Wen Ci was speechless for a moment.
She hoped Wen Yaozu could cultivate a hobby he enjoyed, whether it was reading, writing, painting, or even dancing.
“Haven’t you seen anything you’re interested in after watching so much TV lately?”
“Uh.”
Wen Yaozu tilted his head in thought, then suddenly remembered something a teacher at school had said.
“I want to learn computers. My teacher said computers will become a household appliance in the future.”
“Hmm.”
A flicker of surprise passed through Wen Ci’s eyes; she hadn’t expected a primary school teacher in the county to know about computers.
It’s just that, in the 1980s, computers seemed to be top-tier luxury items, costing tens of thousands. Setting up an internet connection would also be a huge hassle.
“Our teacher said that once you learn computers, you’ll never have to worry about finding a job.”
That was true.
By the turn of the millennium, anyone with basic computer skills was considered technical talent, earning monthly salaries as high as several thousand yuan. By the time truly skilled computer experts emerged, people like Wen Yaozu who were just dabbling would already be retired, living comfortably.
Wen Ci gritted her teeth. “Let me sell all the clothes first. Then we can go ask how much it costs.”
“No need to buy. I have one.”
“Huh?” Wen Ci glanced sideways at Huo Jingyuan, unable to believe it. “Where did you get a computer?”
“In Hangzhou.”
Huo Jingyuan’s ancestral home was in Hangzhou. Before enlisting in the army, he would fly to his aunt’s place during winter and summer vacations.
After the first computer in the world was introduced, Huo Jingyuan’s aunt hoped he could use it to learn more about developments abroad. But the Northwest Military District didn’t have the conditions to install one.
They could only set up the computer at the old house in Hangzhou. Several years had passed, and the computer was probably still sitting there.
“Your aunt bought it?” Wen Ci asked.
“Yes. It was shipped back to the country a few years ago. I used it a couple of times when I was on a business trip to Hangzhou. It really does broaden your horizons.”
Huo Jingyuan paused, then continued, “We could move the computer here. The Beijing Military District family compound meets the conditions for getting an internet connection.”
Nowadays, China was also developing in the direction of technology. As the capital, the Beijing Military District had several computers dedicated to research within the camp.
“Is it that simple?” Wen Yaozu blinked.
In class, he had heard his teacher talk about how rare computers were; even the teacher didn’t own one, having only touched one.
“Simple, my foot. You’re lucky we’re in the capital. Otherwise, even if you could afford a computer, without the conditions to connect to the internet, it would just be a piece of junk.”
Hearing this, Huo Jingyuan looked at Wen Ci with a hint of surprise in his eyes. “You know quite a bit about it?”
“I’ve seen them in the south,” Wen Ci said, making up an excuse. The southern coastal cities, being among the most developed, had computers as common household appliances. There were even wealthy people opening internet cafes.
_
At half past five, because of the noon rain, the sky was already gradually darkening. Wen Ci brought an umbrella when they went out.
Wen Yaozu said, drooling, “I want to eat sweet and sour pork ribs, and also the famous Sichuan dish, twice-cooked pork.”
“Can the chefs in Beijing cook authentic regional dishes?”
Wen Yaozu stopped walking and said, enunciating each word, “Sis, you’re underestimating the chefs at the state-run restaurant. They can cook cuisines from all over the country. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be chefs in the capital.”
The chefs at the capital’s state-run restaurant were the most skilled.
Soon after, Wen Yaozu hopped excitedly a couple of times. “I can see the restaurant’s sign already!”
Suddenly, Wen Ci saw two familiar figures also walking towards the state-run restaurant.
As they got closer, she clearly heard Jiang Ye’s voice: “Wen Ci is so shameless, she actually tattled to Mom and Dad. And Dad is really something, actually kicking you out.”
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