Restarting life by going to the countryside to support medical work

Chapter 598 Help?

What is Tong Xiurong going out to do right now? Of course, she's going to find Luo Min.

She has always been a decisive person; once she decides to do something, she'll do it as soon as possible.

After changing buses three times, she arrived at the gate of the Political Academy in Dianhai District, just in time for lunch.

This school is essentially a training center for in-service police officers, so of course, it's not a place that outsiders can just walk into.

Fortunately, get out of class had just ended, and Tong Xiurong had used her charm, and since she had approached the husband of the deputy director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, the guard on duty at the gatehouse rushed off to call for her.

The duty officer stopped Luo Min on her way to the cafeteria.

When Luo Min heard that someone named Tong Xiurong was looking for her at the main gate, she was stunned for a long time before she could remember who it was.

After graduating from junior high school, she was admitted to high school, while Tong Xiurong attended a junior high school vocational school. Just then, Luo Lao was promoted, and her family moved out of the compound.

After that, the two of them almost never saw each other again.

Later, when they got married, the social environment was like that. At that time, the government was promoting changing customs and traditions, so everyone simply got a marriage certificate and at most had a meal together as a family to finish the ceremony.

Moreover, when Luo Min got married, Old Master Luo was still hiding in that small town in the Northwest. Apart from a few families with particularly good relations, such as the Su family, most people did not know that Luo's youngest daughter had run back from the Northwest to get married. It was only after Old Master Luo returned to Beijing from the Northwest that the news gradually spread.

By the time Luo returned to Beijing, the Huang family had already run into trouble and gone to the Northeast Forest Farm.

All things considered, she and Tong Xirong hadn't seen each other for over a decade, so why did she come to the school to look for her today?

Filled with questions, Luo Min handed her lunchbox to a classmate she was close to, asking her to get her some food, and then went to the school gate.

When Tong Xiurong saw Luo Min, her mind went blank for a moment.

What the hell is this?

She and Luo Min were both born in 1950, and they are both thirty years old this year.

But the woman in the police uniform who walked towards her looked to be no more than her early twenties.

If she hadn't been certain that the Luo family only had two daughters, and that Luo Ting was several years older than them, she would have doubted whether this was really Luo Min.

"Why are you looking at me with such a strange gaze? Don't you recognize me?"

Luo Min knew perfectly well why Tong Xiurong looked so surprised when she saw her.

She often feels troubled to some extent by the fact that her appearance does not match her age.

For example, she often encounters elderly people she doesn't know who immediately try to introduce her to potential partners. She tells them she's already married and has a ten-year-old son, but they don't believe her at all. They just think she's making excuses and keep telling her how great the man is, how he has a stable job, and how his workplace will provide him with housing once they get married.

She was left both amused and exasperated.

Everyone loves beauty. When you have enough to eat and wear and a place to shelter from the wind and rain, every woman will want to look beautiful.

Even the ancients had a pursuit of eternal youth.

Whether it's beauty or eternal youth, even with her calm and collected personality, Luo Min is not immune to the common fate.

A woman dresses up for the man who appreciates her; she likes her husband's eyes to be glued to her, but that's all.

As for other people, she feels uncomfortable if others, especially men, look at her too much.

“If I didn’t know that you were the youngest in your family, I would have suspected that you weren’t Luo Min, but her sister.”

Luo Min's words startled Tong Xiurong from her daze, and she stepped forward enthusiastically to take her old classmate's hand.

When she saw Li Yancheng in the morning, she was already very surprised. According to what she knew, although he was young, he should be almost forty years old. However, judging from his appearance, he looked about the same age as her deceased husband.

Seeing Luo Min again immediately made her certain of one thing: had the couple been using some kind of drug?
Otherwise, how could they all be so young, with the women being beautiful and the men handsome, especially their skin, which is so smooth and delicate?

The thought of having a drug that could make her more beautiful and younger made her gaze at Luo Min even more ardent.

As I said before, given the opportunity, no woman would resist the allure of beauty.

Luo Min felt slightly uncomfortable with her hand being grabbed; she was still not used to being too close to others.

But Tong Xiurong was, after all, a childhood playmate, so she couldn't show her repulsion too obviously and could only let her hold her hand.

"Rongrong, may I call you that?"

"Of course you can, that's what you've always called me before."

In terms of their relationship, the two of them had a pretty good relationship when they were young. They were one of the few friends that Luo Min could sit together to do homework after school.

"Come on, I'll treat you to a meal."

Luo Min grabbed Tong Xiurong's hand and pulled her across the street.

"Let me tell you, that restaurant's Zhajiangmian (noodles with soybean paste) is really good. I guarantee you'll want to come back for more after the first time. I was just thinking of finding a chance to eat there, and it's perfect that you're here today."

"Okay, I came here at this time hoping to get a meal here."

……

"Speak up, Rongrong. You came all this way to see me today, it can't be for this meal. Is there something you need my help with?"

During the meal, Tong Xiurong didn't mention the purpose of her visit, and Luo Min didn't ask either. The two simply chatted briefly about their current situations.

