floor of the back streets, so there was only a little over a hundred thousand left in the passbook.
“Mom and Dad are also very capable,” Hua Jie said.
After exchanging some business pleasantries, Hua’s mother suddenly pointed to the money in the passbook and asked, “Wasn’t it supposed to be one hundred and thirty thousand? Why is it only one hundred and twenty thousand?”
“Uh…” Hua Jie scratched her head. “I bought quite a few things and sent them back by freight truck. They’re still on the way.”
“You spent ten thousand?” Hua’s mother widened her eyes.
“Uh, a little over ten thousand.” Hua Jie still had some change in her pocket, plus the money her mother gave her before she left.
“What did you buy? Antiques?” Hua’s father was equally surprised.
“I bought food, drink, clothes, accessories, skincare products, and art supplies… Teacher Shen has been kind to me, so I bought him a lot of things with the money I earned,” Hua Jie said, seeing her parents’ expressions starting to change and quickly bringing up Teacher Shen to divert attention.
“Ah, you should indeed show more gratitude to your teacher. He not only teaches you painting for free but also submits your paintings to competitions and takes you to Beijing. Such a benefactor should not be disappointed,” Hua’s father immediately agreed.
It’s just that the standard of gift-giving is a bit high, Hua’s father silently marveled.
“Yes, it’s only right,” Hua’s mother nodded.
“Mm…” Phew…
After the stuff arrives, should I hide it first and then give each item to Mom and Dad?
What would be their reaction if I give them all at once?
Hua Jie has never spent money like this before, and her parents have always been frugal and thrifty. They are used to hardship and deep down, they don’t feel they should spend so much money on enjoyment.
Sigh, she’s supposed to be filial by buying gifts for her parents, yet she’s feeling so nervous about it.
This is really…
Thinking back to her previous life, when she was in college and later working, she had friends whose parents demanded thousands of yuan from them every month.
There were also parents who knew their children were struggling in big cities but still demanded money to build big houses;
And those who couldn’t stop gambling, making their children desperately draw and take orders to help pay off debts…
She’s truly fortunate. Although her parents only graduated from high school and are not wealthy, they don’t have the power or wealth to compete with others, but…
Returning to this life, she feels so content looking at her parents.
It’s wonderful. Thanks to the heavens for letting her be born into such a family, and letting her be the child of Mr. Hua Zhaoyuan and Mrs. Su Wan.
Just as she was about to say she’ll keep the passbook with her mother, Hua’s mother took the passbook and handed it to Hua Jie first.
“Mom and Dad have over a hundred thousand in hand now, which is enough as working capital for the shop.”
“Mom and Dad believe you’re a sensible child who won’t spend money recklessly. Just keep this money by yourself.”
“After all, Mom and Dad’s money is ultimately for you. Whether it’s for buying a house, a car, or getting married in the future, whether you keep it with you or with me, it’s all the same.”
They’re all family, but all this moving around is quite troublesome.
Hua’s mother smiled genuinely, with the simplest smile of a working woman in this era. It wasn’t glamorous, nor was it very confident, but it possessed a warmth that could melt hearts.
“Oh, that’s right. While you were in Beijing, your dad applied for his driver’s license. He spent 800 yuan on lessons, practiced for a few days, and then took the test, passing it directly,” Hua’s mother suddenly remembered, nudging her husband:
“Quick, show our daughter the license.”
Hua’s father grabbed his bag hanging on the chair, took out the documents, and placed them on the table.
Hua Jie eagerly picked them up to look. “So dad can buy a car now!”
In this era, getting a driver’s license wasn’t difficult. There weren’t as many strange standards and strict checkpoints as in the future for learning to drive.
Once you mastered the basic functions, familiarized yourself with the road rules and car features, and could smoothly perform tasks like changing gears, reverse parking, parallel parking, slowing down on bends, climbing, descending, etc., you could take the test.
Although in the north, they often failed three out of every ten people in the exam, fortunately, Hua’s father had been fond of motorcycles since childhood and quickly mastered such skills. He learned to drive fast and passed smoothly.
Because there weren’t many people learning to drive in the north, getting the license was quick.
Hua Jie looked eager, her eyes shining as she looked up at her father:
“Let’s buy a car tomorrow. Before and after the New Year, when we deliver furniture to customers, we can drive ourselves and won’t have to trouble Uncle Yao.”