Back to 1979: Sending the Educated Youth’s Wife Back to the City

Chapter 186 Family Conflict
The next morning, Yan Yan woke up feeling rather listless. She had completely lost the excitement she had shown playing at the military base the day before, and even the anticipation of leaving for Shanghai that day was gone.

Her arm hurts, and she feels like she has trouble even lifting it.

Lin Yan then scolded Fang Mingche, "She's only five or six years old and doesn't understand, but don't you understand either? Letting such a young child fire a real gun, aren't you afraid of something going wrong? And what about her arm?"

Fang Mingche said, "Old Wang specifically found someone with low recoil. I figured the youngest of the 7000 child soldiers in Tengchong was only three years older than her. So, I only focused on safety."

Lin Yan rolled her eyes at him. "That was out of necessity! Why would kids these days suffer like that? You men are so unreliable!"

Seeing her father being scolded, Yan Yan stuck out her tongue.

Lin Yan brought hot water again to give her a hot compress, and Yan Yan said she felt better after the compress.

"Why don't you just cancel your ticket?" There's a cancellation fee. And with only a few hours until takeoff, the fee will probably be even higher.

Yan Yan quickly replied, "My arm hurts, but that doesn't affect my flight. It would hurt at home too."

Lin Yan sighed helplessly, "You always have such a set of reasons. Now you know what's good for you, so next time there's an activity that's not suitable for children, you'll just sit quietly and watch from the sidelines."

In the end, the father and daughter set off for Shanghai together. It was a rare opportunity, only available twice a year, during winter and summer vacations, and Yan Yan certainly didn't want to miss it.

After passing through security and being out of her mother's sight, Yan Yan asked, "Dad, doesn't your arm hurt?"

“I can feel it too, but I can bear it. And I’m an adult, so my condition is definitely much milder than yours. You can sit to my left for a while, so you can lean on my left arm.”

"Ok!"

Fang Mingche only brought one suitcase, which he carried to the check-in counter with his left hand. Once on the plane, Yan Yan sat on the left and Fang Mingche on the right.

As before, Fang Mingche calculated the business expenses and could then get reimbursed from Gao Xiang with the receipts. Yan Yan would pay 50% of her airfare herself. However, for this kind of trip, her main expense would be the 50% airfare.

In addition, I also got a letter of introduction from Lingzi for long-distance travel. Now that we have a business license and official seal, we can issue letters of introduction in the name of an enterprise under the Ministry of Culture. It will be useful for things like accommodation in the five provinces of East China.

However, the letter of introduction for buying plane tickets was the same one that the investment promotion office had given to overseas Chinese before. These days, the conditions for buying plane tickets are very strict, so they made some blank ones just in case. They can just fill in their names and dates when needed.

Of course, she was flying economy class. These days, travel agencies are short on cash, so Qiu Yin always flies economy class on long-haul trips abroad that take more than ten hours. For flights of two or three hours, Fang Mingche would definitely have Lingzi arrange for someone to buy economy class tickets.

After the plane took off, Yan Yan felt much better. As long as she didn't move her arm intentionally, the pain wasn't too bad.

Fang Mingche also felt a little guilty; he hadn't expected it to be so serious. He'd never dare boast again that he was someone who "raised his grandson and knew everything." Fortunately, Yan Yan wasn't a spoiled child and didn't cry.

After the plane landed, Yan Yan looked at the digital watch on her arm and said, "It's a little closer to Tokyo, and the flight was an hour shorter."

"Yes, that's right. Let's go—"

After collecting his luggage, Fang Mingche took a taxi directly to the Jinjiang Hotel. The Jinjiang Hotel was owned by Dong Zhujun, a remarkable woman from the Republican era, and was quite luxurious. Now that he had the financial means, he planned to check it out and have a meal there.

