Chapter 373: The Yan Family is Different Now than It Was Before

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, the two old brothers, went to the Red Star Factory early in the morning and reported the special situation of the Jia family to Director Yang.

At the same time, Yan Bugui also hurriedly took action. He briefly explained the reason to the school and rushed to the Jiaodaokou Sub-district Office without stopping.

The streetscape remains the same, but the personnel have changed. The new director of the street office, Su Qun, has just taken office, replacing Director Wang who was promoted to the position of Director of the Municipal Women's Federation.

Facing this new leader, Yan Bugui inevitably felt a little nervous. After all, the two had no intersection yet. Everything had to be done according to rules and regulations and in an impartial manner, and he dared not slack off in the slightest.

"Hey! Teacher Yan, good morning!"

Section Chief Wei greeted Yan Bugui in a relaxed tone, half jokingly and half seriously: "Mr. Yan, what brought you, a busy man, to our small place today? You are such a rare guest!"

Section Chief Wei has a close relationship with Yan Bugui. It can be said that since the year Liu Zhiye returned from demobilization, he has had an indissoluble bond with No. 95 Nanluoguxiang.

What's more, Yan Jiefang, the second son of the Yan family, happened to work in Jiaodaokou Street. The two had some overlap in their work, and the two families also had a close relationship in private.

So, sometimes when they meet, they also joke with each other.

"Hey! Old Wei, please stop making fun of me. I came here today for serious matters. It's just a coincidence that I ran into you. Well, please lend a hand and help me!"

"Wow! What's going on?"

"Well, I'm not familiar with Director Su, the new director of our subdistrict office. Can you introduce him to me?"

"Hey! It's no big deal! Okay, let's go?"

"No hurry, let's smoke a cigarette first. I want to ask you what kind of personality Director Su has."

After saying that, Yan Bugui swiftly took out an unopened box of "Da Qianmen" cigarettes from his jacket pocket, unpacked it skillfully, and handed one to Section Chief Wei. This had become an indispensable habitual action for him when he was out on business, fully demonstrating his sophistication and thoughtfulness.

In recent years, Yan Bugui's family has undergone a tremendous transformation. The father and his two sons have all become cadres. The change in their status has directly led to a leap in their quality of life.

The taste in smoking has quietly changed. The "Da Shengchan" that people used to be reluctant to smoke has now been quietly replaced by "Da Qianmen", which has become the new favorite. The improvement in quality is not only a change in cigarettes, but also a subtle upgrade in quality of life and mentality.

Old Wei, with his head lowered and a cigarette hanging from his mouth, huddled together with Yan Bugui, and they used a piece of firewood to light their cigarettes.

He took a deep puff of the cigarette, then slowly exhaled. Amid the smoke, he whispered, "Director Su, he is a young and promising talent. It is said that he was specially sent from the city to the grassroots level for training. He has a promising future and a bright future."

"But..." He changed the subject and looked around cautiously. After confirming that no one was listening to their private conversation, he lowered his voice and whispered to Yan Bugui, "Young people have a common problem of being impetuous and inexperienced in the ways of the world. If you want something from him, be sure to be careful with your words to avoid the opposite effect."

"Remember?" Old Wei still worriedly told Yan Bugui, "He's a stubborn guy, don't force yourself on him..."

When Yan Bugui heard this, he backed off. The purpose of his trip was actually very clear, which was to seek help from Director Su of the Street Office for Qin Huairu's matter.

The Qin Huairu case was a serious matter, involving Li Huaide's corruption scandal, corrupting social morals, and losing the moral bottom line. Its seriousness was self-evident. Faced with such a difficult matter, Yan Bugui felt mixed emotions in his heart, which were difficult to describe.

If Director Wang was still in charge, based on the relationship they had had with her over the years, even if Yan Bugui was unable to beg for a favor, it would not have any actual impact on him.

However, Director Su is different. He is in the prime of his youth and full of passion.

In recent years, some young groups in the social wave have become more decisive and radical in their actions, and they cannot tolerate those petty and despicable activities.

God knows what kind of violent reaction the new Director Su will have when he finds out what Qin Huairu has done.

Still want to plead for her? That's just a joke...

Yan Bugui was in a dilemma at this moment, with mixed feelings.

