Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 262 The Two Chens Argue

Xiao Hong stood up, opened the wine, and poured wine for several people. Everyone politely accepted the wine, holding the wine glass and lightly tapping the table with their fingers.

Chen Hui raised his glass to Xiao Wei and said, "Come on, let's have a toast. I finally feel at peace. I've been feeling conflicted for a while now. Chen Xiao has asked me several times why Xiao Wei and Lao Xia are teaming up, but not with you. I had no answer."

Xiao Wei laughed, picked up his glass, clinked it with Chen Hui's, and said, "You're just being dramatic. What difference does it make how you do it? You're not happy about making more money, are you?" Chen Hui took a big gulp, tilted his head back, and downed it. He wiped his mouth and said, "It's different. With you here, I feel more at ease, and my dad feels more at ease too."

Xiao Wei was a little touched. He picked up his glass, downed the rest in one gulp, and showed Chen Hui the bottom of his glass.

After finishing their meal, the group strolled over to the power company's premises, where they arranged for the drivers and Lao Xu to stay at the power company's guesthouse, while the three of them went home.

At 10 p.m., Chen Xiao came home from get off work. She opened the door herself, went inside, sauntered around while changing her shoes, threw her bag on a chair, and called out, "Chen Hui."

Chen Hui and Xiao Wei were playing a game inside when they heard the shout. They dropped the controller and dashed out like rabbits. Chen Hui picked up Chen Xiao, spun her around a few times, and asked, "Did you miss me, honey?"

Chen Xiao patted Chen Hui on the back and shouted, "Ugh, ugh, what are you thinking about? I'm exhausted after a long day, I don't have time for that."

Chen Hui put Chen Xiao down, grinned foolishly for a few seconds, and then gave Chen Xiao a quick kiss on the cheek: "You've worked hard, I'll treat you to something later." Chen Xiao spat and pushed Chen Hui aside, saying, "Is there anything to eat? I'm hungry."

The next morning, Xiaowei got up, washed up, went downstairs to buy breakfast, and brought it up.

Sweeping, mopping, and tidying up the kitchen—these two girls have made the kitchen a complete mess lately, not just dirty, but utterly chaotic.

After spending some time tidying up, I used a rag to wipe the kitchen and dining room inside and out. While I was wiping, Xiao Hong got up, groggily came over and kissed Xiao Wei on the cheek before going to wash up.

Xiao Wei took some of the hot breakfast from the pot and placed it on the table. He hung the dishcloth to dry, then went over and threw the laundry into the washing machine, added some detergent, and started it. Xiao Hong finished washing up and came out to sit down and eat breakfast, her eyes following Xiao Wei's every move. This is life.

After Xiaohong finished eating and went inside to tidy herself up, Xiaowei had already hung up the washed clothes. Since they weren't staying here for a while, the clothes were all hanging inside, taking up half of the dining room space. Luckily, the washing machine was fully automatic and didn't drip.

The two of them tidied up the room again, made up the quilt and covered it with sheets, closed the windows tightly, and packed Xiaohong's clothes into her suitcase.

They chatted and worked together sweetly, when suddenly the door next to them opened, and Chen Hui walked out, yawning and rubbing his eyes, asking, "What are you doing?"

Xiao Wei said, "Go wash your face and brush your teeth quickly."

Chen Hui nodded and staggered to the kitchen.

After Chen Hui finished washing up and was eating breakfast, Chen Xiao came out in her pajamas with her hair disheveled. Looking at Xiao Hong's packed suitcase, she asked, "You're leaving today?"

Xiao Hong pulled her suitcase to the door and said, "Okay, let's go to Longcheng for a few days first. Xiao Wei's parents and brother are there. We'll go back together for the New Year. Go wash your face and eat." She turned and went back into the house.

