Chapter 85 My Son Has Grown Up
He Shu and Zhao Qishui went back to the car wash first.
Aunt Liu, Brother Dong and the others were all there, and they were very happy to see He Shu come back.
We surrounded him and looked at him. We saw that he had not lost weight and his complexion was good, so we knew that he was living a good life.
Xiao Dong pinched He Shu's arm and was surprised that He Shu actually had some muscles.
Everyone asked him all kinds of questions, all concerned about how he was eating, how he was living, and whether school would be easier.
He Shu responded to all of them with a smile on his face.
The car wash is still the same as before, and the people working there are still basically the same uncles and aunts.
But the burly Aunt Wang refused to work, and a thin uncle came instead.
Zhao Qishui saw that they all gathered around to talk, but he didn't rush to ask. He sat on an old tire nearby and smoked a cigarette.
After the fun was over and everyone went to work, He Shu walked up to Zhao Qishui.
She raised her hand and touched his hair: "Father, your hair seems to have turned a little greyer."
Zhao Qishui rubbed his head and said, "It's okay. How can I not get gray when I'm old?"
"Smoke less. It's bad for your health."
Zhao Qishui agreed and asked He Shu with a smile what he wanted to eat in the evening.
"Anything is fine. How about we go buy some groceries and I'll make dinner."
"Hahaha, okay, let's go buy some groceries."
Zhao Qishui stood up and called Aunt Liu and the others: "Come to our house for dinner tonight. Xiaoshu will cook. It happens to be a holiday today, so let's get together."
Aunt Liu said with a smile: "The child just came back and he's already asking for food. You've got an easy job as a father."
Everyone laughed, and Zhao Qishui was very proud: "Hey, my son is filial, you are jealous."
After He Shu and Zhao Qishui left, the new uncle spoke: "I heard that our boss's son was the provincial champion and went to Huaqing University. I didn't expect that the boy is so handsome."
Aunt Liu looked proud, as if He Shu was her son: "Of course not, our little Shu is impeccable."
He Shu and Zhao Qishui bought a lot of vegetables and seafood. Considering that there would be many people today, they also bought a whole chicken.
A lot of fruits were bought and counted and packed into several bags. This was the holiday benefit Zhao Qishui prepared for his employees.
Although Zhao Qishui’s store is not big, there are discounts on every holiday.
So even if those uncles and aunts go there to work, they get along very well with my godfather, just like family members.
The two returned home. He Shu went back to his room to put his backpack away and found the house was clean.
Even his room wasn't dusty at all; his godfather must have come to clean it regularly.
After changing into the large vest and shorts that he used to wear at home, He Shu went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Zhao Qishui wanted to help him, so he asked He Shu to push him to the living room.
"Godfather, just take a rest. I'll do it myself today."
Zhao Qishui sat on the sofa and said with a smile: "Can you cook? Now that you are out there, don't you eat in the cafeteria every day?"
"Well, we not only have a cafeteria, but also a restaurant. We have cuisines from all over the world."
He Shu was washing vegetables while chatting with his godfather.
"By the way, I wish I had asked you to take me there when school started last time."
Zhao Qishui hurried to the kitchen door: "What's the matter? What happened at the beginning of school?"
"No, parents can attend the opening ceremony. I should have let you go. Our school is big and the scenery is beautiful."
He Shu lowered his head and dealt with the lively shrimps while talking.
When Zhao Qishui heard this, a sour feeling welled up in his heart.
"It's okay. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future."
He Shu nodded and continued to work.
"Xiao Shu, the classmate Xiao Xia who came back with you today? You two?" Zhao Qishui grinned, "I saw you holding the girl's hand."
The tips of He Shu's ears turned red, but he didn't deny it: "Yes, I am Xia Miao's boyfriend now."
"Good job, kid. You've made it through college. You even found a wife."
He Shu felt embarrassed when he heard this, but he laughed along with Zhao Qishui.
He didn't know that Xia Miao was also questioned by her father today, and he didn't know how different the mindsets of boys' parents and girls' parents were.
Zhao Qishui is the pride that our family has a grown-up son, while Xia Miao's father is worried that his daughter will be taken advantage of by He Shu.
The food was almost ready, Zhao Qishui called the store and asked Xiao Dong to close the store early and drive those people over to eat.
When Aunt Liu and her family arrived, a large round table was filled with food, even more sumptuous than during the Chinese New Year.
Zhao Qishui took out the wine and He Shu poured some for the uncles. He and the aunts drank the drinks. Everyone enjoyed the meal very much and praised He Shu's cooking skills.
In fact, He Shu only cooked some simple home-cooked dishes. He didn’t know how to make anything too complicated, but everyone gave him face.
Nowadays, few boys, let alone girls, of He Shu’s age can cook and do housework.
After dinner, Xiao Dong drove them home. Aunt Liu was the last one to leave. She helped Zhao Qishui and He Shu clean up the mess and wash the dishes.
In the kitchen, Aunt Liu asked He Shu about the consumption level and environment in Dadu, because she heard that Uncle Zhang's son went to Dadu to work and earn money.
"Your uncle Zhang's son is already 30 years old. It would be great if he could find a decent job in Danhe. Why does he have to be so ambitious?"
"Your uncle Zhang is not in good health right now. He works so hard that he doesn't want to eat or wear anything . He just wants to buy a new house for his son to get married."
"But the housing prices are rising very fast, higher every year, and there is no way I can save enough."
He Shu had only been in Dalian for a short time and was not familiar with the place, but Dalian was the capital of the motherland and a big city. The consumption was definitely much higher than that of Danhe, and of course the wages were also higher.
"What kind of job does Uncle Zhang's son do in Dadu?"
Aunt Liu curled her lips and said, "What kind of job does he do? He doesn't have any education, so who would want him for a good job? I heard he lives in the basement and does odd jobs."
He Shu nodded: "If you are willing to work hard, there are more opportunities in big cities than here."
"Hey, that's what I'm worried about. He keeps saying he wants to make a lot of money in Beijing, but he still asks your uncle Zhang to send him money every month to help him."
Aunt Liu sighed repeatedly. She just felt sorry for Lao Zhang. In this car wash business, she and Lao Zhang were the only ones who were still running around for their children.
"Okay, let's stop talking. You just came back, have a good chat with your godfather. I'm going back too."
Zhao Qishui asked Aunt Liu to wait for Xiao Dong to come back and send her off, but Aunt Liu said no, as her home was nearby, and she took the fruit Zhao Qishui gave her and left.
After Aunt Liu left, Zhao Qishui called Xiao Dong and told him to go back to the store after seeing the person off.
The house became quiet. Zhao Qi made a pot of tea and sat down with He Shu.
"I don't know what your uncle Zhang's son is doing in Beijing. He asks your uncle Zhang for money every month. Xiaoshu, when you return to school, I'll give you an address. You can go and take a look secretly."
He Shu nodded: "Uncle Zhang, don't you know what he does?"
"I don't know. He always calls me when he has no money. When I ask him, he says it's hard to find a job. He never comes back even if I call him back."
"But there is an address. Your uncle Zhang has a broken back now. He can't do any heavy work, and he can't travel far."
"Okay, I'll go take a look when I get back."
"Don't go by yourself, and don't show up. Just secretly see what he is doing. Then tell your Uncle Zhang and he will be relieved."
