On the phone, he seemed to hear his nephew, Little Coconut, say again: He has never met his uncle since he was born, and he just happens to have eight days of annual leave this time.

It's a good time to go back. We'll be passing through Jiang City in Nan Province on the way, so shall we go back?

Thinking of this, Zheng Dao took out his phone from his coat pocket, regardless of how late it was.

He's not one to be coy or hesitant.

The phone rang briefly after I dialed it.

"Hey, Shi An, you're on vacation starting tomorrow. You have ten days to go back to your hometown in Northeast China, see your parents and family, and then come back to work."

"No, boss, didn't you say you were on duty during the Spring Festival?" On the phone, Zhao Shi'an, still half asleep, thought there was some urgent mission.

He jumped out of bed to answer the phone, but after listening to the captain's words, he realized that the 1.9-meter-tall man was a bit simple-minded and quite helpless.

Is this all you're talking about? What's the captain up to? What time is it? And can't we talk about the holiday changes tomorrow morning?

Because of the previous incident in Guangzhou, Black Eagle Gang has gone into hiding again and is no longer so blatant.

Therefore, everyone in the task force will have eight to ten days of vacation this year, but everyone will take turns resting.

“I’m not on duty this year. My nephew misses me, so I’m going back home for the Spring Festival.” Zheng Dao was very direct, and when he didn’t hear the person on the phone, he sounded a little complaining.

"Boss, you're not human..." Zhao Shi'an looked at the phone that had already been hung up, angry but dared not speak, but still kicked the bed leg with his foot.

He had already arranged with his wife that he would accompany her back to her parents' home on the second day of the Lunar New Year, as it would be a lively time during the Spring Festival.

Can't our captain, this thirty-year-old man, understand a thing or two about human nature?

He insists he's only 29 years old, but someone without a wife probably wouldn't understand.

Isn't it always the team leader on duty on New Year's Eve?

The excuse that his nephew missed him is definitely a lie; there's something fishy going on.

He's a nephew, not a biological son, and every time the eldest son's family calls, his nephew always says the same thing!

——

The next morning at six o'clock, Chen Xihua and Chen Xiaoliu got up early and went for a run.

I drove from the western district all the way northeast to the northern new district of the county, and then drove back. It took more than an hour. On the second half of the journey, I walked slowly and didn't get home until eight o'clock.

"Fifth sister, I feel like you've changed."

"Xiao Liu, how have I changed?" Chen Xihua asked, feigning ignorance.

She couldn't help but admire Chen Xiaoliu's thoughtfulness and insight.

She truly felt relieved, as if she had been freed from shackles, and that she had finally integrated herself into the group.

Chen Xiaoliu was a little smug: "I won't tell you, but I already know."

"You deserve a beating!" Chen Xihua pretended to hit someone.

Well, whether Chen Xiaoliu is good or bad, as his younger brother, he's already prepared to be controlled by her forever.

If I get the urge to beat him up, I'll do it first.

"Fifth sister, you're a girl, don't just hit people all the time." Chen Xiaoliu deliberately gave a slightly disgusted look, then ran into the house.

Chen Xihua laughed in exasperation; Chen Xiaoliu didn't seem so afraid of her anymore.

——

After having breakfast, Chen Xihua and her older sister went to Fanghua Garment Factory.

When they arrived at the factory gate, Li Shisheng had just returned from another province.

He said to Chen Xihua, both excited and a little scared, "Xihua, thank goodness you kept reminding us to stay with the convoy when we drive. We almost got robbed this time. In front of my car and Shengli's car, a truck was robbed of everything, and the driver was even beaten up."

"Are you all alright?" Chen Xihua suddenly felt a pang of anxiety. It was nearing the end of the year, and this was the time when such a situation was most likely to occur.

“It’s alright. After this run, we’ll just wait for the next quarter. Besides, Li Shengli and I always set off together. Every day around six o’clock in the evening, we don’t rush. On a certain section of the road, we’ll wait for a few passing trucks and travel together.” Li Shisheng was already very experienced.

In addition, Chen Xihua previously emphasized that safety must be taken into account on the road, with personal safety being the most important, while the safety of trucks and cargo is secondary.

