Chapter 060 Engagement Party
It was only half past six when the three of them set out, and it was just dawn. When they got home, it was past eight o'clock, and the Jiang family had already finished breakfast and went to work.
School had already started, and Jiang Huai, Jiang Tong, and Jiang Song were all off to school, leaving only Du Hehua and two-year-old Jiang He at home. Little Jiang He was wearing a green military uniform, a gift from Jiang Nan during one of her recent speaking tours to other brigades. The little one, with his sharp ears, heard the noise and darted out of the main room. Seeing it was his aunt, he ran over with a yelp, his arms outstretched for a hug, a gesture of overwhelming affection.
"Mom." Jiang Mancheng locked the car and ducked into the main hall. "Do you have any fish or game left at home? If not, let's go to the mountains. Here's some oil, meat, and sugar. Keep them. We'll use them for the guests tomorrow. Take these snacks and enjoy them later."
Du Hehua was making shoes. Upon hearing this, she reached out to take the candy and cakes and said, "Please put the meat and oil in the kitchen. We have three rabbits and three fish at home. Xiaobai and Xiaogui caught them in the mountains yesterday. We're saving them for Xiaonan tomorrow."
"That's a good feeling."
Jiang Mancheng handed the meat to Jiang Nan. Jiang Nan resignedly held little Jiang He in his arms and walked towards the kitchen with the meat in his hands. Little Jiang He kept chattering along the way.
"Aunt, are you getting married? Who are you marrying?"
"Aunt, will there be a lot of delicious food tomorrow? Dad hunted a rabbit yesterday, and I didn't get to eat it."
"Aunt, uncle brought some candy, I want some."
......
Jiang Nan smiled and answered Xiao Jianghe's endless questions. Seeing the kitchen overflowing with dishes, knowing they were all prepared for tomorrow's engagement party, she felt particularly relieved. With Du Hehua at the helm, their family couldn't afford to suffer any setbacks.
Since they already had prey at home, Jiang Nan and his family didn't go hunting in the mountains. After a short rest, the three of them began preparing the food. They killed and marinated the rabbit and fish first, and the meat also needed to be marinated and cooked in the evening. Now that the weather was cooler, it wouldn't spoil if left overnight. Other ingredients, like the shredded radish and tofu meatballs, needed to be fried first so they could be served straight away the next day.
The three of them were in no hurry. Although the family had split up, Du Hehua paid for the marriages of the younger generations. Jiang Mancheng didn't mention the money and was busy in the kitchen with his wife and daughter. Du Hehua finished making a shoe, got off the kang and went to the kitchen, extending her hand to greet Jiang Nan: "Xiao Nan, come here, grandma wants to talk to you."
Jiang Nan was sitting on a small stool shredding radish. Hearing this, she chuckled twice. Was her grandma really going to give her something good?
Jiang Mancheng's eyes flashed and the corners of his mouth curled up.
In the main room, Du Hehua took out a small wooden box from the kang cabinet, placed it on the kang table, opened it carefully, took out the small cloth package inside, and then opened the layers of handkerchiefs wrapped around it, revealing the gold bracelet inside.
Du Hehua gently stroked it twice, her eyes a little sad: "This is what your grandfather made me before. At that time, we had just gotten married. He was about your age and still trying to make a living in the master's family. Your grandfather was very capable and followed the young master around outside. He was so busy that he would fall asleep as soon as he got home. There were no Japanese devils at that time..."
Du Hehua wiped her eyes and said with a smile, "Look at me, why are you saying all this? I'm giving this to you as an engagement gift from grandma. I won't give it to you when you get married. Don't ask for it anymore. It's gone, okay?"
"That won't do." Jiang Nan joked, "You have so many goodies. I have to come back soon, otherwise you'll leave them all to Dabai. Wouldn't that be a loss?"
"You little devil. I won't give you milk even if you ask for it. Now, go out and work." Du Hehua started to drive people away.
It was almost noon. Chen Jinhua wiped her hands and came over to call for help: "Xiao Nan, pack up. We're going to the exploration team to see your grandfather. He should be back for lunch."
"Hey." Jiang Nan showed the gold bracelet to Chen Jinhua. Chen Jinhua narrowed her eyes. The man was right. Her mother-in-law was giving it to Xiaonan as a personal gift.
Jiang Mancheng had already changed his clothes. He hadn't seen his father-in-law for several months, so he was very nervous. He washed his face again and applied some cold cream, which smelled even better than Chen Jinhua's.
