Few people dislike taking advantage of a good situation.
Li Fengmei wasn’t some moral exemplar, but such a huge advantage made her blush!
Poverty breeds calculation, wealth nurtures conscience. When pockets are empty, few would refuse a windfall out of necessity.
During Li Fengmei and Liu Yong’s poorest days, debt collectors would block their living room on New Year’s Eve, refusing to leave. In those times, how could Li Fengmei refuse help? Forget help – even charity was welcome if it meant surviving the crisis!
But now things were different.
In their three-person household, except for the student Liu Zitao, both adults were earning.
Liu Yong managed projects in Pengcheng, while Li Fengmei ran the clothing store in Shangdu.
Even accounting for seasonal business fluctuations, the couple could easily earn over 100,000 yuan annually.
Even thirty years later, an annual income of over 100,000 would provide a comfortable life for a family of three, assuming no mortgage or car payments. This was in early 1985 when average monthly wages didn’t exceed 100 yuan – over 100,000 was unimaginable for salaried families.
Logically, by 1985, “ten-thousand-yuan households” shouldn’t have been as rare as in the late seventies and early eighties, but the number of early prosperous families was tiny compared to China’s total population. While a small portion of quick-minded people had grown wealthy, the general population hadn’t yet enjoyed Reform and Opening Up’s benefits.
Though rationing was gradually being abolished, many items remained scarce and hard to obtain.
An income of over 100,000, without buying a car, could provide an extremely comfortable life in ’85.
Future millionaires and multimillionaires wouldn’t feel as secure.
Multimillionaires were fine, but mere millionaires couldn’t even afford houses in first-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai – what was there to be proud of?
But in ’85, over 100,000 could buy homes in both Beijing and Shanghai with money to spare.
In short, Li Fengmei wasn’t short of money any more; she didn’t need to sacrifice her niece’s interests for her advantage. Li Fengmei was satisfied with their current life. Apart from the couple’s temporary separation, everything was going well. Why did people desperately pursue money? Because many problems could truly be solved with money – financial comfort reduced family arguments. Disputes could be dissolved with money before they even began; it was hard not to live contentedly.
Li Fengmei hadn’t deeply experienced wealthy people’s troubles yet – the last time someone tried to seduce Liu Yong, the situation was resolved before she needed to intervene.
But she had deeply experienced money’s benefits.
Financial comfort had made her more peaceful.
Now, even if Liu Fang provoked her again, Li Fengmei wouldn’t get angry like before. What was there to be angry about? The reputation of private business owners might not sound good, but their wallets were solid. The money was earned bit by bit, and they could spend it however they wanted without considering others!
When Liu Fang was an official’s wife, she couldn’t be too flashy because some of Liang Bing’an’s money couldn’t bear scrutiny.
Hearing that Xia Xiaolan wanted to give her the entire Shangdu clothing store, Li Fengmei wasn’t afraid of managing it – she felt guilty.
“How can this be right? Now that business is good, I’m supposed to keep all the profits? Leaving you with an uncertain new store in Beijing – I can’t do that!”
Li Fengmei was mentally prepared for Liu Fen to eventually move to Beijing.
The profit-sharing could remain the same. Wasn’t Liu Fen’s management from Beijing just as good as from Shangdu?
Li Fengmei wouldn’t cook the books for the Shangdu store!
Liu Fen, being less articulate, struggled to explain: “This is Xiaolan’s idea. She says you can manage independently now, and separation would be more convenient. She says we’ll each run our stores, but we’re all working under the ‘Blue Phoenix’ brand – it’s still one family business.”
If it was one family business, why manage it separately?
This reasoning couldn’t convince Li Fengmei.
Wasn’t this still Xiaolan and Liu Fen still taking a big loss?
As Li Fengmei disagreed, Liu Fen grew anxious and sweaty. Grandmother Yu muttered, “Children must eventually be weaned. Separating now is best – it won’t hurt family relationships.”
People always change.
Grandmother Yu understood this deeper than others – she had seen too many examples in her life.
Never mind the maid who denounced her and made her clean toilets – take Ji Huaixin, for instance. When studying in Beiping, he was an idealistic youth, a penniless student full of patriotic thoughts, able to endure poverty and hardship. He was pure then, even embarrassed to accept Grandmother Yu’s support.
Later, with position and family obligations, his initial passion might have remained, but he became cautious in his actions.
He became hesitant.
Neither daring to help Grandmother Yu nor firmly allowing Ji Ya to stay in the cattle pen with Tang Hong’en.
This was the most realistic example of how people change in different periods.
Grandmother Yu understood this, which was why she thought Xia Xiaolan was right. Even brothers should keep clear accounts – now everyone could make money together, naturally benefiting everyone!
But what if they stopped making money?
What if the business failed or policies changed?
Then, the harmonious family relationship would inevitably change.
Even without verbal complaints, people would have thoughts.
Grandmother Yu felt separation was best.
This was originally Xia Xiaolan’s family matter, and Grandmother Yu, who typically kept her distance, wouldn’t randomly offer opinions. But since Xia Xiaolan wanted to take Grandmother Yu to Beijing, by her old way of thinking, their relationship was more than just tenant and landlord.
Even the small building at Erqi Square, Grandmother Yu intended to give to Xia Xiaolan.
If her son Xu Zhongyi couldn’t be found, Xia Xiaolan would essentially be caring for her in her old age. Grandmother Yu protected the mother-daughter pair’s interests. While she couldn’t help much otherwise, it was now her turn to say the unpleasant things. Everyone knew her personality anyway – if Li Fengmei got angry, she could be angry at her. Grandmother Yu didn’t care about confronting others!
Grandmother Yu’s words hit Li Fengmei like a hammer to the head.
Would she and Xiaolan’s family eventually quarrel over business?
Li Fengmei herself didn’t believe it.
Liu Yong wouldn’t either.
Her son Liu Zitao even less so – she’d strangle that ungrateful brat if he did.
But would her maiden family stir up trouble?
When Li Fengmei visited her maiden family in the summer, she was generous with Taotao’s maternal grandmother. When questioned, she couldn’t help revealing her business in Shangdu. Learning that she partnered with Xiaolan’s family, Taotao’s grandmother didn’t say much, but Li Fengmei’s sister-in-law wanted to work at the clothing store.
With two employees working well, why would Li Fengmei fire them to hire her maiden family’s sister-in-law? Besides, the store wasn’t hers alone – that’s how she responded to her sister-in-law then. Her elder sister-in-law was unhappy, saying that Liu Fen relied on Liu Yong’s help after her divorce, so how could she have any opinion now?
Li Fengmei got angry then.
She thought her attitude was firm, but after Grandmother Yu’s words, Li Fengmei began doubting herself.
“I’ll discuss it with your brother first!”
Would keeping the business together hold Xiaolan back? Li Fengmei needed to figure this out.