Chapter 1378: Zhao Yaping Enters the City

"What are you thinking?"

Wang Lu glanced at the departing sedan, then took Zhao Yajun's arm and walked toward the residential area, reminding him, "Don't you go doing anything reckless."

"It's fine, no big trouble."

Zhao Yajun sniffed, exhaled a puff of white air, stopped, took a cigarette out of his pocket, put it in his mouth, and lit it: "Second Brother has already spoken."

"You aren't in charge of public security." Wang Lu frowned slightly: "This is inconvenient to talk about. What if they don't give face?"

"Besides, this isn't anything glorious."

Thinking of the situation of the case that the Secretary-General's driver had mentioned in the car just now, she was somewhat unwilling.

If it were truly fighting, it would be understandable as young people being hot-blooded and impulsive, but bullying a little girl—what kind of thing is that?

"Hmm, it's nothing. Just talk about it and that's it."

Zhao Yajun was a steady and introverted person by nature, and he had never been in a hurry since he was with Wang Lu.

In this era, it was inevitable to have male chauvinism. Actually, Zhao Yajun had it too, after all, he came from the countryside.

But the two were truly a match made in heaven, very compatible in personality, and couldn't find any point to quarrel at all.

Although Wang Lu's personality was outgoing and free, she rarely took opinions in front of Zhao Yajun.

When she got married, her mother had told her that men were extremely face-conscious, and no matter what, don't suppress your own man when speaking outside; that wasn't a smart woman.

Wang Lu understood this principle, but didn't deliberately go to please Zhao Yajun; it was just natural.

Truly liking someone, everything looks good.

She followed Zhao Yajun in everything, and Zhao Yajun was a gentle person; she really didn't know where she should be in a hurry.

Just like this matter today, Wang Lu was clearly worried that Zhao Yajun would offend people if he didn't handle it well. But no matter how she listened in the car just now, she hadn't opened her mouth to take opinions for him.

After getting off the car, she only stated her opinion and dissatisfaction, and didn't target Zhao Yajun or Second Brother Li Xuewu.

To say, she could have complained a few words. But not a single sentence mentioned that Second Brother was causing trouble for Zhao Yajun.

She and Zhao Yajun had received a lot of care from Second Brother. Don't look at how cautious she was when getting along with the older sister-in-law, but she was very natural with Li Xuewu.

There was the reason for the two working together in cooperation, and also the frank and easygoing side of Second Brother.

It was just that this driver was found by someone; it was truly unreliable. When Han Jiankun advanced to the position of captain of the small car team and let the young kid Nie Xiaoguang drive for him, Wang Lu was very surprised.

However, the root of this matter was still with Director Li. Others didn't know, but she still knew some content.

Han Jiankun had driven for Second Brother for more than two years, and she had long been familiar with and accustomed to the requirement that drivers be mature and steady.

But look at Nie Xiaoguang again. If Second Brother hadn't asked her for help, she wouldn't have been involved in the mess between him and Han Lu in her life.

She wasn't a "matchmaker" for the labor union. Even if she liked to act as a matchmaker, it was to help good friends.

For someone like Han Lu, she didn't even bother to look at her. Saying she was a big girl, what difference was there from a broken shoe?

To say Zhou Miaomiao wasn't a good cake, but who told her to have a clear goal, not talk, not occupy, and take action when it was time to take action?

Even someone as picky as her couldn't say anything. You say Zhou Miaomiao is shameless, but she is a cadre now.

Which of the small circles in the agency doesn't curl their lips and praise her as amazing when talking about Zhou Miaomiao?

Curling lips means disdain, and praise is also sincere.

How many decades can a person live in this life? If you can truly let go, and have a next family to take over, who cares about those reputations?

Whoever you give it to is fine, the key is you must know what you want. Like Han Lu, that confused worm, it's pathetic to talk about her.

What's even more pathetic is that she chose that idiot Nie Xiaoguang. The two were truly two hundred and fifty gathered together, called five hundred.

It was hard to see Nie Xiaoguang leave, and now another Yu Zhe came. This one didn't look stupid, but he wasn't a good person either; the trouble he caused wasn't small at all.

I don't know what Second Brother was thinking, gathering such reckless people around him.

Walking on the snow, the sound of crunching came from the soles of his feet. After taking a puff of cigarette, Zhao Yajun was also a bit confused.

He didn't know if his thinking was too much, but some thoughts just couldn't help but pop out.

Wang Lu's vision was narrow, and she had encountered few things; she probably didn't understand the style and meaning of Second Brother's way of doing things.

