Chapter 419: That Bastard Truly Doesn't Care About Old Ties at All

Once the matters here were wrapped up, the day of the engagement arrived.

She had swapped a shift with someone and, counting her own day off, she could stay home for two days.

After getting off work that day, she left the office and headed straight out of the factory.

There were no buses back to the county at this hour, so two days earlier she had contacted Wu Lianzhen at the Meat Processing Plant, learned there was a truck heading to the Northern Suburb Farm to haul pork today, and arranged to hitch a ride back.

Upon learning she was now working in the Rolling Steel Mill's Finance Department, Wu Lianzhen grew even warmer, and even said she'd applied to ride along on this trip.

Chuxue had just stepped out of the factory gate when she spotted the cargo truck parked across the way.

Wu Lianzhen, seeing her come out, climbed down from the truck: "Don't run, no rush."

They only hauled the pigs back after dark, slaughtering them that same night, so they really weren't in any hurry.

Chuxue hadn't come empty-handed; she handed over two packets of five-spice melon seeds she'd been tinkering with in her space, wrapped in kraft paper: "Auntie, Brother Wu, been waiting long?"

"We just got here too."

Chatting as they went, the group climbed into the truck.

Chuxue handed the paper packets to the two of them: "I was craving a snack, so I had someone test-roast some five-spice melon seeds for me. The flavor's pretty good—take them home and share with your families, see what you think. If you like them, I'll have more roasted when the New Year comes around."

Wu Lianzhen thanked her with a laugh as she took them: "Then we'll have to give them a proper try."

The driver, Wu Youfu, spoke up: "All seated? We're off."

Once Wu Lianzhen had stowed her things, she asked: "You really got into the Rolling Steel Mill's Finance Department?"

"Mm, in Finance Section One."

"You girl really are something."

"Just dumb luck—happened to run into a hiring round."

"You know how hard it is to land a job in the city these days. Running into a hiring round—that's not dumb luck, it means you girl have good fortune."

Chatting and laughing along the way, the time passed quickly.

Meanwhile, at Willow Village: "Father, tomorrow's the engagement, and we still don't know if that girl Chuxue is coming back today or coming back tomorrow with the in-laws. We forgot to ask her when she left."

"Enough, stop fussing. She won't forget."

"Right—first thing tomorrow, borrow the village's mule cart to pick up Xia Qiu. With her belly so big, I'm not comfortable letting her walk the mountain road."

"Fine, I'll go tell the stockman later."

"Oh, and don't forget to let Secretary Bo and the village chief know—ask them to come by tomorrow and keep us company."

Thinking back to the encounter with Old Man Liu in the village that afternoon, Liu Shanliang replied glumly: "Got it."

At the same time, in the Liu family old residence: "How was it? Did you run into Second today?"

"I went specifically to find him—how could I not run into him?"

"So what did he say?"

Old Man Liu's face didn't look too good: "What could he say? Naturally, he didn't want to."

Thinking of what Second had said that afternoon, Old Man Liu's anger flared. He'd raised the matter of adopting Dongzi over, and that bastard had actually shot back: We've already severed ties—what's the point of an adoption?

He stuffed tobacco into his pipe, struck a match and lit it, then took a hard drag—only to choke himself, coughing for a long while before he recovered.

Ge Pozi watched him, frowning: "If he won't agree, we'll think of another way. Is it worth getting angry? Hurting yourself only means you suffer."

"That bastard truly doesn't care about old ties at all, afraid Dongzi would get the better of him—how could I not be angry?"

While they were talking inside, the third branch's youngest son, Liu Lidong, happened to pass by the doorway and caught every word. He scurried back to their room: "Mom, this is bad."