The matter of Shen Mei took Chen Yang a lot of effort to properly discuss with his aunt and uncle.
If it were thirty years later, if this child dared to skip school, his aunt and uncle wouldn't need to do anything; Chen Yang himself would be chasing her with a feather duster.
However, the coming decades were an era of reform, opening up, and rapid economic take-off for the country; it couldn't be compared to later times.
At this moment, if they truly hitched a ride on the times, opportunities would be everywhere, and it would mainly depend on how quick-witted one was.
Not to mention anything else, just Shen Mei and her husband from their previous lives, to be fair, were considered quite prominent figures in their village and surrounding areas.
They were among the first to become "ten thousand yuan households" in the nineties, the first in the village to build multi-story houses, and in the 21st century, the first to own cars. Later, they even opened a factory.
If it weren't for the subprime mortgage crisis that caused a large number of factories to close, Shen Mei's family's achievements would likely have reached even greater heights.
Even if Shen Mei got into a better university, it wouldn't be as useful as working in a factory and discovering the password to wealth.
Being able to go from street vendor to shop owner and eventually to factory owner showed that this girl had a talent for business.
Without Chen Yang's help, she could have become a well-known boss's wife in her previous life. Now, with him guiding her, studying was less important.
His uncle eventually got drunk and stayed at Chen Yang's house for the night. The next morning, he got up early and hurried home on his bicycle.
Later, his wife's two elder brothers would be visiting, and his uncle would surely need to go shopping with his aunt, as it would be too much for his aunt to handle alone.
When Chen Yang and his party arrived, a large round table had already been set up at the house. Zhao Wukang and his wife were waiting at the entrance.
"Uncle, Second Uncle, Cai Lan, you all know each other, so I won't introduce you."
"Sister, Brother-in-law, you were in Jinling when we got married. This is the first time I'm meeting you. This is my wife, Wang Cai Lan."
"Cai Lan, this is Sister Shen Xue and Brother-in-law Chen Yang, whom I've always told you about with Dad and Mom."
Zhao Wukang held Wang Cai Lan's hand. The girl was still a bit shy, and she shrunk back behind him before meekly greeting them as "Sister and Brother-in-law." _Sudan Novel Network_
Chen Yang and Shen Xue didn't mind; it was normal to be shy when meeting for the first time. After meeting a few more times, they would become familiar.
"What are you standing around for? Go welcome your uncle, second uncle, sister, and brother-in-law into the house. It's not proper to be talking at the doorway."
"Cai Lan, your sister specifically said she wanted to give you some advice on pregnancy. Listen carefully."
Aunt Shen Xiaoxia saw Chen Yang and his group arrive and quickly beckoned them inside.
Under her urging, everyone soon entered the house. Wang Cai Lan gradually became less shy and took Shen Xue into the room to chat.
After all, with so many men around, it was a bit awkward to discuss certain women's matters.
The two little ones were playing happily in the yard with Shen Mei and the other younger ones. Having traveled extensively with Chen Yang and Shen Xue, they had seen many places, which was much better than for most children their age.
Therefore, these two little ones were not shy at all, no matter where they went.
Liu Chunmei and Cui Xiufang went into the kitchen to help Shen Xiaoxia cook. Normally, they would stay at home, and it was usually Chen Yang's father-in-law and his second uncle who visited relatives.
However, this time, to celebrate, Uncle Zhao Donglai specially invited his wife's two elder brothers' families over for a lively meal. That's why Liu Chunmei and Cui Xiufang both came.
Chen Yang had nothing much to do, so he chatted aimlessly. When the food was served, there was another round of heavy drinking.
Chen Yang knew his own limits; among these people, he had the worst tolerance for alcohol.
Even Zhao Wukang could easily outdrink him twice over. So, he didn't push himself; otherwise, how would they get home when everyone was drunk?
Chen Yang drank moderately, while Zhang Dabiao was very eager to drink on the side, but he had to drive the donkey cart and couldn't drink.
Even though he drank moderately, Chen Yang still felt his head swimming in the end. It was Zhang Dabiao who helped him onto the donkey cart.
Chen Yang didn't know what Shen Xue and Wang Cai Lan talked about, but they were laughing and chatting by the time they ate, and they seemed reluctant to part.
As soon as they got home, before Chen Yang could lie down and fall asleep, the sound of a bicycle bell suddenly rang out in front of his house.
"You're finally back. When I came, I didn't see anyone in your village. I heard from a neighbor that you were out, and I was even thinking of going to your production team.
"Later, I thought I would pass by your village on my way back, so I made an extra trip. You're Chen Yang, right? Your mail, three letters in total, have all been delivered to you."
The postman was very dedicated. Since Chen Yang wasn't home, he made two trips to successfully deliver the letters to him.
"Thank you, comrade. Sorry to trouble you for making two trips."
"It's so hot today, and you're sweating all over. Come inside and have a drink of water."
Chen Yang excitedly took the letters. The envelopes clearly stated that one was from his father, one was from his eldest sister, and the third was from Zhang Weiyang.
It had been so long since he returned from Jinling, and he missed his family. He was also concerned about the progress of Zhang Weiyang and their business in Jinling.
However, Chen Yang didn't rush to open them. He quickly got a gourd ladle full of water and offered it to the postman.
In those days, things weren't as particular as they are now. Cadres visiting the countryside, postmen delivering mail, or even hawkers buying things in the villages, it was common for them to ask villagers for a drink of water when passing through.
The postman smiled and took the gourd ladle. Not caring whether the water was boiled or not, he took a big gulp.
"Thanks, I really was thirsty. Next time I have mail for you, I'll deliver it myself."
The postman shook the gourd ladle and then returned it to Chen Yang.
He tied up his large green bag, the bicycle bell rang crisply, and he headed to the next house.
Holding the three letters, Chen Yang's drunken state had mostly cleared. He eagerly opened the letter from his father.
His father wrote a lot of rambling thoughts, abandoning his usual concise letter-writing style. Most of it was about the family situation, his younger sister Chen Yu's studies, and so on.
Of course, what he mentioned most was how much he missed his two grandchildren.
Reading the words filled with his parents' longing for the two little ones, Chen Yang felt a bit heavy-hearted. As people age, they tend to miss their loved ones and need companionship. After the college entrance exam, and once Shen Xue had given birth, completed her confinement, and recovered, he still planned to take the children back to Jinling to live for a while.
His eldest sister's letter mentioned her brother-in-law's promotion and that she was on maternity leave at home. The baby in her belly would be born soon, and Chen Yang would soon be an uncle.
Chen Yang could tell that his eldest sister was very happy and looking forward to the arrival of the baby. Not to mention her, Chen Yang was also very excited.
Finally, holding Zhang Weiyang's letter, Chen Yang was also eager. He wondered how that boy had developed his business to take so long to write him a letter.