Chapter 127

The next new year's Eve, Zhang Ke and his mother Liang Gezhen followed his Uncle Zhang Zhifei's family back to Dongshe's hometown for the Spring Festival.

This is what Zhang Zhixing insisted. Zhang Zhixing stays on duty in the city and doesn't leave anyone at home, so he doesn't have to care about others coming to the door to give gifts.

Gu Jianping also led Tang Jing back to Xintai's hometown. It seems that Tang Xueqian is really serious this time. At this time, the city couldn't send a car. Zhang Ke asked Zhou Wenbin to drive Gu Jianping and Tang Jing back to Xintai, so that they wouldn't suffer on the road.

Although Uncle Zhang Zhifei plans to put his home in the city, he still plans to go back to the East club for the Spring Festival. Anyway, he has a car and it's very convenient to go back and forth.

The ancestral house under Zhang Zhixing's name was renovated by several cousins of Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Zhifei as early as the winter, with increased sanitary facilities, and the internal decoration is no worse than the house in the city.

Uncle Zhang Zhiwei was surprised that the three of Zhang Zhixing's family returned to Dongshe for the Spring Festival. How can an official hide from the gift giver these days?

Zhang Ke was very bored in his hometown of Dongshe. He talked to Tang Jing when he had nothing to do. It was troublesome to talk to Xu Si.

Zhang Zhixing was on the night shift in the city on New Year's Eve. On the first day of the new year, he was on duty in the city. He arrived at Dongshe at night. The next day, he drove back to the city. Zhou fuming and Tang Xueqian went to the provincial capital together on the third day of the new year to pay New Year's greetings to provincial leaders in the name of the city. All gifts had to be arranged by him.

Zhang Ke followed him back to the city on the second day of junior high school. On the third day of junior high school, he also went to the provincial capital to pay New Year's greetings to Xu Xueping. Considering the relationship between Zhou fuming, Secretary of the municipal Party committee, it is inconvenient for Zhang Ke to take a free ride in the city.

Zhang Zhixing left Zhang Ke on the street, thinking that he must be entangled in the city today. He asked Zhang Ke, "do you come to the city for dinner at noon?"

"I can't die without you," Zhang Ke said with a smile, patting his tan short windbreaker coat. "You go back to Dongshe in the evening?"

"I may stay on duty in the city. You can stay at the city hostel in the evening."

"It depends. Tomorrow is different. I'll ask Jinhu company to send me to the provincial capital."

Zhang Zhixing smiled. No matter where his son would wander at night, he drove away directly.

It took only an hour to drive from Dongshe to the city. I got up early in the morning. Now it's only seven o'clock in the morning. The fog on the streets has not dissipated. People in the city get up late during the Spring Festival. The streets are cold and deserted. There are no people. There are fragments of firecrackers everywhere.

In 1994, the control over the discharge of fireworks and firecrackers was not so strict.

For Zhang Ke, there is still a strange feeling about the city. Maybe he has been used to the city 14 years later. The newspaper kiosks on the street are not open. They don't have magnetic cards with them, and they can't make public calls. They go down the street to Shatin.

Zhang Ke is not in a hurry to find Xu Si. He wanders around Shatin. A large area of buildings in this area were built in the early years of the Republic of China, mixed with buildings with a longer history. Standing in the distance and looking closer, these embossed flowers on the courtyard walls, roofs, porches, tile eaves, pillars and windows with completely different colors and shapes give people the feeling that they are really colorful and beautiful, such as thousands of people and thousands of faces. These old houses are also one face after another without repetition and similarity.

Despite the exquisite details, the overall impression of Shatin, which is close to the Qianmen business district, is old and messy. It is crowded into nearly 7000 or 7000 families in an area of less than two square kilometers, with a rental population of nearly 100000.

The fog gradually dispersed, the light cyan sky was far away, the breeze was cold, and the trees with sparse oblique branches in the alley still had diseased leaves.

If you can clean up here, it's quite a wrong place to live.

