Chapter 95
Zhao Yueji and Yun Haisheng didn't come over to cause trouble for their daughter. They were already familiar with urban housing, just by looking at the apartment building where Xiaoe's prospective groom lived, they knew the situation.
Houses like Wang Yuemin's, with a yard and independent entrance, were rare. Most people either squeezed into small alley houses with two rooms or lived in apartment buildings. That was the norm in this era.
However, Yun Xiaolu, in her filial piety, wanted to ensure her parents had a comfortable New Year. So, if renting a house was not possible, she thought about booking a hotel. She knew she would definitely be scolded later, but at least her parents would get to enjoy it.
"If all else fails, why don't we buy a house?" Xu Nianyun thought she had already transcended "low-level interests" with her system, but she still had some obsession with getting her dear mother to buy property in advance.
Who knows what the future holds in store? If one day her dear mother unbinds from the system earlier, it would be better if she had a more substantial inheritance.
"But even if we buy a house, we won't be able to move in for a short time. Besides, even if we find a suitable property within a month, by the time all the transfer procedures are completed, the year would have passed," Yun Xiaolu said.
Although Yun Xiaolu didn't pay much attention to real estate, she understood that finding a house that met their expectations was not a simple matter. Renting a house was already difficult, let alone buying one.
"Why are the housing points in the system store so expensive? It's outrageous."
After looking at the prices of houses in the store, Yun Xiaolu sincerely felt that it was outrageous. To exchange for a small courtyard in Beijing's landmarks, it required over a million points!
A set of top-notch foreign research equipment only cost a few thousand points. Was that shabby courtyard made of gold or something?
Xu Nianyun, although understanding the situation, couldn't tell Yun Xiaolu right now how ridiculously inflated the real estate market would become in the future. Many prices in the system store were based on the future, otherwise the earlier food prices wouldn't have been so cheap.
She didn't know if it was because the main brain had been replaced or if her thinking had influenced the system's operation, but during the last system store upgrade, Xu Nianyun noticed that some commodities that would become particularly valuable in the future had undergone significant price fluctuations.
That's why Xu Nianyun didn't initially suggest that Yun Xiaolu buy property. The system's housing prices were beyond imagination, and the real-world housing prices were not cheap either.
Yun Xiaolu's salary at her level was actually quite high. Just one month after graduating, she was earning over a hundred yuan, with free meals and accommodation provided by the company. She enjoyed various benefits and most of her salary went unused. However, compared to the housing prices in Beijing, it was clear that her salary was not enough.
In today's Beijing, a decent small courtyard would cost at least ten thousand yuan or more. Even with Yun Xiaolu's future salary increase, it would take nearly ten years without any major expenses to save up.
But by the time ten years passed, the housing prices in Beijing would have increased by ten to twenty times. Yun Xiaolu definitely wouldn't be able to afford a house with just her salary.
As for the money in the funds, there was an unspoken agreement between Yun Xiaolu and Xu Nianyun from the beginning that they would never use the dividends from the contracts for personal purposes.
Yun Xiaolu's account funds were very clear. Her personal account only received her salary and payments for research papers. Although the fund account was also under her name, it was managed by a dedicated person, and the distribution was very clear.
Of course, Yun Xiaolu could also earn a considerable income by using points from the system to exchange for rare items in the store and sell them. Unfortunately, the system was a learning system, not a business system. Yun Xiaolu's path ahead was one of scientific research and learning, not one of getting rich.
If Yun Xiaolu dared to engage in large-scale trading of goods in this era, not only would she fail to become a scientist, but she might also end up in trouble.
From the beginning, Xu Nianyun never allowed Yun Xiaolu to pursue paths that would make a lot of money. She didn't even dare to expose Yun Xiaolu to the financial industry.
Apart from the distraction it would cause, the main reason was that the foreign financial industry had many unsavory aspects. Once Yun Xiaolu got involved in the deeper aspects of this field, she would be unable to pass the social background checks required for institutions like research institutes.
For safety reasons, in these past few years, aside from occasionally exchanging for daily necessities, Yun Xiaolu had been living a normal life according to her own social persona. She could have some material abundance, but it shouldn't attract too much attention. Otherwise, there might be some department investigating her for her peculiarities.
The expectations Yun Xiaolu had as a child of "doing whatever she wanted when she grew up" had not been realized. Instead, she found herself facing even more restrictions than before, which she hadn't anticipated in her youth.
"The high prices of houses in the system probably have their reasons. Just think about the housing prices in Beijing before you went abroad and compare them to now. Maybe the system considers these houses to be worth that much."
Xu Nianyun solemnly swore that she had not violated any rules. She was merely fulfilling her duty as a mainframe by providing the host with an analysis of specific scenarios based on rationality.
Yun Xiaolu blinked her eyes and took a deep breath. "Are you saying that housing prices will skyrocket in the future?"
With over a million points, even though the exchange rate for system points to money fluctuated with real-world prices, she could currently exchange these points for hundreds of thousands of yuan. Would houses really become so valuable in the future?
Although she didn't have millions of points at the moment, she could actually own a house in the future worth millions of points!
