Chapter 179 1/3

Li Qingzhi talked to Qian Fugui for a long time and even took out paper and pen to write down the poem he had previously given to Qian Fugui once more.

“So, not only did my nephew pass the provincial examinations, but he is also the legendary Qiongdusaren?”

Qian Fugui was in a daze. Despite his confusion, he couldn’t help but say to Li Qingzhi, “A-Zhi, you have suffered…”

His nephew said that his journey escaping from the famine was relatively smooth, but that was still escaping from famine!

Qian Fugui had read “Escape from Famine” and had seen people fleeing famine himself. He knew how difficult it was and that many people died on the road.

Even if his nephew’s journey was smooth, he still had to endure harsh conditions, with inadequate food and shelter.

And then there was the fact that his nephew had been forced to dig stones.

Digging stones!

He had even injured himself severely while digging stones, almost losing his life, and was later discarded as if dead… His nephew had narrowly escaped death more than once!

It was only by the grace of heaven that his nephew had survived.

As for his nephew becoming so intelligent… that must also be thanks to the heavens, right?

Qian Fugui was overwhelmed with emotions. At this moment, Jin Xiaoye came upstairs with a plate of fried spring rolls.

Li Qingzhi had already informed Jin Xiaoye about Qian Fugui’s identity. Now, with no one else around, Jin Xiaoye addressed him directly, “Uncle, we just fried some spring rolls. Please have some.”

Qian Fugui, his nose stuffed, replied with a changed voice, “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me, Uncle. My father-in-law will be back soon. We can’t tell him your real identity, so I’ll tell him you’re here to discuss business with me, okay?” Jin Xiaoye asked.

Qian Fugui quickly agreed, “Of course.”

Then, he took out a small box with a jade bracelet from his pocket and handed it to Jin Xiaoye. “Xiaoye, this is a meeting gift. I didn’t bring anything good this time, but I’ll bring more next time…”

Jin Xiaoye accepted it graciously, “Thank you, Uncle.”

Qian Fugui’s eyes turned red. “I should be the one thanking you…”

Seeing Jin Xiaoye’s confusion, Li Qingzhi smiled and said to Qian Fugui, “Uncle, let’s go downstairs.”

Qian Fugui was quite emotional. If this continued, he might cry.

Seeing the children downstairs might help calm him down.

Li Qingzhi was aware of the Qian family’s situation.

Qian Fugui had never had children.

Initially, the Qian family thought it was his wife’s problem, but after Qian Fugui took a concubine and still had no children, they realized the issue was with Qian Fugui. Since then, they had been trying to get him to adopt a child.

However, Qian Fugui’s brother, after having one son, also had no other children!

In modern times, not having children isn’t a big deal, but in this era… not having children is a serious issue, and not having a son is even more serious.

Qian Fugui had eagerly inquired about the children when he first saw Li Qingzhi, and his excitement upon seeing Li Damao and Li Ermao made it clear… Li Qingzhi thought he might want to adopt one of them.

In any case, letting Qian Fugui spend some time with the children would be good.

Qian Fugui indeed wanted to see the children. He wiped his eyes and followed Li Qingzhi downstairs.

As they went down, Li Qingzhi took the plate of spring rolls and started eating one with a crunch.

These spring rolls were filled with pork and bamboo shoots, and they tasted delicious.

When they reached downstairs, Li Damao and Li Ermao were also eating spring rolls.

Jin Xiaoye reminded them, “Don’t eat too much, or you won’t have room for dinner.”

Li Ermao said wistfully, “I wish I could eat as much as Dad.”

Li Damao rubbed his small belly and nodded in agreement.

After finishing one spring roll, Li Qingzhi took a second one and continued eating with a crunch.

Meanwhile, Chang Zhan was frying other foods.

Meatballs made from finely chopped pork and water chestnuts, once fried, were particularly tasty.

In addition, people in Chongcheng would mix flour with eggs and minced meat, then scoop it into the oil to fry “egg meat.”

After frying all this, the oil in the pot was running low, so he fried fish last, making “exploded fish” — the oil used for frying fish took on a fishy smell and couldn’t be reused, so it was fried last.

No matter what Chang Zhan was frying, Li Qingzhi would go up and take some to eat as soon as it was done.

Qian Fugui, who previously didn’t understand why Li Ermao said Li Qingzhi had a big appetite, now saw it firsthand.

While he could only eat one of each type of food before feeling full, Li Qingzhi continued to eat one after another!

But these foods were indeed delicious; Chang Zhan was truly a descendant of imperial chefs!

When the fish was fried, Qian Fugui immediately asked Li Damao and Li Ermao, “Damao, Ermao, do you want to eat?”

“I’m full,” Li Ermao said with some frustration.

“Just have a little taste, and the rest can be for your grandpa,” Qian Fugui suggested.

Hearing this, Li Damao and Li Ermao each took a piece of fried fish and had a small bite, leaving the rest for Qian Fugui to eat.

Qian Fugui ate happily.

He really liked these two children.

The sadness he felt before vanished the moment he saw them.

“Grandpa, it’s New Year’s Eve. Why aren’t you going home?” Li Damao asked Qian Fugui, “Even Xiao Dou’s brother went home for New Year’s.”

“My home is far away, and I couldn’t make it back… Damao, can I spend New Year’s here with you?” Qian Fugui asked.

“Of course! Grandpa, we have lots of good food!” Li Damao said.

“Thank you, Damao.” Qian Fugui was touched.

His nephew’s two children were so hospitable!

Meanwhile, Li Laogen was going around Miaoqian Village with a basket of pastries.

Almost every household in Miaoqian Village was performing ancestral rites.

In rural households, ancestral rites were simple: they just prepared a few dishes, set the table, laid out bowls and chopsticks, lit candles… and once the candles burned for a while, it was done.

So most people were idle, with the men either playing dice or drinking strong tea while sunbathing and chatting.

As for the women, some were watching the children while others were shelling melon seeds at their doorsteps. When Li Laogen saw someone he knew, he went over to chat: “Hey, I wanted to spend New Year’s at home, but they insisted on staying in the new house.”

“They are really something, living comfortably in the city and suddenly complaining about the space, so they built a new house.”

“Always wasting money. A-Qing even plans to buy more land to expand the school.”

“They bought pastries for New Year’s, and I suggested getting the regular kind, but they insisted on the expensive ones with walnuts. They’re so hard to bite.”

…

Villagers: Li Laogen is really annoying!

But he was also very enviable.

Villagers couldn’t help but ask Li Laogen about various things, like whether Juewei Zhai and Jin Ye Embroidery made a lot of money and how much they earned.

Unfortunately, Li Laogen knew nothing and couldn’t answer.

Villagers: “…”

Li Laogen wandered around Miaoqian Village all afternoon, giving away most of the pastries he brought and barely eating any himself.

His family’s New Year’s Eve dinner was so sumptuous that he wanted to save room for it!

No, he would eat only the dishes tonight, not the rice!

As nightfall approached, Li Laogen, worried about missing the New Year’s Eve dinner, started running home.

The Yao family, seeing him run past their door as if he was being chased for debt, were speechless.