In my past life, I could only follow a tour guide past the entrance, take a look, and then walk away. A teacher's salary simply wasn't enough to afford such things. I was really disappointed back then!
The car traveled along the "State Guest Avenue," the route used to receive foreign leaders visiting Shanghai. It's said that the Jinjiang Hotel has hosted over 300 leaders from more than 100 countries. The most famous was Nixon in 1972, who was received by Premier Zhou Enlai at the Jinjiang Hotel. The Sino-US Joint Communiqué was also signed in the small auditorium of the Jinjiang Hotel.

The Jinjiang Hotel isn't too far from Hongqiao Airport, about ten kilometers away. A taxi fare of less than five yuan is acceptable.

Yan Yan looked up and asked with some concern, "Dad, is it going to be very expensive here?"

"A little. We'll just have a meal; we won't stay here."

He plans to move back to the Bund area, where it will be easier to go out and enjoy the night view. He'll find a regular guesthouse, and the father and daughter can stay in a single room. That would be quite nice! He can even compare it to a single room in a guesthouse in the capital.

Looking back at the courtyard-style guesthouses, I plan to take a look at both of them. As for the price, I'll double the cost of the guesthouse in the capital where he stayed. Four yuan per room, with a maximum of two rooms per household. After all, the two courtyards there are worth nearly 100,000 yuan, and they use high-quality wood, so a slight premium is justified.

If the occupancy rate is 70% every day, with 18 rooms fully occupied, the monthly income can increase by a little over 2,000 yuan. Including the high customer traffic during winter and summer vacations, the annual income should be around 30,000 yuan.

The required labor costs are low; one person can handle the cleaning. Even if the sheets and duvet covers are changed daily, there's a washing machine. His dad is responsible for collecting money and handling check-in and check-out.

With superior facilities and service, their business should be better than the current state-run guesthouses. Even excluding depreciation, the profit should be over 20,000.

The Jinjiang Hotel before them had been handed over to the state by Ms. Dong after the liberation and was now state-owned. Fang Mingche showed his overseas Chinese introduction letter and smoothly led his daughter inside. Nowadays, overseas Chinese returning to China receive preferential treatment everywhere. He was too lazy to queue with others.

The father and son took off in the afternoon, and it's almost dinnertime now.

Dong Zhujun's ex-husband was from Sichuan and a veteran of the Xinhai Revolution. He served as the Deputy Military Governor of Sichuan and Commander-in-Chief of the Sichuan Army. Ms. Dong lived with him in Sichuan for many years, and the Jinjiang Hotel was originally a restaurant serving Sichuan cuisine.

So, the food suited their tastes quite well. Well, there must be more than one restaurant in the area, so after asking around, they headed towards a Sichuan restaurant.

Yan Yan's arm is fine as long as she doesn't raise it too much. Eating is not a problem.

"Daddy, it's delicious!" The little girl's eyes crinkled as she ate.

Speaking of which, Yan Yan has eaten at military-run restaurants, Beijing Hotel's buffets, and many century-old eateries, so her palate has become quite discerning. Her discerning taste is proof enough that the food at Jinjiang Hotel is excellent.

"Of course. When Nixon visited China, Premier Zhou hosted a state banquet for him at the Jinjiang Hotel. How could the food here be bad? That's why your dad took a taxi just to bring you here to try it."

Back then, Du Yuesheng, Yang Hu, and others in Shanghai were frequent guests at the Jinjiang Hotel.

The father and daughter enjoyed a delicious meal, rested for a while, and then paid the bill. Afterwards, they visited and took photos at the Jinjiang Hotel.

Fang Mingche told his daughter about the history of the area. Seeing that it was getting dark, they went out to hail a taxi to the Bund.

The Oriental Pearl Tower wasn't there yet, and Lujiazui was still called "Muddy Ferry," so there was definitely no light show. But the old buildings on the west side of the Huangpu River were quite a sight to behold when lit up.

The Pudong development still has nine years to go, so there's an opportunity to participate!

