Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 716 Mindset

Xiao Wei took out his police ID and handed it over. The security guard looked at it carefully, compared it with the photo, and then handed the job back to Xiao Wei, pointing to Chen Hui: "This is your work ID, comrade."

Chen Hui took out his work ID and handed it over. The security guard took it, looked at it, and said, "Your level isn't high enough for us to stay here."

Xiao Wei said, "He's with me; we can't live separately, can we?"

The security guard said, "You're definitely allowed to stay since you're a division-level official. Never mind, I'll make a phone call to ask for instructions, but I can't make a decision myself."

Xiao Wei then took out his committee member ID card and handed it to the gatekeeper, saying, "Can I use this?"

The committee member's certificate worked. Although it didn't carry any real rank, the status was high enough that the security guard let me through directly, saying, "Next time you come, have him get a letter of introduction from his work unit; as long as it has the unit's seal, it'll be fine."

Upon entering the reception area, Xiaowei immediately booked a suite to avoid any trouble.

The suite is on the second floor and has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, and a large hall, totaling nearly 80 square meters. The room is covered with thick carpets, large sofas, a large color TV, a telephone, and a refrigerator.

Because it was a hotel catering to foreigners, it offered a room service. Chen Hui used the phone to order food and then called Li Weibing's pager.

A few minutes later, Li Weibing called back.

Chen Hui answered the phone: "Li Weibing? This is Chen Hui. Xiao Wei and I have arrived in Xidu and just checked into the Changchun Hotel."

Li Weibing asked, "You two are here? Did you drive or take a car?"

Chen Hui said, "I didn't drive. I didn't dare to drive. I came by train."

Li Weibing laughed a few times and said, "We're still checking things out. Something came up and we're a bit late. Sorry about that. You two can wander around and look around first. Gangzi and I will take the bus tonight and come to the Changchun Hotel to find you tomorrow."

Chen Hui said, "No rush, no need to take the night bus, that's too much trouble. You two can just take the bus early tomorrow morning, it won't make a difference if you take a day or two."

Li Weibing said, "That's fine then. We'll leave early tomorrow morning. Just don't pick on us."

Chen Hui said, "It's okay, why bother arguing? It's pointless to be so formal between brothers. It's perfect timing, this is my first time here, I'll just take a stroll and see what's going on. By the time you guys arrive, we won't have time."

Li Weibing said, "Okay, you two go ahead and look around. There are quite a few places to see over there. We'll page you when we get there."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Hui said, "Those two are still investigating."

Xiao Wei washed his face and came out, saying, "I had something to do. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have been able to wait a day. Those two were alright. They were doing us a favor, so what's there to complain about?"

Chen Hui leaned back on the sofa, thought for a moment, and said, "I don't know, I'm a little annoyed."

Xiao Wei laughed and said, "You've got the air of a rich kid. I never noticed you had this kind of energy before. Do you think they should be waiting here long ago after you make a phone call? It's like they don't care about you at all."

Chen Hui smacked his lips and said, "It seems to be true. I suddenly felt uncomfortable when I heard that they were still investigating."

Xiao Wei said, "It's normal for you to feel superior to them and think they should fawn over you. However, this kind of mentality isn't a good thing in the long run; it will gradually turn you into an arrogant person. They're just helping us out, not doing it for money or personal gain, right? Besides, everyone has their own things to do."

Chen Hui shook his head, looked at the ground, and said, "Hey, how are you supposed to clean this thick carpet that he just walks on so casually? You can't just take it down and wash it, can you?"

Xiao Wei looked at the carpet and said, "It's definitely impossible to take it down and wash it. There must be a special cleaning method, but it certainly won't get it that clean."

Chen Hui said, "I think carpets are nice and comfortable. What do you think about putting them in our house?"

Xiao Wei said, "I need to find a place to ask about cleaning. This thing is something you do for a lifetime once it's laid out, and it attracts dust. I feel it's not as good as flooring. How about we get a smaller piece to put on the floor? We can take it out and wash it anytime."

There was a knock on the door, and the food was brought in. Chen Hui ran to open the door, helped set the food on the table in the lobby, and took out 100 yuan to hand to the waiter. The waiter smiled and refused, saying that the hotel did not allow tips.

Actually, if foreigners give them tips, they'll quietly accept them. But they really don't dare to accept tips from their own people. The main reason is that those who can stay here are all leading cadres. Who knows if someone might say a single extra word and get their job revoked?

The dishes were exquisite, the serving dishes were also very elegant, the portions were small, and a light soup was served with the meal.

The two sat down to eat, and Chen Hui tasted each dish and said, "It seems a bit blander than what we usually eat, but it's still alright."

Xiao Wei said, "This place mainly caters to foreign guests and leaders, so their tastes are bound to be different. How could the chefs working here not make delicious food?"

They finished their meal while talking, then called the waiter to come in and clear away the dishes. The two of them then took their room keys and went out to stroll around.

As Chen Hui walked around looking at the map, he said, "This place is quite strange. Why are they all slanted, diamond-shaped, and piece by piece?"

Xiao Wei said, "Actually, if you look at the map, the area in front of Fengtian Station does have a similar feel, but it's not that serious. That area was originally a large city with its own planning, so the Japanese had less influence. This area was basically planned and built by the Japanese."

Chen Hui said, "I know, it just feels weird."

Xiao Wei asked, "Which way do we go?"

Chen Hui looked around and said, "There are quite a few old buildings in this area, let's take a walk around here first."

The two strolled along Jinshui Road to East Minzhu Street, looking at the buildings and scenery along the way. The Imperial Garden was just beyond this point; the northern end of the road was a perfect semicircle, and the road itself was also semicircular. Following this curved road led to West Minzhu Street. There was a cluster of old buildings that, from the air, resembled rows of letters; they didn't know what the script was or what it meant.

At that time, Xidu did not have many tall buildings, and the city was not large. Most of the buildings along the streets were old three- or four-story buildings, making the city seem rather old. However, the greenery was particularly good, with rows of trees and flowers everywhere you went.

The loop is over three kilometers long, and the two of them strolled around for nearly two hours. Chen Hui sighed and said, "This loop should be the area with the strongest sense of history in Xidu, right? Jilin University, the School of Geology, and Bethune University have taken it all up, leaving no space at all. That's too ruthless."

The prime locations with historically significant buildings and land were indeed used up by several schools. Later, all of these universities were merged into Jilin University, becoming different campuses of Jilin University, hence the joke that Xidu City was built within the Jilin University campus.

Xiao Wei said, "This area doesn't seem to be a commercial district. Let's take another look."

Chen Hui stretched his legs and said with a smile, "I can't walk anymore. It feels like it's been a long time since I've walked this far."

Xiao Wei nodded and said, "I've really become lazy now, me too. My legs are a bit sore and my feet hurt. We need to find some time to exercise in the future, otherwise our bodies will be ruined in a few years."

Now that conditions are better, couples drive everywhere they go, resulting in less physical activity and physical deterioration.

(End of this chapter)