Li Xia felt that she could hire someone else to be the manager, and there was no need to hire Shen Yaozong. But from a father’s perspective, she could understand this mentality. Once family affection is involved in something, it cannot be explained by ordinary reason. As a mother with three children, Li Xia could fully understand this feeling of wanting to share her good things with her son.
“I haven’t done this.”
“If you have any questions, you can ask me.”
“Okay. How long will it take? I’ll be very busy if the store over there delivers it.”
“You can take care of both sides and outsource the construction of the factory, which does not require you to spend too much energy.”
“Well, then.”
Li Xia agreed, and the old man turned to look at her. She looked down at herself and asked, “Is there anything wrong with me?”
“Kid, you didn’t mention the reward. You’re going to lose money doing business this way.”
“We are a family.”
The old man’s shrewd eyes were filled with tenderness. “Good girl. This time, the factory construction is left to you, and you can manage the funds.”
All the profits from the factory construction will belong to her. Li Xia smiled and nodded. “Okay, I will do my best.”
On the one hand, he wanted to keep Shen Yaozong and let him seize the opportunity to develop well on the mainland. At the same time, he also wanted to help Li Xia and give her the experience of building a factory. She is now engaged in wholesale, and the next step to expanding is to open a factory. The theory of night school, the practical operation of building a factory, and the advice of the old man have helped her grow step by step.
“Come on, let’s go and have a look.”
Today, the old man drove himself, and Li Xia felt that she had to speed up the process of getting a driver’s license. After accompanying the old man back from the factory, she asked Shen Haiyang, who was returning home from getting off work, to teach her how to drive.
After finding an empty route, Shen Haiyang gave her the driving seat. Li Xia was not particularly brave, but there were no cars on this road, and Shen Haiyang was watching her, so she was not afraid at all. She started the car, held the steering wheel, and stared straight ahead.
She walked in a straight line very smoothly for two days. Then she started to practice other things, such as reversing into a parking space, starting on a slope, and S-shaped roads.
While practicing driving, she was looking for a suitable construction team. This time the project was not small, and her father and cousin had no experience or qualifications to undertake it. Finally, she found the Provincial Urban Construction Company, which was the general contractor. She took on a small job for her father.
Not long after writing the letter, the old man came to the provincial capital with his son and several villagers. Li Xia took them directly to the construction site, and the person in charge of the project arranged for them to work in the shed.
The makeshift house was built with wood, and it was full of bunk beds. The floor was muddy, the floor was not flat, and the room was hot in summer and cold in winter, with no insulation. But this environment is not only now but also on construction sites more than ten years later. Li Xia can’t do anything about it.
“If it’s not raining, we can sleep outside. If it’s raining, we can go inside. Okay, Xia, please come back soon. We can do it ourselves. We can do the construction according to their requirements, such as wall construction and plastering.”
The workers who came were matched with the big and small ones. The old man was worried about his son, so he came along. This time, the eldest and the second son stayed at home to harvest the autumn harvest, and the father and third son carried their bedding to the city to earn money.
Li Xia handed the things for her father and third brother to them, respectively. The old man took the gray short-sleeved thin Dickies trousers in his hands with a smile on his face, but he looked at his daughter and scolded her.
“Just one set is enough; why did you give me two sets? It’s easy to fool people in the summer. You just don’t know how to spend money. You just earned a little money, and you start to spend it recklessly. You have three children. You should save all the extra money. In the future, the children will go to school and get married. There will be many places to spend money.” He handed the set back to her and said, “Here, take this back and sell it.”
The third brother also meant the same thing but was pushed back by Li Xia. She smiled and said to her old father, “It’s not a lot of money. What does your daughter do now? She deals with this. She doesn’t need anything—not clothes. By the way, are the clothes I sent to my mother suitable for her?”
“She is not wearing it. She gave it to your sister-in-law.”
“Why?”
“Your mother isn’t used to the way your clothes look.”
Oh, the old lady had been wearing the kind of tops with side openings all her life, and her trousers were also the old-fashioned Burmese crotch trousers. Although the ones she bought for her were also dark blue, the old lady was not used to that style.
“Then I’ll pull the cloth for her next time.”
“No, she just said you wouldn’t, and you’re spending money again. We’ve already been given so much; don’t worry about it. In the summer, your sister-in-law will buy her a 12-foot-long one, enough for her to wear for a whole set.”
The father and daughter talked as they walked and soon reached the roadside. Li Xia asked, “Where’s my second sister-in-law? Didn’t she say she was coming this time?”
“Didn’t I tell you? Your second brother stopped her. They planted three acres of sesame this year. It’s so hard to harvest it. If she leaves, your second brother won’t be able to handle it all by himself.”
The two children of the eldest sister-in-law are grown up and can help, but the second brother’s children are still young and in school. The second brother is right to do so. It is not right for his wife to earn money outside and leave the housework to others.
“Okay, Dad, go back. I’ll come to see you guys when I’m free. We’re doing this job ourselves, so don’t get too tired. Just do as little as you can and rest when you’re tired.”
