Chapter 124

Xie Jinxuan looked at him sincerely, "Of course it's true. Leng Feng, you know what my dream was since I was a child. How could I do that for my dream? Besides, I'm not just worried about Qingtang, I'm also worried about others. In the past few years, Dou Wu's group has bullied too many people. Today, Qingtang was able to escape safely because of us, but others didn't have such good luck. All we can do is take the opportunity to wipe out the remaining people. Only in this way can we eradicate this phenomenon. The more chaotic they are, the easier it is for them to take action. This is what I think, it's absolutely true."

Leng Feng stared at him blankly, unable to speak for a long time.

Xie Jinxuan patted his shoulder and said with a smile: "Do you think I'm some bad guy?"

Leng Feng let out a long sigh and said, "I'm sorry, I thought too much."

"It's normal for you to think this way, because the way you think of is also a good idea. If you control their top leader, you actually control their entire organization, and you can also try to prevent them from doing evil. But it's hard to solve it later. In a few years, those people may bite me back, and that will be troublesome. So I won't do such a thing. If I get into trouble, it will bring trouble to my family." Xie Jinxuan said with a smile: "I am a man who wants to bring happiness to Qingtang, and I can't do such a thing."

Leng Feng was silent for a while, then whispered, "Jinxuan, do you really not think that marrying a wife like this is a big problem? In my opinion, if you marry someone with an ordinary appearance, you won't have such troubles at all. Or if you marry someone who is of the same social status as you, you can avoid these troubles."

Xie Jinxuan said: "In fact, it is impossible to marry anyone without any troubles. Let's not talk about other things. Just look at our parents. After they got together, did everything go smoothly at home, without any quarrels or troubles? No matter who you choose, no matter who you marry, you will face all kinds of troubles. In my opinion, these troubles of Qingtang are not troubles, and she is capable of solving them herself. It's just that I tend to worry about her and think more. This is my problem, and I can't blame her. Besides, she was innocent from beginning to end. She didn't do anything wrong, so why should I regard her as my trouble?"

Leng Feng sneered: "You two are indeed husband and wife. You say exactly the same things."

"What? You and Qingtang are arguing again?"

"It wasn't really an argument, we just talked for a few minutes. She said there was something wrong with me, that I was blaming the victim for everything, and that was not right."

Xie Jinxuan said: "She's right. I can probably guess what you two were discussing today. Do you think... Qingtang got into such trouble because she's so pretty? And you said it in front of her?"

Leng Feng didn't say anything, but his expression showed affirmation.

Xie Jinxuan said: "Do you remember when we were in elementary school, there was a little classmate with a limp in his left leg?"

"Remember, what happened to this classmate?"

"He has some inconvenience in his legs and feet, which is congenital, but because of this, he can't participate in many activities. He can't attend physical education class and can only stay aside. After class, we go to play football, shuttlecock, and table tennis, but he can't play with us. As time goes by, he has few friends. Some classmates in the class like to bully him because they see that he has inconvenient legs and feet. They often tease him, take his things and throw them far away, and then watch him cry. Do you still remember these things?"

Leng Feng said, "How can you not remember? At the beginning, you and Xiang Qian were very enthusiastic. When others bullied him, you two went to help him and helped him beat those bad classmates away."

"You see, he is the victim of bullying, but why don't you think he is the one who is at fault?"

"He was born with a disability, how can it be his fault?"

"Then why is it a mistake for some people to be born beautiful? Isn't it the fault of those who have bad intentions?"

Leng Feng sighed and said, "Okay, you have a point. I admit that I am very prejudiced against good-looking people, and I don't believe that good-looking women can live a down-to-earth and peaceful life with a man like you. However, this is your life, Xia Qingtang is your wife, and I am prejudiced against her, which is rude to you. Anyway, as your old friend and good brother, I should correct this view."