Those old Shanghainese who said "I'd rather have a bed in Puxi than a room in Pudong" probably regretted it immensely later. So, everyone has to follow national policies.

The father and daughter looked at the night view from the car. After settling into the guesthouse, they made a phone call to let everyone know they were safe and then went to sleep. They would be staying for a few more days, and would take a walk to see the sights again after dinner tomorrow night.

Before going to bed, Mingche applied a hot compress to Yan Yan again, and when she woke up the next morning, she said she felt much better than the day before.

The father and daughter went downstairs to eat pan-fried buns, then took the tram to Xintiandi to see the site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Oh, it's still called Shikumen now. Fang Mingche had arranged to meet an acquaintance introduced by Lao Wang in this area at noon.

Shanghai has a very developed tram system, and the first tunnel across the Huangpu River has already been built. A one-way ticket costs 15 cents, but Yan Yan doesn't need a ticket; she just sits on her father's lap.

Many Shanghai residents use monthly passes, which reportedly cost 7.5 yuan per month. Shanghai's trolleybus network is extensive, boasting the largest in Asia and the third largest in the world. Transportation is quite convenient. Yesterday, they took a taxi to save time and because they were tired from the flight.

Now, I can just ask the staff at the guesthouse how to get there. So, I don't need to take a taxi anymore.

Yan Yan whispered to her father, "I don't understand what they're saying."

“Shanghainese is not easy for people from other places to understand.”

Will it affect business?

Yan Yan is quite a worrywart; only when business is good can life be good. Even the baby formula her younger brother drinks requires money from business so they can buy it at the Friendship Store whenever they want. Otherwise, the supply and marketing cooperative requires milk powder coupons and is often out of stock (most of it is bought up by internal staff).

Grandma calculated how much milk powder her younger brother would cost each month, and she scoffed at how expensive it was.

"Probably not, Mandarin is still widely spoken throughout the country." The key is, if you have money, everyone will be willing to compromise. Later, when China became powerful, many places abroad also had Chinese signs.

In the morning, the father and daughter strolled around the Shikumen and Yu Garden.

Fang Mingche took the opportunity to tell his daughter about the story of how the site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China was moved from here to a fishing boat in Jiaxing, Zhejiang. Patriotic education should start from childhood.

Yan Yan asked, "Only thirteen people in a meeting?" She had seen so many people in meetings on TV!

"Yes, there were only about fifty party members nationwide at that time, and thirteen representatives came. That was quite a lot! However, of these thirteen people, only Chairman Mao and Dong Biwu ascended the second floor of Tiananmen Square on October 1, 1949. Of the other eleven, some sacrificed their lives, some withdrew from the party, and some became traitors and collaborators."

Yan Yan's eyes widened in disbelief as she asked, "There are still people who act as traitors and collaborators?"

"Yes, that's why people change. It's like the great waves washing away the sand to find the gold. Our revolution ultimately succeeded."

Around noon, Fang Mingche met with Lin Wuyi, the family friend Old Wang had mentioned. Lin Wuyi arrived in military uniform and a military jeep, presumably taking advantage of his lunch break.

After the two recognized each other, Fang Mingche taught Yan Yan to call him "Uncle Lin".

"Sweetie, get in the car first—"

Fang Mingche settled his daughter in the back of the driver's seat, and then got into the passenger seat himself.

"Comrade Lin, let's find a place to eat first."

"Okay, after you eat, I'll take you to see the house. I've found a few old villas that meet your requirements. The one that best suits your needs has a rent of 5000 per year if you pay annually, or 500 per month if you pay monthly."

There's a 20% price difference! However, it's a bit of a strain for the travel agency to come up with 5000 at once. After all, they still need to buy two minivans first. Also, a telephone is a must. Otherwise, what are customers supposed to do, call the nearby public phones?

The travel agency in the capital has two vehicles that can be used as collateral for a loan of 60,000 yuan. But that's definitely not enough; they'll have to use all of January's profits. Besides, the loan application process will take time.

