"Hmm?" Ye Xuan furrowed his brows again, staring straight into Niu Guoqing’s eyes. "What kind of relative is this of yours?"
"He... he is my brother-in-law, he... he is my wife’s younger brother." As he spoke, Niu Guoqing’s voice grew fainter.
"The planning for each village has a plan from the city, it’s not up to to say whatever goes. Niu Zhishu, you’re an old party mber, how can you not even have this awareness?"
Listening to Ye Xuan’s deliberate bureaucratic tone to intimidate Niu Guoqing, Luo Ye’s mouth twitched, and he lightly coughed, pretending to admire the scenery around him.
"Mayor..." Niu Guoqing shivered, his body hunched over and starting to shiver.
Ye Xuan softened his voice: "Niu Guoqing, can you guarantee the authenticity of what your brother-in-law said?"
"I can! I can! Of course, I can!" Niu Guoqing nodded repeatedly. "My brother-in-law is a capable and honest person. When he told these things, he really didn’t want Liu Er to ruin the newly built greenhouse.
When I sent him off, I happened to bring him to look at the greenhouse. Hearing talk about the future prospects, he was envious, and asked to ask a word for him in front of you, Mayor. I dare to swear to you, even if he was given the guts, he wouldn’t dare play tricks with this matter."
"Alright, I’ll rember this, you can go back now. Keep an eye on the progress of the greenhouse, if there’s anything, call Secretary Yu."
"Yes!" Niu Guoqing replied promptly.
It wasn’t until the car had driven a long way off that Niu Guoqing stood up straight. He had been so scared in this cold weather that a stream of sweat trickled down his back, sticking to it against the breeze.
The majesty of the Mayor... Niu Guoqing exhaled a long breath, straightened up, puffed out his chest, and started walking towards the temporary shelter he lived in, bumping into his daughter Niu Xiaoyue who had co looking for him halfway.
"Dad, has the Mayor left?" Niu Xiaoyue stretched her neck to take a look.
"Yeah." Niu Guoqing responded sullenly.
"Didn’t I tell you, if the Mayor cos, you should find soone to secretly inform ..." Niu Xiaoyue looked her father up and down. "Did you get lectured?"
"No." Niu Guoqing shook his head and kept walking forward.
"Was it because of uncle’s matters that they lectured you?" Niu Xiaoyue pouted, "I told you earlier, don’t get involved in uncle’s matters.
The Mayor has just taken office, and there are not many trustworthy people, so he’s personally overseeing the greenhouse construction. Did you really think he’d be as easygoing as you, the village chief? Do you know that officials need to have authority? You just wouldn’t listen to , and now you’ve been lectured. Let’s see if you’re still willing to take on reckless tasks in the future..."
"Enough!" Niu Guoqing huffed angrily, cutting off his daughter. "I’m already upset, and here you are chattering and trying to make your old man angry on purpose?"
Niu Xiaoyue rolled her eyes. "You help those who don’t need it, and don’t help those who do. Why didn’t you bring up my matters to the Mayor? Why won’t you help ? I’m your own daughter!"
Niu Guoqing glared at his daughter discontentedly. "Because you are my own daughter, I can’t just go make requests to the Mayor. Your uncle, at least, is one step removed, and he reported useful information, so I could plead on his behalf.
Besides, it was hard enough putting you through college. I expect you to make it in the big city and bring glory to the family, not co back to farm!"
"Dad, you’re also a farr, why do you look down on farming so much? You’re the village party secretary, should you have this kind of awareness? I want to be the deputy manager of the greenhouse base, not actually farm the land myself, do you have to be like this?
Moreover, asking you to bring up this matter with the Mayor isn’t outlandish. Once the greenhouse base is built, it will need reliable people in charge. I studied agriculture, have seen the outside world, and want to contribute to my hotown... never mind, I won’t talk to you anymore, I’ll ask my classmates for help, won’t ask you."
"Child, do you think it was easy to put you through college? Why are you determined to co back to deal with the soil?" Niu Guoqing sighed. "The Mayor is a good Mayor, and the greenhouse is also good. But now, rumors are spreading that the Mayor’s interested in the Governor’s daughter. Do you think it’s a good idea to offend the Governor’s daughter? In my opinion, Mayor Ye... sigh!"
"What’s wrong with the Governor’s daughter? Just because she likes soone, that person has to marry her?" Niu Xiaoyue rolled her eyes. "I don’t believe it. Would the Governor be so unwise as to oust the Mayor just for his daughter? If it really ca to that, even the Governor might be..." Niu Guoqing quickly covered Niu Xiaoyue’s mouth. "You rascal, you dare to say anything. Quickly go ho and pack your things, return to the province to find a job tomorrow, stop causing trouble here!"
Niu Xiaoyue: "Mm... Dad..."
"No more arguing, it’s decided!"
Niu Xiaoyue: "..."
...
At five in the afternoon, Liu Yuhua headed back to her family ho with the smoked cigarettes and alcohol she bought earlier. Today was her father’s sixty-first birthday, and she had to go ho early to help out with preparations.
As she opened the door, she saw her father, mother, older brother, second brother, sister-in-law, and older sister sitting in the living room chatting. Seeing her enter, they all fell silent.
From their deanor, it was clear her sister-in-law had already spilled her embarrassing incident at the market. Liu Yuhua’s cheeks flushed as she smiled at her parents, handing them the alcohol and cigarettes. "Dad, Mom, this is a small gift from Yu Hewei and , along with a striped bass that Yu Hewei will bring over after work."
"Hmm," Mr. Liu acknowledged and then looked away.
The second sister-in-law of the Liu Family eagerly took the gifts from her hands, examined them, chuckled dryly, and placed them by the wall, all while giving off an unsettling vibe.
Liu Yuhua greeted her brothers and sisters-in-law in turn. Just as she was about to sit down, Mrs. Liu gestured towards the kitchen. "The ingredients are in the kitchen, go ahead and start preparing. When your brother-in-law arrives, have him help you."
This was a family tradition in the Liu Family. During family gatherings, the ones busy in the kitchen were always Liu Yuhua, Yu Hewei, and her brother-in-law Li Gangqiang.
The reason was simple: it was determined by their rank.
In the Liu Family, the oldest brother was the head of the second departnt of the city’s Bureau of Industry and Comrce, and his wife was the section chief of the third section of the first departnt of the sa bureau. The second brother was the head of the city’s Public Security Bureau’s criminal investigation departnt, and his wife was a housewife, but her father was the head of the city’s Public Security Bureau. The older sister was the deputy head of the city’s Education Bureau.
The cooking trio were all non-officials; the brother-in-law was a regular teacher, Yu Hewei was a forr mobile worker in the Secretary Departnt, and Liu Yuhua was a primary school teacher who had recently taken a year’s leave due to health issues.
Liu Yuhua acknowledged and unhappily walked into the kitchen.
Originally, she had planned to announce her husband’s new position as the Mayor’s secretary today to boost the family’s prestige, but unfortunately, her mishap at the market had been caught by her sister-in-law, and now she had no mood for showing off.
--
Second update of the day. (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian (qidian) to cast your recomndation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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