"How much money do I have in my savings?" Yun Xiaolu couldn't sit still anymore. The childhood "get-rich plan" that she thought was just a dream for this lifetime unexpectedly came as such a pleasant surprise!
"Around six thousand yuan?" Most of the money she had saved while abroad had been spent. The only sum she hadn't touched was the bonus Professor Edward gave her for her work in the lab. Converting the mibi into RMB, it amounted to about seven thousand yuan.
After returning to China, she gave a thousand yuan to her family and bought some gifts and daily necessities. After miscellaneous expenses, she had a little less than five thousand yuan left. However, she had been receiving her salary, and recently she received a five hundred yuan bonus for the "technological achievement" of renovating the boiler. So, currently, Yun Xiaolu had about six thousand yuan that she could spend on herself.
"Initially, I thought I was someone who wasn't lacking money, but now I realize how poor I am." Yun Xiaolu slumped on the bed, reluctantly accepting the reality that she was a "poor person."
Xu Nianyun felt it was an oversight on her part. She had only considered making Yun Xiaolu's account transparent and clean, which would benefit her in terms of having a more transparent social background and avoid future work-related troubles. However, she had overlooked some practical issues in their life after returning to China.
Now, Yun Xiaolu's account couldn't have any funds with unclear sources. Otherwise, it wouldn't just be a matter of whether it would affect her future, but whether she would be summoned for questioning.
Currently, if Yun Xiaolu wanted to gather such a large sum of money to buy a house, she had three investigable options: slowly saving money, borrowing from the funds account, or borrowing from relatives and friends.
"I think I'll consider solving the immediate urgency and rent a place for now."
Yun Xiaolu knew that she definitely couldn't choose the latter two options. The first option was too slow. Based on past experiences, "Love of Learning" reminding her of this matter meant it was undoubtedly significant. If she didn't strive and fight for it now, she would definitely regret it. So, this matter required careful consideration.
"This can actually be resolved. Let's check the shopping mall. Maybe there's some information available," Xu Nianyun thought to herself. When she considered the matter of buying a house, she also realized that if the system mall facilitated buying and selling properties, it didn't make sense for renting properties to be absent from the system mall.
Yun Xiaolu sat up abruptly, her curiosity leading her to enter the shopping mall interface and conduct a search. As expected, she found a plethora of information. "Are these houses actually real in our area?"
It would be quite astonishing if she placed an order and a house magically appeared out of thin air. The system had its moments of glitching in the past.
This was also why Yun Xiaolu and Xu Nianyun didn't solely rely on the system mall for their considerations. Even if they used the system's intelligent exchange or rational exchange modes, the process still felt like opening a blind box.
It was all about the excitement and thrill.
"They should be real, right?" Xu Nianyun expressed that she hadn't heard of real estate agents doubling as house builders. However, she couldn't speak too conclusively; everything had to be based on facts.
"I think I should confirm it myself," Yun Xiaolu didn't want to be deceived, so she decided to verify it first.
The items in the system mall had quality ratings, which was quite reliable. Yun Xiaolu selected five rental listings from all the housing information in the capital. The addresses weren't too far from her workplace, with a commute of less than half an hour by bike or bus. It was convenient for commuting in the city.
"Aren't we taking advantage of the system here?"
Even though they weren't purchasing the merchandise, they were using the information provided by others. No matter how one looked at it, it was taking advantage.
"So what if we are?" Xu Nianyun believed that taking advantage of such opportunities was a fortunate thing, especially when it came to taking advantage of the system's perks. It was an extra dose of happiness.
When Yun Xiaolu said she wanted to visit the houses, it simply meant using the addresses to enable the location system for Xu Nianyun to see if the houses actually existed. This was a step they could immediately take from home.
Xu Nianyun scanned the location and discovered that the system was indeed reliable this time. The houses they had chosen were all real and she even noticed "For Rent" signs posted near a few of them, either in the alleyways or near the entrances.
At this moment, there weren't any formal channels to view houses. When it came to buying or renting a house, it relied solely on personal connections and luck. After receiving confirmation from the system, Yun Xiaolu expressed her desire to rent a house to her acquaintances, asking them to inform her if they knew of any suitable options. At the same time, she also wanted to try her luck on her own.
Out of the five addresses Yun Xiaolu visited today, although they weren't the closest ones, they had the highest credibility ratings in the system. Not wanting to waste too much time, she inquired around the area and eventually found the rental notices. She carefully noted down all the contact information.
The process of viewing the houses went quite smoothly. The landlords were polite and friendly. When they saw that Yun Xiaolu could provide identification and worked for a public institution, their enthusiasm grew even more. Working for the government indicated a stable income and a certain level of education, which meant fewer potential issues with renting the property. Therefore, Yun Xiaolu was considered a "high-quality customer."
However, Yun Xiaolu only intended to rent for a short period, which posed a bit of a challenge. Rental information wasn't widely circulated during this time. Once a house became vacant, it would require some transitional hassle to rent it out again. Consequently, the families she visited were not particularly inclined towards short-term rentals, and in the end, no agreement was reached.
The only household that showed some flexibility in their attitude was because the property didn't belong to them. The person showing Yun Xiaolu the house was doing it on behalf of their friend's family.
