Chapter 00216: Time to Leave
# Time to Leave
Chapter 216
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 216: Time to Leave
Thump-thump-thump!
Thump-thump-thump!
A blue domestically-made small truck pulled up at the side gate of No. 6 Lechun Lane.
This time, it was all large items—each piece of furniture carefully wrapped to prevent damage.
The side gate wasn’t very big, so the workers moved everything with extreme caution, as if the furniture itself radiated the glow of wealth.
The gate led straight to the backyard, where Chen Jianjun had been waiting.
He waved them in.
"Is this the last batch?"
"Last one! I gotta say, this courtyard of yours is impressive. New workplace?"
"That’s right, we’ll be working here."
"Then you must be a high-ranking official. Those beds, sofas—none of them are ordinary. At least a deputy minister, huh?"
Deputy minister? More like a department head!
Chen Jianjun scoffed internally but didn’t bother explaining it was private property.
He helped carry the rosewood desk and the arhat bed into the study.
The arhat bed’s woven seat was badly worn—no one could sit on it—so the furniture workshop had patched it up with other materials, significantly lowering its value.
Chen Qi and Yu Xiuli had been busy inside, arranging smaller items like decorative pieces, tables, and cabinets.
Once everything was moved in, Chen Jianjun brought out a crate of chilled Arctic Ocean soda.
"Here, have a drink. You’ve all worked hard!"
"Even soda? You’re too kind, Comrade Chen!"
The workers didn’t hold back, each grabbing a bottle and downing it in seconds.
There were quite a few large pieces of furniture, some of which couldn’t be stacked together—like the folding screen, which had to be transported separately.
It took four trips with three workers in total.
When Chen Qi saw them off, he added an extra 50 yuan to the original 100.
These were high-value antiques—even the slightest scratch would pain him.
The workers left satisfied.
Chen Qi turned back into the courtyard, where his parents were exhausted but relieved that the furniture was finally in place.
Looking at the now properly arranged backyard, Yu Xiuli’s eyes reddened with emotion.
"You’ve always been staying in guesthouses before. Your dad and I never said it out loud, but deep down, we always thought you should have a stable job. Now that you’ve got a place of your own, we can finally rest easy."
"Then why don’t you two move in too? No need to stay in that crowded compound anymore."
"We’re used to it. All our neighbors are there—we can’t bear to leave. Besides, you’re busy with your career. What would it look like if we stayed here?"
Chen Jianjun asked, "When you go to Hong Kong, should I just contact Liang Xiaosheng if I need anything?"
"Yeah, he’s my editor-in-chief."
"Got it."
Chen Jianjun nodded.
Their son was starting a magazine—of course his parents would support him.
They might not have any grand connections, but after years working in the Xinhua Bookstore system, they knew plenty of distributors across the country.
These days, magazines were distributed through two main channels: first sold in bookstores to build a readership, then made available for subscription through the post office.
That evening, Yu Xiuli used the kitchen to cook their first proper meal in the new place.
The three of them ate their fill, then took a stroll by Shichahai, with his parents staying overnight for the first time.
Ah, the luxury of a "seaside" home.
Well, Shichahai was technically a "lake," but close enough.
Yu Xiuli, who had lived frugally all her life, took to luxury like a fish to water.
She adored the newly renovated courtyard.
If not for her son using it for his magazine and the distance from her workplace, she might’ve moved in for real.
After one reluctant night, they left the next day.
Chen Qi stayed behind to keep arranging things, shifting objects around like a perfectionist until everything was in its ideal spot.
He spent another full day at it before attempting to stay overnight—only to wake up in the middle of the night, terrified.
A chilling wind seemed to weave through the empty rooms, carrying eerie whispers.
The antiques and paintings felt like they might spawn demons at any moment, ready to suck the life out of him.
No wonder the Forbidden City needed so many people—otherwise, the place would be impossible to keep under control! If I got stuffed into a cement barrel and dumped into Shichahai, no one would even know!
……
The next day, he fled back to the Beijing Film Studio.
Much safer where there are people.
At noon, in the studio canteen:
This year, the studio had a light workload—only seven films in production, including Teahouse and Rickshaw Boy (yes, they were still filming those). Tai Chi 2, which carried the studio’s name as a co-production, had taken over a quarter of the seating.
"Will you finish shooting next week?" Chen Qi asked.
"Should be. My scenes aren’t many anyway. After this, I’m heading straight to Mama, Love Me Once Again."
Gong Xue smiled.
"I even asked my mom for advice on how to take care of kids. I even visited some families in the studio who have children to observe. Once the child actor arrives, I plan to eat and live with him to build that bond—really get into the mindset of being a mother."
"Director Wang agrees. He says I have to treat him like my real son—feed him, cut his nails, wash his feet..."
"Lucky he’s five. If he were older, I’d beat him to death. I never got that kind of treatment," Chen Qi muttered.
"And you’re the adult here, jealous of a kid?"
Gong Xue rolled her eyes, then lowered her voice.
"I could feed you, cut your nails, wash your feet too. I don’t mind that you’re crippled."
"Wow, your sarcasm’s really leveled up lately—"
Before he could finish, two men walked in, scanned the room, and headed straight for their table.
Chen Qi recognized one of them—the official who had visited him during his detainment.
Instantly understanding the situation, he stood up.
"Hello. Should we talk outside?"
"No need."
"Oh, then please, have a seat!"
Both men were in plain clothes, in their twenties, with ordinary looks but lean, muscular builds—their exposed arms clearly packed strength.
"Comrade Chen Qi, we meet again. Let me introduce myself properly—I’m Mo Youming. Just call me Xiao Mo."
"And I’m Geng Jianfeng. Xiao Geng is fine."
"We’re responsible for your protection during your trip abroad. We’re already briefed on the details. Just give us a time and place, and we’ll escort you to the airport. You won’t need to worry about anything else."
"Then let’s say next Monday, at the guesthouse. There’ll be me and one administrative staff from the company—two people total."
"Got it. See you then."
With that, Xiao Mo left.
Gong Xue, who had stayed silent the whole time, blinked before sighing.
"Four days. You’re leaving in four days. How long will you be gone?"
"Honestly not sure. At most half a year, at least three months."
"Don’t come back around Spring Festival. I’ll be back in Shanghai then."
"Won’t take that long!"
Gong Xue fell into a melancholy silence.
No matter how many jokes Chen Qi cracked, the weight of impending separation hung heavy.
She picked at her food, lost in thought, before finally speaking up near the end of the meal.
"Your place is all set up, right? Why don’t we invite everyone over for a meal?"
"Sure, but not too many. I don’t want the place wrecked."
After a moment’s thought, Chen Qi added, "Let’s call Lao Liang and his girlfriend—he’ll be working there anyway. Ji Chunhua too, and Li Lianjie since he’s technically part of the company."
"So six people total?"
Gong Xue nodded.
"I’ll go buy groceries tomorrow. Can Lao Liang’s girlfriend cook? She and I can handle the cooking. You get some alcohol and meat—we’ll have a proper feast."
"Sounds good. Honestly, the more people, the better."
Chen Qi took his last bite.
"You’ll see when you get there. Living alone is impossible—either ghosts show up, or you go insane. The energy’s just too much to handle alone."
(End of Chapter)