Ayan wanted to pay back the 68,000 yuan she owed as soon as the 100,000 yuan mortgage loan came through. But that wasn't possible yet! She'd first pay back 30,000 yuan to the travel agency, which was a loan from the bank taken out in the agency's name.

The remaining 70,000 will be kept in the account for future use. We'll discuss paying the final balance after the travel agency has finalized its Shanghai and US branch openings. Since it's paid off within a year, there's no interest.

He wanted to buy a house, and the Wang family fully cooperated. The loan from the courtyard house will temporarily serve as reserve funds for the travel agency. If necessary, it can be borrowed again, with interest as the only charge.

Ayan felt this was too risky and too stressful. But debt was inevitable during the initial expansion phase, and being able to borrow or secure a loan was a skill in itself.

Lin Wuyi drove the father and daughter to eat Shanghai cuisine, which was relatively economical. After they finished eating, Fang Mingche paid the bill.

As for the old Western-style house, he liked the first one he saw. It was a detached house with clear property rights and was very well preserved. It also had a courtyard of more than 200 square meters with a very high greening rate.

If he had more money, he would want to buy it. Unfortunately, the seller only rents, not sells. And buying now would be too difficult. He would have to use all the 70,000 yuan he borrowed for the courtyard house.

He seems to have become a bit addicted to buying houses. Knowing how much these houses will appreciate in the future, it's hard not to be tempted. But that's at least twenty or thirty years from now.

For now, let's focus on business and not put too much pressure on ourselves. We can wait and see before buying these century-old villas in Puxi. Now that we've opened a branch, buying a house will definitely be more convenient in the future.

Perhaps sensing Fang Mingche's genuine love for the house, the landlord refused to budge on the price.

"The price is as you said, monthly payment. We'll sign the contract on February 10th, how about that? I'm definitely renting it long-term; we'll use it as an office. We can write that in the contract, minimum two-year lease. You can't change tenants midway through the lease."

The house is in a great location and is so well-preserved. There's no way to negotiate the price down. But there are still two weeks left, and he doesn't want to pay extra rent for that extra half month for nothing.

The other party said, "This house is in high demand. If you don't rent it now, it might be gone after the New Year."

“Alright, I won’t bother you any longer,” Fang Mingche said decisively.

It's a rental, not a sale, so renting another one is fine too. Anyway, Comrade Wei said there were a few more buildings. He asked the other party to bring him the best one to save time, but it's not like he can't settle for something less.

Lin Wuyi was also somewhat surprised; he could tell that Fang Mingche was satisfied with the house. However, he readily agreed, saying, "Okay, let's go."

He had all his time free this afternoon and could spend the time with him looking at the documents. Wang Dezhi and he were not only family friends but also comrades-in-arms who had gone through life and death together; it was rare for him to ask such a favor. Besides, the Wang family also had a stake in this business. Of course, he was willing to do his best.

Seeing that they were truly ready to leave, and the car was already started, it didn't seem like they were just putting on an act. He quickly added, "Alright, alright, we'll sign the contract on February 10th. But you have to give me the deposit first. I can't just leave the house with you for nothing. What if you say you don't want it anymore?"

Others have come to see it, but none have been as decisive.

Fang Mingche then said, "How about we pay half a month's rent as a deposit first? We can deduct it when we sign the contract and pay the rent later." "Okay!"

"If you change your mind, return it to me double."

The group went back inside, wrote a contract, and each kept a copy. Fang Mingche gave the other party a deposit of 250 yuan.

After getting back into the car, Lin Wuyi said, "Xiao Fang, you're quite efficient."

It saved a lot of time! He was still worried that the other person would be a bargainer, and they kept going back and forth.

"I can only negotiate a dozen or twenty deals a month at most, and I'm not even sure I can close them. I'm too lazy to waste my breath. His house must be in high demand."

Saving half a month's rent is actually equivalent to a reduction of 20 yuan per month in the first year. You must give before you can take.

