readease Chapter 551 Driven by Life's Necessities
Chapter 551 Driven by Life's Necessities
Aunt Li lived in a nearby community. She and Chun Yatou accompanied the grandfather and grandson all the way to the parking lot.
After Yu Huan got into the car and started the engine, he did not drive away immediately. Instead, he rolled down the window and chatted with Aunt Li, who was standing next to him.
They were so enthusiastic, as if they had endless things to say.
Only after the old man slowly finished smoking a cigarette and the two said goodbye did Yu Huan release the handbrake and slowly press the accelerator.
The car pulled out of the parking space and drove slowly along the road in the residential area.
The old man looked in the rearview mirror and saw Chun Yatou waving at the back of the car. A kind smile appeared on his face.
Only after the two figures, one large and one small, gradually disappeared from sight did he take out his phone and check the time.
"It's already past 9:40. I wonder if the recording of You Rong's show is over yet?" the old man said.
Yu Huan kept her eyes focused on the road and replied, "It should be about time. I'll call Sister Ru to ask when we get there."
"Hmm." The old man nodded slightly in response.
He put his phone back in his pocket and leaned back in his seat.
Throughout the day, I spent time with relatives and friends, chatting and laughing, and my spirits remained high. But now I inevitably felt a little tired and slowly closed my eyes.
The car was extremely quiet at this moment, with only the roar of the engine and slight tire noise.
Soon, the old man fell into a deep sleep.
Yu Huan glanced at the sleeping old man casually, then turned on the air conditioner to heat him up.
After that, I was even more careful when braking, so as not to disturb the old man's sleep.
About half an hour later, the car went over a small pothole while turning a corner, and the slight bump woke the old man up.
He rubbed his sleepy eyes and turned to look out the car window.
The car was slowly turning the corner and entering a slightly dark alley.
"We've arrived?" the old man asked, his voice hoarse from just waking up.
Yu Huan stepped on the brake and replied, "We're near the studio."
"Oh." The old man's lips moved slightly, and he yawned softly. Then he said, "Huanhuan, don't go to watch the flag-raising ceremony tomorrow. You Rong finished work so late, everyone is tired. Get a good night's sleep and rest. You young people will have plenty of opportunities to watch the flag-raising ceremony in the future. This time the time is too tight, so don't make it difficult."
Yu Huan recalled her brief chat with Duan Yue on WeChat that afternoon. As she took out her phone to dial Sister Ru's number, she said:
“You’ve come all this way to the capital, so if you want to see the flag-raising ceremony, we young people will definitely accompany you. Besides… with Brother Yue around, he should have some connections, so we don’t need to queue up early in the morning to get in.”
Upon hearing this, the old man's thick eyebrows immediately rose, and he laughed, "Since you put it that way, then let's go watch the flag-raising ceremony tomorrow morning."
Yu Huan smiled and nodded in agreement.
The grandfather and grandson quickly connected on the phone after exchanging a few words.
Yu Huan quickly put the phone to her ear and exchanged a few words with Sister Ru, confirming the time and place of the rendezvous.
By the time we successfully picked up the person and headed to the hotel, it was already 10:30 p.m.
Everyone had been traveling and working hard all day, and tomorrow's schedule was packed, so as soon as they arrived at the hotel, they quickly went back to their rooms to wash up and rest.
Silent all night.
A faint, fish-belly white light appeared on the horizon.
Yu Huan and his group got up early and, after successfully meeting up with Duan Yue and his wife, headed straight for Tiananmen Square, all yawning. Led by Duan Yue, they passed through the security checkpoint without any hindrance and arrived directly at the relatively spacious and quiet East Gate Tower.
By this time, the main square was already packed with people, shoulder to shoulder.
The bustling noise could still be clearly heard even though Yu Huan and his companions were located in the East City Tower, which was quite far away.
The old man stood in front of the first row of railings, his hands behind his back, and turned to Duan Yue beside him with a smile, saying, "You've arranged this well. We don't have to stay up all night to queue up for a spot, and we can clearly see the whole flag-raising ceremony."
Duan Yue pursed his lips and replied with a smile, "Grandpa Yu, you've come all this way, so we definitely want you to have a comfortable view of the flag-raising ceremony. It's just that this spot isn't at the front—"
"Hey!" The old man waved his hand. "This spot is already very good. At least I don't have to squeeze with other people."
Yu Huan gently embraced Lin Yourong in front of her, listened to their conversation, and nodded in deep agreement.
Not far away, the national flag guard marched with firm and powerful steps toward the flagpole, their footsteps perfectly synchronized.
Seeing this, Yu Huan's early morning drowsiness seemed to dissipate considerably.
At that moment, a loud bugle call suddenly rang out, piercing the sky.
The flag-raising ceremony officially began, and the old man immediately straightened his back and looked on intently...
As the sun gradually rises higher, its gentle light bathes the earth.
After watching the flag-raising ceremony, the group, in high spirits and full of enthusiasm, headed to the Forbidden City.
They strolled leisurely through the palace, and before they knew it, it was noon. They then found a nearby restaurant serving distinctive Beijing and Shandong cuisine and enjoyed lunch there.
Having barely put down their chopsticks, they immediately rushed off to their next destination—
Nanluoguxiang.
As soon as the old man arrived in this area, he acted as if he were on his own territory, appearing exceptionally familiar with it.
He took the lead, guiding everyone through the intricate network of alleyways. He kept saying how much things had changed, but he could name every alleyway he passed without even looking at the signs.
They even ran into an old acquaintance at the entrance of an alley.
The old man was about the same age as the old man, dressed in a neat Zhongshan suit, and carrying a birdcage with a cross-billed finch inside.
These cross-billed magpies are quite adept at cracking sunflower seeds.
The two old men immediately became very friendly upon meeting.
They addressed each other as "older brother" with great affection, accompanied by banter and inquiries about each other's recent situations.
The sight made everyone chuckle.
After the old man's brief introduction, the old man realized that Yu Huan, who was wearing a mask, was his eldest grandson.
He grinned, revealing a few of his remaining front teeth, and said to Yu Huan, "My relationship with your grandfather is very deep! It's a deep friendship built on mutual exploitation! Back in the day, buying and selling—"
The words have not yet fallen.
The old man immediately smiled and gently nudged his shoulder, interrupting him, "Don't exaggerate. It's just secretly dealing in some gadgets, yet you're always on edge, afraid of being discovered and having them confiscated."
Duan Yue, standing to the side, was somewhat surprised. He pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses and asked, "Uncle Yu, you used to be a middleman?"
"His wife won't give him any pocket money to buy cigarettes, he's forced into this situation!" the old man laughed heartily. (End of Chapter)