Chapter 140
As soon as he finished speaking, the whole living room suddenly became quiet, so quiet that one could clearly hear Luo Xiangqian's rapid breathing.
His face turned pale instantly, he looked at the three people in front of him with his mouth open, and soon he looked like he wanted to cry.
Xie Jinxuan didn't say anything. In this situation, he didn't know what was the right way to join in, so he planned to wait for Luo Xiangqian's reaction.
As for Leng Feng, it was even less likely that he would speak first. He just looked at Luo Xiangqian's panicked expression coldly, and a hint of understanding flashed in his eyes.
Seeing that Luo Xiangqian looked too terrified, Xie Xiaoshuang thought she had said something terrible. After a moment's hesitation, she broke the silence first. She said, "Ah... that's not what I meant... names are meant to be addressed, and I really don't think you are disrespectful... I mean, you can call me whatever you want... Yanni herself may not mind... and I don't know if you two are very familiar with each other..."
Luo Xiangqian looked even more like crying after hearing this. He looked at Xie Jinxuan helplessly. Xie Jinxuan could only say, "Yes, a name is just a nickname. It doesn't matter how you call it. Xiangqian is usually quite lively and interacts with us a lot. Qingtang keeps repeating 'Yanni, Yanni' every day, so he must have gotten used to it."
Luo Xiangqian finally took a breath and said in a hoarse voice, "Yes, yes, I absolutely did not mean to disrespect anyone. I just heard it and blurted it out...Um, Comrade Xie, I'm sorry, I did not mean to disrespect your friend..."
"Oh, what are you saying sorry for? It's not that serious. Comrade Luo, please stop saying that. It's all my fault. I said the wrong thing." Xie Xiaoshuang felt a little embarrassed.
If she had known that one sentence would cause such a big reaction from the other party, she should not have said anything.
Besides, she hadn't seen Hu Yanni for a long time. Maybe Luo Xiangqian and Hu Yanni had known each other for a long time, but she just didn't know it. Now that she said this, she might end up ruining their friendship.
Xia Qingtang came out of the kitchen and saw that the atmosphere outside was a little awkward, so she said, "What happened? Lao Luo, what did you do? Why are you so pale? Your mouth is still shaking. Did anyone scare him?"
No one spoke. Xie Xiaoshuang looked at Xie Jinxuan, took a deep breath and was about to say that she had said something wrong, when she heard Leng Feng say indifferently: "No one scared him, he said something wrong himself."
"Said the wrong thing? What did you say wrong?" Xia Qingtang asked curiously.
Luo Xiangqian quickly reached out to cover Leng Feng's mouth: "Stop talking nonsense!"
"When did I say anything nonsense?" Leng Feng was much better than Luo Xiangqian and dodged it in a flash. He continued, "He just let it slip and called Comrade Xiao Hu by his name."
"Name?" Xia Qingtang sighed in her heart. She knew that Luo Xiangqian would not be able to keep the secret sooner or later.
After all, he is a careless person. Even if he doesn't let it slip now, it will be difficult to say it later when he drinks.
Xie Xiaoshuang quickly stepped forward to explain, "Actually, there's nothing wrong with calling someone by their name. Aren't names meant to be called? It's my fault. I was a little surprised when I first heard it... It's also my fault for thinking wrongly. I always thought that only men and women who are close to each other can call each other by their names. In fact, we also call our classmates by their names at school."
Xie Jinxuan nodded and said, "That makes sense. It's normal for young people to call each other by their names."
Seeing that Luo Xiangqian wanted to cry again, he could only stand up and help him cover it up.
Although he didn't know why Luo Xiangqian wanted to hide the fact that he was dating Hu Yanni, since his brother didn't want to tell, he could only help.
"How does this make sense? We are not in school now, we are all working people. Besides, at our age, who would call others by their names casually? Xiang Qian, you are so familiar with Xiao Xia, will you call her Qingtang directly? You won't, because there is a difference between men and women, you have to avoid suspicion. But you call Xiao Xia's friend by her name directly? This is not in line with your usual character." Leng Feng said: "So don't be nervous, if there is something you are hiding from us, just say it."