Xie Jinxuan patted his shoulder and said, "It's okay, take your time. This kind of prejudice cannot be eliminated in a day or two, but I believe that as time goes by, you will know what a kind person Qingtang is. Just like Xiang Qian, at the beginning, he was a little worried about me, worried that Qingtang was too beautiful and unreliable. But now, Xiang Qian has a good relationship with her, and they are already friends. There is a saying that time reveals a person's true character. In a few years, you will know that what I said is true."

"What are you two doing standing there? It's time to eat, why haven't you gone to wash your hands? If you don't come over to eat, the noodles will get cold!" Aunt Six shouted.

"Come on, let's go wash our hands and eat." Xie Jinxuan pulled Leng Feng and hurried to wash their hands.

The staple food for dinner was oil-splashed noodles, and everyone had a big bowl. Aunt Liu also fried some black mustard greens and bean sprouts, and served them with homemade pickled cabbage. Everyone was very satisfied with the meal. Luo Xiangqian was not satisfied after finishing one portion, so Aunt Liu made another one for him.

Grandpa Xie and his friends came back after they had dinner. Xie Jinxuan immediately went over to ask about the situation. Grandpa Xie said, "Dou Wu and his friends have been locked up. The Municipal Bureau has set up a special task force to deal with this group of people. As for the people who were not caught today, they may not be taken care of for the time being. After all, the manpower and energy are limited. It is good enough to catch the leader Dou Wu."

Xie Jinxuan nodded: "I think so too. It's good enough to deal with Dou Wu for now. The rest can be dealt with after the New Year. In any case, we still have to have a good New Year."

Grandpa Xie said: "Yes, the New Year is coming soon, but many places on the street are not peaceful. Everyone from top to bottom has said that this year, the comrades in the bureau and the police station probably won't be able to rest well."

"Then Grandpa, are you going to work overtime too?"

"It depends on the situation." Grandpa Xie turned his head and said, "Oh, Leng Feng."

Leng Feng walked over: "You called me?"

"Yes, I called you. Today's incident is all thanks to you. You have made great efforts to protect our Qingtang. Grandpa really thanks you from the bottom of my heart. The New Year is coming soon, and you just came back this year. Tell me, is there anything you want? As long as grandpa can afford it, I will buy you one as a gift." Grandpa Xie said with a smile.

These are the children he has watched grow up, so it is normal for him to buy gifts for them.

Leng Feng said, "Thank you, Grandpa. You forgot that I came back to be a policeman. As a people's policeman who is about to take up my post, what I did today is what I should do. Besides, Comrade Xiao Xia is Jin Xuan's wife. How can I not help her? Even if she is not the wife of a good friend, but just an ordinary resident of this compound, I will not ignore her, so there is no need for the gift."

Xia Qingtang said, "Grandpa, you don't have to worry about thanking me for this matter. Jinxuan and I will take care of it. I have already thought about it. I will prepare a big meal for lunch tomorrow and invite Leng Feng and Lao Luo over. I will also open a bottle of good wine and let them have a comfortable meal. What do you think?"

"I think it's good. Qingtang, your cooking skills are so good. If you treat them to a meal, there must be delicious dishes. Well, there is Maotai at home. Take a bottle and drink it. It will be a thank you gift from grandpa." After saying that, Grandpa Xie called out, "Xiaoliu, take out my bottle of Maotai and let Jinxuan and the others take it back. Drink it with Lengfeng and the others tomorrow."

Leng Feng then said: "Thank you, Grandpa."

"We should thank you." Grandpa Xie patted Leng Feng's shoulder.

After that, they dispersed and went back to their homes.

Back in the small courtyard, Xia Qingtang vividly described to Xie Jinxuan some of the thrilling scenes of today, and also said that Leng Feng was a very skilled person.

Xie Jinxuan said: "Leng Feng's skills are indeed very good. The unit he joined before was considered a special unit. Only those with the best physical fitness and skills can enter. With my qualifications, I may not be able to get in."

"He's so powerful, so what kind of police officer is he doing this time?"

"Detective."

