Xia Changzheng and Zhang Cui arrived in the capital after the New Year from Anqing.
Before they could even get settled, Xia Ziyu called him to go back. The couple had taken hard-seat train tickets to Beijing, transferring multiple times from their rural home to the provincial city, lugging their bags around. Xia Changzheng was very unhappy: “He needs to go back to get an introduction letter for your Little Uncle’s family, but why do I need to go?”
Originally, Xia Changzheng had been the most successful among the three Xia brothers. Zhang Cui secretly ran a small restaurant in the county town, and they never lacked money. When Xia Ziyu became a university student, people would flatter Xia Changzheng wherever he went.
Second Brother Xia Dajun had the lowest status, having no son meant he couldn’t hold his head high. He was just an obedient laborer – without a son to care for him in his old age, he was destined to contribute to the family… That was the situation before, but things were different now. Xia Dajun’s daughter had gotten into university, performing even better than Xia Ziyu.
Xia Dajun had also struck lucky, catching the eye of a Hong Kong boss who took him under his wing.
Meanwhile, Xia Changzheng had lost one hand and now had to make a living running a small food stall in Beijing. Back in Anqing County, he had owned a shop where people called him “Boss Xia,” but in Beijing, he had no fixed assets, and his life felt very oppressive.
He wasn’t so inclined to follow Xia Ziyu’s instructions anymore, as this daughter seemed unreliable. Changing the subject, Xia Changzheng brought up his future in-law’s job transfer: “Your father-in-law isn’t an education bureau leader anymore, so what about your brother Junbao’s schooling in Beijing? I told you early on to have the Wang family sort out your brother’s schooling, but you kept dragging your feet. Now who can help us!”
The Higher Education Department was under the Ministry of Education, but Xia Changzheng didn’t understand this – he just knew Wang Guangping was an education bureau leader. He understood that people could only get things done when they were in position. Now that Wang wasn’t in the education bureau leadership anymore, how could he help with his son’s schooling?
Xia Changzheng got angry just thinking about it, leaving Xia Ziyu speechless and uncomfortable.
After some effort, Xia Ziyu finally understood what the Party History Office was. It was just a retirement post! Wang Guangping was barely over 50, hardly retirement age. This transfer was an early move to the second line, with slim chances of making a comeback. Xia Ziyu had been confused herself – without Wang Guangping’s help, could Wang Jianhua still succeed in the future?
Xia Changzheng blamed her for not seizing the opportunity, but Xia Ziyu couldn’t express her frustration. Before Wang Guangping’s transfer, the Wang family’s threshold had been so high. She had spent so much effort just to get engaged to Wang Jianhua, yet her father only knew how to blame her, without considering her status in the Wang family had been.
Sure, she could influence Wang Jianhua and have him make requests to Wang Guangping. But that would only make Wang Guangping look down on her more.
Xia Ziyu had been enduring, waiting until she properly married Wang Jianhua and firmly stepped into the Wang family. Then she could take things slowly. But this wait had resulted in Wang Guangping being transferred to the Party History Office!
Xia Ziyu didn’t want to revisit these old issues with her father. “Second Uncle is now working for the Hong Kong boss, earning three thousand yuan monthly. I told him your hand was ruined by Xia Xiaolan, and he feels very guilty. But we’re far away in Beijing, while Little Uncle’s family and Grandmother are by Second Uncle’s side. No matter how guilty he feels, it can’t compare to those who deliberately curry favor with him every day. If you don’t go back, Second Uncle’s salary will benefit my Little Uncle and Grandmother, not our family.”
Three thousand yuan monthly salary? That would be forty thousand in a year! Even when their small restaurant in Anqing County was doing well, they couldn’t earn forty thousand a year. Second Brother’s salary alone was this much.
Xia Ziyu’s words hit home with Xia Changzheng. He unconsciously forgot that he had first tried to have someone break Xia Xiaolan’s hand to prevent her from taking the college entrance exam, which had prompted her fierce retaliation.
Ziyu was right – his hand was ruined by Xia Xiaolan. If he hadn’t become disabled, he wouldn’t be in this situation. Second Brother should feel guilty and should compensate!
Xia Changzheng’s eyes rolled, “Your mother and I sent you a telegram as soon as we heard the news. You went to Pengcheng to see your Second Uncle before New Year, ahead of everyone else. If he felt guilty, didn’t he show it?”
Xia Ziyu paused, then replied very naturally: “Of course he did. I told my Second Uncle that you and Mom wanted to open another small restaurant in Beijing, and he gave me ten thousand yuan as capital. I was too busy with the start of school and forgot to tell you. When spring thaws the ground, you and Mom should look for a suitable shop. You both should start the restaurant – it’s better than setting up a street stall.”
Initially, Xia Ziyu hadn’t planned to hand over the ten thousand yuan. If her parents used this money as capital, they might not share the profits with her, especially since she had a brother.
With her disciplinary record, Xia Ziyu wouldn’t be assigned a good job in the future, so she would definitely need to run her own business to make money.
But now that Du Zhaohui had shown movement, Xia Ziyu no longer cared about Xia Dajun’s ten thousand yuan, so giving it away wasn’t a problem.
She had considered having her parents do other businesses, but after much thought, running a small restaurant seemed most suitable for them. They had run a shop before, so copying that model shouldn’t be difficult, right?
When Xia Ziyu said she would give the money to him and Zhang Cui, Xia Changzheng let go of the matter.
If Second Brother could casually give away ten thousand, the three thousand monthly salary must be true.
Xia Changzheng would be very uncomfortable if that money went to Xia Hongbing’s family.
“I’ll buy a ticket back to Anqing right away.”
Xia Ziyu finally smiled: “Dad, we’re family. How can we live well if family doesn’t unite? Would I harm you and Mom? Go back to Anqing and help out around Second Uncle. Mom and I will look at shops here in Beijing. If we find something suitable, we’ll rent it. By the time you return to Beijing, the shop might be ready to open!”
With Xia Dajun’s generous support, Xia Ziyu gave up this ten thousand, and Zhang Cui had some money too – more than enough to open a small restaurant.
Small restaurants don’t need fancy decorations. How much could floor tiles, paint, and furniture cost?
Many outsiders trying to put down roots in the capital started with small shops, slowly saving money to settle down. Xia Ziyu didn’t have such patience. Even for buying a house, she wanted to go straight to the top. Knowing Xia Xiaolan had bought a siheyuan worth tens of thousands, how could she be satisfied with a rundown house costing just a few thousand?
Convinced by Xia Ziyu, Xia Changzheng immediately bought a ticket back to Yunan.
Zhang Cui wanted to open a shop near the Teachers College, but Xia Ziyu rejected this: “University cafeterias are cheap and good. Nine out of ten students are poor – it won’t work to open near the school.”
Then why had it worked to open near the County First High School back in Anqing County? It couldn’t be that high school students in the county had more money than university students in the capital.
Zhang Cui fell silent. She understood her daughter’s thoughts – Xia Ziyu was embarrassed to have her parents running a shop near the school where her classmates might see.
But what could she do? Zhang Cui herself didn’t want to be a farmer, much less a looked-down-upon individual business owner. She wanted to be like Ran Shuyu, not having to work, with a husband who was a state cadre, but fate wasn’t kind.
Ziyu was also unlucky to be born to her.
Xia Ziyu hadn’t noticed her mother Zhang Cui’s unusual mood. She was trying to figure out Du Zhaohui’s intentions. Hong Kong people were very shrewd – the tiny Hong Kong Island had produced so many billionaires. Du Zhaohui’s reactions consistently deviated from Xia Ziyu’s expectations, which annoyed her!