Although the city's urban construction planning ideas have gradually changed, there are completely different opinions on whether to dismantle or repair the old buildings in Shatin.

The key lies in the word money.

Zhang Ke preliminarily estimated that it would take more than three billion yuan to carry out protective repair and transformation of ancient buildings in Shatin, which is the financial revenue of Haizhou city in three years. If we really take out this budget, I'm afraid Tang Xueqian will be the first to give up the plan of protective repair and transformation.

With all the demolition, reconstruction and development of commercial real estate, the city will be able to use commercial capital to complete the transformation of the old city of Shatin. This is a scheme that saves time, effort and political achievements.

In the early 1990s, many old cities in China gave up the protection of ancient buildings. Another important factor is the municipal investment. In addition to municipal investment, it is difficult to introduce commercial capital for the protection of ancient buildings. In the early 1990s, urban construction was short of money everywhere, and the tourism industry has not been vigorously developed. It is impossible to take out one or several years of fiscal revenue for the protection of ancient buildings.

Of course, the problem can be solved after delaying it for ten years. In addition to the development of tourism industry, the enhancement of the awareness of ancient city protection and the predominance of urban marketing, sufficient financial revenue looks more like the most critical factor.

But which mayor will tolerate Shatin sticking to the territory of Haizhou like a piece of dog skin plaster for ten years? Besides, it's close to the front door of every inch of land and every inch of gold.

Tang Xueqian could not be so lofty and self-confident.

Shugang river is the first step, and Shatin is the second step. The city can't afford money. It can only be handed over to developers to dismantle and develop commercial real estate. It may symbolically retain Qingyang Taoist temple, Millennium ancient zhangbieyuan, danjingtai and other buildings, but it's meaningless.

Zhang Ke wandered to Danjing lane and met Xu Hongbo. Xu Hongbo was wearing bloomers and a shirt in the cold world. His clothes were very thin. Zhang Ke felt trembling when he saw it.

"Mr. Xu gets up early to exercise?" Zhang Ke asked.

"Why are you wandering around Shatin so early?" Xu Hongbo was sweating. He didn't expect to meet Zhang Ke in Shatin early on the second day of the new year.

"I went back to the East club for the new year. I rushed to the city with my father early in the morning. I was thinking of going to Mr. Xu's house to pay a new year's call."

"You don't like the person who can think of me so early. Besides, my house is over there. How can you go this way?" Xu Hongbo exposed Zhang Ke's lie.

Zhang Ke smiled helplessly and said, "when I got to Shatin, I looked at these old buildings. I was crazy. If I hadn't met Mr. Xu, I could go on."

"Ha ha," Xu Hongbo smiled and accepted Zhang Ke's explanation. Now young children will only feel that Shatin is old and messy, and no one will see it. Probably only those who are obsessed with architecture or art and photography will perceive the beauty under the old and messy, "I'll go back and change my clothes first, you go to the chess yard and wait for me, and I'll invite you to tea."

Seeing that Xu Hongbo had something to say, Zhang Ke nodded and agreed. He didn't mention whether to pay New Year's greetings or not. He continued to go in along Danjing lane and turned to Xu Si's house along an inclined lane.

Listening to the silence in the yard, I thought maybe I didn't get up. It's inconvenient. I went to Xu Si and turned to the Taoist temple. There are many dog owners living in this alley. Zhang Ke walked over and barked alternately, which made Zhang Ke tremble and regret that he didn't walk around from the outside.

At the entrance of the alley, he inserted into Chen feirong's house. The Taoist temple was behind Chen feirong's house. He saw Xu Si probe out from the gate of Chen feirong's house.

"It's really you?" Xu Si smiled pleasantly. "It's only the second day of the ninth lunar new year. Didn't you go back to Dongshe's hometown for the Spring Festival?"

"How can anyone guess my voice?" Zhang Ke asked strangely, "I didn't hum a song. Who can guess me?"

Xu Si smiled and said, "hearing the dog barking badly in the alley, Xu Wei must be a little villain who doesn't often do good deeds. Come out and have a look. It's really you."

