Chapter 216 Visiting Director Liu's Home for the New Year

"If it weren't for Uncle Liu and Aunt Yang, I would have been ruined by the Wang family long ago. I will never forget their kindness. As for that incident, I'll just pretend it never happened."

"Yes, that's how you should think. Come in and sit down, Xiao Nian has been talking about you for days."

As soon as she entered, Liu Xiaonian pulled her into the side bedroom, her eyes filled with tears, and apologized frantically. She even opened the wardrobe and said that she had thrown away all the princess dresses that someone had given her.

"So many princess dresses, not to mention how much they're worth, those are your favorites, are you really willing to throw them away?"

“I was reluctant to part with them, but every time I saw them, I would think of what Uncle Yun’s family wanted to do for you, and my heart would feel heavy. Wearing them would make me feel even worse, so I just threw them all away. I cried for a few days, but once the swelling in my eyes went down, I was fine.”

Yun Xia knew Liu Xiaonian's personality well. She was a little spoiled and fantasized about being a princess, but she also had a chivalrous spirit and was the type to repay kindness and avenge wrongs.

"Out with the old, in with the new. Once you get to college, find a part-time job and earn your own money to buy it!"

"Hehe, that's what I thought too. I haven't even graduated yet, and when I walk down the street, talent scouts come up to me and ask if I want to take photos and become a model. Ten yuan a photo, it's super easy to make money. Unfortunately, my parents gave me a strict order that I'm not allowed to do any part-time jobs before I go to university."

Talent scout? Model? Ten yuan a picture?

Admittedly, Liu Xiaonian is good-looking, with fair skin, smooth face, long eyelashes, big eyes, a straight nose, and pouty lips. She has no problem going for a cute and energetic girl style.

However, they are simple-minded, cannot see through people's hearts, and are easily deceived.

"Xiao Nian, don't think I'm being pessimistic, but I'm just warning you. There are a lot of scammers who use the guise of talent scouts to lure a bunch of pretty girls, trick them into signing contracts, and then... force them to take indecent photos. If they don't take them, they have to pay thousands or tens of thousands in breach of contract fees."

"Huh? In a society governed by the rule of law, this shouldn't happen, right?"

They've been too well protected, always looking on the bright side of everything. "Subscribe to a copy of 'Today's Talk' Morning News, or go to a used bookstore and buy all the old issues from the past few years. After reading them, I guarantee it will boost your anti-fraud awareness..."

Little fan Liu Xiaonian nodded and said seriously, "Okay, I will read every report carefully, analyze the bait thrown out by the scammers, and the psychological process of the victims being deceived."

Wow, that tone, that posture, that attitude... it gives off a Legal Beauty vibe!

The two chatted for a while longer, and somehow the conversation turned to the pressure of studying in their senior year of high school. They talked and talked until their lips were dry.

"Xiao Nian, Xia Xia, come out and wash your hands for dinner. A friend sent some sausages, come and try them."

Upon hearing this, the two stopped talking and hurriedly came out. After washing their hands, they sat down at the table to eat. At this moment, the iron door creaked open, and Director Liu, carrying a briefcase, walked in. When he saw Yun Xia at the table, he was stunned for a moment, and then... awkwardly turned his head away, pretending to look for something.

"Uncle Liu, it's been a long time."

The world is bustling with activity, all for profit. Yun Jianfeng brought many benefits to him and his wife, so it was only natural that he stood on his side. Now that the dust has settled, those disgusting people should go back to Nancheng. Yun Xia has no grudge against Director Liu's family.

With a single sentence, she diffused all his embarrassment, hung up her briefcase, and replied with a smile, "Yes, it's been a long time since I've seen you."

"The workload in senior year is heavy. Jiang Chao forces me to do test papers every day. I don't even have time to go out and play."

With a rebellious senior high school student at home, Director Liu finally opened up, and a barrage of scolding remarks poured out from the dinner table.

“Dad, I’m not as disobedient as you say. I haven’t missed a single tutoring class, and I always complete the tests and homework assigned by the teacher on time and in a serious manner. In my spare time, I make clothes for the kids to relieve their boredom. How did you come to think that I’m not doing my job properly?”

“Uncle Liu, that’s not right of you. You’re always pushing yourself too hard and only know how to study. That will cause big problems. You need to have some hobbies to relieve stress. My friend loves to make desserts, An’an paints, Jiang Chao plays with clocks, and I research new recipes. Everyone is like that, it’s not just Xiao Nian.”

It feels so good to have someone chime in. Liu Xiaonian glanced at her father defiantly, then put a big pork knuckle on Yun Xia's plate. "Eat up. You're my best friend. When you come to my house, make yourself at home."

Yunxia, ​​who only wants to drink meatball soup: Listen to me, thank you. Because of you, the fattening atmosphere of the New Year has increased even more.

"Thank you. Your bowl is empty. Here, have a big piece of braised pork."

There were only four fist-sized pieces of braised pork on the plate, 80% fat and 20% lean. Yunxia directly put two large pieces on her plate. She admitted that there was an element of revenge in this action.

Liu Xiaonian pouted, picked up a piece of fatty meat the size of a mung bean with a wronged expression, and swallowed it with a pained look on her face. "Dad, Mom, the meat is so delicious. Here, have one each."

Good things should be shared, right? Anyway, if I can't finish what's in my bowl, I can give it to Xiaoguai. This resulted in a lot of leftovers today, because... I ate too much greasy fatty meat and didn't have the appetite for anything else.

Before leaving, Aunt Xu handed over a large red envelope, but the girl said that she had grown up and no longer needed New Year's money.

"Xiaxia, no matter how old you are, you're still a child in your aunt's eyes. Besides... well, let's not talk about those things. Just think of it as your uncle and aunt feeling bad and wanting to make it up to you."

Her words implied that refusing the red envelope would make it seem like the matter was far from over. The girl smiled sweetly, accepted the red envelope, said a few words of gratitude, and left with her basket.

When he got home, he saw Jiang Chao sitting at the door washing hawthorns. He thought to himself that Chestnut Village was so far away, yet he had returned earlier than him. It was clear that... he hadn't stayed for lunch at all, and had left after burning the paper money.

"Hey, how can they be so rude as to not invite you to lunch?"

"Hehe, they didn't even open the gate, afraid of having anything to do with me. I came back after burning paper money at Dad's grave."

Egoists will fawn over anyone who benefits them, and will stay as far away as possible from anyone who harms them. The Jiang family in Chestnut Village is a prime example of this.

"Sigh, if we were enemies in a past life, we'll be relatives in this one. Let's just ignore it. Hey, where did all these hawthorns come from?"

"On the way back, I met an old man carrying a load on a shoulder pole. I used the money I had returned to buy the hawthorns in his basket. Here, I've washed them all. You can have the rest."

Yunxia: ...What the hell? Leave everything to me!

"It weighs 180 pounds! Are you trying to kill me with exhaustion?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chao's lips curled up slightly, and he said, "Yunxia, ​​you now have two choices: either finish this pile of hawthorns, or... go back to your room and do five test papers."

The girl, who had been taken advantage of, pouted, put down her basket, and said angrily, "It's just a hundred or two hundred pounds of hawthorns. I'm an invincible strongman, what am I afraid of?"

After saying that, he washed his hands, rolled up his sleeves, and got to work. He removed the seeds, chopped the ingredients, boiled them until they were soft, mashed them into a paste, sifted out the impurities, simmered them over low heat until they became thick, let them cool, spread them on plastic wrap, and waited for time to settle them.