Exciting 1979!

Chapter 316 Left and Right, Filial Piety and Fatherly Love

After pushing the cart into the yard, Wei Ming immediately locked the gate.

When Wei Jiefang faced his own sister, his first question was: "How old are you?"

"Twenty-two years old."

Wei Jiefang murmured, "Two years older than Xiaoming."

Wei Pingan recalled, "Born in 59, during the most difficult time."

“You must be Wei Jiefang and Wei Ping’an.” Wei Lingling recognized the two men by their demeanor. One was dressed respectably but had the air of an old farmer, while the other had the air of an official.

Wei Jiefang: "You have to call me brother."

Wei Lingling stared at the frolicking dog on the ground, unable to call out to it. She couldn't even bring herself to call that person "Dad."

Wei Jiefang wasn't annoyed. Instead, he pulled something out of his pocket and said, "This is a gift from my two brothers. Take it."

Wei Lingling was about to decline when she saw that it was an exquisite jade carving, shaped like a gourd, with a refreshing green color and breathtaking beauty.

Wei Lingling had come into contact with this kind of thing quite a bit at her aunt's house, and she immediately recognized that this thing seemed to be the legendary Imperial Green, and even her aunt's family only had one or two pieces.

Moreover, this small gourd is exquisitely carved, not only featuring a gourd but also two leaves, perfectly natural and skillfully crafted, exuding a touch of antiquity.

Wei Ming was envious. No, it would be great if he could give this to Amin!
When did Lao Wei acquire this? There's definitely only one of these, there can't be seven, right?

Wei Ping'an glanced gratefully at Jiefang Ge. Although he was unreliable most of the time, he really acted like a brother when it mattered. He was worried that his sister, who grew up in Taiwan, was carrying some unspeakable secret mission, so he had no time to prepare a gift.

Women can't resist the allure of jewelry after all. Wei Lingling accepted it with both hands: "Thank you, Brother Jiefang, Brother Ping'an."

The atmosphere immediately became much more harmonious, and even the sheriff came out and rubbed against Lao Wei's trouser leg.

"Brother Jiefang, is this the house you bought? Show it to me!"

"I didn't buy those; Xiaoming bought them. But I added most of the things in here myself. Let me show you."

Since it was rare for someone to want to see it, Lao Wei took Wei Lingling to visit his collection of antique furniture, porcelain, and other odds and ends.

Wei Lingling would occasionally offer a comment, such as, "I've seen something similar in Taiwan."

"Oh, where did we meet?"

Wei Lingling: "When I was a guest at Nikolai's house."

Old Wei asked, puzzled, "Who's Nikolai?"

Wei Pingan whispered, "It's Xiao Jiang."

Old Wei: "Hiss!"

“Nikolai regards his uncle as an elder brother, and the two families often visit each other,” Wei Lingling said casually.

Wei Ping'an cautioned, "It's fine to talk about this behind closed doors, but don't mention it outside, it could easily cause trouble."

Faced with her brother's nagging, Wei Lingling replied, "I'm not stupid."

Wei Pingan: "Those who can get into Stanford University and obtain two degrees must have an IQ that is above average."

Wei Lingling: "You're not bad either, the first county-level scholar from the Wei family."

Wei Ming added, "The first provincial champion in the Wei family was my sister, Wei Hong."

Wei Lingling asked, "Why didn't you bring her along?"

Wei Jiefang laughed and said, "Kids don't know how to keep their mouths shut. We'll tell her when she's older."

Wei Ping'an also said, "Your father is still alive, and he faked his death in Taiwan. No matter how much helplessness there is in this, this matter must not be exposed, otherwise Xiaoming will probably have a hard time establishing himself on the mainland."

He's alright, after all, he's a distant relative; Wei Ming is Wei Senhao's grandson.

Wei Lingling could understand, but she still had to complain: "We are all from the same root, but things have turned out like this. No wonder my aunt made me become an American citizen, otherwise I wouldn't be able to come back."

Wei Ming thought of an old friend from Peking University and said wistfully, "You can come back too, swim back."

The three elders ignored him, and Wei Jiefang said again, "I'm going back to my hometown in a while. Sister, do you want to come back with me? This is your ancestral home."