"I do some good things occasionally, so you slander me?" Zhang Ke smiled and said, "I took my father's car back to the city this morning. Teacher Xu asked me to wait for him here. What do you do at Chen feirong's house early in the morning?"

"Chen feirong's family will treat next year. We have to prepare today. Let's come and help."

Zhang Ke looked inside. Xu Wei and Chen feirong were looking this way with a badminton racket.

Xu Wei laughed and said, "I told you, the dogs in the alley are only fierce to the little villains."

Xu Si's mother and Liu Fen are sitting in the corridor. At this time, they stand up, don't let Xu Wei talk nonsense, and ask Zhang Ke to go in.

Zhang Ke smiled and said, "Uncle Chen asked me to come over for dinner tomorrow. I'm going to the provincial capital tomorrow, so I'll pay a new year's call in advance today." he bowed and asked Xu Si, "where are Uncle Xu and Uncle Chen?"

"I went to the vegetable market to buy tomorrow's food."

"Today is only the second day of the lunar new year. Will there be people in the vegetable market?" Zhang Ke asked strangely.

"Everyone is like your young master. If the factory starts early, it will start tomorrow." Xu Wei said sarcastically, "the paper mill doesn't have annual leave, and my mother is on duty on the first day of the new year."

In the paper mill, the production line will not stop because of the annual leave unless there is maintenance or mechanical failure. Xu Si's mother can take a few days off in rotation in the warehouse, which is relatively easy.

Zhang Ke felt his head and quarreled with Xu Wei. He smiled and asked Chen feirong, "are you playing badminton?"

Chen feirong didn't speak. Xu Weiheng glanced at him and handed the badminton to him: "this is still a tennis racket? I'm tired and sweating. Come and play."

Xu Wei stuffed the racket into Zhang Ke's hand, and Chen feirong also stuffed the racket into Xu Si's hand: "I'm tired, too. Sister Xu Si, come and play."

Chen feirong was still wearing a coat, her pretty face was white, and there was no sweat on her forehead. At a glance, she knew that she had just come to an end. Xu Si blushed, and the sweat on his forehead was not dry. Seeing that Chen feirong didn't want to play with him or that Xu Si was tired, Zhang Ke shrugged, went to the corridor, put the racket on the small table and said, "I like to play hard. As soon as I work hard, the ball flew to the roof." he turned back and said to Xu Si, "I'll wait for Mr. Xu in the Chess Academy."

Zhang Ke walked out of Chen feirong's yard. Xu Si caught up with him and asked him, "I thought you had a good relationship?"

"When will it be better?" Zhang Ke asked strangely. He suddenly remembered that Xu Sidu had seen the gifts brought back from Hong Kong years ago. She had also seen the hairpin embedded with broken diamonds. At this time, it was pinned on Chen feirong's head. "You mean the hairpin on her head?"

"Yes, what do you think I said?"

"I want to give her a gift. She can probably embarrass me. Dare I?" Zhang Ke said with a smile. "Tang Jing asked her to occupy a place to set up a stall, you know... Tang Jing gave her the hairpin. I'm heartbroken. It's expensive to bring back such a gift."

Xu Si chuckled, and a pair of beautiful eyes lifted Zhang Ke: "your little girlfriend is very generous. She doesn't know you have a crooked mind about Fei Rong?"

Zhang Ke looked sideways at Xu siyanmei's eyes, slightly bent the corners of his mouth, showed a frivolous and warm smile, and said, "I'm thinking about you.

Looking at the faint smile on Zhang Ke's face, his deep black eyes seemed to tell himself that this was not a joke. Xu Si tilted his body back slightly. Although Zhang Ke didn't move, he felt his breathing was closer. His warm nose and nose were almost jumping on his face. He felt his face hot and pursed his mouth and scolded him: "nonsense!" But the eyes were shy of the girl. He stretched out his hand and pushed him out. "You go to find Mr. Xu. I won't go with you. I don't have to listen to your crazy words."

