Exciting 1979!

Chapter 256 The Best Birthday Gift

Gong Xue immediately covered her mouth, otherwise she would have definitely screamed.

Wei Ming closed the door and casually said, "Please sit wherever you like. I'll wash up first. Oh, this is normal, don't worry about it."

While Wei Ming went to wash up, Gong Xue secretly put something under her pillow and then pretended nothing had happened.

When Wei Ming came out, he didn't even put on his pants before hugging Xue Jie and kissing her, his breath very fresh.

Sister Xue felt that her underwear was about to be ruined again, so she quickly pushed Wei Ming away: "Didn't we agree to go shopping and see a movie today?"

Wei Ming hugged the petite Xue Jie and then looked down at her.

The kind older sister gently comforted her: "How about I use my hands?" Just like last time in the courtyard, the first time was awkward, but the second time should be easier.

Wei Ming didn't agree. He got up to put on his pants, as he needed them for later that night, so he had to restrain himself for now.

"Where shall we go?" Gong Xue asked with a smile after going downstairs. "I can be your guide."

"Let's have breakfast first. What do people usually eat for breakfast in Shanghai?"

"Let's have some wontons, they sell them over there."

"Okay, I'll do as you say."

After having a light breakfast, Gong Xue asked again where to go.

As Wei Ming walked, he said, "I want to buy us an apartment in Shanghai. Do you know where we should go?"

Upon hearing this, Gong Xue was completely stunned, feeling a mix of shyness and love, as well as emotion and excitement.

"Buy, buy a house?"

Wei Ming: "Yes, buy a house."

If I had my own house, it probably would have been settled last night.

But Gong Xue still offered a word of advice: "Didn't you buy a courtyard house in Yanjing? You already have two houses."

No, it's three sets.

Wei Ming explained, "But you're in Shanghai. No matter where you end up in the future, your family is in Shanghai, so let's get a house in Shanghai. Don't worry about the money for me; you have no idea how rich I am."

Gong Xue really couldn't imagine that he could still have 10,000 yuan after buying a courtyard house.

However, the issue of buying a house has also become a challenge for Gong Xue. Nowadays, houses are basically allocated by work units. Although the construction of commercial housing has been promoted from top to bottom since last year, the response has not been quick enough.

I heard that Shanghai has also built a pilot commercial housing project, but there are only about 20 units, and they are only sold to overseas Chinese. Although Wei Ming has foreign exchange, he does not have the qualifications.

Then there are those who already own private property and intend to go abroad, just like buying a courtyard house in Yanjing.

Seeing that Sister Xue couldn't offer any good advice, Wei Ming suggested, "Where are there many old houses? Let's see if anyone wants to sell."

The courtyard houses in Beijing have begun to be returned to their original owners, and presumably the old villas in Shanghai should also be returned one after another. It's not impossible to find some people who want to sell them and go abroad, after all, Shanghai is a big city, and the rate of people going abroad is even higher than in Beijing.

Gong Xue does know this.

“There are quite a few old villas in Jing’an, where we live.”

Jing'an District is not large, but it once had more than a dozen private gardens, such as Zhang Garden, Xu Garden, Yu Garden, Xin Garden, Nan Garden, and Aili Garden, making it a gathering place for the wealthy.

Gong Xue recalled for a moment: "I remember there's one near the Sixth Hospital, let's go there and take a look."

She has a deep memory of this place because her older brother was hospitalized here when she was a child. She remembers that there were many beautiful Western-style houses there, but she could only look at them from the outside. At that time, she thought that the people living inside must be princesses.

Later I found out it wasn't a princess, but an official, and it was the place where officials worked.

"Is it far?" Wei Ming asked.

"It's not far. Just walk along Shaanxi North Road and you'll see it in less than 20 minutes. I've heard there are many former residences of famous people there."

Twenty minutes isn't long. Wei Ming and Sister Xue strolled leisurely through the streets of Shanghai. Generally speaking, Shanghai girls tend to have more fashionable clothes. If Oriental Plaza could open here, the market would probably be even bigger.