"It's quite suitable for him. I hope he can shine in his position and serve the people. Also, don't be prejudiced against the victim." Xia Qingtang said seriously.

Xie Jinxuan laughed: "Don't worry, he is only a little prejudiced against particularly good-looking lesbians, but this is also in daily life. When it comes to work, he will definitely not have any prejudice. I believe he still has this professional ethics, and I have confidence in him."

"So what were you two whispering about before dinner? I saw Leng Feng's expression was very strange, as if you had done something bad. He kept staring at you with a condemning look, which made me uncomfortable, but I was too embarrassed to go over and ask."

"Actually, he misunderstood..." Xie Jinxuan repeated the conversation between her and Leng Feng.

After hearing this, Xia Qingtang couldn't help but burst into laughter: "This Leng Feng is so funny, how could you be that kind of person? Did he think you were the mastermind behind all this? He actually thought that you would sow discord, and then support the third brother of the gang to become the boss, and then control this boss in your hands! Then you became the real boss behind the scenes, calling the shots in this city? What's the connection!"

She really found it funny. If there were no TV series to watch right now, she would have thought Leng Feng had watched too many TV series.

"You can't blame him for thinking too much. In fact, this thought flashed through my mind at the beginning. If I really put it into practice, it is not impossible. However, doing such a thing goes against my principles as a human being, and also goes against the teachings of my grandfather and father since I was a child. This is not what we in the Xie family should do." Xie Jinxuan said softly.

"This doesn't really fit your image. You're such a gentle person, so don't do such things." Xia Qingtang held his hand and shook it gently. "But I should learn this idea. Maybe I can use it in my business in the future. Well, I won't tell you for now. I'll go to the bedroom and write all this down. I'll look through it from time to time in the future so I can remember it at any time."

After saying that, Xia Qingtang really ran into the house and wrote down everything that had just happened.

Xie Jinxuan boiled some water and made hot milk for Xia Qingtang. After they washed up, they went to the bedroom to lie down and rest.

The next day was the last day that vegetables could be purchased. After that day, all the vegetable sellers would have their day off, so that morning, many people got up early in the severe cold to grab the last batch of vegetables.

As long as they are stored properly, these vegetables can be eaten until the day they are sold again.

If there is really nothing to eat later, usually every household has some dried vegetables as a reserve, so there is no need to worry.

Xia Qingtang and Aunt Liu had already stockpiled vegetables and other items for the New Year in advance. For example, they had stockpiled a lot of cabbage and white radishes in their small yard. Aunt Liu also used straw to grow bean sprouts herself, and there were still vegetables in the vegetable garden, so they didn't have to go out to grab vegetables.

But today Leng Feng and Luo Xiangqian were invited to be guests, so Xia Qingtang got up before dawn. She and Xie Jinxuan accompanied Sixth Aunt and used up all the meat coupons they had. They also bought vegetables, oranges, dates and other things and returned home with a full load.

Although the weather was quite cold, fresh pork could not be kept at home for too long. Xia Qingtang kept the amount needed for lunch, wrapped the rest, and asked Xie Jinxuan to take it to the cafeteria's refrigerator to freeze it, so that they could have one more meal.

They celebrated New Year's Eve in the small western-style building, so there was no need to use pork at home in the next few days. Xia Qingtang only planned to use pork when Xie Xiaoshuang and Hu Yanni came to visit later.

After Xie Jinxuan left, Xia Qingtang took off her cotton coat, put on an old piece of clothing, tied an apron, and started cooking.

Yan Du Xian needs to be stewed for a long time, so you have to start preparing it in the morning so that you can drink the most delicious soup at noon.

Now that the main dish has been decided, I also have ideas for the other side dishes.

Xia Qingtang threw the soaked shiitake mushrooms, black fungus, dried bamboo shoots, dried lettuce, fresh potato chips, carrot slices, dried tofu and bean curd sheets into a pot and cooked them. Then he used the coal stove in the kitchen to boil a thick sauce. When all the ingredients in the other pot were cooked, he took them out and soaked them in this pot of sauce and stirred them evenly. It is the best dish to go with wine or rice, and it tastes sour and spicy.