Xie Xiaoshuang stared at Leng Feng blankly, her heart beginning to beat nervously.
Hiding from them? Hiding from them what?
Luo Xiangqian would be nervous when facing Xie Xiaoshuang, but when facing Leng Feng, he suddenly became more confident. He said loudly: "What do you mean by hiding it from you? What are you talking about? I just said the wrong thing at the moment, and I have apologized. What's the matter? You have to make a big deal out of it, right? Have you gotten some benefits from teaching people a lesson recently, so you won't let us go even for the smallest things? Leng Feng, let me tell you, this is not a good thing. We are good brothers..."
"Because we are good brothers, we should be honest with each other, right?" Leng Feng interrupted him and said calmly, "I don't have anything important to hide from you, but you are different. You must be hiding something from us."
"I didn't..." Luo Xiangqian looked very weak, his face turned from pale to red, with a hint of shame in his eyes. He didn't dare to look directly into Leng Feng's eyes.
Luo Xiangqian is a very honest and reliable person at heart, so when he was asked to lie to someone's face in such an occasion, he was actually more nervous and uncomfortable than anyone else.
Xie Jinxuan couldn't stand it any longer, so she stood up and said, "Leng Feng, stop talking. This is just a small matter. It's just a wrong word. Let it go. It's no big deal. Besides, aren't we here to celebrate Qingtang today? Since we're here to celebrate, don't say such things to spoil the fun."
Leng Feng still didn't move. He still looked coldly at Luo Xiangqian's weak expression, as if he wanted to get to the bottom of it.
"Ah Feng." Xie Jinxuan walked over and pushed Leng Feng's shoulder. "Give me some face and be a little happier, okay?"
Leng Feng sighed and looked away. He said, "Okay, I'll give you a favor. But I'm putting it this way. Luo Xiangqian still owes us an explanation."
Xia Qingtang smiled and said, "Oh, don't be like that. Lao Luo is an honest man. How could he hide something from you? If he really did hide something from you, there must be a reason. You are his good brother, so please forgive him for once."
Leng Feng glanced at Xia Qingtang, turned around and continued eating the peanut cake.
"Yes, eat two more pieces of peanut cakes. In fifteen minutes, we can have lunch!" Xia Qingtang said with a smile, "Go wash your hands when you need to. Get ready."
"Okay, okay, I'll go wash my hands first, and I'll open the beer later!" Luo Xiangqian ran to the bathroom in a panic.
In the living room, Xie Xiaoshuang quickly walked to Xia Qingtang's side and said, "Qingtang, it's my fault. I said the wrong thing and made everyone so embarrassed."
"It's not your problem. Leng Feng and Luo Xiangqian just like to quarrel. It has nothing to do with you. You will know their personalities when you meet them more often in the future. Come here and take a look at the dishes that Yanni and I cooked." Xia Qingtang pulled Xie Xiaoshuang to the kitchen as well.
However, their kitchen is relatively small, so the third person can only stand at the door.
Hu Yanni was standing beside the pool with her head down, looking very worried.
There was an argument outside just now, and she must have heard a little bit of it inside.
Xia Qingtang said: "Yanni, look, Xiaoshuang is here too, it's so lively today."
Hu Yanni forced a smile and said, "Yes, we will all celebrate for you today. Among the three of us, you are the most promising one since we started studying together."
Xia Qingtang waved his hands quickly: "What nonsense are you talking about? How can I be considered the most promising? I was just in the newspaper once, don't praise me to the sky. I know you all like me, but there is no need to praise me like this. I am a person with an unstable temper, so you should be careful when praising me, otherwise if I really fly to the sky, you won't be able to pull me back."
This made the other two laugh. Xie Xiaoshuang pinched Xia Qingtang's shoulder and said, "You are becoming more and more slick. You didn't have such good eloquence when you were in school."
