Su Xiaotian did not mind such a look, and even a faint smile crossed her lips.
They were just strangers, after all.
No matter the era, city dwellers looked down on country folk.
But the rest of the Su family felt a sense of embarrassment.
They were indeed from the countryside, but if there were no country people, what would these high-and-mighty city dwellers eat?
"There's nothing they can't play together. Our boy is a natural at making friends, he'll definitely get along with them!" Li Changqing said with an awkward smile.
He tried to ease the atmosphere, but he couldn't overcome the impediment of one person.
"A country girl, even if they can play together, can she be in the city every day? Our son should play with city children." Xiang Hui's tone of superiority made people very uncomfortable.
Xiang Hui looked down on Su Manxiu, the country woman. A divorced woman from the countryside could actually ensnare Chen Zi'an.
The fact that Chen Zi'an could be ensnared by a country woman proved he wasn't much of a catch either!
Because of these thoughts, Xiang Hui's gaze towards Su Xiaotian became increasingly contemptuous.
This little one wasn't any good either, looking like that at such a young age!
"How can you speak like that? Apologize to Minister Chen quickly! Minister Chen, my wife is not good with words, please don't mind her." After scolding his own wife, Li Changqing hurriedly apologized to Chen Zi'an.
Li Changqing was already drenched in sweat.
He had always known Chen Zi'an's temperament.
Why did this foolish woman have to provoke Chen Zi'an of all people?
He had seen it clearly at the factory today; Chen Zi'an truly doted on this niece of his!
He had intended to build a good relationship with Chen Zi'an by visiting today, but it had all been ruined like this!
"Director Li, you don't need to be so polite." Chen Zi'an glanced at Xiang Hui and said indifferently, "We are just in a cooperative relationship anyway!"
As he spoke, his tone grew even colder.
Xiang Hui, as expected, was from the Xiang family; her arrogant demeanor hadn't changed at all!
It seemed that after the Yu family's downfall, the Xiang family's arrogance had only grown!
They didn't even put him in their eyes anymore!
Li Changqing understood immediately that Chen Zi'an was angry.
But no matter how much he apologized, Chen Zi'an no longer paid him any attention.
As for the others in the courtyard, their gazes towards the family of three were filled with hatred and disgust.
Li Changqing was a man who knew how to navigate social situations. While he wasn't universally loved in the county town, at least no one looked at him with such hateful eyes.
Feeling awkward, Li Changqing took his wife and son and bid farewell.
Things had become so unpleasant; why would they stay and wait to be kicked out by Minister Chen?
"Director Li, wait!"
Li Changqing flinched, unsure why Chen Zi'an had called him back.
However, he still turned back to Chen Zi'an obediently.
"Take these things back with you!" Chen Zi'an said, picking up the two large net bags Li Changqing had placed on the stone table in the courtyard.
Li Changqing quickly declined. Returning the gifts meant he was truly being rejected.
"Minister Chen, these are for the little nephew. It's the first time we're meeting, and we don't have any good gifts to offer. Please accept them!"
But Chen Zi'an was always like this, completely disregarding appearances.
"Director Li, cooperation is not a problem, but we, even as country folk, are not lacking in these things!" Chen Zi'an said this while glancing at Xiang Hui.
Hearing Chen Zi'an mention "country folk," Li Changqing felt his face burn.
He didn't know Chen Zi'an's background, but he was definitely not the solitary figure he appeared to be.
"Minister Chen..." Li Changqing was about to say more, but Chen Zi'an interrupted him.
"Take them back!" Chen Zi'an's only words were cold.
Li Changqing could only take the gifts and leave.
Xiang Hui was already distressed about the sheer amount of gifts.
She had spent a lot of money and ration coupons, and giving them to someone like Chen Zi'an made her feel angry.
Now that Chen Zi'an didn't want them, it was even better. She would send these gifts to her own family later.
As soon as they turned a corner and were out of sight of Chen Zi'an's house, Li Changqing unleashed his anger on his wife.
"Xiang Hui, who are you putting on a long face for?"
"Visiting today was the best opportunity to connect with Minister Chen, and you ruined it."
"Do you think you have the right to look down on Minister Chen's relatives? Do you really think you're someone important?"
Li Changqing looked at Xiang Hui's spiteful face and felt increasingly disgusted.
He used to think Xiang Hui was alright, but in the past two years, why did she seem more and more unbearable?
Did it start when the Yu family fell two years ago?
Yes, the Yu family, which had always suppressed the Xiang family, had fallen. The Xiang family's status had risen from that time.
