Huang Ling was welcomed into the room by Xie Huayuan, and her eyes were attracted by the western-style furnishings in the room.
Wang Gang took his brothers and sisters to put away their luggage first, and then sat in the living room.
Xie Huayuan's daughter Xie Lingling poured a few glasses of water over.
"Hello, Aunt Huang, I am Xie Lingling, a student of Brother Tunan."
Huang Ling looked at the graceful Xie Lingling in front of her and couldn't help but turn to Wang Gang and asked: "Who is this?"
Wang Gang explained: "Xie Lingling is the daughter of the landlord Yuan Ge. I usually help her with math and English lessons, so she calls me teacher."
Xie Huayuan smiled and said: "Thanks to Tunan, Lingling's grades have improved by leaps and bounds this semester."
After Wang Gang's introduction, Huang Ling figured out the relationship.
Xie Huayuan is the landlord introduced by Professor Liu and the owner of the bungalow. Xie Lingling is his only daughter. She is sixteen years old and is attending junior high school.
The Xie family's ancestors practiced medicine for several generations and were once very wealthy. However, they were affected by the special era and the family house was confiscated and was only returned in the past two years.
Xie Huayuan's wife died young, and he and his mother lived with Xie Lingling. Xie's mother went out for something and has not come back yet.
Wang Gang rented the attic of Xie Huayuan's house and has been living with the Xie family for a year, so they are very familiar with each other.
"Mom, Brother Yuan heard that you were coming to Shanghai, so he lent me the guest room. The room is on the second floor. Pengfei and I will sleep in the attic together."
Huang Ling thanked Xie Huayuan and said, "Mr. Xie, I have caused you trouble."
Xie Huayuan said with a smile: "It doesn't matter. Tunan usually helps us a lot, especially Lingling. I am usually busy with work and can't take care of her studies. If it weren't for Tunan, Lingling would be ranked last in the exam every year.
"
"Dad, am I that bad?" Xie Lingling said sheepishly, "I'll take Xiaoting to the room to have a look."
Xie Lingling and Zhuang Xiaoting were close in age, and they seemed to feel like old friends at first sight. The two girls ran upstairs hand in hand.
Wang Gang took out the food packed back from the hotel and said to Xie Huayuan: "Brother Yuan, I packed some Northeastern dishes and borrowed the refrigerator."
"Okay, no problem, you can use it as you like."
Huang Ling helped Wang Gang take the food into the kitchen, and then discovered that Xie's kitchen was larger than her living room.
"Tu Nan, is Mr. Xie very rich?" Huang Ling asked.
"The Xie family used to be quite wealthy, but later the family property was confiscated and only this house was returned. Brother Yuan now works in a traditional Chinese medicine hospital and his income is not high, so he thought of renting out the extra room." Wang Gang explained:
"Brother Yuan's mother is very particular about her lifestyle and has high requirements for tenants."
Huang Ling said worriedly: "They don't look down on you, right?"
Wang Gang couldn't laugh or cry and said: "Mom, what are you thinking about? Brother Yuan and the others are actually very easy to get along with, but Aunt Xie is just a bit of a germaphobe."
Huang Ling said: "I heard that wealthy families in the past had many rules, and I was worried that you wouldn't be able to adapt."
Wang Gang smiled and said, "You will know after you have been with Brother Yuan and the others for a long time that they are all good people."
Zhuang Xiaoting rushed into the kitchen and said to Huang Ling: "Mom, Mom, Sister Lingling has a flush toilet at home."
Huang Ling scolded: "Xiao Ting, don't be so rude."
Wang Gang smiled and said: "Mom, let me show you the bathroom and teach you how to use the toilet."
Huang Ling said speechlessly: "I know how to use a flush toilet. You really think I have never seen the world."
The Huang family was actually wealthy before, but it declined due to the times. Huang Ling's marriage to Zhuang Chaoying was technically a lower marriage.
Wang Gang took Huang Ling to look at the bedroom, and Huang Ling was attracted by the record player on the cabinet.
