After they arrived at the Lin family's home, things went just as Wang Yue had expected. Most of the residents in the alley had crowded into the little room to watch that tiny television.
Wang Yue was used to watching big-screen TVs and found the little set hard to get used to. Still, he understood that even this small television was the only one in the whole alley, and the other residents were green with envy.
So, whether they meant it or not, the people who had come to watch started showering the family with compliments, hoping to get more time in front of the TV.
Some of them, unaware of the details, praised the Lin family for being well-off and for buying such a nice television. Lin Wufeng took the opportunity to describe the mad rush to buy one.
Others knew the story and praised Lin Wufeng for spoiling his wife, saying he'd gone all out to get her what she wanted. A few women listened with envy and even declared, "If you're getting married, marry Lin Wufeng!"
Song Ying basked in everyone's praise and generously said, "If you want to watch TV, just come over anytime. We bought it for people to watch, and it's livelier with more people around."
Wang Yue was speechless. He clearly remembered how, when Old Zhang at the entrance to the alley had bought a TV, he'd been just as enthusiastic at first, inviting everyone over to watch.
He'd even run a cable outside so everyone could watch. Dozens of people from the alley had crowded around in quite a spectacle.
But once that initial excitement wore off, the neighbors who kept coming over to watch had driven the Zhang family so crazy that they could barely stand having even Lin Dongzhe around.