The girl felt sorry for him, and the old man was so happy that his teeth were not visible. “I know, I know.”
Li Xia glanced at her third brother before leaving. Just as she was about to speak, he said, “Don’t worry, I’ll watch over him. I’ll take care of dad.”
She rode her bike home and heard the noise in the backyard as soon as she entered the gate. Qin Mu whispered to her and acted as her ear-splitting god.
“The couple quarreled every day. The woman said she wanted to go back to the United States, and the man tried every means to stop her. Yesterday, a western restaurant opened on Century Road, and the three of them went to eat there. Well, this way, they don’t have to find fault with me every day.”
“I’m sorry for making you feel wronged.”
Qin Mu waved her hand and said, “It’s okay. The old man is very reasonable. He will help me speak up and scold them as long as he hears it. He also told me not to be polite with them, and it doesn’t matter if they want to eat or not.”
“Well, the old man is right. You don’t have to be too polite to them. Just go ahead and criticize them if you have to.”
Qin Mu smiled and didn’t say anything. She just wanted to be sure. She was hired by Li Xia to take care of the old man. The couple was only here for a short period of time, so she just ignored them.
“Wait until my shop opens, then you can come and work there.” The wife of the husband’s friend would feel uncomfortable if she helped at home for a long time, as she would be treated as a nanny.
“Actually, I’m fine at your house.”
“It’s better to work in a shop. It’s more formal than this.”
“That’s fine.”
Qin Mu’s education level was not high. She had been a housewife at home for many years and had long been accustomed to this kind of family life. But she could guess what Li Xia was thinking. If someone arranged for her to go to the store, then she would go to the store. In fact, when she thought about selling goods and interacting with all kinds of people, she began to feel scared.
“Brother, brother, please take me with you.”
Kevin’s voice; it’s only been a few days, and he’s calling him brother all the time. Shen Hui was holding a long bamboo pole with a laundry detergent bag tied to the thin end. The bag was stretched open with wire to form an open shape. This was obviously to catch cicadas, one of the favorite activities for children in the summer.
“Oh, I’m so annoyed. If I take you there, I don’t know what your mother will say when we get back, saying that we have corrupted you. Just stay at home and watch TV; don’t follow us. We are all wild children, and we can’t take care of a grown man like you.”
What did Annie say? Li Xia had never heard the children say that. As she was talking, the children came in and saw her. Huihua and Shen Hui looked at each other, asking if their mother had heard what they had just said. Their mother was very busy every day, and they didn’t want to cause any more trouble for her.
“mom,”
“Are you going to catch cicadas?”
Yiyi came out of the kitchen holding two soda bottles filled with cold water. Seeing Li Xia, the brat quickly said, “Auntie gave me boiled water, not tap water.”
“Go have fun, and be safe.”
The three children turned around and left happily, and Kevin was anxious to follow them. Shen Hui handed the pole in his hand to Huihua, turned around, grabbed Kevin’s collar, and pulled him back.
“Don’t come with me; don’t come with me. How many times do I have to tell you before you understand?”
“Brother, I want to play with you.”
“I don’t want to play with you.”
Shen Hui used a lot of force and seemed to be very resentful of his little cousin. After dragging him to the door of the east wing, he let go and ran away quickly.
Kevin wanted to chase them, but Li Xia held him back. “Don’t run around; they’ve already run far away, and you can’t catch up. You’re not familiar with the terrain; what will you do if you get lost?”
The little guy couldn’t break free, so he relaxed dejectedly. “Auntie, I want to play with my brothers and sister. Can you let them play with me?”
“Then do you know why your brothers and sister didn’t take you with them?”
“Because my mother said they were wild kids, unsophisticated. And it would turn me into an unsophisticated kid, too. But that’s what my mother said. I like my brothers and sister, and I like to go out and play. I don’t want to stay at home and play the piano all day.”
“Kevin,”
Annie came out of the backyard while talking. Kevin hid behind Li Xia as soon as he heard his mother calling him. Li Xia got up and went into the kitchen, and Annie took him back to the backyard.
Soon the sound of the piano could be heard, and soon Annie’s scolding followed. Qin Mu shook her head, feeling very sympathetic towards the little guy.
“Children this young are just at the right age to love playing. I thought you were very strict with your three children and were willing to spend money on them. But I didn’t expect Annie to be even more strict… Kevin is about the same age as Yiyi, but he is actually asked to practice the piano for six hours a day. My God, let alone a child, an adult would not be able to sit still either.”
“That’s how pianists are made.” Facing Qin Mu’s surprised eyes, she continued, “Talent alone is not enough without hard work. These three members of my family just practice as a hobby, and I don’t have time to watch them practice every day. It’s up to you; I don’t want them to become pianists.”
“It’s not easy for children. My family doesn’t care about anything else except school. They don’t do homework during holidays and just play all day. They are still young. If they don’t play now, they won’t have free time when they have jobs, start families, and have heavy burdens.”
“Your two children are doing well in their studies, right?”
