Xiang Xi returned to the camp on January 15th, shortly after the Russian New Year. Chen Lan was lounging on the kang, using his mind to organize his system warehouse. As soon as he saw Xiang Xi enter the room, he teased, "Yo! Little Watermelon, you actually know how to come back! I was about to search the whole world for you. Are you too fond of your new life to leave? You've forgotten your old friends since you got a wife. If you hadn't come back, I would have prepared to make you stay here for the New Year. I was ready to wait for you and your wife for a couple more days. If you still hadn't returned, I would have gone back to the valley with Brother Mingxuan first."
Xiang Xi, unusually, felt a bit embarrassed. He nimbly took off his gloves and hat and asked, "Little Basket, have the dates for our return been set? Is Brother Mingxuan really going back with the three of us?"
Chen Lan nodded. "They've been set. We'll depart from Suifenhe Railway Station on January 18th. If nothing unexpected happens, we should arrive back in the valley before the Minor New Year. Brother Mingxuan has already gotten our introduction letters from the camp. After he finishes with these two days, he and Er Zhuang will go to Suifenhe Railway Station to buy four sleeper tickets for our return. I was worrying about how to notify you. You're back today, and you're the most free. You should go to the train station early tomorrow and buy the train tickets. Oh, right, Little Watermelon, the kang isn't hot anymore. Hurry up and help add a few large logs to the stove."
Xiang Xi went to the kitchen and added a few large logs to the stove. He turned back and asked, "Little Basket, Er Zhuang isn't going back with us this time?"
Chen Lan replied with great regret, "He wants to go back with us to visit his family, but he doesn't have leave this year. He just went back a while ago a few years ago, right? This year, it's someone else's turn to take leave to visit family."
Xiang Xi also said regretfully, "What a pity. His son is almost able to run around, and he hasn't even met his son once? Sigh! I hope things can become peaceful soon."
Chen Lan thought to himself, "Such a small request is difficult to fulfill. It will take generations of unremitting effort to achieve."
At this moment, Xiang Xi suddenly said nervously, "Little Basket, I have something to ask you. My sister-in-law, Milana, wants to come to the valley with us to see it. Can she?"
Chen Lan smiled and said, "Ask me? Is it that serious? What are you saying? Why not? What's wrong? Little Watermelon, do *you* not want to take her? Or does your mother-in-law not agree to her coming?"
Xiang Xi took off his snow boots, preparing to get on the kang, and immediately retorted, "No, Little Basket, it's not what you're thinking. Besides, I have no say at home right now, and it's not up to me to agree or not. It's my father-in-law who disagrees. He wants Milana to marry his friend's son. My mother-in-law firmly disagrees, saying he wants to trade his daughter's marriage for drinks. She told me to quickly take the sisters, Yulia and Milana, away."
Chen Lan chuckled and patted the spot opposite him. "Little Watermelon, get on the kang and tell me slowly. By rights, Milana is still young. She should only be sixteen this year, right? She shouldn't be married off so soon, should she? Tell me, what exactly is going on?"
Xiang Xi sighed, looking dispirited. "What else can be going on? It's just that my father-in-law got drunk and bragged about the betrothal gifts our family sent. Plus, there's a big car parked at home, which has attracted many families who want to marry their children into theirs. Little Basket, you have no idea, but my mother-in-law's house has been like a vegetable market lately, with people coming and going. And with it being the festival, there are even more guests. The house is chaotic all day long. But the key point is that my mother-in-law doesn't think highly of the young men from the Soviet Union at all. She says they're lazy and greedy, and they have no chance of marrying her daughters. So, the old couple are at odds at home, and now the house is in disarray."
Chen Lan then remembered the matter of the Dongfeng car parked at Sister San's mother's house. He thought for a moment and said, "Little Watermelon, how about this, you stay at the camp tonight. Let Brother Mingxuan give you the introduction letter for buying tickets today. No, actually, I'll take it!"
Seeing Xiang Xi listening attentively, Chen Lan continued, "Oh, right, and Milana too. We need to ask Brother Mingxuan to find a way to issue one more introduction letter. I'll go with you there tomorrow. Since Sister San's mother's house is so chaotic now, I won't go to her house. I'll wait for you at the foot of the mountain for you to drive the car over, and then we'll go to Suifenhe Railway Station together to buy tickets. The sooner we buy them, the sooner we can relax, so your father-in-law doesn't cause any more trouble. I think once you drive the car away and take Yulia and Milana with you, he won't be able to make a fuss anymore."
Xiang Xi nodded helplessly. "I hope so. Little Basket, you have no idea, my mother-in-law has been getting headaches from him these past few days."
Chen Lan comforted him, "Little Watermelon, you've only just gotten married, and you might not be used to these everyday matters at home. This is life, and it's what makes it lively."
Xiang Xi seemed unconvinced, but muttered, "I don't want this liveliness at all! It's so annoying."
Chen Lan just smiled and said no more. Married life is all about mutual compromise and tolerance. Let Little Watermelon experience it slowly!
The next day, everything went smoothly, but Xiang Xi encountered a small problem when buying sleeper tickets. The ticket seller told Xiang Xi, "Comrade, our train station only sells sleeper tickets one day in advance. Please come back tomorrow to buy them."
Xiang Xi, very helpless, found Chen Lan, who was warming himself by the stove in the waiting room, and told him about having to come back tomorrow to buy tickets. Without a word, Chen Lan took the introduction letter and money from Xiang Xi's hand and said, "Little Watermelon, wait here obediently for me. I'll be back shortly."
With that, he put on his hat and scarf, took the items, and left the waiting room. Within two minutes, he re-entered the waiting room with a cloth bag, winked at Xiang Xi, and walked towards the ticket seller.
Chen Lan looked at the ticket seller and, without a word, handed over the bag of items first, then handed over the introduction letter and money together. He only said one sentence: "Comrade, five sleeper tickets to Changchun for January 18th."
The ticket seller, perhaps used to such situations, didn't even look closely at the introduction letter. She felt the bag with her hand, then tacitly accepted the money and issued the tickets.
Xiang Xi watched Chen Lan's entire operation and was filled with admiration. As soon as Chen Lan came over, Xiang Xi gave him a thumbs-up.
Chen Lan replied proudly, "Little Watermelon, this is liveliness, understand?"
Xiang Xi replied piously, "Little Basket, I've learned my lesson, I've learned my lesson, liveliness!"