A foreign city, dear you

"Has your home ever used a smart lock?" Wang Daqun asked.

Cao Xueqian shook his head: "No."

Wang Daqun immediately started his long speech with a far-sighted look:

"I tell you, smart locks will be a trend in the future, because compared with traditional locks, smart locks have their unique advantages. They are very convenient, and you don't need to carry keys with you when you go out, which avoids the trouble and embarrassment of forgetting to bring keys. Smart locks are more anti-theft, and most traditional locks are still B-class locks that use C-class lock cores. In addition, smart locks also have alarm functions.

"Not only locks, but other security inspection technologies will also become more and more intelligent, such as 3D fingerprint recognition, vein palm print recognition, face recognition, etc. These technologies will become popular..."

……

Except for occasionally coughing or eating, Wang Daqun just kept talking.

It has to be said that Wang Daqun still maintains a keen sense of science and technology.

Although Ye Lian disliked Wang Daqun, she still admired his abilities.

"So," Wang Daqun concluded, "I think smart locks have a bright future. This is a big cake. Not to mention that all houses will be replaced with smart locks, even if only one in ten houses has smart locks, that would be a very impressive number."

Wang Daqun finally stopped to rest for a while, ate some food, and picked up a piece of lamb chop for the woman next to him.

The woman just listened silently, and no expression could be seen on her face.

"Xue Qian, what do you think? What do you think?" Wang Daqun asked Cao Xue Qian.

Cao Xueqian certainly agreed: "Yes, your analysis makes sense. It seems that you have a deep understanding of it."

"Of course I have. When have I ever fallen behind in the field of electronic products? It's just that I've been unlucky and I've failed to seize the opportunities every time." Wang Daqun said this, sounding unexpectedly depressed, which was very unlike his style of talking big and feeling awesome.

"There will always be success." Cao Xueqin comforted Wang Daqun.

"Are you optimistic?" Wang Daqun asked for Cao Xueqin.

"Watch carefully..."

After listening to Wang Daqun's speech, Ye Lian already knew the purpose of Wang Daqun's visit to Cao Xueqin today. When she heard Cao Xueqin say that he was optimistic, her heart sank, worrying that Cao Xueqin was brainwashed by Wang Daqun and then agreed to cooperate with Wang Daqun on a whim.

Cao Xueqian continued, "I believe in your judgment that smart locks will be a trend. After all, many people have experienced the distress of not being able to enter the house without keys. Sometimes when you go out to throw away garbage or visit neighbors, the door is accidentally closed, and you don't always carry your keys with you, so you can't get into the house... If it is a smart lock, this situation will not happen.

"I also believe that not only smart locks, but also other furniture and appliances will be intelligent, which will also be a trend."

"Since you are also optimistic about it, how about we work together? If we open a smart lock company, we will definitely be at the forefront of the industry." Wang Daqun looked at Cao Xueqin expectantly.

Ye Lian had been listening attentively, her heart in her throat. At this moment, she pricked up her ears even more, wanting to hear Cao Xueqin's answer. Seeing him and Wang Daqun speaking in unison, Ye Lian felt that he was about to be persuaded by Wang Daqun.

"I'm optimistic..." Cao Xueqin had just opened his mouth when he heard Cao Lanshan's bedroom door open.

"Are you up?" Cao Xueqin turned to ask Cao Lanshan.

Cao Lanshan nodded and walked out.

Wang Daqun smiled and said, "Cao Lanshan is about to go to school, but we are still eating here."

"Students are in a hurry, but we are not in a hurry. Let's eat slowly." In fact, Cao Xueqin had not eaten much.

"Work hard and try to get into a good university." Wang Daqun advised Cao Lanshan in the tone of an elder.

Cao Lanshan responded politely, said goodbye to everyone, and went to school.

After Cao Lanshan left, Wang Daqun praised Cao Lanshan a few words, talked about some things about college entrance exams and choosing majors, and offered some suggestions and references.

Ye Lian thought, you are really enthusiastic. The daughters you had with your first two wives should be older than Cao Lanshan or the same age, right? They should be in college or high school, right? Have you educated them? The daughter you had with Li Huamei is also eight or nine years old, right? She should be in elementary school, right? Have you ever cared about her?

"What do you think? Do you think smart locks are promising? How about we start a smart lock company together?" Wang Daqun returned to the topic of smart locks and asked Cao Xueqin.

Ye Lian started to worry again and she looked at Cao Xueqin.

Cao Xueqin also looked at her and smiled.

"I am optimistic," Cao Xueqian said, "but I just closed a factory and I want to take it easy for now. I am not ready to open another company or factory so soon."

Ye Lian listened and felt relieved.

Wang Daqun's expression darkened, but he quickly recovered and said with a smile: "It's okay, you can think about it. If one day you think it's feasible, we brothers will do it."

"Okay, I'll keep an eye on it too."

……

*

We ate and chatted, and the meal lasted until after two in the afternoon.

After eating some fruit and drinking some tea, Wang Daqun said they had to leave as they had other things to do.

Cao Xueqin took them downstairs.

Ye Lian always felt sleepy after lunch, so she crawled into bed and slept for about 20 minutes. In fact, she didn't fall asleep, but she had to take a nap, otherwise she would always feel sleepy.

Ye Lian wondered why Cao Xueqian hadn't come back yet? Wasn't he sent downstairs?

