Chapter 652: Lu Tao Returns to Beijing
Chapter 652: Lu Tao Returns to Beijing
In early December, Lu Tao transferred back to Beijing. Thanks to his silver tongue and family background, he had been promoted at the start of the year. However, with this transfer to Beijing, he would have to start over as an ordinary train attendant. Lu Jiaxin had already briefed him on this, and Lu Tao naturally had no objections. If he had stayed at his previous workplace, he would have retired as a station master at most. But with this move to Beijing, the possibilities were endless.
Lu Tao reported to his new post on Friday. Due to the unique nature of the railway work, he was given a day to settle in before starting work on Monday.
Aunt Lu was overjoyed to see him and exclaimed, "You have your Great-Uncle to thank for this transfer to Beijing. I've already spoken to your Great-Uncle and Aunt, and we'll be inviting them over for a meal this weekend."
Lu Tao readily agreed, "Mom, I'll pay a visit to Great-Uncle later."
Today was Friday, and Lu Jiaxin and Wang Xiaojie were at work. Lu Tao would wait until they finished work before visiting to express his gratitude. Although his parents were hosting a dinner for his Great-Uncle's family on Sunday to show their appreciation, he knew better than to be impolite and would definitely pay a visit first to express his thanks.
Aunt Lu nodded and then brought up the topic of his marriage, "I've already asked your Great-Aunt to help look out for potential matches. If there's someone suitable, go and meet them. You're not getting any younger. If you like someone, settle down quickly."
Lu Tao was already 23 years old, and most of his peers at his previous workplace were already fathers. Of course, this was also because his previous relationship had ended badly; otherwise, he would have been preparing for marriage this year.
"Mom, let's just let things take their natural course when it comes to marriage," Lu Tao replied.
But Aunt Lu was not one to leave things to chance, "This place is far from your workplace. I'm planning to buy a property near your workplace. You can choose whether you want a bungalow or an apartment, but apartments are hard to come by these days, so we might have to wait."
Only a small portion of houses had been privatized, and rental properties couldn't be bought, making it challenging to find something within their budget.
Lu Tao was surprised and asked, "Mom, didn't you say that we owed a lot of money when we bought this courtyard house?"
Aunt Lu smiled and explained, "Your Aunt's pastries, like osmanthus cake and jujube cake, are very popular. The shop brings in a good income. But, Taozi, once we buy you a house and you get married, your Aunt and Uncle will be in charge of the shop. Your father and I won't be able to provide you with financial support anymore."
The candidate that Aunt Lu had in mind for Lu Tao definitely had a job. With their future home taken care of and both husband and wife earning a monthly salary, they would be able to live comfortably and provide for their future children. Of course, the shop would be handed over to his second uncle and aunt, and although they would be busy, the lion's share of the profits would be theirs, as they would be the ones managing it. Lu Tao's parents would only take a small portion each month to save for their retirement.
Lu Tao said, "Mom, you and Dad have worked hard for so many years. It's time for you to take a well-deserved rest."
He had thought that his parents were only preparing the funds for his wedding, but he hadn't expected them to also have saved up for a house. Compared to his peers, they were way ahead.
Aunt Lu was delighted. Of her three sons, only the second son liked to cut corners. The eldest and youngest were diligent and filial. But now, with the second son having married a good wife who kept him in check, he too had become diligent and helped out every day.
In the afternoon, Lu Tao brought two baskets of fruit and two bottles of wine to Shichahai. One basket of fruit was for Lu Hongjun and the Lu Jiaxin family, and the wine was for Lu Jiaxin.
Lu Hongjun already knew about Lu Tao's transfer to Beijing but wasn't sure of the exact date. He was delighted to see him, "Taozi, have you finished all the paperwork?"
Lu Tao nodded with a smile, "All done. I can start work on Monday. Grandpa Lu, Dad and Mom are inviting Great-Uncle and his family over for a meal on Sunday. You have to come too!"
