Chapter 334: Quarreling with Someone

It turns out Ding Yuanmin really was negligent.

In the past, Ding Yuanmin would tuck the medicines into his pocket, bringing them to the Capital City together with the cargo.

Because there was an Approval Document, the Train Police each time just glanced at it briefly and let him board the train.

Later, once familiar, they simply stopped flipping through it at all.

However, this time coming to the Capital City, he casually placed the medicines together with the cargo, thinking that no one would check anyway.

But precisely because of this carelessness, the medicines were discovered.

Initially the first half of the journey was uneventful and no one inspected, but in the latter half, people began to disembark from the train one after another.

Fan Dashan thought those parcels were in the way, so he kicked them, and Ding Yuanmin instinctively blurted out, "Don't kick the items and break them."

Fan Dashan didn't mind at first; after walking a few steps he grew increasingly uneasy, thinking that they were all wearing Cotton-padded Jackets and cotton shoes, how could this thing be kicked and broken.

So he turned back and asked Ding Yuanmin to open the parcels for a routine inspection.

Ding Yuanmin suddenly remembered there were medicines inside, so he dared not open them for inspection.

But the more he did that, the more it proved his guilt; how could he hide it from Fan Dashan, who was everywhere looking for Merit.

Under the forced inspection, they thus found the medicines.

Ding Yuanmin explained on the spot that he was just carrying them for someone, but Fan Dashan, looking at the foreign script on the medicine box, felt something was off.

And so Ding Yuanmin was taken back for interrogation.

Although Lu Cheng found someone this time and pulled him out, what about later?

This Fan Dashan will definitely have Ding Yuanmin in his sights; although he can't send Ding Yuanmin to prison to claim Merit, catching him once and fining him two hundred would be unbearable for anyone.

Lu Cheng thought for a moment and had to say, "Yuanmin, perhaps from now on… don't bring them, I'll think of another way."

As for any other channels, Lu Cheng truly had no good solution at the moment.

Ding Yuanmin was stunned for a moment, then recovered, "Group Leader Lu, I know what you're worried about; rest assured, I'll have someone else carry them. Our Commune has so many people; if we say we'll bring you the medicines, no one would refuse."

Seeing Ding Yuanmin's sincere gaze, Lu Cheng was deeply moved; at that moment he decided he must make Ding Yuanmin rich as a reward.

After seeing Ding Yuanmin board the train, Lu Cheng and Wu Zhekun prepared to go eat hot‑pot lamb, and this time Wu Zhekun would be the one doing the hardest work.

"Then bring Ning Ning along; I promised her I'd take her for hot pot, she hasn't had it yet."

Lu Cheng drove, thinking that Wu Zhekun still hadn't recovered from that disaster, which is why he treats Ning Ning like his own child.

"Lao Wu, you're so good to Ning Ning; have you ever thought of taking Ning Ning home to raise?"

Wu Zhekun thought seriously, "Don't mention it, I actually have thought about it; it's just that I'm now serving at the border, my mother has no time, so we'll have to wait for the future."

Ning Ning is one of the fortunate children in the disaster zone; if she truly ends up with the Wu family, given the Wu family's background, even a casual endorsement would make Ning Ning's future bright.

Returning to Da Za Yuan, the older sisters had gone out to play and were already back; Bao Feng and Bao Yun were in the kitchen, helping Chen Xianglan cook.

They chatted and laughed; it was quite lively.

In the courtyard, Ning Ning and Qing'er ran around playing; children become familiar quickly.

Just then, Lu Cheng planned to take Qing'er as well for hot pot; after telling his mother, he was about to load the two children onto the vehicle when Wu Zhekun didn't move a step.

"Let's go, Lao Wu, aren't we going to eat hot‑pot lamb? Why are you standing still?"

Seeing the bustling courtyard, Wu Zhekun hesitated, "How about we just eat at home?"

"At whose house?"

"Of course at your house, I think the home‑cooked rice aroma is still best."

Home‑cooked rice aroma? No matter how fragrant home rice is, it can't compare to hot‑pot lamb.

Lu Cheng looked on puzzled and saw Wu Zhekun staring at the sister who was hanging laundry.

Immediately, Lu Cheng gave Wu Zhekun a kick.

"What are you looking at?"

"I— I wasn't looking at anything, I just think your courtyard is nice, has a lively atmosphere," Wu Zhekun quickly averted his gaze, pretending to scan Da Za Yuan.

Hearing the words "lively atmosphere," Lu Cheng felt a bit unsettled.

He recalled that Lin Qingyan had just said the same when she arrived at Da Za Yuan.

"Has she left the Capital City? Where will she go?"

"Our family has many people, we have no rice to give you."

Lu Cheng was speaking truthfully; early this morning, Lu Beitang had gone to ask a coworker for a food ration ticket.

"It's fine, I'll eat a couple fewer bites."

Regardless of whether Lu Cheng agreed, Wu Zhekun went to the kitchen after speaking: "Auntie, I also want to eat at your place, make an extra serving for one person."

Chen Xianglan smiled, "No problem, we actually have a lot of rice today."

"Thank you, Auntie, your rice is truly fragrant; next time I'll have my mother come over to learn cooking from you, my mother cooks terribly."

Chen Xianglan laughed even more, "You really know how to speak."

"I'm speaking honestly; is there anything I can help with? Maybe I can pick vegetables for you."

"No need, no need," Chen Xianglan pushed away, "These are women's chores; you don't need to help. Go play in the courtyard first; I'll call you when the rice is ready."

Lu Cheng watched from outside, thinking that Wu Zhekun was truly unreserved, acting as if he were entering his own home.

In the kitchen, Yan Baofeng looked at Wu Zhekun, the big boy, and couldn't help but ask curiously.

"Auntie, which family is this child from?"

Chen Xianglan, kneading dough, casually described Wu Zhekun's family situation.

Yan Baofeng, after hearing, exclaimed, "Oh dear heavens, such good conditions! Then it's amazing for your second daughter Ying Ying."

Chen Xianglan kept kneading the dough without replying; she had once had the same thought, but since Lu Cheng's divorce, she no longer dared to entertain it.

It's true that Wu Zhekun's family has good conditions, but that's precisely because they're too good.

Even if the two children have no objections, it's still a matter between two families; with such good conditions, the Wu family would certainly look down on the Lu family.

From the Lin Family's experience of such an incident, Chen Xianglan certainly does not want her daughter to go through it again.

In the courtyard, Lu Ying finished drying the clothes: "Lu Cheng, do you have any plans this afternoon?"

"Nothing, sis. What's up?"

"If you're free, take Bao Feng and the others to North Sea Park for a walk this afternoon."

"Aren't you going?"

"I'm not going. I took the morning off, and I want to return to the shop in the afternoon to take a look."

Actually, Lu Ying doesn't want to go; there's another reason.

It's because taking Bao Feng and the others out would be too embarrassing.

Thinking of what happened in the morning, she can't help but want to slip into a crack in the ground.

In the morning they went to Tiananmen; everyone was happy at first, but because Bao Feng spat on the ground, a Big Aunt from the Street Office saw it and demanded an on‑the‑spot fine.

"Fine, fine," Lu Ying thought, noting that Bao Feng came from the countryside and hasn't adapted to the city's habits, so she originally intended to just pay the fine and be done with it.

But when Bao Feng heard that spitting would cost an extra two mao, she felt it was outright bullying and immediately started arguing with that Big Aunt.

The argument was fierce!

It started as a quarrel, then turned into a shouting match.

Moreover, Bao Yun not only didn't intervene, but stood by, echoing with a constant "Exactly."

She infuriated the Big Aunt to the point that she almost needed to be taken to the hospital.

A circle of people gathered, and no one could calm them down.

When they got back, they complained to Chen Xianglan, saying that Capital City is so pricey that even spitting costs money; but because she argued with someone, she saved two mao, leaving Chen Xianglan both laughing and crying.

So Lu Ying truly was reluctant to take them out again, and she simply handed the heavy responsibility to her younger brother Lu Cheng.