For the staple food, she prepared small steamed buns and steamed cakes. The steamed cakes did not have sugar in them and could be eaten with dishes like steamed buns, but they were softer than steamed buns, so the guests could choose as they pleased.

Xia Qingtang spent the whole morning cooking while listening to the radio. Occasionally, he would come out to read English and memorize a few lines of words. He seemed very leisurely.

Xie Jinxuan couldn't be of much use today, but he was in charge of logistics. He would bring tea and water to Xia Qingtang, feed her a piece of cake, and make sure she ate well and was in a good mood.

The two of them occasionally chatted about the things to pay attention to during the New Year. The whole small courtyard was filled with fragrance, which seemed warm and sweet.

At about eleven o'clock, Xia Qingtang said, "Jinxuan, go call Lao Luo and Comrade Leng over. The steamed buns and cakes are ready, and the pickled pork with preserved vegetables is also ready. When they come, they can have a bowl of soup to keep away the cold."

"Okay, I'll go call them right away." Xie Jinxuan put on her cotton coat and went out. After a while, she came back with Luo Xiangqian and Leng Feng.

Both of them were holding gifts for visiting. Luo Xiangqian brought six small apples and Leng Feng brought a jar of local honey. They were both good things.

Xia Qingtang smiled and opened the door to invite them in: "Come on, come on, honored guests, please come in. It's warm inside. You can take off your coat and prepare to drink a bowl of hot soup."

Luo Xiangqian said happily: "I can smell the fragrance from a long distance away. It would be so delicious to have a bite of something so fragrant."

"You'll know after you eat it." Xia Qingtang said with a smile, "Go and sit down. I'll bring the casserole in."

As she spoke, she went to the corridor outside, brought in a large casserole from the stove, and placed it in the center of the dining table. She then opened the lid of the casserole with a dry towel.

A strong fragrance instantly filled the whole room. Luo Xiangqian sniffed happily: "Oh my God, this smells so good."

Even Leng Feng, who had always had a cold face, showed some expression. He looked into the pot with some curiosity and saw that the soup was milky white and very tempting.

Xie Jinxuan had already brought over a blue-rimmed bowl and a soup spoon. Xia Qingtang filled each guest's bowl with soup and then said softly, "This is a Kung Fu dish. We started stewing it this morning. It's mainly to thank you two for your help yesterday. Thank you."

"You're welcome, you're so polite!" Luo Xiangqian quickly picked up the small spoon, "Let me try it first."

"Be careful of the heat." Xie Jinxuan reminded.

Luo Xiangqian carefully blew on the soup in the spoon to cool it down, then put it into his mouth. His eyes widened immediately: "It's so delicious. How can it be so delicious? It's a little sweet, so delicious, even better than the old hen soup we stewed at home."

Leng Feng also took a sip and said, "It's really delicious."

"Okay, then you guys eat first. I'll bring you the appetizers. You can drink after drinking the soup. I have another dish here that will be ready soon." Xia Qingtang said, and ran to the kitchen to bring out the appetizers he had prepared earlier.

The soup bowl was filled with a variety of chopped vegetables. The dishes were soaked in red oil and sprinkled with sesame seeds and chopped green onions on top. It looked very appetizing.

"What is this? This cold dish is so rich. Why did you think of mixing so many things together?" Luo Xiangqian asked with a smile.

"This is spicy salad. It's more convenient to mix it in one pot. You can try it. It goes well with wine. If you think it's not spicy enough, I can add some chili oil." Xia Qingtang said.

Luo Xiangqian immediately picked up a piece of potato with chopsticks and tasted it: "Wow, it's delicious! Leng Feng, try it!"

Leng Feng also picked up a piece of dried tofu and put it in his mouth. After eating it, he said, "It's really good. The spiciness is just right."

