"Where did you go?"
When Qin Chuan returned to the private room, Li Ya leaned in and asked in a low voice.
"Nothing, I just ran into the boss here again and he chatted with me for a few words."
Qin Chuan made up a casual excuse.
It wasn't that he didn't want to tell Li Ya, but this matter concerned his mother, and Qin Chuan was also troubled.
If the methods were too extreme, his mother would be the one to get hurt. If they weren't, he was afraid his mother's soft heart would be exploited by those with ulterior motives with just a few words.
Alas, being a son is so difficult!
While Qin Chuan was struggling, the atmosphere in the adjacent private room was very lively.
Seated around a round table were several elderly men and women, all around fifty years old, some with completely gray hair and deeply wrinkled faces.
It couldn't be helped. More than ninety-nine percent of rural people in China were like this, generally aging, and excessive manual labor, combined with exposure to the sun and wind, made their appearances look much older than their actual ages.
However, this did not mean they were kind. Human nature does not change because of one's occupation.
At this moment, around the large round table, several enthusiastic men and women were chatting with Jiang Cuihua.
These people were none other than Jiang Cuihua's elder sisters, brother-in-law, younger brother, and sister-in-law. A large table full of people.
The Jiang family was unlike the old Qin family, which had few members. It was an extended family. Jiang Cuihua alone had five siblings, not to mention cousins and other relatives.
Such extended families were very common in those times. Each family had many children, and many families had over a dozen siblings, which was a terrifying number.
Jiang Cuihua had two elder sisters and two younger brothers, making her the third of five siblings.
"Life has gotten better, and it's clearly different. Look at Cuihua carefully; her skin is much smoother than ours!"
"Plus, she's a few years younger than us to begin with. After not seeing her for a while, she's truly getting younger and younger, and her white hair is decreasing!"
An old woman with a face full of wrinkles and yellow teeth said.
She was Jiang Cuihua's eldest sister, named Jiang Cui'e, and she was fifty-eight years old this year.
At first glance, she looked like an old woman in her sixties or seventies, with loose skin and deep wrinkles, but a pair of small eyes occasionally flashed with shrewd glints, far from the kindly and approachable demeanor of ordinary elders.
"Exactly! The first time I saw Cuihua half a month ago, I was truly startled. I was completely stunned by the changes in Third Sister and couldn't believe it was our sister!"
Another woman also spoke. She was Jiang Cuihua's second elder sister, named Jiang Cuiping, and she was fifty-five this year.
Praised by her two elder sisters like this, Jiang Cuihua appeared quite embarrassed.
"Sisters, what are you talking about? I'm already a woman in her early fifties; how much better can my skin get?"
"Third Sister, you can't say that!"
A man spoke, named Jiang Guoping, who was the fourth child.
"Now your three sons are more successful one by one, and your family's living conditions are getting better and better. You can only live younger and younger. Don't you all agree?"
As soon as this sentence fell, it was immediately followed by a chorus of agreement.
"Fourth brother is right. Cuihua's family's life is truly getting better and better! I never expected our nephews to be so accomplished and to soar so high!"
Jiang Cuiping added.
"Third Sister's current life is truly enviable!"
The youngest, Jiang Guoli, the fifth child, said with a smile.
"Hehe, it's actually not bad. Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. We really didn't expect them to turn out this way."
When mentioning her sons, Jiang Cuihua, despite her modest words, involuntarily revealed a deep pride on her face.
To others, her expression elicited varied reactions. Those with better composure offered subtle smiles.
Those less composed openly displayed various expressions of envy, jealousy, and hatred.
"Come, let's drink! Drink!"
"This fragrant mutton paired with white wine is simply the taste of heaven!"
"Cuihua, you're the main guest today, so you must drink more. We know your capacity; don't hold back, or we brothers-in-law won't let you off!"
During the meal, an old man said affectionately to Jiang Cuihua.
"That's right, Cuihua can drink a lot. She even got me drunk before!"
Another old man chimed in.
They were Jiang Cuihua's brothers-in-law.
Just then, the closed private room door was pushed open, and a young girl with a delicate appearance walked in with a bottle of drink.
"Little girl, we didn't order any drinks!"
Someone said.
"Hello, Uncle and Auntie!"
Yan Weiwei said with a smile, "This bottle of drink is a complimentary gift from our restaurant. We welcome you to dine at our restaurant again in the future."
"Oh my, we get a free drink just by eating here. That's wonderful!"
Hearing that the drink was free, many people's expressions became much happier.
"Come, Uncle and Auntie, let me pour for you!"
Yan Weiwei was very attentive, holding the drink bottle and helping everyone to a full glass.
The addition of a waitress helping to pour drinks did not arouse any suspicion from anyone in the private room, as such a scene was perfectly normal.
"Come, let's continue drinking!"
"Cuihua, you can't put on airs! Just because you have money, you don't recognize us your elder sisters and brothers-in-law anymore! We are all blood relatives, truly connected by blood like broken bones still attached to tendons."
"In this world, what other relationship can compare to our blood kinship?"
Pressed by so many relatives to drink, Jiang Cuihua could only lift her wine glass.
"Ah, that's right!"
"Cuihua hasn't changed; she's still the kind and good sister we know!"
Yan Weiwei, who was pouring drinks, heard the various voices in the private room and her gaze landed on Jiang Cuihua's face. So she was Jiang Cuihua!
She looked familiar, as if she had seen her somewhere before...
Soon, Yan Weiwei remembered that this woman named Jiang Cuihua was the person in charge of the largest supermarket in the county.
As the largest supermarket in the county, it was naturally a target of discussion for many, and many people recognized it. Of course, Jiang Cuihua and Qin Shuren couldn't possibly know that many people.
"I heard that the person in charge of Meitehao Supermarket is Boss Qin's parents..."
Yan Weiwei observed secretly and found that Jiang Cuihua did indeed bear a three-tenths resemblance to the Boss Qin she admired.
At this moment, Yan Weiwei fully understood why Qin Chuan had asked her to inquire about the situation here. It turned out his mother was here.
But who were these people?
Yan Weiwei's curiosity grew immensely.
After pouring the drinks, she did not leave immediately. Instead, she went to a corner of the private room and, under the pretense of wiping the table with a cloth, continued to listen with her ears pricked...