Si Nian raised an eyebrow and asked, "Hmm? Did you get a haircut?"
Zhou Yueshen: "..."
Seeing the older man at a loss for words, she secretly giggled to herself.
Zhou Yueshen pursed his lips, gazing at her for a long moment.
A trace of helplessness flickered in his dark eyes.
His voice seemed to carry endless tenderness and attachment: "Nian Nian."
Si Nian blinked and added, "No wonder you look especially handsome today."
Zhou Yueshen didn't respond. He looked at her for a while, then averted his gaze, pressed his lips together, and reached to pick up the things on the ground, putting them into the car trunk.
His movements were somewhat clumsy.
Si Nian watched, her face blooming into a smile. Well, well, this old man was actually feeling shy.
The little ones didn't understand the exchange. The second child hugged the gift he had prepared and followed, asking, "Dad, did you get a haircut? I want one too, why didn't you take me along?"
"Dad, your hair is so short, do you even need a haircut?"
"If you hadn't said anything, I wouldn't have noticed."
Zhou Yueshen: "..."
The car drove towards Lin Family Village.
The first time they came, they had walked.
The second time, Zhou Yueshen had come on a motorcycle.
This third time, Zhou Yueshen was driving a car.
The villagers: "..."
It was as if others had leaped across three centuries in half a year.
While they themselves were still stuck in the same place.
For a moment, they couldn't tell if others were developing too fast, or if they themselves were developing too slowly.
The car bought by Factory Director Zhou—who in the surrounding villages and towns hadn't found an excuse to sneak a peek at it in Xingfu Village?
Even though most people didn't know much about cars, they recognized this brand: Santana.
A symbol of the wealthy.
Now, driving this car to Si Nian's parental home for the New Year celebration was the height of prestige.
A few days ago, they had seen the Lin family adding bricks and tiles, cleaning inside and out until everything was spotless.
The Lin family had always been among the poorest in the village. Usually, during New Year, they could at most buy a little meat for a taste.
This year, however, it seemed they wanted to renovate the entire house.
Who wouldn't feel a twinge of envy?
And now, Factory Director Zhou was even driving his car to their home for New Year. Everyone's eyes were green with jealousy.
However, because of the previous incident involving Uncle Lin (eldest)'s family, many still held a grudge against Si Nian.
Lin Family Village, as the name suggested, was a village of the Lin clan, with about eighty percent of the people belonging to the Lin family.
While not all were closely related, they were all connected by some degree of kinship.
Because of that incident, Uncle Lin (eldest)'s son had even gone to jail. This not only brought shame to their branch of the Lin family but also cast a stain on the entire Lin clan.
People around were pointing and whispering.
"How dare she show her face here? She really doesn't put our Lin Family Village in her eyes at all."
"Yeah, I heard Lin Wei's mother cries all day, barely able to go on living. Yet Second Uncle Lin's family is happily celebrating the New Year. It's truly vicious."
"Someone with no conscience, who even harms her own cousins—I, for one, won't acknowledge her. No matter how rich she is, I look down on her."
These people, relying on Lin Family Village being their turf, spoke without any courtesy.
And very loudly.
Si Nian had been talking to Zhou Yueshen. Hearing the voices, she glanced sideways and saw some unfamiliar faces.
One woman in particular was gesticulating animatedly, spitting as she spoke, disparaging her to the people around her.
"You have no idea. I heard she not only harms her own family, but also Zhou's side. Her own aunt was driven to the brink of divorce by her!"
"That friendly demeanor she showed in our village before was probably all an act. We were all fooled."
"I heard Xingfu Village wants to expand, planning to buy up our land cheaply for the Zhou family to raise pigs."
"Really?!"
"Of course it's true. I heard it from the village chief himself. How could it be false?"
"How hateful! And to think I used to respect Factory Director Zhou. Well, if that's the case, I'll never buy pork from his place again."
If they want to buy our land, they'll have to see if I agree! What right do they have? Is having money so amazing?
Si Nian frowned upon hearing this and signaled Zhou Yueshen to stop the car.
The woman was still chattering away, not noticing the car had stopped at all.
Only when she saw the others suddenly fall silent and take a few steps back did she react, asking, "What's wrong with you all?"
"Why has everyone stopped talking?"
The others swallowed hard and pointed behind her.
The woman was stunned for a second, then seemed to realize something and turned around stiffly.
However, the next moment, she came face-to-face with a huge maw full of sharp fangs. Drool dripped from a crimson tongue and splattered onto her face.
"Ah—!"
The woman screamed and fell flat on her backside.
Si Nian looked at the woman, finding her face somewhat familiar yet feeling she had never seen her before.
She frowned and asked, "Auntie, you said my family wants to buy land in Lin Family Village to open a pig farm?"
The woman stared at her dumbfounded.
The people around had shut their mouths, keeping their distance.
Good heavens, how could there be such a big dog in that car? It was truly terrifying.
After speaking, Si Nian glanced at the group. They looked somewhat guilty and hurriedly said, "Why are you looking at us? We weren't the ones saying it."
Si Nian turned to ask Zhou Yueshen beside her, "Is there such a thing?"
She thought that if Zhou Yueshen's pig farm really needed to expand, he would surely have told her.
Zhou Yueshen's thick brows furrowed slightly. "There was such a matter before, but it hasn't been decided yet."
Some time ago, during a town meeting, the town head had expressed hope that he could help boost the economic development of other villages. After all, if Xingfu Village continued like this, the other villages would be too pitiable.
The village chiefs of nearby villages had indeed approached him, but Zhou Yueshen found it troublesome and hadn't agreed.
When the chief of Lin Family Village brought it up, he considered it because the village was close by and was also Si Nian's parental home.
But even if he were to agree, it would be a matter for next year at the earliest.
So this matter wasn't settled, and he hadn't mentioned it.
Who knew it had spread like this in Lin Family Village?
The people around, however, upon hearing this, bristled like stepped-on hedgehogs, instantly on edge.
It wasn't that they necessarily resented the wealthy, but they always felt the Zhou family was too ostentatious now, making people uncomfortable.
And now, these words proved they were indeed planning to buy their village's land, right?
He might make a fortune, but what about those of them who relied on these few plots of land to grow food and make a living? If they lost this land, how were they supposed to survive in the future!
