"Alright then, I won’t stand on ceremony with you." Lu Zhiwei nodded, then ordered four more dishes. Combined with the dishes that Jiaojiao and the Ruanlin Family had ordered, that made six dishes in total.
While waiting for the dishes to arrive, Lu Zhiwei asked Ruan Jianguo, "Jianguo, what do you plan to do next?"
Ruan Jianguo glanced at Ruan Jiaojiao and said, "In a couple of days, once I’ve sorted out some family matters, I’m thinking of heading up north."
Lu Zhiwei knew a bit about Ruan Jianguo’s situation. He nodded upon hearing this, but still said, "There’s a good opportunity on my end, though I still need a partner. I’m not sure if you’d be interested in joining me."
"Hmm?" Ruan Jianguo looked at him.
Lu Zhiwei said, "You know that our country has developed rapidly in recent years, and electricity is virtually everywhere now. Home appliances are only going to become more common. I have some capital, but I’m lacking someone to go down south with me to check out the goods. Are you interested?"
Lu Zhiwei had been demobilized from the military two years before and his family had some connections, so he knew of some opportunities.
Over the past year, he had observed for a long time and called several people, but no one was willing to take the risk. Electrical appliances are not like other products; the capital required is much more, and no one dared to join him in this venture.
However, after Ruan Jianguo came personally to his home over the matter of Ruan Jie, and although they had spoken only a few words, Lu knew he was a person capable of accomplishing great things. During the days they were acquainted, he kept a close watch on him. Luckily, his observations confirmed that his initial feeling was not wrong!
Now, they were sitting at the same dining table, and ordinarily, he would have made a formal visit to the Ruan Family, to extend the invitation properly, but he couldn’t help speaking out of turn.
Ruan Jianguo was startled, looking at him with surprise.
Thinking that Jianguo was not very willing, Lu Zhiwei said, "There’s no need to hurry with this matter. You can go back and think it over well. We can look at it again after you return from up north."
The Ruanlin Family’s matriarch, who was taking care of Jiaojiao, flicked her eyes at these words.
During the meal, Lu Zhiwei didn’t bring up the matter again, as if what he had just mentioned was not of much importance, but he knew that his words must have caused more than a little ripple in Ruan Jianguo’s heart.
And indeed, they had.
After finishing the meal and bidding farewell, Ruan Jianguo seemed to have a lot on his mind.
By the time he returned to the town, it was already getting dark. Ruan Jianguo went to the supply and marketing cooperative to load the purchased goods onto his tricycle and hurried home. By the time he arrived, the sky had completely darkened, and several of the youngsters were standing at the doorway, looking out.
At the sound of the tricycle, their eyes lit up, and they ran out excitedly.
Ruan Jianguo stopped the tricycle, and Ruan Jie ran up to the side. Just as he was about to call Jiaojiao to get down, he saw her nestled in the Ruanlin Family matriarch’s arms, eyes closed, "Is sister asleep?" he asked in a hushed voice.
The Ruanlin Family matriarch nodded. Ruan Jianguo, who had been at the front of the tricycle, came over and carefully lifted the sleeping Jiaojiao, carrying her horizontally and carefully inside the house, managing not to wake her up during the process.
"Let’s lay her down on the bed and let her sleep. I’ll wash her face and hands for her later," instructed the Ruanlin Family matriarch to Ruan Jianguo, while she also beckoned the youngsters to carry things inside.
The youngsters, knowing their sister was asleep, lightened their movements as they picked up the items.
Xiu Xi followed Ruan Jianguo into the house. After Jianguo laid Jiaojiao down and went out again, Xiu Xi turned and went to the kitchen to get some hot water. He brought a stool over to the bedside, stepped up on it, and gently wiped Jiaojiao’s face with a moistened towel.