He understood in that instant why Xiang Hui had changed.
It was because she felt that without the Yu family, no one could suppress the Xiang family anymore.
Idiot, who in this world wasn't living under some form of suppression?
Even the most influential families in the capital had those who could control them, let alone the Xiang family!
Indeed, Xiang Hui's subsequent reply confirmed his thoughts.
"No matter how capable Minister Chen is, can he surpass our Xiang family?"
Her tone was so proud, and as she said this, she lightly flicked her hair, lifted her chin, and put on an air of superiority!
"The Xiang family? Do you think your Xiang family is that powerful?" Li Changqing was furious.
"Not powerful? Even Secretary Du and Director Qi have to give our Xiang family face, let alone a mere Minister of the Armed Forces!"
Xiang Hui was extremely annoyed that her husband was praising others and belittling their own family.
What was wrong with their Xiang family? They were now the leading family in the county, and everyone fawned over them!
The Xiang family's deeply entrenched network of relationships in the county was incomparable to others.
"Idiot, think about how the Yu family fell!" Li Changqing reminded her in exasperation. "Are you planning to make our entire family pay for your ignorance?"
"Didn't the Yu family fall because they offended someone higher up?" Xiang Hui said dismissively. "I know what I'm doing; I won't offend anyone higher up!"
"Higher up? Higher up!" Li Changqing laughed bitterly.
"I've been holding back this resentment towards Chen Zi'an for a long time. He's too self-righteous."
"It's not your place to judge who he is!" Li Changqing clenched his fists tightly, afraid he might slap her if he wasn't careful.
"What's wrong with me saying it? Our Xiang Hong is such a good girl, what's wrong with her?"
"What's so good about Xiang Hong, who is always causing trouble outside?" Li Changqing said with disdain.
Xiang Hong, instead of living a good life, was always bothering one family and causing trouble for another. In the past two years, many people had suffered because of Xiang Hong.
If it were him, he wouldn't want such a woman either!
"She's responding to the call and is actively progressive. How did she become someone causing trouble in your mouth? Comrade Li Changqing, your thinking is flawed!"
"Xiang Hui, if you intend to be like Xiang Hong, then get out and go back to your family! Our Li family can't afford someone like that!"
Although Xiang Hui was not very bright, she knew she couldn't lose her husband, so she immediately backed down.
But admitting her mistake was impossible. She muttered, "He's willing to take a divorced woman; isn't that slapping our Xiang family in the face?"
"He slapped your Xiang family in the face, but none of your elder brothers or cousins dare to make a move against him," Li Changqing shattered Xiang Hui's fantasy.
Although Xiang Hui was not intelligent, after her husband's words, she began to sense something was amiss.
Xiang Hong, that girl, was always doted on at home, but in this matter, no one from the Xiang family came forward for Xiang Hong.
"How can this be? Is our Xiang family really afraid of Chen Zi'an?" Xiang Hui asked her husband in disbelief.
"What do you think?" Li Changqing snorted.
"Chen Zi'an has someone above him?" This was the only explanation she could think of.
"Whether he has someone above him or not, I don't know, but I do know that he is not someone your Xiang family can afford to offend."
His brothers-in-law were not fools.
If Chen Zi'an were someone they could offend, they would have acted long ago, not waited until now.
"Why don't I go find my brothers and see if they can help speak up for me?" Xiang Hui immediately thought of a solution.
Li Changqing did not agree. Minister Chen had said today that cooperation was cooperation, and it was highly unlikely they would be blamed for it.
Minister Chen was a man of his word.
However, Xiang Hui was very stubborn and insisted on seeking help from her brothers.
Li Changqing couldn't persuade her, and of course, it was also to let her go back to her family and face reality, so he let her go.
Xiang Hui grabbed both net bags and said, "I haven't been back to my family's place in a while. These things can be gifts!"
Li Changqing could only shake his head looking at Xiang Hui like this.
After all, they had six children; he couldn't divorce her, could he?
When Xiang Hui arrived at the Xiang family's home, she found the entire Xiang household in a state of gloom.
Her second sister-in-law, Shi Xunfang, and her niece, Xiang Hong, were sitting in the living room with red eyes.
"Second sister-in-law, Xiang Hong, what's wrong?" Xiang Hui quickly placed the items on the coffee table and asked.
"Xiang Hong is going to be a sent-down youth tomorrow!" Shi Xunfang looked years older, and her whole person seemed visibly weak as she spoke.
"Why? Our Xiang family's daughters, even if they don't go to be sent-down youths, who can say anything?"