However, it's meaningless now. According to Gong Xue, clothing stores that follow the Xintiandi model have already opened. Both their services and clothing are copied from Xintiandi, and they are doing quite well. There are more than one such store, but they are all individually owned.

Surprisingly, it was the individual business owners in Shanghai who acted even faster.

The two walked along Shaanxi North Road until they reached the intersection with Yanjing West Road.

Gong Xue said, "There are many old Western-style houses here."

There was also a park nearby, and the two saw a building with a distinct European architectural style. Wei Ming immediately wanted to go and take a look.

Gong Xue said directly, "This seems to be the editorial department of the 'Cihai' dictionary published by Zhonghua Book Company."

Wei Ming said disappointedly, "It has a work unit, but I don't know who the previous owner was?"

"Oh, this used to be the Ho Tung Mansion. Do you know Ho Tung-nong?"

An old man's voice came from behind Wei Minggong. The man was well-dressed and, despite his age, still had a refined demeanor, befitting a sophisticated old Shanghai gentleman.

Gong Xue didn't know "He Dong," but Wei Ming did.

"Sir, are you talking about Ho Tung, the man who wielded immense influence in Hong Kong?"

"Oh, young man, you've got some knowledge. That's right. Although they mainly live in Hong Kong and Macau, they're quite influential in Shanghai. They've invested in many companies. In the past, almost all the real estate along Daming Road, Tanggu Road, Nanxun Road, and Emei Road in the North Bund area belonged to the He family. Taiping Garden over there also belonged to the He family. However, after the founding of the People's Republic of China, they were all nationalized." The old man spoke fluently about these old stories of Shanghai.

As Hong Kong's first richest man and the head of the four old-established families, the Ho Tung family indeed had many businesses. Stanley Ho, the later gambling king of Macau, also benefited to some extent from his great-uncle's influence.

Wei Ming was overjoyed; he had finally met someone who understood him and might be able to offer some help with his home-buying endeavor.

"Sir, do you know of any old houses that have been returned to individuals and are intended for sale?"

"Most of the old houses around here are occupied by work units, and I haven't heard of any of them being returned to individuals. Young man, why are you asking about this?" the old man asked in return.

Wei Ming honestly said, "I'm from out of town, and my partner's family can't fit us all, so I'm thinking of buying a house."

The old man chuckled, finding it absurd: "These houses are beyond the reach of a young person like you! That's just wishful thinking!"

Wei Ming laughed as well: "This has nothing to do with age, and buying a house isn't about how much money you have, is it?"

The old man looked Wei Ming up and down again, wondering if he was some young master from a wealthy family. He noticed a pretty girl with him, which made it seem quite possible.

He has always looked down on young people who flaunt their parents' wealth and status, but he doesn't think it's shameful for them to make money.

"If I really help you find it and we even reach an agreement, I'll have to ask for a tip, five... three points." The old man originally held out one palm, but then reduced it to three fingers; five palms seemed a bit too greedy.

Wei Ming asked first, "May I ask how you should be addressed, sir?"

"My surname is Fei, you can call me Uncle Fei."

"If we can reach an agreement, the three points are not a problem. However, Uncle, you must be tired. I would like to ask where Jueyuan No. 2 is. Could you take me to see it?"

Old Fei asked in surprise: "Jueyuan No. 2? The Shi family's Jueyuan No. 2 building?"

Wei Ming: "Exactly."

"Young man, what is your surname?"

Wei Ming: "My surname is Wei, and I'm related to the Shi family in some way."

Gong Xue had heard Wei Ming mention that his grandfather's sister had married a banker from Shanghai, who should be from the Shi family.

Old Fei said, "Then come with me."

Jueyuan, formerly known as Nanyuan, was originally owned by the brothers Jian Zhaonan and Jian Yujie, owners of the Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company. It covered an area of ​​15000 square meters.

After Jian Zhaonan passed away, his younger brother donated part of the land to the Buddhist Pure Land Society in accordance with his will. The remaining land was sold in plots, and the various landowners built 22 Western-style houses, including Dai Jitao, a good friend of Chiang Kai-shek, and Zhao Puchu, a patriotic religious leader.