"Yes, when she was in school, Qingtang was always tongue-tied. Sometimes when the teacher asked her a question, she didn't know how to answer and could only stand there with her head down. In the end, the teacher felt sorry for her and had to let her go. Every time I think of this, I find it funny." Hu Yanni said: "Time flies so fast, in a blink of an eye, we are all this age."
"You will only get older year by year. You should take advantage of your youth now and show your passion." Xia Qingtang said.
They chatted in the kitchen for a while, and Hu Yanni looked back to normal. Xia Qingtang went out to see, and when she saw that the three people outside were talking normally, she announced that it was time to eat.
When he heard the announcement of dinner, Luo Xiangqian immediately became excited: "Come on, I'll help serve the dishes!"
"You don't need to serve the dishes, just open the beer and soda." Xia Qingtang said, "We have the dishes."
As they were talking, they came out with the prepared lunch and soon filled the dining table.
In the center is a big pot of fish stewed with tofu. Xia Qingtang has not made this dish many times, but she has learned the essence of it from Xie Jinxuan's aunt, so it tastes great. Not only is the fish meat tender and delicious, but the tofu is also fragrant and tasty. The soup is a great choice whether used to soak rice or serve with steamed buns. You can definitely eat several times more rice than usual.
Even if there is only this one dish today, it will be enough to satisfy the guests.
The other dishes are also fresh seasonal vegetables. Since the arrival of spring, the variety of vegetables on the table has become richer, and just two stir-fried vegetarian dishes will go well with rice.
The only dish that is not a seasonal vegetable is the spicy mixed dish, which is also Xia Qingtang's specialty. It contains lettuce, potatoes, mushrooms, kelp, fungus, dried eggplant and bamboo shoots, sprinkled with a little crushed peanuts and chopped green onions. It is so delicious that you can swallow your tongue.
In fact, this dish looks like a vegetarian dish, but it contains a lot of seasonings. Just the chili oil that she fried herself is a big investment, so it tastes so good.
This is also thanks to Xie Jiafengyu, otherwise, she would not dare to use so many ingredients to fry the chili oil.
"It's so sumptuous, just like Chinese New Year." Xie Xiaoshuang said in a low voice.
Hu Yanni also said: "Yes, it really is like a festival."
From their words we can also see the difference in their family backgrounds. Xie Xiaoshuang's family is a little poorer, so she can only eat such dishes during the Chinese New Year, but Hu Yanni's family is better off, so she can eat fish and meat during the holidays.
Luo Xiangqian distributed the opened beer and soda to the six people present. The men each had a bottle of beer, and the women each had soda.
"Okay, now everyone has a drink. Come, let's raise our glasses together and toast to Xiaoxia's achievement!" Luo Xiangqian said happily.
"Thank you, Lao Luo, for your generous donation. Come on, let's clink glasses!" Xia Qingtang also said with a smile.
Everyone clinked their glasses and took the first sip. Xia Qingtang then quickly asked everyone to eat more.
"Come on, come on, eat more. I've cooked a lot today, and there's enough stewed rice. You can eat as much as you want, and just eat to your heart's content. It doesn't matter if you can't finish your meal at noon. I'll steam another pot of coarse flour buns in the evening. You can stay here and eat before you go back." Xia Qingtang said as he began to pick up fish pieces for Hu Yanni and Xie Xiaoshuang.
Leng Feng has Xie Jinxuan to take care of him, so she doesn't need to worry about it. As for Luo Xiangqian, he is a frequent visitor to the family and doesn't need anyone to greet him. He is more active than anyone else.
Luo Xiangqian's favorite dish to go with wine is spicy mixed soup. He didn't even bother to eat the fish and fried pork liver. He put down the wine bottle and quickly went to get the spicy mixed soup. He first took a small half bowl, then quickly picked up a piece of potato chips and put it in his mouth, and then praised it endlessly: "It's delicious! No matter how many times I eat this dish, it's so delicious!"
Xia Qingtang smiled and shook his head: "I told you how to make it. Didn't you ask your family to make it for you when you got home?"
