Chapter 110

After parking his bicycle, Cao Weiguo unloaded the big and small bags.

"The village chief insisted on giving me some local specialties, and I couldn't refuse, so I accepted them."

"Next time I go over, I have to bring him two bottles of good wine."

Cao Weiguo lied and made things up; the village chief and the villagers did want to give him local specialties.

But Cao Weiguo firmly refused; life in the village was already bitter enough.

How could he have the heart to take things that the villagers scraped together from their own mouths.

These things were actually taken out by Cao Weiguo from his farm; he just made up an excuse.

Song Yulan said happily: "These two big hens are truly good."

Cao Weiguo said with a smile: "I'll make you a stewed chicken with mushrooms to nourish your body well."

Song Yulan hurriedly protected the two chickens: "You can't stew them; these two hens have to be kept to lay eggs."

"Ah!"

Cao Weiguo immediately felt he had made a miscalculation; he shouldn't have caught hens, he should have caught two roosters.

Song Yulan said with a face full of happiness: "By keeping two hens, our family will have eggs to eat every day in the future."

Carefully taking down the two old hens, Song Yulan looked at them as if they were two treasures.

Cao Weiguo said: "But our family has no place to keep them!"

Song Yulan thought for a moment: "It's not dark yet; let's hurry up and build a chicken coop."

Seeing Cao Weiguo didn't move, Song Yulan pouted: "Don't just stand there, hurry up and put the things down, then go find materials."

With the lady of the house having spoken, how could Cao Weiguo dare not to obey.

After putting two bags of flour, a bundle of green onions, and a bag of peanuts into the house, Cao Weiguo began to search the courtyard for materials.

Hearing that Cao Weiguo wanted to build a chicken coop, Lu Jin Peng immediately brought materials from home to help.

Lu Jin Peng had studied carpentry, and after hammering and knocking for a while, he came up with a temporary chicken coop.

"Weiguo, use this chicken coop for now; tomorrow I'll go get some bricks and tiles."

Cao Weiguo praised: "Brother Lu, your craftsmanship is amazing; this chicken coop is already very good."

Lu Jin Peng said: "Using only wood isn't sturdy; using bricks and tiles makes it sturdy and rainproof."

The current chicken coop was roughly a wooden cage, which could keep the chickens from running away but couldn't keep out the wind and rain.

Cao Weiguo thanked him: "Sorry to trouble you, Brother Lu. Hurry into the house and drink some water; the food will be ready in a moment."

Lu Jin Peng hurriedly declined: "No, I've already eaten at home."

Cao Weiguo pushed Lu Jin Peng into the house: "Brother Lu, don't be polite with me. If you've eaten, then keep me company for a few drinks."

Inside the house, Song Yulan had already started setting the dishes, all of which were ordinary home-cooked meals.

But even though they were home-cooked meals, they were still much better than the Lu family's food.

Especially the white flour buns placed on the table, which made people drool just looking at them.

Because of their bad family background, the Lu family's life was very difficult.

Even the mixed-flour buns weren't enough to eat, and dinner was just clear, watery porridge.

All year round, they could only eat white flour buns once during the New Year.

White flour buns had almost become food in Lu Jin Peng's memory.

"Brother Lu, please sit."

Cao Weiguo warmly invited Lu Jin Peng to sit down and took out wine and wine glasses from the cabinet.

While pouring wine, Cao Weiguo asked: "Brother Lu, what have you been busy with lately?"

Lu Jin Peng said: "Working as a temporary laborer at the waste recycling station."

Cao Weiguo's eyes immediately lit up: "Brother Lu, can you do me a favor?"

Lu Jin Peng said without the slightest hesitation: "Weiguo, just say whatever you need me for."

Cao Weiguo said happily: "Brother Lu, having your word is enough. Let's eat first, and after we eat, we'll go to the study to talk in detail."

Song Yulan soon finished stir-frying the last dish and brought it to the table.

Cao Weiguo treated him warmly: "Brother Lu, let's not be polite, brothers."

Lu Jin Peng was moved in his heart; because of his family background, he had suffered all kinds of discrimination and exclusion.

Even in the courtyard, he was regarded as an alien, and everyone looked down on him.

He and Cao Weiguo had very little interaction.

But he could feel that Cao Weiguo didn't have any contempt for him.

