Chapter 18 Congee and Pickled Vegetables

  On Saturday, Tang Sheng was sleeping soundly with his pillow when he heard someone knocking on the glass of his southern-facing room.

  Dazed and confused, Tang Sheng opened his eyes, and the first thing he did was to get up and pull open the curtains to see who had disturbed his beautiful dream.

  On the glass, a beautiful face was stuck, it was Tang Jin, she was about to take a closer look, when suddenly the curtain inside was lifted, and then she saw a guy wearing a triangular pants kneeling in front of the windowsill, 'Ah', the beauty cried out and ran away.

  Tang Sheng's sleepiness was completely gone, wait, it was Tang Jin, how did she run?

  Look down and see, oh, so it is!

  He forced a smile, and Tang Sheng quickly got dressed, made his bed, washed up, and groomed himself. Yeah, boys should also dress up a bit. About twenty minutes later, Tang Sheng finally came out. In the courtyard, Old Man Tang was chatting with Li Shui Guo and his wife, who were visiting from the hospital.

  They saw Tang Sheng come out, and they all smiled at him. Li Shuiguo was a fruit vendor who made a living to support his family. He was an honest rural man who came to the city to make a living. His wife had a big belly and thick waist, and she looked like a simple and hardworking peasant woman.

  "Older brother, today is Saturday, why did you get up at 7 o'clock? Usually when going to school, I've never seen you get up so early."

  Li Shuiguo joked with Tang Sheng, since the day Tang Sheng smashed the Mercedes-Benz, all the old and young people in Lao Tang Alley were willing to get close to him. Li Shuiguo's wife pushed her husband, "Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and open your stall, is Brother Sheng also one of your jokes?"

  This sentence made Tang Sheng a bit embarrassed, leaning on his crutches under the eaves of the house, Old Man Tang's benevolent smile also looked at Tang Sheng, for some reason, since Tang Sheng smashed his son's car, the old man had been looking at him with special favor.

  Tang Sheng rubbed his head and smiled at Li Shui Guo and his wife, "Uncle Li, Auntie Li, don't tease me, okay?"

  "What's up with that, Sheng Ge, but the people in the alley are all weird, you smashed his good car and he still didn't come after you?"

  "Hey... what does he want from me? I'm just a hundred or so pounds, and even if I were sold, I wouldn't be worth the price of one piece of glass on his car..."

  "Then you dare to smash his car?" Li Shuiguo's wife exclaimed in fright.

  "Aunt Li, I accidentally did that, let's not talk about it anymore. I'm going out for a walk... Old man, have you had breakfast?"

  Old Tang chuckled and said, "You go take a walk with your legs, I've eaten already. It was probably Jin'gui from next door who knocked on your window."

  "Hey, you're really good at math, I'll go take a look..."

  Tang Sheng turned around and left, leaving Old Man Tang and Li Shui Guo shaking their heads and laughing, unable to see through this young man.

  The narrow alleyway paved with six-sided bricks is about six or seven meters wide, with a raised middle and sunken sides, the road surface has been severely deformed. Every twenty or so meters there is a concrete utility pole, surprisingly still the old kind with holes for climbing, the kind that people can climb up. The day before yesterday, the light on the utility pole in front of the main gate was not lit, it wasn't until Tang Jin's dad climbed up to change the bulb that it was lit again.

  As soon as he came out, he saw Tang Jin sitting on the concrete stone bench in front of her house with a small handkerchief under her butt. Seeing that it was Tang Sheng coming out, she gave him a sideways glance and muttered in a low voice, "Pervert lazy ghost... even if the sun shines on his butt, he won't get out of bed? No wonder he's late..."

  Tang Jin is a self-disciplined girl who has been sensible and diligent since she was young. In her free time, she helps her mother with household chores, including laundry, cooking, and tutoring her younger brother, making her childhood life "fulfilling".

  In Tang Sheng's memory, every detail about Tang Jin was deeply hidden in his heart, and he couldn't forget her even after several lifetimes. At this moment, hearing her soft scolding, Tang Sheng felt a particularly warm and intimate feeling in his heart, and he was willing to be with her and get beaten up every day.