Seeing his daughter come out, Jiang Mancheng spread his hands and said, "Show Dad, what good things did your grandma give you?"
Seeing that it was a gold bracelet, Jiang Mancheng was very satisfied: "Mother is not biased."
"Okay, let's go." Chen Jinhua asked Jiang Nan to put the gold bracelet into the space, and the three of them quickly packed up and went to the exploration team.
The exploration team had been in Xihe'an Brigade for almost two months. The reserves had been largely confirmed, leaving only the specific well locations. This required the cooperation of the drilling team, a matter of later well operations. The exploration team hadn't left because the oil field planned to hold a grand celebration at Xihe'an Brigade after the well reserves were announced, featuring movies, performances, and a job announcement, all in one place.
After finishing his work, Chen Wanli was not too busy these days. He was sitting in the tent reading a book. When he saw his daughter and Jiang Mancheng coming, he did not get up, but continued to stare at the book, only moving his nose.
Jiang Mancheng: "Hey, Dad, look what goodies I brought you? Two braised pig's trotters from the state-owned restaurant. Keep them for yourself."
Chen Jinhua smiled and said, "Dad, I also brought a bag of apples. Remember to eat them after dinner."
Jiang Nan couldn't lose either. She said cheerfully, "Grandpa, I brought you some jujube paste cake. It's delicious. I guarantee it's more authentic than the ones you eat in Beijing."
Chen Wanli then nodded reservedly and waved to Jiang Nan: "Xiao Nan, come here, grandpa has something for you."
As he spoke, he pulled a book from the shelf. Jiang Nan leaned over to take a look. Well, his grandfather had hollowed out the book and made a box out of it. Inside was some amber. He picked out a golden amber and handed it to Jiang Nan, saying, "This is what Grandpa found when he was exploring in the old forest. Look, there's a bee inside it. It's very complete. Take it and play with it."
"Thank you, Grandpa." Jiang Nan took it happily. No wonder people in her previous life said that getting married would make you rich. She was so happy to receive two big gifts right after getting engaged.
"Dad, are my eldest brother and second brother here?" Chen Jinhua asked.
"Don't worry, they'll come this afternoon. Xiaonan is getting engaged, so why wouldn't they come?" Chen Wanli glanced at Jiang Mancheng. "They also want to test whether Mancheng's kung fu has improved."
Jiang Mancheng's face was a little stiff. He chuckled twice and said, "No need for that, right? Big brother and second brother are really good at joking. Hahahaha."
This laughter seems to lack strength.
Chen Jinhua scolded, "Dad, stop teasing Mancheng. You know Mancheng doesn't like practicing martial arts. He was the one who came up with the idea."
Chen Wanli: Humph, useless pretty boy.
Chen Jinhua quickly changed the subject: "Dad, are Xingguo, Xiaowei and the others coming?"
Xingguo is the eldest son of the second brother, Chen Jinyang, and the eldest grandson of the Chen family. The eldest brother's first child is a girl named Xingtian, who is already married. Because of the birth of her eldest grandson, the second sister-in-law was quite boastful in front of the eldest sister-in-law for a while, but after being taught a lesson by the second brother, she later became more obedient. Xiaowei is the eldest brother's eldest son. Because he failed to get into high school, he now works as a handyman for the exploration team, but not on the west bank of the river, but in the nearby city.
Chen Wanli squinted at his daughter and said, "I don't care about their affairs. If you want to come, come. If not, forget it. Don't ask me. Ask your eldest brother and others when they come this afternoon."
Well, this old man has completely let go of his grandchildren. Chen Wanli has a lot of reasons. He took care of his son and daughter, so why would he have to worry about his grandchildren? And would he have to worry about his great-grandchildren too? If he lived every day for others, he might as well die.
Chen Jinhua knew she had said the wrong thing, so she chuckled twice and said nothing. Jiang Mancheng tried to smooth things over, saying, "Dad, why don't you come to my house for lunch? We'll fry some radish and tofu balls later. They'll be delicious when they're fresh."
Chen Wanli waved his hand: "I won't go, but I have a pack of biscuits here. Take it and exchange it for a bowl of meatballs. It's not a loss, right? I don't eat for free."
Jiang Mancheng frowned. This old man. He took the biscuits and looked at them. Oh my goodness, they were high-end biscuits that cost one dollar a box. Knowing that the old man bought them especially for his daughter, he smiled and said, "Okay, then I'll make you a big bowl. Dad, don't you like stewed meatballs? I'll make you a bowl. It's definitely better than eating meatballs alone. Pair it with a pancake and dip it in the soup. The taste is amazing."
