This was Liu Fen’s second time flying.
Grandma Yu claimed it was her first time on a plane – only Liu Fen would believe that. The old lady showed no signs of discomfort from flying. When Xia Xiaolan met them, Grandma Yu appeared more energetic:
“Since you’ve come with my mother, you should spend a few good days sightseeing in Beijing!”
The relationship between Grandma Yu and them was certainly more than just landlord and tenant.
When Xia Xiaolan went to study in Beijing, Liu Fen and Grandma Yu still lived together day and night. Though the old lady appeared tough on the outside, she had a soft heart and was most protective of Liu Fen, always worried about her being taken advantage of. Now she had eagerly come along – how could Xia Xiaolan not be moved?
Grandma Yu lived up to her reputation for being tough. When Xia Xiaolan suggested she enjoy a few days of sightseeing, Grandma Yu snorted:
“I still need to go back to sweep the streets, what sightseeing!”
Xia Xiaolan had to admire her.
It was time to collect rent again, and with that small building at Erqi Square, Grandma Yu wouldn’t go hungry. The annual rent was much higher than street sweeping wages. Grandma Yu was well past retirement age, and with her diabetes, Xia Xiaolan thought she shouldn’t continue with the street sweeping job.
Making over two thousand yuan a year in the 1980s meant one could live quite comfortably.
If Grandma Yu lived to a ripe old age, she wouldn’t need to worry about money. Xia Xiaolan planned to buy the building where “Blue Phoenix” was currently located.
There was just one concern – if her mother came to open a branch store in Beijing, what about Grandma Yu?
Leaving a diabetic elderly lady to live alone in Shangdu wasn’t very convenient. Xia Xiaolan thought either Li Fengmei could move in with Taotao as Grandma Yu’s ‘tenants’ to look after her, or Grandma Yu could come to Beijing with her mother. Their roles would reverse – at the courtyard Xia Xiaolan bought near Shichahai, she could charge Grandma Yu a symbolic rent, letting her continue living with her mother.
Of course, either arrangement would need Grandma Yu’s approval, and since she was here in Beijing now, Xia Xiaolan took the opportunity to ask.
Xia Xiaolan didn’t have a car, so after picking them up at the airport, they took the bus.
She took them directly to the courtyard at Shichahai. It was Liu Fen’s first time seeing this house.
When Xia Xiaolan said this was their house, Grandma Yu examined the location and the house’s style, then turned to Liu Fen and sighed:
“You’re fortunate – this used to be an official’s residence.”
For Liu Fen, whose family had been poor farmers for generations, to now live in a courtyard house by Shichahai – besides being blessed with a daughter named “Xia Xiaolan,” Grandma Yu couldn’t think of any other explanation. Liu Fen’s fate was bitter at first, sweet later – though the first half of her life wasn’t smooth, once her daughter succeeded, Liu Fen’s life would only get better.
Grandma Yu’s own life had been sweet first, bitter later.
She had enjoyed all sorts of blessings in the first half of her life, but in middle age, everything crashed down. Fate had played a cruel joke on Grandma Yu, and life got increasingly difficult.
Fortunately, she hadn’t given up. From being a young lady to becoming a street sweeper, and while sweeping, she got a simple-minded tenant like Liu Fen. Grandma Yu felt that these bitter days, though as bitter as Chinese goldthread, had taken on a different flavor.
Though Liu Fen was simple-minded, she was interesting – she was genuine. While Grandma Yu would scold her for being foolish while still worrying about her, who was the fool in the end? Herself!
Xia Xiaolan had no idea what Grandma Yu was thinking as she led her around. Liu Fen touched the windowsills and the floor tiles.
“Xiaolan, are we staying here tonight?”
“Better not, there’s no heating. It gets cold at night…”
The old courtyard house didn’t have central heating, and Xia Xiaolan planned to add it during renovation.
The kitchen was fully equipped, with items Xia Xiaolan had gradually collected like an ant moving house.
There were beds and quilts, but it was too cold to sleep at night now. Using coal braziers posed safety risks, so Xia Xiaolan preferred Liu Fen and Grandma Yu stay at a guest house. They could even stay at a hotel if they wanted – Xia Xiaolan could afford it.
Grandma Yu walked around the house, tapping the floor, and thoroughly dismissed Xia Xiaolan’s lack of knowledge:
“I told you this was an official’s residence – you think those officials just endured the cold in winter? This courtyard has floor heating. Buy some coal to burn, and the whole house will be warm.”
This technology was first used in the imperial palace and then learned by officials and nobles.
Flues were built under the floor tiles. In winter, smoke would pass through these flues, with properly configured smoke windows, heating the entire floor tiles and naturally warming the interior.
In rural areas, they had heated walls and kangs. If you thought about it, there were always ways to stay warm in winter.
After being schooled by Grandma Yu, Xia Xiaolan realized that although she had researched courtyard houses, she hadn’t noticed the flues in her courtyard – her research hadn’t been thorough enough. Grandma Yu’s extensive knowledge came from life experience, something Xia Xiaolan couldn’t match given their different backgrounds.
The luxurious life Grandma Yu had experienced wasn’t something just Xia Xiaolan, but probably many others hadn’t seen either.
Of course, many things Xia Xiaolan had seen were beyond Grandma Yu’s imagination – this was the difference in generational perspectives.
Grandma Yu said the floor heating would take time to heat up, so they should buy some coal today to test it. If the house’s flues were damaged from years of disuse and leaked smoke, it would be dangerous for everyone to sleep there at night.
Liu Fen stayed at home, wanting to clean the house thoroughly.
“I don’t mind if you want to clean the windows, but there’s honeycomb coal at home. Don’t be stingy with those few cents – use hot water to clean!”
Those cracked hands had taken a full year and a half to heal and look better – they shouldn’t get chilblains from being soaked in cold water again.
As soon as Xia Xiaolan and Grandma Yu left the house, not even 200 meters away, Grandma Yu couldn’t hold back any more:
“In the dead of winter, why did you call your mother to Beijing? Don’t tell me it’s for sightseeing – in this weather, the further north you go, the more uncomfortable it gets. Who would want to come suffer in Beijing in winter!”
Grandma Yu was truly shrewd – nothing could be hidden from her.
So Xia Xiaolan told her about Ji Ya.
After briefly explaining the grievances involved, Grandma Yu pondered the situation:
“The luck of you mother and daughter… I can’t tell if it’s good or bad.”
An official wouldn’t care if Liu Fen had been insulted – people only feel joy or sorrow for those close to them. Grandma Yu would bet her broom that if Leader Tang didn’t have some feelings for Liu Fen, she would sweep every street in Beijing! As voluntary labor, without pay!
“What did you say his name was?”
“Tang Hong’en.”
“Oh, I remember something about him.”
He had been an official in Shangdu and was sent to a labor camp too.
His reputation was quite good, but Grandma Yu didn’t say more. Mayor Tang was in his second marriage, and so was Liu Fen. Mayor Tang had a son, Liu Fen had a daughter. Neither should look down on the other, and they could make do together… but reality wasn’t that simple. Sometimes when great fortune suddenly falls on your head, you have to see if the person can handle it.
Xia Xiaolan wasn’t a problem – thick-skinned and strong-hearted, Grandma Yu wasn’t worried about her at all.
But Liu Fen was different. With her personality, a third marriage was unlikely, so a second marriage needed to be considered more carefully.
Well, they’d see how things went. Coming along this time was right – she could meet Mayor Tang. Grandma Yu unconsciously started worrying again – she could call Liu Fen foolish herself, but she wouldn’t allow others to bully her!