I'm back in 1990

Chapter 555: My Cousin Comes to the City

Seeing that the business was almost over, An Cheng gave Ma Yifeng a wink, and Ma Yifeng immediately understood. The two had already discussed it when they came to Huang Xiaochuan's office. They hadn't seen each other for more than a month and planned to invite Huang Xiaochuan to get together that evening.

Ma Yifeng suggested to Huang Xiaochuan, "Old Huang, how about we get together tonight? It's been a long time since we've all had a drink and a good time together!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Xiaochuan glanced at Ma Yifeng with disdain: "Forget it, I've experienced your drinking and singing before. Last time, I don't know which immortal got drunk, he was hugging a tree and howling like a banshee. When he got to the most emotional part of the song, he even gnawed on the bark. The three of us tried our best to get you to stay with that tree, but we couldn't. After finally getting you home, your Sang Weihong gave us a lot of complaints."

Ma Yifeng stubbornly replied, "I wasn't in a good mood that time, I had some worries on my mind. Today I'm in a great mood and in good condition. Besides, I'll just have some beer tonight, I won't get drunk."

After Huang Xiaochuan poured out the tea leaves from the gaiwan, he rinsed the gaiwan again. While busy with his hands, he shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, I don't have time to keep you company tonight. My Yu Xiang's cousin's family is here, and my parents-in-law are treating us to dinner. I have to go and keep them company tonight."

Upon hearing this, Ma Yifeng and An Cheng looked disappointed. Well, it seemed there was no chance tonight. Since that was the case, they could only call it a night. However, before leaving the office, An Cheng didn't forget to remind Huang Xiaochuan one more time: "Old Huang, keep an eye on the catalog!"

Huang Xiaochuan laughed and scolded, "So long-winded!"

After getting off work, Huang Xiaochuan went to the hospital to pick up Yu Xiang.

As soon as the car came to a stop, he saw Ji Mei and Yu Xiang walking towards him together. Huang Xiaochuan opened the door, got out of the car, and greeted Ji Mei first.

"Long time no see! Sister Mei, you look better and better! Have you been using some kind of secret recipe? Don't forget to tell my Yu Xiang about it."

Ji Mei also joked with Huang Xiaochuan: "Hey! Isn't this Professor Huang? You're a rare guest! Haven't come to pick up your wife in a long time? What's gotten into you today? Did the sun rise in the west? Why are you behaving so well?"

"Sister Mei, that's not fair of you. You're trying to sow discord between my husband and me. If I'm ever forced to sleep on the sofa, I'll pack my bedding and come to your house to sleep on the floor with Shi Lei."

Ji Mei giggled and said, "Sure! I have no objection, you go ahead!"

At this moment, Yu Xiang interrupted them with a smile, saying, "Alright, alright, so many people are watching, let's hurry up and go!"

Ji Mei smiled and waved to Yu Xiang and Huang Xiaochuan, "See you later! Bye-bye!"

After Ji Mei left, Huang Xiaochuan opened the car door for Yu Xiang.

"Get in the car! It's getting late. Your dad just called to ask when we'll arrive!"

Yu Xiang glanced at her watch: "It's only 6:15, and my dad's already getting anxious? Honestly!"

Li Song is the youngest son of Zheng Aiying's aunt. He is the youngest among their generation, only in his thirties, more than twenty years younger than Zheng Aiying, and only one year older than Yu Xiang. This is a result of the large number of children born in the past. There is an old saying that goes, "A grandson with a cane and a grandfather who is still breastfeeding," which refers to this phenomenon.

After Huang Xiaochuan and Yu Xiang entered the room, they immediately greeted Li Song.

"Cousin!"

Li Song was chatting with Lao Yu when he saw Huang Xiaochuan and Yu Xiang return. He stood up and exclaimed, "Xiang's back! My nephew-in-law's back too!"

Huang Xiaochuan quickly urged, "Uncle, please sit down!"

Old Yu chimed in, "That's right, they're the younger generation. Why are you standing up? Come, come, sit down and have some tea!"

Li Song pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, and handed it to Huang Xiaochuan: "Nephew-in-law, have a smoke!"

Huang Xiaochuan smiled and politely pushed the cigarette Li Song offered back, saying, "Uncle, I don't smoke. You can have yours!"

Seeing Zheng Aiying and her aunt Cao Xiufen busy in the kitchen, Yu Xiang said to Li Song, "Uncle, please sit down. I'll go help my mom in the kitchen!"

Li Song smiled and advised, "You shouldn't go. How can a doctor like you do kitchen work? Your aunt can help! You've worked all day, come back and rest!"

Yu Xiang laughed and said, "Then I definitely have to go! I haven't even said goodbye to my aunt yet!"

As she spoke, Yu Xiang went to the kitchen to find her cousin's wife, Cao Xiufen.