"Okay, add more chili." Chen Wanli nodded reservedly. After he finished speaking, he immediately started to drive people away. "Go away. Don't disturb me while I'm reading. Don't come over this afternoon. I'll ask Jin Hai and the others to go to your house to find someone. We'll go over there for a drink tomorrow. You don't need to invite us."
Jiang Mancheng said something else: "Dad, what are you talking about? I'll clean up the house for you before I leave. Look at your place, it's a mess, there's almost no place to step. I've finally come here once, so I have to do some work for you before I go back."
Without waiting for Chen Wanli to refute, Jiang Mancheng quickly rolled up his sleeves and started to work. Chen Jinhua followed him in a daze. Every time this happened, she would suspect that her man was her father's biological son, otherwise how could he be better at making the old man happy than her.
Sure enough, Chen Wanli was flipping through the book, mumbling something, but the corners of his mouth were raised, and he was obviously in a good mood: "A lot of things to do."
After a busy day at his father-in-law's, Jiang Mancheng and his family returned to the Jiang family compound. Jiang Mantang and his men had already returned from work, and Xiaosong had also finished school. He was only ten years old and still attending elementary school in the village. Jiang Huai and Jiang Tong were boarding at a high school in the county town and weren't home. It wasn't that they didn't want to attend Oilfield High School, but because they were good students, the county high school offered them free tuition, so naturally, the two little guys went to the county school.
Jiang Mancheng greeted everyone happily and said to his sister-in-law Yin Wenjuan, who was busy in the kitchen, "Sister-in-law, are the meatballs fried? I'll make stewed meatballs. My father-in-law likes it. I'll send a bowl over later. I'll also make a pancake to go with it."
Yin Wenjuan: "It's fried. I fried a whole basket of it. Mancheng, did you bring these two pounds of oil? This oil is really good, very fragrant."
Ma Honghua was about to say something, but when she heard that the oil was brought by Jiang Mancheng and the others, she swallowed her words. "Two pounds of oil! No matter how many dishes we have at the banquet, we won't be able to use up all of it. If they keep it at home, won't they be getting a bargain?" Hehe, as long as they get a bargain, she's not going to say much.
Jiang Mancheng glanced at his second sister-in-law, chuckled, and continued, "Yes, there are a lot of dishes for tomorrow. I thought we might not have enough oil at home, so I bought some from the oil field. You can use whatever you want, sister-in-law. I'll make the stewed meatballs and pancakes. My father-in-law likes my cooking skills."
"Why."
Yin Wenjuan was an ordinary rural housewife, honest and simple, with average cooking skills. Even with Jiang Mancheng's generous teaching, Yin Wenjuan couldn't make noodles as good as Jiang Mancheng's. In this respect, she wasn't as talented as Ma Honghua. However, Yin Wenjuan was strong, a master at making hand-rolled noodles, and had good needlework skills, which were also advantages.
Jiang Mancheng's stewed meatballs were hot and sour. This crude meal certainly wasn't the work of his harem in his previous life, but rather something he'd come up with after traveling through time, after hearing Chen Wanli mention it. He'd made a lot, and after giving it to Chen Wanli, the Jiang family could have a bowl for each member, plus a pancake. If they weren't full, they could find a way to eat it themselves; Du Hehua wouldn't bother them anyway.
Jiang Mancheng and his two companions were busy again in the afternoon. Around four o'clock, the brothers Chen Jinhai and Chen Jinyang, along with their two sons Xingwei and Xingguo, came to visit the Jiang family, bearing gifts. Because they had other children to go to school, and the eldest and second Chen sisters-in-law had to stay home to take care of them, they didn't come.
Don't think that just because the two brothers said they wanted to test Jiang Mancheng's kung fu, they looked like Chen Jinhua, with martial arts looks and temperaments. In fact, they were both gentlemen, tall and thin, wearing shirts and trousers, and wearing glasses on their noses. They looked exactly like Chen Wanli.
The adults were talking, and the three half-grown children, Jiang Nan, Chen Xingwei, and Chen Xingguo, stayed for a while before coming out. The two boys were both lively and active, and now they were doing odd jobs in the exploration team. They had a good relationship and were very happy to see Jiang Nan. Xingwei was even more chattering: "Xiao Nan, how did you become a policeman? I heard you caught a spy. Tell me about it. What did the spy look like? Was he a man or a woman? Did he have a gun?"