Watching Xu Si hide in the yard, Zhang Ke has a warm smile on his mouth. The Spring Festival in the city is more or less boring. Most of them are only children, and the neighbors don't have much contact. The Taoist temple gathered some students from the Chess Academy early in the morning. Due to the custom of gambling in Haizhou during the Spring Festival, he gathered two tables to play cards, and several teenagers are gambling chess.

When Zhang Ke came to the Taoist temple, he was so idle that he either played chess directly with Xu Hongbo. The students who knew Zhang Ke in the Chess Academy respected him. When they saw him come in, several people stood up and let him participate in the card game.

Those who concentrate on learning go are all good at mental calculation. Zhang Ke is not sure that he can win the money of the students of the Chess Academy. He smiles and says that he will wait for Mr. Xu to come. The students of the Chess Academy are afraid that Xu Hongbo will come later. They immediately pack up the card game and make an appointment to fight again at a certain house. In the twinkling of an eye, they are all gone.

Xu Hongbo was surprised when he came. As he stepped into the yard, he said, "why do these children come to play in the chess yard today? Why did they leave so early?"

Zhang Ke smiled and asked Xu Hongbo, "come to me. What does Mr. Xu want to say?"

Xu Hongbo took the cooker to boil water, but said in his mouth, "if only Xu Haishan's girl could come and help us cook tea."

Zhang Ke smiled. Xu Hongbo has good taste. He asked Xu Si and Xu Wei to serve tea. It's beautiful to think about it. He doesn't believe that Xu Hongbo can hide any good tea in the chess yard and don't let all the young chess learners steal it. He watched Xu Hongbo put out a whole set of tea sets and couldn't appreciate the purple sand utensils. This game is everywhere in the streets of Yixing Yes, there may be some gold in the early 1990s.

Since Xu Hongbo kept silent, Zhang Ke should just come over to drink tea. As soon as the sun came out, there was no cold in the yard. Zhang Ke sat in the yard of the Taoist temple and listened to Xu Hongbo's knowledge of drinking tea all morning. Zhang Ke also filled his stomach with tea. Near noon, Chen Shan came and asked him to have a drink with Xu Hongbo. Xu Hongbo wanted to go. Zhang Ke scrambled to say: "When you are full of tea, learn a game of chess with Mr. Xu at noon and eat less."

Chen Shan heard Xu Si say that Zhang Ke was going to rush to the provincial capital tomorrow and couldn't invite him to dinner tomorrow. Today, while others were in Shatin, he had to invite him to dinner anyway. He helped him speak without talking about the consolation money years ago. After years, Liu Fen wanted to go to work in the paper mill and asked him to help him speak again. Chen Shan listened to Zhang Ke's clean refusal to go to his house for dinner. He looked chatty and stood there without knowing what to say What's good.

"Can chess control satiety? The young man is kind-hearted. I'm not hungry, so I'll play a game of chess with you." Xu Hongbo listened and got up to get the chess.

"It's not too late to wait until you play good chess." Chen Shan walked out of the Taoist temple with a smile, but there was no special impatience on his face.

"Chen Shan's family will treat tomorrow, but today's banquet is specially for you." Xu Hongbo took chess and squinted at Zhang Ke.

Zhang Ke said quietly, "you filled my tea all morning. Don't say anything, otherwise I would have left early and didn't plan to stay for lunch. If you don't play chess, I'll go back first."

Xu Hongbo quickly put down the chessboard. He didn't say anything about business, but he couldn't let Zhang Ke go. Zhang Ke had just lost his son for three consecutive stars. Xu Si pushed the gate in, grabbed the chess pieces in Zhang Ke's hand, threw them into the chess box, and said, "everyone is waiting for you to eat. What chess do you want to play? Put them here first and wait for lunch."

It's easy to be hungry when drinking tea. After drinking tea all morning, my stomach was empty when I made a pee. Xu Hongbo smiled and said, "I can't play chess. I have to drink." when his words fell, the man got up first and went out.

