Chapter 460: Dissuasion from an Old Friend
Yan Jiekuang and Xixi rode their bicycles to Niujie. Although the Chinese New Year had just passed, Niujie, as a well-known snack street, was still crowded. The two found a place to park their bicycles, and walked in.

They ate as they walked along the way, and bought a lot of things, including beef patties from Baoduman, beef cubes from Hongji, and of course the sugar-coated steamed buns and ox tongue biscuits from Dashunzhai that Xixi had been thinking about all the time. It was almost noon when the father and daughter carried the things and headed straight for the west wing of Yan Bugui.

When they arrived at the west wing, Jia Zhang and Widow Wang were there. The three sisters were chatting in the main hall. Yan Jiekuang greeted Xixi and put the food on the table. Jia Zhang took a look and picked up a beef pie to eat. While eating, she asked, "You two are in a good mood. You went to Niujie for a stroll. Is there a lot of people there?"

Xixi said, "Grandma Jia, there are so many people there. I don't know why. Isn't it just after the Chinese New Year? People are running there to buy food, as if they didn't eat well during the Chinese New Year."

Jia Zhang smiled and said, "Xixi, you don't understand this. Some people just like this. During the Chinese New Year, the shops are all closed. Now that they are open, there will be more people."

Yan Jiekuang asked, "Aunt Wang, why aren't you open for business?"

Widow Wang said, "My place is different from Niujie. Even if I open it, there won't be many people. I will open it after the children go back to school."

Xixi asked in confusion: "Grandma Wang, why do you wait until the students start school before opening the business?"

Widow Wang smiled and said, "The people who go to my shop are all elderly people. You little girls and boys don't go to school, so how can they have time to come to my shop?"

Several people burst into laughter when they heard this. Xixi said, "You know what, what Grandma Wang said really makes sense."

Yan Jiekuang asked Yang Ruiping, "Mom, where is my dad?"

Jia Zhang smiled and said, "Did your father go to stop the fight?"

Yan Jiekuang was stunned and asked, "Who are you trying to persuade?"

"Don't listen to your Aunt Jia's nonsense. It was Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong who took him out for a drink." Yang Ruiping said.

Yan Jiekuang frowned. He knew that Xu Delin had already been sentenced to ten years in prison, confiscation of illegal gains, and compensation for part of Kodak's losses. Yi Zhonghai must hate his family very much, as why did he drag his father out for drinks?

Jia Zhang saw Yan Jiekuang's doubts and said, "Don't worry, Yi Zhonghai has given up Xu Delin and is now targeting our Dongxu. He won't cause trouble for your father."

Yan Jiekuang said, "Aunt Jia, Yi Zhonghai is almost eighty years old, is he still dreaming?"

Jia Zhang said, "He's seventy-eight. Alas, who knows? His wife has already lived with the nephew. I originally wanted him to go with her, but I don't know what he was thinking. It's as if he can't leave this place."

"I guess it's because it's hard to leave our hometown. We have too many memories here," said Yang Ruiping.

The two old ladies nodded in agreement. Yan Jiekuang asked, "What are you having for lunch, Mom?"

"I'll go make dumplings in a while. My two elder sisters are here too, so we can eat together and make two side dishes. It's not even the end of the first lunar month yet, so it's still the New Year, so let's have a drink together." Yang Ruiping said.

Widow Wang said, "That's great. We three sisters haven't had a meal together for a long time. Let's do it this way."

The three of them stood up together and went to the kitchen. After a while, Yang Ruiping went to the glass house in the back garden to call Yan Jiekuang and his daughter to eat.

The two followed her back to the restaurant. Yan Jiekuang saw several plates of dumplings and four side dishes on the table, all made by the three old ladies, so he sat down and started eating. Jia Zhang asked Yan Jiekuang if he wanted a drink, but Yan Jiekuang shook his head and said, "No, Aunt Jia, you guys drink, I have something to do later."

Yan Jiekuang wanted to visit Old Liu's home. Liu Tong and his wife settled in Shanghai and never came back. Old Liu was the only one left here. During the Chinese New Year, he went to Shanghai to celebrate with his son and daughter-in-law and had promised to come back after the 15th.

After dinner, Yan Jiekuang did not take Xixi with him and asked her to stay at her grandmother's house. He went out and bought two bottles of good wine and some fruits and went to Fangjia Hutong. Old Liu lived in a small courtyard, which was actually part of a large compound, in the backyard. When Yan Jiekuang arrived, Old Liu was still drinking at home. When he saw Yan Jiekuang coming, he greeted him warmly.

