The other party immediately said, "How is that possible!"
He had long heard that Si Nian's three children were from the countryside.
What kind of education could the countryside offer? He knew all about it.
How could a child from the countryside compare to his own son?
What a joke.
But thinking about it this way, it should just be a formality.
With that thought, the other party instantly became full of confidence.
Anyway, as long as Si Nian gave him this spot, the rest wouldn't be a problem.
Seeing her being so compliant, Si's Father's anger finally subsided a little.
He stood up and said, "Since it's settled, we'll take our leave now."
Si Nian pretended to be polite, saying, "Uncle, won't you stay for a meal? I just made some porridge."
"There's not much, but if I water it down, it should be enough for everyone."
"It's rare to have guests visiting, even though you didn't bring anything. But I'm just happy that someone came to see us and needs my help. Third Uncle, if you ever have any matters in the future, you can come directly to me."
Hearing this, Si's Father and the other man, who had brought nothing, looked somewhat embarrassed.
But noticing the pleased expression on his brother's face beside him, Si's Father's heart sank again.
Could this girl be so foolish as to think she could help others without them giving anything in return?
If that were the case, who would bother bringing gifts to him in the future?
They might as well come directly to her.
What an idiot.
Third Uncle Si also thought he had been foolish. If he had known Si Nian was this easy to fool,
he would have come directly himself long ago.
Why would he need to visit his elder brother's house repeatedly, bringing gifts and trying to please him?
Third Uncle Si felt some regret.
Cold sweat broke out on Si's Father's forehead. He coughed, pulled out a hundred yuan from his pocket, stepped forward, and said loudly, "Nian Nian, this is the housewarming gift from your Third Uncle. Use it to buy something nice for the children."
Si Nian smiled and said, "Third Uncle is so generous. I thought no one remembered me anymore, so I won't stand on ceremony."
Third Uncle Si inwardly cursed Si's Father for being an old fox.
He smiled hypocritically and said, "It's only right, only right."
Then he turned to Si's Father and asked, "Could it be that when you all moved here, Elder Brother and his family didn't come to visit?"
He deliberately used a skeptical tone.
Just as Si's Father was about to speak, he heard Si Nian say innocently, "That's right."
Beads of cold sweat appeared on Si's Father's forehead.
He hurriedly interrupted, "Ah, I've been busy lately and haven't had time to visit you. That's my fault."
"Then, Elder Brother, isn't this your first visit too? And you didn't bring any gifts for Nian Nian and the children..." Third Uncle Si felt he had been tricked by Si's Father.
Now that Si Nian had agreed, he didn't need to be so ingratiating and even felt somewhat displeased.
He couldn't help but mock.
He thought to himself that the rumors were indeed true: the Si family had driven out Si Nian, their adopted daughter of eighteen years, for the sake of Lin Sisi.
And now they had the nerve to accept so many nice things from him while giving nothing to Si Nian and her family!
The more he thought about it, the more he regretted it.
Feeling the other's dissatisfied gaze, Si's Father immediately said, "How could that be? I just came in a hurry for your sake and didn't have time to prepare anything."
"Nian Nian, it's my fault. I didn't prepare anything nice either. Here's some money, take it and use it. Don't eat such simple food all the time; it's not good for your health." Si's Father pulled out another hundred yuan from his pocket, inwardly regretting that he should have just given fifty earlier. He had been worried that if he gave too little, Third Uncle Si might give less in the future.
So he deliberately gave a hundred.
Who would have thought the criticism would land on him?
Now he had to give a bit more.
Otherwise, as the adoptive father, if he gave less than an outsider, he would surely be gossiped about behind his back by Third Uncle Si.
Si Nian said with a beaming smile, "You're too kind, Uncle. Since you've put it that way, it would be disrespectful of me not to accept."
Her words were polite, but her hands showed no hesitation as she took the money.
Si's Father's mouth twitched with heartache.
The other party had only given him this much to begin with, and now he had to hand it all out again.
At that moment, Aunt Jiang arrived with Jiang Jiu.
Seeing the door open, she walked in. "Nian Nian, you have guests? The door wasn't closed."
Si Nian smiled and said, "Yes, this is my adoptive father and Third Uncle. They came to congratulate me on moving here."
Aunt Jiang glanced at the two men. She had been retired for a long time and wasn't familiar with them.
Hearing they were the adoptive father and Third Uncle, she smiled and said, "I see. Well, I just came to tell you that we can go together when school starts in a couple of days."
Si Nian acknowledged this and asked again, "Uncle, Third Uncle, are you sure you won't stay for a meal before leaving?"
Si's Father dared not stay any longer. Every time he encountered this daughter, he inexplicably ended up losing a lot of money.
He always felt something was off, but couldn't quite put his finger on it at the moment.
He hurriedly said, "No, your Third Uncle and I have other matters to attend to. We must be going."
With that, he stood up, glanced at Aunt Jiang, didn't think much of it, and the two men hastily left.
What a joke, who would want to drink her pitiful plain porridge?
After Aunt Jiang finished her greetings, she said, "Where did you buy the schoolbags for your Little Dong and Little Han? My Xiao Jiu says he wants one too, so I thought I'd take him to buy one."
"At the Baihuo Department Store," Si Nian said. "Wait, I need to go out too. Let's go together."
After saying this, she went into the kitchen and brought out the lunch she had prepared in advance for Zhou Yueshen.
This man hadn't been back for two days.
Although he said not to bring him food because it was too far and he would hire someone to cook, Si Nian still thought it necessary to go see him.
School was starting soon, and she might not have time to visit him later.
Zhou Yueshen had given her his phone number and address before.
Carrying her bag and the lunchbox, Si Nian said to the three little ones who were drinking porridge, "Little Dong, Little Han, look after your little sister at home, okay?"
"Mom, come back early."
"Mom, we'll wait for you at home."
Si Nian waved and left with Aunt Jiang and the others.
...
Meanwhile, at the suburban farm.
The farm had been relocated for over half a month.
Staff recruitment was also nearly complete.
The surroundings were all patches of abandoned land.
This area used to be the suburbs, and many people farmed here.
But with urban development, everyone moved to the city, so this place gradually became deserted.
The environment here wasn't bad; the only downside was the lack of people.
It took about an hour's drive to get to the city.
Since everyone had come here to work, meals became a problem, and they hadn't found a cook yet.
So Yu Dong, who had some free time, became the cook.
There was no other way; among so many people, his cooking skills were slightly better.
He had worked in the mess hall for two years in the past.
Later, he was forced to go home and inherit the family business.
However, Yu Dong believed his fate was in his own hands.
He was determined to make a name for himself on his own.
So he followed Zhou Yueshen into pig farming.
Now, having finished cooking, he complained inwardly, "Why should I, a guy in business development, have to cook for you bunch of old fogies?"