Lin Wuyi escorted the father and daughter back to the guesthouse and then went home. He could still get a lot done back home now, so he wouldn't need to come back tomorrow or the day after to share the afternoon's work.

"Comrade Lin, I'm so sorry to have troubled you!"

"You're welcome. Wang Laosan and I are sworn brothers. Goodbye. Feel free to call me again if you need anything."

Over the next ten days or so, Fang Mingche took Yan Yan sightseeing while also booking two tour routes. The five provinces of East China aren't too far apart, so he could organize a road trip, taking care of all the food and accommodation. This would require the administrative staff to communicate with the hotels and inns later. He left his contact information and reviews.

On February 3rd, the father and daughter flew back to the capital from Shanghai.

During this time, Lin Yan and Fang Min bought a lot of New Year's goods, and even drove to deliver some to her cousin's family. Their baby was less than two months old and needed more care.

My cousin's mother came to the capital to take care of her daughter who was in late pregnancy. She hadn't been out much and was still unfamiliar with the place.

If it weren't for the fact that it's inconvenient to take the baby out, she would have invited them to come and celebrate the New Year together.

My cousin's wife said, "Ayan, I won't stand on ceremony with you. Anyway, our two families are in the capital, so we can help each other out if needed."

"Yes, that's exactly what my sister-in-law is saying."

Just then, the sound of a baby crying came from inside the house. Lin Yan said, "Alright, sister-in-law, don't go any further. Go in and breastfeed—"

Lin Yan drove herself to pick them up from the airport that day, while Fang Min held Changchang in the second row.

Lin Yan drove them back. She said Fang Mingche must have had a hard time flying, so she let him sit in the front passenger seat. Yan Yan, her younger brother, and Sister Min sat in the second row.

Changchang doesn't recognize her father and sister anymore, looking at them as if they were strangers.

Yan Yan said, "Alright, let's rebuild our relationship."

Fang Mingche said to Lin Yan, "You seem to really enjoy driving?"

"Yeah, it's so convenient—just step on the gas and go anywhere!" Lin Yan said with a smile. Having gotten used to driving a car, she really didn't want to go back to riding a bicycle. However, to avoid gaining weight around her waist, she'd stick to riding.

Fang Mingche smiled and said, "When we have more money in the future, I'll buy you a car. This one is still a bit too big."

This vehicle was mainly bought for delivering goods to the scrap yard.

Lin Yan said, "Stop making empty promises. I heard from Yan Yan that you want to buy an old villa again. Each one costs seventy or eighty thousand, and the larger ones with several buildings cost one or two hundred thousand. With your ambition to open branches and shops everywhere, and the fact that you want to buy every nice house you see, when are you going to have the money to buy me a car? I'm perfectly fine with this one, so don't worry about it."

Fang Mingche had a strong desire to buy a house, but he only needed a car that met his needs. He hadn't originally planned to buy another private car.

Cars are too expensive now, and they'll be worthless in eight to ten years. Unlike houses, especially courtyard houses and old Western-style buildings, which will not only appreciate a hundredfold or more in value in the future, but will also be unsellable due to a lack of buyers.

"Money is like water in a sponge; you can squeeze some out. If you're willing, you can still squeeze out 25,000 in a couple of years."

After saying this, Fang Mingche couldn't help but think of the popular saying after the release of "Curse of the Golden Flower": "A woman's breasts can always be bigger if she squeezes them." Well, his Ayan's breasts were there without any effort. And after having two children, they were even bigger.

After being away for almost half a month, although the scenery was beautiful, the flowers at home still smelled sweet! Fang Mingche was in a hurry to go home.

Han Ping and Fang Mingcheng, who were staying at the house, have left today and boarded the train back to their hometown.

Fang Min can't leave, especially since she's only been here for two or three months. Otherwise, she might have taken the train with her two uncles. Lin Yan said she'd give her a big red envelope for the New Year. Later, when her in-laws come to visit during the summer vacation, she can go home to visit them.