Whether it was Yu Zhe or that Nie Xiaoguang, putting them beside Second Brother really didn't count as anything.

Second Brother could settle Nie Xiaoguang's trouble, so what was Yu Zhe stealing someone's bicycle wheel?

His purpose was also very simple: he liked the little girl, but couldn't chase her, so he came up with a bad way, which was to "happen to" send her home. He didn't think about it; in this era, who didn't treat their bicycle like a treasure? Losing a wheel—how could they let it go?

Besides, the Security Section of the group wasn't eating for free. This courtyard was protected very tightly. Two or three thousand people working in the Liangma River Industrial Zone wouldn't have problems, and a bicycle wheel could just disappear?

Besides, even if they were short of money, they couldn't steal a wheel if they couldn't steal a bicycle. The security personnel in the Security Section were all old hands. As soon as they saw Yu Zhe, they knew something was wrong—no reason to show courtesy, non-rape or theft.

Fine, take him back to the Security Section to ask.

This kid was also honest. He didn't use the Security Section to get serious; he proactively explained everything one by one.

The bicycle wheel wasn't lost either; it was placed on the bicycle shed. He even carefully covered it with a rain cloth.

The little girl had been looking for her bicycle for a long time, and it turned out the wheel was hidden above her head.

The little girl wasn't stupid either. To say this bicycle was lost outside, or parked in some corner and lost, that would be fine, but it could be lost even when parked in a large bicycle shed—it was truly seeing a ghost.

There weren't ten thousand bicycles in this shed, but two or three thousand were there. Why was it her bicycle that was lost?

She didn't even think it was the enthusiastic Yu Zhe who did it at first, until the security personnel found her, and she was so angry.

If you want to date, date; if I didn't take a fancy to you, that's it. How could you unload my bicycle wheel?

Fine, Yu Zhe waited in the Security Section, not taking this matter seriously at all, only saying he wanted to date and was playing around.

But the little girl wouldn't have it, saying he was intentionally retaliating and insisted on not agreeing to withdraw the case.

If she wasn't willing, and wanted to put a hat of indecent behavior on Yu Zhe's head, then Yu Zhe had lived his life.

Handling cases by security personnel wasn't about digging to death. This matter itself didn't have much social harm, and it was mainly criticism and education, at most giving Yu Zhe a beating.

Yu Zhe was, after all, a driver for the small car team, not driving for a leader, but he had a lot of contact with cadres in the agency.

It wasn't that his face was very big, it was just that it wouldn't look good to put such a hat on him.

If they truly did that, then what would the agency's small car team become—a hooligan den?

The Security Section also knew how to behave. They kept Yu Zhe for one night, and for the little girl, they put it aside first, seeing if she would calm down after a few days, and then go talk to her.

Yu Zhe was cleaned up by his sister two days after coming out of the Security Section, and after that, he drove for Li Xuewu.

Now the security personnel in the Security Section were also in a difficult position; they couldn't mess with the Secretary-General's driver. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Yu Zhe had some connections; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken over Nie Xiaoguang's shift.

Nie Xiaoguang had long become a big fool and a big joke in the agency. He didn't drive the small car team well and had to cause trouble.

Not to mention marrying a broken shoe, he also lost his future.

Everyone knew the Secretary-General was going to work in Steel City. Changing drivers at this time, Yu Zhe must be following him.

Think carefully, who would believe that Yu Zhe didn't have the Secretary-General's trust if he could be taken from Beijing to Steel City?

The security personnel in the Security Section were very afraid that the little girl would know about this and misunderstand something. If she truly took it seriously, the one in a difficult position would still be them. After all, young people always had some impulsiveness.

This era lacked everything, but it didn't lack all kinds of people. The little girl wasn't wrong. If she spoke publicly about reason, the Security Section would have to handle it according to the law.

But even if they handled it according to the law, what could they do?

Indecent behavior didn't exist at all. He had the intention to pursue, but he didn't move his hands or feet. To say intentional retaliation, this matter was truly hard to judge; after all, he even proactively wanted to send her home.

Zhou Yao was also angry and almost used theft to define him, but he proactively explained it and didn't damage the bicycle wheel.

So everyone was in a difficult position. The Security Section quietly told Zhou Yao about the case, and Zhou Yao told Li Xuewu directly.

Li Xuewu didn't expect that this kid truly had some skills and hadn't stopped for these few years.

The purpose was only one: to find a partner.

When he was chasing Su Qing, Li Xuewu had been angry once. Among the little girls in the club, he had to stare at Su Qing.

Although he didn't like Su Qing, nor did he approve of Old Biao's handling of feelings like this, it was a complex relationship after all.

