How did hiring someone to press a pig image during Chinese New Year become a top trend?

The live stream signal was cut off.

In that instant, the world seemed to have been muted.

The threshing ground, which was just a moment ago bustling like a temple fair, is now only filled with the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the dust netting.

There were also a few barks from the watchdogs in the distance.

Li Daguo is a perceptive person.

Judging from this, it's clear that the Xu family is about to hold a "family criticism meeting".

With a wave of his hand.

They led the construction team and the group of semi-trailer drivers, and all retreated to the temporary prefabricated housing area behind.

Even Aunt Wu's group of elderly people who dedicated themselves to art all quietly slipped away, clutching their pot lid erhus.

Before leaving, Aunt Wu gave Xu An a "good luck" look.

In the courtyard, only the grandfather, grandfather, and grandson remained.

Xu Qiang, the "behind-the-scenes boss" of Huixian's construction who was just moments ago commanding the project with such confidence and composure.

Right now, it's sitting obediently against the millstone.

His hands were in the pockets of his leather jacket.

With his head down, he idly kicked at the pebbles on the ground with one foot.

It's just like when I skipped school and came back to be punished by standing in front of the disciplinary office.

The only difference is...

The school uniforms of yesteryear have been replaced by leather jackets worth tens of thousands of yuan.

The old-fashioned liberation shoes have been replaced by leather boots with logos.

Grandpa has already put back on the cloth shoe with the thousand-layer sole that he was holding.

The old man, with his hands behind his back, circled Xu Qiang three times.

That look in his eyes was like someone picking out livestock at a market.

Up and down.

Left, right, left, right.

Xu Qiang felt a cold sweat break out on his back from looking at him, while Xu An huddled behind the stove, tending the fire, not daring to breathe loudly.

The atmosphere is so oppressive, even more so than when those three pump trucks were roaring together just now.

"father……"

Xu Qiang finally couldn't hold back any longer and shouted, his voice a little hoarse.

"Shut up!"

Grandpa snorted.

"Who's your father?"

My son died twenty years ago.

"It's buried in the back hill."

"The grass on the grave is already two meters tall."

Xu Qiang gave a wry smile and pulled out the crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

I was about to light one when I glanced at my grandfather's gloomy face and sheepishly put it back.

"Father, it's just that... I haven't made anything of myself, and I'm too ashamed to come back."

"I made a vow when I left."

"If I don't become a big boss and earn the respect of the whole village, I'll die out there."

Grandpa stopped and stood in front of Xu Qiang.

He looked up at his son, who was much taller than him.

"The boss?"

"You're the boss now?"

"Driving an off-road vehicle, with a construction team in tow."

"Feeling impressive now?"

"You dare to scare even my grandson?"

Xu Qiang shrank back, his gaze drifting towards Xu An, who was putting dumplings into the pot.

With a look of distress on his face, Xu An pretended not to see it and stirred the pot vigorously with a large iron ladle.

Just kidding, anyone who dares to take the bait at this point will be the next target of the cloth shoes' punishment.

Grandpa took a deep breath, and suddenly a layer of tears welled up in his cloudy old eyes.

But he stubbornly turned his head to the side, looking at the newly completed canteen.

Whether you're doing well or not is for outsiders to see.

"Family members..."

"It all depends on whether you come back or not."

As soon as those words were spoken...

Xu Qiang, a man who was 1.85 meters tall, suddenly slumped down.

He sniffed, didn't say anything, but silently walked over and took his grandfather's arm.

This time, Grandpa couldn't shake him off.

"Alright!"

"Stop standing here like a telephone pole!"

"An eyesore!"

"go!"

"Give Anzi a hand!"

"Such a big boss, and you just go home and wait to be served? You're so spoiled!"

Xu Qiang looked as if he had been granted a pardon; his expression of relief after surviving a disaster was even more exaggerated than when he had successfully negotiated a project worth 100 million.

"Why!"

"Alright!"

Xu Qiang took off his expensive leather jacket and casually tossed it onto the dusty millstone.

He rolled up his sleeves, revealing a long scar on his arm, a result of welding.

It was also a badge of honor from the years as he walked to the stove.

Looking at the plump, white dumplings bubbling in the pot, I realized they were filled with pork and scallions.

They used the leftover scallions from that truckload of "magic wands".

The meat was the best pork belly that Xu Qiang bought on his way back.

"Anzi".

Xu Qiang leaned closer and whispered something.

"Where's the vinegar?"

"Put more on it."

"My mouth tastes bland the whole way here."

Xu An took out a large bowl from the cupboard, not the kind of delicate little dish.

It's the kind of rough porcelain bowls used for eating in the countryside, and they carry that dark vinegar pot.

They poured it in with a "ton-ton-ton" sound.

That sour taste instantly neutralized the aroma of the pork.

Is that enough?

Xu An asked.

Xu Qiang glanced at the half-bowl of shiny black vinegar and nodded.

"middle."

The dumplings are ready, served in three steaming bowls.

There were no tables or chairs.

