Today's meal was a send-off for the Su Taohua family and the Su Shouwen brothers.
Qi Liangying, Liang Xiu, and Su Manxiu had been busy since morning, preparing a very lavish spread.
There were four meat dishes alone, all served in large porcelain basins.
Su Shouwen's group didn't wait to be invited. Once they started eating, they actively dug in, their mouths slick with oil, so happy!
Watching the little ones eat like wolves, Wang Xianghua started to worry if they would go hungry in the capital with such appetites.
She voiced her concern.
Grandma Su smiled and said, "We've already given the three of them meat and grain coupons, and they have their own money. No need to worry."
"The school's meals are very good, and they receive monthly subsidies in money and coupons. They won't go hungry," Shen Zizhen assured.
Wang Xianghua still had great faith in Shen Zizhen's assurance. Teacher Shen was no ordinary person; she was a university professor.
Su Xiaomei, being a girl, was naturally more delicate. While she didn't chew her food meticulously, she was much more refined than Su Shouwen and the others when eating.
Shen Zizhen thought this daughter was excellent.
Coincidentally, the daughter had also applied to an agricultural university.
He would personally guide her and impart all his lifelong knowledge to her!
Su Xiaomei didn't notice Shen Zizhen's pride and satisfaction. She was still thinking about giving the money in her hand to her mother.
That way, when they reached the capital, her mother would have money and could hold her head high.
Meanwhile, Chen Zi'an was talking with Grandpa Su.
Chen Zi'an mentioned that he had received a call from his old leader that morning. Hearing that they were sending the Su family children to the provincial capital, the leader invited Grandpa Su and Grandma Su to visit the provincial capital.
Grandpa Su and Grandma Su were taken aback when they heard Chen Zi'an's words.
Although they had once helped Dong Yuanzhong, and Dong Yuanzhong remembered their kindness, it was merely a small favor back then.
He had sent them quite a few things over the years, and that was enough.
Several years had passed, and there had been no news from Dong Yuanzhong. They assumed that the postal package had settled all their obligations.
They hadn't expected Dong Yuanzhong to still remember them.
They even thought that the old leader had probably just remembered them on a whim, and after repaying them, had completely forgotten.
But now, hearing this news so suddenly, how could they not be surprised?
"Really?" Grandpa Su asked, stroking his beard.
"Dad, it's true!" Chen Zi'an smiled.
He had never seen the old man look so uncertain.
"Did you agree?" Grandpa Su asked again.
Dong Yuanzhong was no longer the hungry little kid from back then.
He was now the top leader in the province, which in the past would have been called a provincial governor.
People like them, simple farmers, couldn't possibly aspire to such a connection.
Chen Zi'an said, "I said I needed to ask you and Mom first."
Seeing the old man's hesitation after saying this, Chen Zi'an quickly added.
"The old leader has actually been thinking of you all these years, but his situation was also difficult. A few times, he almost couldn't manage, so he didn't come to see you."
It was only recently that things had improved a bit, and the old leader had the thought of visiting his benefactors.
But with everything needing to be rebuilt, as the top leader of the province, he was very busy.
This time, Chen Zi'an took the initiative to call and say that the family was sending some children to the provincial capital by train.
The old leader immediately invited the elders to go along, saying it was to relax in the provincial capital.
"Dad, since the old leader invited you, you should go and see him," Su Laosan persuaded.
Grandpa Su also wanted to meet the old acquaintance from back then, so he agreed.
Grandma Su didn't want to go, but Su Xiaotian said she wanted to see the provincial capital.
For her little granddaughter, Grandma Su also agreed.
After all, the little girl had never been to the provincial capital before, so it was natural for her to be curious.
Grandma Su, at this moment, had completely forgotten that she herself had never been to the provincial capital.
Even in Hongxin Brigade, the number of people who had been to the provincial capital could be counted on one hand.
Since they had decided to go, they couldn't delay. After a simple packing, they set off immediately.
"Traveling by car is fast, but it's so uncomfortable!" Grandma Su grumbled as she got into the car.
"The road to the provincial capital is better than the road back to Hongxin Brigade, Mom. You'll be there after a nap," Su Laosan comforted her.
His mother was carsick, but there was no need to worry, as the roads to the provincial capital were all very good.
The rest of the Su family saw off those going to the provincial capital.
Apart from those going to the capital by train, those going to see the old leader were only Grandpa Su, Grandma Su, and Su Xiaotian.
Chen Zi'an was taking Su Manxiu and young Chen Xiuyuan.
As for the other children, Grandma Su entrusted them to Wang Xianghua's care for the time being.
Wang Xianghua had been tied to the chicken farm for the past few years. Grandma Su's intention was that since she was here, she should explore the county town and not always think about going back to feed the chickens.
Before leaving, Grandma Su specifically gave her some coupons to buy things for herself.
Wang Xianghua initially didn't want them, but her mother-in-law insisted, so she finally accepted.
Qi Liangying and Liang Xiu had no objections to this; they even offered to accompany Wang Xianghua and help her buy a nice new outfit.
Setting aside the three sisters-in-law shopping, let's talk about those going to the provincial capital.
