Chapter 1638: Chapter 1073: Reunion
Update.
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"Second Aunt, Sister Qiyan, you guys came at just the right time." Having not seen each other for over half a year, Lin Xiaohua had aged quite a bit. Sighing inwardly, Chuxia proactively greeted the two and then picked up Nannan, holding him up to Lin Xiaohua’s face. "Second Aunt, do you want a hug?"
"Ah, ah, ah..." Responding eagerly, Lin Xiaohua took the chubby little guy who made her eyes light up. Her eyes narrowed into slits with a smile, not necessarily out of closeness to Nannan, but Chuxia’s attitude made her feel relieved.
"Sister-in-law, where’s Second Brother?" Zhao Yulan stepped forward to ask.
"He feels embarrassed and didn’t come..." Lin Xiaohua said with a wry smile. Zhao Qiyan eagerly reached out to Zhao Yulan, "Little Aunt, can I hold him?"
Zhao Yulan looked at the happy little guy in her arms and negotiated, "Beibei, let Second Aunt hold you for a while, okay?"
The little guy shifted his gaze from his brother and turned to Zhao Qiyan, assessing her, and then puckered his mouth, wailing loudly.
Zhao Qiyan awkwardly pulled back her already extended hand, sporting a sheepish smile.
"Sister Qiyan, Second Aunt is holding Nannan; he doesn’t mind strangers. You can hold him later. Beibei, this little rascal, doesn’t go to anyone except those he’s very familiar with..." Chuxia explained while teasing the little guy, who had been howling without shedding a single tear. Thinking his mother was playing with him, Beibei quickly stopped crying and started laughing, happily "giggling."
"Shameless, crying one moment, laughing the next..." Teasing her son, Chuxia urged everyone inside as too many people were gathering around. It looked as if they were being treated like a circus act.
The Zhao family had always been a top household in the village, and now they were even more impressive than before. Finally having a chance, those with connections all gathered around.
The current Village Secretary, Li Aimin, promptly arrived with two strong young men upon hearing the news, enthusiastically shaking Old Master Zhao’s hand, assuring him that the tables and chairs needed for the full moon celebration were all arranged.
"No need; everything’s already been arranged in advance..." Old Master Zhao declined with a laugh, thinking it’s a joke that they’d leave things to the last minute.
"Where did you borrow them from?" Worried that the old master was just being polite, Li Aimin probed further.
"Yushan has already made the arrangements. I’m not sure from which household they were borrowed from..." After a pause, Old Master Zhao added, "They should be delivered early the day after tomorrow. Make sure to come and have a glass of full moon wine then."
"How could I forget that? Uncle, I’ve grown up under your watch; how can we be strangers now? Besides, I can’t just show up without doing anything. I’ll come to help early the day after tomorrow. I have a large table at home, I’ll bring it along. Even if we have enough borrowed, one more won’t harm."
"I’m not doing this to curry favor. Yushan led me well before, and now everything is smooth in my hands. I’m grateful to Brother Yushan.
He has principles. I wanted to invite him for a meal to thank him, but he wouldn’t agree. With this opportunity, I can properly share a drink with Brother Yushan."
"Alright, then bring the table over..." Old Master Zhao said with a smile. "Look, Yushan is back, so you can ask him if there’s anything else needing your help. If there is, take on the task."
Li Aimin immediately turned around, plastering a smile on his face. "Secretary, you’re back?" He had been calling out "Brother Yushan," but now directly switched to "Secretary."
"Aimin, don’t call me that. I’m just the deputy secretary." Zhao Yushan greeted him with a smile and then eagerly glanced at his mother, who was holding his eldest grandson. "Mom, let me see, let me hold him..." As he spoke, he had already extended his hands.
"Look at you, rushing as if you won’t be allowed to hold him later..." Old Lady Zhao complained good-naturedly, handing the child to Zhao Yushan.
Carefully receiving the child, holding him as if cradling something precious, Zhao Yushan’s face blossomed in a smile that threatened to unfold his wrinkles.
Other village boys his son’s age had already fathered their own kids. Though he didn’t say it, he was quite envious. Now, he finally became a grandfather!
Thinking of this, Zhao Yushan quickly looked inside the kang at Luo Xiaoqiong: "Xiaoqiong, you’ve really worked hard. Quickly lie down and rest for a while."
"Dad, I’m not tired..." Luo Xiaoqiong waved her hand with a smile and teased, "You finally noticed me. From the moment you came in, I’ve been greeting you, but you haven’t responded to me."
"Hey, hey..." Zhao Yushan chuckled awkwardly. Since the moment he stepped in, his mind was somewhat awhirl, making it hard to see clearly.
"Brother Yushan..." Li Aimin stepped back, saying, "Uncle, Aunt, sister-in-law, they’ve just returned, and they’re probably exhausted. You should all have a good family reunion. I’ll not stay to be in the way. If there’s anything I can do for you, Brother Yushan, tell me and I’ll sort it out right away."