"I did, but it didn't taste like this. I don't understand why she couldn't cook it properly according to the recipe." Luo Xiangqian sighed, "Fortunately, Xiaoxia is a good person and allowed me to come to her house for dinner."
Xia Qingtang smiled and said, "How about this, you can try to learn it yourself. Maybe you have the potential to cook. If you learn it yourself, you won't have to ask me to cook this dish all the time."
"Me? I go cook? How can I possibly cook well? I'm a man." Luo Xiangqian shook his head with an expression of disbelief.
Xia Qingtang said: "But the chefs in state-owned restaurants are basically men. When I was a kid, I saw people go to restaurants, and the chefs in those restaurants were also men. This shows that men can learn to cook well. You must not give up on yourself, what if you really have this talent?"
Leng Feng also said: "That's true, Xiang Qian, a man can cook and become a great chef, you really can give it a try, maybe you can really do it. After all, you like to eat so much, people who like to eat should also be able to cook."
"Ah?" Luo Xiangqian was a little dumbfounded. "But I only know how to cook rice and noodles, and I can also stir-fry some radishes and vegetables. I had no choice but to learn this from others when I was in the countryside."
Xie Jinxuan said: "Then are the radishes and greens you made delicious?"
"To be honest, I don't even remember whether it tasted good or not. I was really starving to death at that time. I did such heavy work in the fields all day long. Sometimes I also had to repair canals, bridges, and roads. When I returned to the educated youth point, I didn't want to talk. If I had a stutter, I would just stuff the food into my mouth. I couldn't tell whether it tasted good or not. It was okay as long as I didn't starve to death." Luo Xiangqian said.
Xia Qingtang nodded: "Then it's really not easy for you."
Xie Xiaoshuang said: "It's really not easy to live in the countryside. After returning to the city, even if life is not good, it is better than there."
Both she and Luo Xiangqian had been to the countryside, so she deeply understood what he said.
Hu Yanni asked, "Do you women in the countryside also have to do such heavy work?"
Xie Xiaoshuang said: "Our work is easier, especially for me. When I first went there, I was thin and weak, and I fell ill several times after working for a few days. Later, I could only be assigned easier work. But this is not acceptable. I can't earn work points by doing easy work, and I will starve to death. No one in my family would send me food coupons, so after I almost starved to death in the first month, I gritted my teeth and slowly added work to myself. After a few months, I gradually got used to it and could get full work points. But I really don't want to go back to the countryside. It's better to be in the city. Working in a factory is interesting no matter how tiring it is. When I get home from work, I can see the lights of my neighbors, hear other people singing, and hear the news on the radio, which makes me feel alive. In the countryside, when it gets dark, it's dead silent. You can't see anything and you can't go out. In winter, the wind is so strong that it can blow through the door panels. We girls can only huddle on the bed and shiver, cheering each other up. In short, I don't want to live that kind of life anymore..."
Xia Qingtang felt pity for him when she heard this. She patted Xie Xiaoshuang on the back and whispered, "Fortunately, it's all over. Everything is fine now."
Xie Xiaoshuang smiled and said, "Yes, it's all in the past. It's just that I happened to recall it when I talked about it."
Luo Xiangqian also sighed and said, "Yes, it's all in the past. Now, after work, I occasionally go to a state-owned restaurant with my colleagues to cook and drink. Sometimes I drink too much and feel dazed when I sit there. How did I suddenly return to the city?"
"What? Do you still miss your days in the countryside?" Leng Feng asked.
"It's not that I miss it, but I find it unbelievable. I used to farm there every day, but suddenly I returned to the city and lived like this. It was like a dream," said Luo Xiangqian.
Hu Yanni said: "It's not easy for you and Xiaoshuang. Qingtang and I are luckier. We have few children in our family and we are the younger ones, so we didn't have to suffer in the countryside."
Luo Xiangqian said: "That's great, this is what you deserve."
"We are lucky, I know that, so I cherish everything we have now. You people who have suffered should also live a good life." Hu Yanni said sincerely.