For this, Yu Li also suffered his cold shoulder and proactively drove away her younger brother Yu Zhe, forbidding him from harassing Su Qing again.

Two years had passed, and Yu Zhe was still that Yu Zhe.

Zhao Yajun didn't feel it was difficult, but essentially, he represented Li Xuewu. Who would dare to make things difficult for him?

Second Brother placed Nie Xiaoguang and Yu Zhe, two idiots, beside him, and it wasn't without the meaning of planting landmines.

This was also what he didn't want to think about.

As wise as Second Brother, how could he allow people around him to cause him trouble? There must be a purpose.

Second Brother's situation was so difficult a while ago, and Nie Xiaoguang, that idiot, tossed around so much, but no one proactively looked for his trouble.

Why was this?

Because no one dared; it was just that simple.

Second Brother arranged for him to handle Yu Zhe's problem in the car, which was a response to Zhou Yao's "passing the buck."

He wasn't a person in the Security Section, nor was he a cadre in charge of public security; he was in charge of training, so naturally, he had no scruples when speaking.

Wang Lu's narrow-mindedness didn't need to be cared about, it was just that he was thinking about whether Second Brother had other meanings in arranging for him to do things.

Was it testing the Security Section's attitude, or forcing him to move forward and proactively develop in the direction of the Security Section?

Thinking like this, he still felt it was too shallow, but he was certain in his heart that Second Brother's arrangement wouldn't be this simple.

It seemed like falling into a dead cycle. Zhao Yajun scratched his head, truly wanting to hammer Yu Zhe, that bastard, to death.

Who told him to give such a difficult question!

"In-law, drink tea, don't be an outsider."

Liu Yin let them go enthusiastically, waving her hand to signal Li Xue to find peanuts and melon seeds to entertain the guests.

Hearing her be so polite, Zhao Gen and Yin Mancang waved their hands repeatedly: "Big Sister, don't bother, drinking hot water is fine."

"What bother is this? I heard you were coming to visit, so Xuewu specially arranged for people to send them."

Liu Yin sat on the edge of the kang and greeted with a smile: "You don't come often, I only hear his dad say you are all good on the mountain?"

"All quite good, isn't this coming to visit?"

Yin Mancang said with a smile: "Last month I met Xuewu on the mountain, and didn't get to say any family words."

He used the tobacco pouch handed over by the old lady to roll dry tobacco, twisted it, struck a match, and lit it.

This dry tobacco was much stronger than cigarettes. The countryside liked to smoke this kind of dry tobacco, especially the kind grown in their own fields.

No need for a tobacco building to roast, just use the hottest sun to dry it, dry it until it's dry, rub it evenly with hands, and it's done.

Early on, the old lady also liked to smoke this kind of dry tobacco; it was Li Xuewu who changed it to tobacco shreds because she coughed badly in winter.

There were tobacco shreds sold in the capital early on, such as Juxingzhai, a century-old brand, which still existed at this time.

Later generations all said to mix red wine into tobacco shreds, which was quite foreign, but there were also foreign ones decades ago, mixing in gourd seeds.

I won't explain what "gourd seeds" are here, anyway, it's very fragrant to smoke, and there's one called "one mouthful of fragrance."

If you smoke too much, people are finished. That's how the Qing Dynasty ended.

The old lady naturally wouldn't smoke that thing. Medicine was passed down in the family, and she was most clear about the harm of that thing.

The dry tobacco in the tobacco pouch was just to entertain the guests who came today, specially bought by Li Xuecai from the Dong'an Market.

"I've wanted to come visit a long time ago."

Zhao Gen wasn't as eloquent as Yin Mancang. At this moment, arriving at the in-laws' house, he just had a simple smile on his face, appearing honest.

His expression wasn't restrained. In this era, in-laws were considered real relatives; "half a son" wasn't called for nothing.

It wasn't that he didn't want to come early on, it was that he was embarrassed to come.

Even when his daughter brought things home, he would get angry, and he wouldn't give his daughter a face to come to the in-laws' to beg for autumn wind.

Countryside people had their own backbone. Everyone envied him for having a good in-law, but he didn't treat the in-law as a bank.

This time coming to the in-laws' house to visit was the fourth year of his daughter's marriage, and it was only when the family had hope that he dared to come.

Liu Yin saw him like this and said with a slightly complaining tone: "Proper relatives, only you are an outsider."

"Hahaha—" Zhao Gen smiled and said: "The family was truly busy these past few years, truly busy."

"Big Brother knows, he can see it on the mountain these past few years." Yin Mancang said with a smile: "Spring, summer, autumn, and winter, there's no time when he isn't busy, just counting on that bit of land to raise people well."

