Chapter 73: Making More Demands

Yan Rushan endured the pain, unable to deny the disappointment that welled up inside him, even though it had only been a tentative probe. He sighed inwardly, brushed away his sense of loss, and still managed to banter, “Thank you for the compliment, Comrade Zhong.”

“Who’s complimenting you? Have some shame.” Zhong Yuxiu shot him a sidelong glance and withdrew her gaze. “Stop bothering me, or the pot will burn.”

“Let me do it.” He placed his hands on her slender shoulders and gently guided her back.

Zhong Yuxiu stepped back in response, “Then I’ll leave the pot to you. Gou Dan, there are still some things that need washing.”

“Beep, beep.”

Gou Dan fetched bowls and chopsticks from the cupboard and handed them to her.

“All right, I’ll do the dishes,” Zhong Yuxiu said, cradling the tableware as she went to the sink.

Yan Rushan lifted the lid off the pot and began to stir-fry, glancing back at her from time to time. Seeing her wash so earnestly, a faint smile played upon his lips, and happiness filled his heart.

Having finished washing, Zhong Yuxiu carried the bowls and chopsticks out. “I’ll take these out first. You two keep working. Call me when you need someone to bring out the food.”

“Okay, go sit with Grandpa for a while. The kitchen is full of smoke and grease—it’s bad for your skin,” Yan Rushan said with a gentle smile, watching her leave the kitchen. He quietly closed the door behind her to keep the smoke from escaping.

When Yan Guofeng saw her come out, a flicker passed through his eyes. “Dashan is cooking in there?”

“Yes, Grandpa Yan.” Zhong Yuxiu walked to the dining room, set down the bowls and chopsticks, and collapsed onto the sofa. “Comrade Yan is determined to learn cooking from Gou Dan, but he hasn’t mastered it yet.”

He hasn’t mastered it yet!

Yan Guofeng couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time. “Well then, let him keep learning. It’s good for a man to know how to cook. In our family, we don’t believe men should stay away from the kitchen. Don’t be fooled by this old man—I can cook as well.”

“Really? That’s amazing!” Zhong Yuxiu gave him a sincere thumbs-up. “I just can’t learn, no matter how hard I try. I can help prep the vegetables, but if you ask me to stir-fry, I’ll end up burning the dish.”

“Were you born this way?”

Zhong Yuxiu blushed. “I tried learning before, but I just couldn’t get the hang of it. Even when I follow the exact same steps as others, somehow the dish always turns out a different color. In the end, everyone who tried to teach me gave up.”

Yan Guofeng pressed his hands to his thighs and burst out laughing, almost to the point of breathlessness. It took him a while to compose himself; then, leaning forward slightly, he teased, “To achieve that consistently is no small feat—you must have all your talent invested in academic research.”

She knew she’d be laughed at.

“Grandpa Yan!”

“All right, I’ll stop.” Yan Guofeng raised his hand to rub his cheeks, which ached from laughing so much. “As long as one of you can cook, that’s enough. Who knows, maybe I’ll get to enjoy Dashan’s cooking someday.”

Zhong Yuxiu was at a loss for how to respond; she’d never had experience dealing with the elders of her fiancé’s family.

But Yan Guofeng hadn’t expected her to reply and continued, “I’ve lived a long life, but I’ve never met someone quite as kitchen-averse as you. Still, with both of you busy with your own careers, you’ll probably hire a housekeeper in the future. You don’t need to know how to cook.”

Truly, this granddaughter-in-law was blessed—with her own abilities, hiring help was nothing at all.

Zhong Yuxiu’s heart stirred. “Grandpa Yan, isn’t it impossible to hire a housekeeper right now?”

“For now, yes. It’s safer to wait a couple of years and see. Since you’ve already taken the first step, there’s no turning back. You can rest assured,” Yan Guofeng said, leaving his words unfinished. Even so, Zhong Yuxiu was surprised. As Yan Rushan had said, the old man was perceptive and farsighted, analyzing future developments with remarkable clarity.

During turbulent times, many researchers had been implicated; Yan Guofeng assumed this was what she feared.

“With Grandpa Yan’s assurance, I feel at ease.” She had no intention of explaining further; even with limited knowledge of this period, she knew that after the upheaval, reform and development were inevitable.

The economy lagged far behind other countries, and technological progress was stifled. For comprehensive development, economic reform was indispensable.

Gaining the trust of a beloved junior, Yan Guofeng was quite pleased. “Oh, I almost forgot. The mobility vehicle you developed has now entered production. In about half a month, it will be shipped abroad, and a batch will also be released domestically. This will drive the country’s economic growth. Once it sells, it’ll ease the current cash shortages. You are a real hero.”

“I don’t deserve such praise. I was just looking for convenience.” Who could have foreseen things would come to this?

“You still don’t know your own worth. Your quest for convenience has saved us countless troubles. I can’t go into details, but remember this: you’re a hero, and if you have any requests, just say the word. As long as they don’t violate ethics or national interests.”

Zhong Yuxiu nodded. “I have no requests. Life is already good as it is. All I wish is for it to stay this way.”

“Truly nothing you want? If you do, just mention it early. Right now, we’re negotiating with several foreign conglomerates about the mobility vehicle. We won’t give away the patent, so they’ve proposed buying in bulk instead, though the quantity and price are still undetermined. If there’s anything you want that’s not available here, someone will find a way to get it for you.”

The technology behind the mobility vehicle was far ahead of its time—even foreign countries were eager for it. In truth, they wanted a sample for research as much as they wanted the product itself.

If they could reverse-engineer it, so much the better. If not, they’d still buy it.

“I see!” She had no idea about these matters. “Should I call Comrade Xi later?”

“That’s exactly what you should do.” Yan Guofeng’s smile returned. “Don’t be afraid to trouble your comrades. In truth, they’ll feel more at ease if you make requests. When you don’t, they can’t get a read on your preferences or temperament, so they keep probing.”

Zhong Yuxiu nodded, having learned her lesson. “That’s true.” Both Li Yun in the past and Xi Nian now had acted the same way.

Seeing that she took his words to heart, Yan Guofeng warmed further and began to teach her many things about social situations. “It’s not a problem to have preferences; what’s difficult is to have none, especially for someone like you—a high-tech talent.”

Yan Guofeng’s earnest advice was full of wisdom, and Zhong Yuxiu remembered every word. She’d always preferred a laid-back life, never wanted much, and felt content as long as she had enough to spend, food to eat, warm clothes, and a good house.

“Thank you, Grandpa Yan. In the future, I’ll make reasonable requests. But I’m used to a lazy lifestyle, so sometimes I’m not deliberately ignoring things—I’m just too lazy to bother with them. Next time I meet Comrade Xi Nian, I’ll have an open and honest talk with him.” Too many tests were tiresome; she was no pushover.

“Though we haven’t met often, I consider myself to know you fairly well. However, as you’ll soon be working with someone new, you’ll need to be more attentive in some matters.”

Zhong Yuxiu nodded repeatedly. “I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Grandpa Yan.”

“It’s my duty. As long as you and Dashan are well, that’s all I wish for.” Yan Guofeng spoke until his mouth was dry and sipped his tea. “You and Dashan are both steady by nature, so I don’t worry about anything else. Dashan is used to being quiet; in the future, you two must communicate more.”

She was deeply touched by the old man’s affection for his juniors. If ever there was a model elder, Yan Guofeng was one of the best.