At this moment, he was hesitating whether he should go to Director Su to plead for mercy, but then he thought that this move might not only be of no help, but might also drag himself into the quagmire and end up in a difficult situation.

If I just go back home like this, I will feel really unwilling.

After all, he had come this far, and he hadn't even gotten the chance to see Director Su. If he backed down out of cowardice, wouldn't people laugh at him? Giving up halfway was hard for him to accept.

So, Yan Bugui stood there, brows furrowed, with a fierce struggle going on in his heart.

"Uncle Yan, Uncle Yan?"

"Hey! You've come back to your senses, hey!"

Yan Bugui suddenly came to his senses and said apologetically: "Ouch! I'm so sorry, I was distracted just now..."

The cigarette butt was flicked, and the smoke dissipated. Old Wei smiled and waved his hand nonchalantly, indicating that it was nothing to worry about. Then he said, "Uncle Yan, this cigarette is finished. Shall we go to the director's office now?"

Yan Bugui felt that it had come to this point, and he would be in danger whether he stuck his head out or hid his head, so he simply made up his mind and said boldly: "Then let's go!" As he said that, he took the first step and walked away, looking like he was ready to sacrifice himself.

Seeing that Old Wei behind him was dumbfounded, he couldn't help but mutter in his heart: "Hey! What's going on?"

…………

The atmosphere in front of former Director Wang’s office was a little solemn.

"Tap, tap, tap..." Old Wei glanced at Yan Bugui, who could hardly move his legs. He shook his head and took the initiative to walk forward and knock on the door lightly with his fingers.

"Come in!" A deep and powerful response came from inside the house. The voice penetrated the door and carried unquestionable majesty, indicating that the conversation that was about to unfold would be extraordinary.

Lao Wei pushed open the door and walked into the room briskly, with a smile on his face. He said to Director Su who was doing morning stretching exercises: "Director, good morning!" Director Su paused when he heard the voice, and then responded with a smile: "Oh! It's Lao Wei, good morning to you too!"

As his eyes inadvertently passed behind Old Wei, Director Su noticed a strange face, Yan Bugui, standing there, looking a little reserved. He naturally turned to Yan Bugui and asked briefly and politely, "Who is this old comrade?" His tone revealed a bit of curiosity and friendliness.

Old Wei quickly stepped aside, letting Yan Bugui stand behind him, and took the initiative to introduce him: "Director, let me introduce you to this man, the manager of No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, Comrade Yan Bugui, a good comrade worthy of trust!"

"Comrade Yan Bugui, the purpose of his visit today is to find you. He wants to report some situations in Yard 95 to you!"

Director Su focused his attention on Yan Bugui again. He took the initiative to extend his hand and said sincerely, "Uncle Yan, you are welcome to come to me to report the situation! Please take a seat and let's talk slowly."

Yan Bugui shook hands with Director Su stiffly, then sat mechanically in the chair opposite him.

Seeing this, Lao Wei tactfully made an excuse: "Director, Uncle Yan, since you have important matters to discuss, I won't disturb you and will leave first." After that, he quietly left the room, leaving the two of them a relatively private space.

Yan Bugui was gently attracted by Director Su's gentle yet dignified tone. Although he was young, his every move showed sophistication and thoughtfulness.

In order to ease Yan Bugui's uneasiness, Director Su personally stood up, smoothly filled a glass of water and handed it to Yan Bugui. At the same time, he got to the point in a concise and clear manner: "Uncle Yan, you might as well be frank. What exactly do you want to report to me during this visit?" This action not only demonstrated Director Su's attentiveness and thoughtfulness, but also made the whole atmosphere inadvertently become a little more relaxed.

Yan Bugui relaxed his nervous state of mind and slowly explained his purpose to Director Su: "Director Su, we have no other choice but to come and trouble you. The old Jia family in our hospital..."

Yan Bugui told Director Su in detail all the changes that had happened to the Jia family in recent years.

The focus was on Jia Zhang's past behavioral problems, the tragedy of Jia Dongxu's untimely death, Qin Huairu's fall into trouble because of Li Huaide, and the burden of raising three young children at home.

In this narration, Yan Bugui also adhered to the principle of sticking to the facts, allowing Director Su to have a comprehensive and profound understanding of the current situation of the Jia family.

After Yan Bugui finished speaking, Director Su did not respond immediately. He slowly leaned back in his chair and fell into deep thought. The entire office fell into silence.