Xia Qingtang said: "Indeed, Yanni and I are lucky. Then let's pay tribute to Lao Luo and Xiao Shuang. They have been in the countryside for many years. It's not easy."
"Okay, let's toast to them." Xie Jinxuan raised the beer bottle and took the lead in clinking the glasses.
Luo Xiangqian finished a sip of beer and laughed: "I am lucky. I came back very early, almost among the first batch to come back. Fortunately, my parents missed me and brought me back at all costs. I remember that Comrade Xie, you came back very early too, right? And you went to work right after you came back. This job position is very rare."
Xie Xiaoshuang paused while eating. Xia Qingtang was worried about her, but she looked up and said with a smile, "Yes, I came back early. Many of us who went to the countryside are still staying in the commune and can't come back."
Her experience of returning to the city was rather special, and it was also the biggest scar in her heart. Now that she could face it head-on, Xia Qingtang couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat.
Hu Yanni said: "Why haven't they come back yet? How could they miss such a good opportunity to recruit workers for the new electrical appliance factory?"
"How many people can a new electrical appliance factory recruit? Most people will not be selected. What should those who are not selected do? They can't go back to the countryside, and there are no jobs in the city, so they can only starve. You have a small family and your father is a small leader, so your family can support an idle person. Like some families, several children have gone to the countryside. What if they all come back and the electrical appliance factory doesn't recruit workers, what can they do? They can only wait for the whole family to starve to death. Therefore, after weighing the pros and cons, many of them still plan to continue waiting for opportunities in the countryside. At least, there, as long as you farm for a day, you will have a day's ration to eat."
"Yes, yes, there are private plots in the countryside. We can also grow vegetables here. With food and vegetables, we won't starve to death." Luo Xiangqian nodded in agreement.
Leng Feng said: "It's right not to come back. The reason why the streets are so chaotic recently is that many people ran back to the city for the new electrical appliance factory recruitment, but they were not selected. Now they are idle at home every day, with nothing to do and no money, so many young men form gangs to rob and steal. This is not a good phenomenon. Instead of doing this kind of thing in the city, it is better to stay in the countryside and farm to support yourself."
"The streets have been really uneasy lately. Our head teacher also told us to try to get home before dark. If you are a student living on campus, it's best not to leave school after dark," said Hu Yanni.
Xie Xiaoshuang said, "Did your head teacher say that? But when I went to your house that day, your mother said that you and your classmates formed a study group and would study until eight or nine o'clock before going home... Wouldn't it be unsafe to go home so late?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the room fell silent again. Hu Yanni's face turned pale, and Luo Xiangqian also became panicked.
When Xie Xiaoshuang saw that Hu Yanni looked unhappy, she immediately realized that she had said the wrong thing. She quickly pushed Xia Qingtang's arm, wanting her to come out and help say something.
Leng Feng chuckled and said, "Comrade Xiao Hu went home so late, he should be accompanied by a male comrade, right?"
"Oh, was it a male classmate who sent you home? Then I feel relieved." Xie Xiaoshuang said quickly: "You should never go home so late alone."
Hu Yanni's ears suddenly turned red. She looked down at the bowl in front of her and whispered, "I know. I don't go home alone at night."
"That's right, you must pay attention to safety." Leng Feng said calmly: "Comrade Xiao Xie, you must also pay attention to safety when you come back from the middle shift. A female comrade like you who walks alone is the best target for them to rob."
"Ah, thank you Comrade Leng for reminding me. Don't worry, because I live far away, the shifts arranged for me by the factory are suitable. I don't have many mid-shifts, and there is always a colleague on the mid-shift who is going the same way as me, so we always come back together." Xie Xiaoshuang said: "After so long since the Chinese New Year, I only went home alone once. I didn't have any money on me that day, and I wrapped my head with a headscarf and hunched my back, looking like an old lady, so it's okay."
Leng Feng said: "It seems that your self-protection awareness is much better than Comrade Xiao Xia's. This is very good. I hope you can also persuade Xiao Xia and let her learn from you."