"This house has been vacant since it was purchased. It was originally intended for their youngest son, but young people have their own ideas, and I heard he moved out after just a few days."
"They didn't initially plan to rent it out, but over the years, there have been constant inquiries. Plus, leaving the house empty for too long isn't ideal. So, the parents of the homeowner finally relented and entrusted someone to rent it out. However, they have a requirement: they only want someone as decent and respectable as yourself, and no amount of money can change that." The person showing the house introduced himself as Sun Gang. He dressed quite decently and his words carried a playful and enthusiastic tone.
"The rental price for this house isn't low." It was 30 yuan a month, which was considered a "high-priced" property in the capital. Yun Xiaolu wasn't easily fooled.
The other person chuckled in response to her remark. "This house has been fully renovated. Besides the walls and floors, everything else is made with high-quality materials. The furniture is complete and practically new. 30 yuan is truly not expensive."
The small courtyard consisted of two buildings and was well-organized, including a separate kitchen, bathroom, and storage room, all of which were renovated. This was quite uncommon in the capital.
Of course, it was also rare for someone to have the financial capability and willingness to rent the entire yard. Therefore, even though Yun Xiaolu intended to rent for a short period, the other party considered it.
The homeowner had one requirement when it came to renting the house: it had to be well taken care of and they didn't accept dividing it into separate rentals. This resulted in the house appearing appealing but lacking tenants who were truly willing to pay for it.
Yun Xiaolu's professional identity and her unwillingness to negotiate the price made the homeowner quite tempted to rent the house to her. However, a month-long lease was indeed too short.
"The minimum is three months. If you agree, we can sign the agreement now. I can also show you the consent letter left by the homeowner as proof. The local neighborhood office is aware of this situation as well, and if you're not confident, you can go and inquire there," said Sun Gang. Nowadays, it wasn't common to see housing certificates, but the homeowner had left behind a rental consent letter, which served as evidence.
"Brother Sun, I can rent the house for three months, but you need to help me solve the heating issue here," Yun Xiaolu had already noticed that the house didn't have heating equipment. She didn't have the time to go through the trouble of buying a heater.
"No problem with that. The heaters are already available. There are two of them in the storage room. However, you'll have to pay for the coal briquettes yourself. At most, I can help you transport them," the other person, clearly someone who didn't like to be at a disadvantage, immediately offered a solution upon hearing her request.
"Okay, if everything is fine after I go to the neighborhood office tomorrow, we can sign the agreement."
Yun Xiaolu was truly taken with this house. It was clean, tidy, and spacious. The hutong (alley) was also easy to find, and the bus stop wasn't far away. Just by observing the appearances of the neighbors, she could tell that the security in this area was guaranteed.
"So, let's meet at the neighborhood office tomorrow at 10 am," Sun Gang smiled and set the meeting time.
Today was the weekend, so everyone was available. If they were going to sign the agreement tomorrow, Yun Xiaolu would have to take a few hours off work. However, it wasn't a big issue. After signing the agreement tomorrow, she would also need to coordinate with Sun Gang about buying the coal briquettes. It seemed that she wouldn't be able to save any money on this trip.
Once the matter of the house was settled, Yun Xiaolu felt considerably more relaxed. Although she still had the idea of buying a house in mind, preparing for the upcoming Lunar New Year was more important at the moment. So, after renting the house, besides having Sun Gang spend some money to hire people to clean both inside and outside, she began her daily routine of moving things into the rental house after work.
Although the homeowner had furnished the house with all the basic amenities, it was evident that the house hadn't been lived in properly. In the kitchen, aside from the stove and iron pots, there was only a new cupboard covered with oilcloth. There wasn't much for someone to eat with.
Yun Xiaolu bought some pots, bowls, and utensils and also brought a few sets of bedding. She had also accumulated various household items through the system's exchanges.
As the New Year holiday approached, Yun Xiaolu brought back a lot of food and filled the kitchen. Looking at the fully stocked kitchen, she couldn't help but feel that everything was ready, except for her parents.
Yun Haisheng and Zhao Yueji packed up four or five large bags before setting off. Nowadays, there were public buses directly to the provincial capital from the county town, so they didn't take the train. They had Yun Yi buy the bus tickets in advance, and she would meet them at the Jiangbei Bus Station.
"Mom, Dad, how did you manage to carry all this?" When Xiao'e received them at the bus station, she picked up one bag and found it extremely difficult to even take a step. She couldn't understand how her parents managed to bring everything from the bus.
"How heavy is all this? You guys buy everything in the city. If I don't bring enough stuff, we'll end up spending a fortune in Beijing," remarked Zhao Yueji, presenting her own theory. So, no matter how much luggage they packed, it wasn't considered excessive.
"We're only going for seven or eight days. With so much stuff, where will we even find space to eat?" questioned Yun Haisheng.
"A lot of this is dried meat and sausages that can be stored. We also have plenty of wild mountain produce that your father and I gathered. It's not easy to make this trip, so we might as well bring some local specialties as gifts for your younger sister and her colleagues. After all, her coworkers are all prestigious scientists," explained Zhao Yueji.