Another family, the Shi family, bought two plots of land, namely No. 2 and No. 16 Jueyuan. The first wife lives in the former, and the second wife lives in the latter.

Wei Ming's great-aunt, Wei Lindi, was married to the eldest grandson of the Shi family and lived at No. 2 Jueyuan.

The Shi family has many businesses, including banking, healthcare, railways, and hydroelectric plants. They also have influence in the government, and a family member is the ambassador to the United States.

So after her great-aunt's father-in-law passed away, during the Liberation War, having seen the situation clearly, her whole family immigrated to the United States.

The situation was that Chiang Kai-shek couldn't win, but if they stayed, they would also inevitably lose.

It is said that my great-aunt's family is still involved in the banking and medical industries in the United States, making them one of the most successful Chinese Americans.

In her previous life, Wei Ming had only heard about her great-aunt's family from her aunt. When she was young, she studied in the United States, and her great-aunt took care of everything, from choosing a school to finding accommodation.

However, when Wei Ming reunited with his aunt, all three of his grandfathers had already passed away, and Wei Ming did not make any special contact with people in the United States.

However, my great-grandfather in Taiwan and my great-aunt's family in the United States have a close relationship. I'm afraid they don't like my grandfather and the power behind him. Otherwise, they could still live a life of revelry in Shanghai. Why would they have to travel across the ocean and live under someone else's roof?

"This is it." Old Fei pointed to a large mansion in front of them, even more impressive than the Ho Tung Mansion they had just visited.

Wei Ming saw a sign hanging at the entrance, indicating that it was now the office space of Shanghai Electric Import & Export Company.

Wei Ming recalled that this location and this building seemed to be the Picasso Memorial Hall in his previous life, which was also a popular spot for internet celebrities to take photos. Even the TV series "The Story of Rose" was filmed here.

So this is my great-aunt's house. He even brought his girlfriend here before.

According to Lao Gui's letter, he often stayed at his brother-in-law's house in Shanghai, relying on the Shi family's influence to carry out many underground operations. "Do you like it?" Wei Ming asked Sister Xue.

Sister Xue smiled faintly, unsure how to express herself. Who wouldn't love such a beautiful house? But it was too big; it felt like it would be suitable for three generations to live together. She would be afraid to live alone.

Wei Ming looked inside from outside and asked, "Uncle, how much do you think we could get for this house if it were for sale?"

Old Fei laughed and said, "Don't even think about it. Unless the Shi family comes back with the property deed, the government definitely won't sell this kind of house."

Wei Ming asked, "Why?"

Old Fei thought for a moment and said, "The Shi family has always had a good reputation. They did a lot of good things for the country and the people during the war. Many hospitals and universities have received donations from them. Although we occupied their house back then, the policy is different now. We must ensure that they have ancestral property to live in if they want to come back."

Wei Ming nodded, and a thought suddenly popped into his mind: could he help his great-aunt get the house back?

Even if you get it back, it won't be yours. It's fine for temporary residence, but you still have to buy your own place.

After wandering around for a while, it was noon. Wei Ming didn't want to have an old gentleman with him while having lunch with Sister Xue, so he left the guesthouse's phone number with Lao Fei.

“You can reach me by calling this number recently. If you can’t, it means I’ve left Shanghai. You can write to this address.” Wei Ming also left the address of the Yanjing Courtyard.

Old Fei thought to himself, "So it's Master Jing. No wonder he's so arrogant."

Despite his respectable appearance and broad knowledge, he made a mistake in the financial field and was released a couple of years ago. He has no job and relies entirely on his wife to support him. He really wants to make money now.

Wei Ming and Xue Jie continued their date, having lunch and buying some more things on Nanjing Road before watching a movie.

"What do you think teenage girls like?" Wei Ming asked Sister Xue.

"Did you buy this for your younger sister?"

"She's kind of like a younger sister to me, my pen pal from Hong Kong. She recently had her birthday, and she's helped me a lot before." Wei Ming had never hidden Amin's existence from those around him.