The questions were like a machine gun, firing non-stop. But Jiang Nan, having been a police officer for only two or three months, answered clearly and coherently: "I was recruited to the police station for my meritorious service. The secret agent thing hasn't been announced yet, so I can't say much. But there are both men and women, but no guns."
"No gun." Chen Xingwei was still a little disappointed, but his eyes were still sparkling. "Xiao Nan, have you ever caught a bad guy? You have a gun, right? Have you ever used it?"
You can tell he's a gun enthusiast; he talks about guns every three sentences.
"Of course I have caught bad guys. I even took action overnight two days ago. Hehe, I am very powerful." In front of his cousins, Jiang Nan was also very good at bragging. He added a little bit of embellishment to the story of his heroic battle against the bad guys that night and talked about it in a jumbled manner.
Of course, it was just a little polish, no exaggeration. And she didn't say what the case was, because she was a good police officer who always paid attention to the confidentiality clause.
The two boys were so stunned by what they heard that even the adults in the main room fell silent, listening to the little girl's boasting. Little Jiang He even slipped out of the room early and snuggled into Jiang Nan's arms, moaning along.
After a while, Chen Xingguo, still unsatisfied, pulled out a stone from his bosom and handed it to Jiang Nan, saying, "Xiao Nan, this is something Xiao Wei and I found while exploring. It looks green and shiny. I wonder if it's jade. Take it and play with it. Consider it our engagement gift to you."
Jiang Nan's mouth was dry from talking, and he couldn't help but joke, "Cousin, you're a year older than me. When are you going to have a date?"
Chen Xingguo felt a little embarrassed. He scratched his head and said, "I just started working. There's no rush. Let's talk about it later." Xingguo officially joined the exploration team after graduating from high school. Unlike Xingwei, who didn't get into high school and was doing odd jobs, he was still very ambitious.
Xingwei was a bit nonchalant. He said, "Sister Xiaonan, don't listen to Big Brother's bragging. The blind date he's dating doesn't like him being away from home all the time and doesn't want to date him anymore."
You see, that's how it is. Being an engineer in an exploration team sounds good, but being busy and away from home all year round is not a very good choice for a woman.
In the main hall, Chen Jinhai and Chen Jinyang set down their malted milk and other gifts. They had come primarily to see Du Hehua, but such indirect relatives didn't talk much. After a few pleasantries, the Chen brothers went to Jiang Mancheng's house. They were surprised that their niece had become a police officer and suddenly got engaged. They had other motives for their visit.
First, they wanted to see if Xiaonan could avoid becoming a police officer. It would be too dangerous for a girl like her to be a police officer. Second, they wanted to test the man's character. If he wasn't, even at the risk of offending Jiang Mancheng, the two brothers would have to call off the marriage.
"Jinhua, tell me, did that boy do something? Otherwise, why did you arrange a marriage for Xiaonan in such a hurry? Xiaonan is only sixteen, why are you in such a hurry?" As soon as he entered the room, the eldest brother Chen Jinhai said in a deep voice with a serious face.
Chen Jinhua still believed in her elder brother. Upon hearing this, she shook her head and said seriously, "No, elder brother, Xiao Xingren is a very good person. We...we didn't want to miss out, so we thought of getting engaged first. Dad also agreed, so don't worry."
"Dad, have you met anyone?" Chen Jinhai pressed on. He still trusted his father's judgment of people. If Chen Wanli said it was okay, he and his brother wouldn't be able to say anything.
"I haven't seen it." Seeing her brother's face sullen again, Chen Jinhua quickly added, "But Dad didn't object, and he even gave Xiaonan an engagement gift."
"Okay, let's meet him tomorrow." Chen Jinhai nodded and wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by Jiang Nan.
"Uncle, uncle." Jiang Nan jumped into the house. She was very perceptive. She knew that her uncle and his family must have something to say to her parents, so she waited for a while before entering the house.
"Xiao Nan, come here." Chen Jinhai's face turned gentle in an instant. He took Jiang Nan's hand and looked her up and down. "Xiao Nan, what do you think about being a police officer? Uncle thinks being a police officer is too dangerous. Have you ever thought about changing jobs? Uncle..."
"Uncle~" Jiang Nan took Chen Jinhai's arm and said coquettishly, "I love being a policeman. You don't know how interesting it is to be a policeman. I just caught a bad guy two days ago, I..."
Well, another 10,000-word essay of self-praise.
