Chapter 453 - 219: To Buy Guihua and a Boat of Wine

Chapter 453: Chapter 219: To Buy Guihua and a Boat of Wine

This paid a lot more than farming.

She had worked in a restaurant for two years, so she was already used to this kind of work.

As tiring as restaurant work could be, it was nothing compared to farming.

You didn’t have to depend on the weather to make a living. Getting a steady paycheck every month was better than anything else.

"Alright. Once things are wrapped up here at the Qiu Mansion, you can come start work." Zhou Yan nodded. This had gone much more smoothly than he’d expected.

"Okay, whatever you say, boss," Li Lihua said with a smiling nod.

Mrs. Qiu smiled and spoke up. "You don’t have to wait. There’s nothing left for you to do around the house. Li Hua, go pack your things now. I’ll have Yan drive you back to Suji in a bit. You can start your new job tomorrow morning without any delay."

"Thank you for taking care of everything these past few years. I’m going to Xiangjiang, and I don’t know when I’ll be back. Now that the house is sold, I really can’t keep you on. Zhou Yan is a good, kindhearted man. As long as you work hard for him, you’ll be just fine."

"Madam..." Hearing this, Li Lihua’s eyes instantly welled up.

"Mrs. Li, we’ll be back to visit you next year," Duan Yu Yan added with a gentle smile.

"Alright." Li Lihua nodded, then turned to go inside and pack, silently wiping away her tears.

Mrs. Qiu looked at Duan Yu Yan and said, "Could you count out twenty yuan for me? Let’s get Li Hua’s salary for the month settled."

"Of course," Duan Yu Yan replied. She opened her small purse, pulled out three Great Unity bills, and said with a smile, "Here’s an extra ten yuan. A little something from me. Do you think that’s appropriate?"

The old lady chuckled. "It’s your money. If you want to give it, it’s appropriate."

A short while later, Li Lihua emerged carrying a bulging bundle on her back, wrapped in a bedsheet. It likely held her quilt as well.

"Li Hua, here’s this month’s salary. All settled," the old lady said, handing the money to Li Lihua.

Li Lihua took two steps back, waving her hands in refusal. "I can’t, Madam, I can’t! The month is only a week in. I don’t want any pay!"

"This isn’t just your salary; it’s also a bonus for your three years of work. Ten yuan of it is a small token from Yuyan to thank you for taking care of her," Mrs. Qiu said, pressing the money into her hand with a gentle smile. "Take it. You know how I am."

"Please take it, Mrs. Li. Thank you for looking after everything recently," Duan Yu Yan added with a gentle smile.

"Well..." After hesitating, Li Lihua finally accepted the money, saying thank you with reddened eyes.

She knew that both her madam and Miss Duan disliked polite refusals and empty pleasantries.

"Are you two getting ready to head back?" Duan Yu Yan asked, looking at Zhou Yan.

"Yes. It’s four o’clock, so it’s a good time to head home," Zhou Yan replied with a nod.

"Alright, be careful on your way then." Duan Yu Yan nodded, then pulled out a stack of Great Unity bills and handed them to Zhou Yan. "Here’s one hundred yuan. Thank you for all your hard work on the banquet today. I enjoyed it very much."

Before Zhou Yan could say anything, Duan Yu Yan cut him off. "You know how I am. Take it. I’ll be sure to call you again next time."

"In that case, I won’t be modest," Zhou Yan said, accepting the money gracefully.

Duan Yu Yan bent down and gently pinched Zhou Momo’s cheek. "See you next time, Momo."

"Goodbye, Yuyan! Goodbye, Mrs. Qiu!" Zhou Momo waved at them both.

"I suppose I should be heading back as well." Wang Yu walked over and looked at Qiu Qi with a gentle smile. "Qiqi, ’Old friends may part to the world’s end, but our hearts remain close across a thousand miles.’ Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Qiu Qi gave a slight nod, her smiling eyes twinkling.

Li Lihua got into the sedan, and it drove away.

Duan Yu Yan had also asked Zhou Momo if she wanted a ride back to Suji in the car, but the little girl had refused.

Even though Zhou Yan’s bicycle was slow, the ride made her bottom a little sore, and the road was dusty, she still preferred sitting on her brother’s crossbar for the ride home.

Given the choice between a fancy car and a bicycle, she had chosen the bicycle without a moment’s hesitation.

To be honest, Zhou Yan was a little touched.

Zhou Yan and Wang rode back to Suji together. Along the way, Zhou Yan could sense the old man’s spirits were low, not nearly as carefree as his words had let on.

It made sense. No matter how frequent their correspondence, a letter from Xiangjiang to Jiazhou would be a reply to emotions felt a month prior.

Even with a place as close as Mountain City, letters still took five or six days to arrive.

Zhou Yan could only offer some comfort. "Grandmaster Wang, ’Life is full of comings and goings; let us cherish the joy of being together.’"

Grandmaster Wang managed a faint smile and murmured, "I accepted the parting, but I underestimated the longing."

"We only just said goodbye, and I’m already starting to miss her."

Zhou Yan watched the wind tousle the old man’s white hair, which had been so neatly combed on his way over. In that moment, the wrinkles on his face seemed exceptionally deep.

Regrets?

How could there not be?

Flowers may bloom again, but youth, once gone, never returns.

Having read so many books, perhaps his regret ran even deeper.

"’I wish to buy sweet osmanthus and take wine aboard, but it will never be the same as the wanderings of youth.’" Wang Yu chuckled, turning his head to look at Zhou Yan. "Youth is a wonderful thing. Remember to seize your chances."

Zhou Yan nodded, only half understanding.

"I managed to hunt down two books the other day..." Grandmaster Wang seemed to have come to terms with his feelings and began to chat with him about books.

When Zhou Yan and Zhou Momo returned to the restaurant, Mrs. Zhao and the others had also just arrived a moment before.

"Mama, I rode in a car today! It was so much fun..." The moment she was off the bike, Zhou Momo leaped into Mrs. Zhao’s arms and began chattering away excitedly.

"Did you get everything settled?" Comrade Zhou asked.

"Yes. We signed the papers today. We’ll go handle the ownership transfer tomorrow afternoon. Duan Yu Yan has arranged everything and found the right people to handle it. They’re even covering the taxes and fees. Very classy of them," Zhou Yan said with a smiling nod.

"That’s good," Comrade Zhou nodded.

"What’s the house like? Is it big? Is it in good condition? Could we live in it for now, without doing any renovations?" Mrs. Zhao asked Zhou Yan eagerly, still holding Zhou Momo.

"The house is huge. It has ten rooms, a front courtyard, and a back courtyard. Mrs. Qiu even left us some furniture, and it’s all in excellent condition. There are rosewood chairs, an Eight Immortals table made of huanghuali wood, and a wardrobe with mother-of-pearl inlay. Honestly, if we wanted to, we could just bring our quilts and move right in," Zhou Yan said. "It also comes with two storefronts that bring in thirty yuan a month in rent."

"Mrs. Qiu is just too kind! Leaving so many wonderful things for us! That’s great, and a stable income of thirty yuan a month! This house was an absolute bargain!" Mrs. Zhao beamed.

Zhou Yan smiled as well. "They leave for Xiangjiang on Friday. Once I get the keys, I’ll take you all to see our new home."

"Deal!"

"We have to go! We should go see it tonight!"

Mrs. Zhao’s and Comrade Zhou’s faces were filled with anticipation.