"Okay, then you don't need to add any spiciness, just continue eating. Jinxuan, open the white wine."

Xie Jinxuan smiled and said, "Okay, I'll go open the wine."

Xia Qingtang returned to the kitchen, brought out the Chinese cabbage with garlic vermicelli and fried stuffed tofu, and then went to make the last dish.

At this moment, every household has leftover rice crusts, so Xia Qingtang has long wanted to make a dish of rice crusts with three fresh ingredients.

First, stir-fry the pork slices, winter bamboo shoots, black fungus, scallion segments and ginger slices in a pan, then add seasonings to adjust the taste. Finally, add water and starch to thicken the sauce. Fry the rice crusts in an oil pan on the stove in the living room. When the three-fresh soup is ready, bring the fried rice crusts to the table outside and then pour the thickened three-fresh soup on the fried rice crusts. There is a sizzling sound and the rich aroma fills the air, which makes Luo Xiangqian a little dazed.

"What kind of dish is this?" he asked.

Xia Qingtang said: "This is three-flavor rice crust, and it is also the last dish. I thought you might not have eaten it before, so I let you try it."

"I've never eaten it before." Luo Xiangqian was the first to pick up his chopsticks. He picked up a piece of fried rice crust soaked in thick soup and took a bite. He showed a happy expression, "It's delicious. How did you think of this?"

"It's not what I thought, I learned it from others." Xia Qingtang said: "I definitely don't make such a complicated dish normally, but it's almost the New Year, so it's good to eat something better."

Xie Jinxuan immediately handed the prepared malted milk to Xia Qingtang, and then said, "Thank you for your hard work today. You have been busy since this morning."

"It's not hard. It's what I should do today because this is a thank-you banquet." Xia Qingtang joked.

"This meal is totally worth it! Xiao Xia, I feel a little embarrassed by your thank you banquet. This kind of meal can only be eaten at a big hotel in the provincial capital. Your cooking skills are so amazing, you might as well learn to be a chef." Luo Xiangqian said.

Xia Qingtang said: "This is my skill in home cooking. Forget being a chef. I can just make some for myself."

"Being a chef is good. I have a relative who is a chef. It was thanks to him that I was able to support my family over the years," said Luo Xiangqian.

Leng Feng said: "That is stealing public property, which is not an honorable thing."

"I know it's not an honorable thing, but not everyone is like us, having such a good grandfather and father. Other families are almost starving to death, so why do you care so much?"

Leng Feng stopped talking. Xie Jinxuan said, "Things have been much better in the past two years. There is more food than before, and we don't need people to steal food. Being a cook is so tiring, so let's not do it."

Luo Xiangqian laughed: "Jinxuan is really caring. She is right. Being a chef is very tiring. I mainly think that Xiaoxia is such a good cook. If she were a chef, I could eat there often."

Xia Qingtang said: "I'm not a chef now, but you still come here to eat often, don't you?"

Everyone laughed at what he said, even Leng Feng couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth.

Xie Jinxuan said, "That's right, Xiang Qian, if someone's food is missing, it doesn't mean you have to miss a meal."

"Then let's make a deal. After the Chinese New Year, I'll buy some groceries and ask Xiao Xia to make this spicy hot pot for me again, okay?" Luo Xiangqian said, "This dish looks simple, but if we make it at home, it probably won't taste the same."

Everyone’s seasoning is different. Xia Qingtang’s dishes taste better than others because her seasoning is just right.

"Aren't you asking me to make pickled pork with preserved vegetables again?" Xia Qingtang said.

"Yan Du Xian is so delicious. I don't think I can eat it often. Besides, it contains so much bacon and fresh pork. It's really good. It would be great if I can eat it once a year. But I like this dish very much. If it's eaten with soda in summer, I should be able to eat a big bowl of it. Besides, it's all vegetarian, such as potatoes and dried tofu. They are all things we can afford, but it's not easy to make it so delicious." Luo Xiangqian said, "So I like this dish the most."