Xiao'e couldn't argue with her mother's reasoning. She realized that her mother always had a point, so it was better for her to quietly act as a porter.
Since Xiao'e's holiday from work was only five days, she shortened the duration of her business trip in H Province by three days. With an additional day of rest, they would have a total of nine days off.
Tonight, they would take the fastest train and arrive in Beijing the day after tomorrow. It was considered a relatively ample travel arrangement.
When Yun Xiaolu went to the train station to pick up her parents, snowflakes were falling from the sky, covering the ground. The family of four took a bus and arrived near the small courtyard Yun Xiaolu had rented, where the snow was already half a foot deep.
"Such heavy snow."
Yun Haisheng and his wife got off the bus and couldn't help but express the same sentiment. The temperature in Beijing was much lower than in S Province, and snow in the northern region was particularly resistant to melting.
Not only was the snow different, but the entire appearance of Beijing was also awe-inspiring to this couple. As natives of S Province, Yun Haisheng and his wife considered themselves well-traveled. After all, they had visited the county, city, and even the provincial capital several times.
However, what they had seen before paled in comparison to Beijing. It was no wonder everyone wanted to come to the capital. Now that they were here, they could see that it truly was a prosperous place.
"Do you live alone in this big courtyard?" Initially, both Xiao'e and her parents assumed that they were coming to visit Xiao'e, thinking that this place was her dormitory. However, upon seeing no one else in the courtyard, they found it somewhat strange.
"This is my friend's house. They had to leave Beijing temporarily due to work transfer, so they rented the house to me," Yun Xiaolu explained. Of course, she couldn't tell her parents that she deliberately rented the house. It was intentional to keep them from worrying.
"Such a big house must be expensive, right? Is it safe for you to live alone?" Zhao Yueji wasn't too concerned about her daughter renting a house. After all, she had seen the conditions of Xiao'e and Yun Shuang's dormitory, so it wouldn't be a big deal if she found a better place to live.
However, this place seemed too spacious for a single girl, and Zhao Yueji worried about her daughter's personal safety.
"I haven't moved into this house yet. If it wasn't for you guys coming, I planned to move in after the New Year. Originally, I intended to rent it with my colleagues from work, but nothing has been finalized. If you plan to stay for a while, I won't rent out the rest of the rooms temporarily."
Yun Xiaolu sealed off the other rooms to prevent her parents from getting suspicious. After all, as a family of four, they had more than enough space.
"Oh, it's best to live with your colleagues. Otherwise, with such a big courtyard, I really wouldn't feel at ease with you living alone," commented Zhao Yueji.
"You've really done a good job tidying up this house. I took a look inside and outside, and it's clear that you put in a lot of effort," said Yun Haisheng, who worked as a mason. He could tell from a glance whether or not the house had been well maintained.
"You've got quite the conditions here," added Xiao'e. She didn't have any suspicions either since her parents' visit was spontaneous. According to her logic, Yun Xiaolu must have been unable to find such a well-kept place on short notice. However, she remembered that Xiao'e used to live in a single room.
But Xiao'e smartly didn't bring up this question in front of their parents. Regardless of the truth, if Xiao'e said so, she would believe it.
After taking a short break, Yun Haisheng and Zhao Yueji unpacked their luggage and immediately started sorting things out. Yun Xiaolu and Xiao'e busied themselves with lighting a fire for heating inside the house. It was freezing cold, and the empty house felt even colder upon entering.
"Hang these dried meats and sausages in the kitchen. I also made a lot of meat sauce. Xiaolu, you can keep them for future consumption," Zhao Yueji said.
"These local specialties are all packed and ready. Pick some good ones to give to your colleagues and supervisors," she continued.
"Fortunately, I brought some millet as well. I thought it might be inconvenient for you to cook, so I considered letting you take it to give away. Now that you've rented a house with a kitchen, you can cook for yourself," she added.
Seeing the New Year supplies Yun Xiaolu had prepared in the kitchen, Yun Haisheng and Zhao Yueji, apart from initially feeling sorry for the money their daughter had spent, became enthusiastic about planning what delicious dishes they would make for their two daughters during the New Year.
"Mom and Dad, you don't need to fuss. I've already made arrangements. Today, we'll have a hotpot," Yun Xiaolu said. She had already placed a hotpot set, which she exchanged from her pocket space, in the kitchen. Zhao Yueji had never eaten hotpot before and thought that the ingredients were for her daughter to prepare a meal.
"I knew it! When did you become so skilled with a knife?" Xiao'e couldn't help but laugh as she helped carry the side dishes to the living room. She had marveled earlier in the kitchen at how her sister's knife skills could rival those of a professional chef.
Chapter 96
Snowflakes were falling outside the window, while the warmth from the fireplace filled the room. The family of four gathered around the steaming hotpot, feeling an overwhelming sense of happiness.
"The sliced lamb is excellent," Zhao Yueji exclaimed.
The thin slices of meat only needed a few seconds in the pot before they were ready to be eaten. Zhao Yueji had never seen such thin slices of meat at home before, and she couldn't help but think that it was something only city folks knew how to enjoy.