After a while, Director Su's expression became solemn. He said to Yan Bugui bluntly: "Uncle Yan, you came to me for this matter, but I can't help you. Qin Huairu's behavior has violated the law, and her fate can only be decided by the country's laws."

"How can I plead for her when she has committed a crime? If I do this, where does the Party discipline and the law of the country stand?"

"Without Qin Huairu, their family is in a difficult situation. The ones left are old and young, and we can't just sit there and watch..."

"How about this, you go back and wait for news, and I will discuss with other comrades in the street office to see if we can work out a way to help their family." Having said this, Director Su stood firm in his stance and said bluntly that he would not personally plead for Qin Huairu's matter, but he would not completely ignore it either.

However, he promised to find a way to ensure the Jia family's future livelihood and ensure that they have a way out. Although this promise was not obvious, it revealed that he was well versed in the ways of the world and was willing to find solutions on the edge of the rules.

Yan Bugui had no choice but to stop while he was ahead. To be honest, this was already a good result. For someone like Qin Huairu, it was normal for no one to take care of her family in the future.

"Director Su, thank you. I thank you on behalf of the young and old of the Jia family!"

"You're welcome. This is what I should do. It's my duty..." Director Su politely escorted Yan Bugui out the door.

………………

Deep in Nanluoguxiang, the quaint courtyard house No. 95 stands quietly.

The afterglow of the setting sun gently shines on the blue-gray tiles, covering the ancient courtyard with a layer of warm golden color.

Ge Shuping is usually busy outside, but today he unexpectedly returned home early.

As soon as he stepped over the mottled threshold, his eyes unexpectedly met Yan Bugui, who was slowly returning from the alley pushing a cart.

Yan Bugui, dressed in a neat Zhongshan suit, had a look of relaxation and relief on his face as if he had just got off work. It was obvious that he had just finished a day of hard work.

When Yan Bugui saw Ge Shuping coming back, his face immediately lit up with smiles, and he greeted him warmly, "Chief Ge, you've come back at the right time. I have something I want to ask you for advice."

Hearing this, Ge Shuping paused, a hint of curiosity flashed in his eyes, and then he asked in his usual capable tone: "Oh? Third uncle, what do you want to talk to me about? Just tell me."

Yan Bugui said: "Let's go home and talk about it!"

"Okay then!" Ge Shuping said readily.

Yan family.

Ge Shuping lifted the door curtain and shouted cheerfully, "Third Aunt, what delicious food are you preparing? It smells so delicious!"

When the third aunt heard this, she smiled brightly and quickly responded, "Hey, Chief Ge, you really know how to hurry. The fish is stewing in the pot and it smells delicious! It's just right, why don't you stay and let's taste it together?"

"Wow! There's a fish! Did Third Uncle catch it himself?" Ge Shuping said with a smile.

The third aunt curled her lips and responded with disdain: "Sigh! How could he be that capable? This was given to Jie Cheng by your uncle Liu when he went to Liujiazhuang to help yesterday."

As they were talking, Yan Jiecheng heard the noise here, and he came out of the back house to the front yard, holding a net bag of fresh "Shengfang crabs" in his hand. The crabs seemed to be still crawling happily in the net.

"Hey! Old Ge, you're in for a treat! You're in for a treat today." As he spoke, he raised the crab in his hand and winked at Ge Shuping proudly.

No need to ask, this must be a specialty of Liujiazhuang.

Yan Jiecheng is now a deputy section-level cadre in the supply and marketing cooperative system. He works in the purchasing department and has heavy responsibilities. He is responsible for collecting all kinds of materials for the supply and marketing cooperative.

The unique nature of his job requires him to travel frequently, so he is not confined to an office.

In those days, the status of cadres in the supply and marketing cooperative system was not ordinary. Yan Jiecheng would not be happy to change his deputy section-level position if he were to be a section-level position in other units.

Not to mention the cadres in the supply and marketing cooperatives, even ordinary salespersons are one of the "Eight Major Members".

Therefore, the supply and marketing cooperatives were very popular units in that era, and even the ordinary staff members had a high status.

Sales clerks working in department stores are especially envied.

Because supplies were scarce during this period, the salesperson was able to obtain scarce supplies such as cloth, rice, oil, etc.