"Farmer, if you don't count on the land, what do you count on?"

Zhao Gen smiled and looked at the old lady and said: "Counting on children, we are young, isn't that letting people see a joke."

"You are capable, with old and young." The old lady nodded and asked with a smile: "Is the harvest good this year?"

"It's okay, God doesn't play tricks on people."

Zhao Gen took a puff of cigarette and introduced: "The brigade and small team are engaged in agricultural income generation, not just counting on the harvest in the fields."

The old lady nodded, understanding, although she didn't quite understand, she also knew that they were living well.

Yin Mancang saw that neither the old lady nor Liu Yin understood, so he proactively explained: "These two years, every family raising chickens and ducks has earned money, and dogs and rabbits have also had no small income."

"Yes, this is okay." The old lady understood, looked at the direction of the backyard outside the window, and said: "There used to be chickens and rabbits raised in this courtyard, but now they are all cleared away."

"We aren't that strict there."

Yin Mancang glanced at his brother-in-law Zhao Gen and wasn't willing to chat more on this topic. The reason was very simple: the poultry and rabbits raised by every family in Red Star Commune were all over the number.

How was that red line marked?

More than three is the tail of capitalism, and it has to be cut off.

It was just that Red Star Village was high in the mountains and far away, and he, as the person in charge, dared to do it, and had a stable channel for export, so how could this life not be good?

It wasn't that he was afraid of the in-laws being jealous, it was just that he was afraid the old lady and Liu Yin would treat this as excitement and pass it on, and then invite trouble.

They dared to say these words here because they looked at the in-laws. If they truly went elsewhere, who would dare to babble?

"I heard it's not that evil now. Has the road up the mountain started to be repaired?"

Liu Yin heard his caution, proactively changed the topic, and asked: "It's not easy to go up and down the mountain."

"It's being repaired, it's always being repaired."

Yin Mancang nodded and introduced: "It's just for convenience and saving labor and materials, it's repaired from the mountain down."

"Only these two years when conditions were good did we dare to mention repairing the road." He also said with great emotion: "If it were before, it wouldn't be safe to go down the mountain when it rained. How many years have we lived like this."

"Isn't that so? I heard the family is going to build a brick and tile house?" Liu Yin looked at Zhao Gen and asked: "Is it starting construction in the spring next year, or before the autumn harvest?"

"Thinking about it, it's after May 1st. It has to be after the work in the fields is finished." Zhao Gen introduced with a smile: "The second kid and the third kid are not studying anymore, and they are about to set their marriage."

"Yes, the third one isn't studying either?"

Liu Yin had heard that the second child of the in-laws wasn't studying, but didn't expect the third one to come down too.

Zhao Gen thought of his eldest daughter and shook his head helplessly: "After all, he isn't that piece of material."

"Alright, it's good to help at home."

Yin Mancang knew his brother-in-law was hoping for a scholar in the family, but how could one force this kind of thing?

With Zhao Yafang setting the example in front, from Zhao Yajun down, none of the children in the Zhao family didn't bear pressure.

The eldest sister could take the exam, what were they lacking?

To say the family conditions were difficult before and they couldn't afford to study, that was understandable. Now, it wasn't difficult to support students.

But the situation was that the family wasn't difficult now. When there was no money, several children learned by comparing, but after having money, their minds were all alive, especially since so many units came to the mountain.

Although the traffic down the mountain wasn't convenient, the unit's security supply and personnel commuting were still there.

Every time someone came down the mountain, they would bring some new atmosphere, and the villagers' mentality was also changing.

The elderly were still okay, but the young people couldn't sit still and all wanted to run to the city, even if it was marrying into the family.

Actually, these young people didn't think about it. Now the young people in the city all had to be driven to the countryside; where could they pick up a bargain?

Young people's minds were alive, and they couldn't be persuaded. Influenced by the situation, many didn't study after coming out of school.

Young people in the city could still mess around after coming out of school, eating their father's, but where did the young people in the countryside have this comfort?

As long as they didn't want to starve, they had to earn work points. If they were lazy and slippery, they would have to pay the brigade money at the end of the year, starving them to death.

Just counting on the work points earned by parents at home, let alone pork, they couldn't even eat offal at the end of the year.

So at this time in the countryside, they often had to work in the fields at thirteen or fourteen, half-studying and half-farming.

If they truly had ability, were a good material for reading, then the family could consider it.

If they truly weren't, go work in the fields early. Why study? Isn't studying expensive?