Old Liu poured a glass of wine for Yan Jiekuang, who did not hesitate to sit down next to him. Yan Jiekuang asked, "How is Shanghai?"

Old Liu said, "It's really a big city, but it's not suitable for people like me to live there." "Why do you say that? Adaptation is a stage. You've only been there for a few days and you say you can't adapt?" Yan Jiekuang said.

"I was born and raised in the imperial city, so I can only wander around in the alleys. What's more, the food is not as good as here, so I can't really adapt to it. Isn't that normal?" said Old Liu.

"Come, let me toast to you, the old man living under the imperial city." Yan Jiekuang said with a smile.

"Well, I have to thank you. If it weren't for you, I would have lost my integrity in my later years." As he said this, Old Liu clinked glasses with Yan Jiekuang and drank a cup.

After finishing the drink, Yan Jiekuang noticed the wine cup. The blue and white folk kiln wine cup and the wine pot next to it were a set. He said, "Old Liu, although it is from a folk kiln, isn't it a bit of a waste to drink with it?"

Old Liu said, "This is something that has been passed down in my family. We have always used it to drink wine. Oh, by the way, where did you find the third object?"

"You're talking about the bronze wine jar from the Warring States Period. No matter where it was unearthed, it must have been from a royal tomb. If someone were to catch it, he would be dead," said Yan Jiekuang.

Old Liu said with a headache: "What a pity, such a good thing, it would be nice if I could play with it for a few days. I have only seen things from the Warring States period in museums."

Yan Jiekuang said, "Forget it. This thing can only belong to the country. We can't afford it. Things from the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period that can be preserved are rare. And those belonging to the kings and princes are the most precious of the treasures. If you come across them in the future, be careful."

Old Liu clinked glasses with Yan Jiekuang and said, "I know, I am just jealous, but I am not a fool."

Old Liu looked at Yan Jiekuang and said, "I heard from my son that you have completely handed over the company to your wife. What are you going to do with it?"

Yan Jiekuang said without thinking: "I don't know yet, but I have to go to XZ in a while and drive myself there."

Old Liu's hand holding the food stopped in mid-air. It took him a long time to react and said, "What did you say? You want to go to XZ, and drive yourself there. What are you thinking? I heard that the road there is not easy to travel. It's a life-threatening situation. What are you doing?"

"It's not that serious. It's just altitude sickness. I'm already taking medicine and I should be able to cope with it." Yan Jiekuang said.

Old Liu was silent for a while and then said, "Are there no people on business trips or driving trucks around you? Don't you know what's going on outside?"

Yan Jiekuang was stunned and said, "I asked a kid from Bazhong, Sichuan a few days ago, and he told me roughly what happened. What happened?"

Old Liu sighed and said, "You have become stupid after staying in the city. You have no idea what is going on outside. That's not right. Your second brother is a policeman. Didn't he warn you?"

Yan Jiekuang shook his head blankly and said, "Old Liu, just tell me what you want to say."

Old Liu took a sip of wine and said, "Now the further you go to the northwest, the less safe it is. It's really too poor over there. It's common for people to not have enough to eat. Moreover, the people over there are naturally fierce. Eight out of ten people who go there will be robbed. If you go there by yourself, you will be a sheep sent into the mouth of a wolf. I advise you to stay at home."

Yan Jiekuang smiled and said, "Old Liu, you really don't know me. I've practiced since I was a kid, too. Ten or eight people can't get close to me. You're worrying too much."

Old Liu sighed and said, "Even if you are not afraid of people, what about wolves? There are wolf packs everywhere over there, and other ferocious beasts often come out to hurt people. The journey is too dangerous. Besides, you have to go to Sichuan to enter Tibet. Since ancient times, the road to Sichuan is more difficult than climbing to the sky. You are still driving, so I still advise you not to go."

Yan Jiekuang shook his head and said, "I have considered all that you said. Life is full of experiences. Whether it is a happy and peaceful life or a dangerous challenge, I will face it. This time, I have my own plans. You don't need to persuade me. I really have to go. It should be destined for me to go on this trip."

When Old Liu heard this, he knew that this was something serious, so he stopped trying to persuade her. Instead, he reminded her what to pay attention to in each place, what to bring more and what to bring less. He also reminded her to bring more medicines, which can not only save lives, but also can be used to exchange things.

Yan Jiekuang benefited a lot from what he heard, but he still asked Old Liu how he knew so much. Old Liu pointed to the front yard and said, "The family in the east wing of the front yard are all railway builders, in XZ, but they often come back to celebrate the New Year, and stay for a month or two before going back." Yan Jiekuang suddenly realized.

(End of this chapter)