Chen Jinyang twitched his lips, knowing that his niece was determined to become a police officer. He had no choice but to pull out a watch from his pocket and hand it over to her, saying, "Here, this is a watch your uncles gave you. Consider it a gift for becoming a police officer and for your engagement. Take it home and wear it. This was bought with the private money that your uncles saved for a long time, so you have to take good care of it, okay?"
"Hehe, I know, second uncle. Big uncle and second uncle, you two are so nice. I love you the most." Jiang Nan took the watch and put it on happily, raising his wrist to look left and right. "It's a Plum Blossom brand. It's really beautiful."
Jiang Mancheng said politely, "Brother, brother, look, I'm so embarrassed. I have a hundred or two hundred yuan on hand, and I still need a ticket..."
Chen Jinhai squinted his eyes and said, "Okay, this trick of yours works on my dad, but it doesn't work on me."
"I can't do it either." Chen Jinyang quickly expressed his opinion.
Jiang Mancheng rubbed his hands shyly: "Big brother, second brother, I said this with all my heart. Look, you misunderstood me again. Hehehe."
Jiang Nan curled her lips in disrespect and chuckled. After she finished laughing, she raised her wrist and admired the sunlight for a long time before she smiled again, "Okay, uncles, if you hide your private money, I'm going to tell my aunts."
"You heartless little girl." Chen Jinyang scratched Jiang Nan's nose and stood up. "Okay, we've said enough. My brother and I both took a long-distance bus here. We're exhausted. Let's go back and rest first."
"Uncle, I brought some pork head. You can mix it with cucumbers and have it with wine tonight." Jiang Nan jumped off the kang and ran to the kitchen. She didn't want to buy it with the cucumber coins right away. Humph, she had been thinking about being filial to her uncles for a long time. Hehe.
"Xiao Nan is the one who knows how to be filial to me and my elder brother." Chen Jinyang snorted at his son who was watching the excitement at the door, took the paper bag handed by Jiang Nan, and stood up and left without any hesitation.
I have to attend a banquet tomorrow, and maybe even mess up my wedding, so I need to conserve my energy today. I can't let such a good niece get stuck in cow dung.
Jiang Mancheng breathed a sigh of relief. With his elder and younger brothers-in-law gone, he was the head of the family again. Well, the head of the family who made decisions behind Chen Jinhua's back.
Compared to the tedious preparations for the banquet, the formal engagement party was much less complicated. There weren't many people in attendance: just the Jiang family, the five grandparents and grandchildren of the Chen family, and the seven people from the Zhou family, a total of thirty people, filling up the three tables.
Because Jiang Nan was engaged, Jiang Huai and Jiang Tong both took leave and came back to the Jiang family. Jiang Nan's aunt Jiang Manping and her family of four also came, a total of nineteen people, enough to sit at two tables.
Since the Chen family does not live here, there are only three people from the Chen Wanli family, including his father and son, and two half-grown boys, Xingwei and Xingguo.
On the other side of the Zhou family, there were six people: Mrs. Cao, Zhou Zhixing's uncle and his wife, their eldest son Zhou Zhilai, their eldest daughter Zhou Zhishun, and Zhou Zhidao. Including the person involved, Zhou Zhixing, there were seven people in total. Zhou Zhilai's wife didn't come because she was pregnant, and Zhou Zhishun's husband also had to work. The seven of them arrived before 10:00. There was no "bride-in-waiting" for the engagement reception; it was just a meal for everyone to get to know each other.
Thanks to the thorough preparations, the three tables were filled with meat, rabbit, and fish, making for an extremely sumptuous feast. The wine was homemade grain wine from the villagers, not very strong, but it was hard to come by these days, so having it was no big deal; it would just be a welcome addition.
The last bit of resentment in Mrs. Cao's heart was put away when she saw such a good feast. Her grandson was a good person. Look, her in-laws valued her grandson and prepared such a good feast.
I don’t know whether they took it seriously or not, but after the meal started, the brothers Chen Jinhai and Chen Jinyang pulled Zhou Zhixing and kept forcing him to drink.
Chen Jinhai acted like an elder worried about Jiang Nan: "Boy, come on, do it. If you want to marry our Xiaonan, you have to treat her well for the rest of your life, understand? Otherwise, you'll see, every one of us in this yard can deal with you."
Zhou Zhixing said obediently: "Okay, uncle. I'll drink it, you can do whatever you want."
Chen Jinyang seemed drunk. He stumbled over to two bricks in the yard, picked them up, and broke them apart with his hands like chocolate. He tossed them aside and grumbled quietly, "Brother, why are these bricks so fragile? They're like steamed buns, they break easily."