"If you think this tastes good, we can have another hotpot meal during the Lunar New Year. It's also a tradition to eat hotpot in the city during the New Year," Yun Xiaolu said. Today, she had exchanged her points for a lamb hotpot set. Besides some common side dishes, the main course was lamb. Eating some lamb in the cold weather was perfect for warming up and warding off the chill.
Halfway through the meal, Xiao'e was sweating even with her coat off, and her face turned rosy.
"We can buy a hotpot set for ourselves later and enjoy it at home," Yun Haisheng suggested.
Hotpot itself didn't require much culinary skill. As long as you had a pot and ingredients, you could have a hotpot anywhere. It was evident that Yun Haisheng also enjoyed this way of eating. With multiple children in their family, when all the children returned home in the future, gathering together to eat hotpot would be the most economical and joyful option.
"Sure, you can take this hotpot set home. Hotpot is meant to be enjoyed with a large group of people. When I live alone, it's just collecting dust," Yun Xiaolu replied. She hadn't expected her parents to be so fond of the hotpot set. Buying a hotpot set outside wasn't very convenient at the moment, but she had plenty of options in her system. She could exchange for another one when she wanted to invite people over for a meal again.
"The prosperity of the city is indeed something. Even on such cold days, we can still find fresh mushrooms and vegetables," Zhao Yueji remarked.
To make the side dishes blend in naturally, they mainly chose mushrooms, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and the like. It surprised Zhao Yueji how much variety they had.
"Nowadays, some places have started setting up greenhouses to grow vegetables. As long as you're willing to spend money, it's no problem to have fresh green vegetables in winter," Yun Haisheng commented.
"Life has truly improved. We not only have enough to eat but also crave for diverse flavors. Who would have thought of such days a few years ago?" Zhao Yueji sighed.
Yun Xiaolu didn't have any special sentiments about it. Whether it was her experience abroad or seeing the abundant variety of goods in the shopping mall, she had witnessed what a materialistically abundant world looked like.
There was a kettle sitting on the stove, and after finishing their meal, they used it to wash the dishes. Yun Yi had bought a stove set for the family a couple of years ago, so Yun Haisheng and Zhao Yueji were both very skilled in using the coal-burning stove.
"Mom and Dad, pack up your things. I'll take you to the bathhouse," Yun Xiaolu said. Taking a bath in the northern regions was quite challenging during this era. Usually, people would go to a public bathhouse. When Yun Xiaolu first arrived in the city, she found it a bit unfamiliar, but after spending a few years studying here, going to the bathhouse became a completely ordinary experience for her.
Yun Haisheng and Zhao Yueji had been sitting in the car for so long without proper grooming. However, it was easy to catch a cold when washing up at home in such cold weather, so going to the bathhouse was the best option.
When they started tidying up the house earlier, they had already researched some nearby public facilities. The best bathhouse in terms of conditions was just a street away, which was even more convenient than when they were at the research institute.
In this era, it was quite common for families to go to the bathhouse together. At first, Yun Haisheng, Zhao Yueji, and Xiao'e were a bit hesitant, but when they saw various grandmas and grandpas at the bathhouse, they became less nervous.
Xiao'e had already gotten used to this kind of bathhouse experience during her school days, so she felt completely comfortable and even enjoyed it. She noticed that her younger sister had brought back many foreign items that she had never seen before.
"Shower gel? Conditioner?" Xiao'e understood instantly upon seeing the foreign writing on the labels. These were purchased from abroad.
Actually, these items were exchanged from the online store, but the packaging was brought back from abroad. After all, Yun Xiaolu had been back for quite some time, and the things she bought overseas had long been used up.
"Don't just look at them. If you like them, I'll get you a few bottles later. You and your older sister can share them." These items were also available for sale in the city, but they were imported goods and thus more expensive. Yun Xiaolu usually exchanged them directly from the online store.
"These things are too expensive. You should keep them for yourself," Xiao'e said, knowing the prices of these items in China. Otherwise, she wouldn't have hesitated to buy them.
"I have a friend who can get them at a discounted price. It's not expensive at all. Last time when I went back, I didn't think about this. If you like these items in the future, I'll take care of it for you." The high price of these items was mainly due to the importation, but in reality, they were reasonably priced when purchased abroad. After all, they weren't from any big-name brands.
Initially, Yun Xiaolu hadn't thought about it, but she suddenly realized that these items could also be used as gifts. With several sisters and sisters-in-law in the family, these items seemed quite rare and desirable at the moment.
"They're not expensive? Then I'll buy a set with my own money. You can buy it for me," Xiao'e said, seemingly convinced by Yun Xiaolu's words.
"They really aren't that expensive. I'll get more later. You can take them back for your older sister and sister-in-law. I'll also mail some to my sister-in-law. I didn't realize this before. If I had known, I would have brought back more for you when I returned to the country."
Seeing her younger sister speak like that, Xiao'e no longer dwelled on the price. After all, which girl doesn't love beauty?
The family of four left the bathhouse and it was already evening. In the winter, the days get dark early in the northern regions, and today, due to the snowfall, the sky was even darker.