Holding hands with Xu Si, Zhang Ke saw that she was a little anxious and asked her, "what's the matter?"

"Fei Rong made her mother cry and you hid here to play chess. Do you have a conscience?" Xu Si glared at him angrily, took something out of his pocket and spread it in front of Zhang Ke. The broken diamond cat shaped hairpin Tang Jing gave Chen Fei Rong was pouted in half, "Zhou Fu came over and said that the hairpin was expensive and worth thousands. Fei Rong said it was sent by a female classmate. Others didn't believe it. She threw it on the ground in a hurry and broke it in two. Aunt Fen asked her to invite you to dinner. She didn't want it. Uncle Chen came to invite you. You took a shelf. As soon as Uncle Chen went back, aunt Fen said two words to her and cried..."

Zhang Ke picked up the hairpin, looked at it, smacked his mouth and said, "the inlay technology is very good. The hairpin has been broken in two and none of the broken diamonds have fallen. How did Zhou Fu come?"

"I didn't invite him to accompany you. You're a big man now..." seeing Zhang Ke's evil smile around his mouth, Xu Si said angrily, "you, how can you say hello? You can still laugh?"

Zhang Ke held Xu Si's palm in his backhand and his fingers clasped her palm. He felt very warm and moist. He squinted at her and said with a smile, "what did I do wrong?"

"You don't understand the girl's mind?" Xu Siheng glanced at him and saw him show innocent eyes and bite his lower lip. "You pretend you don't understand!"

Zhang Ke shook his head, sighed and said, "a 16-year-old girl is too sensitive. It's better for sister Xu. Return this hairpin to me and don't let others think it's really from me?"

"Say others are small, how old are you?" sometimes he is willing to let him hold his hand. As soon as he talks about his age, Xu Si pulls his hand back. Unexpectedly, he feels a little sad. When he sees that Zhang Ke puts the broken hairpin into his own hand again, he asks him, "give it to me, what shall I do?"

The hairpin was sent by Tang Jing, and Xu Si couldn't help Chen feirong explain it. Even if she did, her parents didn't believe it. Liu Fen seemed more willing to believe it was sent by Zhang Ke. When Zhou Fu joked, Liu Fen was quite proud. When she saw Chen feirong breaking the hairpin in two, she got angry and trained Chen feirong.

Zhang Ke thought for a moment and said, "I'd better find another place for lunch. It's hard to explain this. It's hard for everyone to stare at."

"You're going to pat your ass and go. What about Chen feirong?" Xu Si pushed him. "Be careful, Xu Wei has been looking for your thorn."

Zhang Ke smiled helplessly, got up and pushed Xu Si's shoulder forward: "OK, OK, don't you just eat, can you kill me and drink?"

The banquet was placed in the wine room in the East. Zhang Ke and Xu Si advanced into the yard. When they saw Zhou Fu squatting under the eaves of the corridor smoking, they smiled and said, "during the Chinese new year, Zhou factory came here for a long time to eat. It's too late for tomorrow?"

Zhou Fu couldn't explain that Chen Shan specially called him. He smiled and said, "I'll be on duty in the factory tomorrow, but I can't miss this meal."

Chen Shan asked everyone to go to the wine house. Chen feirong went out from the wing room. The tears on her cheeks were not dry. She was pitiful. She stared at Zhang Ke and asked, "tell my parents who sent the hairpin?"

Zhang Ke didn't expect Chen feirong to be wronged like this. He has the backbone of not being humiliated. He can't bear it. He took two hair clips from Xu Si and asked Chen feirong, "what do you say?" he smiled when everyone looked here, "I don't know how much the stall goods my cousin bought from the night market are worth. I took some books from you, and my cousin set up a stall again. You didn't want to see such trouble, so you pulled it down." turning around, he threw two hairpins over the courtyard wall. Only heard two slight water sounds of "bang". The hairpin filled with broken diamonds was thrown into the Shugang River in the East. Zhang Ke clapped his hands, "How much is it really worth? Well, eat. I'm hungry."

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