The lackey followed behind Xu Ningyan. Seeing that she was standing at the door without moving, he darted into the yard from the side, startling Gu Zhiyuan and Lin Feng.
Lin Feng turned around and saw Xu Ningyan. He looked a little embarrassed and scratched his head. "Sister-in-law is back. Well, I'll head back now!"
After saying that, he winked at Gu Zhiyuan and ran away.
Xu Ningyan carried the groceries into the yard, and Gu Zhiyuan came forward to take them, his expression unreadable: "You're back."
Nodding, Xu Ningyan went inside and put down her bag. After washing her hands, she saw Gu Zhiyuan, a large man, huddled on a small stool, picking vegetables, looking rather aggrieved.
This is a tacit understanding that gradually formed between the two after they started living together.
Xu Ningyan dragged a small stool over with her foot and sat down next to her, reaching out to pick vegetables. "Has Lu Kai caused some trouble again? Did he steal your blueprints and then accuse you of plagiarism?"
Xu Ningyan had already guessed seven or eight parts of the truth from Lin Feng's short sentence.
Gu Zhiyuan nodded calmly: "The experts from the Provincial Heavy Industry who reviewed the drawings returned both my and Lu Kai's drawings, saying that our designs were 90% similar. However, because Lu Kai's drawings were submitted to the factory five days earlier than mine, they now suspect that I plagiarized Lu Kai's drawings and have ordered me to stop work pending further action."
Xu Ningyan frowned: "Is the factory's attitude biased towards Lu Kai?"
Otherwise, why would they have told Gu Zhiyuan to stop working and go home to await further instructions?
Logically, if plagiarism is suspected, both individuals should be suspended from work and await the factory's investigation results before facing any consequences.
Gu Zhiyuan finished picking the vegetables and went to the well to fetch water to wash them.
The weather was already hot. He was wearing a Zhongshan suit, and at that moment he rolled up his sleeves, revealing his lean and strong arms. He threw the bucket into the well, shook it left and right a couple of times, and only after the bucket was full of water did he lift it up. All his movements were smooth and fluid, and he didn't even dawdle.
"The union chairman said that because my drawings were submitted after Lu Kai's, I was more suspicious!"
Xu Ningyan pursed her lips, knowing that the union chairman was probably on Lu's father's side.
"What about Director Wu and Director Lin?"
"They told me to rest at home for a few days and to trust the organization and the factory. They said they would give me an explanation!" Gu Zhiyuan poured well water into a basin, his slender fingers carefully washing each small green vegetable, as if the basin of vegetables in his hands was more important than his suspension from work for investigation.
Seeing Gu Zhiyuan's attitude, Xu Ningyan knew that he knew what was going on, so she didn't ask any more questions.
However, being accused of plagiarism by someone like Lu Kai is indeed very insulting.
I imagine the boss wasn't happy either, otherwise he wouldn't have spent so much time washing just a small pot of greens, only managing to wash about ten heads. At this rate, they won't even have time to eat before dark.
After thinking for a moment, Xu Ningyan tentatively tried to appease him, saying, "How about I go and put a sack over Lu Kai's head tonight and beat him up to vent my anger?"
He shook his head as soon as he finished speaking: "No, if he gets beaten up at this crucial moment, people will definitely suspect us! We'll lose all our arguments! Let's beat him up after this is over!"
Seeing Xu Ningyan's angry expression, as if she wanted to avenge him, Gu Zhiyuan couldn't help but smile, his eyes brimming with laughter: "I'm fine! But if Ningyan were willing to make me braised pork knuckle today, I might be even happier."
Xu Ningyan immediately understood that the big boss wanted to eat something delicious.
Making braised pork hock is simple, but she didn't tell Li Cuiying to save some today. She does have some in her spatial storage, but it's not convenient to take them out.
I was in a bit of a dilemma.
Gu Zhiyuan brought out two plump, white pork knuckles from the kitchen. "Sun Zhou came back today and brought these over. He said he'll be coming over for dinner tonight."