"Ah? What's wrong with Qingtang?" Xie Xiaoshuang looked at Xia Qingtang with some curiosity.
Xia Qingtang narrowed her eyes and looked at Leng Feng with an unfriendly look: "That's enough, I also cooked to repay your favor, don't keep going on and on. I'm not a fool, I know how to protect myself in the future."
Leng Feng sneered, picked up a piece of fried wild rice stem and put it into his mouth, but he did not say anything else.
Xia Qingtang noticed that Hu Yanni and Luo Xiangqian's ears were still red, so he used clean chopsticks to pick up fish pieces for them to eat, and then changed the topic naturally, starting to talk about the land contract responsibility system in certain areas.
Several people were very interested in this topic, especially Luo Xiangqian, a young man who had lived in the countryside for several years. He immediately recovered and said loudly: "I have heard about it and asked someone to find out more about it. I think it is very good. This is how it should be done. In the future, you can plant the land you contract yourself and the harvest will be yours. That way, people will have a future."
Leng Feng didn't know much about this, so he asked a few more questions, and Luo Xiangqian explained everything to him one by one.
Leng Feng said: "Did the higher-ups actually agree to this contract? Won't there be mistakes?"
"No, the fields are still public, they are just contracted to certain individuals. People with good physical strength can contract more and plant more land, while people with poor physical strength can plant less land. I think this is very good. If I were still in the countryside, I would contract a large piece of land from the collective to plant. I am strong, and when we worked together before, I always did more than others. Although I don't feel at a disadvantage, there are always people laughing at me for being a fool. Then if I plant the land I contracted, no one can laugh at me, right? I will work hard and grow a lot of food. Not only will I be able to eat enough, but I can also store food." Luo Xiangqian said with a beaming eyebrow.
Leng Feng said: "But in this case, you strong people will plant more land, and your families will have more food in the future. Isn't that unfair? How will those weak families get enough to eat?"
"Hey, are you really stupid or are you just pretending to be stupid? Even if we don't contract this, is it fair?" Luo Xiangqian said, "Not to mention that I work harder than others every time I go to the fields, but the tractor driver in the commune has a much easier time than us, but he also gets full work points. Why do you say that? Because he is the son of the commune secretary?"
Xie Xiaoshuang also laughed: "Yes, Comrade Leng, how can it be so fair? Those unfair places are hard to say, so it is better to let them contract the land, and the more work they do, the more harvest they will get. If they are really weak, the collective should help them find a way, but they can't stop those who work hard from having a goal."
Xie Xiaoshuang has always been a very knowledgeable girl, so this sentence left Leng Feng speechless.
Luo Xiangqian laughed and patted Leng Feng on the shoulder: "Ah Feng, although you are smarter than me and used to have better grades than me, you lack life experience. You served in the army before, and that was also a simple environment. Later, you made contributions, so you don't understand the reality of this society."
Leng Feng said somewhat unhappily: "How come I don't understand social reality? If I really didn't understand society, I would have just told you what you did this Wednesday night. I didn't say it, doesn't it just prove that I understand society very well?"
Luo Xiangqian was stunned: "What...Wednesday..."
"It was this Wednesday evening. I saw where you were, who you were with, and what you did... I saw it all." Leng Feng said, "I was on my way to do something with an old colleague. I happened to pass by and saw you. You were not alone. Do you want me to continue with the rest?"
"I..." Luo Xiangqian was speechless again. He stared at Leng Feng with wide eyes, too scared to move.
Xia Qingtang looked at Xie Jinxuan, and the couple exchanged glances. Xie Jinxuan said, "Okay, let's not talk about that. With so many colleagues, it's normal to go out for a meal. Come, Afeng, I'll pick up some pork liver for you. This fried pork liver is so fragrant, it's even better than Aunt Liu's."
Leng Feng sneered, nodded, and started eating the fried pork liver.
Luo Xiangqian was still standing there, with no expression on his face, but he looked really embarrassed, and Xia Qingtang felt bad for him.