Fang Mingche checked the time; five or six in the afternoon wasn't convenient. He'd better eat first! He hoped Changchang would behave tonight and not bother his parents. Hmm, from that perspective, he really should give Xiaomin a big red envelope.

Lin Yan excitedly took Fang Mingche to the cellar to see the New Year's goods. Cabbages, rice, meat, and other items were neatly arranged in the cupboards. Each family had their own cupboard key.

This is shared with the neighboring courtyard. They only have one family, and a lot of their space has been taken up by the other neighbors. However, since they have enough room, they don't bother to complain. Complaining would only hurt their feelings! Anyway, they're unlikely to hoard much more in the future.

They mainly eat at Boss Cui's place. They only cook for themselves during the Chinese New Year. Boss Cui's place is closed for a few days during the New Year.

“I drove to deliver New Year’s goods to my sister-in-law, and her workers carried them into the cellar in no time. She insisted on paying me, so I accepted. That way, we can stay in touch! I also gave out New Year’s red envelopes to the travel agency and the scrap yard employees this morning. It’s still early until the 15th, so there’s no way I could pay them now. Having a red envelope makes it easier to explain when I go back to my hometown for the New Year.”

Fang Mingche nodded, "Okay, you can take another ten days or half a month off during the New Year, and then you can resume your part-time work and part-time study."

Lin Yan said, "You're right, I've been practicing cycling along the central axis these past few days. At least I'm not out of breath after just three kilometers. By the way, Yan Yan, do you need to make up for the martial arts class you missed?"

Yan Yan nodded, "Will the instructor give me individual tutoring? I'm fine with that."

"Then you'll attend one and a half classes next week, and another one and a half the week after that. I'll reimburse Instructor Wu for the tuition later."

Lin Yan told Fang Mingche, "Old Wang rented a Suzhou-style villa nearby, saying it will open after the New Year. It's a place specifically for people to learn martial arts. Yan Yan and the others will have their classes transferred there. It opens on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year!"

Nowadays, there are two conscription periods a year. The conscription for the first half of the year starts in mid-February and ends at the end of March, with new recruits being approved for enlistment on March 1st. The conscription for the second half of the year starts in mid-August and ends at the end of September, with new recruits being approved for enlistment on September 1st.

The retirement dates also correspond to this. Instructor Wu's batch of soldiers retired in February, all before the end of the year.

Old Wang arranged for seven veterans to stay in that Soviet-style villa. Those who wanted to go home for the New Year did so, and they'll be back in the capital before the fourth day of the Lunar New Year.

Fang Mingche said, "He's really quite proactive!"

Old Wang has eight or nine thousand yuan on hand, which is definitely enough for this. As for banning civil servants from doing business in the future, let's talk about that later. It's allowed now, and since 83, people with secure jobs have been encouraged to take unpaid leave to start their own businesses.

The main issue is that the income gap between those who receive fixed salaries and those who run businesses is already starting to widen!

Lin Yan said, "With people, money, and connections, how could they not be strong? What's that martial arts club called? Oh, it's a club. I've been there. There are guards at the gates."

"You've been there?"

Lin Yan nodded, "Didn't you promise to drive Qin Hua and Lingzi there on Sunday? Since you weren't home, I filled in for you. They were moving to a new place, so I went along to check it out. It's quite nice there, full of greenery. It seems to have been some kind of old government office. A place like that, I guess only someone from Old Wang's background could afford to rent. I heard that the club building will have showers and restaurants. Showers are free, but meals cost money. There are seven veterans, one of whom is a cook. I heard it used to be a small canteen."

Fang Mingche laughed, "In the past, the imperial kitchen required two people to peel onions and crush garlic. You couldn't learn many other skills. Although the small kitchen isn't quite that extreme, one person is definitely not enough to do comprehensive catering."

However, given the current economic climate, Lao Wang certainly wouldn't dare to hire any more people.

