Chapter 259: Really blacken the Chen family

Lao Meng snapped, "You mean you have no work to report?"

"The tasks assigned to you are thankless hard work."

"You're busy all day and never home."

"Those trivial little things, of course there's nothing to report."

Wu Yingwei said, "It's all work."

"Hmph." Lao Meng snorted and said, "If you ask me, now A An can earn money, this family doesn't need you to support it; you might as well just quit."

"Let's the two of us brothers enjoy life together; I heard city folks often go traveling, we can also go out and see the sights."

Wu Yingwei: "But the village..."

"Hey, what's there to worry about? Without you, we'd still be fine."

"I wouldn't dare say how much credit the village has because of me, but some things, if I don't do them, surely no one will." Wu Yingwei sighed, "If I don't do it, you don't do it, he doesn't do it—though it seems fine now, over time the difference will show."

Lao Meng curled his lip: "Oh please, you just want to climb up; you've been a bureaucracy fan since childhood."

Wu Yingwei said nothing.

Wu An chuckled; as the older brothers' teasing, it was of course spot-on.

Father really is a bureaucracy fan.

He doesn't seek power for personal gain; he just wants to get things done.

The more power he holds, the more he can accomplish.

He wasn't sure how well Father had done, but he did understand some future matters: soon the natural village would merge into an administrative village, with many people and many affairs, villagers' conflicts rampant, and Father had settled multiple armed clashes.

Father didn't explicitly write it down, but Wu An could see it between the lines.

Later, after Father stepped down due to poor health, the village committee managed poorly, leading to a corrupt and stagnant village; … despite having great natural advantages, it didn't develop well.

The earth keeps turning regardless of who's gone.

But some people really are different.

It's not that Wu An wants to give Father credit; it's simply the fact.

Some villages can become "the number one village under heaven"; some are impoverished; some have villagers united as one rope; some have villagers scattered, with neighbors like enemies.

In short.

Or it's the leader who makes the difference!

Wu An didn't have the awareness to lead everyone to prosperity, but Father wasn't willing to step down, so he was sure to push Father forward.

The main point is, Father likes to stay busy; if he weren't working at the village committee, what could he do at home?

Like Lao Meng, just retire early?

Then Father would likely die even earlier than in his previous life.

Seeing Father silenced by Lao Meng's retort, Wu An stepped out and saw Father puffing away on a cigarette.

He smokes a cigarette down to the burning butt without tossing it.

Wu An pulled a cigarette from his pocket, tossed it over, and said, "Dad, you're back early today."

Wu Yingwei instinctively caught the cigarette, saw it was Hua Zi, and grinned, "You bought such a good cigarette..."

"I bought it for you to smoke, so of course I had to get it."

"……"

Wu Yingwei swallowed the rest of his words.

A son's filial piety.

What else is there to say?

Smoking such a good cigarette, it's true it's expensive, but smoking it is truly a delight.

Lao Meng also took a pack of cigarettes and said, "Your dad's been getting hassled at the village committee."

Wu Yingwei glared: "What nonsense."

Wu An dragged over a stool and asked feigning ignorance: "Is that so?"

"Then I ought to listen."

"Dad, don't overthink it; I'm just gossiping."

Wu Yingwei stroked his beard and glared, "As a father, do I have no shame?"

Lao Meng chuckled: "The Chen family… Chen Long's uncles jointly wrote a thank-you letter to Chen Gui and sent a banner."

"Today they really showed off in front of the town leaders."

"That bastard Chen Gui wants to hang the banner at the village committee and even asked your dad to help put it up."

Wu An turned his head: "Dad, did you help hang it?"

Wu Yingwei shook his head.

Lao Meng said, "Your dad's not that stupid; he made an excuse about having business and left the village committee—just in time for you to arrive a bit later, and we just chatted a few sentences."

"Good thing you didn't help hang it." Wu An chuckled and said, "I heard from Lao Fu that Chen Long's uncles aren't good people; this time when Lao Fu fell in the water, Chen Long's uncles stood by and did nothing."