Sister Xue wasn't as wary as Sister Lin, and she earnestly offered advice and strategies to Wei Ming.

"If it's a little girl from Hong Kong, she's definitely more knowledgeable, so it's better to buy some handicrafts that aren't commonly found there."

Wei Ming thought it made sense, so he went to the Friendship Store and bought some mainland handicrafts that foreigners often took with them before leaving. Considering that the little girl liked music, Wei Ming also bought a hulusi (a type of Chinese flute), not knowing if it was available in Hong Kong.

Next stop, Grand Cinema!
Today marks the release of "Good Things Take Time" in major cities across China. The posters have been out for several days. After watching the film, the leaders of Shanghai Film Studio have high expectations and have invested some promotional resources.

While we don't expect it to become a blockbuster like "Romance on Lushan Mountain," it is still one of the studio's top-ranked key films this year.

Sister Xue had already taken care of the movie tickets in advance, so she didn't need to queue like the others. However, when they went in, Wei Ming noticed that the screening schedule showed that there was a screening of "The Traitor" by Xi'an Film Studio the next morning.

Wei Ming's eyelids twitched. Lin Jie's film debut was also being released at the same time!
Since you two sisters are so destined to be together, why don't you become sworn sisters and call each other "sisters"?

In Wei Ming's opinion, there's not much to say about the story of "Good Things Take Time". The female protagonist, Liu Fang, was sent to the countryside because of her father's involvement in the case. There, she met a young man in a similar situation to herself, and the two fell in love.

As a result, the young man's father was the first to be reinstated, while Liu Fang's father remained unremarkable for a long time. The young man then abandoned Liu Fang and married a woman of equal social standing.

Then Liu Fang's father's problem was also solved, and he even got a higher official position. However, because she had been betrayed, she was disheartened and her personal problems remained unresolved.

Until one of her father's friends forced her to marry Shen Zhiyuan, a talented young man from an ordinary background, also known as Guo Kaimin.

The two had met at the library before and had some feelings for each other, but the matchmaker's approach was too forceful, and the two got married without getting to know each other better, which left the man feeling uneasy.

Liu Fang's ex-boyfriend also spread rumors about her, causing Shen Zhiyuan great distress. He felt that his wife was a frivolous woman, so he didn't touch his bride on their wedding night and started a cold war.

Later, of course, the misunderstanding was cleared up, and everyone was happy. The silly boy got a wife who was excellent in terms of looks, background, and temperament.

The biggest selling point of this movie is Guo Kaimin, who just became a sensation with "Romance on Lushan Mountain", and Gong Xue, a high-value newcomer actor.

In this movie, Xue Jie is not only beautiful, but her character is also excellent, making her much more likable than the male lead who wrongly accuses the female lead without understanding the situation.

Moreover, she has more screen time than in "The Herdsman," and her performance is a complete transformation compared to her previous leading role in "Sacrifice to the Red."

With a well-developed character, stunning good looks, and a plot that is still quite fresh for audiences of this era, viewers were so engrossed in the movie that they didn't even notice the female lead was mixed in with them.

Gong Xue was a little uneasy while watching, glancing at Wei Ming every now and then. Although she and the male lead didn't have any intimate scenes in the movie, they still exchanged some flirtatious glances, and she was afraid that Wei Ming would be jealous.

Wei Ming is indeed very chauvinistic, but not to the extent that he would be jealous.

However, in films like "Mom, Love Me Again," the intimate scenes from the original movie are completely absent in this version, and there's no need for them to exist.

After the movie ended, Wei Ming and Sister Xue, who were standing near the door, quickly left the cinema, but they could still hear many people discussing the female lead, Liu Fang, and some even directly referred to her as "Gong Xue".

This made Xuejie's face show a bit of pride, and then she pulled her scarf to cover half of her face.

“Congratulations,” Wei Ming said sincerely, “you are about to have your first representative work.”

Gong Xue's eyes lit up: "You think I acted well?"

Wei Ming: "Of course, there has been a great deal of progress, but it's not without its flaws."

Hearing this, Gong Xue became nervous: "Was there anything wrong with your acting?"