Old Wei really wanted to show off his beautiful and knowledgeable younger sister to the villagers. This kind of sister is the best at triggering a brother's protective instincts. A sister like Chunhua wouldn't work; she's been fierce since she was little.

Wei Lingling declined: "After finishing my work in Shanghai, I need to go back to Hong Kong. There is very important work waiting for me there."

However, she didn't bluntly refuse her brother's request: "I'll go back with him when he's back."

Without Wei Senhao as a link, her feelings for her so-called hometown were really weak; she had a stronger affection for Taiwan, where she grew up.

Wei Pingan also wanted to say that this younger sister was an American citizen born in Taiwan, and it would be difficult to explain if she were brought back to her hometown.

Although Lao Wei felt regretful, he didn't insist. He then asked, "I heard from Xiao Ming that you manage a toy factory in Hong Kong? You're so young and already a factory manager?"

Wei Lingling hummed in agreement, and then looked at Wei Ming, saying, "You'd better hurry up with the blueprints."

"Don't worry, I even worked overtime last night. The Bumblebee project is basically done." His own novel, "In the Heat of the Sun," has been interrupted for a long time. He's busy, too busy.

"What blueprints? Does this factory have anything to do with Xiaoming?"

Wei Ming explained simply: "I promised to design a toy for her, which is actually a character from a science fiction novel that I conceived."

Wei Ping'an remarked, "Your creative range is really wide; you've ventured into the realm of science fiction again. But to be fair, Xizi says his favorite story right now is Jurassic Park."

Old Wei said proudly, "Although my son didn't study much, he's really full of clever ideas. Did you bring a camera? Take a group photo of the three of us brothers."

Wei Lingling thought that her uncle also missed his nephew back in his hometown, and said with a smile, "I'll wash a few more sheets and take them back with me."

Wei Ming took three photos, and each person was in the center position.

Then Old Wei instructed his son: "Go and bring up the dishes your mother cooked. Let's have a meal that's not a family reunion."

Xu Shufen is a wonderful daughter-in-law. Although her husband didn't say who he was entertaining, he still prepared a whole table full of dishes, including his signature Sichuan dishes and dishes like Da Feng Shou Dipping Vegetables, which are suitable for northern tastes. Old Wei even asked her to stir-fry something sweet, since southerners love sweet food, so sweet and sour pork was made.

Surprisingly, Wei Lingling showed little interest in sweet and sour pork, but enjoyed Mapo tofu, Kung Pao chicken, shredded pork with garlic sauce, and spicy chicken.

Wei Ping'an praised, "Sister-in-law's skills are getting better and better. It feels like she could open a restaurant right away. The State Council recently issued a document that recognizes the existence of the individual economy for the first time. There will definitely be more and more individual restaurants in the future."

Wei Jiefang shook his head: "Running a restaurant is so tiring, you have to get up early and work late. It's pretty good now, I supply meals to Xintiandi, the workload is not heavy, and I earn enough to live on."

Wei Lingling also praised, "There are Sichuan and Hunan restaurants in Taiwan, but I prefer what my sister-in-law makes. Jiefang, you are so lucky."

Wei Jiefang laughed heartily: "I have to thank my mother for finding me such a good wife."

"Picked it up?"

“Yes, I found him, shortly after you were born…” Wei Jiefang told his younger sister his love story with great interest.

Wei Lingling asked in confusion, "This story sounds familiar."

Wei Ping'an asked, "You haven't read Xiaoming's masterpiece, 'The Herdsman,' have you?"

"Ah!" Wei Lingling hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, there's a book in Uncle's study. I forgot who the author is, but there's a story in it called 'The Horse Herder,' which is also about picking up a famine-stricken wife!"

Wei Ping'an asked in surprise, "Is he reading Xiao Ming's book?"

Wei Lingling glanced at her eldest nephew: "I'm afraid he's seen quite a lot."

Wei Ming laughed and said, "I'm more curious about how 'The Right Path of the World is Full of Vicissitudes' is received in Taiwan."

"Although I haven't read the whole thing, I know it's quite daring." She had read a few excerpts in the newspaper when she was in Hong Kong.

Wei Ming: "My writing is quite objective. Even General Du Yuming praised my writing."

"You've seen General Du again?"