When one reached a certain age, they craved the warmth of family gatherings. Lu Tao had come to invite him in person, so Lu Hongjun couldn't refuse, "Alright, I'll call Zihang tomorrow and ask him to send me there on the day."
Upon hearing this, Lu Tao couldn't help but inquire about Lu Jiaxin, "Grand-Uncle, how is Jiaxin doing over in Hong Kong?"
A broad smile spread across Lu Hongjun's face as he replied, "Your cousin is doing just fine over there. She's living in a big house, driving a nice car, and has Ah Zhan to look after her, so we don't need to worry. As for you, you're already 23 this year. It's time to start thinking about marriage."
Lu Tao felt helpless. Why were all his elders in such a rush to see him married? He could only hope that his aunt would come through and help find a suitable match soon. Otherwise, he wouldn't dare to go home or visit relatives during his vacations.
"My mom said she's already asked Aunt to help look out for potential matches. If there's someone suitable, we'll meet," Lu Tao replied.
Seeing that Lu Tao wasn't opposed to the idea, Lu Hongjun brought up another matter. "Your eldest uncle mentioned to me the other day that there are two young people at his workplace, one with a college diploma and the other with a vocational school certificate. The one with the vocational certificate is more capable, but during the meeting, they decided to promote the college graduate."
Lu Tao's mind raced, and he quickly replied, "If the vocational school graduate is significantly more capable than the college graduate, then the promotion should rightfully go to him."
Lu Hongjun didn't argue the point but instead steered the conversation in a different direction. "Taozi, this is a sign that the country and workplaces are starting to place more emphasis on educational qualifications. From now on, promotions will take qualifications into account. Your high school education might hold you back, so you should find a way to improve your credentials."
Lu Tao was taken aback. So, he was expected to continue studying?
Lu Hongjun continued, "Taozi, you're still young. You could enroll in night school or even retake the university entrance exam. If you get into university, finish your studies, and then come back to work, your prospects for advancement will be much better."
Retaking the university entrance exam was out of the question, but Lu Tao knew his own capabilities, and with some effort, he felt he could manage a night school diploma. "I'm a train attendant, and when I'm not on vacation, I'm on the train. Even if I wanted to attend night school, I wouldn't be able to," he said.
Lu Hongjun didn't see this as an issue. "You can continue working for the railway for now, and when an opportunity arises, you can switch to a job in Beijing. That way, you'll be able to attend night school. In the meantime, you must continue to study on your own."
He paused for a moment before adding, "Lu Ping also worked while studying for his college diploma, and after two years, he passed the graduate exam. Now he's applying to further his studies abroad. When he returns, the top hospitals in Beijing will be vying for him. If he hadn't been willing to endure hardship, he would have been stuck as a district hospital director for life."
It was true that Lu Jiaxin had encouraged him, but it was also Lu Ping's own hard work that had paid off. According to what his eldest cousin-in-law had said, Lu Ping had approached his studies with the same determination he had when preparing for the university entrance exam. There was no gain without pain, and now Lu Ping was reaping the rewards of his efforts.
Lu Tao had no desire to hit the books again after graduation, but Lu Hongjun's words made a lot of sense. After some thought, he made a decision. "Grand-Uncle, I'll enroll in night school when the term starts."
He didn't want to be held back by his qualifications when it came time for a promotion. Without the prospect of advancement, there would be no point in earning a meager wage of just a hundred or so yuan a month.
"Alright, I'll help you look into it," Lu Hongjun replied.
Lu Tao asked another question that had been on his mind. "Grandpa, when is Pingge leaving for America?"
"He starts school next month and plans to leave at the beginning of the month. Your cousin said she'll have someone from Hong Kong accompany him to the university," Lu Hongjun explained.
This was because Lu Ping was self-funding his studies, unlike those who were on scholarships and would be traveling as a group. As Lu Ping had never been abroad before, Lu Jiaxin didn't feel comfortable sending him off on his own, so she had arranged for her secretary to accompany him on the trip.
Lu Tao felt a pang of envy. He hadn't even been to Hong Kong, and now his cousin was off to America.
(End of Chapter)
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