Wei Ming: "It's hard to explain outside. Come back to the guesthouse with me, and I'll teach you step by step."

Gong Xue lightly punched the naughty boy, then obediently got into the car with him to go back.

~
Meanwhile, in Yanjing (Beijing).

Zhu Lin also took her parents to a movie theater showing "The Traitor".

I just finished watching a screening of "Good Things Take Time". It felt like the theater was packed, there were so many people, and when we came out everyone was talking about the female lead, saying she was beautiful or that she acted well.

Lin's little mouth was practically pouting. What's most infuriating is that Mom actually said to Dad, "That movie seemed pretty good. Let's watch it sometime when we have time."

Mr. Zhu: "Okay."

Once inside the screening room, Zhu Lin felt that it was only about two-thirds full by the time the movie officially started.

In later times, this would be considered a good attendance rate, but in this era, entertainment was scarce, and almost every movie would have an audience, with tickets usually selling out during prime time. Yet, there were still so many empty seats, which made Zhu Lin feel somewhat disappointed. It seemed that the movie theaters didn't really value this film.

When the movie was actually released, she was even more disappointed. Why did she look so dark in the movie?

The mother almost burst out laughing, feeling that the daughter in the movie was several shades darker than she is now.

Zhu Lin felt it was a lighting issue; she wasn't this dark at first, but she did get really dark in the middle and later parts of the shoot. In the end, she was saved by Wei Ming's Hong Kong cosmetics.

Thinking of that brat, I wonder what he's doing right now. I miss him.

~
When they returned to the guesthouse, neither Wei Ming nor Gong Xue had eaten dinner. He hugged Xue Jie and started kissing her, then carried her to bed.

"Xiao Wei, no, please, this is a guesthouse." Sister Xue said no, but Wei Ming could tell that her refusal was not forceful.

"Today is my birthday, how about I give you to you as a birthday present?" Wei Ming revealed that it was his birthday and even picked out the gift himself.

Gong Xue smiled and said, "But I prepared a birthday present for you."

"Are you ready? Where?"

Gong Xue touched under Wei Ming's pillow: "I brought it over this morning, here you go."

"What is this?" Wei Ming paused his undressing.

Gong Xue: "Didn't you say you usually practice calligraphy? So I bought you a set of the Four Treasures of the Study."

Looking at these things, Wei Ming was delighted.

"What are you laughing at? Is my gift not to your liking?" Sister Xue asked somewhat embarrassedly.

Wei Ming stopped laughing: "It's definitely not what I want, because the gift I want is you, but that's not why I'm laughing."

"Wait a moment." Wei Ming rummaged through his luggage and took out the gifts he had prepared for his future father-in-law. "These are the Four Treasures of the Study that I bought from Rongbaozhai. I plan to give them to you, Uncle."

"Huh?" Gong Xue took them and looked at them. The quality of these things seemed to be better than what he had bought from Cao Sugong.

However, she felt a sweet warmth in her heart. Xiao Wei buying these things meant that he was going to come and clarify their relationship.

Moreover, he wanted to buy a house for himself in Shanghai, but he kept making excuses, which was really not straightforward.

Oh well, just consider it a prick from a needle.

She put Wei Ming's gift aside, obediently lay down on the bed, and covered herself with the blanket: "I can't stay here tonight, let's hurry up, okay?"

After saying that, she began to rustle and take off her clothes under the covers.

Wei Ming's spirits lifted: "Don't worry, sister, my speed is legendary!"

"Still calling me 'sister'~" Gong Xue glared at him shyly, but her hands didn't stop moving, and she threw out a shirt.

Although Wei Ming felt that calling her "sister" would be more exciting and romantic, he readily complied and changed his address to "wife~".

Gong Xue's body trembled slightly. She hadn't meant for him to call her that; "A Xue" would have been fine.

But since he's happy to call me "wife" and I'm willing to hear it, I'll just let him be.

The pants came out too.

As she began to take off her underwear, Wei Ming was already pressed naked against her. It was as if he possessed magic; his clothes vanished in a flash.
(End of this chapter)