Zhao Gen had five children. The eldest Zhao Yafang and the second Zhao Yajun were considered to have stood in the city.

The third Zhao Yamin didn't envy his eldest sister, but envied his second brother. Because he knew he didn't have his eldest sister's ability and couldn't take the exam, but he hoped he also had his second brother's luck.

Zhao Yamin knew too well how his second brother walked out of the big mountain and was able to work at Red Star Factory. Wasn't it taken care of by Li family's second brother?

Even his second brother was taken care of, could he be worse?

After coming out of school, he was waiting for Li family's second brother to come to the mountain, so he could curry favor.

It was just that Li family's second brother hadn't come once in two years. How could he wait? His dad couldn't wait either.

If you say you want to go down the mountain to find Li family's second brother yourself, he thought about it, but he had to be able to get a letter of introduction from his aunt's husband.

Do you think the countryside children want to go wherever they want at this time? Without a letter of introduction, they couldn't even buy a ticket.

Waiting and not coming, waiting and not coming, he was thinking about his eldest sister or eldest sister's husband coming once, but his eldest sister and her husband rarely came home because of children and work.

The few times they came, it was his eldest sister's husband who came. He wanted to mention it, but never got the chance.

It was last year during the New Year, his eldest sister's husband came to send New Year gifts, and he caught the chance and said his heart's words.

He didn't know how it happened, but before his eldest sister's husband could answer, he was called away by his dad.

Actually, he didn't know that his eldest sister's husband was also in a difficult position at that time.

Because at that time, Li Xuewu himself didn't know how to fix it. His work had no landing, and he was hiding in the First Supervision Office for peace.

Saying he was hiding for peace, wasn't it just fearing being liquidated?

The little brother-in-law came to beg him, and he was both embarrassed and in a difficult position.

If you say he had no ability, there were many cadres in the family, eating and drinking without worry, life without worry.

If you say he had ability, the eldest brother was in such a situation, how could he open his mouth to his younger brother and sister?

It was fine for him to be comfortable, but to truly help the little brother-in-law, it had to be his younger brother and sister.

The third little brother-in-law mentioned this matter, let alone the father-in-law calling him away, even if he didn't see him calling him, he couldn't answer.

It was truly the father-in-law's duty. Calling him away only said a few words and didn't say anything else; it was actually blocking Zhao Yamin's words.

Zhao Gen beat Zhao Yamin severely afterward, beating him for having no face, having hands and feet but counting on others. Beating him for being high-minded, having today wasn't enough, and still being jealous of his second brother.

If he truly had ability, go take the exam yourself. He would sell the pot and iron to support him, but climbing relatives wasn't allowed.

Zhao Yamin was beaten, the fire of entering the factory was extinguished, but a knot was left in his heart. Not only was he not close to his eldest sister, but he didn't even pay attention to his second brother.

This was anger, and also jealousy.

Angry that his eldest sister didn't love him, jealous of his second brother's good life.

If he were the second, he should have received this care, go to the city to work, and marry a rich and powerful wife.

So after a year, Zhao Yamin looked mature, but he just kept his head down and didn't speak, very stubborn.

What could Zhao Gen do? He was a big guy, couldn't be beaten out, couldn't be scolded awake, and didn't bother to pay attention to him.

However, he also made it clear to his son: be angry at his eldest sister, be jealous of his second brother, if he had ability, just do it.

Anyway, his eldest sister and second brother wouldn't count on him to live, and they wouldn't lack this younger brother.

By then, think for himself, whether his eldest sister and second brother could take care of him, or whether they couldn't do without him.

These words couldn't be more straightforward. Zhao Yamin was young and vigorous, just couldn't figure it out. This point, the fourth Zhao Yating was very transparent.

The third brother's example was right in front of his eyes, his father was already angry and wanted to take out the family's savings for two years to build a house.

Hadn't money been saved long ago? After that big fire, clearly a new house was built, why build a house again?

Because they wanted to divide the family.

Who would divide out, who would support the elderly, was already very obvious.

Zhao Yating also envied life in the city, but he knew this envy couldn't be forced, and still had to look at the things in front of him.

Family conditions were good, work hard for a few years, no worry about marrying a wife, even less worry about living a good life.

Even bicycles that city people couldn't afford, their family could afford now, so what was there to be stubborn about?

"Really want to divide the children out to live alone?"

At noon, not only did Li Xuewu bring the whole family back, but Li Shun, who was visiting relatives outside, also came back.

Li Shun had a talk with his second son after returning to the capital, and father and son chatted for more than two hours in the backyard.

The family didn't know what the father and son said. Anyway, Li Shun didn't go to the mountain again after that.

