I painted an aircraft carrier on the courtyard house for Dongda University.

Zhou Weiguo quickly ran to the next workshop and asked Natasha for the car keys.

When Natasha heard that they were going to propose marriage to Zhu Zi, she was so excited that she insisted on going along.

Left with no other option, the three drove straight to Kitchen No. 2.

Upon entering the kitchen, Wu Yousheng looked at the three unexpected visitors with a puzzled expression.

Zhou Weiguo briefly explained his purpose. After listening, Wu Yousheng kicked He Yuzhu in the butt, then turned around and went into the kitchen to get busy.

A moment later, he brought out a basket of eggs and a large piece of pork, which he had tied together with a red rope he'd found somewhere. He shouted, "Brother, hurry up! We still need to go to the department store to buy cigarettes, alcohol, candy, and tea. If we don't leave now, we'll be late! Ersheng, put these things on the tab first, and we'll pay the canteen tomorrow. We can't take advantage of the public resources!"

Upon hearing "tobacco, alcohol, sugar, and tea," Zhou Weiguo's eyes lit up. He led everyone to the logistics building and headed straight for Li Huaide's office.

He pushed open the door without any hesitation, startling Li Huaide, who was dozing off.

Before Li Huaide could speak, Zhou Weiguo said anxiously, "Brother, I'm in a real bind! Quickly get me some cigarettes, alcohol, sugar, and tea. That kid He Yuzhu has really screwed me over; he suddenly said he's going to his girlfriend's house tonight to get engaged."

After catching his breath, Li Huaide chuckled and teased, "Hey, how did you know I had these things here?"

As he spoke, Li Huaide opened the cabinet and began rummaging through it.

Before long, two bottles of Moutai, two cartons of Zhonghua cigarettes, two half-jin packs of Zhang Yiyuan tea, and two half-jin packs of White Rabbit milk candy were placed on the table.

Seeing Li Huaide pulling things out of the cabinet like a magician, Zhou Weiguo quickly said, "That's enough, brother. The cigarettes, alcohol, candy, and tea are all here. Don't look for anything else."

Li Huaide turned his head and looked around, then nodded and said, "That's about it. Oh, and one more thing..."

As he spoke, he opened the drawer and began rummaging through it. Zhou Weiguo was completely bewildered, only to hear Li Huaide muttering, "Bicycle ticket..."

Zhou Weiguo quickly said, "Brother, keep the change. I have a set of military notes here, enough to get all the 'three turns and one sound' (referring to a type of cigarette, a sewing machine, a radio, and a receiver). Do you have any red paper here? Give me some."

Li Huaide quickly replied, "Yes, yes, yes!" As he spoke, he rummaged through the deepest part of the drawer and pulled out several large red papers.

The two men carried large and small bags downstairs, where He Yuzhu and Wu Yousheng were anxiously waiting by the car.

Zhou Weiguo had Natasha open the trunk and put all the things inside.

Li Huaide looked at He Yuzhu and said helplessly, "Zhuzi, you're an adult now, why are you still so impulsive? A marriage proposal is such a big deal, how can it be settled so easily? I think you really need a good talking to!"

He Yuzhu shrank back, startled by what he was being said, and quickly explained, "It's not that I don't understand..."

Li Huaide urged, "Get in the car quickly, don't delay things. Take this, just in case."

Zhou Weiguo took the envelope from Li Huaide, asked no questions, and got into the passenger seat.

"Pillar, give Natasha directions, hurry!"

As Zhou Weiguo spoke, he took out some money from his pocket, counted out 36 yuan, and wrapped it in the red paper that Li Huaide had given him.

He then opened the envelope Li Huaide had given him and was stunned by what he saw inside. It was a job introduction letter for a logistics recorder at the steel rolling mill.

Zhou Weiguo couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle, thinking to himself: Old Li is really a man of principle!

At this moment, Natasha asked, "Weiguo, should we go pick up Tianzao? If I go without her, she might get jealous, and don't blame me then."

Zhou Weiguo thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "Let's pick him up if it's on the way."

Seeing this, Wu Yousheng hesitated for a moment, then asked, "What's the financial situation like with Zhu Zi's girlfriend's family, Wei Guo?"

Zhou Weiguo thought for a moment and said, "It's an ordinary family. Only one person works, and there are two daughters."

Wu Yousheng frowned and said, "The gifts you prepared are too extravagant. It will be difficult for them to reciprocate! These things are simply unaffordable for most families. Even for me, it's difficult to give a return gift."

Zhou Weiguo slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing, "No wonder something felt off. Such expensive Moutai and Zhonghua liquor are really not appropriate to reciprocate."

With no other option, the group stopped at the mall and bought two bottles of Fenjiu liquor, two cartons of Daqianmen cigarettes, a box of Beijing-style pastries, and half a jin of Longjing tea.

Considering that there were five people in the group, they also bought some cooked food and 10 kilograms of rice wrapped in kraft paper. Fortunately, Zhou Weiguo did not lack receipts for these items.

Afterwards, everyone rushed to the street office where Tian Zao lived.

As soon as the car came to a stop, Zhou Weiguo saw Tian Zao and Director Li sitting on a bench. He called out, "Tian Zao!"

Tian Zao wandered aimlessly around the subdistrict office all day, his mind filled with Zhou Weiguo's image, and he would occasionally break into a silly grin.

Seeing this, her colleagues and Director Li jokingly teased her, saying that she was thinking about men all day long after getting married.

Tian Zao retorted confidently, "What's wrong with missing my own man?"

Director Li smiled and said, "Alright, alright, I've already submitted your transfer application. We'll hear back soon. Then you and Zhou Weiguo will be together every day."

Hearing the familiar voice, Tian Zao turned around in surprise and saw Zhou Weiguo standing by the car. She excitedly ran over and hugged him tightly, saying, "Honey, you finally came to pick me up! I missed you so much!"

Zhou Weiguo was taken aback by Tian Zao's sudden enthusiasm. He gently patted her back and said to Director Li, "Director Li, my nephew is proposing marriage today, and I've come to pick up Tian Zao to go together."

Director Li nodded with a smile: "Go quickly, if you don't come soon, Tian Zao will get restless. She was distracted when she came in this morning, and has been absent-minded all day. By the way, Tian Zao, be mindful of your image, don't hug and cuddle in public, it's not good for either of you, understand?"

Tian Zao stuck out her tongue and said obediently, "Okay, Aunt Li, let's go!"

Zhou Weiguo put Tian Zao in the passenger seat, while he squeezed into the back seat with Zhu Zi and Wu Yousheng.

After Tian Zao got into the car, she turned around and saw a stranger in the back seat. She looked at Zhou Weiguo curiously. Zhou Weiguo smiled and introduced her, "Tian Zao, this is Brother Wu Yousheng, Zhu Zi's master. You can call him Master Wu or Brother Wu. Today we're going to propose marriage to Zhu Zi."

Tian Zao greeted him generously: "Hello, Master Wu! I am Tian Zao, the wife of Weiguo."

Natasha joked, "Oh, 'I am the wife of the country,' quite the boast."

Tian Zao playfully reached out and tickled Natasha's waist, laughing, "Sister Natasha, you're not jealous, are you?"

Natasha was amused and giggled.

Wu Yousheng, squeezed between Zhu and Zhou Weiguo, looked at Natasha, then at Tian Zao, and then at Zhou Weiguo, feeling that the relationship was a bit delicate.

Zhou Weiguo felt uncomfortable under Wu's gaze and explained, "Brother Wu, Natasha is my adopted older sister. It's reasonable that she has a good relationship with Tian Zao, right?"