Walking on the road, their steps on the snow made a crunching sound. The warmth they had felt at the bathhouse was soon blown away by the cold wind. By the time they reached home, the fire in the stove was dying out.
Yun Haisheng worked on reviving the fire, and soon it was roaring again. Since they had a substantial lunch, the family wasn't very hungry as dinner time approached.
When Yun Xiaolu returned to the country, she bought a radio, originally intended for listening to the news. But today, Xiao'e took it and started listening to comedic sketches.
"Let's cook some noodles using the leftover broth from lunch."
They still had plenty of side dishes that could be added, making it convenient and easy. Most importantly, eating noodles would also provide warmth.
There were ready-made instant noodles in the kitchen, so they didn't have to roll out the dough. It couldn't get any more convenient than that.
"No wonder people are willing to come to the city. Life here is much more convenient, haha."
The family went to bed a bit later than usual that night. Apart from adjusting to a new sleeping arrangement, there were also many topics to catch up on after not having had a chat for so long.
Yun Xiaolu and her sister slept in the same room. They kept whispering to each other for half the night, so they woke up a bit later the next morning.
As they got up, there was a pot of millet porridge simmering on the stove. Apparently, Yun Haisheng and Zhao Yueji were accustomed to waking up early.
"Hurry up and wash your face and brush your teeth. I've also boiled some eggs."
Originally, Yun Xiaolu planned to take her parents out to try the famous local breakfast in the city. However, seeing that her parents had already prepared breakfast, she didn't mention it again.
"Today, there's accumulated snow on the road, not very convenient to go out. Mom and Dad, you should rest at home first. I'll take some local products to give to my colleagues." Most of my colleagues live in the dormitory building, so even if I have to go door-to-door, it'll just be a quick trip.
"Alright, you go ahead. Today, your dad and I plan to make some steamed buns and dumplings at home."
The Lunar New Year is just a couple of days away, and preparations need to be made. Although we brought some food from home, nothing beats freshly steamed ones.
"I'll come with you. You're carrying quite a heavy bag by yourself." Xiao'e felt the weight of her bag and with her younger sister carrying two bags, it wouldn't be easy to walk on the road without the risk of tripping and falling.
When the two sisters left the house, the sky was already clear. There were sanitation workers sweeping the road, and since the workplace wasn't too far from here, they didn't have to rush while catching the bus.
Upon arriving at the workplace, the security guard thoroughly checked Xiao'e's identification before allowing her entry. It was the first time Xiao'e had encountered such strict security measures.
"Fortunately, I brought my ID card and introduction letter with me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to enter the gate of your workplace."
"This is your first time here, so they naturally need to check. If you were staying in the dormitory, they would even issue you a separate pass."
Yun Xiaolu came to deliver the local products, but she didn't have to personally go door-to-door. At this time, everyone was busy in the hallway preparing for the Lunar New Year, so she could easily distribute the items by calling out to them.
"Teacher Yun, you're too kind. It's freezing outside, and yet you personally delivered these good items to our doorstep. These dried mushrooms and black fungus are not cheap in the market."
"They are specialties from my hometown. My parents brought them specifically to add a dish to everyone's New Year's Eve dinner."
"But we have to thank your parents. By the way, where do they live? We wanted to greet them for the New Year, but we haven't had the chance to meet them yet."
"I rented a house, and my parents are temporarily staying there. The main reason is that there's nothing for them at my dormitory. They have visited and we need to arrange for them to have a warm meal."
"That makes sense. That's why they say daughters are considerate. Is this your older sister?"
"Yes, this is my third sister, Yunzhou. She works at the S Province Daily. She came here specifically to accompany our parents and visit me."
"Ah, a pen-holder. I can see the elegance."
"Teacher Yun, I just made some fried meatballs. Take them home and let your family taste them."
"Teacher Yun, have you eaten? Why don't you come to our house and have something to eat?"
"No, my parents are busy at home, and we need to go back and help. We'll consider this our early New Year's greetings to everyone."
The two sisters felt overwhelmed by the lively and warm greetings from the people as they left the dormitory building. It was truly an art form.
"Shall we go back?"
The two sisters didn't come empty-handed, and now they were loaded with many gifts from various families. Although they weren't worth much money, they were all things that needed to be prepared for the Lunar New Year.
"With all of these, I think we may not need to be busy anymore."
Each family had packed a small bag of various deep-fried snacks, and there were also bean buns and roasted nuts made for their own family. The enthusiastic relatives couldn't be stopped.
After returning home, Zhao Yueji and Yun Haisheng were also surprised by the rewards of their trip. Nowadays, everyone knows how to show goodwill, so if you give me some green onions, I'll give you some garlic in return.
"Mom, please pack some millet, red dates, goji berries, and some hazelnuts and walnuts for me. I'm going to deliver them to Professor Gu's house."
Although Yun Xiaolu had already prepared a gift for Professor Gu, these local specialties were also good items in the capital city. Professor Gu's house was usually quiet, but during the Lunar New Year, his other children would come back, and it wouldn't hurt to send more food.
Xiao'e didn't need to accompany her on this trip. After having lunch, Yun Xiaolu set off with bags of gifts. It seemed like she was determined to deliver all the gifts on this day.
