The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 746 - 715: Bank Run, Probing_1

Chapter 746: Chapter 715: Bank Run, Probing_1

His day job had already kept him busy.

It was Huo Yingjie’s silence that made Old Master Huo and the others chat for a while before they once again turned their gaze toward Huo Yingjie.

Huo Yingjie was lost in thought, he sheepishly smiled and asked, "Keep talking, why are you all looking at me?"

"Yingjie, don’t you have anything you want to say?" Huo Yingjun was young and the most impatient. He had noticed that his second brother, like an old man, always kept his thoughts to himself. If no one asked, he wouldn’t speak.

Such a demeanor was even more composed than that of his father and uncles, which seemed out of place for someone in their twenties.

Huo Yingjie just smiled. He did not take his elder brother’s complaint to heart but brushed it off with a laugh, saying, "You all make a lot of sense, I’m listening intently!"

"Yeah? Then what’s your opinion on what we’re discussing?" Huo Yingjun was unrelenting, not wanting his second brother to be just an observer but to join their discussion.

"I also think you are very right, it aligns with the current trends. As long as we follow this trend, everyone will advance further," Huo Yingjie said. "Since it was well said, I don’t need to add anything, right?"

Huo Yingjun was left speechless by his second brother’s blocking move.

"Hehe, Yingjun and Yingjie are different, one is extroverted, the other introverted," Old Master Huo said with a laugh, pleased with the interaction between his two grandsons.

Upon hearing this, Huo Yingjun pouted and laughed, "Grandfather, he only pretends to be profound in front of us. You haven’t seen him with his wife, he’s quite the romantic!"

Everyone laughed upon hearing this.

Huo Yingjie was indignant and retorted, "Big brother, aren’t you all smiles in front of your wife too? She is my wife, if I don’t smile at her, then who should I smile at?"

"That’s not just smiling, not that simple, okay! It’s all sticky and clingy; I think it’s cloying," Huo Yingjun teased. "Besides, in front of the couple, everyone else’s presence seems so low."

"Hehe, Yingjie and Tiantian indeed have a great relationship; it’s love that has been through trials and tribulations. It’s natural for them to be close," Huo Zheqian said with a smile. "When the younger generation is in a good relationship, it puts us elders at ease. You haven’t seen the Old Tang Family’s young man; he has one at home and several more outside, causing chaos at home and outside, disturbing the family peace. How could someone like that be entrusted with heavy responsibilities?"

"Indeed, if one can’t sweep one’s own house, how can they clean the world?" Old Master Huo said, "I’m laying it out here: the wives you chose for yourselves, you must cherish them for life. Don’t bring any messy affairs to me, otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless even toward my own kin."

Upon hearing this, Huo Zheqian internally complained that his own wife hadn’t been his choice but his father’s.

"Yes, Grandfather," Huo Yingjun and Huo Yingjie said in unison.

As for Huo Zhekun and Huo Zheqian, they wouldn’t have any other thoughts, as all their attention and energy were focused on their careers.

The conversation continued until late at night, ending only when Old Master Huo grew tired, after which they dispersed.

When Huo Yingjie returned to his room, He Tiantian had already put the two children to sleep. He quickly washed up and slipped into the warm bed.

The next day would be New Year’s Eve.

Huo Ruixiang, along with Huo Ruimin and Huo Ruihua, played in the courtyard.

He Tiantian was following her mother-in-law, helping prepare the food for the New Year, especially the meals for today’s lunch and evening’s New Year’s Eve dinner.

Zhao Huanhuan also came to help with whatever she could, and the relationship between her and Song Chunli had eased somewhat.

Although she didn’t know what had happened, Jiang Lifang felt that making up was certainly better than arguing.

The two pairs of mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law were very quick at their tasks, especially with a kitchen whiz like Tiantian, who played a major role. Last year, the braised meat He Tiantian had made was very popular, and Song Chunli had prepared the meat yesterday, waiting for He Tiantian to come over and help.

Not only could their own family enjoy it, but it could also be shared with her parental home.

Everyone loved her crafts, and He Tiantian was not one to refuse.

After a morning’s hard work, she finally finished a big pot of braised meat at two o’clock in the afternoon. To fit more meat into the pot, He Tiantian had cut the pig’s head into several large pieces, rather than leaving it whole.

Altogether, the pot weighed tens of pounds.

Taking advantage of the heat, Song Chunli wrapped up five or six pounds to send to her family, and Jiang Lifang, not wanting to be outdone, also packed seven or eight pounds to take to the Jiang Family.

The rest of the meat, about twenty pounds, was kept by the Huo Family, and the leftovers were given to neighbors and old colleagues living near the old mansion, about one or two pounds per household—just enough for a meal.

Some who were closer to the family, thinking the braised meat was delicious, came over to ask for the recipe.

But that was the basis of He Tiantian’s earnings, and of course, she could not give it to them. Especially the Thousand Flavor Grass, which was a secret ingredient that couldn’t be revealed.

How could He Tiantian possibly share the recipe with them? She divided the braising broth among several households and let them braise their own meat at home.

However, this was an idea from Old Madam Huo. Since they got the braising broth, everyone could braise their own meat and didn’t resent He Tiantian for being stingy.

Since there were many people around, He Tiantian hadn’t had the chance to explain to her grandmother in detail, but now that they had left, He Tiantian decided to explain to her.

"Grandmother, those recipes are the foundation of my shop, and I can’t give them away," He Tiantian whispered, "It’s not that I’m being stingy; I hope you understand."

Old Madam Huo smiled and said, "Of course I understand, giving them the braising broth was already generous."

"Thank you, Grandmother," He Tiantian smiled, relieved not to have upset her grandmother.

"Before liberation, my family was also in business; we dealt with dyes, and the formulas for each dye were secrets. Naturally, we couldn’t give away the recipes just because someone flattered us," Old Madam Huo explained, "I’ve heard that your shop in Nan City is quite profitable, and that is the foundation upon which your shop stands. As an elder, I understand."

Song Chunli had heard before that He Tiantian had opened a shop that made money, but she didn’t know how much money was being made.

"Tiantian, do you make money from your shop?" Song Chunli asked curiously, "Our family doesn’t do business, and it’s just you. Doesn’t it affect your studies?"

He Tiantian laughed and said, "I’ve made some money, not a lot. I don’t have many courses, and the people I’ve hired are reliable, so it doesn’t require much time on my part. I just need to check the accounts every week."

"Oh!" Song Chunli laughed embarrassedly, "Tiantian, that’s not right. You’re making money and your great-aunt won’t ask you to lend her any, so what are you worried about?"

He Tiantian felt slightly embarrassed upon hearing Song Chunli say this.

It wasn’t that she was afraid of Song Chunli asking for a loan, she feared her great-aunt might ask for her recipes to start her own shop, and it would be difficult to refuse.

Seeing her daughter-in-law in an awkward situation and the other party being an elder, it wasn’t easy for He Tiantian to object.

Jiang Lifang couldn’t stand the superficial look in her sister-in-law’s eyes. Others had said enough already, why must she spell it out and make it awkward?

Besides, He Tiantian was her daughter-in-law and as her mother-in-law, she was present. How could Song Chunli, being an aunt-in-law, presume to scold her?