"There’s nothing left to organize. Everything needed is already borrowed and will be delivered early the day after tomorrow. We also have cooks lined up, Liu Ershuan and Li Qiaomei from our village."
"I must find something to do, though, right?" Li Aimin’s face wrinkled with concern. "You know I want to find a way to repay you. If you don’t let me do anything, it really makes me feel uncomfortable."
"You...," Zhao Yushan laughed helplessly, "Come over early in the morning to help with the food prep and carrying dishes, alright?"
"Sure, of course..." Li Aimin rubbed his hands with a smile, "As long as Brother Yushan doesn’t treat me like an outsider, I’m happy to help.
I’ll get out of your hair now..." He turned around and walked out, waving to the people peeking in from outside, "Go on, head back. Uncles, aunts, and sisters-in-law are all tired. Let them get some rest."
"Uncle, Aunt, Sister-in-law, I’m from Yuqing’s family, I’ll come see you another day."
"Grandpa, Grandma, Aunty, I’m from Sibao’s family, I’ll also come see you another day."
"Old brother, old sister-in-law, it’s Junhong here. I’ll come by the day after tomorrow."
"...."
The crowd that originally wanted to squeeze in and say hello babbled as they backed out, and finally, the noisy house quieted down for a moment.
Having had no place to stay and forced to hide in the west room, Chuxia, Zhao Yulan, and Lin Baohe sighed with relief and brought Nannan and Beibei to the east room too.
....
Zhang Guojun waited till five o’clock, finally welcoming County Chief Loo. As always, County Chief Loo arrived by bicycle, accompanied by his assistant Pang Changjiang.
"Chief, you’ve had a hard day." Zhang Guojun quickly went out to greet him, looking at the weary, grey-templed County Chief Loo, unsure what to feel inside.
This County Chief Loo, ever since he assumed office, liked to visit the grassroots often, mostly by bicycle, claiming it allowed him to walk around and observe, closer to the farmers and also saving resources, killing two birds with one stone.
Many leaders couldn’t stand his behavior, thinking why not just use a car to visit around? It’s obviously a waste of time.
Moreover, he wasted not only his time but others’ too, since everyone had to wait to host him wherever he went.
Just like now, Zhang Guojun was filled with a hundred complaints but couldn’t show it on his face.
"Not hard at all. What’s hard about it?" County Chief Loo shook Zhang Guojun’s hand and smiled faintly, surveying behind him and asking, "Where’s Comrade Yushan?"
After a moment’s hesitation, Zhang Guojun honestly replied, "Chief, Comrade Yushan’s son went to the frontline, and after his daughter-in-law got pregnant, he’s stayed solo at the old home.
Now the baby is a month-old, the whole family came back, so I made Comrade Yushan go home first. Anyway, I pretty much know what he knows, whatever you need, Chief, I can handle."
"Hehe..." County Chief Loo chuckled a few times, waving it off, "I see you offering such a long explanation, I’m not an unreasonable person; just asked casually because I didn’t see him.
Let’s go inside, I have a few questions to talk over with you. I’ve noticed quite a few issues along my way."
....
"So, did County Chief Loo give you a hard time?" When Zhang Guojun arrived at Xiaolin Village, it was already past eight in the evening. Zhao Yushan hurried to meet him, worriedly asking.
"He didn’t give me a hard time, but for sure he was not happy. After talking to me, he went to Dalin Village..." Zhang Guojun sighed with a bitter smile, "This Chief... really has endurance!"
Earlier, Zhao Yushan had already shared with everyone the habits of this Chief, so now Chuxia couldn’t help but mutter, "This kind of person, clearly favors show projects, but insists on presenting himself as incorruptible.
Clearly, he could visit twenty villages in a day by car, but insists on cycling to ten villages a day, making others wait for him until the wee hours, he may feel good about himself, but little does he know how many people are exhausted because of him."
"Do you think he’ll give my dad a hard time, going to Dalin Village at this hour?" Hearing that the Chief visited their old man’s turf, Luo Xiaoqiong got anxious immediately.
"Though he won’t give him a hard time, he’s sure to chat with your dad for a while." Zhang Guojun said with a sigh, "In fact, the one who suffers the most is Pang Changjiang following him.
Every day from morning till night without rest, Pang Changjiang has to endure just the same, it’s really tough on him."
Chuxia looked at her second aunt’s husband incredulously: "Will he even return to the county this late at night?"
"Of course, he has to attend the morning meeting every day..." Zhang Guoqing said helplessly, shaking his head, "Anyway, there’s really no way to evaluate this Chief; say he’s not good, but he really can endure hardships and considers the common folks; say he’s good, and everywhere he’s picky to an extreme, requiring others to live up to what he manages, sigh..." (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com) with recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
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