Chapter 151 Discussing with Two Cadres
"Don't blame me for not warning you. Let me tell you, if you don't hurry, such a good girl will be someone else's in the blink of an eye."
Director Li winked at him, the teasing in his eyes impossible to hide.
Xie Yunze's ears turned slightly red. He coughed lightly to avoid eye contact, his voice muffled: "I know."
“That’s right,” Director Li said with a smile, patting his arm. “I’m looking forward to your wedding. I have to go now; there’s a lot of things to sort out over there.”
After saying that, he turned and walked towards the temporary command post, leaving Xie Yunce standing there.
Xie Yunze remained standing there, his gaze fixed on the direction she had left, his fingertips unconsciously curling slightly.
Perhaps he should have taken the initiative to chase after him.
Xu Zhili turned around and headed back to Xiangyang Brigade. When she arrived at the village entrance, it was just getting dark. Then, she took out a small basket from her spatial storage, and then took out ten round eggs, a piece of fresh pork weighing three pounds, and a packet of brown sugar, which she arranged neatly in the basket.
Xu Zhili took an old cloth and carefully covered the contents of the basket before carrying the small basket with satisfaction towards Secretary Liu's house.
"Secretary Liu, are you home?" Xu Zhili gently knocked on the door and called out.
"Coming, coming," a neatly dressed woman with short hair responded. "You must be Xiao Xu, the educated youth. Come in quickly."
Then she turned her head and called into the house, "Old Liu, Old Liu, Little Xu, the educated youth, is here!"
Secretary Liu's wife welcomed Xu Zhili into the house, and only then did her gaze fall on the basket Xu was carrying.
Xu Zhili quickly said with a smile, "Auntie, this is a small token of my appreciation. I came here to thank Secretary Liu and you for taking care of my An'an."
As she spoke, she handed the basket over with both hands.
Upon seeing this, Secretary Liu's wife quickly declined, saying with concern, "Oh dear, how can we accept this? You educated youth don't live a very comfortable life. Please keep these things for yourselves."
Xu Zhili smiled and insisted on putting the basket into her hands, saying sincerely, "Auntie, please don't be so polite with me. My brother and I have been very grateful for the care and help we received from Secretary Liu and Captain Xie since we came here."
"I've never had the chance to visit Secretary Liu before, but I'm so glad I did today. Please accept this gift."
“You child, it must be so hard for you to raise your six-year-old brother all by yourself. You should take him back with you.”
As Secretary Liu's wife spoke, she pushed the basket back.
She knew in her heart that it was really not easy for Xu Zhili to raise her younger brother on her own, and she was really embarrassed to accept this gift.
Xu Zhili persisted, saying earnestly, "Auntie, this is truly my heartfelt gift. I just hope we can visit each other more often in the future."
At this moment, Party Secretary Liu came out from the inner room. Seeing this scene, he laughed heartily and said, "Little Xu, you're such a good kid. Alright, we'll accept you then. If you have any difficulties in the future, just let your uncle know."
Xu Zhili nodded vigorously, her eyes full of sincerity: "Secretary Liu, from now on I will call you Uncle. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!"
"You silly child, why are you being so polite with your uncle and aunt? Don't say that, it's too formal."
Secretary Liu's wife, Zhang Wenxiu, smiled kindly and quickly interrupted Xu Zhili.
"Uncle, I have something I'd like to ask you for help with."
But right now, Captain Xie and Party Secretary Liu are the most fair and enthusiastic cadres she can think of, and trustworthy people.
"Hey, young Xu, just tell me what's wrong."
Liu Zhengwen put down the enamel mug in his hand, his tone calm yet tinged with concern.
“It’s not easy for you, a young woman, to be here with your younger brother. If there’s anything I can do to help, as long as it doesn’t go against reason or morality, I’ll do my best.”
He looked at Xu Zhili and guessed that she might be in trouble, so he softened his tone to try to put her at ease.
"Uncle, could you please pass on a message and ask Captain Xie to come over? I'd like to hear his thoughts on this matter."
Xu Zhili had just spoken when she heard Xie Jianguo's loud voice from outside the window: "Brother Liu, are you home? I got some good stuff here, I want to chat with you, and I'll have your wife make us some snacks to go with our drinks."
A moment later, Xie Jianguo pushed open the door and walked in carrying a bottle of liquor. He immediately spotted Xu Zhili and looked surprised. He smiled and said, "Oh, little Xu Zhili is here too? What a rare guest."
The middle-aged man slowly narrowed his eyes, and a smile instantly spread across his face, exuding a warm and friendly energy, as well as the casual and carefree nature unique to farmers.
He simply raised his arm slightly, holding a bottle of wine in his hand, and swayed it gently with the movement.
His eyes were filled with undisguised surprise; clearly, he hadn't expected Xu Zhili's arrival at all.
He opened and closed his mouth slightly, muttering unconsciously, "Hey, what a coincidence!"
"Old Xie, you've come at the perfect time. Little Xu, the educated youth, was just talking about you. It's like speaking of the devil and he appears, hahaha."
Liu Zhengwen took a leisurely sip of tea and said with a cheerful smile.
"Oh? Little Xu, you're looking for me? Why don't you come to my house?"
Xie Jianguo looked curious, then shook the bottle in his hand and looked at Liu Zhengwen, "Old Liu, look what good stuff I brought. This wine is thanks to Xiao Xu, the educated youth. I've been reluctant to drink it, but let's have a taste today."
Liu Zhengwen looked at Xie Jianguo with surprise, then turned to Xu Zhili and said half-jokingly and half-complainingly, "Little Xu, you're being a bit biased! Why are you only thinking about Old Xie and leaving your Uncle Liu behind?"
Xu Zhili smiled a little embarrassedly: "Uncle, look at what you're saying, how could I? You and Captain Xie have gone to great lengths for us siblings, and I remember it all."
"I've come today for two reasons: first, to thank you both, and second, because I have an important matter I'd like to discuss with you and Captain Xie."
Xie Jianguo raised an eyebrow, then sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), tapping the coarse cloth mattress with his fingertips: "Oh? What's the matter that you're taking so seriously? Tell me quickly."
As he spoke, he took a piece of coarse porcelain from the kang table and poured half a bowl into each of the two coarse porcelain bowls. The liquid swayed and produced fine bubbles, carrying a mellow aroma of fermented grains.
"You two are shameless to drink in front of the child. You should eat something first."
Zhang Wenxiu brought in a rough porcelain plate, on which were piled shiny fried peanuts and cucumber strips that had been smashed open, sprinkled with some red chili powder.
"These cucumbers were just picked from the garden; they're so crisp."
She placed the plate on the table, then turned and went into the kitchen. A short while later, she brought out a large white porcelain bowl filled with chilled mung bean soup. The mung beans had been cooked until they split open, and a few glistening rock sugar crystals floated in the soup.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com