It wasn't until Luo Min finished her bowl of noodles and started drinking the broth that she finally asked a question.

"I do need your help with something." Tong Xiurong nodded generously.

"I met with your Director Li just before I came here."

Upon hearing that she had seen her man, Luo Min raised an eyebrow but remained silent. Instead, she picked up the bowl on the table, took a sip of noodle soup, and waited for her to continue.

Given the nature of her husband's job, it's normal for him to meet with anyone. She would never have any reservations just because he met a woman.

Tong Xiurong didn't pretend to be mysterious and immediately recounted what had happened that morning.

Of course, she didn't say that she still wanted to make a move on Li Yancheng, and even now that thought hadn't faded. In her opinion, if she really had to give herself to someone, she would naturally choose a stronger one.

She told Luo Min that it was Chen Xiangtian, the eldest son of the Chen family, who invited her man to her teahouse to discuss matters.

Tong Xiurong didn't actually know what Elder Chen was talking about with Li Yancheng, but she could roughly guess that it was related to Chen Xiangyang.

Although she had only been back in Beijing for three years, she had heard a lot of stories from others about the despicable things the Chen family had done.

This guy had once tried to make a move on her, but he gave up because he noticed his brother often went to Tong Xiurong's teahouse and assumed the woman was already with his brother.

Otherwise, she might not have been able to escape Chen Xiangyang's clutches.

If Chen Laosan sets his sights on someone, he'll use every trick in the book, from soft to hard, to get her.

She knew very well that if she wanted to succeed, she needed someone to rely on, but she would never choose a playboy like Chen Xiangyang.

The main problem is that this guy has no resources or connections. The reason he can get by so smoothly is only because others give his father face. If you take that back, he's just an ordinary person who blends into the crowd.

The person Tong Xiurong wants to rely on must have their own abilities, not someone like Chen Xiangyang who acts recklessly outside because of his parents' influence.

Luo Min had already figured out what her old classmate, whom she hadn't seen for over a decade, wanted to do today, but...

"Rongrong, I understand what you mean, but how do you want me to help you? These kinds of rumors circulating outside can't be solved by just one or two people, can they?"

She didn't want to find out whether what her old classmate said was true or false. If she could help, she was willing to lend a hand, as it might not cause her any harm.

"Uh...it's actually very simple, we just need to let others know that we have a good relationship."

Tong Xiurong's words made Luo Min narrow her eyes. She understood that Tong Xiurong wanted her to endorse her.

No, it wasn't just herself; what this old classmate really wanted was for her man to vouch for her.

To be honest, Luo Min felt that endorsing her wasn't out of the question, but not in this situation. If possible, she was willing to offer some help herself, but when it came to her man, she absolutely wouldn't allow even the slightest possibility of jeopardizing his reputation.

Under Tong Xiurong's expectant and apprehensive gaze, Luo Min pondered for a moment before saying, "Your method isn't impossible, but I have one condition."

"you say"

“Close that teahouse, or rather, even if it remains open in the future, it cannot have any direct or indirect relationship with you. As long as you can do this, I can provide you with some assistance within my capacity.”

Luo Min was well aware of how difficult it was for a woman with no one to rely on to choose the path of advancement, but she also knew that if she really wanted to make something of herself, she had to be single-minded.

Was it the right step to build your network of connections through that teahouse?

Of course, that's absolutely right. However, this path has already brought you negative consequences, so you must make a clean break. If you continue down this path, it will only push away those who are truly capable.

No one is not worried about getting covered in the smell of mutton even though they didn't get to eat any.

If that teahouse continues to operate, the people who go there will become increasingly mixed, and over time, the people who go there will become even less classy.

Over time, it will become a true den of iniquity.

By then, it would be even more impossible for Tong Xiurong to escape.

And her reputation was completely ruined; no normal person would dare to help her anymore.

Does Tong Xiurong know these things?

She was smart and could understand it, but that teahouse was also her hard work, and she had indeed made many friends there in the past two years.

Although these people can't help her much right now, what about later?
Ok?
She suddenly realized that some people hadn't visited her in a while.

When did it start?
It seems that this was around the time when rumors circulated that she had all sorts of messy things going on with her.

Thinking about this, she understood a lot.

It seems like it's time to say goodbye to the past.

If she wanted to achieve something in her career, she was determined not to let herself be stigmatized any longer.

Don't say things like "the innocent are innocent"; no matter what's behind the scenes, you have to appear virtuous on the surface.

Within the system, stigma is absolutely unacceptable. Not to mention stigma, even the slightest bad rumor can be used by others to attack you.

If this happened at a crucial moment when someone was being promoted, wouldn't everything be over?

“I understand.” Tong Xiurong nodded and said, “Starting tomorrow, the teahouse will cease to exist, and I will find a way to dispose of the courtyard as soon as possible.”

"The teahouse can be closed, but the courtyard doesn't need to be dealt with. You can keep it. You just said that courtyard is a standard two-courtyard siheyuan?"

