Chapter 36: Can't I Borrow Your Daughter-in-law to Sleep With for Two Days?

Upon hearing about borrowing Li Mingyuan's bicycle, Jia Dongxu's expression changed instantly.

"Mother, isn't that inappropriate? We and Li Mingyuan..."

"What's inappropriate about it!" Jia Zhangshi interrupted. "He's usually so arrogant, what's the harm in borrowing a bike? Besides, regarding the time he hit and injured me, he still owes us a favor! This bike, he has to lend it whether he wants to or not!"

Jia Dongxu wanted to retort, but he didn't dare, so he could only silently help pack things up, while worrying inwardly: "If this blind date falls through, Mother will surely go crazy..."

At five o'clock in the afternoon, at the gate of the Rolling Mill, Factory Lou Changzhang held two fat chickens and smilingly blocked Li Mingyuan, who was preparing to get off work.

"Chief Engineer Li, don't be in such a rush to leave!" Factory Lou Changzhang came up to him and handed the chickens toward Li Mingyuan.

"These are native chickens brought from my hometown; try them for a fresh taste!"

Li Mingyuan was somewhat surprised. "Factory Lou Changzhang, you are being too polite."

"Not at all, not at all," Factory Lou Changzhang said enthusiastically. "You have been worrying about the factory during this time, so this small token is nothing. These chickens were raised by my younger sister; they are fat and tender, perfect for stewing soup!"

Li Mingyuan took the chickens, and suddenly an idea struck him.

"By the way, Factory Lou Changzhang, could you help me get some chicks? I want to raise some myself."

Upon hearing this, Factory Lou Changzhang's expression became strange.

"Chief Engineer Li, are you... are you short on food? Why would you want to raise chickens yourself?"

Only then did Li Mingyuan realize that Factory Lou Changzhang had misunderstood, so he quickly explained: "It's not that I'm short on food; I just like doing things with my own hands. I raised chickens in the countryside when I was a child, and I'm just a bit nostalgic."

Factory Lou Changzhang was half-convinced. "But you live in a Siheyuan; can you raise chickens in a place like that? Besides, hasn't the Military Industry Department already arranged nutritional support for the technical staff?"

"I have an empty space in my courtyard, it's perfectly sufficient." Li Mingyuan laughed. "Raising a few chickens to pass the time and improve my meals on the side, how great is that!"

Factory Lou Changzhang thought for a moment and finally nodded. "Alright, I'll entrust someone to bring some chicks from the countryside in two days. But you must take good care of them, don't let them go hungry."

"That would be wonderful!" Li Mingyuan said happily. "Many thanks, Factory Lou Changzhang!"

Li Mingyuan walked into the Siheyuan carrying the two fat chickens, immediately drawing everyone's gaze.

In this day and age, meat was rare, let alone two such fat, live chickens with red ropes tied to their legs; one look and you could tell they were top-quality native chickens.

"Look, it's Chief Engineer Li again!" Liu Haizhong squinted his eyes and muttered sourly, "This treatment—he and we are people from two different worlds."

Yan Bugui pushed up his glasses, his eyes flashing with shrewd light. "That's right, he is a Chief Engineer, after all; he gets dozens in subsidies a month."

Several middle-aged women gathered by the faucet were also whispering, "Chickens again. Last week it was pork. This Li Mingyuan really knows how to enjoy himself..."

Just as everyone was looking on with envy and jealousy, Jia Zhangshi happened to return from outside the courtyard, her head still wrapped in gauze.

She saw the two fat chickens in Li Mingyuan's hands at a glance, and her eyes lit up instantly, like a hungry wolf seeing a fat sheep.

"Oh my, Chief Engineer Li is back!" Jia Zhangshi changed her usual hostile attitude and greeted him with a smile like a blooming flower. "These chickens are so fat; they must be a benefit from the factory, right?"

Li Mingyuan nodded slightly and was about to walk past Jia Zhangshi, but he didn't expect her to block his path directly.