Lin Yan said, "The fried rice they make is really delicious. With a bowl of broth, I ate it all up. I was a little full afterward, but it was really good."

"Oh, you're good at making fried rice, then no problem." It seems Old Wang did consider this when he asked him to stay.

Lin Yan nodded, "Yes, it would be good to have Qin Hua, Lingzi and Yan Yan share two portions before coming back. Practicing martial arts is very physically demanding."

Fang Mingche said, "Lingzi is going to Shanghai after the fifth day of the lunar new year. Yan Yan and Qin Hua can share a meal."

"She's going to open a branch office?"

"Yes, we need experienced people for administration in the early stages. We'll talk about opening a store in the US once the Shanghai branch is running smoothly. Buying a car in Shanghai will cost tens of thousands, and opening a store in the US will also cost tens of thousands for rent and inventory. I'll have Han Mei temporarily take over as the office director and see if she can handle the job."

Lin Yan asked, "So, are the travel agencies in Shanghai and the capital parallel entities, or are they in a hierarchical relationship?"

"Let's keep things parallel for now. If anything happens, just report to us directly."

Lin Yan nodded, "Then let's stick to the same salary standard."

Shanghai's scale is definitely not small, which means it needs two administrative teams. We'll have to recruit again after the New Year! Luckily, we have the backing of generating foreign exchange for the country, and we're also affiliated with the Ministry of Culture. Otherwise, we really wouldn't dare recruit so many people!
The next day, Han Mei, Lin Yi, and her parents-in-law came over to celebrate the New Year, and Lin Yan told her the news.

This year, Fang Mingche doesn't need to fill in at the travel agency; they're getting more and more staff these days. Besides, the benefits of working overtime during the Spring Festival are real. Xiao Shen and Qiu Yin worked overtime last year, and now one has been stationed in the UK for six months, and the other is going to France after the New Year. So, there won't be a shortage of staff this year. Wang Dexian and Fang Mingche don't need to cover for them again.

But this place is much more spacious, and Changchang isn't used to going to unfamiliar places. So the whole family still spends the New Year in the small courtyard. Mr. Lin said they also contribute to the expenses per person, so they can't let their daughter and son-in-law pay for everything. Han Mei is also working at a travel agency now, so all four members of their family have income. Life is getting better and better these days.

Lin Yan said to Han Mei, "Your salary will only increase after you become a full-time employee. Also, if you're not competent during your one-month probationary period, you won't be promoted to a full-time position. There's a significant income gap between our levels. The higher positions will definitely be held by the most capable people!"

Han Mei nodded happily; she had been thinking about this before. Lingzi walked away; she was now a senior member.

Mr. and Mrs. Lin frowned slightly. They looked at their chubby granddaughter and grandson, but ultimately said nothing because it was the New Year.

But after Fang Mingche drove the family of four back to the tenement courtyard that evening and then left, Lin's mother said, "Lin Yi, Han Mei, you've been married for over a year now. What are your thoughts on having children?"

Han Mei said, "Mom, Lin Yi and I are still young, so there's no rush. Besides, we need to raise the child after it's born. Yan Yan is being carefully nurtured by my sister and brother-in-law. Chang Chang will be even better in the future! Our Lin family's grandchildren can't be too far behind my cousins, right? So, I plan to focus on my career first, and have children after I have a certain financial foundation. Besides, isn't the country now encouraging us to marry and have children later in life?"

She earns around 100 yuan a month now, but once she's officially promoted to office manager, she'll earn around 300 yuan. That'll be twice what her in-laws and Lin Yi earn combined. Only then can she say she can match her sister and brother-in-law's efforts in raising their child. Sigh, if she didn't work at her sister and brother-in-law's travel agency, with this income, she could completely have a say in her in-laws' family without having to fawn over them.