"Yes, that's the Huang family's old house. It was returned to me by the organization after I returned to Beijing this time."

"Keep it, as a keepsake, and besides..."

Luo Min paused for a moment, then smiled and explained, "Actually, I don't know either. I just heard my husband say that in the future, there will be fewer and fewer courtyard houses with clear property rights."

"I hadn't even thought of that until you mentioned it. I heard you also live in a courtyard house?"

"Yes, it's right in Meishan."

"Logically, you should have been allocated an apartment building, right?" Tong Xiurong asked with some doubt.

"Why are you still living here... Don't take offense at my harsh words, but I just think all those courtyard houses are dilapidated."

A dilapidated courtyard?
That's because you haven't been to my house. Come and see for yourself, and I guarantee you won't say it's a run-down yard anymore. No apartment building can be as comfortable as my house.

Luo Min muttered to himself.

"We're used to living here, but we still prefer the feeling of being grounded."

"I see. So, is your family the only one living in the yard?"

"Yes, all the original neighbors moved away, and we bought the properties they owned."

Like your courtyard, it's a standard two-courtyard siheyuan (traditional courtyard house).

She didn't mention that her family still has a large courtyard covering an area of ​​more than 20,000 square meters.

If this were to be told to others, it would sound a bit like showing off.

“You’re right. Keeping it is a way to remember the place. Keep the courtyard and close the teahouse. That’s good. It’ll give Old Xu a place to stay.”

The "Old Xu" that Tong Xiurong mentioned is the person who is currently cooking at the teahouse.

Old Xu is already sixty years old. He used to be the cook for the Huang family. After the old man of the Huang family had an accident, he was not spared either. However, he did not go to the Northeast, but went to work in the rural areas around Beijing.

Three years ago, after Tong Xiurong returned to Beijing, she also brought him back. Old Xu was all alone and helpless, so he lived in the front yard of her teahouse, where he would help look after the house and cook for her.

If she sells that courtyard, Old Xu will really have nowhere to go.

She doesn't usually live in that courtyard. In her words, it's too big. Although Old Xu lives in the front yard, she's still afraid to be alone in the back yard.

Moreover, sometimes people play cards there, sometimes all night long, and she doesn't have time to keep them company.

Whether or not customers pay for tea, videos, or cards at her place is entirely up to them, and she has never asked for payment even if they don't.

There are also generous people who always give more, like that young man named Dalin who just passed by. He always leaves at least one hundred yuan before he leaves.

Furthermore, when Chen Xiangyang left before, he left behind even more money, ranging from three to five hundred to as much as a thousand.

It should be said that the income from this teahouse is quite considerable for Tong Xiurong, but she doesn't rely on this money to make a living. She is now a well-off woman.

After she returned from Northeast China, the organization paid back the wages of her father-in-law, mother-in-law, husband, and herself for those years, and also gave them a lot of subsidies. In addition, because those three people passed away, the organization also gave them some funeral expenses.

All of this money combined made her a double millionaire.

Therefore, even if the teahouse is closed now, it will not have any impact on her life.

The courtyard will be managed by Lao Xu. He can simply turn away anyone who comes to play there.

She was also a bit troubled, as this would definitely offend some people, but there was no other way; one always had to make a choice in these situations.

In the future, as long as I can get help from Luo Min and her husband, what does it matter if I offend those people?

"Rongrong, let's get this straight. Considering we were childhood playmates and old classmates, I'm willing to help you. However, from now on, you can't do anything out of line. If I hear anyone say you've done anything illegal or disorderly, don't blame me for not taking the past into consideration."

"I don't care what you do; it won't affect me much. But it absolutely cannot affect my man, otherwise, we can't even be friends anymore."

Luo Min said very seriously.

She wasn't very interested in whether she would get a promotion in the future. It was Li Yancheng who insisted on her taking this job, saying that he didn't want her to be out of touch with society and that he wanted her to have her own things to do instead of just spending all her time taking care of the pots and pans at home.

She neither confirmed nor denied this, but if she had the choice, she would prefer to stay at home and raise her children.

She was willing to listen to her husband's arrangements because she didn't want to go against his good intentions.

"I understand," Tong Xiurong said. She didn't think Luo Min's words were unpleasant; she thought it was normal. It's good to clarify things beforehand and draw a line so that people can stay true to their place in future interactions.

She also gleaned another meaning from her old classmate's words: that her old classmate valued her husband's future much more than her own.

This also served as a reminder to her that if she wanted to get help from this person in the future, she had to completely suppress her little thoughts and never let them show, otherwise, she might suffer a terrible fate.

But it doesn't matter. All she wants is someone to rely on. If she can get help without having to submit to someone, why not?

But why do those dark, bright eyes, which seem to see right through people, always appear in her mind?
And that face, seemingly gentle and approachable, yet exuding an aloofness that keeps people at arm's length. This stark contrast made her feel an intense itch, as if a swarm of ants were crawling all over her heart.

(End of this chapter)