Professor Gu had three sons and one daughter. Apart from the deceased youngest son, the other three children were not usually in the capital city. This was mainly because Professor Gu had a period of work outside the city, so when his children were initially assigned jobs, they all settled in the places where he was working at the time.
The grandchildren, besides Xiaojia, each had several children in their own families. Now that they had all returned to the capital city, the Gu family's small courtyard, which was usually quiet, appeared particularly lively.
"Yunjie!"
Through the glass, Gu Jiaran saw the figure entering the house and immediately ran out excitedly to greet the person.
"Who is it? Who can make Jiaran so excited?"
Although Yun Xiaolu was familiar with visiting the Gu family, she had never met any of the Gu family's children other than Jiaran.
"Yun Jia is here." Professor Gu, clearly in a good mood, became even happier when he saw his beloved student.
Upon hearing the name "Yun Jia," Professor Gu's only daughter, Gu Fu, was the first to react. Her father had mentioned a talented student before, but she didn't expect the person to be a young girl.
Judging by her appearance, she's about the same age as my eldest son, right?
"Happy New Year, Professor." After entering the house and seeing the crowded room, Yun Jia suddenly felt a bit awkward. After all, besides Professor Gu and Xiaojia, she didn't recognize anyone else.
The Gu family had a big reunion this year, with their sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and granddaughters all returning. It was difficult not to have a lively atmosphere. Yun Xiaolu reluctantly embarked on her second round of "greetings" for the day.
Perhaps because Professor Gu had mentioned her often, everyone in the Gu family was aware of Yun Jia's existence. Now that they realized who she was, their attitude became warm and welcoming.
The Gu family already had three grandchildren attending university. During the conversation, when they heard that Yun Xiaolu had already completed her PhD at the age of twenty, they all looked at her with admiration in their eyes.
"Yun Jia, are you already working on your own projects now?" Gu Liren, the eldest granddaughter of the Gu family, had just finished her freshman year. She studied in Haicheng but was clearly planning to pursue her graduate studies in the capital city. Therefore, she was more interested in engineering subjects.
"Do you also study power engineering?" Yun Xiaolu was pleasantly surprised. She hadn't expected the Gu family to already have a "successor."
Gu Liren smiled embarrassedly. "I may not be as talented as you in my studies, but I really want to be like my grandfather."
Since she was very young, she had admired her grandfather. Even though she hardly saw him more than a few times a year back then, she still knew that her grandfather was a "great scientist."
"Being able to attend Haicheng University and having good grades isn't impressive? The college entrance examination is much harder now than when I took it." Yun Xiaolu felt that the children in Professor Gu's family might actually be capable of following in the professor's footsteps.
"When you work hard and do well in your graduate studies, there's a good chance you can get into Q University." Professor Gu had always been kind to his grandchildren and would encourage them whenever he had the opportunity.
Gu Jiaran smiled and said, "My sister has always wanted to be a student of Professor Gu, and she will definitely work hard to get in."
"Yun Jia was the most brilliant and diligent student when she was studying. If you all put in half the effort she did, you could get into any school." Although Professor Gu was pleased with his granddaughter's praise, he still praised his own student at this moment.
"In the future, I definitely want to learn from Yun Jia. Her project design this year even made it into our capital city's news." Gu Jiaran became extremely excited when she heard Yun Xiaolu's name in the news. At her age, it was easy for her to have admiration for someone, and it was clear that she idolized Yun Xiaolu.
Yun Xiaolu stayed at the Gu family for quite some time before taking her leave. Professor Gu understood her reason for declining dinner. After all, her parents had just arrived, and it was important for her to spend time with them.
"Professor, I'll come to pay my respects during the Lunar New Year."
"I have some good tea here. Take it back and let your parents taste it."
"Then I'll thank you on behalf of my parents." Yun Xiaolu expressed her gratitude generously and then caught the last bus home.
After Yun Xiaolu left, Gu Fu instructed the housekeeper to take the local specialties to the kitchen. Another set of gifts was originally intended to be combined with the New Year supplies for their household, but after Gu Fu saw its contents, she gave it to Professor Gu.
"These foreign language books must be quite expensive, right? Dad, don't you refuse to accept lavish gifts from students?"
Seeing Professor Gu's fondness for the gift, the children couldn't help but tease their father.
Professor Gu smiled and said, "I wouldn't accept something from just anyone, but Yun Jia is not just anyone. Besides, this gift isn't just for me."
This set of the latest engineering books was newly released abroad and Professor Gu had only heard about it from other professors. He didn't expect Yun Jia to get it so quickly.
"It's evident that you are your father's student, giving books as gifts. It shows that you are kindred spirits."
"Yun Jia also bought a box of super-sized candies, all with foreign labels. Grandpa, can we have some too?"
"If your sister Yun bought it for you, then go ahead and have some." The tea Professor Gu had given was top-notch, and since Yun Jia had accepted it graciously, there was no reason for him to deny the children this candy.
"It's clear that it's a privilege reserved for your favorite student and grandchildren. Back then, my brother and I wanted to have a piece of the butter candy your student gave, but you scolded us for half the night." Gu Fu laughed and brought up the past, reminiscing about the times when they were more cautious.
