He nodded immediately. "I've been working so hard for this for so long, and finally I have this opportunity! I have to thank you, Aning, you've worked so hard!"
Xu Ningyan pouted; she was indeed feeling quite bitter!
"Brother Gu, you want to go to the machinery factory?" she asked nervously.
Seeing Xu Ningyan's expression, Gu Zhiyuan found it even more amusing, and his face grew increasingly serious. He said, half-jokingly, "Ningyan, there are some things you'd better not know!"
Xu Ningyan forced a smile. "Then, Brother Gu, will the matter you're about to handle affect the Lin family?"
Gu Zhiyuan countered with a question: "If there are any consequences, Aning, what do you plan to do?"
Xu Ningyan gritted her teeth: "How about we think of another way, Brother Gu? If all else fails, how about I come up with a plan? Can we use the Lu family's influence to get in? I don't care if they suffer!"
Gu Zhiyuan almost burst out laughing, but barely managed to hold it in: "A-Ning, didn't you say before that you would stand by my side no matter what, because I'm important to you? Are you going to go back on your word now for the sake of the Lin family?"
Although he was teasing Xu Ningyan, he genuinely felt a slight dissatisfaction. Didn't the little girl say she was the most important person to him? Has she changed her mind so quickly? Is the Lin family more important than him then?
Without a second thought, Xu Ningyan blurted out, "Of course I'm on Brother Gu's side! But the Lin family isn't me! I'd do anything for Brother Gu! But the Lin family is the Lin family, not me!"
Gu Zhiyuan understood what she meant. She could do anything for herself, but she couldn't drag the innocent Lin family into it.
Something welled up in his eyes, but he suppressed it.
Seeing Xu Ningyan's reckless attitude, Gu Zhiyuan's heart softened, and he reached out to ruffle her hair: "Don't worry! It won't be bad for the Lin family or the machinery factory!"
Xu Ningyan looked up and met Gu Zhiyuan's teasing gaze. She immediately understood that Gu Zhiyuan had noticed her nervousness and unease and was deliberately teasing her.
At first, I breathed a sigh of relief, but soon my cheeks puffed up. I never expected that the big boss would be like this!
Is it fun to make people laugh?
Their puffed-up faces are so cute.
Gu Zhiyuan couldn't help but poke it with his finger. Under Xu Ningyan's incredulous gaze, he awkwardly withdrew his finger, feeling a little uncomfortable and flustered. He forced himself to remain calm and made an excuse: "I'm going to check on our private plot!"
As he spoke, he turned and walked out of the yard, his back view suggesting he was fleeing in panic.
Xu Ningyan curiously poked the spot where Gu Zhiyuan had just been, but didn't feel anything. She couldn't help but mutter, "What's wrong with him?"
Gu Zhiyuan walked to his private plot of land. He and Xu Ningyan had already cultivated this plot a few days earlier. Because of the hot weather, they planted some water spinach and sweet potato seedlings, as well as late tomatoes and late peppers. They also scattered some cabbage seeds and planted a few pumpkins around the plot.
Thanks to their diligent care, the vegetables are now growing well.
Some weeds sprouted up nearby, and Gu Zhiyuan squatted down to pull them out.
He reached out his hand, about to touch the weeds, when he remembered that his finger had just poked Xu Ningyan's cheek, and the silky, soft touch came flooding back to him.
He pursed his lips awkwardly and switched hands.
After resting for two days, Gu Zhiyuan said he needed to make some preparations.
Gu Zhiyuan has been staying in his room for the past two days, and no one knows what he's doing.
Once he said he was ready, the two went to the brigade headquarters to find the brigade leader.
Xu Ningyan can go to the county town anytime, but Gu Zhiyuan has to ask the brigade for leave.
For Xu Ningyan's sake, the brigade leader readily agreed and even wrote a letter of introduction for her.
I didn't go to the county town empty-handed this time. I filled two large baskets with mushrooms that the brigade had picked and dried, and boarded the bus. It could be considered a business trip, I suppose.
As they got closer to the county town, Xu Ningyan couldn't help but look at Gu Zhiyuan, who had remained calm throughout the journey. His expression showed no sign of worry or tension.
Instead, seeing Xu Ningyan's restless appearance, he ruffled her hair and reassured her, "Don't worry! Nothing will happen."
Bah! It's like the emperor isn't worried, but the eunuch is!
Xu Ningyan simply gave up and stopped caring.
Upon arriving in the county town, we first went to the department store to sell the mushrooms.
Xu Ningyan first sent Gu Zhiyuan to her dormitory, and then carried a basket of mushrooms to the supply and marketing department.
When Sister Yang saw Xu Ningyan, she first waved her over and pulled her aside before taking a small, square bag out of her drawer and handing it to her: "Quickly put this away!"
Seeing Sister Yang's mysterious demeanor, Xu Ningyan initially wanted to decline, but just then someone walked in, so she had no choice but to put her hand into her handbag.
As soon as she heard the footsteps, Sister Yang took a step forward, blocking Xu Ningyan's way, and pretended to examine the mushrooms.
Li Jianguo and Wu Feng entered. They saw the mushrooms and Xu Ningyan next to Sister Yang, and knew that she had brought them.
Wu Feng stepped forward, grabbed a handful of mushrooms from the basket, smelled them, and nodded in satisfaction: "Good stuff!"
With that in mind, Sister Yang readily issued the receipt and weighed the item.
Xu Ningyan quickly told them to wait a moment, as there was another basket left in the dormitory, and they would weigh it after she carried it all over.
After coming out, I ran to the dormitory and casually opened the small square bag in my backpack. Inside was a packet of white, frost-like powder.
What is this?
Gu Zhiyuan, who was tidying up the house, walked over and glanced at it, saying, "This is Poria cocos cream! It's the best tonic! It's best taken with milk, but if that's not possible, you can take it with boiling water. It's the best tonic for girls and the elderly and weak. Judging from its color, it looks like Poria cocos."
Xu Ningyan suddenly remembered that the novel "Dream of the Red Chamber" mentioned this Poria cocos cream, which was said to be an extremely nourishing product. She never expected it to be like this.
It seems this is Sister Yang returning the gift she received last time for the chicken mushroom oil.
Having figured this out, she placed the Poria cocos cream on the table and carried the remaining basket of dried mushrooms to the supply and marketing department.
After being weighed, it cost 1.8 yuan per jin (0.5 kg), totaling 32 jin, and was put into the warehouse together.
Sister Yang and Wu Feng followed them in and, under the guise of being internal employees, each bought a pound.
Upon seeing this, Lin Hong couldn't resist buying a pound herself.
Before it even reached the front counter, other employees, having heard the news, came running, each taking a small portion, and soon half a basket was gone.
In the evening, the aroma of mushrooms wafted from almost every house in the department store's residential area.
Taking advantage of everyone's inattention, Xu Ningyan winked at Lin Hong, pulled her aside, and whispered, "My brother Gu is here today too. Is Uncle available today?"
Lin Hong thought for a moment. Her father had been frowning these past two days. She heard that the factory's design team had encountered an insurmountable problem. Lu Kai and his two teams had been working day and night for almost half a year, but they still hadn't been able to solve the problem.
With the deadline set by the authorities drawing ever closer, his second brother hadn't been home for several days.
Even my dad, the head of the design department, has been visibly anxious these past few days.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