What he said to the family and the unit was handling family affairs, but what big things were there in the family counting on him to handle?

Li Xuecai had a broken mouth, saying his dad was hiding his light, not willing to let people be jealous after having achievements on the mountain.

And then?

Li Shun started to tidy up the third son.

Not only did he have to examine his son's basic skills every day, but he also had to write the medical cases in the internship process for analysis.

Li Xuecai was tied up, his good life of wandering for a year ended completely, and he became his dad's driver and secretary.

Li Shun changed from his previous wooden and conservative self, going to the unit from time to time to turn around, looking at old colleagues and old friends.

Then he ran to major pharmacies and drugstores in the capital, organizing and collecting some folk prescriptions.

Zhao Yufeng, who was serving as the general manager of the Red Star Steel Group's Baicaotang United Pharmaceutical General Company, had invited him to dinner twice, seemingly discussing some things.

Li Shun was busy with these things recently, and the research institute on the mountain had been entrusted to his deputy for management and operation.

Everything is valuable in this era, only craftsmanship is not valuable.

Having convenience, Li Shun took his son today to visit several old traditional Chinese medicine doctors, the kind that could be called holy hands.

Calling it seeking or discussing, being able to drum these people together and turn precious experience into text was urgent.

Li Xuewu didn't want his dad to be trapped on the mountain, and even less wanted those intrigues to hurt his dad's heart.

That day in the backyard, he asked his dad clearly whether he liked doing research on the mountain or loved the cause of traditional Chinese medicine.

Li Shun could say anything, but he also understood his son's meaning. He couldn't let his son ask him clearly whether he was reluctant to part with the power of the research institute on the mountain or sincerely hoped to research Chinese herbal medicine.

This question pointed directly to the original heart. It was somewhat disrespectful for his son to say it, but it also woke him up.

Zhao Yufeng served as the general manager of the medical company, and the research institute on the mountain was within his line of sight.

It was hard to say how it was in the hospital of traditional Chinese medicine before, but now Li Shun's management ability and research ability were somewhat insufficient.

He shouldn't make things difficult for others; it was better to quit while he was ahead.

Li Shun held many prescriptions and folk remedies in his hand. If he could summarize the holy hand medical skills, he would be transcendent.

The traditional Chinese medicine industry, no one dared to say they were number one.

You say you are a family of traditional Chinese medicine, no one will provoke you. If you say you are number one in the world, then tomorrow someone will carry a dead person to you and let you treat them.

Li Shun also figured it out, and even looked at his youngest son with displeasure; he hadn't made any progress in the past half year.

It was just that his driving skills were better.

Just right, let his youngest son drive him to visit everywhere and exchange experience, which was also an opportunity for his son to learn.

Today was going out to handle this matter, knowing the in-laws were here, he rushed back at noon.

Zhao Gen and Yin Mancang only knew Li Shun hadn't been on the mountain for two months, and were thinking about coming down to see.

Seeing Li Xuewu's whole family accompanying them, they had special light on their faces and drank wine loudly.

The Li family treated the in-laws with a solid foundation. The whole family couldn't sit down, so they ate at the recycling

He had gone out today specifically to handle this matter; knowing his in-laws had arrived, he had hurried back by noon.

Zhao Gen and Yin Mancang only knew that Li Shun hadn't been up the mountain for two months, so they were concerned and came down to see him.

Seeing Li Xuewu's whole family back to keep them company, they felt particularly proud and were much louder while drinking.

The Li family was willing to spend money to entertain their in-laws; since the whole family couldn't fit at one table, they ate over here at the recycling station.

Sha Zhu didn't go out today and took the initiative to help prepare the banquet, which made Zhao Gen and Yin Mancang even more excited.

"If we don't split them up, what are we supposed to do? The children are all grown."

Zhao Gen had been drinking and became more talkative. He called Li Shun "Big Brother," and the two in-laws sat together and started chatting.

"If the third one were just less troublesome, I wouldn't have to worry."

He said helplessly, "The old man and the old woman are visibly aging; how could I bear to put them through any more turmoil?"

"But a grown child is no longer under their mother's control. If things keep going on like this, it will be me, the father, who is in the wrong."

"Sigh, it will be better when they're older."

Seeing that his brother-in-law had drunk too much and was speaking a bit too bluntly, Yin Mancang picked up his wine glass and offered some advice.

Zhao Gen was also feeling sentimental; after drinking, he looked at the three Li sons at the table and said enviously, "Big Brother is truly blessed."

