Chapter 118 True Heart for True Heart

The team leader and several other people stood beside the tractor. They were wrapped in thick cotton clothes, but they were still shivering in the cold wind.

The leading captain stamped his feet and rubbed his hands, with a reserved look on his face. This was his first time in the city.

They arrived at the Li family first, but the boy from the Li family didn't even say a word to invite them into the house.

Zhao Zhijian was worried that Jiang Haitang was the same as Li Ergou.

But Jiang Haitang took the initiative to say hello, and he felt much more at ease.

"Haitang, you've changed so much that I didn't recognize you." His voice was full of surprise and emotion.

When the captain heard people say that people were being raised in the city, he was skeptical.

Now that he saw Jiang Haitang with his own eyes, he completely believed it.

Jiang Haitang in front of me was wearing a red sweater with a well-cut cotton vest on the outside.

After several months of living in the city, her skin, which was originally exposed to wind and sun, became fair and delicate, with a soft luster. She seemed to have changed her appearance, and was completely different from the girl working in the fields in her memory.

"Captain, Dazhu, Changsheng, and this master, it's cold outside. Please come inside and have some hot water." Jiang Haitang invited everyone into the house.

Although I don’t know why the captain and his men suddenly came to the city, they are guests since they come to the door.

"This is Master Duan from Zhouzhuang next door. Our brigade doesn't have a tractor, so we borrowed one from the Zhouzhuang brigade."

Jiang Haitang greeted Master Duan with a smile. Master Duan looked at Jiang Haitang, who was as bright as a flower and talking to him with a smile. He smiled naively but did not say anything.

"We're here to bring you food, Haitang. These are your work points for this year. After calculating them, we figured you wouldn't be short of money, so we prepared all of them as food for you."

As Zhao Zhijian spoke, he took out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, on which were densely recorded various data.

"According to your work points, you can get a total of 70 kilograms of wheat, 90 kilograms of corn, 5 kilograms of millet, and 5 kilograms of soybeans. You can also get 2 kilograms of cotton, 200 kilograms of potatoes, and 100 kilograms of cabbage."

As the captain spoke, he pointed at the records in the notebook, as if he was afraid that Jiang Haitang would not believe it.

"Originally, I was supposed to give you two pounds of pork at the end of the year, but since it's inconvenient to deliver it, I'm going to make the decision and give you cabbage instead."

Jiang Haitang listened to this series of numbers and looked at the tractor in the yard.

In the back compartment of the tractor, there were several bulging bags and a pile of cabbages neatly stacked.

When she left the brigade, she fully expected that her work points would be shamelessly taken away by the Li family, but she never expected...

As if he could see what Jiang Haitang was thinking, the team leader took the initiative to explain, "After you left, our team held a special meeting and unanimously decided to separate your work points from theirs and not let them take them."

His tone was firm and sincere, and his eyes were full of protection for Jiang Haitang.

Dazhu also came forward at this time, with a simple smile on his face.

"Sister Haitang, my mom said that grinding flour in the city wouldn't be as convenient as it is here in the countryside, so she asked me to grind it all into flour for you. As for the remaining bran, my mom said you wouldn't have much use for it in the city, so she left it there. She also asked me to bring you a few pounds of buckwheat flour and some dried vegetables from our home."

She thought of Aunt Cai's daily care and concern, and said with a choked voice, "Aunt Cai is good to me."

How could she not understand that Aunt Cai was not worried that it would be difficult to grind flour in the city, but was worried that it would be difficult for her to do it alone, so she asked Dazhu to help grind the flour.

"My mother always told me to treat you as my own sister." Dazhu said, patting his chest.

Although Dazhu is only a few months younger than Jiang Haitang, in his heart, Jiang Haitang is like his own sister.

"A few years ago, you helped me a lot with the work I couldn't do." Jiang Haitang said with a smile as she looked at Dazhu, who was a head taller than her.

"Dazhu, it's getting dark, let's hurry up and move things." At the captain's command, several people immediately prepared to move food and vegetables into the house.

Jiang Haitang also wanted to lend a hand, but was stopped by the team leader: "Haitang, your clothes are so new, don't get them dirty, just a few of us can do it."

Everyone became busy, shuttling back and forth between the yard and the house.

Soon, the grain and potatoes were neatly stacked in the kitchen, and the cabbages were piled in the corner of the yard.

Zhao Zhijian was even more meticulous. He not only moved the things into the house, but also carefully arranged them neatly. Every bag of grain was next to the corner of the wall, and every cabbage was neatly stacked.

Seeing that everyone had finished their work, Jiang Haitang warmly invited them to stay: "Captain, come inside and have a drink of water. I'm cooking. You can have dinner with me tonight."

Zhao Zhijian felt a little embarrassed. When Jiang Haitang left the brigade to handle the paperwork, he hadn't been able to strongly protect her. He felt guilty all the time: "How bad is that."

Dazhu didn't have so many concerns. He smiled and said, "Uncle, let's have dinner at Sister Haitang's house."

At Jiang Haitang's enthusiastic invitation, everyone had no choice but to go into the house.

Jiang Haitang poured each person a cup of steaming hot water to warm them up first, and then she took two cabbages to find Kong Shunan next door, wanting him to help send a message to Lu Liangchen, telling him that there would be guests tonight.

Jiang Haitang left and everyone in the room started chatting.

Zhao Zhijian sighed, "People are really different. We weren't even allowed into Old Li's house. Haitang is such a good girl."