Li Song flattered Lao Yu with an envious look: "Brother-in-law, you and my sister are so lucky! Your son-in-law is a professor, Xiang is a doctor, and Yu Wei and Yu Min are government officials. They are all educated people. It's all thanks to your good upbringing!"

Although Lao Yu was secretly pleased, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out, he said modestly, "It's just so-so."

Then Lao Yu changed the subject and asked, "How's your restaurant business? I heard from your sister that you can earn about 20,000 to 30,000 yuan a year?"

Li Song served in the army for four years because of Lao Yu's connection. However, his education level was too low, so Lao Yu thought about arranging for him to learn a skill in the army so that he could have a livelihood after retiring and returning home. Originally, he wanted him to learn to drive, but he got carsick as soon as he touched the steering wheel. How could he learn like that?

Old Yu had no choice but to ask for help to learn to be a cook. Not long after Li Song retired from the army and returned to his hometown, he opened a small restaurant in the village, which he has been running ever since.

Hearing Lao Yu's words, Li Song began to complain: "How can you make so much money doing business in the countryside! Opening a small restaurant, all the township officials come to collect debts, and when it comes time to ask for payment at the end of the year, they make all sorts of excuses. If you can get back 40% or 50%, you're lucky! When Xiufen and I do the math at the end of the year, not only do we not make any money, we actually lose two or three thousand yuan. All the money we earned in previous years has been wiped out!"

Huang Xiaochuan knew that this phenomenon was very common in rural areas at that time: welcoming guests with food and drink! The atmosphere was very bad! There was a movie called "All Guests Are Welcome" that satirized this phenomenon.

Old Yu was astonished to find that Li Song's small restaurant was actually losing money.

But after hearing what Li Song said, Lao Yu roughly guessed why Li Song and his wife had come to Shanghai. He looked at his eldest son-in-law, Huang Xiaochuan.

When Huang Xiaochuan saw Lao Yu glance at him, he naturally understood what it meant. However, he continued chatting with Li Song without showing any emotion, trying to find out what Li Song's plans were.

"Uncle, in that case, I don't think there's any need to keep this restaurant open. How can we run a business that loses money?"

Li Song reluctantly stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, then sighed, "Nephew-in-law! Don't laugh at me, but if we don't run a restaurant, how will our family eat? Land is scarce and the population is large; how much can we earn in a year by farming?"

Li Song was telling the truth, and at that time the policy of paying three grains and five coins had not yet been abolished, so farmers were living a very tight life.

With a worried look on his face, Li Song continued, "To be honest, we came out this time hoping to find some work in Shanghai. I figured it would be better than staying at home! He Shuisheng and the others from the east end of our village went to Shenzhen to work, and they can save up ten or twenty thousand yuan a year, which is much better than running a restaurant at home."

Hearing Li Song's words, Huang Xiaochuan immediately understood Li Song's purpose in coming to Shanghai. Besides, finding a job was too easy for Huang Xiaochuan. He said to Li Song, "Uncle, don't worry about anything tonight, just enjoy your drink. I'll help you see if I can find you a job that suits you."

Upon hearing this, Li Song immediately said, "I don't pick and choose jobs. I can do any kind of work. To be honest, nephew-in-law, I'm not very educated. I only have a lot of strength and the skill of flipping a wok. I'm just sorry to trouble you."

At this moment, Old Yu spoke up: "Look at what you're saying, what's with all this talk about trouble? Let Xiao Chuan help you look around first. If all else fails, I think you could open a breakfast stall or something. No one should have to pay their bills at a breakfast stall, right?"

Huang Xiaochuan laughed and said, "Dad! I've never heard of anyone hanging up their bill at a breakfast stall! I think we should ask Tang Jianhua later. He's opening more and more restaurants now, so he must need a head chef. The salary he pays is pretty good. My cousin is a head chef, so why not let him give it a try? And my cousin's wife can go with him too. She can help out in the kitchen, serving dishes or something. It doesn't require any special skills, and she can at least earn a salary."

Upon hearing this, Li Song's eyes lit up immediately, and he exclaimed with delight, "Really?"

At this moment, Yu Wei and Tang Yuan, along with Yu Chengping, also entered the house. Upon entering and seeing Huang Xiaochuan, Yu Chengping assumed that Huang Zeji and Huang Ruiying had also arrived. He broke free from his mother Tang Yuan's hand and rushed in, only to be disappointed.

He asked Huang Xiaochuan with a displeased look, "Uncle, why didn't Xiaoduo and Xiaodong come?"

Huang Xiaochuan coaxed him, "Xiaodong and Xiaoduo have been picked up by their grandparents. I'll bring them next time, okay?"

The little guy was still a bit unhappy, but he nodded reluctantly and prepared to leave.

At this moment, Tang Yuan grabbed him: "How rude! Why don't you greet him? This is your great-uncle!"

Yu Chengping glanced up at Li Song, who was smiling at him, and greeted him perfunctorily, "Hello, Uncle!"