Shen Haiyang got married late, so Han Jun, who is younger than him, has a child who is older than Shen Hui. The older one is in the third grade, and the younger one is in the first grade.
“Not bad. Not as good as your Shen Hui, but we don’t ask for too much; 70 or 80 is good enough.”
Li Xia never figured out whether it was more important for children to have a happy childhood or to seize the time to learn. So she was split between the two, letting them learn as much as they could within their capacity. The more they learn when they are young, the wider the road ahead and the greater the choices they will have.
The couple didn’t come to the table for dinner. This has been going on for days. Li Xia didn’t even call them. Eat it or not. Who indulges in your bad habits? If you want to eat Western food, cook it yourself or go out for dinner.
Shen Yaozong tried to persuade the old man but failed, and the family of three was stuck here these days. They wanted to leave, but they were afraid that the old man would leave all his property to Shen Haiyang. If they stayed, the conditions were too difficult for them to adapt to.
After dinner, Li Xia learned that the family of three had left with their luggage. She thought they couldn’t stand it anymore, so they returned to the United States overnight. However, the family of three came back the next morning.
“Half a month. I will leave after half a month. I can’t stand it here anymore.”
Annie gave Shen Yaozong an ultimatum at the gate, and Shen Yaozong frowned and nodded, very annoyed with the current situation. On the contrary, Kevin liked this place very much, and as soon as he entered the door, he broke away from his mother’s hand and went to find Shen Hui.
“Brother, brother, I…”
“Kevin, come back here.”
Annie was furious and said she couldn’t tolerate her son’s behavior. He was such a good and fashionable child, but after such a short time back home, he actually liked rolling hoops, skipping rubber ropes, and playing with eggs.
How could this be possible? She would never allow her westernized son to become a country boy.
Kevin was stopped by his mother, and his plan to find his brother failed again. The family of three went to the backyard, and soon the piano sounded again. But this time it was not rhythmic piano music but a chaotic mess, and the heart of the listener lost its rhythm.
Li Xia glanced at Shen Haiyang, then turned and walked towards the backyard. She hurried over, and before the old man standing at the door could speak, she pulled the brat off the piano bench.
Kevin was frightened by his aunt’s angry look, and for a moment he was as quiet as a cicada and dared not speak. Anne was also very angry about her son’s disruptive behavior and was ready to teach him a lesson, but she was immediately unhappy because someone else had done it first.
“Li Xia, you treat your nephew like this.”
“Go, leave here right now.” The old man didn’t wait for her to finish, and he drove them away directly, holding his chest. He didn’t say it to his daughter-in-law but to Shen Yaozong, who looked apologetic.
“I can’t afford to be pampered like this. Take your wife and children and leave now.”
“Dad, I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize; just leave now.”
After being kicked out by his father, Shen Yaozong lost all his temper. He started to complain to Annie, but Annie took the child and left without paying any attention to him.
“I didn’t want to stay any longer anyway, so you can stay if you want.”
The woman took the child away. Kevin turned around and stretched out his hand to call Daddy, but he was too small to resist. His mother held him back, and he couldn’t stop.
On that day, the mother and son bought train tickets to Shanghai and then flew back to the United States. Shen Yaozong was in a dilemma and could not help but blame his father and Shen Haiyang again. It was all Shen Haiyang’s fault. If it weren’t for him, his father would not have given up his development in the United States and returned to this backward place.
A new barbecue stall had just opened on the street. After drinking two bottles of beer, he knocked on the door of the Shen family. It was ten o’clock at night, and it was Shen Haiyang who answered the door.
“Shen Haiyang, you are really my nemesis.”
“Then you should stay away from me.”
“It was you who broke into my life.”
“I already exist, and it won’t change because of you.”
Shen Yaozong gritted his teeth in hatred, but he could do nothing about the current situation. The old man wanted him to stay and manage the factory, but he was not optimistic about opening a factory on the mainland, and he could not accept the living environment on the mainland.
The next day, he was carrying his luggage, looking like he was leaving, and said only one sentence to the old man when he said goodbye: “Don’t forget, you still have a son like me.”
The old man sighed and wanted to learn from his American parents. He was already so old, and as a father, he should not care about him anymore and let him bump into things on his own.
However, he was educated in China since he was young, and he returned to his roots when he got old. The ancients’ thoughts suppressed his Western ideas abroad for decades. Seeing the huge business opportunities and the dragon that was beginning to take off, he wanted him to take off with the east wind and feel the patriotism in his blood.
“You know very well that our previous business can no longer continue. It’s time to seek a breakthrough. China is now reforming, and the population alone is a huge market. From small things like food, drink, and defecation to various household items, No matter what you do, there are many choices. Don’t be so impetuous; calm down and observe carefully. Do good market research; don’t just listen to what others say. Use your own eyes to see.”
The old man spoke, and Shen Yaozong stayed with simple words. He returned to the east room, and the old man looked at his back and shook his head. If you want to stay, I have to treat you well. But you are not a decent kid. I will give you time to slowly understand this country. Don’t be prejudiced; go and experience it yourself.