"Chief Engineer Li, my Dongxu is going on a blind date this weekend. Do you think you could spare one chicken for our family?" Jia Zhangshi asked with a thick skin and a beaming smile.

"To leave a good impression on the future in-laws, don't you think?"

Li Mingyuan was stunned for a moment, not expecting Jia Zhangshi to be so direct.

The Siheyuan suddenly went quiet, and everyone pricked up their ears, waiting to watch the show.

"Auntie Jia, I'm sorry, these chickens are prepared for myself." Li Mingyuan refused straightforwardly.

Jia Zhangshi's expression changed, but she quickly piled on a smile again.

"Chief Engineer Li, how could you possibly eat so much by yourself? Besides, those two children in the He family, what do they know about eating such good things! Why don't you..."

"Auntie Jia," Li Mingyuan interrupted her, his tone flat. "What does Jia Dongxu's blind date have to do with me? Could it be that once he marries a wife, he'll lend her to me to sleep with for two days?"

As soon as these words were spoken, a burst of laughter erupted in the Siheyuan.

Xu Damao laughed until he was doubled over, pointing at Jia Zhangshi's nose. "Auntie Zhang, did you hear that? Chief Engineer Li is asking you if your daughter-in-law can be lent to him to sleep with for two days!"

Jia Zhangshi's face turned shades of blue and white; she was so embarrassed she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

But she quickly adjusted her expression and changed the subject.

"Chief Engineer Li, that... could your bicycle be lent to our Dongxu to use? Just for one day this weekend, to go to Qinzhuang for his blind date." Jia Zhangshi's tone was almost pleading. "Riding a bicycle there, how much face that would have."

Li Mingyuan shook his head again. "Sorry, I need to use the bike this weekend."

"It's just one day, please have some mercy..." Jia Zhangshi was almost about to kneel.

"Auntie Jia," Li Mingyuan's tone became serious. "You just got discharged from the hospital for your head injury, have you forgotten the lesson so soon? Don't think about staging a 'porcelain-touching' scam again; you won't be so lucky next time."

Upon hearing this, Jia Zhangshi's expression changed drastically, and a flash of annoyance crossed her eyes. "You... you..." She pointed at Li Mingyuan, trembling all over, until she finally couldn't help but explode.

"Li Mingyuan, don't be too arrogant! Sooner or later..."

"Enough!" Li Mingyuan interrupted sternly. "Auntie Jia, I advise you to calm down. If you cause trouble again, don't blame me for being impolite."

Jia Zhangshi was intimidated by Li Mingyuan's presence and retreated a few steps in frustration. Finally, she glared at him hatefully and dragged Jia Dongxu away in a dejected manner.

This scene was seen clearly by the residents of the Siheyuan, and everyone held their breath, afraid to miss any detail. After Jia Zhangshi walked far away, low discussions immediately broke out.

"This Li Mingyuan, he really is a leader; the way he speaks is so firm!"

"Jia Zhangshi is too shameless; she wants whatever someone else has."

"That Jia Dongxu's blind date is probably going to fall through..."

Yan Bugui rubbed his hands and smilingly leaned toward Xu Fugui. "Fugui, would you say this Li Mingyuan is impressive or not? He doesn't even put a shrew like Jia Zhangshi in his eyes."

Xu Fugui sneered, "That's right, he's a big leader, would he be afraid of us common folk?" He deliberately raised his voice.

"But I have to remind everyone, be careful, don't make this gentleman unhappy. Who knows, one day if he makes things difficult for you, it'll be trouble."

These words were clearly pointed. Hearing this, the people in the courtyard glanced at Li Mingyuan from the corners of their eyes, their expressions complex.

Li Mingyuan turned a deaf ear to these idle gossips and walked straight toward his small courtyard with the two chickens.

"Uncle Li, you're back!" He Yuzhu heard the commotion and ran out to greet him. His eyes lit up when he saw the chickens. "Wow, what big chickens!"

"Come on, let's have a good meal today." Li Mingyuan said with a smile.