I was approached by a cat-eared girl.

Not only the rooms, but also the floors, furniture, appliances, and even the attic and rooftop need to be cleaned thoroughly.

On the first day, we tidied up the bed in the master bedroom so that there was a place to sleep. After that, we gradually expanded outwards.

After three or four days of work, the new house finally became a home for people to live in. Before, it was like a beautifully decorated showroom, looking very clean and pretty, but in fact, it was full of dirt and grime. If you wiped any spot with your hand, you would get your hand covered in dust.

After the house was tidied up, Bai Xiaoqi happily dragged her friends along to tour it, wandering around each room one by one. In fact, they had visited it several times in the past few days, but Anya still gave them face and exclaimed in amazement.

Everything else is great, but the study is a bit of a disappointment. Other people's bookshelves are filled with all sorts of books that exude a cultured atmosphere, but this one feels like a breath of fresh air, with a touch of simplicity.

Most of the bookshelf was empty, with only the middle shelf containing books, all of which were Bai Xiaoqi's elementary school workbooks, supplementary books, and various textbooks.

There was also a bed in the inner part of the room. The folding bed that they bought before was not thrown away. Chen Shuo put it in the study so that he could hide in the study to sleep if he was ever abused, instead of sleeping on the sofa.

...If being headbutted or bitten also counts as domestic violence.

What Anya envied most was the rooftop, which was like a small park, with pavilions, attics, ponds, lawns, stone paths, and lush greenery, but no flowers.

Flowers need to be taken care of; they weren't planted before, but rather some easy-to-grow green plants were planted on top.

It was left unattended for several months, but it still thrived with remarkable vitality.

Flowers are definitely a must. Bai Xiaoqi plans to learn how to grow flowers during this time and then plant some on it.

Yes, we also need to grow some vegetables. We can grow whatever we want to eat, so we won't have to buy vegetables anymore.

"We also need to get a few fish to keep in this pond, and add some pond mud to grow water lilies." Sitting in the pavilion, Anya looked at the dried-up pond and offered suggestions.

She felt a pang of sadness, but she didn't say it. She wished she had bought a penthouse apartment back then. Although it wouldn't have the same large rooftop terrace as an apartment with one unit per floor, at least she could have had a small balcony where she could grow some flowers and plants.

Two girls were chattering on the rooftop. Chen Shuo was waiting at the entrance of the residential area. After a while, Chen Jianwen's car came into view, with Wu Yulan in the passenger seat.

The elderly couple came over to have a meal together as a way of celebrating their housewarming.

After parking the car in the underground parking lot, Chen Jianwen took a bamboo bonsai out of the trunk and handed it to Chen Shuo.

"Here, take it."

Chen Shuo happily accepted it, brushing the leaves off the bamboo with his hand, "Dad, you came all this way, and even brought me a gift."

“This is for you; it’s to congratulate you on moving to your new home.”

"They're all the same."

There are actually quite a few customs associated with moving. For example, you can't enter a new home empty-handed for the first time; you have to bring your wallet, rice bucket, etc., symbolizing that the home will become more and more prosperous.

There were even things like burning incense and making offerings to the gods, but Chen Shuo and his partner didn't have that many formalities. Inviting their parents and friends over for a meal was enough for them.

Of course, you should also prepare some gifts when the guests come over. For example, the lucky bamboo that Chen Jianwen and his wife gave is meant to symbolize a prosperous and harmonious family in the future.

As they got on the elevator, they saw Chen Shuo swipe his card, and the button for the fifteenth floor lit up automatically. Wu Yulan and Chen Jianwen whispered to each other, saying that the community was quite unique and that they wouldn't have been able to get up there without him.

As they chatted, the two started discussing the issue of living on the top floor. It's true that it's cold in winter and hot in summer on the top floor, but what if there's a power outage? Wouldn't they be helpless? And climbing up and down would be exhausting.

But once you step inside and see the house's decor, you don't have time to discuss anything else. The decor is really good, and the space is huge.