"No problem. After the New Year, if you want to eat it, I'll make it again and you can drink together then." Xia Qingtang said generously.

When Leng Feng heard this, he couldn't help but glance at Xie Jinxuan. Xie Jinxuan knew what he meant, so she smiled and said, "Qingtang, then let Leng Feng bring the wine and Xiang Qian bring the dishes. That's about it."

Xia Qingtang said: "Okay, then it's settled. I'll do it for you again after the Chinese New Year."

As she spoke, she filled herself a large bowl of pickled pork with preserved vegetables and began to drink it comfortably.

Such a table full of dishes actually surpasses the level of the Xia family’s previous New Year celebrations.

Everyone was eating and drinking, and halfway through the meal, seeing that they had almost finished their wine, Xia Qingtang took out small steamed buns and steamed cakes from the steamer and let them eat some staple food with the dishes.

Luo Xiangqian was already drunk. He laughed and said, "Why is this steamed bun so small? It looks like the son of the steamed bun in the cafeteria."

Xie Jinxuan couldn't help laughing: "Drunk again."

"I'm not drunk. Look, he's so small, doesn't he look like Big Bun's son? Hehehe."

"Yes, it is quite similar. Try it and see if it tastes the same."

Luo Xiangqian ate a small steamed bun and said, "The taste seems to be different. Dad's is better."

Xia Qingtang burst out laughing: "You are right, the steamed buns in the cafeteria are indeed more delicious. As for me, I am okay at cooking, but I am always a little short of the right temperature when making these noodles."

Leng Feng said, "I think it's already very good. The canteen has a professional pastry chef, and it tastes better than what I make at home."

Xia Qingtang was very surprised and said, "Oh my god, it's not easy to hear Comrade Leng praise me. It seems that today's thank you banquet was not in vain!"

Leng Feng said: "I am just being realistic, not complimenting you. The steamed buns in our house taste pretty much like this. It's fine as long as they are edible. Besides, your cooking is delicious, so any steamed bun will taste good with it."

"Okay, thank you for your truthfulness. You can eat more." Xia Qingtang said, and took a steamed cake for himself.

Her steamed cakes are not big, only the size of a palm. They look quite small, but they are soft and delicious when you bite them. They are suitable to be eaten with various dishes.

A few people were chatting about some random things. Luo Xiangqian would also talk about the difficulties he encountered at work, and Xie Jinxuan would help him with advice. Leng Feng didn't talk much. He was eating and drinking in silence.

The meal lasted more than an hour. They were all young people and everyone had a good appetite, so the table was almost empty, with only the steamed buns and steamed cakes left.

This is quite convenient. You can just make some soup in the evening, heat up the steamed buns and steamed cakes and eat.

Luo Xiangqian's cheeks were flushed. He sat there happily singing. He even clapped his hands to keep the rhythm. As he sang, he said, "You guys should sing along, too, hey!"

Xie Jinxuan was very supportive and sang two songs with him. Leng Feng didn't move at all. He just sat there, looking at Luo Xiangqian's smiling face coldly, as if he was looking at a fool.

Xia Qingtang felt that it was quite tiring to be friends with someone like Leng Feng. On such a happy day, it wouldn't be a big deal to eat and drink to have some fun with friends. Why did he have to have a stern face?

She enthusiastically clapped her hands for Luo Xiangqian for a while, then stood up and started to clear the table.

Xie Jinxuan whispered, "I'll clean it up. You've been tired all morning. Take a rest now."

Xia Qingtang smiled and shook his head: "Just stay with them and talk. I'll clean up here."

Leng Feng suddenly said, "Don't worry about Xiang Qian, let him continue singing alone, Jin Xuan and I will clean up and wash the dishes together."

"Okay then, you guys clean up." Xia Qingtang really didn't move. She just sat there and helped Luo Xiangqian shout a few times.