Lin's father said, "Yan Yan is learning dance, piano, and calligraphy at the Children's Palace, and now she's also learning martial arts at the club. Do you want to match her in everything? If she buys a piano in the future, will you buy one too? It seems like your sister's family is getting better and better, and Yan Yan and Chang Chang's extracurricular tutoring classes may increase at any time. Is there ever an end to this pursuit? Han Mei, let's just pursue the life that is within our means."

Han Mei said, “I can’t afford a piano, but I can still afford to take classes at the Children’s Palace. My sister dared to take a year off from school to have a baby because her husband gave her enough security. He’s ambitious, capable, and values ​​family and relationships. But I don’t dare! I’m in my prime right now. If I miss this opportunity, what will I do when the travel agency doesn’t need more people? It’s all about finding the right person for the job.”

Because of the current staff shortage, she was able to get a promotion opportunity after only six months on the job. She wouldn't let this opportunity slip by!
Lin Yi said, "Then let's get promoted first, and then have the baby. There's no need to postpone it for several years. Anyway, my mother retired early and can stay home to take care of the child. Don't the female workers and even the female leaders in the factory have children? It won't cause any problems. Do you think my sister and brother-in-law would let your position be taken away from you when you go back because you're pregnant and have a baby?"

Lin's mother nodded, "That makes sense!" Lin's father clearly held the same view.

Han Mei said, "Our base salary is actually not high; the high part is the commission. If I get pregnant, I will likely only be able to do the basic work. I won't be able to travel around sourcing and shipping goods overseas anymore. If someone else has already taken over these tasks when I go back, even if my position remains the same, my income will drop significantly."

Since they didn't do any of the corresponding work, they definitely won't get any commission.

Lin Yi said, "There are four of us in the family, surely we can raise one child?" That made him a laughing stock!
Han Mei said, "Then let me ask you, I'll have to go back to work in two or three months at most after giving birth. Can you afford the baby formula? Did you see all those neatly arranged formula cans against the wall in the main room today? Those are imported, and each can costs more than twenty yuan. Even if we drink domestic formula, where will we get all those formula coupons? And where will we get the money to buy formula?"

If she doesn't go back to work soon and only earns a basic salary, her family will struggle to even afford baby formula. Not to mention her illegal commuting to and from get off work.

Lin Yi said, "Then you can just stay home and breastfeed the baby."

How could you possibly buy milk powder from a supply and marketing cooperative whenever you wanted? Even if you managed to get enough milk powder coupons, the cooperative would tell you they were out of stock. Besides, if they couldn't even get their hands on them, you'd have to buy the coupons at a high price on the black market anyway.

His sister found it troublesome to go to the black market for expensive milk powder, so she fed her son only imported products from the Friendship Store. They used foreign exchange certificates, so no receipts were needed and there were no purchase limits. Besides, the travel agency had to hand over most of its foreign exchange every month anyway.

Those foreign exchange certificates could be exchanged for a fee by the travel agency staff. But without Han Mei's commission, their family didn't have enough money. Seeing his nephew eating imported baby formula, Lin Yi couldn't bring himself to feed his own son rice cereal.

So why go through all that trouble? Just let the baby breastfeed. It's healthier and cheaper!

Han Mei said, "You want me to stay home and breastfeed, taking a whole year off from work. Can you afford to support me and the child?"

Lin's mother said, "Why is it so complicated? Han Mei, you're making a simple problem complicated. At worst, I'll just take the baby to the travel agency to breastfeed every day."

Han Mei said, "Mom, you're making it sound so easy. We don't even have our own car. Isn't it troublesome for you to take the bus back and forth every day with the baby? If you say you can't handle it, then I'll have to bear everything. It's not that I don't want to have children, I'm just postponing it for a few years. Once I've saved up some money and there's not much room for promotion, I'll have the baby without worry. Anyway, you've cut off my path to working abroad."

Before Lin's mother could say anything more, Lin's father said, "Alright, alright, let's not talk about this on New Year's Eve. We can discuss this matter later."

(End of this chapter)