Chapter 63

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

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

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

Cao Cao Weiguo lied and made up a story; the Village Chief and the folks did want to give him local specialties.

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

How could he bear to take things that the villagers had scraped from their own mouths.

These things were actually taken out of the farm by Cao Cao Weiguo, he just made up an excuse.

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

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

Song Song Yulan hurriedly protected the two chickens: "You can't stew them! These two hens are to be kept for laying eggs."

"Ah!"

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

Song Song Yulan said with a face full of happiness: "Keeping these two hens, our family will have eggs to eat every day."

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

Cao Cao Weiguo said: "But we don't have a place to keep them!"

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

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

With the lady of the house speaking, how could Cao Cao Weiguo dare not obey.

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

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

Lu Jinpeng had studied carpentry, and after knocking and hitting for a while, he made a temporary chicken coop.

"Cao Weiguo, use this chicken coop for now. Tomorrow I'll get some bricks and tiles."

Cao Cao Weiguo praised: "Brother Lu, your skills are great, this chicken coop is already very good."

Lu Jinpeng said: "Using only wood isn't sturdy. Using bricks and tiles will make 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 Cao Weiguo thanked him: "Sorry to trouble you, Brother Lu. Come inside and drink some water, the food will be ready in a while."

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

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

Inside the room, Song 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 on the table, which made people drool just looking at them.

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

Even the mixed-grain buns weren't enough to eat, and dinner was just 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 Jinpeng's memory.

"Brother Lu, please sit."

Cao Cao Weiguo enthusiastically invited Lu Jinpeng to sit down and took out liquor and glasses from the cupboard.

Cao Cao Weiguo asked while pouring the liquor: "Brother Lu, what have you been busy with lately?"

Lu Jinpeng said: "Working as a temporary worker at the waste recycling station."

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

Lu Jinpeng said without any hesitation: "Cao Weiguo, just tell me whatever you need."

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

Song Song Yulan soon finished stir-frying the last dish and served it on the table.

Cao Cao Weiguo entertained enthusiastically: "Brother Lu, don't be formal, brothers."

Lu Jinpeng 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 Cao Weiguo had very little interaction.

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

After a few cups of liquor, Lu Jinpeng gradually relaxed his mood.

The two started talking about everything at the dinner table.

After the meal, Cao Cao Weiguo invited Lu Jinpeng to the study.

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

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

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

Cao Cao Weiguo held Song 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 should know that this matter is very important to me and our family, so you should help the Lu family more in the future and don't be petty."

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

Even if she was confused, since her husband had spoken, she, as a wife, had to know what to do.

She trusted her husband!

On the other side, Lu Jinpeng, smelling of alcohol, returned home carrying the cornmeal.

Grandma Du and Lu Jinpeng's wife, Zhang Xue, were full of surprise.

So much cornmeal, if they ate it sparingly, would be enough for the family for more than a month.

It had solved the family's big problem.

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

Lu Jinpeng said: "Cao Weiguo gave it to me."

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

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

Grandma Du asked in surprise: "What are you going to do for Cao Weiguo?"

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

Grandma Du said seriously: "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 must pay Cao Cao Weiguo back. You are the only seedling of the Lu family, even if I die, I can't let you get into trouble."

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

"Mom, wife, I'll tell you, but you must not breathe a word of it to anyone."

Grandma Du said: "Tell me."

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

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

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

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

Lu Jinpeng said firmly: "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 working normally and collecting waste, and helping Cao Cao Weiguo look for some old items on the way. No one knows if they are antiques or not."

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

Lu Jinpeng laughed: "If there is one in a hundred, Cao Cao Weiguo won't lose money. And those things are collected as waste and junk; a cart of things doesn't cost a few Brother Yuan. Even if there isn't a single antique, it won't lose much money. Cao Cao Weiguo just wants to pick up leaks from the junk."

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

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

Grandma Du and Zhang Xue stared in shock: "One hundred Brother Yuan!"

Cao Cao Weiguo is really a big spender!

No wonder the son is so determined to follow Cao Cao Weiguo.

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

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