Xie Jinxuan and Leng Feng came out after washing the dishes. Seeing that Luo Xiangqian was still very excited, they said, "Xiangqian, how about we take you home?"

"Go home? Go home to what? I don't want to go home, let's go out and play!"

"What to play?"

"Let's play ball. I tell you, I can beat both of you by myself."

Leng Feng said: "Are you sure?"

Luo Xiangqian stood up quickly: "Are you sure? What's wrong?"

"Let's go, let's go out and compete." As he said that, Leng Feng picked up Luo Xiangqian's coat and put it on him.

Several people quickly put on their clothes and walked out.

Xia Qingtang sent them out, and Xie Jinxuan said, "I'll go out and play with them for a while, you take a nap, I'll be back around two o'clock."

"Okay." Xia Qingtang watched them walk out, then closed the yard door and went back into the house to make himself a cup of green tea.

I ate some greasy food today, so I wanted to drink some green tea to help me get rid of the greasiness.

After drinking the tea, she felt sleepy, so Xia Qingtang went back to the bedroom and had a comfortable nap.

When I woke up, it was already past three in the afternoon.

Xie Jinxuan was studying hard in the study room. Xia Qingtang came out of the bathroom, ran in and scared him with her cold little hands.

"Hey! Is it cold?"

Xie Jinxuan smiled and held her in her arms, letting her sit on her lap, and then covered her hands: "I told you to wash your hands with hot water, but you always don't listen."

"It's okay. I'm not afraid of the cold now." Xia Qingtang said, "It's almost the New Year. Why are you still studying?"

"Studying is something that should be done every day. Besides, you were still memorizing words in the morning, and you're still criticizing me."

Xia Qingtang said: "I was just bored."

There are very few leisure and entertainment options in this era. Apart from going to work and coming home, people don’t have much to do on weekends. Unlike later eras, there are endless various entertainment projects. Even if you don’t like going out to play, you can watch TV at home.

Xie Jinxuan said: "I am similar. When I am free, I want to find something to do, but what should I do specifically? The first thing that comes to my mind is to read and study."

"Luckily, Lao Luo didn't see it, otherwise he would have blamed you again." Xia Qingtang said, "By the way, after he got drunk, was he okay?"

"It's okay. He wasn't that drunk today. We played on the playground for a while, and then he wanted to sleep, so we sent him home. On the way back, he kept saying that the food was delicious, and he also said that if you became a chef in the future, he would go to eat there once a week."

Xia Qingtang laughed: "You wish. I won't do such tiring work every day. I don't even want to go to the electrical appliance factory."

Xie Jinxuan said: "Fortunately, the higher-ups haven't made a final decision yet. Please ask Grandpa to help tell them, and they probably won't let you go."

"Well, thank grandpa for me. I just want to stay in the cotton mill for the time being." Xia Qingtang said.

Xia Qingtang had a good time throughout the Chinese New Year. After New Year's Eve, the Xie family welcomed a new wave of relatives paying New Year's greetings. Xia Qingtang only showed up during the few days when relatives came. After that, she could stay in her own small yard and read books and listen to the radio comfortably.

When the weather is good, I will go for a stroll in the nearby park with Xie Jinxuan, and then come back to play a few games of table tennis, which is also a good entertainment activity.

However, she found that many of her neighbors had bought mahjong and various playing cards, and many of them would gather with relatives and friends to play a few games.

Xia Qingtang was also called over by the big sister next door to play a few games, but she had just learned it, so the others suggested adding chips and playing together.

When Xia Qingtang heard that he had to use money to play mahjong, he made an excuse that he had a stomachache and needed to go to the toilet and quickly ran back home.

She herself had no interest in gambling, and she remembered that many people had been caught for gambling in recent years, so she should be cautious in everything.

On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, Xia Qinghai went to the Xie family to pay New Year's greetings with gifts. Grandpa Xie and his family treated him quite well. Before leaving, grandma even packed some specialties brought by relatives from other places for him to take home for his family to try.