  "Tang Jin, good morning! By the way, have you had breakfast? I was just about to go..."

  Tang Jin looked at the sunny and energetic big boy with a cold face, but he couldn't combine him with the image of the little devil who was furious and smashed the Great Wall that day. Looking at his current appearance, he still showed some shyness, wasn't this change too great?

  Thinking of the ugly look she saw him in when he was lying on the glass earlier, Tang Jin's pretty face turned a little red.

  "It was my mom who told me to come and call you, saying she has something to discuss with you, and also to have breakfast at my place. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother with you."

  "Aunt Li is so good? I'm too touched... Yesterday, I don't know what Ning Meng said to you, actually, I'm a good person." After finishing speaking, Tang Sheng went towards the small courtyard where Tang Jin and others were. Tang Jin pretended to be disdainful and got up with her handkerchief.

  The weather in September is cool and refreshing, with a slight chill in the morning. Tang Sheng's physique is very strong, so he can handle it by just wearing a T-shirt. He isn't used to putting on his jacket so early either. On the other hand, Tang Jin wears a small vest over her T-shirt.

  Tang Jin's courtyard is half the size of Old Master Tang's, this courtyard faces south and north, the main house is also like this, but on the south side there are large windows to receive sunlight, the room is warm too. The upper house has three rooms, in the middle is the hall (living room), the east wing is where Old Master Tang, his wife and Tang Jin's younger brother Tang Wei live, the west wing belongs to Tang Jin alone, the east house is where Tang Jin's parents live.

  "The house on the west side has been vacant for a long time and hasn't been rented out. It's too small, and it's also a north-facing house, so nobody wants to rent it."

  "It's also impossible to rent for a few more days, let's just forget it... Why hasn't Jian'er called Shengge over yet?"

  In the courtyard, Tang Jin's father, Tang Wangping, was squatting on the ground, eating breakfast around a small square table. There was a plate of salted vegetables, several steamed buns, and a pot of thin porridge - a very simple breakfast, but it looked appetizing. Tang Jin's mother, Li Gui Zhen, sat beside him. This middle-aged woman in her forties looked older than she actually was, but one could still see the remnants of her former beauty. Otherwise, how could Tang Jin be so beautiful?

  Old Tang also sat at the table, listening to his son and daughter-in-law chatting, he didn't interrupt, this time he raised his head and saw Tang Sheng coming in, "Hey... it's Brother Sheng, come sit down and eat together, there's nothing good to eat at home to entertain you, just porridge, buns, and salted vegetables."

  Tang Wangping and Li Guizhen also stood up in a hurry, they didn't take Tang Sheng as a child, the smashing of the car that day and what he said to Tang Yu made Tang Sheng completely change his image of being a 'child' in the eyes of the adults in Lao Tang Alley, a child can't say those kinds of words.

  "Come on, young master, sit down quickly. Auntie will scoop a bowl of porridge for you... as long as you don't mind..."

  Li Guizhen's gaze at Tang Sheng became much more affectionate, he had helped his own family twice, and hadn't even formally thanked them yet.

  In Tang Sheng's eyes, Li Guizhen was his future mother-in-law. He walked forward and smiled: "Auntie Li, don't be polite, Grandpa Tang shouldn't say that either. Congee with mantou and pickled vegetables is the most delicious breakfast, I dream of eating it..."

  He didn't stand on ceremony, sitting down and starting to eat a steamed bun, Tang Jin who came over saw his eating posture and couldn't help but laugh a little, but in front of her parents she didn't dare show anything, "......Mom, I'm going inside to study......"

  Li Guizhen responded with a sound, scooped up the porridge and handed it to Tang Sheng, wiped her hands on her apron, and gave her husband a glance.

  Tang Wangping suddenly understood, and after drinking the remaining porridge in two or three mouthfuls, he got up and entered the east room... At this time, the window of the upper house's west wing creaked, and Tang Jin stood on the kang and pushed open the half-flap of the upper layer of pasted paper. Li Gui Zhen turned her head to look at her.