"Do you want to listen to music? Brother Yuan has some old records."
"No, after all, it's someone else's thing, let's not touch it." Huang Ling looked at the record player with some eagerness, but in the end she restrained herself.
Wang Gang said: "Mom, what do you think of this bungalow?"
Huang Ling sighed: "It's pretty good. Your mother and I have never lived in a house like this in our lives."
Wang Gang smiled and said, "How about I buy a set too?"
"Ah!" Huang Ling said in surprise: "Mr. Xie wants to sell the house?"
Wang Gang shook his head and said: "Brother Yuan is not selling the house, but his neighbor next door wants to sell the house and offers 20,000 yuan."
Huang Ling worriedly asked: "Isn't it true that private property sales are not allowed now?"
Wang Gang nodded and said: "It's a bit troublesome. After buying the house, you need to go to the street office to transfer the ownership, so I've been hesitating."
Huang Ling advised: "Tunan, this kind of house is not something people like us can covet. Besides, after you work, your work unit should allocate houses, so there is no need to buy a house."
Wang Gang said seriously: "The era of divided houses is coming to an end. In the future, units will no longer allocate houses. You have to buy the house yourself."
Huang Ling didn't believe it and said, "It's been decades since we divided houses. How can we say it's over? Don't worry about it in vain."
Wang Gang shook his head and said: "Mom, times are going to change, you have to adapt in advance."
Huang Ling still didn't believe it, and Wang Gang didn't try to persuade her any more. She had dinner with the Xie family in the evening, and Huang Ling also saw Xie Huayuan's mother.
Xie's mother is an old lady who looks very particular. She is quite friendly to Huang Ling and others, but she insists on sharing meals when eating, which makes Zhuang Xiaoting and Xiang Pengfei a little uncomfortable.
In the evening, Wang Gang took Huang Ling to go shopping in Shanghai at night. It had only been two years since the reform and opening up began in Shanghai, but with the legacy of the former Shili Foreign Market, Shanghai's nightlife was still lively.
Huang Ling was very curious when she saw many private restaurants that were bustling with people at night.
The next day, Wang Gang specially took his younger siblings to visit the university campus again, and told Xiang Pengfei and Zhuang Xiaoting stories about Fudan's past, which fascinated the two children.
Zhuang Xiaoting expressed her stance immediately.
"Brother, I will also take the Fudan exam in the future."
Huang Ling liked her daughter's ambition very much, but when she saw her nephew Xiang Pengfei looking unhappy, she couldn't help but ask:
"Pengfei, don't you want to go to college?"
Xiang Pengfei shook his head and said: "Auntie, my grades are not good, and it is still too difficult to get into college."
Wang Gang asked: "Pengfei, what do you want to do in the future?"
Xiang Pengfei thought of the restaurants he saw yesterday and said, "Brother Tunan, I want to do business in the future and open a big hotel."
When Huang Ling heard this, she was a little unhappy on the spot.
"Pengfei, you are still young, you still need to study hard. Doing business requires capital." Huang Ling advised.
Xiang Pengfei's little eyes sparkled with a light called "money".
"I want to make money, a lot of money, so that my mother can live a good life, and I can bring my father from Guizhou to Suzhou and reunite the whole family."
Huang Ling was stunned. She didn't expect that Xiang Pengfei's original intention of making money was to reunite his family.
Speaking of which, Zhuang Hualin and his wife were separated for quite a few years. Xiang Pengfei couldn't see his father all year round. The child obviously missed his father.
"Pengfei, if you want to make money, you have to learn first." Wang Gang said, "The university has a finance department, but it teaches people how to make money?"
"Really!" Xiang Pengfei said yearningly.
"Pengfei, you first set a goal, and then find ways to work hard to achieve it. I believe that with your perseverance, you will be able to realize your wish in the future." Wang Gang encouraged.
Xiang Pengfei looked at the college students walking around and suddenly felt motivated.