Changsheng nodded in agreement: "That's right, but I feel that Haitang is really beautiful now, even prettier than the girls in the city."

"To be honest, before I came here, I was wondering if Haitang would hold a grudge against us because of what happened in the brigade last time. I didn't expect her to let us in and leave us some food."

Dazhu said proudly, "My mother has always said that Sister Haitang is pretty and kind-hearted, but she works in the fields or in the mountains every day, so she's tanned, but it doesn't show."

"This girl suffered a lot in her early years. She just hopes that someone will not despise her for having been married before and that she can marry into a good family." Zhao Zhijian looked out the window, his eyes full of concern and blessings.

Not long after, Jiang Haitang came back with Liu Hongmei.

Zhao Zhijian quickly stood up and greeted him.

Liu Hongmei smiled politely and said, "Captain Zhao is here. Please sit down. I will help Haitang cook."

In the kitchen, Jiang Haitang and Liu Hongmei were busy and chatting. Soon, the aroma of rice filled the house.

At this time, Lu Liangchen came back from get off work, carrying two lunch boxes in his hands.

When Zhao Zhijian saw the deputy director of the factory appear at Jiang Haitang's house, he suddenly became nervous, and his originally relaxed mood became tense again.

Can I still eat this meal with peace of mind?

"Captain Zhao is here? Thank you for still thinking of Haitang."

Zhao Zhijian said hurriedly: "Of course, of course."

Jiang Haitang and Liu Hongmei came in with food.

Lu Liangchen said, "Haitang, I went to the cafeteria and ordered a portion of braised pork and vinegar meatballs to entertain the guests."

Jiang Haitang fried three dishes and made a soup. Together with the two meat dishes that Lu Liangchen brought back, it was a very rich meal.

"I didn't expect you to come, so I could only make these now. Don't think I'm being slow to treat you." Jiang Haitang politely served soup to everyone.

The staple food is multi-grain pancakes, which are perfect when soaked in soup.

However, although the food was rich, Zhao Zhijian had difficulty eating and secretly observed Lu Liangchen's expression from time to time.

Director Lu was very angry that day, and I don’t know if he still remembers it.

Will he get angry at himself?

After looking at Lu Liangchen, he looked at Jiang Haitang again. Why did Haitang seem to be a little close to this deputy factory director?

However, Dazhu had no worries at all. He ate with gusto and chatted and laughed with Jiang Haitang from time to time.

After finishing his meal, Zhao Zhijian hurriedly stood up and said goodbye: "Director Lu, we're leaving now."

Lu Liangchen looked at the sky and said, "It's so late, you can't go back, stay at the factory guesthouse tonight."

Zhao Zhijian had been planning to find a place to stay outside, but when he saw Lu Liangchen taking the initiative to invite him, he stopped refusing and said, "Thank you, Director Lu. Let's go over there."

"Haitang and I will take you there." Lu Liangchen said, and helped Jiang Haitang take her coat and scarf.

As the group walked towards the guesthouse, Dazhu quietly approached Jiang Haitang and asked curiously, "Sister, what is your relationship with Director Lu?"

Jiang Haitang said generously: "We are dating."

"My mother will definitely be happy when she finds out. These days, she's been scolding the Li family every now and then, saying they've ruined your life." Dazhu said excitedly.

"Go back and tell Aunt Cai not to worry about me. Everything is fine here. I'll call you when I get married, and you can bring your mother with you."

"I will definitely come, Sister Haitang." Dazhu was so excited that he almost jumped up.

After sending everyone to the guesthouse, Lu Liangchen and Jiang Haitang set off on their journey home.

The night was dark, the cold wind was howling, and there was silence all around.

Lu Liangchen quietly took Jiang Haitang's hand. Jiang Haitang looked at him angrily, but the corners of her mouth unconsciously raised a happy arc.

"Are you close to this young man named Dazhu?" Lu Liangchen suddenly asked, with a barely perceptible hint of jealousy in his tone.

Jiang Haitang couldn't help but laugh: "It's great, what's wrong?"

"He is younger than me!" Lu Liangchen's voice was filled with grievance.

"Well, he is younger than you." Jiang Haitang teased him deliberately.

"Does he like you? He even whispered to you." Lu Liangchen's hands clenched tighter unconsciously.

"He asked me, what is your relationship with me?"

"Then how did you answer?" Lu Liangchen asked anxiously.

"I said we were dating, and when I got married, I'd call him and ask him to bring his mother along."

Jiang Haitang then talked about the help Aunt Cai and her family had given her when she was in Qingshuigou. Those warm memories seemed particularly precious on this cold winter night.

In fact, some things happened in her previous life. After the household contract responsibility system was implemented in her previous life, it was very difficult for her, a woman, to farm the land for a family of four. It was thanks to Aunt Cai's family that she helped.

"Okay, when we get married, we'll send them invitations, and they'll be considered your family members."

The two walked hand in hand, talking and laughing towards home. The cold winter night became especially warm because of each other's company.

The next morning, Jiang Haitang went to the guesthouse before going to work.

She took out a brand new piece of cloth and a soft towel and handed them to Dazhu.

Dazhu quickly waved his hand to refuse: "Sister Haitang, I can't accept it. If I take your cloth home, my mother will beat me."

Jiang Haitang smiled and said, "This is what I gave it to you. If your mother wants to talk about it, just tell her that she asked you to make clothes for her date. She will definitely agree."