  Tang Jin's heart skipped a beat, and she forced a smile at her mother, "...... The air is good in the morning, I...I'll open the window to change the air..."

  Li Guizhen shot her daughter a sharp glance. When did you lean against the window? Were you trying to eavesdrop on Tang Sheng and our conversation?

  This subtle scene was noticed by both Old Master Tang and Tang Sheng, but neither of them spoke up. Tang Sheng continued eating his steamed buns and pickled vegetables. Tang Wangping walked out of the east room, carrying a black plastic bag, and handed it to his wife Li Guixiang.

  In the western wing, Tang Jin secretly lay on the eastern kang's bedding pile with his ears perked up to eavesdrop on the outside movements, not studying at all.

  Tang Sheng glanced at her and took over the black bag from Li Guizhen. She also forced a smile on her face and sat down beside him.

  "Brother Sheng... look, this money, we haven't touched it, not a single cent less. We're not that kind of people, and we don't dare to take Tang Yu's 100,000 yuan. What comes from where should go back there. You can't even talk to Wang Ping Uncle and Tang Yu, is it you..."

  Tang Lao and Tang Wangping also looked at Tang Sheng. Household matters have always been managed by Li Guizhen, a clever woman.

  Tang Sheng swallowed the last bite of his mantou, drank the remaining porridge in a few gulps, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, glanced at the black money bag, and then looked at Li Gui Zhen, "......Li aunt, this money is for Tang Jin's medical treatment. What kind of people you are as a family I don't care about, but since the old lady suffered injustice, she should get compensation. Tang Yu won't come looking for trouble, so just use the money however you want..."

  "How can this be?" Tang Wangping added a sentence.

  "There's nothing that can't be done... Ah, right, Wang Ping Shu, I heard you and Li Aunt used to work at 'Jiang Chi'?"

  Tang Wangping glanced at his wife, then looked at Tang Sheng and felt that this child was like a grown-up. He always asked some adult questions when sitting with you, but he didn't fit in with the children. It seems that it's impossible to ask him to return the money to Tang Yu now.

  "Hmm... Jiang Chi has been out of business for two years already. The quality of the gears they produced was too poor, their reputation was completely ruined, and we were laid off early!"

  Jiang Chi is Jiangling Gear Factory, a large state-owned enterprise mainly producing various automotive transmissions. However, the situation has been extremely bleak for nearly two years, with over half of its 5,000 to 6,000 workers laid off, and it seems that even this is not sustainable.

  Tang Wangping used to be a long-distance truck driver for a transportation team in Jiangchi, often traveling to other places to deliver goods.

  The old Tang family in this alley had many people working for Jiang Chi, and they were also among the first to be laid off.

  Tang Sheng's mind was clear about the future direction of 'Jiang Chi', when it was on the verge of collapse, 'Heavy Truck' acquired 'Jiang Chi'. Now that Tang Sheng is asking about Jiang Chi, he must have some ideas, but at this time, 'Jiang Chi' is still a giant and not something he can handle.

  The top priority at present is the demolition and relocation of Lao Tang Alley, once this matter is settled, I can also put my mind at ease.

  At this moment, the mobile phone in Tang Sheng's pocket vibrated. He took it out and saw that the incoming call was from 'Ning Meng'.

  …………

  PS: Yesterday, I was shocked to hear that my friend and author 'Qinlv' (a female frequency god) had a cerebral hemorrhage and was hospitalized. I suddenly lost the mood to code words, fortunately, Qinlv has been out of danger, and will undergo surgery within the next two days. Here, I wish Qinlv MM a speedy recovery, and an early return to continue her beloved career. Many supporters are waiting for your return! In the book review section, I have pinned a post wishing blessings, hoping that loving readers can leave a message of blessing for Qinlv MM, wishing her good luck, safe passage through danger, and peaceful recovery from this small illness!

  Thank you!