After a few cups of wine, Lu Jin Peng gradually opened up.

The two began to talk about everything under the sun at the dinner table.

After the meal, Cao Weiguo invited Lu Jin Peng to the study.

The two talked for a long time, and Song Yulan didn't know what they were talking about.

She only knew that both of them were very happy when they parted.

Song Yulan said with heartache: "Weiguo, that's fifty jin of cornmeal, how could you just give it away like that."

Cao Weiguo took Song Yulan's hand and said solemnly: "Wife, Brother Lu can do me a huge favor. Although I can't tell you what it is, you must know that this matter is very important to me and our family, so you must help the Lu family more in the future and not be petty."

Song Yulan nodded obediently: "Mm, I know."

Even if she was confused and didn't understand, since her husband had spoken, she, as his wife, had to know what to do.

She trusted her husband!

On the other side, the alcohol-smelling Lu Jin Peng returned home carrying the cornmeal.

Granny Du and Lu Jin Peng's wife, Zhang Xue, were full of surprise.

So much cornmeal, if eaten sparingly, would be enough for the family for over a month.

It had solved a huge problem for the family.

Granny Du asked nervously: "Son, what's with this cornmeal?"

Lu Jin Peng said: "Weiguo gave it."

Granny Du said: "If Weiguo gave it, you just take it? How can you be so ignorant? He helped our family get through a difficult time, and you just helped him build a chicken coop; how can you have the face to accept so much cornmeal from him."

Lu Jin Peng explained hurriedly: "Mom, things aren't what you think. This cornmeal isn't because of the chicken coop; it's just Weiguo's kindness. And I'm not taking this cornmeal for nothing; I'm going to work for Weiguo from now on."

Granny Du said in surprise: "What work are you going to do for Weiguo?"

Lu Jin Peng shook his head with difficulty: "Mom, I can't say, but don't worry, it's definitely not anything illegal or immoral."

Granny Du said with a serious expression: "If it's not illegal or immoral, why can't you say? If you don't say, return these things immediately. Even if I have to sell the house, I will pay Cao Weiguo back. You are the only seedling of the Lu family; even if I die, I can't let anything happen to you."

Lu Jin Peng looked at his mother and wife, who were both serious and full of worry, and felt very helpless.

"Mom, wife, I'll tell you the matter, but you must not let a single word leak out."

Granny Du said: "Tell me."

Lu Jin Peng said: "Cao Weiguo asked me to help him collect some antiques and cultural relics when I collect waste. Although this matter isn't illegal, it will cause big trouble if people find out."

Granny Du said nervously: "This! This matter is too risky! Can you turn Cao Weiguo down! We can't do this."

Private trading is strictly prohibited, not to mention antiques and cultural relics, which are sensitive and hot potatoes.

If this were discovered, Lu Jin Peng's life might be over.

Lu Jin Peng said with a firm expression: "Mom, this matter has risks, but it can let our family eat their fill. And as long as I'm careful, there won't be any trouble. I'm just going to work normally to collect waste, and help Cao Weiguo look out for some old items on the way. Who knows if they are antiques or not."

Granny Du said: "If the old items collected aren't antiques, wouldn't Cao Weiguo lose money? Would he be happy?"

Lu Jin Peng laughed: "If there's one in a hundred, Cao Weiguo won't lose money. And those things are collected as waste and junk; a cartload of things doesn't cost a few yuan. Even if there isn't a single antique, it won't be a big loss. Cao Weiguo just wants to find treasures among the junk."

Granny Du sighed: "Alas, it's all the family dragging you down."

Lu Jin Peng said: "Mom, I was born into the Lu family; this is my fate. But don't worry, our family's life will get better and better. Weiguo not only gave me cornmeal but also gave me a hundred yuan to handle relationships, striving to get me a formal job at the waste recycling station."

Granny Du and Zhang Xue stared in shock: "A hundred yuan!"

Cao Weiguo is truly generous!

It's no wonder the son is so dead-set on following Cao Weiguo.

Granny Du sighed: "Alas, I really don't know if it's a blessing or a curse for our family to get involved with Cao Weiguo."

Lu Jin Peng said: "Whether it's a blessing or a curse, I'm willing to work for Cao Weiguo. This is the opportunity for me and our family to turn things around." ===== CHAPTER 112 =====