Xu Ningyan's eyes lit up. It was good that Sun Zhou was back. After he came back, he would always send them some fresh food. She would be in for a treat again.
He took the pork knuckle and went to the kitchen to get busy.
Gu Zhiyuan followed behind, assisting him.
Just as the braised pork knuckle was being prepared, Sun Zhou came in carrying a bottle of liquor, a bag of fried peanuts, and a bag of fried ribbonfish.
The lackey looked up at Sun Zhou, recognized him, and then lay back down in his original spot.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xu Ningyan asked Sun Zhou and Gu Zhiyuan to go inside to talk, as she could cook more efficiently by herself.
Sun Zhou apologized for the inconvenience and followed Gu Zhiyuan into the house.
You can vaguely hear the two of them talking in Gu Zhiyuan's room, but you can't make out what they're saying.
Xu Ningyan didn't want to know too much.
I quickly cooked the meal. It's rare for me to open the braising pot, so I not only threw in a pork knuckle, but also a large piece of pork belly that Li Cuiying had saved for me today. I boiled a few eggs, peeled off the shells, and then threw them into the braising pot along with the soaked kelp and tofu skin, and left them there.
There were three people. It seemed that Sun Zhou was going to drink. There was braised pork knuckle, braised pork belly, a plate of kelp and tofu skin, fried peanuts, fried ribbonfish, and just a stir-fried vegetable dish would be enough.
I scooped out a pot of dry rice, chopped up some braised meat, poured a spoonful of braising sauce on top, and then sliced a braised egg. It couldn't be more delicious.
After inviting the two out for dinner, Xu Ningyan noticed that Gu Zhiyuan and Sun Zhou's expressions were relatively calm. Smelling the aroma of the braised dishes, Sun Zhou couldn't help but slurp his saliva twice: "These past few days, what I've been craving most while I'm away is your braised dishes, Comrade Xu. I'm so hungry for them!"
Without any hesitation, he picked up a piece with his hand and put it in his mouth. Sure enough, it tasted just like before.
The three sat down to eat. Sun Zhou poured two glasses of wine, which they ate with peanuts, fried ribbonfish, and braised pork knuckle. They quickly finished half a bottle.
Her face flushed, and she became more talkative.
Somehow the conversation turned to Gu Zhiyuan's suspension, and Sun Zhou slammed his fist on the table, his words slurred: "We can't let them bully people like this! That old bastard Huang Aijun, his hands aren't clean either! He's only siding with Lu Kai because he's taken bribes from the Lu family! Since he dares to bully you, I'll expose all the good deeds he's done tomorrow, and then we'll see who's more shameless—"
Gu Zhiyuan only drank a little bit of wine, just enough to slightly moisten his lips, before slowly and methodically picking up peanuts with his chopsticks and popping them into his mouth one by one.
"You'd better watch your step for now! Those people up there haven't left yet! Don't worry, even if Lu Kai wants to pin this mess on me, he'll have to see if I agree to it!"
Upon hearing this, Sun Zhou changed the subject.
Xu Ningyan doesn't drink alcohol. She made herself a bowl of braised pork rice with a few small green vegetables, ate it, and then went inside.
She now studies for a while after meals every day, and Gu Zhiyuan will take time each day to explain problems to her.
Once you get engrossed in doing a problem, it's hard to notice what's happening outside.
After she finished solving the last problem, she put down her pen, stretched, and looked outside.
Sun Zhou had left sometime earlier. Gu Zhiyuan had finished cleaning up the mess after the meal and was playing with his lackey in the corridor, showing no sign of anxiety or dejection.
Instead, it gives a sense of peace and tranquility.
Gu Zhiyuan turned around when he heard the noise and met Xu Ningyan's gaze. He smiled and said, "Since I've been staying at home with nothing to do these past few days, I'll just make a few more practice tests and give you a test every day to refresh your mind."
Although it was phrased as a question, Xu Ningyan dared not refuse.
Suddenly I felt like I was seeing things. The reason why the big shot can live a peaceful life is because there are people like her carrying the burden!
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