Chapter 1488

Jiangzhou!

The north wind howled as it blew, the willow trees by the roadside swaying nonstop from the wind's lashing.

The tree trunks, unable to bear the strain, emitted creaking sounds.

Jiangzhou had no snow, but the nighttime temperature had already dropped to minus thirty-something degrees.

It was bitterly cold outside—spitting on the ground would cause the saliva to freeze and shatter into eight pieces.

Yet Fatty Sister's bun shop was bustling, already full of customers inside.

Because the distillery was closed tomorrow, groups of three or five had come out to dine together.

Not only Fatty Sister's bun shop, but the nearby small eateries were also doing booming business.

"Boss lady, give me a plate of mixed pig ears."

"Boss lady, give me another three bottles of Jiang Xiaobai."

"Hey, Boss Zhou, give me five bottles of Courage to Traverse the World."

"And the steamed buns are gone—give me a basket of lamb."

"And give me a plate of braised peanuts."

"..."

Fatty Sister Xu Yinxia was busy mixing dishes in the back kitchen, while Zhou Anlei and his daughter Zhao Mingming were busy bringing dishes and alcohol to the tables, and Zhao Mingming also had to keep the accounts.

Just then, the cotton door curtain was lifted aside, followed immediately by the door being pushed open with a creak, as icy wind rushed in wildly.

With a bang, as a person entered, the door was slammed shut heavily.

Someone glanced up, then quickly stood up.

"Manager Yao!"

"Manager Yao!"

"..."

One "Manager Yao" after another made others look up, seeing it was Yao Jun, and they all stood up too.

"Manager Yao!"

"You all keep drinking." Yao Jun smiled and waved his hand: "I have something to discuss with Boss Zhou."

"Manager Yao, come sit down and have a drink with us."

"Yeah, come sit down and have a drink."

"Manager Yao, sit here with me."

"..."

"Thank you all for your warm invitation."

Yao Jun, standing in front of the wine crate at the bar, took out a bottle of beer and then bit it open with his teeth.

"It's the New Year—I toast you all. Wishing you a prosperous Year of the Chicken, family happiness, salary raises, more bonuses, more dividends."

"Good!"

With a booming sound, everyone shouted "Good!" in unison, then raised their cups and bottles.

"Manager Yao, we also toast you—wishing you thriving business."

"Then let's wish all the workers at our distillery great wealth in the Year of the Chicken." Yao Jun tilted his head back and downed the beer in one gulp: "Everyone, drink slowly."

Yao Jun placed the beer bottle back in the crate, then took out three train tickets from his pocket and handed them to Zhou Anlei.

"Dong Ge told you to go to Jingcheng for the New Year."

"Ah?" Zhou Anlei exclaimed, somewhat at a loss as he took the tickets.

Yao Jun continued: "The train departs tonight at 9:20 PM, arriving in Jingcheng tomorrow morning around 8 AM, at which time Wang Wentian will come to pick you up."

Zhou Anlei lowered his head to look at the train tickets in his hand, his mind completely blank.

Zhou Andong had taken his family to Jingcheng for the New Year—he knew that.

That day, the large bus had been parked right outside the distillery gate; he had peered through the door crack and seen it.

To say he wasn't disappointed would be false, but he also knew what he had once been.

Now that Zhou Andong treated him so well, helping him set up the bun shop, he was already content and would not ask for anything more.

But tomorrow was New Year's, and Yao Jun had suddenly brought him train tickets.

And told him that Zhou Andong had asked him to go to Jingcheng for the New Year— for a moment, he truly felt like he was dreaming.

Yao Jun understood Zhou Anlei's feelings and patted him on the shoulder.

"Dong Ge didn't tell you earlier, fearing you might let it slip and upset your parents. Of course, Dong Ge also said, if you want to stay home to spend the New Year with your parents, it's fine if you don't want to go."

"I'm going!" Zhou Anlei said without hesitation: "Not for anything else, but for Xiaoxia and Mingming—I must go too. This year, all the Zhou family members are here; I'll bring them to meet relatives and tell them Xiaoxia is my wife and Mingming is my daughter."

This remark stunned Yao Jun for a moment, then he laughed, slapped Zhou Anlei heavily on the shoulder, and then gave a thumbs-up.

"Man enough—you've really made me look at you with new eyes."

Zhou Anlei also laughed, then glanced at the time: "It's only past five—shall we have a drink?"

"I won't drink with you." Yao Jun shook his head: "My father-in-law slaughtered a pig—I'm going there to drink."

"Then I won't keep you." Zhou Anlei saw Yao Jun out: "After the New Year, I'll treat you to drinks."

"We'll talk about it then." Yao Jun waved his hand without looking back, bent over, and got into the car parked by the roadside.

Watching Yao Jun's car disappear into the night, Zhou Anlei shivered, pulled his coat tighter, and ran back inside.

As soon as he entered, he cursed: "This weather—damn, it's freezing."

After saying that, Zhou Anlei rushed into the back kitchen like a gust of wind, hugged Xu Yinxia from behind, and excitedly said: "Don't bother with anything—hurry up and pack, we're taking the 9:20 train to Jingcheng."

Xu Yinxia, confused, said: "It's the New Year, and it's already so late—what are we going to Jingcheng for?"

Zhou Anlei smiled, his face beaming: "I told you a few days ago, Dongzi brought all the family members to Jingcheng for the New Year."

Xu Yinxia immediately understood: "Zhou... Zhou Dong, are you letting us go too?"

"Yes!" Zhou Anlei held up the train tickets in his hand: "Look, Dongzi bought all our train tickets, delivered by Yao Jun."

Xu Yinxia was also happy inside, this proved Zhou Anlei had been fully accepted by Zhou Andong and returned to the family.

"But what about Mom and Dad? It's the New Year, just leave the two of them at home?"

"Do you know why it's only now that Dongzi had Yao Jun bring the train tickets?" Zhou Anlei sighed helplessly: "It's because of my parents."

Xu Yinxia fell silent; these past two days, her future in-laws had come again to cause trouble.

If Zhou Anlei hadn't threatened to call the police and have them arrested, who knows how long the chaos would have lasted.

And she herself was truly worried: what should she do if she's never accepted?

Zhou Anlei raised the three train tickets in his hand: "Look, how many train tickets are these?"

Xu Yinxia gave him a sideways glance, but still said: "Three!"

"These are the train tickets Dongzi bought for us, proving what?" Zhou Anlei laughed: "Our family, including the three uncles who returned from Wanwan, will all spend New Year in Jingcheng."

"Under these circumstances, Dongzi inviting you to come along proves he truly accepts you, even having me introduce you to the family."

Xu Yinxia also realized this: "But, your parents..."

"Don't worry about them." Zhou Anlei waved his hand domineeringly: "As long as Dongzi accepts you, and as long as Grandpa, Grandma, Second Uncle, Old Uncle, and Big Aunt, Old Aunt accept you, my parents' place doesn't matter."

"If only my parents accept you, but Dongzi and Grandpa, Grandma, Second Uncle, Old Uncle, and the others don't, then that's truly dangerous."

Xu Yinxia also understood the reasoning: "I'll finish mixing these two dishes, send them to the guests, then tidy up."