Chapter 106 Wan Hu is making trouble again
The young man's smile faded, and he lowered his head to pick up two thin sweet potatoes and examine them. Then he looked up, his gaze fixed on the Jiang family. After a pause, he said quietly, "The great man said that we must seize the opportunity to conserve food. Eat dry food when busy, and liquid food when not busy, and mix it with sweet potatoes, potatoes, and other grains. Don't be careless."
"Not careless, how could I be careless?" Jiang Mancheng quickly stepped forward and put his arm around the young man's shoulder, saying in a friendly manner, "Hey, is this the kid from the Shi family upstairs in the back? You've made it big. I have a good relationship with your father. A few years ago, your father complained to me, saying that you were a loser, just like so-and-so, a bad student who was fooling around everywhere. But seeing you today, hey, that old guy didn't tell the truth. Isn't that a sign of great success? Your father is not a very honest person. He can talk as much as he wants, but he can't say nonsense. Don't you agree?"
The young man tilted his head, staring intently at Jiang Mancheng. Jiang Mancheng stared back fearlessly, showing no sign of avoiding him. The young man, still a bit naive, felt a little timid. He glanced down at the pickles and steamed bread on the table, gritted his teeth, and waved, "Let's go, next one."
Jiang Mancheng and Jiang Nan immediately smiled and said, "Slow down."
After politely sending the person away and closing the door, Jiang Mancheng let out a low, "What kind of person is this? You're only seventeen or eighteen and you dare to knock on a widow's door. You even dare to show off to me. Don't you even know who I am?"
Jiang Nan laughed heartily: "Dad, you're amazing! How come you know everything? Who is this? It's like they're here just to cause trouble."
Jiang Mancheng snorted, "His father is also from the construction team. He probably wants to get rid of me and take over the job of materials keeper. He doesn't even take a piss to look at himself. He can't even read a single word, and he dares to be a materials keeper. Does he know how to manage things?"
Jiang Nan couldn't stop laughing: "Why do I feel like there's more to it than just this? It seems like he has something on you, otherwise he wouldn't be able to leave so easily."
Hearing this, even Chen Jinhua showed a look of disdain on her face, and Jiang Mancheng said, "You coward."
He waved to the crowd, and Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing gathered around him. Jiang Mancheng then said, "Remember those times your mom and I snuck out at night to scare Wan Hu? One night, we saw Shi Weimin and Dong Tingting doing something. You know what I mean."
He coughed lightly and continued, "Well, Dong Tingting was with Wan Hu at the time. Who in the Revolutionary Committee didn't know that? This bastard was openly servile to Wan Hu, but in private, he even didn't let Wan Hu's women go. How could he be a good person? This kind of person is very poisonous. Be careful."
Chen Jinhua quickly whispered: "Okay, it's not worth getting angry with such a person. We've almost finished eating anyway, so eating some pickled cabbage will only help digestion." What she said was true. The four of them had almost finished eating. Otherwise, it would be annoying to check halfway through the meal and find that they were neither eating nor finishing. It was probably difficult for Jiang Nan to even smile.
Jiang Mancheng's frown finally relaxed a bit. "I'm not angry, I just need to be more careful with my meals next time. I'm afraid there will be more frequent checks in the future."
He looked at the sweet potato he had just picked up. Luckily, the system sold unpeeled sweet potatoes. They looked thin and slippery, but they were actually very sweet. Jiang Mancheng picked it up and peeled it while saying, "Luckily, I wasn't so perverted as to break it open to see. Otherwise, there wouldn't be enough shreds on this little sweet potato, and the filling would definitely be exposed."
Zhou Zhixing nodded: "That's right. From now on, we should always keep some sweet potatoes, pickles, steamed bread, etc. in Xiaonan's space. Whenever there is an inspection, we can take them out to deal with it."
This was the only way. Everyone nodded, but Jiang Mancheng slapped his forehead and said worriedly, "No, we have to find a way to cheer Wan Hu up. I didn't expect him to come up after lying down. This won't do. We have to think of a way."
Hearing this, everyone inwardly blamed Wan Hu again. This was truly a bad time to lay low. It was no longer the time they had initially believed Wan Hu to be so resilient. It had to be said that the Jiang family was also full of hypocrites.
Thinking of the words he had said about getting a marriage certificate, Jiang Mancheng looked at Zhou Zhixing with increasing displeasure. How could this kid be so lucky? Seeing this, Jiang Nan quickly whispered to divert attention, "I don't know who will suffer today. It's an unprovoked disaster."
Who would suffer? It was naturally the Cheng family. Since things were going well, Cheng Dazhu personally cooked five dishes and a soup. Three of the five dishes were meat dishes, which stirred up a hornet's nest.
If it were anyone else, they could say they bought it specially for the holidays, but Cheng Dazhu is the cook. Did you buy it or just take it from the canteen? Can you explain it clearly? Okay, you say you bought it, but do you have any witnesses? Forget about the pork, fish, and chicken; they're sold at the market, so it's hard to argue. Just take the shrimp in the stir-fried shrimp. The supply and marketing cooperative hasn't sold any shrimp this month! How could they? They're just cooking in the canteen! Who would believe you if you said you didn't take it from the canteen? Cheng Dazhu would be arrested on the spot and sent to the Revolutionary Committee for criticism and education. He would also be made an example of throughout the oilfield.
This is getting outrageous. As the building manager, Old Lady Cao has to step in. After all, if Cheng Dazhu is made an example, Building 4 will suffer. From now on, supplies like winter vegetables and honeycomb briquettes will have to be put on the back burner. We'll have to buy only third-rate vegetables, ones that can't even wrap the heart of the cabbage, and only slag coal. How can this work?
Old Lady Cao was about to speak when Zhou Zhixing pushed open the door and spoke first, "Uncle Cheng, haven't you finished eating the shrimp you asked my colleague to bring from Bincheng a few days ago? They've been going bad for so many days, right? You're a chef, and eating rotten shrimp could be fatal."
Cheng Dazhu was stunned for a moment, then continued without turning his head, "Well, what can we do? It's a big holiday, and we can't buy good things. We can just make do with rotten fish and shrimp, and it's also a way of celebrating the festival. I didn't expect to make a mistake. Six people eating five dishes and one soup is too extravagant even for a festival. Leader, I was wrong. I didn't respond to the call for a simple and frugal New Year. I accept the criticism and will definitely write a good self-criticism."
Zhou Zhixing worked at the police station, and they often traveled around the country to handle cases, so asking people to bring things along was perfectly normal. Cheng Dazhu was considered quick on the uptake, and Shi Weimin, the supposed leader, wasn't slow either. He glanced at Jiang Mancheng with a half-smile, his eyes clearly indicating that Dong Tingting's leverage could only be used twice. If he tried to use this to blackmail him again, forget it.
Jiang Mancheng received the signal and looked back fearlessly. "Two times is enough. You're not a good person. It's not easy to find evidence against you." It wasn't that he had to meddle in the Cheng family's affairs today. It was because Officer Lan's daughter and Cheng Kantan were already discussing marriage. They were intervening in this matter out of respect for Officer Lan, not Cheng Dazhu.
Shi Weimin chuckled and raised his hand, saying, "Write a 10,000-word self-examination. Finish the whole thing and post it on the loudspeaker. Okay, next one."
This was a simple criticism and education. Cheng Dazhu nodded and assured: "Yes, yes, ten thousand words, it must be profound, take care." He respectfully escorted the person out of the house.
Everyone watched the excitement for a moment. The red armbands finished their inspection of the fourth floor and then went up to the fifth. It was New Year's Day, and every table had a few more dishes, but they all still had pickles and steamed bread. Shi Weimin left Building 4 with a sour face and headed for another building. Building 4 was a luxurious tube-shaped building, and although the inspection had found one item that didn't meet the requirements, Shi Weimin was clearly not satisfied. As he left, his face was as gloomy as a horse's.
Everyone in Building 4 looked at each other, no one daring to express a single opinion. They silently returned to their rooms and closed the door. But before closing the door, Jiang Nan felt two gazes, two stares clearly filled with malicious intent. Jiang Nan feigned indifference as she closed the door, but in reality, she was glancing at them out of the corner of her eye. Very good, Ye Chunping and Qiu Sheng'er. Now that Qiu Pan'er has a son and someone to care for, she doesn't stare at her as much anymore. Now it's their turn, right?
Humph, she is not afraid of Qiu Paner, Dong Tingting and Dong Jiaojiao, so why would she be afraid of you two?
Despite the minor hiccups, it was a rare day off, especially during the holidays, so a return to West Riverbank was a must. Jiang Mancheng was much more low-key this time, packing up two jars of the meat sauce he'd made at home. Jiang Nan also bought two bags of honey mulberry and other traditional Chinese New Year and holiday fruits at the mall, dumping them all into a basket and covering it with a floral cloth before carrying them back to West Riverbank.
Because he had just been called, Zhou Zhixing did not follow this time. The three of them rode their bicycles and rushed back to the Jiang family yard at lightning speed.
Jiang Gui had been married for over a year now, and Luo Tao had finally gotten pregnant, much to Ma Honghua's delight. Jiang Mancheng and the other two had barely sat down on the kang when Ma Honghua started to get excited, fiddling with the basket and even complaining about it.
"Jinhua, my daughter Taozi is going to give birth to a grandson. You, as a grandmother, can't bring such a small amount of things. Mr. Chen is such a high-ranking official, it's easy for him to get milk powder. Next time..."
Luo Tao smiled apologetically, lowering her head, the tips of her ears red, and rubbing her palms nervously. Seeing Du Hehua's chest heaving with anger, as if she were about to scold her, Jiang Nan immediately took Luo Tao's arm and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, sister-in-law, let's go to my room. I brought you some goodies that even Grandma and Uncle don't have." As he spoke, he carefully helped her out of the room. Jiang Tong, Jiang Huai, Jiang Song and other younger generations all stood up and followed.
Chen Jinhua helped to add color to the conversation: "That's right, go quickly, Xiaonan has been picking things in the department store for a long time." After seeing the person leave, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Du Hehua panted heavily, and only then did she soften her expression when the younger generation left. Ma Honghua had to deal with this, as he had now dared to disdain the gift her son had brought. She immediately threw down the shoe sole she was sewing and sternly shouted, "Ma Honghua, if you do this again, I'll make my second son divorce you!"
Ma Honghua was still rummaging in the basket with her hands. The smile on her face froze when she heard this.
Du Hehua snorted and laughed, "You don't know how to cherish the good times, so don't blame me for being rude. Tao'er is a worker who was admitted through a proper examination, and she can't be replaced within five years. What are you nagging about these days? Don't even mention that Tao'er is only four months pregnant now. Even if she is about to give birth, she still has to go to work. What are you thinking of asking Tao'er to hire someone to take her shift at this time? You don't know who you are after being complimented a few times. If you keep doing this, you can go back to your parents' home and see if your brother and sister-in-law can support you!"
Outside, Jiang Manpo, holding a kettle in one hand and about to lift the curtain to go in with the other, paused when he heard this and quietly turned back to the kitchen. It was time for his daughter-in-law to be taught a lesson. A few years ago, she was smart enough to know that her parents, brother, and sister-in-law were unreliable and didn't pay much attention to the Ma family. But now that his daughter-in-law is pregnant, she's actually starting to get close to them. Who knows what she's thinking.
In the kitchen, Jiang Gui saw his father come back in the same state. He lowered his head and thought about it. After a while, he understood what was going on. He stood up and said, "I'll go."
Yin Wenjuan covered the pot, stood up and said with a smile: "Okay, you two grown men stay here and watch the fire, I'll go."
In the main room, Ma Honghua's cheeks were red from being scolded, and she couldn't even lift her head. For the first time, she discovered the advantages of this little bastard Jiang Nan, who actually took his daughter-in-law away at the first opportunity, preventing her from losing face in front of the younger generation.
After having dinner early at Jiang's house, Jiang Mancheng, Chen Jinhua, and Jiang Nan rode away on their bikes before it got completely dark. They were silent along the way, and by the time they arrived at the family compound, it was already past seven and completely dark.
"Xiao Nan, take this small bag of roasted peanuts to your Grandma Cao." Locking the car, Jiang Mancheng shouldered a large bag of peanuts and handed the other small bag to Jiang Nan. This year's peanut harvest was quite good; Du Hehua loved them, so she planted quite a few in her family's private plot every year.
Jiang Nan hadn't understood why period novels always mentioned peanuts, and why they were often used to store grain. Now she understood: it was a lack of oil and water. Peanuts themselves can be used to extract oil. Whether stir-fried, deep-fried, or simply dried in a clay oven, they are always fragrant and oily. This is the most oil-rich food. She took a small bag of peanuts and said with a smile, "Okay."
Now, Old Lady Cao was even more enthusiastic about Jiang Nan. Today's surprise inspection not only reassured Jiang Mancheng that they could get married quickly, but also reassured Old Lady Cao. The two young people were shamelessly clinging to each other all day, and they didn't think it was a big deal, but those watching were worried. Nowadays, relationships between men and women are a big deal, so it's better to get a marriage certificate. With a certificate, everything is legal.
Old Lady Cao dragged Jiang Nan into the house, closed the door, and rummaged through her bosom until she pulled out a bulging handkerchief, wrapped very tightly. Old Lady Cao smiled mysteriously, stuffed the handkerchief into Jiang Nan's bosom, and whispered, "Grandma heard what Xiaoxing said. Let's get the marriage certificate this year and see what those people have to say. Take it, this is a gift from grandma." Seeing Jiang Nan about to open it, Old Lady Cao didn't stop her.
Jiang Nan's movements were even faster. He opened it and saw a gold bracelet. His mouth dropped open in surprise. When did gold become so common?
Old Mrs. Cao smiled proudly. "Here, Zhilai, Zhidao, and Zhixing all got married. They have it. Nan, my birthday is the second day of the second month, right?"
Seeing Jiang Nan nod, Old Lady Cao smiled even more happily: "Okay, just wait, I will definitely pick an auspicious day for you to get the marriage certificate. I promise that your future life will be smooth sailing no matter what you encounter."
Jiang Nan nodded mechanically again. She hadn't expected anything, and her brain seemed to have frozen. Only after she left Old Lady Cao's bedroom and saw Zhou Zhixing did Jiang Nan's mind seem to clear up again. She winked at Zhou Zhixing and said goodbye, "Uncle Zhou, Aunt Zhou, I'll be leaving now."
Zhou Yuanqing was sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper. He smiled at Jiang Nan and called Zhou Zhixing, "Xiaoxing, go and see him off."
Zhou Zhixing, of course, saw Jiang Nan's hint and, as expected, went to the Jiang family. As soon as the door closed, Jiang Nan took out the gold bracelet given by Old Lady Cao and whispered, "Is Grandma Cao also a servant of a capitalist? When did capitalists become so common?"
Seeing this, Zhou Zhixing smiled and said, "Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with grandma's background." Then he talked about Cao Chuncao and the Zhou family's background.
It turns out Cao Chuncao's son was a concubine's son, born from the same mother as his older and younger brothers, so naturally their relationship wasn't good. Back then, the Zhou family was a major landowner on the East River's banks, and while the men were wealthy, most wouldn't be so devoted to a single woman. This ancestor of the Zhou family was one of them, marrying three or four concubines. Only the second concubine gave birth to Cao Chuncao's son, while the other children were born to the first wife. Later, for unknown reasons, the ancestor of the Zhou family became addicted to opium and couldn't quit. Within two years, he had squandered the family fortune.
Two years before liberation, the Zhou family's land had shrunk from 20 mu to 10 mu. When the ancestor died, the eldest wife's family simply drove the mother and son out. Thus, at the time of liberation, Cao Chuncao's family, without land, became impoverished.
But looking back today, there's still some truth to this poor peasant identity. The truth isn't about the land, but about the money. I'm afraid Cao Chuncao's husband and mother-in-law have been planning to get her kicked out for a long time.
Jiang Mancheng laughed even more: "I didn't expect there would be such a thing. Aunt Cao is really good, she hid it very well."
As he spoke, he took the bracelet from Jiang Nan's hand and examined it closely. It was a narrow, square gold bracelet, weighing less than 30 grams. The workmanship wasn't particularly fine, but it was genuine gold, no doubt about it. He handed it to Jiang Nan and said, "Alright, put it away. Since Aunt Cao said she'll set the date, then let her do it. We don't argue about this in our family." After all, they were going to live in the Jiang family after the wedding, so if Aunt Cao wanted to handle the wedding, then let her. It would save him and Jinhua a lot of trouble.
Chen Jinhua also laughed. She didn't expect that today's examination would speed up their marriage. It could be considered an unexpected gain.
The next day, Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing rode their bikes to work early again. The pre-New Year thief-catching competition hadn't concluded yet, and this year, Group Six was teaming up with Group Five to try to tie for first place, costing Officers Lan and Shen money and allowing Group Five leader Shao Yong to stock up on New Year's gifts to visit and curry favor with his father-in-law. Everyone checked in at the police station and left in small groups.
When the number of people had decreased, Shao Yong whispered, "I heard that Shi Weimin was inspecting the food in Courtyard No. 1 yesterday?"
Seeing Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing nod, Shao Yong snorted and said disdainfully, "What a jerk! This kind of person is still standing up. Really."
As he spoke, he looked around. Since it was working hours and there were not many people on the road, Shao Yong continued, "Don't be afraid of him. I've caught this guy before. Six years ago, when he was eighteen, he molested a female classmate and I caught him red-handed. If the girl's parents hadn't been afraid that the news would spread and affect the girl's reputation, and had insisted on settling the matter privately, this guy would have gone to jail."
Jiang Nan was startled. She whispered, "Brother Shao, aren't you afraid of Shi Weimin's retaliation? He seems narrow-minded and doesn't seem like a generous person. You should be careful."
Shao Yong snorted, "I think he dares! Don't worry, I know what's going on. You should also be careful, this is a complete villain, the most difficult to deal with. If he goes up, he will probably be more ruthless than Wan Hu."
He touched his chin and said, "You guys are really something. If that reputation gets out, he won't be fired, right?"
Zhou Zhixing shook his head. "No, it's just hearsay. We can't just withdraw people without evidence. Besides, Wan Hu has people behind him. They have interests at stake, so someone will stop us."
"I hope so." Shao Yong waved his hand. "Alright, let's not talk about these annoying things. You guys can't be lazy in this thief-catching competition. I'm counting on getting more rewards so I can earn some face in front of my father-in-law."
Jiang Nan raised his head. "Just wait and see." Having been a police officer for over a year, Jiang Nan could now tell who was up to no good, who looked off simply out of nervousness, and so on. His accuracy was practically 100%, and he no longer needed the help of the system. Speaking of catching thieves, Jiang Nan was filled with pride.
Shao Yong is very good at taking advantage of others: "Then I'm counting on you, heroine."
As they spoke, they had already reached the open space in front of the department store. Even thieves are particular about location and timing. For six consecutive days, they deployed in groups of four near the department store, the supply and marketing cooperative, and the Cultural Palace, two groups of six, two groups of five. Wang Zili and Wang Gengsheng, dressed in police uniforms, were responsible for patrolling the area. This way, everyone knew who to call when something happened, and it also served as a deterrent. At least the sight of the police would make the most vicious criminals hesitate and seek less crowded areas before striking.
Just like that, they spent almost a week roaming around during the day, catching a dozen would-be thieves. They also had to work irregular shifts at night. Security was tightest before the New Year, and the night shifts were long. Team 6, where Zhou Zhixing and Jiang Nan worked the entire night shift, was on duty. Despite being well-dressed, they were still freezing. By the time they entered the duty room from outside, they were still shaking, a sight that Chen Jinhua, who had come to deliver breakfast, felt incredibly distressed. Fortunately, they were both in good health, and after drinking ginger soup, they quickly recovered without suffering any fever or illness.
On that Saturday, right after work, before they even reached the family compound, Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing saw Dong Tingting, arm in arm with Shi Weimin, walking affectionately toward the compound. Jiang Nan pouted and whispered, "What's going on? Did she break up with Cheng's father?" As she spoke, she had already opened the system and started watching Dong Tingting's channel.
[Host, Cheng Fu was determined not to marry Dong Tingting. Now Dong Tingting has left Cheng Fu and started dating Shi Weimin.]
"There's an age difference between the two, right?"
[Not much of a difference, host. Dong Tingting is twenty-eight this year, Shi Weimin is twenty-four, only four years older.]
Jiang Nan was about to say something when he saw Tong Lili hurried out of the family compound. Her face was hesitant, and it was obvious something was up. Because he had previously monitored Tong Lili's channel, the system immediately started reporting.
[Host, Tong Lili is going to buy medicine to ensure the birth of a boy.]
She couldn't just let this happen, so Jiang Nan quickly said, "Tong Lili, it's so late, are you going out alone? Let me accompany you. You're pregnant, and the weather is cold and the ground is slippery. You can't go out like this as a pregnant woman." After saying that, he quickly jumped off the bicycle, pushed it in the direction of Zhou Zhixing, and ran to Tong Lili without caring about anything else.
Tong Lili's body stiffened instantly. She had just made up her mind to buy medicine, but with this interruption, her energy suddenly deflated like a deflated ball. She tilted her head awkwardly and smiled, saying, "It's okay, I'm just going to go next door to get some soy sauce. I'm not buying anything." Without waiting for Jiang Nan to come forward, she turned around and walked away. Judging from her posture, she looked very healthy and didn't look pregnant at all.
Jiang Nan smiled, but didn't move. He just crossed his arms and watched. In front of him, Tong Lili looked back and saw them. She gritted her teeth and turned the corner to enter the gate of the second courtyard next door. Jiang Nan then turned around and went back to support his bicycle: "Okay, let's go."
Zhou Zhixing laughed: "You're quite nosy."
Jiang Nan was furious. "How is this meddling in other people's business? That medicine to ensure a boy's birth isn't a good thing. What if I give birth to a baby that's neither male nor female? With today's medical conditions, surgery can't be performed. Wouldn't that child's life be over?"
He snorted and said, "I didn't think Tong Lili was so stupid before. How could she believe this at such a young age? No, can you think of a way to catch that dishonest and fraudulent doctor? That's not Chinese medicine at all, it's a complete scam! If Tong Lili doesn't buy it, who knows?"
Zhou Zhixing nodded. "Alright, let's think of a solution while we eat. If nothing works, we'll just keep an eye on that guy. I don't believe we can't catch him."
This was also a solution. The two of them didn't say anything more. After a while, they arrived downstairs and saw Dong Tingting and Shi Weimin, who had come in earlier, surrounded by people. However, judging by their posture, they didn't seem to be being bothered, but rather being taught a lesson.
Dong Tingting clutched her waist and shouted, "Who threw rotten eggs at Xiao Shi's door? Putting aside whether it was retaliation, just the waste of eggs deserves a scolding! Have you come to your senses? The food inspection was the Revolutionary Committee's decision, and you're blaming Xiao Shi. If it weren't for Xiao Shi's care, do you think you could have gotten away with it so easily?"
Glancing at the figures of Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing, Dong Tingting shouted even louder: "These people were fumigating their homes with mugwort during the inspection. Do they think everyone is a fool? My little Shi is giving face to everyone, so he turned a blind eye. Don't be shameless!" After saying that, she snorted and pulled Shi Weimin away.
Shi Weimin was no longer as ruthless as he had been during the inspection. It seemed that he could do nothing about Dong Tingting. He smiled apologetically at everyone, followed Dong Tingting's force, and staggered away.
Jiang Nan chuckled, "Dong Tingting is in Shi Weimin's hands? His rank is higher than Wan Hu and Cheng Fu's, and he can still control Dong Tingting. He's amazing."
Zhou Zhixing also became interested, but he said, "It's not necessarily Dong Tingting who was manipulated. They must have a division of labor. Dong Tingting must have gained something by doing this."
[Yes, host. The two of them have agreed that Dong Tingting will lead the charge and help Shi Weimin restore his reputation. Shi Weimin will give Dong Tingting thirty yuan per month.]
Wow, I didn't expect Shi Weimin to be willing to do that. But this also shows that the department is really lucrative.
Shi Weimin is hedging his bets. He's worried the movement won't last, and he wants to maintain a good reputation within the family housing complex to prevent being liquidated at its end. But he's also reluctant to give up the power he's about to acquire. So what's his solution? Pay someone to act like a puppet. That way, whatever he does will seem forced, driven by necessity, and no one can express resentment. He's clearly receiving guidance from a master.
Dong Tingting saw the benefits, and the two of them had a cooperative relationship.
Jiang Nan was impressed by Dong Tingting. A woman who didn't value love and focused on making money and pursuing material things couldn't be said to be good, but she could definitely live a good and meaningful life. Not even half of the people in this world could live a meaningful life.
The noise died down, and the two of them quickly went upstairs. Building 4 was now full of children, and before they even entered, they could hear the crying of babies, making it very lively.
When I arrived at the Jiang family's house, Jiang Mancheng and Chen Jinhua had already finished work and prepared dinner. A plate of kimchi, steamed sweet potatoes, multi-grain steamed buns, stir-fried cabbage, and rice and red bean porridge. I had just had a checkup, and while another one wasn't likely, the effects were still there. I couldn't eat whatever I wanted like before. Luckily, eating these at night was good for my health.
Jiang Mancheng took a sip of porridge and said, "Xiao Nan, it's better for you to get married this year. A new residential building will be built after the New Year. Since both of you are working, it will be easier to divide the house when the time comes."
"Are you sure?" Chen Jinhua asked, "There are a lot of people watching the house."
Jiang Mancheng said, "Here's what I think. It would be best if Xiaonan and Xiaoxing could do something good and get a newspaper report or something. That way, we'd be almost certain. But you two have short service years, so even if we split up, we'd only get a small house of 20 or 30 square meters at best. Ideally, we could do something great and maybe get a bigger house. 40 square meters would be the best. Then we'll keep an eye on it. If anyone wants to trade up for a smaller house, we can use these two houses to make the swap."
Chen Jinhua wondered, "Everyone wants a big house, but some want to move to a smaller one?"
Jiang Mancheng explained with a smile, "Why not? Think about it, when the old man dies or the family splits up, they'll want to downsize. Our two houses combined are almost 100 square meters. When the time comes, we can downsize to the largest one, the 120-square-meter one. It won't be difficult to put in a little money. That way, we'll have four rooms, enough for Xiaonan to live in even if she has three or four children in the future."
In those days, there were no public areas in houses, so if a house was said to be 120 square meters, it really was 120 square meters, which was more spacious than a 150 square meter house in later generations.
Chen Jinhua smiled and said, "That's great."
Zhou Zhixing nodded: "Okay, I'll keep an eye on it."
Jiang Mancheng nodded and said to Jiang Nan, "Pay attention to your achievements and check the system more. It would be great if you could catch another spy or something."
Jiang Nan only nodded, but she was secretly complaining. Are spies so easy to catch? It might have been easier when the country was just founded, but it's been almost twenty years now. The easy ones have been caught long ago, and the ones who are really lurking might not be accessible even with her identity. She was lucky to catch the spy last time, but she didn't know if it would be the same this time. But then, thinking of the old Chinese doctor, Jiang Nan quickly said, "Does catching that old Chinese doctor who prescribes random prescriptions and cheats count as a meritorious service?"
The three of them shook their heads, and Jiang Mancheng said, "Although it can save some women, the impact is too small."
As he spoke, his eyes suddenly lit up and he clapped his hands, "Remember that speech about human traffickers last time? Didn't I interview Xiaonan? Xiaonan, can you add a few more examples of common methods used by human traffickers? Then submit them to the provincial newspaper or a more authoritative newspaper. That would be a great achievement."
He became happier as he spoke: "Didn't we catch a wave of human traffickers during the treasure hunt last time? Isn't this a ready-made case?"
Zhou Zhixing nodded and said, "That's right. If an authoritative newspaper publishes Xiaonan's article, Xiaonan will be considered a talent with special contributions. It's only right that she be given some consideration when housing is allocated."
Jiang Nan: "Okay, I'll start organizing it tonight. It would be great if I could write a script or something to demonstrate all these techniques so everyone can relate to them more."
Jiang Mancheng waved his hand and said, "Go for it boldly. This time we're building a family compound, and it can't be finished before the first freeze. You can be busy with this for most of the year."
Jiang Nan finally smiled and said, "Then you have to help me with additional cases. I can't do it alone."
The four of them chatted and laughed until dinner was over and the table was cleared. Jiang Nan returned to the bedroom and pulled out the case studies he had compiled earlier. Everyone started adding to the case studies, occasionally discussing a few lines about the script. After all the busy chatter, it was soon dark, and everyone went home to sleep.
The next day was the weekend. Although the four of them wanted to sleep in, there were too many children in the building. One was crying, the other was howling, and they woke up earlier than when they were at work.
It was hard to fall asleep after waking up, so after a simple breakfast, the four of them hid out. Fortunately, it wasn't a place they hadn't been to before, and it had been a long time since they had skated, so the four of them took their skates and went to the reservoir to skate.
Even the sea would freeze over in a Northeast winter, let alone a reservoir. As early as November, people were skating here. Now that the Lunar New Year is almost here, the ice is only thicker, and there are even more people.
When the four of them arrived, the reservoir was already crowded with people: some were skating, some were chatting and laughing, and some were trying to fish by breaking ice. The fisherman, seeing how crowded it was, even walked upstream, thinking of trying to find a less crowded area to avoid any accidents.
The four pretended not to notice, slipped on their skates, and quickly set off on the ice. Three of them had a background in martial arts, and the third was also incredibly agile. Within a short while, they had become the most impressive figures on the rink. They would spin and wag their tails, then leap and kick, dazzling the crowd.
Jiang Nan was having a blast skiing, soon breaking into a sweat. Panting, she and Zhou Zhixing slowly slid to the shore to rest. Jiang Mancheng was skiing properly, not tired at all, chatting and laughing with Chen Jinhua. Seeing this, Jiang Nan smiled happily, feeling proud, when she suddenly felt an uncomfortable gaze directed at her. She didn't turn around, but whispered, "Wan Hu."
When Jiang Nan first arrived at the reservoir, she observed Wan Hu skating with a man, chatting and laughing. Perhaps it was a new world that had opened up, or something else, but after the incident in the provincial capital, Wan Hu and the man had become unclear.
That man wasn't a good person either. He was Tong Lili's ex-boyfriend, Sun Min, a treacherous villain on par with Shi Weimin. It wasn't hard to guess: he was definitely trying to prop up Wan Hu for power, with him acting as regent. For power, a grown man would even sell his body—quite recklessly.
Jiang Nan whispered the situation, and Zhou Zhixing chuckled twice: "Just when I didn't know who to find to deal with Shi Weimin, someone came to my door. Don't worry, we'll figure it out slowly."
Jiang Nan raised an eyebrow, understanding Zhou Zhixing's meaning, and chuckled twice. It's best to end a dog-eat-dog situation where both sides suffer. Their family coaxed Wan Hu into being the decision-maker behind the scenes. This was the most self-serving strategy.
Jiang Nan: "I'll keep a close eye on it."
The two chatted idly. Jiang Mancheng finally felt happy about skiing, and he and Chen Jinhua came over, one on each side, saying, "Let's go back home to see your grandma. I don't know what Ma Honghua has been scolded like. It's a good time to see her make a fool of herself."
Jiang Nan grumbled inwardly, thinking her father was truly shameless, laughing at women's jokes. But if she wanted to go, she could go. She couldn't go back to Building 4 anyway. It was always someone crying or someone making a scene, and there was no peace and quiet in the middle of the day.
The four of them didn't even go home. They had just ridden their bikes and skated for an hour, and it wasn't even ten o'clock yet, so they could still go back for lunch. Chen Jinhua said, "Don't rush. You've just started sweating. Don't move too quickly. Rest a bit and wait until the sweat subsides before riding your bike. Otherwise, you'll get sick from the cold."
No one could refute this. The four of them pushed the bikes and walked slowly towards the west bank of the river. Only when the sweat on their bodies really died down did they ride their bikes and rush home.
They were silent all the way until they reached the Jiang family compound. Even Du Hehua was surprised. They had returned last week, and no one had expected the four of them to return this week. Du Hehua thought about it for a moment, then understood. She raised her head and glared at her youngest son, but didn't initiate any conversation with him. She simply lowered her head to mend the soles of her shoes.
"Oh my god, I didn't bring you any meat or snacks, so you're ignoring me now, right?" Jiang Mancheng started to act funny. "What's going on? Are you going to throw me out or beat me up?"
Du Hehua snorted and cursed in a low voice, "You're so old, and yet you're so unruly. Xiaonan's getting married soon, but has the date been set? You're so busy, and you just want to watch the fun? You even watch your mother's fun, you idiot."
Jiang Mancheng chuckled, "No, I wouldn't want to see my mother having fun. I just miss you. How does that saying go? A day without seeing you feels like three years. Let me calculate."
As he spoke, he bent his fingers and counted one, two, three, four, five: "I haven't seen you for six days. Thirty-six makes eighteen. Oh, I didn't know until I counted. Once I counted, I was shocked. It's been eighteen years since I last saw you. I really don't miss you..."
While they were having fun, Ma Honghua came in through the curtains, obediently carrying the kettle and quietly pouring tea. She was as well-behaved as she could be. Before leaving, she didn't even look up at Jiang Mancheng.
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