Dongmen Street, Chen Yang led Lei Baoguo through an alley. Asking for directions from the old man shaving at the entrance and the middle-aged woman making a fire to cook, they finally arrived at a small courtyard gate.
Although the gate was a bit dilapidated, it was a small, independent quadrangle courtyard with a gate. It didn't look like many people lived there and seemed quite tranquil.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Chen Yang stepped forward and knocked on the door. After a short while, someone opened it.
"Who are you? Who are you looking for?"
A short-haired woman in a Zhongshan suit opened the gate. Looking at Chen Yang in a suit and leather shoes and Lei Baoguo carrying two large luggage bags, the woman was instinctively a bit cautious.
Nowadays, unless it was to receive foreign guests or something, it was rare for people to wear suits. Most people couldn't afford them. Everyone lacked cloth coupons for fitted clothes, so who would make a suit that wasn't worn often?
"Auntie, I'm Chen Yang. I'm on a business trip to Beijing and thought I'd drop by to see you and Uncle."
"It's Saturday today, so Uncle isn't working, right?"
Chen Yang glanced at his aunt. In his previous life, this aunt had never looked favorably upon their family.
Even when he made a lot of money later, she hadn't interacted much with their family. Perhaps she disdained to curry favor with him.
"Chen Yang? The second eldest's boy?"
Luo Yinglan looked at Chen Yang. He was wearing a suit, with a distinguished appearance. He was nothing like the snot-nosed, scruffy kid she remembered.
A young man like this would be considered handsome even in her workplace. He was nothing like the poor relatives he had met when she first returned to their village in Jiangsu province with her husband.
"Auntie, that's right. You even gave me a "lvdagun" (a type of pastry) back then. I ate it so deliciously that I almost choked and made a fool of myself."
Chen Yang didn't dwell on past grievances. At least at this moment, she hadn't shown any disdain towards him.
"It really is you. You were a snot-nosed kid back then, and in the blink of an eye, you've grown into a young man. Don't stand at the door. Come in and sit. And who is this?"
Luo Yinglan moved aside, inviting Chen Yang in, and then glanced at Lei Baoguo who was following him.
"Lei Baoguo. He's my business partner."
Chen Yang didn't say he was his bodyguard. Such things weren't common back then. Only leaders had guards. He, an ordinary person, having a bodyguard would be like considering himself a big deal.
"Alright, young man, come in and have some tea."
"Old Chen, your nephew is here to see you. What are you being so proper about inside? Come out quickly and greet him."
Luo Yinglan nodded without asking further questions. This young man, after not seeing him for years, gave her a feeling she couldn't quite read. He possessed an indescribable aura that was uncommon in young people.
"Which nephew of mine is it? Such airs, that I have to come out and greet him personally?"
Chen Liqi walked out from the main hall, holding a newspaper in one hand and taking off his reading glasses from the bridge of his nose with the other.
The moment he saw Chen Yang, the newspaper slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.
"My goodness, Yangzi, why are you here? You should have called ahead! Come in, come in quickly."
Compared to his aunt's initial scrutiny, his uncle was incredibly enthusiastic. How could he not be enthusiastic about his own nephew?
Before Chen Yang could speak, his uncle pulled him inside. The courtyard wasn't large, with only two rooms and two ear rooms on the side. It was a two-courtyard dwelling, but it was an independent house. Regardless of anything else, this house, if kept, would be worth tens of millions in the future.
Logically, given Chen Yang's uncle's rank, he shouldn't have been able to live in such a detached, two-courtyard house. This house had actually been left by his aunt's family. Of course, it was under his uncle's name, otherwise, at least a few families would have been squeezed in.
This was how it was back then. Housing was arranged and assigned by the state. However, if someone in the family held an important position, the neighborhood committee wouldn't necessarily pick on them. Of course, if it were a proper housing allocation, even a two-courtyard house wouldn't have been assignable to Chen Liqi, as his rank was not high enough.
Any piece of land in Beijing, if a brick fell from it, it could hit a large number of leaders.
"Uncle, this is Lei Baoguo, a friend I do business with. Baoguo, give me the bags. Uncle, this is something my parents asked me to bring for you."
"It's just some local specialties from home. Nothing else. You and Auntie haven't been back in a while, so here's the salted duck and some other things. Take a look. If you want anything to eat in the future, just write to us. I might be running to Beijing often during this period, so I can bring it then."
What Chen Yang said was true. Expanding markets was like this; it couldn't be accomplished in one or two tries. He would inevitably have to make several trips.
"You kid, weren't you going to university? What mischief are you up to now? How much subsidy do you have to buy this and that? Your parents have retired early and don't have much money. I, as your uncle, don't need you to buy food to satisfy your cravings."
Chen Liqi criticized Chen Yang sternly without even looking at the items. Just one salted duck alone wasn't cheap, costing several yuan.
"You stubborn old man, didn't you hear that Chen Yang is here for business? I hear they're going to boost the economy, and doing business is profitable."
"Don't you have a comrade who works at the department store? If there's a chance later, introduce Chen Yang. None of our children are in business. Now that Chen Yang is doing business, we can't miss this good opportunity."
Chen Yang never dreamed that one day his aunt would ask his uncle to help him network.
Was this the same aunt who, in his memory, never wanted to associate with their poor relatives?
"You woman, don't speak nonsense. The department store and the supply and marketing cooperative are state-owned enterprises. Although Old Kong is in charge, he can't act carelessly. This is no laughing matter. Our power is granted by the state and the people, not to be used for this."
Instead, Chen Yang's uncle scowled and glared at Luo Yinglan. Hearing his words, Luo Yinglan immediately bristled.
"Chen, what do you mean by that? What do you mean I'm a woman talking nonsense? What's wrong with women? Women can hold up half the sky, that's not what I said. If you don't like it, go tell the Women's Federation."
"You're talking officialese to me at home. Who am I doing this for? I'm doing it for your nephew, and you're criticizing me."
"I'm not asking you to break the law or discipline. Some businesses, who does it for isn't important. Letting him have priority when not harming national interests, what's wrong with prioritizing Chen Yang? Do you think your nephew is capable of deception?" Luo Yinglan opened her mouth, and Chen Yang knew that his uncle was definitely not in charge at home. Judging by his aunt's fiery temper, if his uncle dared to say a few more words, she would definitely get physical.