The group hurried along, and by the time they reached the provincial capital, it was already past six o'clock.
Chen Zi'an was quite familiar with the provincial capital and led everyone to a clean guesthouse to settle down quickly.
The sky had just turned dark, but the provincial capital was still quite lively.
Shen Zizhen said he wanted to take his wife and children for a walk outside and then eat at a restaurant in the provincial capital.
The Su family group did not accompany Su Taohua and the others. Instead, they followed Chen Zi'an to the compound.
As the top leader of the province, Dong Yuanzhong's residence was not easily accessible to ordinary people.
Chen Zi'an had a pass to visit the old leader here every time he came to the provincial capital.
After registering at the entrance, they easily entered the compound.
Dong Yuanzhong lived in a small Western-style building located deeper within the compound.
Even within the compound, there were only a few such small Western-style buildings.
The Su family members had never seen such a building before. Su Shouwen, the most composed among them, couldn't help but sigh a few times.
Because of these things, the Su family members' hearts grew increasingly uneasy. Even the carefree Su Ciliang felt his legs tremble.
Chen Zi'an led the uneasy Su family to the front of the small Western-style building where Dong Yuanzhong lived, and then stopped.
"Dad, Mom. Is it appropriate for so many of us to just show up like this?" Grandpa Su, feeling uneasy, pulled Chen Zi'an aside to ask.
Chen Zi'an smiled and said, "Dad, please rest assured. The old leader is a person who cherishes old sentiments."
"I know he cherishes old sentiments, but his status and position are different now!" Grandpa Su sighed.
In Grandpa Su's understanding, people could only associate if their social statuses were equal.
But his Su family and Dong Yuanzhong were people from two different worlds.
Chen Zi'an knew his father-in-law was scared, but since they were already at the door, it wouldn't do not to go in.
He didn't give him a chance to be scared and stepped forward to knock on the door.
"Zi'an, why did you knock? Wait, wait..."
Just as Grandpa Su spoke, the door opened.
The person who opened the door was a young man wearing a crisp public security blue uniform, looking like no ordinary person.
"Minister Chen, you're here?"
The young man was energetic, but he was very respectful when greeting Chen Zi'an.
"Xiao Ma, is the old leader at home?" Chen Zi'an asked.
The young man, whom Chen Zi'an called Xiao Ma, nodded.
"The leader said you might be coming today, so he asked me to wait at the door. I've been waiting for a long time, and just as I went inside, you arrived!"
Chen Zi'an stepped aside and invited Grandpa Su, Grandma Su, and the others to enter first.
Dong Yuanzhong and his wife were talking in the living room. Hearing Chen Zi'an's voice, they got up from the sofa.
When he saw Grandpa Su entering first, Dong Yuanzhong became excited and quickly hurried over.
"It's great to see you again, Brother Su!"
Dong Yuanzhong warmly shook Grandpa Su's hand, his tone very familiar.
It was as if they were close relatives who had only been separated for a few months, not decades.
On the contrary, Grandpa Su was very awkward. He held Dong Yuanzhong's hand, unsure whether to pull it back or return the grip, and stood there awkwardly.
At this moment, a woman in her forties walked over and said with a smile, "Old Dong, look at you, let the guests come in first."
"Shufang, this is the Brother Su and Sister-in-law Su I often told you about, who saved my life back then," Dong Yuanzhong said excitedly to the woman.
"Brother Su, Sister-in-law Su, hello. I am Fan Shufang, Old Dong's wife."
Fan Shufang was a mature, steady, and generous woman. She immediately introduced herself and affectionately took Grandma Su's hand.
Seeing Fan Shufang's generous demeanor, Grandma Su became even more flustered, regretting why she had come on this trip.
This was the home of a high-ranking official in the city. People like them did not belong here!
"You, you are too kind!" Grandma Su finally found her voice after a long while.
"Sister-in-law, I've always heard Old Dong talk about you, and I've wanted to visit you, but I never had a suitable opportunity. Now that you're here, it fulfills my wish to meet you."
Fan Shufang's tone was very sincere, showing no disdain for them being from the countryside.
"Quick, quick, come inside and sit. I've ordered a table full of dishes, waiting for you!" Dong Yuanzhong said, pulling Grandpa Su's hand and leading him inside.
Grandpa Su's emotions had also stabilized by then.
Since everyone had arrived, he followed them in with a sense of relief.
The entire Su family arrived in Dong's living room in a grand procession.
"Old Leader, you know my parents, so I won't introduce them. This is my third brother, and this is my wife. These younger ones, I want to introduce them to you specifically!" Chen Zi'an spoke up.
"Let me guess, which of these three boys is the top scorer in our province this year!" Dong Yuanzhong's interest was piqued, and he smiled as he looked at the three young men from the Su family.
Su Shouwen and Su Ciliang instinctively looked at Su Sangong.
Dong Yuanzhong burst into laughter and said, "It's this boy, right? He certainly looks intelligent!"
[Author's Words]
This is the second chapter today, babies. Throw your votes over here! Don't forget to click to urge more updates. Mwah, love you all!