"That's good. Your little girl can call people now, right?" Chen Xihua asked casually. Shi Sheng and Xiao Lan had a daughter a year ago.

I heard that Grandpa Zhang took care of her when she was six months old.

Both husband and wife work at Fanghua Company. Shi Shengge has no elders in his family, and Village Chief Li of Shanghe Village is his great-uncle, so he doesn't want to bother him.

Just then, Grandpa Zhang said he could help take care of the baby, so the couple brought Grandpa Zhang to live with them in their newly bought house in the northern part of the county, where he would help take care of the little girl.

The small workshop in Zhangjia Village has been handed over to another person in the village for management.

Grandpa Zhang now spends his days taking care of his great-granddaughter and is very happy.

“Yes, Niu Niu was the first to call me Dad, and your sister Xiao Lan was angry for two days.” Li Shisheng said when Chen Xihua mentioned his daughter.

His eyes were full of tenderness and love, with a hint of boastfulness.

"Okay. Next time, you only need to deliver goods to Hunan and Anhui provinces, and then return directly via the same route. You don't need to detour through the vicinity of Hebei province again."

As for the goods sent from the provincial capital of the southern province to Haishi, I will have Director Yang from the provincial capital arrange for another vehicle to deliver them this year.

Chen Xihua recalled that before returning from Guangdong Province, the policewoman had reminded her of something: In the past two years, the roads around Hebei Province have been under construction and are not easy to travel.

Although she didn't know why the policewoman would mention that, she understood, so she had to emphasize it solemnly.

"Okay," Li Shisheng replied earnestly.

Chen Xihua only stayed at Fanghua Company for a little over an hour before heading to Old Man Qin's house.

Chen Chunhua will be very busy at the end of the year. She needs to quickly sort out the accounts, as the company's year-end summary meeting is in a few days.

——

Just as it was ten o'clock, Chen Xihua hurriedly walked in.

"Teacher, Master Chang from Beijing said I have extraordinary talent and wants me to become his disciple so he can teach me a couple of moves."

"Heh, you call yourself extraordinary? You've got too hard a bone and want to get beaten up." Old Qin's eyebrows twitched, and he gave Chen Xihua a disapproving look.

"Sixth Brother, write two characters and show them to your Fifth Sister so she can see how much you've improved compared to her."

"Okay." Chen Baohua raised an eyebrow and glanced at her fifth sister, then picked up her pen and wrote the poem in one go.

Although it lacks strength, it's already quite impressive.

"Not bad, Xiao Liu. This semester, you've been practicing calligraphy at your teacher's house all weekend." Chen Xihua felt that calligraphy was not something that could be mastered overnight.

You definitely need to practice a lot to see results. Xiao Liu's handwriting looks like he's put in some effort.

"Yes, Xiao Liu is very serious. You should catch up on your studies during this time."

Old Qin already knew that Elder Chang had given Chen Xihua some pointers. He added, "A scholar should be looked at with new eyes after three days of separation. Practice hard, and when you return to Beijing next semester, don't let people laugh at you and embarrass me."

"Okay, I'll add it. Sister Huizhu, aren't you coming today?" Chen Xihua noticed that an extra desk had been added to Old Man Qin's living room, presumably for Miao Huizhu.

A while ago, I was rushing to take final exams and then rushing back.

Today is her second day back in the county. Chen Xihua hasn't contacted Miao Huizhu for some time.

"Didn't she tell you? Huizhu went back to Haishi, saying she was going to find her 'good friend' and settle accounts." Old Qin said with a somewhat helpless expression.

Of the two female students he took in, Chen Xiaowu was one of them. He pretended to be innocent on the surface, but he was actually quite cunning and mischievous.

However, the other one, Miao Huizhu, appears to be a gentle and intelligent lady, but her true nature is revealed as soon as she speaks.

Often, I'm careless and don't think things through. I'm also not very shrewd, so I deserved to be bullied before.

"Oh? Sister Huizhu found a solution?" Chen Xihua asked with some suspicion.

"She'll be back in a couple of days, you can ask her then." Old Man Qin wasn't entirely sure either, but Miao Huizhu looked very confident when she left.