"No, it's their own destiny. If they aren't satisfied with each other, it won't happen. I didn't play any role," Zhang Liunian waved his hands dismissively after hearing this.
"Our visiting each other on New Year's Day is just to get closer. It's the same whether you come to my house or my eldest goes to yours," Zhang Laoshi said with a smile, seeing Zhang Liunian being so polite.
Zhang Liunian thought about it and felt it made sense, so he didn't bring it up again.
However, Zhang Laoshi seemed to have a lot he wanted to say to Zhang Liunian. Seeing that Zhang Liunian wasn't speaking, he immediately started talking about the changes in the village, such as who had built a new house, who had gotten married, who had given away their daughters, and so on.
All of this was brought about by Zhang Liunian to their Zhang family village. Zhang Laoshi looked at Zhang Liunian with admiration as he spoke, which made Zhang Liunian feel a bit embarrassed.
Zhao Zhijie, on the other hand, gradually found the conversation interesting and very satisfying. It was much better than spending New Year's alone behind closed doors. Especially here, whenever he encountered someone, he would hear them praising, thanking, and admiring his god-nephew. This made Zhao Zhijie happier than if they had praised him.
Zhang Liunian was unaware of Zhao Zhijie's inner thoughts. After staying there for more than three hours, he got up and, with Uncle Zhao, headed home for lunch. After the meal, they went to Zhang Hao's house.
Before they even got close to Zhang Hao's house, Zhang Liunian could smell the aroma of meat from afar. When he arrived at the courtyard gate, he saw cured meat hanging under the eaves not far away.
Immediately after, Zhang Liunian heard Zhang Qian's voice: "Dad, this TV was given to me by Brother Liunian. When I get married, I'll put it in our room. For now, I'm lending it to you to watch. Don't not return it to me later. This TV is worth a lot of money."
"..."
Zhang Liunian stopped in his tracks, speechless. Saying something like that during the New Year would surely lead to a beating, wouldn't it?
As he was thinking this, in the next instant, Zhang Liunian heard Zhang Hao's roar, "You ungrateful brat, you've forgotten your mother before you've even gotten a wife. Watch me not beat you."
"Dad, you're being unreasonable. You clearly said that we brothers earn things ourselves and they belong to us. I was just reminding you, why should I be beaten?"
Zhang Qian ran while feeling wronged. When he rushed into the courtyard and saw Zhang Liunian, he immediately braked and exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Liunian?"
"You ungrateful brat calling out to Liunian means you still won't escape this beating." Zhang Hao, holding a bamboo stick, hit him without hesitation. Zhang Qian dodged and weaved in pain.
As Zhang Qian left, Zhang Liunian's presence was immediately revealed. Seeing this, Zhang Hao immediately dropped the bamboo stick, his anger turning into a smile. "Liunian, you're here? Quickly, quickly, come in and sit with Uncle."
As for his son, who was he? In that instant, Zhang Hao had completely disregarded him.
"Uncle's spirit is really good. You weren't any slower than Xiao Qian just now," Zhang Liunian said with a tease as he entered the house by his side.
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Zhang Hao's face. He had been angered by the brat earlier, which was why he had run out of the house so quickly that he hadn't even noticed Zhang Liunian and the others.
"It's all because this brat angered me. Let's not talk about him. You should tell me about the outside world. I heard from Xiao Qian that you've been to many places, first to our provincial capital, then to Pengcheng, and it seems you're going to Hong Kong for the New Year. Is that true?" Zhang Hao was very envious of people like Zhang Liunian who could travel everywhere. In his life, the farthest he had ever been was Nancheng, and only twice. He couldn't even distinguish where it was.
"There are no accidents. After the New Year, I will indeed be heading to Hong Kong." Zhang Liunian still had the invitation to the banquet he had promised Mr. Xue, and he also intended to look for safety helmets in Pengcheng. If they weren't available there, Hong Kong would surely have them.
"I heard that place is very prosperous. I wonder how prosperous it is." Zhang Hao used to listen to the radio and occasionally heard about Hong Kong's wealth and prosperity, but he didn't know the specifics.
"I'm not sure about that either. I'll tell you when I get back from visiting," Zhang Liunian had never been there in this life, so he couldn't answer the question.
However, he had been there many times in his previous life, though the mainland wasn't much different then.
"Okay, then I'll wait for you to tell me next year when you return."
"..."
After chatting for a while, Zhang Liunian saw that it was getting late and got up to leave.
After Zhang Liunian left, Zhang Hao looked at his younger son, who was squatting to the side munching on melon seeds, and said, "That man just now, wasn't he the uncle Liunian recognized?"
"Yes!" Zhang Qian replied, looking up.
"He really looks like a big leader from the city." Although Zhao Zhijie didn't speak, Zhang Hao could tell that he was not ordinary.
"He is a leader, but now he's changed his line of work to help Brother Liunian manage the food factory in Nancheng, and he's managing it very well."
"Aren't you also managing the pig farm?" Zhang Hao glared at his younger son, thinking that he shouldn't boost others' morale and dampen his own. He wasn't bad himself.
But Zhang Qian truly didn't think he was better than Zhao Zhijie. After all, there wasn't much to do in the pig farm. As long as the pigs weren't sick, it was just a matter of letting the subordinates clean and feed them. It couldn't compare to a food factory.
"How can I compare to him?" Zhang Qian said, then turned and went back into the house.
"..." Zhang Hao was speechless.
That day quietly disappeared as Zhang Liunian made his rounds, and in the blink of an eye, it was time for the evening's highlight, the New Year's Eve dinner.
Yu Xiaohua had been busy from early morning until evening, preparing a total of thirty-eight dishes, including meat, vegetables, and soup.
After Zhang Liunian personally set off the firecrackers, everyone sat down at the table to start the feast.
"Mom and Dad, Eldest Brother, Little Sister, Happy New Year." Before the New Year's Eve dinner, Zhang Liunian raised his glass to toast everyone.
Everyone also picked up their tea cups and said, "Happy New Year," and then they all drank it down.
After putting down their cups, everyone started to eat the dishes, chatting from time to time. The atmosphere was very good.
"Mom, you worked hard today. Eat more meat to replenish yourself." Zhang Liunian got up and helped Yu Xiaohua to a few bites of meat.
Yu Xiaohua was very touched. She, in turn, gave Zhang Liunian a few bites of the crispy pork belly, "Third son, this is what you like to eat. Mom specially fried it until it was golden and crispy. Mom knows you love this kind of thing."
After serving her son, Yu Xiaohua also served her younger daughter, "Little Sister, you also like the crispy pork belly. Eat up."
Zhang Xiaomei was overwhelmed with emotion and said with teary eyes, "Thank you, Mom."
"As long as you're not angry with Mom anymore." Yu Xiaohua felt relieved seeing her daughter was so easily appeased.
"Mom, I also understand your actions. However, I have a capable third brother who can help me live a good life. Just for sending me such a capable third brother, your daughter will not be angry with you." Thinking about the past six months, Zhang Xiaomei felt extremely grateful for the happiness she experienced every day.
And the source of all this was her good third brother. It was thanks to this third brother that she could live a life she could never have imagined before.
Therefore, for this reason alone, she had nothing to resent her parents about.
"You little girl, you're even joking with your mom now?" Although Yu Xiaohua also felt that she was very good at giving birth to sons, with her second son being a golden phoenix before and now her third son being a lucky star, even she had to admit that she was too good at giving birth.