It seems that Leng Feng also saw Luo Xiangqian and Hu Yanni dating, and he didn't say anything.
At this point, Xie Xiaoshuang was the only person at the table who didn't know about this.
She also noticed that the atmosphere was not right, so she just lowered her head and ate her food.
Xia Qingtang said, "I'll go get the stewed rice. Can everyone get a big bowl? You all know how good my stewed rice is. I'm not exaggerating, it's the best."
Xie Xiaoshuang quickly said, "Okay, okay, I like the braised rice you make the most. I'll go get it for you."
"No, I'll do it." Xia Qingtang walked into the kitchen, took out a big pot from the straw jar, and brought it out: "Come on, take out your bowls and start filling them with rice."
"I have something to say to everyone..." Hu Yanni suddenly spoke.
Everyone was stunned. Luo Xiangqian, who had been standing there like a fool, suddenly turned to look at her with disbelief in his eyes.
Xia Qingtang was stunned for a moment and said, "Yanni, how about we eat the stewed rice first? There's no rush to talk about anything..."
Although it was unclear why the two of them kept it a secret so strictly, Xia Qingtang still wanted to help them continue to keep it a secret.
Hu Yanni shook her head and said firmly: "Let me talk first. It just so happens that everyone is here today, so I don't need to pick a day."
"Okay, then you tell me." Xia Qingtang sat down with a rice spoon in his hand.
"It's like this, I... Comrade Luo Xiangqian and I are dating... The person Comrade Leng saw on Wednesday was me and him... I'm sorry, I kept it a secret from everyone... But Xiangqian didn't mean to do it, I begged him not to tell anyone. Comrade Leng, if you want to blame someone, blame me, it's all my fault, I was the one who asked him to keep it a secret from you. I'm sorry... I'm sorry to everyone..." After saying this, Hu Yanni closed her eyes and lowered her head, as if waiting for everyone to judge her.
Xia Qingtang exchanged glances with Xie Jinxuan again. When she was about to speak first, Leng Feng spoke first.
He said, "You don't need to apologize. You have nothing to let us down. My quarrel with Xiang Qian was not directed at you. Besides, you two are dating, which is a good thing. You seem to be a good comrade, and I am happy for you that Xiang Qian is with you."
These words made Luo Xiangqian stand up: "Are you happy for us?"
"Yes, can't I be happy for you?" Leng Feng said, "For someone like you, it's not easy to find a stable partner."
Luo Xiangqian screamed: "Leng Feng! I wronged you! I didn't expect you to be so considerate of me. I thought you hated me!"
"What nonsense are you talking about? When have I ever hated you? We've been friends for so many years, and this is how you see me?" Leng Feng narrowed his eyes and a fierce gleam flashed in them.
"Oh, that's not what I meant. Don't mind it! I'm telling you, I'm so happy. I didn't expect you to support me so much!" Luo Xiangqian picked up the beer bottle and drank the rest of it. Then he put the beer bottle down with a bang, and said proudly, "Everyone, I am indeed with Comrade Hu Yanni! I pursued her, and I am serious about getting along with her! Please rest assured that I will treat her well and will never let her be sad!"
Xia Qingtang said: "You said it, if you can't do it in the future, I will be the first to come to your house and teach you a lesson!"
"Don't worry! I guarantee with my life that I will treat Yanni well!" Luo Xiangqian patted his chest.
Xie Xiaoshuang said in surprise: "Oh my God, when did you two get together? You hid it so well. No wonder Comrade Luo just called you Yanni... It scared me."
"I'm sorry, Xiaoshuang, we have been together for a while, but I haven't made up my mind yet, so I don't want to tell anyone. He is a good person and is willing to listen to me, so I have been keeping it a secret from everyone. I'm really sorry." Hu Yanni apologized with a blushing face.
Xie Xiaoshuang smiled and said, "Stop apologizing. It's normal not to want to say it. You two are cautious people. You must think it through before you say it. But, is it really okay now that you've said it?"