Three generations of a family, grandfather, grandfather, and grandson, squatted on the kitchen threshold.

This is the most standard way of eating in rural Henan.

Whether you are a multi-millionaire boss or a recent college graduate.

When I get home, the moment I pick up a bowl, that "Asian squat" is etched into my DNA.

Xu Qiang picked up a dumpling, didn't blow on it, and threw it directly into his mouth.

"hiss--"

It was so hot that he slurped it up, but he didn't spit it out. He swallowed it whole, then picked up the bowl of vinegar and took a big gulp.

"Cough cough cough!"

Tears streamed down my face from the choking on the vinegar.

"This taste..."

"just!"

Xu Qiang coughed and laughed at the same time, his wrinkles crinkling up as he laughed. Xu An silently peeled a clove of garlic and handed it to him.

"Second Uncle."

"Eating meat without garlic diminishes its flavor by half."

Xu Qiang took the garlic, took a big bite, and the spicy taste went straight to the top of his head. This was the taste of home.

It's a million times more delicious than the sea cucumber and abalone he eats in those fancy hotels.

"Anzi".

Xu Qiang asked, his mouth full of dumplings, his words muffled.

"That letter..."

"You saw it?"

Xu An nodded.

"I saw it."

"That's what your father left for you."

When his elder brother was mentioned, Xu Qiang slowed down his chewing of garlic, and his eyes dimmed for a moment.

"My older brother is better than me."

"He's stupid too."

"Why give up a good life in the city and insist on going to teach in a rural area?"

"In the end, I got myself involved."

Xu Qiang sighed and took another sip of vinegar, as if trying to suppress all the bitterness in his heart.

"I'm back this time."

"I'm not leaving."

"Count me in for this cafeteria meal."

"And that letter..."

Xu Qiang looked up at Xu An.

"You've really made something of yourself now."

"Millions of fans."

"The letters that remained in that metal box."

"You have to deliver it for your elder brother."

Xu An was stunned for a moment, looking at his second uncle's bloodshot eyes.

"He wasn't the only one among my older brother's group back then."

"That era."

"Everyone has a fire burning inside them."

"pity."

"The fire is out, and the people have dispersed."

Some people are trapped in the past their whole lives.

"Just like me."

"If I hadn't seen you streaming,..."

"See that rattle drum?"

"I probably won't dare to step into this threshold in my entire life."

Xu Qiang chuckled self-deprecatingly and stuffed the last dumpling in his bowl into his mouth.

He drank it all, soup and all.

"belch--"

He snapped his fingers, and it seemed that his ruthless bandit aura had returned somewhat after the meal.

"Alright!"

"We've eaten and drunk our fill!"

"sleep!"

"We still have work to do tomorrow!"

Xu Qiang stood up, intending to grab the leather jacket, but was glared at by his grandfather.

"Where will you sleep?"

"go!"

"The air-raid shelter on the back mountain."

"Get on the night watch!"

"We just brought in so many good materials."

"Don't let anyone steal it!"

Xu Qiang was taken aback and pointed to his own nose.

"I?"

"General Manager of Huixian Construction?"

"To keep watch?"

Grandpa raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"You don't want to?"

"I haven't settled the score with you for that whole truckload of walnut milk yet!"

Xu Qiang immediately backed down and grabbed his leather jacket.

"willing!"

"I'd love to!"

"That's the canteen built for our dad."

"Even a mosquito wanting to get in has to ask me for permission first!"

Done.

Xu Qiang ran out of the courtyard as if he were fleeing, his back view looking somewhat disheveled.

But his steps were light and quick, like a twenty-year-old lad.

Xu An watched his second uncle disappear into the night, then looked at his grandfather sitting on the doorstep, silently smoking.

The moonlight shone on the old man's white hair, making him appear exceptionally peaceful.

"Master."

Xu An called out softly.

"My second uncle..."

Grandpa exhaled a smoke ring, which slowly diffused in the cold air.

He hasn't changed.

"Still that coward."

"Stubborn on the outside but soft on the inside."

Grandpa tapped his pipe on the sole of his shoe and stood up.

"Anzi".

Go to bed early.

"tomorrow……"

"There are more important things to do."

Xu An was taken aback.

"What's up?"

Grandpa pointed to the tin box that was placed in the back of the tricycle.

"That letter."

"The letter sent to 'The Crybaby'."

"Haven't you always wanted to know what kind of person your mother is?"

Xu An's heart skipped a beat.

He never dared to open that letter completely.

I only watched the beginning.

"tomorrow."

"Open it and take a look."

"The road is repaired."

"The person is back."

"Some things."

"It's time you knew."

Grandpa went back into the house with his hands behind his back, leaving Xu An alone.

Standing in the empty courtyard, looking at that tin box.

A night breeze blew by, and the branches of the old locust tree swayed gently, as if nodding.

That night, Xujia Village was quiet; there was no roar of pump trucks, no Fifth Aunt's rap.

Only my second uncle was in the air-raid shelter, wrapped in a military overcoat, snoring.

Xu An tossed and turned, his heart pounding like a rabbit.