"If that's true, would Chen Gui still have the face to hang the banner at the village committee?"

"By then, you might even have to take down whatever you put up."

Upon hearing that, Wu Yingwei instantly laughed: "If that's really the case, I'd be happy to help him take it down."

Lao Meng pointed with his finger: "You kid, you've got a knack for comforting people."

He's not just offering empty words of comfort.

Chen Gui is playing this trick to show off—let him lose face big time.

Before, everyone had praised him while stepping on the Chen family; anyway, the Chen family would surely be unhappy hearing that, so we might as well go all out and say the Chen family stood by and did nothing.

As long as we blacken the Chen family thoroughly, Chen Gui will also lose face.

As for whether the rumor is true or not, it doesn't matter; nobody will listen to the Chen Family's explanation, and the more they explain, the more it sounds like making excuses.

Sitting and chatting at Lao Meng's courtyard gate, not long after, there was some movement in the courtyard, and the older brother and sister-in-law got up.

Wu An stood up.

The sister-in-law seemed to have changed clothes; he didn't think much of it, tending the vegetable garden, getting dirt on himself, so taking a bath and changing clothes was reasonable.

He greeted her and asked, "Sister-in-law, when are you going back to your parents' home?"

Mei Yueqin blinked: "My older brother and his wife went out of town to work; they probably won't be back for a few days."

"Xiao Wu is the same—when you call him, he says he's busy and has no time to come home."

"That also caused a delay."

Wu An said, "Alright then."

Mei Yueqin asked, "You've asked several times—what's up?"

Wu An casually said, "Nothing much."

He still planned to wait until he saw Xiao Wu to say it directly, having the sister-in-law relay the message, so as not to seem indifferent.

"In case Xiao Wu is unwilling, it also saves everyone from embarrassment."

Originally he planned to go with her to her parents' home and, by the way, go see Lao Fu Tou for a chat; since that's the case, he decided not to go to Shangwancun to find Lao Fu Tou, but instead directly arrange to meet Lao Fu Tou elsewhere.

He stepped aside and called Lao Fu Tou.

After exchanging a few words, hearing Lao Fu Tou's tone seemed off, he didn't ask further and just said they'd meet in town to talk; checking the time, they set it for an hour later, and after the chat he would go eat with Mai Hangyu and the others.

We must hire more hands.

Mai Hangyu is busy with the guesthouse affairs, so he definitely can't go out to sea; on this boat there are only him and A Qing, which simply won't do.

He will be steering the boat, so most of the work will have to be done by A Qing alone.

A Qing is already slight of build; if he overworks himself and gets sick, it wouldn't be worth it.

Wu An would rather earn a little less and hire more people for the boat.

Once they've gotten used to working together.

Then he could gradually step back, letting A Qing lead the crew out to sea; he only needs to go to the boat each day to tend the crab pots, longlines, and cast nets, and add some luck value.

Just thinking about it makes Wu An feel somewhat excited.

We need to recruit these workers as soon as possible.

Forming the team early would let him grow the business bigger and stronger sooner.

……

After Wu An hung up the phone and came back, he heard Father and the older brother and sister-in-law talking about him and Gu Anran.

After hearing Mei Yueqin finish, Wu Yingwei looked over and said, "We should settle this matter; I'll go feel out a matchmaker to talk about it."

"A An, what do you think?"

Wu An nodded, naturally not opposing; this matter really ought to be handled by Father. After thinking, he said, "You handle it; the sooner the better."

Wu Yingwei laughed, "Even if you find a matchmaker tomorrow, you could bring the bride home the same day."

"Look how anxious you are."

"Wasn't the plan to build a big house before getting married?"

Mei Yueqin said, "Whether we marry or not isn't urgent; we can get engaged first."

Wu An said, "The sister-in-law is right."

Wu Yingwei hummed twice, "I know."

Wu An poured him tea: "Dad, have some tea."

"That's about right."

Everyone laughed.

Wu An was also quite pleased.

That's fine too.

So he wouldn't lose control that day and end up boarding without a ticket.

It would be best to buy the ticket first and then board.