After Uncle Zhong and the others left, Mingli took his wife and two children out to play. Lin Han had been drinking, so Nan Sheng told him to go to the west room for a nap. However, Grandpa Nan kept pulling his grandson-in-law to chat.
Lin Han knew the elderly man liked to talk, and he didn't mind at all. He actually enjoyed the feeling of being cared for by an elder.
In the east room, only Nan Jingyu, his wife, and Nan Sheng remained. Nan Sheng snuggled affectionately with Zhong Yanyan, while Nan Jingyu leaned against the kang cabinet, listening to the mother and daughter talk.
"Daughter, since you've been in Rongcheng, has your husband treated you well? Have you ever argued or fought?"
Zhong Yanyan was worried that with her daughter being so far away, she might suffer grievances with no family around to support her.
"Of course not, he wouldn't dare!"
Nan Sheng was someone who knew when to hold on and when to let go. If Lin Han were really that kind of man, she wouldn't torture herself. She was only worried that if it came to it, both children would follow her, leaving Lin Han all alone.
Next, Nan Sheng gave her parents a detailed account of their life in Rongcheng. What could be said in letters was limited; nothing compared to the credibility of a face-to-face conversation.
When Nan Sheng got tired from talking, Nan Jingyu would make her some more honey water, his eyes filled with boundless concern and pride. In this life, having such a son and daughter meant he and his wife could hold their heads high anywhere.
Two hours later, Nan Sheng had already made four trips to the outhouse. Putting everything else aside, winter in the hometown was truly brutal; your backside nearly froze stiff.
Zhong Yanyan was still worried about their marital relationship. "You're both so busy with work. It might feel novel now at the beginning, but what about conflicts in the long run?"
"Then he can just leave the army and follow me," Nan Sheng said jokingly. She felt that neither she nor Lin Han were the type who absolutely needed their partner by their side all the time. Lin Han's work was important, and hers was too.
Nan Jingyu also supported his daughter. "Exactly! Our daughter can work as long as she wants. If Lin Han has any complaints, just tell your dad, and I'll go deal with him!"
Of course, he probably couldn't win in a fight. Even though his son-in-law would never lay a hand on him, he had no intention of humiliating himself. But he couldn't afford to lose in terms of presence or authority either.
Nan Sheng was just talking big. She never imagined that one day in the future, it would actually become reality. She didn't even have to ask; Lin Han would happily follow her wherever she went.
When Mingli returned, he was holding several sticks of hawthorn tanghulu. The bright red hawthorns were coated in syrup and sprinkled with a layer of sesame seeds on the outside, looking absolutely delicious.
Everyone got a stick. Sizhe ate quickly and was already halfway through his. Seeing their faces flushed red from the cold, Nan Sheng could only sigh, "Youth is wonderful," before starting to bite into her own tanghulu.
The first taste was sweet, but as the sugar coating shattered and she reached the fruit, the sourness began to overflow, very appetizing.
Mingli had one stick left, intending to take it to his brother-in-law. However, when he went to the west room, he found both Lin Han and Grandpa fast asleep, so he could only put the tanghulu outside the window to keep it frozen.
The house was well-stocked with food. Zhong Yanyan put away all the leftover dishes from lunch, storing them outside in a vat to freeze. For dinner, she cooked fresh dishes. Despite Nan Sheng's repeated attempts to stop her, five dishes still ended up on the table.
Before dinner, Lin Han ate a stick of tanghulu. He hadn't had this in years. With his cheeks puffed out, he looked somewhat adorable.
After drinking at lunch, no one brought up alcohol again at dinner. Lin Han was "afraid of his wife," and so was Nan Jingyu. As for Mingli, although social engagements became unavoidable after he joined the government, he disliked drinking at home.
Luotong hadn't yet shown any signs of restricting him in this regard, so he didn't need to consider that problem for now.
That night, Zhong Yanyan slept with Qiqi. Luotong also slept in the east room with Nan Sheng. Nan Jingyu, Lin Han, Sizhe, and Grandpa all slept in the west room. As for Mingli, he returned to sleep in his own small room.
He was quite pleased with himself. Everyone else was sleeping cramped together, while he got to have a room all to himself.
The next day, after the family had breakfast, Mingli and Luotong returned to the town for work. They had taken a few days off. It was easier for Luotong, but Mingli couldn't delay returning to the office any longer without a good explanation.
Nan Jingyu and his wife also took Lin Han's family to visit the maternal grandparents. Nan Sheng felt it wouldn't be right to go empty-handed, so she took some New Year's goods from her parents' house to bring along.
They set off early and arrived at Xiaoling Village before nine o'clock. Bundled up tightly, they weren't recognized, and they didn't speak to anyone along the way.
To Nan Sheng's surprise, Zhong Qin was also there. She didn't think her uncle would have notified her; it was probably just a coincidence.
"Oh, my niece is back?" Zhong Qin was genuinely surprised.
Zhong Yanyan didn't even glance at her sister. She pulled Nan Sheng and the children to sit on the kang and started talking with her parents.
Grandpa Zhong and Grandma Zhong had been looking forward to Nan Sheng's visit. Seeing them enter the room, their faces crinkled into smiles. As for the silent battle between their two daughters, they had no desire to get involved. Sometimes, being a little deaf leads to a peaceful life.
"Nan Sheng, Lin Han, come sit on the kang and rest. Daw a, Qiqi, you come too. Great-grandpa will get you some candy."
Auntie Zhong was busy cooking in the kitchen. Uncle Zhong, hearing the voices, brought the children over to chat. Everyone treated Zhong Qin as if she were air, making her face alternate between red and white with anger.
After talking for a while, Zhong Yanyan went next door to help her sister-in-law cook. With so many people, they couldn't let Auntie Zhong handle everything alone. Uncle Zhong sent his sons out to play with Daw a and the others, so the room became much quieter.
Grandpa Zhong kept talking about the recent changes in Xiaoling Village, attributing them all to Nan Sheng's merit.
Zhong Qin tried several times to interrupt, wanting to ask about Lin Han's current rank and salary, but was consistently ignored. Furious, she turned and left.
Grandma Zhong sighed helplessly and said to her granddaughter, "Don't mind her. Once us two old folks are gone, she won't come anymore."
Who dared to respond to that? Despite Grandma Zhong's seemingly carefree tone, what elder doesn't want to live a few more years?
Nan Sheng could only comfort her, "Don't worry, Grandma. I'm not angry. Life is getting better and better now. You and Grandpa must live to a hundred. I'll take you to Rongcheng for a visit then."
Nan Sheng coaxed a beaming smile out of Grandma Zhong. "Rongcheng is so far away — how could your grandfather and I possibly go? We're content just knowing you have that thought."
While they were having that warm conversation, they didn't know that after they left, Zhong Qin went around bad-mouthing them to everyone she met. She only wanted to vent her anger, but the villagers nearly cursed her to death.
"Who did you say came? Director Nan, Nan Sheng, who helped our village lift itself out of poverty?"
When Zhong Qin said that Nan Sheng was putting on airs and disowning poor relatives, everyone was furious. “Your own parents and brother won’t acknowledge you, so what right do you have to talk about Director Nan? Don’t come to our Xiaoling Village anymore, or we’ll curse at you every time we see you!”
Zhong Qin: ...
Is Director Nan your father, that you defend her so fiercely? She has never seen such ignorant people. Nan Sheng offered advice only to get a government job — what is there to defend?
Zhong Qin left, but now all the villagers knew Nan Sheng had come to Xiaoling Village. They discussed and decided they should at least show their appreciation, so they began going home to look for good things to give.