Chen Xiao's face twitched as she said, "They're all gone, what am I going to do? They don't want me anymore. I'm exhausted from work during the day, and I still have to come home alone at night. I don't want to live anymore, waaaaaah!" She went to the bathroom. A few minutes later, Chen Hui exclaimed in the dining room, "Ouch! Are you crazy? Why are you pinching me for no reason?"

Chen Xiao snorted a few times and said, "What if I pinch you? Can't I be in a bad mood? I'm exhausted all day and still have to come home alone, while you guys are having a great time out there."

Chen Hui said, "Can't you be reasonable? It's one or two times, but it's annoying every day, you know? You're working there with the lobby manager and you don't even have to do any work, so why are you exhausted? You're the one who's tired, while I'm just playing around outside?"

Chen Xiao said, "Isn't the lobby manager tired? He's never idle all day long. He can barely sit for a short while from morning till night. I don't know anyone there, and I can't even go out for a stroll. How can I not be tired? What do you do all day? Just hang around and have fun?"

Chen Hui said, "Chen Xiao, if you don't want to go, you don't have to. Nobody's forcing you. Even if we start our own business, you don't have to go if you don't want to. You don't need to do this."

Chen Xiao slammed his chopsticks on the table and said, "Chen Hui, what do you mean by this?"

Chen Hui said, "What do you mean? If you don't want to work, then don't. Nobody's forcing you. This is pointless. Why don't you go back and help your brother watch the counter? That's easy; you can come and go as you please. With your attitude, no one will dare let you manage the restaurant when it opens."

Chen Xiao said, "Can't I even say a few words because I'm tired after a long day? You've all left, leaving me all alone, and I can't even say a word?"

Chen Hui said, "We're adults. Playing is playing, and doing things is doing things. Can't you understand that? Forget it, let's eat. You can rest at home for a couple of days and think about whether you really want to do this." He finished his meal in a few bites, stood up, took the dishes to the kitchen, washed them, and put them on the dish rack. He wiped his hands and came out, asking, "Xiao Wei, are you leaving?"

Xiaowei and Xiaohong had been wanting to come out of the house for a while, but they were too embarrassed to come out because they heard the two of them starting to argue. When they heard Chen Hui's words, Xiaowei said, "Come on, are you all ready?" and he and Xiaohong came out of the house.

Chen Xiao sat at the table eating silently. Chen Hui stood at the door and said, "Let's go, it's getting late, and this mess could cause trouble."

Xiao Wei glanced at Chen Xiao and said, "It's okay, it's late if it's late. Aren't we going to wait for Chen Xiao?"

Chen Xiao said, "You guys are busy, don't worry about me. I'll tidy up the house in a bit and then I'll leave on my own."

Xiao Hong said, "No need to pack it up, just leave it there. We're leaving now."

Xiao Wei carried the suitcase, and the three of them went downstairs. Once downstairs, Chen Hui said, "She's a bit too spoiled. I reckon Chen Xiao might not be able to handle it; we'll have to find someone else. Sigh, she's just not cut out for it."

Xiao Wei said, "People are learning every day, don't talk so soon." He put the suitcase on the ground and dragged it. In those days, rolling suitcases hadn't been invented yet, only wheeled suitcases were available, and they were very expensive. Not many people were willing to spend that much money, but they still attracted a lot of attention, and everyone they met along the way would take a look.

The rolling suitcase was invented in 91 by a captain at Northwest Airlines in the United States. He later discovered it sold very well, so in 93 he quit his job to focus solely on manufacturing it, eventually developing it into the world's largest airline luggage company, Rockland, whose logo is the Eiffel Tower. Interestingly, this guy forgot to renew his patent, causing it to expire and lose its protection, thus benefiting luggage companies worldwide.

There is no generational gap between China and the world in terms of luggage. There were luggage factories in China as early as the 80s, and China has always been in sync with the world.

In those days, Chinese people would carry a large leather suitcase or a plastic travel case when they went out, relying entirely on carrying it.

(End of this chapter)