Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 259: The elder sister's telegram, the queen's handicraft (monthly ticket plus more)
As for the arms race among the older generation, it is hard for Fang Yan and Zhu Lin to say.

If anyone of them says “no need to buy it”, their parents will be unhappy.

This is no longer a simple matter, it has become a question of face.

Fortunately, the incomes of both families are not low, so it is unlikely that one will end up killing the other.

Fangyan said to his wife:
"Let them buy if they want. Just think of it as buying rice, flour, grain and oil for the wedding in advance."

Zhu Lin nodded:
"That's right, it doesn't matter who buys it."

……

During dinner, the father Fang Zhenhua, who had just sat down at the table, took out a piece of paper from his pocket and said to his wife He Huiru:
"I almost forgot something important. My eldest daughter replied to the telegram today."

"What did she say?" He Huiru took the telegram.

Fang Zhenhua said:
"You see."

He Huiru unfolded it and took a look. It read:

"My parents-in-law won't let me leave."

"..." He Huiru's face darkened, but she still held back and didn't lose her temper.

Instead, he handed the telegram to the two brothers Fang Yan and Fang Chen and asked them to read it as well.

After reading it, Fangyan was not surprised at all. He said:

"This situation is normal. If my brother-in-law goes back to the city with me, their family will lose a labor force, and they will have to rely on others for their retirement in the future."

"Besides, my brother-in-law will come over, and my work will have to be rearranged. I don't know what he knows or what he can do. Plus, we are the woman's side, so people will think we are a son-in-law who lives with us, so they will probably have a lot of thoughts."

After hearing Fang Yan's analysis, Fang Chen also echoed:

"What Third Brother said makes sense, and there's not much that can be said in a telegram. It's better to write a letter, or just go there in person, so that everything can be explained clearly."

After that, he thought for a moment, then added:

"I think I should go to Inner Mongolia after I finish writing the book in a few days."

"You all have to go to work, so it's more appropriate for me to go. Last time I saw there was a train from Beijing to there, and it's a direct train. It should be much more convenient without having to transfer."

Fangyan remembered the train Fang Chen was talking about. It was the express train 169/70 from Beijing to Baotou every Wednesday, and it happened that her elder sister was there too.

When I heard that the fourth brother was going to go there in person, I immediately shook my head and said:
"It may not work if you go there. We haven't met the family she married into, so who knows what kind of people they are."

Fang Chen said:
"Someone has to go over there anyway. I'm going to take some exercise after I finish writing the book. I'm going to go over and visit my eldest sister and her husband's family. I can come back and report to you later."

After hearing this, my parents hesitated.

Fang Yan then spoke:
"I think it's okay, let Lao Si go."

"By the way, let's make our family's attitude clear. If they don't return to the city now, and the policy is implemented later, blocking their return to the city, then you can't blame us for not saying anything."

"Otherwise, if you keep it vague, when something changes, Big Sister might blame you for not explaining it clearly."

After hearing Fangyan's analysis, the others felt that it made sense. The telegram was vague and they had not yet realized the seriousness of the matter. If they didn't come back now, it would be difficult to come back later.

It's best to talk this out face to face, so you don't have to blame them later.

The most important thing is to send someone to see how the eldest daughter is doing now. We haven’t seen her for so many years. The grandchildren are old enough to help with the cooking, but the family members have never seen them once.

Thinking of this, Father Fang Zhenhua took the lead and said:
"Okay then. I'll have to trouble Fang Chen to make the trip when the time comes."

The old lady also agreed:

"Well, I'll go shopping tomorrow so I can bring some for them as well."

After hearing his parents' agreement, Fang Chen happily agreed.

His novel will be completed in a few days, which means he can set off in a few days.

Fang Yan looked at his father and asked:

"By the way, why is it that only my eldest sister replied, but where is my second sister? Has she not replied yet?"

"No, I guess he hasn't received it yet." Dad shook his head. Mom said:

"You know her temper. She will definitely reply to the telegram after receiving it, regardless of whether she comes back or not. Don't worry about that."

"That's right." Fang Yan nodded.

Seeing that the discussion was over, Fangyan greeted everyone:
"Okay, let's eat."

Everyone picked up their bowls and chopsticks and started eating dinner.

After Fang Zhenhua took a few bites, he thought of his in-laws who hadn't spoken, and asked:

"By the way, Old Zhu, what do your children in the countryside say?"

Professor Zhu shook his head and said:

"I haven't received a reply yet. I guess I won't be free until tomorrow, the weekend. I'll go check on Monday and I think it will be available by then."

Then he explained:
"As long as the date of the college entrance examination has not been determined, you don't have to worry too much about it."

"I estimate that it will take at least a month. Look, the National College Admissions Conference hasn't even finished yet, which means there's still time."

After hearing Lao Zhu's analysis, Fang Zhenhua nodded.

……

After dinner, Fang Chen rushed to wash the dishes.

In order to avoid insomnia at night, he stopped writing according to the requirements of the dialect.

At this time, he tactfully took over the housework from his sister-in-law.

It was just right for him to use washing dishes as a way to digest food. After he had cleaned up his things, he asked Fangyan to give him acupuncture.

After experiencing a treatment yesterday, I slept soundly all night.

I have to let my brother continue to treat him tonight.

While my younger brother started washing the dishes, Fang Yan and Zhu Lin were not idle either. Last time, they received a lot of "囍" characters to be pasted on doors and windows from Dongzhimen Hospital. Now the couple took them out and started to paste them in various places in the house.

But the courtyard is really too big and there are so many rooms that it’s not enough even after I finished pasting them.

But this did not pose a problem for Zhu Lin. She actually picked up the red paper and started cutting it herself. After a short while, she had cut out many "囍" characters.

"Sure, you have this ability?" Fang Yan looked at the queen in surprise.

Zhu Lin smiled and said:

"You forgot, I was sent to work in the Shanxi production team back then, and there were many people in the art troupe there who knew how to cut paper, and this kind of double happiness is the simplest."

Fangyan then remembered that what his wife was talking about was Taiyuan paper-cutting, which was later listed as a national intangible cultural heritage of folk art.

Soon, the doors and windows of the courtyard were covered with "囍" characters.

As soon as these words are posted, the whole yard feels filled with joy.

After finishing all this, Fang Chen also washed the dishes.

Fangyan went to the study with him and started the acupuncture treatment again.

This time, the younger brother was familiar with the procedure and was not nervous at all. While inserting the needle, he asked in dialect:

"Brother, you are going to meet Director Chen Huaikai at the Beijing Film Studio tomorrow. How many characters do you plan to bring with you?"

Fangyan said as he was inserting the needle:
"Just three stories, and the blank space in your third story happens to be a perfect hook."

"Maybe tomorrow night, he won't be able to help but come to see you in person."

PS: After finishing this chapter, I still owe you 39,000.

No more today. Please come early tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)