"Heh, it looks fine now, but it was infuriating before." Li Shun glanced at his youngest son, and only after seeing him get up to pour more wine did he shift his gaze back to his in-law and say modestly, "Even if they do move out, it will have to wait until after they're married."

"That's what I'm thinking too." Zhao Gen nodded and explained, "I'm thinking of finding matches for the third and fourth ones this year. If there really are suitable ones, they can all get married next year once the houses are built."

"The fourth one is a bit young; let him grow a little more."

Li Shun would never have said this in the past, but over the last two years, he had received so much help from his in-laws on the mountain that they had become truly close.

Zhao Gen shook his head helplessly and said, "The reason I want them to get married at the same time isn't for any other reason; I just want the fourth one to move out and live his own life."

"The fourth one is moving out?"

Yin Mancang seemed to be hearing this decision from his brother-in-law for the first time and asked in surprise, "Not the third one?"

"How could I possibly feel at ease with the third one in that state?" Zhao Gen put down his wine glass, sighed, and said, "The fourth one is more capable of living a proper life. If he moves out and lives well, he won't do too badly."

Seeing him say this, Li Shun couldn't help but think of his own family; truly, the hearts of parents are pitiful everywhere.

Back then, when he decided to "chase" his second son out to live on his own, it was even before the second one was married.

At this moment, he naturally wouldn't say anything about how, if not for his decisiveness back then, his second son wouldn't be this independent now.

In truth, Li Shun hadn't wanted to let him go back then either, wanting to follow his eldest daughter-in-law's wishes and have them move out to live alone.

It was just that he had spent those two days agonizing and unable to sleep, but in the end, he still decided to let the second one go.

Now everyone is doing well, and harmony in the family brings prosperity to everything; if things had gone poorly back then, it wouldn't have been convenient for him to look after the second one.

If the second one hadn't been able to secure a good job back then, or if he had been slacking off at work, someone would have had to provide a safety net for him.

Is it better to live with the eldest son and take care of the second, or live with the second and make it difficult for the eldest to take care of him?

Every family has its own difficult scriptures to recite, and this is how it is.

At their table, there were not only the three Li sons but also the eldest son of the in-laws; Zhao Yajun had also come to visit today.

Li Xuewu had told him to come back yesterday, and Zhao Yajun wouldn't have dared not to. He felt awkward talking to his eldest sister here, so he just chatted with his eldest brother-in-law.

How could Li Xuewen not see his brother-in-law's awkwardness? It was just that he didn't like ineffective chatter, and he was also quite annoyed by it.

In the end, it was Zhao Yafang who couldn't stand it anymore; she walked over and gave her younger brother a slap on the back that was neither too light nor too heavy.

Zhao Yajun grimaced from the hit, but in the end, he laughed—a laugh of relief and release.

Naturally, Zhao Yafang wouldn't lecture him in front of her uncle-in-law and father, but she did scold him a few times.

Wang Lu stood to the side just smiling and watching the fun; in any case, her eldest sister-in-law wouldn't scold her.

At the dinner table, when Zhao Yajun heard his father mention the matter of splitting the family, his expression became somewhat troubled.

He had also heard about his younger brother distancing himself from him and complaining about his eldest brother-in-law. During that time, he had gone home twice and secretly tried to give money to his third brother, but the third brother hadn't taken it.

The two brothers were also feeling awkward; this might just be the growing pains of life. In the past, how could there have been such a rift between the two brothers? Even if they had argued and thrown punches, they would have made up right afterward.

Now? The older they get, the more troublesome things become.

"What is Yafang's current position?"

Seeing the low atmosphere at the dinner table, Yin Mancang took the initiative to ask about the "power content" of his eldest niece's job at the kang table.

He was a village cadre, and this was what he cared about most.

Zhao Yafang smiled and introduced, "I don't have much of a position; I just serve as the deputy director in the Teaching and Research Office."

"That's a deputy section-level position then." Yin Mancang was extremely sensitive to this and said with a smile, "It's no worse than a commune director."

"How can you compare it like that? Mine is a school."

Zhao Yafang said with a smile, "The commune has tens of thousands, over a hundred thousand people to manage; mine is just a nominal position."

"Hey, it's not bad at all—"

Yin Mancang happily drank a cup of wine and said to the others at the table, "If Yafang really came to work at the commune, being a director would be more than enough for her."

"With you in the commune, where would I have the opportunity to go back?"

Zhao Yafang also knew how to joke; her words both flattered her uncle-in-law for his advancement to a position in the commune and showed modesty about herself.

Yin Mancang was naturally pleased and teased his niece's husband at the table, saying, "Xuewen, aren't you a cadre too?"