It's so quiet, so quiet that everyone can hear it.
Chen Jinhai said proudly: "Nonsense, bring that brick over to me, how can a brick not be strong? You are drunk and acting crazy."
Chen Jinyang showed the brick to Old Lady Cao and Zhou Yuanqing and his wife before handing it to his eldest brother.
Chen Jinhai took it, broke it with a snap, and said with a smile, "It's not strong. It's really not strong."
Chen Wanli twitched his lips. He had known his two foolish sons would come with two bricks when they arrived. He glanced at Zhou Zhixing, who remained expressionless. This kid was quite capable. He had guessed it, yet he managed to keep it under wraps. Well, he was worthy of being his grandson-in-law.
Zhou Zhixing, keeping an eye on everything, knew that Old Man Chen was watching him, so he quickly declared his stance: "Uncle, Uncle, don't worry. I will treat Xiaonan well for the rest of my life. If she wants to go east, I won't go west. If she wants to chase the dog, I won't chase the chicken. In short, whatever she says is the final word in this house, and I will never say no. If I can't do it, I'll be like this brick, struck by lightning and shattered into two pieces. How's that?"
Chen Jinhai had a gratified expression, as if he was a teachable child. "Well, you're a good kid, very sensible. Dad, don't you agree? This grandson-in-law is quite obedient."
Chen Wanli didn't even want to talk to his two silly sons anymore. They handled things so crudely, it was embarrassing. He had finally realized that this grandson-in-law was just like that old man Jiang Mancheng, with a lot of tricks and schemes, more powerful than his two sons. He was only praising them for Xiaonan's sake.
Chen Wanli looked at the two foolish boys with a sidelong glance. They were sold and had to help others count money. What a waste of good looks, it was a disgrace. He said to the rescue: "Alright, eat your meal. Aren't we leaving this afternoon? You haven't finished the little work in the city yet. You have learned the skills for nothing."
Chen Jinhai lowered his head, completely losing his older brother demeanor. It's no wonder that Chen Wanli's lethality was truly unbearable for ordinary people. He only had Jiang Mancheng and Zhou Zhixing, his father-in-law and son-in-law, to contend with. The others were truly unattractive to him.
Grandma Cao and the others breathed a sigh of relief when they saw this. Although the bride's family would always show their power to their son-in-law, it was rare for them to do so in such a fierce manner. Grandma Cao didn't want her grandson to suffer any injustice, but she was relieved that someone could speak up for her.
Zhou Zhixing gave Old Lady Cao a reassuring look, then stood up and pulled two gifts from his bag. He'd asked Jiang Nan about the old lady's fondness for pastries, so he'd gone to the black market to find some before coming. So, he wasn't empty-handed; he also had a bottle of tiger bone wine, which he'd painstakingly acquired. Jiang Mancheng was amazed when he brought out this good stuff.
Zhou Zhixing smiled and pushed the gift toward Chen Wanli, saying, "Grandpa Chen, I exchanged this for something from a relative. You're often out exploring, living in the open air. It's really hard work. Drinking some tiger bone wine to replenish your body is my little token of my appreciation. I know that compared to your contribution, what I've done is just a drop in the bucket. But don't worry, I'll work harder in the future to find more good things to replenish your body."
Jiang Mancheng, who was once again outdone, said: "......"
He tried to save face: "Dad, keep it. I'll buy you another one when you're done. Don't be reluctant to drink it. Your body is the most important asset of the oil field, more valuable than any amount of oil. You must not be careless."
This rascal, if he didn't tell me about the tiger bone wine, he'd be showing off, right? If he knew, he'd definitely buy it and give it to me. Wow, I'm outdone. From now on, he won't be my father-in-law's favorite son-in-law anymore...
Chen Wanli was beaming with joy. With his two foolish sons playing the good cop, he got to be the bad cop. Look, that's quite a haul. Tiger bone wine? If his sons acted foolishly a few more times, maybe he'd get tiger penis wine, deer antler antler, ginseng, and so on. Well, even though he couldn't use tiger penis wine, as a man, some was better than nothing.
"Come, Xiaoxing, eat some food. Let's skip the wine and eat more food. From now on, my Xiaonan will be in your care. Grandpa has seen that you are a reliable person. Come, try this spicy fried rabbit meat. Mancheng's cooking skills are pretty good."