“I haven’t met him, but he saw my original manuscript before he died.”

Old Wei's eyes lit up. He immediately thought of the stack of manuscripts with various annotations in the safe at home. Those were valuable items.

It's definitely a good product. Wei Ming plans to learn from his colleagues in the ancient book archive how to extend the lifespan of paper so that it can be passed down for generations.

The meal was eaten very slowly, from a little after 11 o'clock until almost 2 o'clock. They also drank some wine. Wei Ming had a lot of wine stored here, and Wei Lingling also had some red wine, which she liked.

Towards the end of the meal, Wei Lingling asked, "So when are we going to Shanghai? How about we leave tomorrow?"

Wei Jiefang and Wei Ping'an exchanged a glance: "Weren't we a little too hasty?"

Wei Ming said, "Why don't you come to Yanjing the day after tomorrow? It's your first time here, and you haven't even visited the Forbidden City or the Great Wall yet."

"Isn't the National Palace Museum on our way here? You can show me around later. Although Taipei also has a National Palace Museum, it only has artifacts and no buildings, so it's incomplete."

Wei Ming quickly shook his head: "I'm not going. Let your brother go with you. He has connections at the Forbidden City and knows all the old men there."

Old Wei said modestly, "I only know a few of the most senior ones. I'll accompany you around and get Ping An to issue us a certificate to buy plane tickets."

Wei Ping'an nodded. He wasn't going to Shanghai, but he had to get the airfare certificate himself.

Wei Ming said, "Uncle, add two more people, Ah Long and his girlfriend Gong Ying."

Wei Lingling asked, "So what are you going to do this afternoon?"

Wei Ming: "I'll draw you some blueprints."

In the afternoon, he was in the courtyard. He first made a phone call to the Beijing Film Studio guesthouse, and then focused on drawing.

Old Wei took his younger sister for a stroll to the Forbidden City. Fortunately, it was a cloudy day and not too hot.

Wei Lingling finally had the opportunity to appreciate the charm of Yanjing's hutongs, and her brother even bought her a string of candied hawthorns on the way.

Old Wei thoroughly enjoyed being the older brother to the little girl, and he was indeed quite playful, eloquent, and knowledgeable about a bit of everything, which quickly dispelled the sense of unfamiliarity this newly acquainted younger sister felt.

Wei Lingling didn't mind Old Wei's lack of affection and let him try one too. Any passerby who saw this would surely say that it was a testament to the father's kindness and the daughter's filial piety.

Once inside the Forbidden City, Lao Wei led her through the Meridian Gate, a place he'd visited several times before. Later, Wang Shixiang had given him a tour, giving him a systematic understanding of the Forbidden City's history and anecdotes, making him practically a half-tour guide. He'd originally intended to use his skills on the village's elementary school students, but today he had to prioritize his own sister.

As for the outstanding primary school students from Gouzitun, they had just entered the Forbidden City under the guidance of Teacher Qi and Sister Wei Hong.

Coincidentally, Qi Kexiu spotted Wei Jiefang, who was chatting animatedly with a pretty young girl, right in front of him.

That girl was really pretty, and her clothes were high-end; she was clearly not an ordinary person.

If Wei Jiefang could find such a lover, Qi Kexiu would rather die. So Qi Kexiu made an excuse to leave the main force and ran ahead to observe secretly.

The two seemed very close, and Qi Kexiu noticed that the woman actually looked somewhat like Wei Jiefang.

Could it be that Qi Kexiu had discovered a huge secret? This trip to lead the team was definitely worthwhile!
~
"Uncle, where did you go? You missed the Golden Palace in so long," Wei Hong asked, wiping her sweat.

Qi Kexiu pulled Wei Hong aside: "Xiao Hong, do you know about what happened before your father met your mother?"

"I wasn't even born then, how would I know?"

Qi Kexiu sighed, "Hong, your father is no ordinary man. My sister-in-law has been wronged, kept in the dark for so many years."

"What's wrong with my dad?" Wei Hong asked anxiously. "Can't you just explain it all at once?"

Qi Kexiu pointed ahead: "Go see for yourself, but you absolutely mustn't tell your mother, otherwise, this family will fall apart."

Wei Hong was shocked. Was it that serious?
"My father is up ahead?"

