"Dad, this money isn't for me. It's the capital Brother Gou gave me to open a shop."
Li Fuguo interrupted his father's rambling thoughts, his chin held high, every word radiating pride.
"Brother Gou said he's going to open the biggest hotel in Funing County!"
Li Fuguo's father stared blankly at his son.
The son before me was radiant and full of vigor, no longer the naive young man from the village.
He couldn't help but sigh deeply, filled with emotion: "Er Gouzi... truly a dragon soaring out of our Zhangjia Village, remarkable, truly remarkable!"
Not only Li Fuguo, but everyone else in the team was dressed smartly and had rosy cheeks.
Li Yaohui, who had lost an arm, arrived.
Tie Zhengzi, who had just recovered from his injuries, also arrived.
They all stood on the periphery of the crowd, their eyes filled with undisguised envy as they watched Zhang Da Nao and the others being surrounded by their parents, their faces beaming with pride and smugness.
Soon, everyone's attention was focused on the entrance of the dealership.
There, Zhang Cheng was lying on a rattan chair, covered with a thin blanket, looking relaxed and content.
"Er Gouzi, your injury... is it really nothing serious?"
"Ergouzi, tomorrow your uncle will go up the mountain and dig up some old ginseng to nourish your body!"
"Er Gouzi, I knew it all along! My whole cabinet was following you, it was definitely the right thing to do!"
Bathed in the villagers' simple and enthusiastic praise, Zhang Cheng said with a smile, "Uncles, aunts and uncles, please say as many words of thanks as you can. I'll be very grateful to hear them."
"Hahaha!"
Good-natured laughter erupted from the crowd.
"That kid Er Gouzi is still as talkative as ever!"
"Er Gouzi, you've used up all the good words I have in my head!"
Seeing Zhang Cheng's silly antics, the atmosphere at the scene became even more lively.
Zhao Qingwan suppressed a laugh, quietly tugged at Shi Yangyang's sleeve, and whispered, "Your husband is really shameless!"
Shi Yangyang glared at her best friend reproachfully, but a sweet smile couldn't help but appear on her lips.
Just then, the crowd parted.
Li Hongzhuang, holding his one-armed son Li Yaohui's hand, walked straight to the rattan chair.
He looked at Zhang Cheng with a complicated expression, his voice heavy.
"Er Gouzi, Yao Hui's life was given to him by you."
"A life-saving grace should be repaid with one's life."
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly raised his foot and kicked Li Yaohui hard in the back of the knee, shouting angrily, "Kneel down! Kowtow to Er Gouzi!"
Zhang Cheng's expression changed, and he was about to speak to stop them, but it was too late.
"thump!"
With a muffled thud, Li Yaohui's knees slammed heavily onto the muddy ground.
Without hesitation, he kowtowed three times to Zhang Cheng, 'bang, bang, bang'.
Dust flew everywhere.
Zhang Cheng sighed inwardly; he understood the thoughts of the father and son.
"Yaohui, Uncle Hongzhuang, get up quickly."
He said gently, "Yaohui, I promised Uncle Hongzhuang that I would take you to the county next time."
Li Yaohui raised his head, his eyes red-rimmed, his lips trembling, and all his words could be summed up in just two words.
"Brother... thank you!"
Zhang Jucai walked over as well. He looked at Li Hongzhuang and his son, and finally his gaze fell on Zhang Cheng. He said, "Ergouzi, Tie Zhengzi's injury has almost healed. If you need manpower in the county, take him with you."
“Uncle, that’s exactly what I was thinking!” Zhang Cheng replied with a smile.
Tie Zhengzi stood behind, his face flushed red.
Back then, he had tried several times to persuade Zhang Cheng to work at the cannery, but now, Zhang Cheng was a big boss whom he had to look up to.
"That's right!"
Zhang Cheng suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Zhang Da Nao sitting on the threshold.
"Big Head Bro, bring that bag of clothes over here, let the aunties divide them up!"
"Okay!"
Zhang Da Tou jumped up, patted the dirt off his bottom, and turned to go into the consignment store.
He came out carrying a huge sack, laughing and shouting, "Aunties, come here! These clothes are from the clothing store and they have some minor problems. They're either torn or have small tears. Take them home, sew them up, and they'll be as good as new!"
"Don't underestimate these clothes, they're all brand new and never been worn before!"
"In the county town, even the cheapest one like this costs more than ten yuan!"
Upon hearing that the cheapest price was over ten yuan, the women present's eyes lit up instantly, and they all swarmed around it.
"Wow, what kind of clothes are so expensive?"
"This material is truly beautiful!"
"Aunt Hua, how old are you? Why are you trying to take this floral dress from us? Give it to me, it fits my little Wenzi perfectly!"
Zhang Cheng watched the lively scene unfold before him with a smile.
This is the taste.
They laugh and joke around, but no one is really angry.
Zhang Da Nao squeezed through the crowd, handed a small, separate bag to Zhang Cheng, and whispered, "Er Gouzi, this is what Li Zhiqing... specially picked out for your sister-in-law."
Zhang Cheng raised an eyebrow, inwardly cursing himself for being such a jerk, so preoccupied with outside affairs that he had forgotten to pick out some clothes for his wife.
He turned his head and looked tenderly at Shi Yangyang, who was standing with Zhao Qingwan.
"young married woman!"
He smiled and waved: "Come over here, take a look and see if you like these clothes."
"Okay!" Shi Yangyang responded and walked over with Zhao Qingwan by her side.
Zhang Cheng handed over the cloth bag in his hand and said with a smile, "Wife, go change into this and let me see!"
“Okay!” Shi Yangyang took the clothes, pulled Zhao Qingwan along, and quickly ran into the consignment store.
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