Although engaged, the couple hadn't yet married. Zhou Zhixing should have gone home after the banquet. However, he was shameless and insisted he'd never been to the mountains before. He wanted to stay for two days, wandering around, picking local produce, and hunting. He was sweet-talking and generous, so everyone in the family, including Ma Honghua, received a handkerchief, and Du Hehua even received a red scarf. The old lady was delighted and generously took Zhou Zhixing in for two days.
Chen Jinhai, Chen Jinyang and the other two were in a hurry to get back, so they left after the banquet. Chen Wanli stayed behind, and when he heard that Jiang Mancheng and his family were going up the mountain, he followed them. He used to explore in the mountains and rarely hunted, so now he could finally relax and unwind.
The five of us set out on the mountain early Sunday morning, bringing rice balls with us, planning not to return for lunch. Little Jiang He cried out loudly, wanting to come along, but Zhou Zhixing finally persuaded him to leave after giving him a handful of White Rabbit tea and pleading with him. It wasn't that they disliked bringing children with them, but they were planning to go deeper this time, and bringing a child with them wouldn't be convenient.
"Dad, when will the recruitment information be released? Will you still stay in Xihe'an then?" Jiang Mancheng asked Chen Wanli as he went up the mountain.
Chen Wanli picked up a branch and banged it around, using it as a crutch when encountering steep places. Hearing this, he said, "I'm leaving in a few days. Why should I stay? I need to explore somewhere else. The recruitment information will be announced after the Mid-Autumn Festival, so everyone can have a peaceful holiday. Once the news is announced, the oil field will definitely be in chaos, with all kinds of people. You'd better be careful not to fall into anyone's trap. Those who fail the exam may have some bad intentions."
"Don't worry about that. When Xiaowei comes to take the exam, let him live at home with Xiaohuai, Xiaotong and the others." Although Jiang Huai and Jiang Tong have not graduated from high school yet, they already have a junior high school diploma. It is a once-in-a-century opportunity to recruit workers. If they pass the exam, they will go to work even if they drop out of high school.
Jiang Mancheng was talking, leaning on a branch and looking around. The five of them had already reached a less crowded area, surrounded by many trees. He pointed to one and said, "Chestnut tree! Dad, Jinhua, Xiaonan, come on, let's pick some. We need it for stewing chicken in winter."
Or as they say, live off the land. These days, if you want to find something, you have to go to the mountains. Pure, natural, pollution-free, top-notch.
After the five of them finished picking chestnuts, they soon discovered a pine hazelnut. They were all good things, so they naturally couldn't let them go.
Chen Wanli sat on a rock, watching his daughter and her family busy at work, feeling quite pleased. He had come here to relax, so naturally he wasn't into work. Seeing the four of them working happily, he simply suggested, "How about you two have a competition? Mancheng Jinhua in one group, Xiaonan and Xiaoxing in the other, and I'll be the referee. You all should meet here before lunch, how about that?"
"Dad, we are worried about you being here alone." Jiang Mancheng said flatteringly.
Chen Wanli looked at the stream not far away and said disdainfully, "When I was wandering through the mountains and forests, you weren't even born yet. Okay, the scenery here is so beautiful, I don't want you to disturb me. Go ahead, whoever has the most harvests will get another piece of amber from me."
"Grandpa, you have to keep your word." Jiang Nan really likes the amber wrapped with bees. These days, he looks at it every night before going to bed.
"Okay, provoking me doesn't work. When did I ever go back on my word? But you just know that this amber belongs to you? Your mother's kung fu is better than yours." Chen Wanli lay on his back on a big rock, looking lazy.
"Xiao Nan, don't you have some snake and insect repellent powder on you? Sprinkle it around your grandpa, and then we'll go." Jiang Mancheng winked at Jiang Nan, who understood and quickly bought a bag of powder from the system mall. After sprinkling it around, he shook it on Chen Wanli and ran away with a smile.
Chen Wanli wanted to be alone, but Jiang Mancheng wasn't so careless. He still worried about leaving his daughter alone with Zhou Zhixing. The four of them didn't separate, continuing their journey into the mountains. The deeper they went, the denser the forest became, and the more they found: roe deer, hares, and pheasants. Jiang Nan happily stored everything in her space along the way.
It's not that she likes eating wild animals, but she can't buy domestic animals these days. However, she doesn't eat uncommon animals, such as roe deer, rabbits, and pheasants. She doesn't dare to eat other wild animals.
The four of them were happily picking mushrooms. Jiang Mancheng, who had sharp eyes, saw a figure not far away, acting sneakily. He quickly hushed them, and everyone quietly hid behind a tree. When the figure came closer, they realized it was the heroine Tang Xi.