Qi Kexiu: "It's in Shufangzhai. You know how to get there, right?"

Wei Hong didn't answer, and just ran away.

Qi Kexiu called out from behind, "Speak properly. Your father might have his own difficulties. Everyone has been young before."

He guessed that the girl must be the one his brother-in-law had made a mistake in his youth. She looked a little older than Xiaoming, but it seemed like she was doing quite well now.

Soon, Wei Hong encountered Lao Wei and Wei Lingling at the exit of Shufangzhai.

She didn't think as deeply as Qi Kexiu, only assuming that her father was having an affair with other women behind her mother's back. However, seeing Wei Lingling dispelled that thought.

With her looks and demeanor, how could this older sister possibly be interested in my disheveled old father?

"Xiao Hong, you, you brought them to the Forbidden City!" Wei Jiefang exclaimed in surprise.

"Hmm," Wei Hong responded, "Dad, who is this older sister?"

"Why call her 'sister'? You should call her 'aunt'. She also has the surname Wei."

“Aunt, could it be…” Wei Hong knew that she had a great-grandfather in Taiwan.

Wei Jiefang shushed him, saying, "Don't make a fuss. Your aunt came all the way back from abroad. You need to keep a low profile, you know?"

Wei Lingling took a liking to Wei Hong, who had a clever and quick-witted spirit: "You must be the first provincial champion in our Wei family."

Wei Hong: "It's me."

"I heard you're pretty good at Rubik's Cube. How about we have a friendly competition sometime?"

"Auntie, you play with Rubik's Cubes too?"

"I'm not as professional as you, to the point where I can publish a book, but I probably started doing this a bit earlier than you," Wei Lingling said with a smile.

Wei Hong hurriedly rummaged through her bag: "I still have the Rubik's Cube with me. Let's find a cool place."

“Your dad said the place where Consort Zhen threw herself into the well is cool, with a refreshing breeze even in the middle of summer. Let’s go there.”

Seeing the two chatting so enthusiastically, Wei Jiefang coughed twice: "Xiao Hong, you're the tour guide. Is it really okay for you to just leave the students behind like this?"

Wei Hong: "Oh dear, but I can't bear to part with my aunt."

Wei Lingling asked, "What student? Xiao Hong, are you working part-time as a tour guide?"

"It's not a part-time job; this is a scholarship program organized by my brother." Wei Hong explained the annual scholarship awarding ceremony and study tour program in Gouzi Village.

“This is the second phase, and my brother said that next year he wants to expand it and donate money to the junior high and high schools in our area as well, aiming to create a family with 10,000 yuan a year through donations.” Wei Hong said proudly.

Wei Jiefang added, "We also need to pave roads and build bridges in the village."

After hearing this, Wei Lingling couldn't help but feel a deep respect for her talented, handsome, but somewhat unreliable nephew. She really hadn't realized he had such a heart.

"Brother Jiefang, can I also contribute my meager efforts? I can cover part of the cost of paving roads and repairing bridges."

“Great! When the monument is erected, we’ll put your name on it too. That would be a great honor for our ancestors!” Wei Jiefang welcomed the idea, and then told Xiao Hong to go back and look after the children. “Remember, don’t tell anyone about your aunt.”

When Wei Hong returned to the team, Qi Kexiu found her radiant; this wasn't her usual reaction.

"Xiao Hong, have you found out the details?"

Wei Hong: "Uncle, what do you mean? My father doesn't have any women around him, just an old man."

"Of course they are. They must be separated temporarily. Wait here, I'll go check again."

"Yes!" Qi Kexiu said after returning.

Wei Hong: "Then I'll go take another look."

A moment later, Wei Hong said, "Uncle, if you keep doing this, I'll get angry. He's just an old man, and he's supposed to be a researcher at the Palace Museum. Are you seeing things, or are you seeing something dirty?"

"Me... something dirty?" Qi Kexiu stammered. Quite a few people had died in this deep palace. Could it really be something dirty? Oh dear, why do I suddenly feel cold?

Qi Kexiu couldn't help but shiver.

~
Inside the courtyard, Wei Ming also shivered, ending his in-depth conversation with Sister Xue.

She still prefers to do it in her private villa, where she can be unrestrained and not worry about disturbing the neighbors, even though she doesn't make loud noises.

