In order to welcome Grandpa Liu and others, Meng Tao prepared everything she could and breathed a sigh of relief. However, it started snowing heavily. It was no longer sleet particles, but heavy goose feather snow flakes that fell from the sky in pieces and clumps. After a while, a layer of white snow accumulated on the roofs and the ground. The small mountain village began to be covered in silver, which was very beautiful.

Tomorrow is the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month. Captain Bao is more worried than Meng Tao. He ran over to take a look and saw that Meng Tao had covered the guest rooms with thick new quilts and sheets. He did not accuse her of spending money indiscriminately. After all, it was snowing heavily and the north wind was blowing. It was especially cold in the countryside. It would not be good if the guests were frozen.

Team leader Bao told Meng Tao that it was snowing heavily and the tractor was not easy to ride, so he would ask Lao Liang to drive the ox cart to the commune to pick people up tomorrow morning.

Meng Tao also felt that ox carts were better and safer, while tractors were more bouncy. The roads were slippery in snowy weather, so be careful not to fall off the road. There were no particularly dangerous sections of the road from the commune to Linshui Village. Apart from the highway, there were only dirt roads. It would be fine for a young man to fall or somersault, as at most he would suffer some minor injuries. But Grandpa Liu was in poor health and could not withstand it.

I just don't know which group will arrive first, Mr. Liu or Shen Yu and Meng Zhehan?

The weather in the provincial capital was also extremely cold. Heavy snow had started falling two days ago, and there was thick snow on both sides of the streets. Late in the evening, Zhang Guoqing drove a military green jeep and took Meng Zhehan to the Qianjin Steel Plant.

When we got off the car at the entrance of Shen's house, Shen Yu came out to greet us and looked at the jeep: "This is the car, specially modified?"

Meng Zhehan: "I guarantee it's faster than yours. It's no problem to go through the wilderness!"

Shen Yu smiled faintly: "My truck is very ordinary, but the driver's skills are extraordinary. However, if your truck can't even compare to a truck, then you should throw it away."

Meng Zhehan: "Don't bring a truckload of stuff. I'll only need to prepare those things to avoid the neighbors talking and causing trouble for Taohua."

Zhang Guoqing said, "The small bridge outside Linshui Village can only accommodate tractors and cars. Comrade Shen, your truck must be parked at the commune."

"The truck can go outside the village, unload the stuff and then come back. Then your jeep can just make two more trips to carry the stuff. I didn't bring much, just a few boxes, some supplies, and the puppy."

Meng Zhehan asked: "Has the puppy been named?"

Shen Yu: "The name should be given by its owner."

"Yes." Meng Zhehan said, "You have so many things to do, can you leave? If not, let's take the puppy with us and set off tonight!"

Shen Yu glanced at him: "If I hadn't waited for you, I would have left yesterday."

Meng Zhehan took off his gloves with a smile. He came here to eat, not to make a quarrel.

Just as he was about to walk through the iron gate, he heard a hoarse female voice calling out in a coquettish voice, "Brother Shen Yu!"

Turning his head sideways, he saw Xian Fangfang and Tian Zhigao coming out of the yard next door. Xian Fangfang's eyes and nose were red, and the corners of her eyes were a little wet, obviously she had been crying, but she ran towards Shen Yu with a sweet smile on her face, looking radiant, just like a young girl who had met her first love.

Meng Zhehan coughed lightly and tilted his head towards Shen Yu: "Are you going to call her 'Princess Shen Yu' until she's a hundred years old? No wonder Sister Taohua said that you were Xian Fangfang's childhood sweetheart."

Shen Yu: “…” Damn childhood sweetheart.

Xian Fangfang trotted in front of Shen Yu with her high-heeled shoes, and continued to call him sweetly, "Brother Shen Yu!"

He reached out his hand to help, but was pushed away by Xian Fangfang. Tian Zhigao did not feel embarrassed, probably because he was used to it. He nodded and smiled at Shen Yu and Meng Zhehan, saying hello: "Comrade Shen, Comrade Meng."

Seeing Zhang Guoqing, he paused for a moment, then asked in surprise: "Zhang Guoqing? It's you, right? Why... aren't you going home for the New Year?"

What he wanted to ask was: How could you come here and know Director Shen's family? Zhang Guoqing replied: "I will go back tomorrow."

Tian Zhigao's eyes flickered, and when he turned to see that Xian Fangfang didn't notice him, he reached out and took Zhang Guoqing two steps away, and asked, "Guoqing, are you going back by train or bus?"

"What's wrong?" Zhang Guoqing asked.

"Oh, that's right. I can't go home for the holidays this year. If you're taking the train, can you bring some things back for me? They're not very heavy, just one bag. They're welfare benefits from the factory, but my wife doesn't like to eat them. It would be a waste to keep them. As I remember, your fiancée's family is in Linshui Brigade, and my family is in that village as well."

Zhang Guoqing: “…”

Meng Zhehan interrupted, "I'm afraid that's not possible. We have a small car and need to carry a lot of luggage. There's no place to help you carry your things."

Tian Zhigao looked at Meng Zhehan in confusion: He and Zhang Guoqing were from the same hometown, so he could ask Zhang Guoqing to bring something. Where was Comrade Meng's home? It must be on a different road, right? Meng Zhehan smiled and pointed at the car parked on the cement road: "Comrade Zhang Guoqing invited us to his home, and we planned to drive back by ourselves and see the scenery along the way. The trunk of that car is already full."

Tian Zhigao turned around to look at the obviously different jeep, with an enviable look on his face and a feeling of dissatisfaction in his heart: Zhang Guoqing looks so silly, how could he have such an honor? He met a friend with a good family background and ability, and he was willing to go home with him and drive a car back at any time. This can be considered a return home in glory!

How great it would be if this happened to me! Four years ago, I went to work in the provincial capital as a worker. All the young people in the village and even the whole commune looked at me with envy and jealousy. If I could drive a small car back now, even if it was just like Zhang Guoqing, with the help of a friend, it would be enough to cause a sensation, and the whole village would worship me and the Tian family again!

Under the powerful aura of wealth and splendor, what was the impact of the "Sticky Grass" incident? Just like water passing over a duck's back, it left no trace in the blink of an eye! While Tian Zhigao was thinking about it, Xian Fangfang was also full of joy, speaking to Shen Yu in a gentle and tactful tone.

"Brother Shen Yu, you are at home? I knocked on the door just now, intending to call you over there to have dinner together. You may not have heard me, so I thought you were not there."

Shen Yu: "I heard it, but I didn't think it was necessary, so I didn't come out."

Xian Fangfang: “…”

Think about it, Shen Yu has this kind of cold and aloof personality. People who don’t know him would be surprised. But she wouldn’t, because she knows him best.

He smiled nonchalantly and continued, "Oh, that's okay. Brother Shen Yu, you're spending the Spring Festival here this year, right? That's great! When we were little, it was so much fun to set off fireworks together. So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. Can we set off fireworks together again this year? We should buy lots and lots of fireworks and have fun!"

Shen Yu: "Comrade Xian Fangfang, you need to change your habit of telling lies. I never spend the New Year here."

So when is the time to set off fireworks with you?

(End of this chapter)