There is no deputy who doesn't want to take over the position from his predecessor.

It was Shen Heping who helped Old Yuan become the deputy factory director. The couple has been clinging to Shen Heping for many years. They insisted on becoming neighbors after moving several times. They introduced nannies and date partners to Old Yuan, and all of them were their relatives. Shen Yu didn't believe that Deputy Factory Director Yuan was just like Shen Heping, who was purely out of nostalgia for the sake of their many years of friendship and had no other intentions.

He had never discussed these things with his father before because he thought it was not a big problem. After all, his father was in his forties and had enough age and experience. He would not be easily taken advantage of. Besides, Old Yuan looked honest and did not look like a cunning person.

Problems were exposed in the marriage of Xian Fangfang and Tian Zhigao. One of them insisted on marrying despite knowing that the other was engaged, while the other broke his promise and married someone else. Not only did the Yuan couple not stop them, but they protected, condoned and deceived them. In this matter, Yuan took advantage of his own father and did it without revealing anything. Shen Yu knew that he had overestimated Yuan's character all these years.

Meng Zhehan was right. His old father was indeed a bit like Mr. Dongguo who sheltered the wild wolf. Old Yuan had ulterior motives. Once he saw an opportunity, for his own personal interests, the first person he would bite would definitely be Comrade Old Shen.

This person cannot be kept and must be eliminated as soon as possible to avoid future troubles.

Taking advantage of Lao Yuan's desire to climb up the social ladder, Shen Yu had people spread the news that Shen Heping was about to be promoted, and the news was spread from reliable channels, making it seem like the truth. Then Shen Yu waited to see how Lao Yuan would perform, hoping that he would not be disappointed.

Tian Zhigao was included in the plan. They wanted to uproot him from Qianjin Steel Plant and make him get out the same way he got in. They also wanted to find him a "good place". However, they didn't expect Tian Zhigao to think so quickly and get out of the way first.

Shen Yu was puzzled, but too lazy to think about it and ignored the matter for the time being.

He is very busy now, as he is getting engaged. He is not happy enough and has to take another leave after just taking a vacation. He has to arrange his work and prepare for other things as well.

On the eighth day of the first lunar month, Meng Tao returned to Yanchong Commune and went to the post office to call Liu Yongsheng. She also learned that the two elders in Beijing had chosen the twelfth day of the first lunar month as the engagement date for her and Shen Yu. She was a little surprised. Grandpa Xu and Grandma Xu were really decisive. She thought it would take at least until after the Lantern Festival, but they only gave two or three days to prepare.

But it seemed that there was nothing much to prepare. The engagement ceremony in that era was very simple. Some people in the village had held it before. They just invited the matchmaker, relatives from both sides, and prestigious elders in the village to have a meal and be witnesses, and then set up a banquet.

So Meng Tao was not in a hurry. Anyway, the guests had all come from other places on their own and there was no need to invite them specially. She had smoked meat and bacon cooked at home, and the space was filled with various ingredients and seasonings, so it would be no problem to prepare three or five tables for the banquet.

When he got home, he told Jinniu about this and also told him that Shen Yu had bought a house in Mengzhou. This way, he would have an excuse to go out in the future and stay at his home in Mengzhou for a few days, so Jinniu would not have to worry.

When Jinniu heard that Meng Tao was going to be engaged to Shen Yu, he was stunned. He knew it was a good thing and he should be happy for his sister, but he felt inexplicably upset. He said to Meng Tao: "I am so useless. You are getting married, but I can't do anything. I can't buy you a dowry."

Meng Tao comforted him: "There is still a lot of time to come, just take care of yourself and get well soon. I am just getting engaged, not getting married soon."

"I will start walking with crutches tomorrow and not use a wheelchair anymore," said Taurus.

Meng Tao smiled and said, "The doctor said it's not good to go out too early. Let's wait until the first month of the lunar year, when the sun is bright and the weather is warmer. We'll go to the hospital for another checkup and do as the doctor tells us. Then you can practice in the yard, and then slowly go out and move around in the village."

"Um."

Aunt Yang felt that the time was too tight, but Captain Bao and Zhou Shi'an were not surprised at all. They all knew that Shen Yu wanted to hold such a party before the New Year. If Grandpa Liu hadn't stopped him, the engagement party would have been held long ago.

Now the groom's parents have come from afar to hold the engagement ceremony at the bride's home, and the wedding banquet will be held at the groom's home in the future. This takes both sides into consideration and respects Mr. Meng's wish to find a son-in-law for his grandson during his lifetime. The bride is very proud, and Taohua is really blessed. It is rare to meet such open-minded and sensible parents.

It was also because of Mr. Liu's prestige that he suppressed Shen Yu and was able to get this engagement scene.

Shen Yu is too young after all. He only wants to achieve his goal directly without considering all aspects carefully.

Several adults started to discuss and estimated how many tables they would need for the banquet. Since there were so many people this time, there was no room for everyone in the main hall. Fortunately, it had not snowed since the beginning of the year and the weather had been sunny and warm. They swept the yard clean, put up a rack and covered it with a few bamboo mats, and then they could set up the tables underneath. Three tables could be seated, and that was it.

If there is not enough accommodation, we can send a few people to live in Zhou's house. The Zhou's sons are still young and have rooms.

Since the banquet was held according to rural customs, there would be no problem with Aunt Yang and Aunt Yu leading the aunts and grandmas to take care of it.

That's how the matter was settled.

Zhou Shian said to Meng Tao, "Your grandfather didn't have any dealings with the Meng family in Liuzhuang before, but that was just because of your great grandfather's wife. He and your great grandfather are brothers after all, and even if they break arms, they still have tendons. Now your great grandfather is willing to give Jinniu to your grandfather, which shows that he has this brother in his heart. In the future, Jinniu will support your grandfather's family, and it is impossible for him to stop having any dealings with them forever. We cannot sever our ties. You are engaged, so you should tell your great grandfather."

Captain Bao: "That's the reason. Just let them know. It's their business whether they come or not."

Meng Tao didn't want to invite the old Meng family from Liuzhuang, but it was not easy to refuse Captain Bao and Uncle Zhou, so she nodded to show that she understood and told them to just do it. When she had time, she would tell them to only invite Meng Changshou to come, and if they had to bring anyone, only Meng Jinshan could be brought, no one else.

On the morning of the ninth day of the first lunar month, Meng Tao rode her bicycle to the commune. When she walked into the post office, she was looked at by two staff members. She felt a little embarrassed - she had become a regular customer of the post office in recent times.

After talking on the phone with Shen Yu, they exchanged some information. Meng Tao knew that there would be about three or four people from Beijing, plus Shen Yu and his son, and Meng Zhehan, there would be six or seven people in total. There would be more people from Liu Yongsheng's side. In addition to Liu Yongsheng and his wife, Grandma Xu, Xu Yuting and Liu Jicheng would also come, as well as Liu Jianxin and his wife from Pingjiang City.

As soon as Shen Yu heard that Xu Yuting was coming, he began to feel resentful. He did not welcome Xu Yuting, and now Liu Jianli came. If he also stuck to his fiancée like Xu Yuting did, he would be furious.

What else could Meng Tao do? These two were Meng Taohua’s “little milk friends”, and they had no ill intentions. They just remembered the friendship they had when they were babies and rushed to attend her engagement ceremony. She couldn’t refuse.

He had no choice but to say nice things to Shen Yu. There was probably no one on Shen Yu's side except him, so he deliberately asked Meng Tao to say a few corny "nice" words to him, and then he smiled with satisfaction and let the topic go.

(End of this chapter)