After coming out of the small western-style building, Xie Jinxuan took Xia Qinghai to the small courtyard.

Xia Qingtang didn't prepare lunch for him, but still prepared tea and snacks for him.

Xia Qinghai sat in their living room drinking tea. Seeing that the windows were clean and bright, and there was a faint scent of orange peel in the house, he said, "Qingtang, you are really living a good life now. Think about it, the two of us have lived in a wooden shack for so many years, and now we can live like this, it's really incredible."

"You are so beautiful and smart, shouldn't you live a good life?" Xia Qingtang said.

"No, to be honest, I never thought I could marry someone from your sister-in-law's family. I do want to move up the social ladder, but given our environment, there aren't many people I can meet, and even fewer to choose from. So, I have to thank you and your brother-in-law. Jin Feng came here because of you."

"You don't seem to be shy about this at all." Xia Qingtang said with a little surprise.

"What's there to be ashamed of? It's all in the past. Besides, Jin Feng and I have a very good relationship. I know that I'm the only one in her heart now."

"What about your heart?"

"Of course I love her, but I may not love her as much as she does." Xia Qinghai said confidently, "But I will treat her well. She gave birth to a child for our family and has given a lot. I will definitely treat her well."

"Okay, I wish you a happy marriage."

Xia Qinghai said: "Have you found out about that matter?"

"What's the matter? About the electrical appliance factory?"

"right."

Xie Jinxuan said, "I asked around, and they did have this plan. When the foreign guests came here before, Qingtang left a very good impression on them. Besides, she works at the factory, so they want her to go to the electrical appliance factory. However, I've asked Grandpa to tell them that Qingtang only wants to stay at the cotton mill."

Xia Qinghai said, "Sister, are you afraid that it will be too busy at the electrical appliance factory?"

"Yes, the new electrical appliance factory is far away. It would take twice as long to ride there in the morning. I don't want to go there."

Xia Qinghai nodded and changed the subject.

After sitting for about thirty minutes, he tactfully stood up and said he was leaving.

Xia Qingtang and Xie Jinxuan sent him out, and Xia Qinghai said, "Sister, please send me to the gate."

Xie Jinxuan knew that he wanted to talk to Xia Qingtang alone, so she said, "Then big brother, I won't see you out. Goodbye."

"Okay, goodbye." Xia Qinghai followed Xia Qingtang out.

Xia Qingtang said: "What do you want to say?"

"There is a new policy this year. Do you know about it?"

"What new policy?"

"A couple can only have one child. You have never had a child before. Even if you are pregnant now, you can only have one child in the future. What if that child is a girl, will your situation become difficult in the future?" Xia Qinghai whispered.

Xia Qingtang was stunned, then he remembered that the one-child policy was indeed implemented at this time, but the speed of implementation varied from place to place.

"I don't know what Xie Jinxuan's parents think, but for him and me, it doesn't matter whether it's a boy or a girl, as long as it's our child. Besides, he has a younger brother, so even if I give birth to a girl, it won't have that much of an impact."

"Are you sure?" Xia Qinghai said, "I don't mean anything else. I just hope you can live well forever."

Xia Qingtang heard the concern in his words and said, "I know what you mean."

"So I was thinking, if you give birth to a daughter, their family won't be very happy, and then your job is too different from your brother-in-law's, then...will there be any conflicts?"

"I have considered what you said."

"So you should go to the electrical appliance factory. You have the ability, and the leaders above you know that you have the ability. Once you go there, you should climb up. Your future brother-in-law will be very capable, and you can't be too far behind him. If there is too much gap between husband and wife, even if the relationship is very good, there may be problems."

Xia Qingtang nodded and said, "Thank you for considering me so much. I also understand this principle, so I have career plans. Because of this, I don't want to go to the electrical appliance factory."

"Can you tell me what your plan is?" Xia Qinghai asked cautiously. "Of course, if you don't want to tell me, that's fine."