Chapter 236
Secretary Ma had been in a high mood ever since he learned that Director Liu was headed for trouble. He even managed a rare smile when Director Liu hovered around Yu Feng and Qiao Yan, trying to make his presence felt.
Director Liu was so preoccupied with showing off his "resilient character" and "unique personality" in front of Qiao Yan that he didn't notice the change in the Secretary’s expression. However, after sitting at the Yu residence for an hour, Qiao Yan expressed his intention to leave.
Yu Feng tried to persuade him to stay. "Didn't we agree you’d stay for the wedding feast? The food and wine haven't even been served yet. Why the rush?"
Qiao Yan explained, "I’ve met Director Nan before, and since her brother is getting married today, it’s only right that I show my face there. We both work in the county office; we can grab a drink together another day."
Since Yu Feng's disciplinary action had already been finalized, Qiao Yan no longer felt the need to avoid him out of caution. Their interaction had returned to its former ease.
Hearing that Qiao Yan was heading to the Nan family home, Yu Feng stopped insisting. "Go ahead then. Don't be fooled by Director Nan's youth; I gain something new every time I speak with her. She recently organized her team to build a fertilizer plant. Word is, once it’s operational, it could double grain yields. You should look into it."
Qiao Yan nodded. "Director Nan is a standout among our comrades in the Discipline Inspection Commission. I really should learn a thing or two from her!"
Qiao Yan rarely spoke to Director Liu, but the latter had been shamelessly hanging around. Hearing both men heap praise on Nan Sheng, a sudden wave of unease washed over Liu.
Was Nan Mingli’s sister really that formidable?
If she was, would he get into trouble for failing to pass on that phone call he received the other day?
Director Liu thought about it for a moment before shaking his head, mocking his own paranoia. If she were truly that powerful, she would have made a move by now. He decided to relax and just enjoy the wedding wine.
Over in Wangshan Village, guests continued to pour in. The turnout was more than double what the Nan family had estimated. This was especially true for the villagers from Xiaoling Village; an unusually large number had arrived, and some even intended to leave immediately after giving their gift money.
Nan Jingyu quickly stopped them. On such a joyous day, the least they could do was stay for a meal.
The most exhausted ones were Xiao Yi and Shitou. Having just returned from escorting the bride, they immediately had to scramble for more supplies, as the prepared feast was far from enough to cover the crowd.
Luo Tong and the guests from her side of the family were settled in the east room. During the ceremony, there had been so many spectators that her voice had trembled slightly while speaking. After she was teased by the villagers, Mingli grew protective. He hid her away in the room, declaring that no one except family was allowed inside.
This gesture drew a round of hearty laughter. Many guests vowed to get the groom drunk later, leaving the designated "groomsmen" looking wooden-faced. Just how many stomachs would one need to survive this crowd?
Lin Xue'er also attended today with her husband. Since her arrival, she had been exceptionally polite to the Nan family and even made a point to visit the east room to chat with Luo Tong for a while.
Wan Jiyong had gone to Xiangyang Village on the second day of the Lunar New Year to pay his respects, but unfortunately, Nan Sheng’s family had been at her parents' home, so they missed each other. He made a special effort to come today, hoping to bridge the gap between the two families.
Unable to find Lin Han, he followed Mingli around to help host the guests. Given his status, many acquaintances approached him to curry favor.
When Qiao Yan arrived, he gave quite a few people a shock. Even Wan Jiyong was surprised. As the Director of the Discipline Inspection Commission, Qiao Yan was known to be very private and notoriously difficult to invite to social events. He and Mingli immediately went to greet him.
Qiao Yan said with a smile, "Congratulations! I’ve come to enjoy a cup of wedding wine!"
Mingli responded immediately, "We are honored by your presence, Director Qiao. Please, come inside and take a seat!"
Qiao Yan was curious to see Wan Jiyong there. "How do you two know each other?" Wan Jiyong explained the family connection between himself and Mingli.
It was a casual question, but upon learning of the kinship, Qiao Yan found himself envying Mingli. This young man’s network was incredibly solid.
"Is it almost time to eat? Could you arrange for me to sit at Director Nan’s table?"
Mingli smiled knowingly. Half of the guests today were here because of his sister. A figure like Qiao Yan naturally deserved a spot at her table.
Once the first table of the wedding feast was ready, it was loaded directly onto a horse carriage and sent to the town. This was a gesture to show how much they valued the new bride. Usually, this was only a custom within the same village, but Mingli had insisted on doing it.
When the feast arrived at the Yu residence, Yu Feng and his wife were beaming with pride. The guests praised the Nan family's son-in-law for his thoughtfulness, which gave Yu Feng a great deal of "face."
At Nan Sheng’s table, there weren't many people: Qiao Yan, Wan Jiyong and his wife, the Village Head of Wangshan Village, and Xiao Yi. To be fair, as long as Lin Xue'er kept her mouth shut, she wasn't nearly as annoying.
Watching Nan Sheng converse effortlessly with Qiao Yan, