Chapter 259

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

The three brothers returned from playing basketball at Shanggou Village Primary School, and the sky was already pitch black.

Mother Li Xiulan was still busy in the firewood room.

There were quite a few dishes to make today; not only would the three brothers eat at home, but Uncle's family would also come over for the New Year's Eve dinner.

Wang Dashan called Du Xiaojuan and asked when she would arrive.

Du Xiaojuan just said:

"I've just arrived in the county town, I'm buying gifts at Yinzuo right now, I'll come over once I'm done."

Only then did Wang Dashan breathe a sigh of relief:

"That's quick then. From the county town to Shanggou Village, taking the expressway, it won't take more than half an hour to get here."

He had been worried in his heart that Du Xiaojuan wouldn't arrive until the middle of the night; if the New Year's Eve dinner went cold, that would be troublesome.

Now this worry could finally be put down.

Since she had already reached the county town, buying the things and coming over should coincide just right with when the New Year's Eve dinner was freshly done.

Du Xiaojuan hung up Wang Dashan's call; she was at a jewelry store in Yinzuo Mall, and bought a Guanyin Bodhisattva jade pendant for Wang Dashan's mother.

Since Wang Dashan said his parents were rather superstitious, giving a Guanyin Bodhisattva jade pendant certainly wouldn't be wrong.

This jade pendant wasn't cheap, and it came paired with a gold necklace.

As for a gift for Wang Dashan's father, Du Xiaojuan thought and thought, but couldn't think of anything more appropriate.

It was actually the taxi driver who gave her a pretty good suggestion.

"Just buy a carton of cigarettes, a bottle of liquor, a box of tea leaves — giving those definitely won't be wrong. Men, their hobbies don't stray from these three things: cigarettes, alcohol, and tea. And there's no taboo; even if he doesn't smoke, drink, or drink tea, he can still regift them, and it'll still give him face."

Du Xiaojuan listened and felt it made a lot of sense.

So she bought a carton of Zhonghua cigarettes, a bottle of Moutai liquor; as for tea leaves, she bought a box of the local specialty, Yinghong No. 9.

After buying everything, Du Xiaojuan hurried off to Shanggou Village.

The taxi driver first checked the phone map navigation, found the expressway was badly jammed, so in the end he chose to take the national highway. The national highway was a bit farther than the expressway, but there was no traffic jam; forty minutes at most and they'd arrive.

And at this time, Shanggou Village.

Li Xiulan had nearly finished making the New Year's Eve dinner.

Wang Xiaohua was helping carry dishes to the table.

Wang Changgen had Wang Dashan go call Uncle's family over to eat.

Wang Dashan acknowledged and turned to go out the door.

He arrived at the door of his Uncle Wang Zhangtian's house.

Only to see dim light emanating from inside the dilapidated house.

Wang Zhangtian and his wife Zhao Lifen were sitting on the worn sofa chatting.

And their son Wang Yaohua was playing the mini-game "Temple Run" on an Apple phone.

At that time, the mobile mini-game "Temple Run" had only just come out not long ago; it was only available on Apple phones — Android phones couldn't play it yet.

It took over half a year later before it could be played on Android phones.

"Play play play, all you know is play! You spent so much money buying such an expensive phone, just to play this lousy game?"

Wang Zhangtian saw his own son only caring about playing the game, and couldn't help but chime in with a sentence.

"Worked myself to death out there, now it's New Year's and I finally have some time, what's wrong with me playing a game?"

Wang Yaohua didn't even lift his head, coldly retorted with that sentence, and also complained:

"I said not to come back here for the New Year, you insisted on coming back; even the firewood room is broken, no place to cook rice and dishes, the New Year's Eve dinner has to be freeloaded off others — isn't spending New Year's in the county town better?"

Zhao Lifen at this moment coldly glanced at this unfilial son:

"What do you know? This isn't all for you!"

"For me?" Wang Yaohua didn't understand, "How is it for me?"

Zhao Lifen looked at Wang Yaohua like this, and immediately a feeling of pity for his misfortune and anger at his lack of striving welled up in her heart; she couldn't help but sigh:

"You're called Ahua, your Second Uncle's youngest son is also called Ahua, but how can the gap between you be so big? The other one just recently tested first in the whole county; getting into university is a done deal!"

Wang Yaohua instead rolled his eyes, grumbling a sentence:

"What use is him getting into university? He's so short and so ugly; in the future he still won't be able to find a partner?"

Wang Zhangtian immediately got even more displeased:

"You're not short, not ugly either — you hurry up and find me a partner then! Wang Dashan has already found one, and I hear he's bringing her back for the New Year this year!"

Wang Yaohua immediately had no words.

Zhao Lifen at this time said to Wang Zhangtian:

"When we go to your younger brother's house to eat in a bit, how do you plan to bring up that matter with them?"

Wang Zhangtian's expression was serious, he said:

"You don't need to worry about this; I have my own way to bring it up!"

Zhao Lifen sighed:

"Bringing up that matter isn't hard; what's feared is it's hard to persuade them. If they don't agree, and it causes the brothers to fall out, that's not a trivial matter either……"

Wang Zhangtian's expression became even more grave:

"I'll move them with emotion and enlighten them with reason; if they still don't agree, then we can only tear the face off. Anyway, our family's feng shui can't keep being this bad, otherwise it'll truly lead to the family line dying out. Yaohua this kid is three years older than Wang Dashan; Wang Dashan has already found a partner, yet he still can't find one. Look at his deadbeat, impervious-to-reason appearance — if we don't change the feng shui, letting him find a partner will probably be hopeless indefinitely!"

Wang Yaohua kept his head down, continuing to play his Temple Run; he couldn't be bothered to pay his parents any mind.

Anyway, tonight we go to Second Uncle's for the New Year's Eve dinner, collect the Spring Festival red envelopes, and then tomorrow we return to the County Town.

It's the big New Year; he didn't want to argue with his parents.

Just then, footsteps sounded from outside the door.

Wang Zhangtian and Zhao Lifen stopped talking and looked up, only to see Wang Dashan arrive.

"Uncle, Eldest Aunt, Cousin, Happy Spring Festival! My dad said to tell you all to come over to our house together for the New Year's Eve dinner. It's rare that you're back for the New Year this year, so let's all eat together!"

Wang Zhanggen smiled and returned the greeting.

He had vaguely overheard some of what Wang Zhangtian and Zhao Lifen were saying just now when he came in.

But he hadn't heard it all.

Now he was very curious in his heart: what exactly did Uncle's family have to say to his dad and mom?

"Good, good, we'll head over right away!"

Wang Zhangtian hurriedly stood up.

Then he urged Wang Yaohua, who was still playing his game:

"Yaohua, stop playing games. All day long you only know how to play on your phone; what kind of bearing is that!"

Only then did Wang Yaohua put his phone away and follow along to Wang Dashan's house.

The family of three followed Wang Dashan and arrived at the house.

Wang Zhanggen hurriedly got up to welcome them:

"Eldest Brother, Eldest Sister-in-law, Yaohua, come sit quickly! Treat this place as your own home, no need for such politeness!"

"Erhai, go brew tea!"

Wang Zhangtian, Zhao Lifen, and Wang Yaohua sat down before the dining table.

Wang Xiaohua and Li Xiulan brought the dishes out one after another.

Wang Dashan and Wang Erhai, after pouring tea for Wang Zhangtian's family, also took their seats.

At this moment Wang Yaohua asked:

"Dashan, heard you found a partner. Where's your partner? How come she's not here?"

Wang Dashan could only let out an embarrassed laugh:

"She has something come up, so she's coming back a bit late. She's still on the road right now; reckon she'll arrive in a little while..."

On the surface Wang Dashan was smiling calmly, but in reality he was already burning with anxiety.

The New Year's Eve dinner was already cooked, everyone had arrived, yet Du Xiaojuan still hadn't come.

Everyone was waiting for her to start the meal.

This made Wang Dashan feel he couldn't save face.

"Du Xiaojuan, where have you gotten to?"

Wang Dashan used his mobile phone WeChat and hurriedly sent Du Xiaojuan a message.