In the past, Ye Lian would definitely worry that Cao Xueqin would be led astray by Wang Daqun, and thought that Cao Xueqin might envy the fact that Wang Daqun was always surrounded by young women, and might even seek advice from Wang Daqun.

But now, Ye Lian is not so worried.

But the table hasn't been cleared yet.

Ye Lian saw the cups, plates and bowls on the table and wondered, why hasn't Qian come back yet? I wanted to catch him washing the dishes, but he was not deliberately avoiding washing the dishes.

It is not an easy task for Ye Lian to catch Cao Xueqin to wash the dishes. There must be a reason and a reputation, otherwise Cao Xueqin will always play tricks and refuse to wash the dishes.

When Cao Xueqin started to play tricks, Ye Lian couldn't stand it anymore as she saw the dishes on the table were not washed for a long time. She thought, forget it, just give in to him and let him have fun. When he had enough fun, she would reform him. But after some time, wouldn't she be able to reform him?

But Ye Lian had a reason to ask Cao Xueqin to wash the dishes for today's meal. He was the one who brought the guests back, and she had already worked hard to prepare a table full of dishes. If she asked him to wash the dishes, he wouldn't cheat again, right?

Ye Lian checked her phone and waited for Cao Xueqin to come back and wash the dishes.

But Cao Xueqin just didn't come back.

Ye Lian was unhappy because the dining table was never cleared, which made it look ugly, and there were flies buzzing around. Moreover, over time, the rice grains and grease on the bowls and plates would dry up and become difficult to wash.

Forget it, I won’t wait for him.

Ye Lian started to clean the table angrily, and then washed the dishes.

This Cao Xueqin, I’ll settle the score with him when I get back.

*

After Ye Lian washed the dishes for a while, Cao Xueqin came back and shouted as soon as he entered the room: "Lian, I'm back."

Ye Lian was standing on the balcony, not even turning her head.

Cao Xueqian came to the balcony and asked, "Lian, what are you doing here? Why don't you answer me?"

Ye Lian was silent.

Cao Xueqin knew that Ye Lian was unhappy and sulking.

He looked at the dining table and immediately understood the problem. He said, "How could you do this? Why did you wash the dishes? Was it your job to wash them? It was mine."

Ye Lian still didn't speak.

Cao Xueqin put his arm around Ye Lian's shoulders and said, "What's wrong? Are you still mad at me? Didn't I go see the guests off? Can't I wash the dishes tonight?"

Cao Xueqian's answer was "the right medicine for the disease". Ye Lian immediately responded, "You said you washed the dishes at night?"

"I'll wash it, I'll wash it."

"No cheating."

"No cheating, no cheating."

"Washing the dishes at night is a bargain for you. There will be a pile of dishes at noon."

"Do you want me to wash it tonight?"

"Of course."

"Isn't that okay?"

……

Ye Lian was finally not angry anymore.

In fact, as she gets older, Ye Lian doesn't get angry so easily anymore, and even when she gets angry, she becomes easier and easier to coax. Unlike when she was young, when she got angry, she would need Cao Xueqin to coax her for a whole day or even several days.

"Why did you take so long to go down there? Aren't we just going to send her downstairs?" Ye Lian asked.

"They delivered it to the bottom of the building," Cao Xueqian said, "but when Wang Daqun heard that I had changed my car, he said he wanted to drive my Kuga, so he drove it out for a spin."

No wonder.

Ye Lian knew why Cao Xueqin had been down there for so long, but she was puzzled: "Does he want to try the Kuga? Isn't the car he wants to buy the most a BMW?"

"It's a new car, so it's normal for him to want to try it out."

"I thought he didn't like any car except BMW."

"Our Kuga is also a very good car. He took it for a spin and said it was very easy to drive. Just a light touch on the accelerator and the car drove out effortlessly. It was very smooth."

"Did he change to a BMW?"

"No, if he had a BMW he wouldn't have tried our Kuga."

"So what car does he drive now?"

“It’s still that BYD.”

"It's still that BYD. I've been driving it for so many years. Shouldn't it be scrapped?"

“No, it just needs to be inspected twice a year.”

“Oh, that’s troublesome too.”

"Yes, but it's troublesome."

"He's been singing about buying a BMW for at least ten years, right? He hasn't changed yet, so I don't know when that will happen."

"I think it will be difficult. At my age, it is becoming increasingly difficult to make a comeback."

"But he is still so good at bragging. Today, I saw him bragging quite a lot. People who don't know him would think he is very successful."

Cao Xueqian laughed: "The only time I couldn't brag was when I was drunk. Two years ago when he asked me to borrow money, he was still quite talkative."

"Oh, right," Ye Lian suddenly realized and asked Cao Xueqin, "He borrowed money from you two years ago, and today he told you that he wanted to start a smart lock company. Where does he get the money? What has he been doing in the past two years? Has he made a lot of money again?"

"He said he was working for a company, but I didn't ask for details. He probably didn't have much money yet, otherwise he would have replaced his BYD long ago."

"Then what does he use to start a company?"

"He wanted me to be the main investor, with me taking the lion's share, and he wanted to invest a small portion, with me taking the smaller share."

"Did you talk about this again later?"

"Ah."

"You won't agree to him, will you?"

"Promising him... is impossible."

Ye Lian smiled and scolded: "You are such a person."

Cao Xueqian yawned and said, "I didn't take a break at noon, I want to go to sleep."

Ye Lian refused and said, "No, we haven't finished talking yet."