However, Chen Shuo felt that the large size of the house also had its drawbacks. For example, in the past, once you entered the house, you could basically see where people were. But this house was so big that you could walk around the rooms several times after entering the house and still not find anyone.

"What about her?"

"She's probably on the rooftop. You two sit down first, I'll go call her."

Chen Shuo went up the stairs to the rooftop. Chen Jianwen and his wife didn't sit down either. They wandered around the rooms like country bumpkins visiting the Grand View Garden, nodding frequently.

It was surprisingly good.

Although I've seen the photos, nothing beats seeing it in person. A big house really makes a difference; the sofa is as big as a bed, so you can sit on it and even lie down to sleep.

Chen Jianwen sat down for a moment, and almost jumped up with a "whoosh!" "Wow, this sofa is so suctioned!"

This sofa is too soft; you sink right in when you sit on it. After calming himself down, Chen Jianwen sat down again. It was quite comfortable, but he was used to sitting on hard sofas and didn't feel quite used to it.

Wu Yulan didn't have as many problems as him. She wandered around the rooms and then took Walnut out of the cat's bed. "Old Chen, look how interesting this cat is. It's as fat as a pig, and it even lets people pet it."

"Stay away from me, this thing sheds fur." ​​Chen Jianwen moved a little further away, looking disgusted.

"You talk as if you won't fall."

"That's called hair loss, and besides, it's not that much." Chen Jianwen unconsciously stroked his hair, covering the slightly bald spot on his forehead.

“…” Wu Yulan ignored him, scratched Walnut’s belly, and suddenly noticed a small scar on its lower abdomen, clearly showing signs of stitches. “Hey, Old Chen, look, this cat has had a C-section.”

"Let me see."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jianwen disregarded the issue of shedding fur and immediately adjusted his glasses to come closer for a look. A cat that had undergone a C-section—this was novel; he had never seen anything like it before.

"Let's go out and buy some fish fry another day to put in the pond, and then get some..."

As they came down from the rooftop, Chen Shuo suddenly fell silent upon seeing the scene in the living room. He Tao was being held in Wu Yulan's arms, belly up, while Chen Jianwen leaned in to look at her.

The cat involved was shameless, acting as if it didn't care at all.

"cough..."

Chen Shuo couldn't help but cough. "Dad, what are you doing?"

“Your mom said this cat had a C-section and insisted I take a look.” Chen Jianwen looked up, pushed up his glasses, and quietly moved back to keep his distance.

“Where did you get a C-section? This is a sterilization scar.”

"I knew it was impossible. How could a cat have a C-section? From an evolutionary perspective, dystocia during childbirth is a result of humans' development towards upright walking..."

As they were talking, Chen Jianwen noticed Anya coming down at the very back, adjusted his glasses, and asked, "This is..."

"Oh, this is Qiqi's friend. Let's have dinner together at home tonight."

Hello, uncles and aunts.

"Hello."

It's natural to feel a bit awkward when meeting for the first time. After exchanging greetings, neither of them spoke again.

Just then, Chen Shuo's phone rang. He picked it up and glanced at it; it was Director Nie calling.

"Please sit down first, I'll go down and get the small tweezers."

Chapter 243 Technology Changes Lives

It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone. After more than three months of recuperation, Nie Xi's leg injury was almost healed. Chen Shuo deliberately walked behind and observed silently, and finally concluded that it was not noticeable unless you looked closely.

"Uncle..." As Nie Xi entered through the door, she was about to greet the elderly couple when she caught sight of Anya chatting with them. The word "uncle" suddenly caught in her throat, and she stopped in her tracks. Then, she inexplicably felt a dull ache in her left arm and right leg.

"Come in, what are you standing at the door for?" Chen Shuo pushed him from behind.

"I....."

Nie Xi stumbled and steadied himself. Just as he reached out to adjust his glasses, Wu Yulan waved to him, "Oh, Little Nie is here. Come over here and let Auntie take a look."

Nie Xi responded and sat down next to her, then nodded to An Ya as a greeting.

Wu Yulan smiled and said, "Your mom was talking to me about you a while ago. She said she's worried about your marriage. You should work harder and try to find a girlfriend soon so you can get married as soon as possible and stop making your mom worry."