"This girl offended Chen Zi'an, and Chen Zi'an wants an explanation from the Xiang family."
"Where is my second brother? Hasn't he thought of a solution?" Xiang Hui quickly asked. "If not, there's still my eldest brother!"
Hearing Xiang Hui's words, Shi Xunfang was filled with anger.
Not only did the eldest brother not manage Xiang Hong, but he even wanted to split the family with their second branch over such a small matter.
"Second brother has made up his mind," Shi Xunfang did not want to accept this fate, but she had to.
She couldn't bring danger to her other children for the sake of this one daughter.
"Mom, I don't want to go! I was instigated by a bad person!" Xiang Hong cried loudly.
"I told you long ago that Su Xiaoqin is not a good person, but you wouldn't listen!" Shi Xunfang scolded her, hating that she couldn't make her understand.
"Mom, I didn't know she was so malicious."
"What's the use of saying this now? Don't worry, I won't let that Su Xiaoqin off the hook."
If she couldn't deal with Chen Zi'an, could she not deal with Su Xiaoqin, a young girl with no background?
Shi Xunfang had decided to vent all her anger on Su Xiaoqin.
"Second sister-in-law, where are my eldest brother and second brother?"
"They haven't returned yet. Why do you have time to come back today?"
Shi Xunfang looked at the time; it was already getting dark. Why was Xiang Hui here at this hour?
"I..." Xiang Hui didn't know how to start.
Since her eldest and second brothers weren't even managing Xiang Hong's affairs, should she mention her own situation?
"Xiang Hui, you didn't come home for no reason, did you?"
Shi Xunfang keenly sensed that Xiang Hui had a problem.
Xiang Hui mumbled and refused to speak. Just then, the two Xiang brothers returned.
Both of them had unpleasant expressions; their work outside was not going smoothly.
"Xiang Hui, why are you here?"
"I just came to visit!" Xiang Hui ultimately didn't dare to say anything.
"Xiang Hui, are you really alright? If you've done something, you can't hide it!"
Shi Xunfang felt that this foolish sister-in-law must have done something, otherwise, she wouldn't look like she had a guilty conscience.
It had to be said that Shi Xunfang understood Xiang Hui quite well.
When the eldest and second Xiang brothers heard about Xiang Hui's actions at Chen Zi'an's house today, they were terrified.
Their Xiang family would eventually be ruined by these foolish women; one by one, they were all causes of trouble!
"Do you think the Xiang family is living too comfortably? Do you know how many people are watching the Xiang family? One wrong move, and the Xiang family will be like the Yu family, doomed forever!" the eldest Xiang brother said with great distress.
Xiang Hui regretted it now, but it was too late for regrets.
She had ruined a perfectly good situation.
No wonder Changqing scolded her today!
Chen Zi'an and the others did not dwell on the matter. If they looked down on them, so be it. People live by themselves, not by whether others look up to them!
Li Changqing could get chicks and buy eggs; such a cooperative relationship was enough!
Mutual benefit!
However, Chen Zi'an still comforted Su Xiaotian a few words, fearing that the little girl might feel unhappy.
Su Xiaotian smiled and said, "I don't care at all. Perhaps her life isn't as comfortable as mine!"
Grandma Su chuckled, "The little girl is quite sensible. Living life means living well yourself. Some people may look glamorous on the surface, but in reality, their lives are a mess of chicken feathers! Perhaps they are truly not as good as us country folk!"
Su Manxiu couldn't help but think when her mother said this: their family might look ordinary on the surface, but in reality, they were solid people, right?
Red Heart Brigade.
After dinner, Chi Yiyuan did not study seriously. Instead, he stood on the mountain and looked towards the county town.
Seeing his grandson like this, Chi Ge said to Du Tonghe, "This boy, he must be missing Xiaotian. He stands on the mountain every day looking that way."
Du Tonghe laughed heartily, "Perhaps, our old brothers can become in-laws in the future!"
"That's many years from now. Perhaps not. But I truly like the child Xiaotian. I'm just afraid that Xiaoyuan won't be good enough for her!"
"Don't be so self-deprecating. Xiaoyuan is not bad; he's a good one." He paused, then added, "I just don't know when this catastrophe will end. If it drags on, these good children will all be delayed!"
"There will be a day. Xiaotian and Xiaoyuan's generation will achieve great things in the future!" Chi Ge said firmly.
He just didn't know if he was comforting himself or if he truly believed that one day, everything would pass.
Author's Notes
Tomorrow Xiaotian will return to the village to start her business!