Upon hearing this, Li Song's face lit up with a smile, and he immediately took out a red envelope from his pocket and stuffed it into Yu Chengping's hand, indicating that he had prepared it in advance.

"Grandpa, this is not right of you. Why are you doing this at the wrong time of year?" Old Yu took the red envelope from the bewildered Yu Chengping and tried to return it to Li Song.

Poor Yu Chengping hadn't even had time to be happy before the red envelope was gone, and his little face immediately fell!

Li Song was unwilling to take back the red envelope! He insisted on giving it, while Lao Yu insisted that Li Song take it back.

The two pushed and shoved each other like this, and in the end, Li Song, relying on his youth and strength, stuffed the red envelope back into Yu Chengping's hand.

Old Yu had no choice but to give up, thinking he would just give Li Song and his wife more gifts in return later!

Only then were Yu Wei and Tang Yuan able to seize the opportunity to greet Li Song.

"Cousin!"

"Cousin!"

Li Song quickly responded, "Hey! You're back from get off work!"

At this moment, Yu Xiang came out of the kitchen carrying dishes: "Dinner is ready. Everyone, go wash your hands first."

Old Yu said to Li Song with a helpless look, "Look, this is a bad habit that comes from studying medicine. You have to wash your hands before eating, and you have to wash your hands after using the toilet. If you don't wash your hands, you won't get to eat. Come on! Let's go wash our hands too!"

Li Song chuckled and said, "That's a good habit. Everyone's promoting hygiene these days!"

Actually, as soon as Li Song came out of the train station today, he was fined one yuan by an old lady wearing a red armband on her sleeve for spitting on the ground. Cao Xiufen sighed that this is a big city after all, where you have to pay to spit.

Not long after taking their seats, and after completing a round of games, Li Song picked up his glass, stood up, and said to Huang Xiaochuan, "Nephew-in-law, let me toast you. Thank you for your trouble with my matter!"

Huang Xiaochuan quickly stood up as well: "Uncle, what are you doing? How can an elder stand up to toast a junior? Please sit down first, otherwise I can't drink this wine!"

Old Yu stood up and pressed Li Song into a chair, complaining, "Xiao Chuan is right. How can an elder stand while toasting a junior? How is he supposed to drink this? You sit down and let Xiao Chuan toast you!"

Zheng Aiying also said, "That's right, we can't break the rules."

Seeing that everyone disagreed with his approach, Li Song had no choice but to sit down.

At this moment, Huang Xiaochuan raised his glass and clinked it against Li Song's: "Uncle, I'd like to toast you. You must drink more tonight."

"Yes, yes!" Li Song replied, tilting his head back and downing a glass of wine in one gulp.

Zheng Aiying kept putting food on Cao Xiufen's plate, saying, "Xiufen, eat more. Look at you, you're a guest at my house and I even have you cook for me."

"Sis, I can do it myself, I can do it myself!"

Sitting next to Huang Xiaochuan, Yu Wei nudged him with his elbow: "Won't you be punished by kneeling when you get home if you drink too much?"

Upon hearing this, Huang Xiaochuan realized that the kid was resorting to provocation!

He then placed the wine glass directly in front of Yu Wei: "Trying to provoke me, huh? Fine! How about we drink tonight?"

Seeing that the two were arguing again, Yu Xiang glared at Yu Wei unhappily.

Tang Yuan did the same, except she also kicked Yu Wei under the table when no one was looking, but it was no use, as the two of them had already started drinking.

When Lao Yu saw his eldest daughter like this, he advised, "Let the two brothers drink! They're both so busy with work these days, they don't even have a few chances to sit down and drink together all year round."

Actually, this was also what Lao Yu wanted to do so so that the two brothers-in-law could forget those unpleasant things and restore their previous relationship.

Huang Xiaochuan understood what Lao Yu meant, and he also saw through Yu Wei's thoughts. Naturally, he also hoped that the relationship would return to normal. A family can't stay in this awkward situation forever, can they?

Huang Xiaochuan doesn't like to drag things out, so he called his brother-in-law Tang Jianhua the next day.

"Brother-in-law, it's me!"

Tang Jianhua checked the time and found it strange that his brother-in-law had called him in the morning. Usually, if his brother-in-law was treating him to dinner, he would call him in the afternoon. What was going on today?

Tang Jianhua asked, "Xiao Chuan, what's the matter?"

Huang Xiaochuan said directly on the phone, "Yu Xiang's cousin and aunt want to come to the city to find work. Her cousin has run a small restaurant at home for many years, so he should be able to cook a few dishes without any problem. I'd like him to work as a chef at your place. As for her aunt, could you arrange an easier job for her?"

Tang Jianhua readily agreed to his brother-in-law's request, saying without a doubt that without his brother-in-law, he wouldn't have been able to build his business to its current level.

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