Are they here to deliver supplies again?
Jiang Nan couldn't help but ask the system, "Where is the plot progressing? Are the hero and heroine engaged?"
The two are already together, but the female protagonist, Tang Xi, is cautious and hasn't told the male protagonist about the space. According to the story, she came to the mountain to place something in a trap. She couldn't just keep taking out supplies for no reason, so she devised a plan: using a hunter's trap in the mountains to place the item inside, then bringing the male protagonist to find it. This way, they could claim it was discovered in the mountains, giving the item a provenance.
"So what is she hiding this time?" Jiang Nan couldn't help but ask.
[It should be goats. The heroine's father is in poor health and needs to eat goat meat to replenish his body in autumn and winter, so the heroine came up with this idea.]
"Uh, this is a bit love-brained. Why do you always think about the male lead?"
The male protagonist treats Tang Xi very well, and his father later becomes a high-ranking official, so he's not exactly in love. However, the goat was taken away by a hunter, so the female protagonist lost it. She hid it again before finally getting it.
Jiang Nan had an idea. Instead of letting the hunter get it for free, it would be better for them to take it. After all, the hunter was just an ordinary person, and so were they. She was good at adding drama.
After Tang Xi disappeared, Jiang Nan told his parents what had happened, and the four of them quickly decided to take action. Well, after looking at each other, they realized that neither of them was a decent person.
But mutton, Jiang Nan slurped his saliva. Mutton = braised mutton = boiled mutton = mutton soup with steamed buns = mutton in a basin...
Jiang Nan sucked her saliva again. She hadn't eaten it for a long time and she missed it so much.
"Tang Xi has truly benefited us," Jiang Mancheng chuckled. "I used to want to trade supplies with her, but now I don't even need to. It's all free. Xiaonan, you should really read the original text again. Rather than letting others take advantage of this leak, we should pick it up. We're all just passersby anyway, so we can make more cameos and steal the show from passersby B and C. We'll be the golden supporting cast."
"Got it. I'll go back and look through the book. There should be more to it later. The heroine must encounter setbacks before she can grow. Let's be the unknown villain on the heroine's road to success."
The four of them let out a sinister laugh. Hehehe, if you listened carefully, you could hear the arrogance of a villain who had achieved success. After laughing enough, the four of them didn't forget the cute little goat in the trap. This time, Jiang Nan didn't put it into the space, but directly put it into the backpack. This good thing must be given to Chen Wanli and Du Hehua to taste.
Perhaps it was a stroke of luck, as on the way back, the four of them unexpectedly spotted another silly roe deer. What were they hesitating about? They decisively grabbed it. They weren't going to put it away this time, so they let others try it. It was Mid-Autumn Festival, and they had to give gifts to Old Lady Cao, so this would save them money.
Jiang Nan is so proud. Look, she is the chosen one. Even the original heroine comes to send her supplies. She is so powerful.
After laughing enough, she suddenly remembered the big case at the station and asked Zhou Zhixing, "How's the case going? Has he confessed? Who's doing the investigation? Deputy Chief Lan? Brother Zou said Deputy Chief Lan is very good at conducting investigations. Have you seen it?"
Zhou Zhixing smiled smugly. "Of course I did. You have no idea how powerful Deputy Chief Lan is. Everyone thinks the woman should be tried first, because generally speaking, a woman who has given birth will definitely have stronger feelings for the child than a man. But Deputy Chief Lan insisted on trying the man first. Do you know why?"
"Why? Don't keep me in suspense, tell me quickly." Jiang Nan urged.
Zhou Zhixing shrugged and continued, "Because during the arrest, Deputy Lan noticed that the man glanced back at the child's sleeping room, while the woman didn't do anything and kept crying foul, saying she was forced into it and that it was all the man's fault. Deputy Lan concluded that the man was softer than the woman. Actually, it makes sense when you think about it. Sometimes, when a woman gets ruthless, the man has no chance."
Jiang Nan nodded: "That's also because Deputy Chief Lan observed carefully."
"Don't you think about how many years Lan Qingshan has been a police officer? While we were all looking around, he was already at the scene." Jiang Mancheng interrupted, "My dear, even though you have a system, you still have to be careful when you go to the scene. You can't be careless just because you know too much. Look, you were careless this time."
Jiang Nan stuck out her tongue. She was indeed a little too dependent on the system. "I know. I'll pay attention next time."
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