Their salaries are relatively high, and they also receive some bonuses and subsidies. Many salespeople are relatives or children of cadres, and they receive a lot of good things from large units every month.

While ordinary people have to queue up to buy daily necessities, the salespeople at the supply and marketing cooperatives can get them first, which is one of the reasons why they are envied.

Relying on the towering tree of Liu Zhiye and the constant supply of materials from Liujiazhuang, Yan Jiecheng was like a fish in water in the supply and marketing cooperative system and thrived.

According to rumors circulating within the system, he is very likely to be promoted to the position of deputy section chief of the Purchasing Department by the end of the year and enjoy the treatment of a full section chief. This news has quietly spread within the circle, attracting everyone's attention.

Yan Jiecheng was doing well, and the Yan family naturally benefited from it. Look at Yan Bugui and Ran Qiuye, whose status in the school was quietly rising, and the school leaders showed their goodwill to them. After all, who doesn't want to have more money these days and get some scarce materials outside the plan? Without the relationship with the supply and marketing cooperative, there is no way.

As a result, the Yan family became a popular family in the eyes of many people, and their lives became more and more comfortable.

In the compound, if neighbors need something and cannot get it, they don’t need to worry. As soon as the third aunt shows up, the sales clerks in the supply and marketing cooperative will greet them with a smile and give her enough face.

As for the sweet words from the sisters, they were simply the best nourishment for Auntie's vanity, making her feel so happy that it was hard to describe in words.

The old Yan family is no longer what it used to be.

Yan Bugui became a formal school leader, and his eldest son Yan Jiecheng made his mark in the supply and marketing cooperative system. As a section-level cadre, he has become a hot figure in the system and has a promising future.

Talking about Yan Jiecheng's girlfriend Ran Qiuye, although she is only an elementary school teacher, she has a background in higher education and comes from a prominent family with a strong scholarly atmosphere. She and Yan Jiecheng are a perfect match.

Yan Jiefang, the second son of the Yan family, is no longer an ordinary person. He works as a clerk in the street office. With the help of Liu Zhiye, his future will not be bad.

Therefore, Yan Jiefang, who was still single, quickly became a hot commodity among the young people in Nanluoguxiang.

Just based on this family condition, there was an endless stream of matchmakers coming to propose marriages, and they almost broke down the threshold of Old Yan's house.

After choosing and choosing for a long time, Yan Jiefang was overwhelmed. Finally, he fell in love with a girl named Yu.

This girl named Yu Li is about the same age as Yan Jiefang. She works at the Dongjiao Coal Factory. From the way she dresses, one can tell that her family is well off.

Her parents are both experienced workers in Xishan Coal Mine. She has a younger sister named Yu Haitang, who is in her prime and has just graduated from a technical secondary school.

Yan Jiefang has a special liking for Li, not for any other reason, but purely because of her outstanding appearance. Admittedly, she may not be as stunningly beautiful as Gan Ning, but she is by no means inferior to Wang Qiuju in appearance, and has her own unique charm.

Yu Li's appearance is comparable to that of Yan Jiefang's sister-in-law Ran Qiuye. Both are gentle and charming, each with their own merits.

Compared with Lou Xiao'e, Yu Li is much more outstanding, making it difficult for people to ignore her presence. In Yan Jiefang's eyes, Yu Li is the brightest color, making him fall in love with her.

Yu Li was also very satisfied with Yan Jiefang. Yan Jiefang was handsome, a cadre, and his family was well-off, so Yu Li would not have to suffer if she married him.

The most important thing is that Yan Jiefang is genuinely good to Li.

………………

Old Yan's family are all smart people. They know who has helped them achieve their hard-earned life today.

Therefore, their family did not become estranged from the Liu family just because Liu Zhiye moved out of the courtyard.

On the contrary, the two families have become more closely connected, not to mention visiting each other during the holidays.

For example, on ordinary days, whether he has something to do or not, Yan Jiecheng will always go to Liujiazhuang.

I then told Liu Jingzhai and his wife in detail about every little thing that had happened recently in their courtyard, both big and small, just to comfort them for their deep concern.

After all, this place also carries the life memories of the couple for more than ten years. How can they let it go so easily? The emotion has been deeply rooted in their hearts and is difficult to give up.

(End of this chapter)