"It's okay. I just want to tell you for now, but I hope you don't tell anyone else, especially my parents and brother." Hu Yanni said: "My previous experience was not good. This time, if it's not certain that we can get married, I don't want to make my parents worry."
"Don't worry, I will definitely keep it a secret for you." Xia Qingtang said, "You mainly need me to keep it a secret, right? Because I am the only one who can run into your brother every day at work."
"Qingtang, thank you." Hu Yanni held her arm with a grateful look on her face.
Xie Xiaoshuang said, "Then does Comrade Luo also have to hide this from his parents?"
"Yes, I don't want to tell them for the time being. I will tell my family after Yanni agrees." Luo Xiangqian said.
Leng Feng said: "I won't tell your family."
"I won't do that anymore." Xie Jinxuan said, "You see, I've known about this for a long time, but I've never said it out loud, or even shown it."
Luo Xiangqian was shocked: "You knew it a long time ago? How did you know? You didn't run into us on the street..."
"It wasn't on the street, it was at the zoo. I saw you and Comrade Xiao Hu visiting the zoo together." Xie Jinxuan said, "Qingtang and I were there at the time."
"It's so early... you two are really able to hold back..." Luo Xiangqian sighed and said, "Thank you for thinking about it for us."
Hu Yanni quickly said, "Qingtang, you already knew it, why didn't you ask me at all?"
"You don't want to talk, there must be a reason. If I ask rashly, what if it affects your relationship? Wouldn't that be a big sin?" Xia Qingtang said: "When you want to talk, you will naturally say it. I'm not in a hurry."
"Thank you." Hu Yanni hugged Xia Qingtang: "You are so kind."
"Of course I'm fine, so to thank me, you can cook a meal for us all later, so that I can have a good rest."
Xie Xiaoshuang said: "I agree, let Yanni cook for us."
Hu Yanni was a little shy. She said, "Of course I can cook, but where can I do it? Xiang Qian also lives with his parents."
"Let's do it here. Find a day when everyone is free. Go buy some groceries and you can cook." Xie Jinxuan said.
Hu Yanni nodded and said, "Okay, let's wait until next month. One day, I'll cook for everyone. But my cooking skills are not as good as Qingtang's, so don't leave any leftovers."
"Don't be so modest. The food you cook is delicious and we have all eaten it." Xie Xiaoshuang said with a smile.
Luo Xiangqian said: "I haven't eaten Yanni's cooking yet, I'm so looking forward to it!"
His eyes were shining and he was smiling like a fool.
Hu Yanni glanced at him, couldn't help blushing, and lowered her head again.
Leng Feng said: "I may not be free next month. Sometimes we get very busy in this industry. So if you guys set a time, don't worry about me and just go eat by yourself."
Luo Xiangqian patted him on the shoulder and said, "Your job is really hard. What do you think? Coming back to be a policeman can be a bit easier."
"I am happy to do this." Leng Feng said, "Is it your business?"
Xie Xiaoshuang whispered, "Sure enough, you two really like to quarrel..."
Xia Qingtang laughed: "Yes, you haven't seen much, but I know it too well. They quarrel almost every day. They quarrel whenever they meet. But I think this is a way for them to communicate their feelings. Even though they quarrel every day, their relationship is better than anyone else's."
Leng Feng sneered and said nothing. Luo Xiangqian scratched the back of his head and also did not say anything.
Xia Qingtang said: "Are you still embarrassed? Then stop arguing like a child."
Luo Xiangqian touched his nose and said, "How about we eat the stewed rice quickly? I'm craving for it."
"Okay, I'll serve you the first one." Xia Qingtang said as he opened the lid of the pot, revealing the fragrant stewed rice inside.
"Wow, it smells so good!"
“This looks so delicious!”
"That's right, I want to eat two big bowls even though I'm not hungry now!"
Xia Qingtang used a rice spoon to serve them rice: "Then eat as much as you can. Eat more. Anyway, you have nothing to do in the afternoon. If you eat too much, go to the basketball court to digest it."
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