Chen Shuo chimed in from the side, "Mom, you're not right about that. Little Niezi tried so hard, even going on blind dates during the New Year. She probably broke her leg in the process."

"Hey, how can you talk like that?" Wu Yulan slapped Chen Shuo on the forehead, then looked at Nie Xi's leg. "How's the recovery going?"

"The recovery is going very well."

"I saw you were greeting Anya just now, do you two know each other?"

"Huh?" Anya was taken aback, then explained, "Oh, Auntie, he went on a blind date with me during the Chinese New Year."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yulan immediately became interested, her gossip spirit burning brightly. She exchanged a glance with Chen Jianwen, never expecting such a coincidence.

"You two even went on a blind date? Why didn't it work out?"

"this..."

Nie Xi hesitated for a moment, and since the person involved was present, she couldn't just make up a lie to cover it up. Just as she was thinking about what to say, Anya next to her spoke up, "Well, we just feel like we're not a good match."

"oh.."

Wu Yulan nodded and didn't ask any further questions. Young people these days are different from them back then. They even need to rely on feelings when they're in a relationship. But what exactly are those feelings?

Not sure.

She had barely met Lao Chen when they got married, but they still lived a good life together afterward.

......

This is the first time so many people have come to our house. Our old little place definitely wouldn't have been able to accommodate them; it was so small you couldn't even stretch your legs while dancing.

The new house is spacious enough to comfortably accommodate more than a dozen more people. Unfortunately, the two of them don't have that many friends. Chen Shuo wanted to call the local police officer, Du Bin, but he was at work today.

Around 4 PM, the three women went to the kitchen to cook. The open kitchen was quite spacious, so it didn't feel crowded at all.

The sink cabinet and all other items inside were custom-made to fit Bai Xiaoqi's height and size, making them just right for her without any effort, highlighting a human-centered design.

Wu Yulan's height of just over 1.6 meters is suitable for her, but it's a bit short for Anya, who is nearly 1.7 meters tall. Anya has to bend over, but since she's just helping out, she doesn't need to bend over while sitting next to her picking vegetables.

The three women chatted and cooked together, getting along very well, while the three men in the living room also chatted casually.

The old man clearly preferred chatting with Nie Xi. The two seemed to have a lot in common, talking about everything from national affairs to the world situation, from Yangcheng's development in recent years to how to carry out reforms to promote the progress of the city and even the whole country.

Chen Shuo then realized that Nie Xi had two faces. Although he was usually quiet and taciturn, he was like a completely different person at this moment.

Not only did he chat and laugh with Chen Jianwen, but he was also a great conversationalist, always able to follow the old man's train of thought and make him beam with joy.

Chen Shuo is different; he not only never plays the straight man, but he always argues.

The two chatted back and forth, and he chimed in from the side, "Dad, your approach is outdated and too idealistic."

"And you, Xiaotweezers, as someone within the system, should see it even more clearly. My father's reform ideas are obviously full of loopholes, just like the so-called 'idealistic reforms' of ancient scholars. They seem to work, but they are actually not practical at all. To put it bluntly, they are just the empty talk of scholars, and you keep nodding in agreement."

"What business is it of yours? Go away, get out of here!" The old man felt offended and couldn't help but scold.

"I think Uncle Chen is right. Our social system is different. There is no need to borrow from the development experience of the West, let alone copy theirs. Therefore, we can only rely on ourselves."

Therefore, we especially need insightful and thoughtful people like Uncle Chen who can offer ideas and suggestions, so that we can gradually learn by trial and error, continuously improve, and finally forge our own path.

It was a standardized, official response, but coming from Nie Xi, it sounded genuine and heartfelt.

Chen Shuo almost believed it.

Having navigated the treacherous waters of officialdom, the little tweezers have been tainted by this corrupting influence.

"He's so young yet he's already learned all the ways of officialdom, all he knows is flattery and bootlicking. This young man is hopeless," Chen Shuo couldn't help but sigh.