Wei Ming put his arm around her and said, "Then let's buy another courtyard house."

Just then, Li Guangfu mentioned that he had heard of someone who wanted to sell a courtyard house, and it was a two-courtyard house, even larger than this one.

Thinking that Sister Xue works in Yanjing but doesn't have a place to stay yet, it's somewhat inconvenient.

However, since we bought one for Sister Xue, we should at least get an even bigger one for Sister Lin, after all, her house in Tuanjiehu is far less valuable than her old villa in Shanghai.

Gong Xue patted him on the shoulder: "You can't spend money like this. Wouldn't it be better to save it?"

Of course it's not good. In a few years, prices will be subject to a hurdle, and how can saved money keep up with inflation? But Wei Ming didn't try to reason with her; this matter couldn't be explained in just a few words.

He changed the subject: "The movie 'Heroes Have Always Been Born' is going to be released tomorrow, let's go see it."

"Okay, just the two of us?"

Wei Ming: "What, shall we bring our younger sisters along too?"

Gong Xue was amused and thought to himself: It's just that you have to accompany Sister Lin to watch it again. This man is always good at treating everyone equally.

That evening, Wei Ming went home and continued drawing Transformers. Wei Hong ran into his study, first expressing curiosity about the concept of silicon-based life, and then asking about the relationship between the aunt she had met that day and their family.

Wei Ming: "I'll tell you when you go abroad, okay?"

"Tch, so mysterious. I still want to hang out with her, is that okay?"

Wei Ming: "She's staying at the Yanjing Hotel now, so feel free to go there."

So the next day, Wei Hong and Lao Wei switched jobs; Lao Wei took care of the children, and she took care of her aunt.

"Brother Jiefang, I saw you at the Forbidden City yesterday. Were you with a pretty girl?"

"No, I only know old men in the Forbidden City. Yesterday, Mr. Wang Shixiang accompanied me to the Forbidden City. But Xiu, you're so young and your eyes are already having problems?"

Qi Kexiu's mind was buzzing. He suspected that the problem wasn't with his eyes, but with his brain.

No, I need to rest properly today, and maybe watch "Heroes Have Always Been Born Young" to calm myself down.

~
On July 8th, cinemas throughout Beijing were packed from the moment they opened in the morning. The long-awaited martial arts film "Heroes Since Ancient Times" was finally going to be released. The genre alone was enough to attract audiences, not to mention the positive reviews from Hong Kong.

Even though Zhao Debiao and his pregnant wife Huang Qiuyan were the main actors in the film, they didn't receive any special treatment and had to buy their own tickets.

Biaozi bought a whole row of tickets in one go, so that all their close relatives and friends could watch the show, and even Xu Yunyun was invited.

They all went to see a movie. Apart from the staff, only Mei Culture, the owner, was left at Oriental Plaza. Xiao Mei was heartbroken.

"Boss Mei, it's been a month since you last came. Business is not as good as before." Wei Ming stepped into the store.

“Ming-ge, you’ve finally decided to come to the store,” Mei Wenhua excitedly pulled him aside to talk. “I gave my second aunt the dividends from last month.”

“I know, she told me.”

Mei Wenhua then talked about business: "Recently, the country has been encouraging the individual economy, and more and more people are opening clothing stores, which will definitely have a diversion effect. However, our Oriental New World is the leader in clothing stores, and no one can challenge that. It's normal that there are fewer people in the morning now."

Wei Ming: "As long as you can keep your mindset steady, that's fine."

“I can’t really stay calm,” Mei Wenhua sighed. “I heard that Biaozi made tens of thousands of Hong Kong dollars in Hong Kong. I really want to open a Xintiandi store in Hong Kong to earn foreign exchange.”

"Then you have no chance. Opening a store in Hong Kong requires too much investment. You can open one in Shanghai or Guangzhou in two years."

"That's just what I was saying."

"I just came to take a look," Wei Ming waved his hand, "I'm leaving now."

"What are you doing?"

Wei Ming: "I'm going to watch a movie. 'Heroes Have Been Born Since Ancient Times' is out, I have to go and support it."

Mei Wenhua wailed: "I'm the only one working! You all went to see a movie!"

(End of this chapter)