"My cadre status is long gone." Li Xuewen picked up his wine glass to toast him and said with a smile, "But I do hold a seal."

"A sesame-seed-sized official, and you still hold a seal."

Zhao Yafang also joked, "Wait until you work as hard as the second brother before you say that."

"My eldest brother has a universe of knowledge in his belly; how could I compare?" Li Xuewu picked up his wine glass, smiled, and looked at his sister-in-law as he said, "Dean Xia of our Group Research Institute said that one Li Xuewen is worth twenty university graduates."

"Hehe—" Hearing this, Wang Lu couldn't help but laugh out loud, because those were the exact words her eldest uncle had said.

"My eldest uncle says my eldest brother-in-law's thinking is progressive; it's not just that he teaches at Huaqing, he also serves as a researcher at the institute."

She took the initiative to introduce him to her father-in-law and uncle-in-law, her tone filled with pride, truly treating Li Xuewen like an eldest brother.

"This is a good thing; Xuewen is just too lazy."

Yin Mancang picked up his wine glass, pointed at Li Xuewen, and said, "With Xuewen's brain, he should have been a cadre long ago."

In truth, Li Xuewu had long wanted his eldest brother to take a concurrent position at the research institute, even if it was just to lead some students.

His eldest brother had found it troublesome and didn't want to go, but later, who knows how it happened, he went anyway.

He didn't know that Li Xuewen being able to take a part-time job at the research institute was actually due to the stimulation from his brother-in-law. Who told him, as the eldest brother-in-law, that he had no ability? If he had ability, wouldn't he have been able to take care of his in-laws?

He wouldn't say these inner thoughts out loud, just smiled at the dinner table.

"The fourth one isn't studying anymore, but the fifth one's studies are very good."

When the topic turned to school again, Yin Mancang praised, "She has that same drive as her eldest sister; she is single-mindedly determined to get into university."

In this day and age, rural areas also know that university entrance exams are no longer possible; the end of schooling is high school, or even middle school.

However, there is one exception, and that is factory-run educational institutions, which are considered highly desirable in this era.

Large factories or enterprises with the resources will run their own schools, and there are quite a few like the Red Star Steel Group that run vocational training colleges; they are considered the ultimate goal for students currently.

Yin Mancang had his own purpose in bringing this up; he felt sorry for his little niece. He looked at his brother-in-law and said, "With Yapin's grades, she should be sent to the city to go to school."

"It's not convenient; it's the same everywhere."

Zhao Gen didn't respond to his brother-in-law's words; although he also felt sorry for his daughter, he hadn't made such arrangements.

Send her to the city? Not to mention how troublesome the paperwork is—with household registration and school transfers—where would the eldest girl live?

Their family has resources now, but that is only relatively speaking.

Zhao Yajun and Wang Lu's family could accommodate the younger sister, but this sister-in-law would be living with her brother and sister-in-law, and they are newlyweds.

Furthermore, this house wasn't even bought by their own family; how could Zhao Gen have the nerve, and he couldn't bring himself to ask.

When Zhao Yajun heard this, he actually thought about it too; if his sister really wanted to come to the city to go to school, he could take care of her.

But what would Wang Lu think?

Wang Lu wasn't afraid of trouble, but she was afraid of not being able to take good care of her sister-in-law; after all, a girl of this age is the most troublesome.

The sister-in-law is well-behaved and sensible, but she has also reached the age of blooming youth. They both work in the factory and are busy; if they neglect her even once, it might lead to resentment, and she wouldn't be able to live with herself.

Zhao Yafang understood the dilemma of her brother and sister-in-law and took the initiative to say, "Yapin can come live with me; it just so happens I can tutor her in her studies."

"No, no, there's no need."

Zhao Gen glared at his daughter and refused directly, "Your uncle-in-law just mentioned it, why would she come to the city to go to school?"

He thought to himself, she's living with her mother-in-law, and she's going to bring her sister-in-law to live at home?

It's not like she's without a father or mother; it's just school, why make it so precious?

Yin Mancang was also genuinely feeling sorry for his niece because she was such a bright student; if her studies weren't truly excellent, he wouldn't have opened his mouth.

"What's so difficult about this? She can live at my place." Seeing the atmosphere cooling, Li Xuewu spoke up with a smile, "I'll be going to work in Steel City in a few days, and I'm not at ease with fewer people at home."

He looked at Zhao Gen and said, "Old Uncle, you'll have to handle the transfer paperwork yourself, but I can help with getting her into the United School."

"But if she lives at my place, she won't have the luxury of being tutored by a university teacher, and she might even have to help look after the children."

(End of chapter)