"Back then, everyone was struggling, so how could we accept such valuable gifts? Now that life is better, it's fine to exchange some food and drinks with relatives and friends without feeling burdened."
When Professor Gu was younger and his family was better off, there were no such rules. But as life became more difficult for everyone, he forbade his students from bringing gifts when they visited him, especially food.
But now that life had improved, he was no longer strapped for resources, and if his students brought something to eat, he could return the favor. Therefore, he no longer strictly adhered to the previous rules.
"However, Dad, your students are truly exceptional. When she was here earlier, I didn't feel comfortable asking about the specifics. Your student must be involved in some major projects, right?"
Gu Yan, the eldest son of the Gu family, worked in the administrative department in the south, so he was relatively sensitive to many developments in the capital city. When the heating equipment renovation plan was announced this year, he heard that there would be an energy generation project involved, and it was likely to be led by the No. 1 Research Institute, which was responsible for advancing the improvement of heating devices.
Upon hearing this, Professor Gu subtly nodded, but anyone could tell how proud he was of his capable student.
Gu Fu was a little surprised by this revelation. She had thought that even if Yun Jia was talented, she would still have to slowly build up her experience and qualifications like her father. But she never expected her to be entrusted with such a significant research project at such a young age.
She had some other thoughts initially, but when she looked back at her nephew and sons, who were acting like "cucumbers in brine," she suddenly realized that she must have had a moment of temporary insanity to have such thoughts in the first place.
When Yun Xiaolu returned home, it was already pitch black outside. Seeing her arrival, Zhao Yueji immediately served up the freshly steamed buns from the pot, accompanied by millet porridge and some side dishes from a colleague's family. Yun Xiaolu's ravenous stomach felt an instant sense of relief.
"Mom, your buns are still the best. There was a time when I dreamt about them while I was abroad, and it made me crave them so much that I couldn't sleep."
Yun Xiaolu quickly devoured two large buns in one go, and the compliments flowed effortlessly, showing that she hadn't forgotten her skills.
"If you like them, Mom will make more for you. Today, I took stock of the Lunar New Year goods you prepared, and there's no need to buy anything else. You don't have to go out these next couple of days. Mom will stay home and make delicious food for you."
"Don't worry, tomorrow I want to take you out for Peking duck. It's not good to wait in line after the New Year. Let's enjoy the best food before the holiday. We don't have to entertain guests this year, so we can be as comfortable as we want."
Yun Xiaolu didn't bring her parents here to serve her. She wanted to take advantage of the New Year when she had time and the city was bustling to take her parents out and show them around.
"That's right, Mom and Dad, you rarely go out. You can't just stay at home all day. Besides, if you don't want to go, I still want to." Xiao'e immediately chimed in, as all the siblings had already discussed it. On this trip to the capital, they had to make sure their parents enjoyed themselves. The eldest brother had even transferred money to her before they left.
Zhao Yueji initially didn't want to spend more money going out, but then she thought about Xiao'e getting married after the New Year, and immediately changed her mind.
"Alright, let's go out tomorrow and have a stroll."
There were plenty of things to buy in the capital, and getting dowry items here was the cheapest option. Since Xiao'e's in-laws were urbanites, they had to make a good impression.
"Tomorrow, we'll go shopping first, then have Peking duck. If we have time in the afternoon, we can also buy some pastries. The freshly baked ones are the most delicious."
The pastry shops during the New Year were usually busy, and they often made new batches in the afternoon. If they were lucky, they could catch them.
"We can also visit various scenic spots. During the holidays, these places are open, and it's most fitting to visit the Imperial City when it's snowing."
If it were autumn or spring, they could even climb the Great Wall, but now it's definitely not possible. However, they can still explore other attractions. There are plenty of places to see in the capital.
"But with this plan, how much money will it cost?" Zhao Yueji and Yun Haisheng both felt concerned.
"It won't cost much. We have benefits from our workplace, so we can get discounts at the tourist sites. Besides, it's not like we're spending every day. It's the Lunar New Year, after all."
As a member of the "high-income" group, Yun Xiaolu was feeling quite financially secure. She no longer resembled the person who cried about being poor a month ago just to buy a house.
"Is there a place in the capital where we can custom-make dresses? Let's go there first tomorrow." Zhao Yueji had her daughter's wedding in mind and wanted to take care of the important matters.
"There should be. Tomorrow, I'll take you to check it out." In reality, Yun Xiaolu wasn't very familiar with it, but she could ask "Love to Learn" to help find it on the map.
For Xiao'e's wedding, Yun Xiaolu also wanted to contribute her efforts. After all, given the current situation, she might not be able to attend Xiao'e's wedding. Yun Xiaolu had practically grown up with Xiao'e and Yun Fan carrying her on their backs when she was little, so she was determined to put her heart into Xiao'e's wedding.
"Besides making dresses, should we also try on wedding gowns?" Xu Nianyun suddenly chimed in, knowing that some people get married in wedding gowns these days. Although it's common for people to wear everyday clothes for weddings now, there's nothing wrong with preparing an extra outfit.