Xu Jianguo poured tea for everyone and dispersed the cigarettes before he sat down on a chair and asked, "What brings you three to me today?"
The three of them looked at each other, and finally Zhao Weiguo spoke up, "Jianguo, in view of your outstanding performance in the army, the commune has reported your case to the Armed Forces Department. After verification by Minister Ma, they have decided to award you a First-Class Meritorious Family plaque as a token of encouragement."
As soon as Zhao Weiguo finished speaking, the accompanying staff took out a plaque about 50 cm long wrapped in red cloth and handed it to Xu Jianguo.
After Xu Jianguo took it, he uncovered the red cloth, and a wooden plaque appeared in front of him. On the plaque were written six big characters in gold on a red background: "Home of First-Class Meritorious Service", and the signature was from the Fu'an County Armed Forces Department and Shengli Commune.
"Minister Ma, President Zhao, Uncle Mancang, thank you!" Xu Jianguo said with a smile.
"Don't be polite, this is what you deserve. If we really want to say thank you, we should be the ones to say thank you. Thank you for making us proud!" Ma Guoqiang said.
After chatting for a while, they left. Xu Jianguo tried to ask them to stay for lunch, but Zhao Weiguo and Ma Guoqiang declined on the grounds that they had something to do.
Before leaving, Li Mancang asked Xu Jianguo to come over for dinner in the evening.
Xu Jianguo thought about it and told him that he was planning to return tomorrow.
"Leaving tomorrow?" Li Mancang asked.
"Well, I've been out for quite some time, and the trip back will take quite a while too. Plus, I'm planning to go to the government office to see two people I know."
"Well, okay, I know you have a lot on your plate. If that's the case, you should come to my place for dinner tonight."
"Uncle Mancang, we won't be going out tonight. Today, our family is going to cook some food at home. We don't know when we'll be back next time!"
"Well, then, okay, what time do we leave tomorrow?"
"We plan to leave at noon!"
"Okay, I'll take you there when the time comes!"
After the two talked for a few more words, Li Mancang left.
Xu Jianguo looked at his somewhat lost back, sighed helplessly, shook his head, and turned back into the house.
On this day, Xu Jianguo and his family did not go anywhere and just stayed at home to have a good rest.
In the afternoon, Xu Jianguo took the plaque, then took out a hammer and nails from the space, and nailed the plaque on the lintel of his old house.
In order to protect the plaque from being eroded by wind and rain, Xu Jianguo also covered the plaque with a layer of plastic film.
In the evening, Xu Jianguo took out mutton, beef, vegetables and other ingredients from the space, and the family had a happy hot pot meal.
Because Wen Sitian had to breastfeed Wenwen, she could only eat clear soup pot, which made her very unhappy as she liked spicy food.
After dinner, Xu Jianguo took out paper and pen from the space and wrote a short letter to Li Dashan, Li Mancang and Li Erniu respectively.
He hated the feeling of parting, so after discussing with Wen Sitian, the couple decided to leave without saying goodbye and go directly back to Fu'an County through the Seven Star Portal.
After writing the letter, Xu Jianguo put it in an envelope, thought for a while, and put twenty yuan and some tickets in each envelope.
Since they had to get up early the next day, Wen Sitian felt sorry for the three girls, so she discussed with Xu Jianguo and decided that the family would sleep in the space at night.
No words were spoken that night.
At five o'clock the next morning, Xu Jianguo appeared in his yard. After walking around the house, he locked the door and the yard door, and left home with three letters.
After spending twenty minutes delivering the letter to the windowsills of several people's homes, Xu Jianguo flashed into the space and then appeared at the gate of Wen Sitian's uncle's house in Fu'an County.
When leaving Gao Wangshan's house, the two families agreed to have a meal together, but Xu Jianguo had no plans to go to his house again.
After all, the last time was a welcoming banquet, so we could have eaten it at home, but we can't always trouble others. After all, a relationship can only last long if there is give and take, so Xu Jianguo plans to host the Gao Wangshan family today and invite them to a meal at a state-owned restaurant.
At ten o'clock in the morning, Xu Jianguo held Wenwen, and Wen Sitian took the three girls and Xiaohei. After locking the door of the house and the yard, they walked towards the Red Star Machinery Factory.
Gao Wangshan was very happy when he saw Xu Jianguo and Wen Sitian appear in his office. He asked them to wait for a while and went home for dinner after he finished his work.
"Uncle Gao, we won't go to your house for dinner today. Go back and pick up Aunt later. I'll treat you to dinner at a state-owned restaurant!" Xu Jianguo said.
Gao Wangshan put down the documents in his hand and said unhappily: "What's the matter? I have money to burn. It would be great if I could go home and eat!"
"It's not that I have money to burn. You see, I haven't had the chance to treat you to a meal since I left. I can't go to your house for dinner every time I come back, right? I feel embarrassed to do that. It's settled today. Listen to me. I'll go to your house for dinner next time I come back. If you don't let me go, I'll stay at your door and won't leave!" Xu Jianguo said with a smile.
Looking at his rogue expression, Gao Wangshan was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Okay, I'll listen to you this time, but only this once. Next time you come back, you must go home for dinner!"
"Okay, I'll listen to you!" Xu Jianguo nodded.
After Gao Wangshan finished his work, the group walked outside. When they reached the factory gate, Gao Wangshan left first to go home and pick up his wife.
Xu Jianguo led his family to the state-owned restaurant where he had previously agreed to meet Gao Wangshan.
After waiting for less than half an hour, Gao Wangshan and his wife walked in from outside. Seeing this, Xu Jianguo and Wen Sitian quickly stood up to greet them, and then notified the waiter to serve the food.
Xu Jianguo had plenty of money in his pocket, so he didn't hesitate at all when ordering the dishes and ordered all the few main dishes.
Since Gao Wangshan had to go back to the factory in the afternoon, the few of them did not drink.
The meal took nearly two hours to finish. Before the two families parted ways, Xu Jianguo told Gao Wangshan that his troops would be rotating next year, but he did not tell him where they would be rotating to.
I just promised him that I would write to him after things settled down.
Gao Wangshan's eyes were full of reluctance, and he told him to take good care of himself and his family. Before leaving, he also reminded him that when he changes his job in the future, he must come back to help him if he has the chance.
Xu Jianguo nodded helplessly in agreement, but he was thinking in his heart that it would probably be impossible for him to return to the Red Star Machinery Factory in this lifetime.
After saying goodbye to Gao Wangshan and his wife, Xu Jianguo led his family towards the government office. At this time, there were basically no people on the dirt road of the government office in the county town, so when they walked to a deserted place, the family returned to the space.
When Xu Jianguo appeared again, he was already in the woods of a small park near the Xinhua Bookstore in the administrative office.
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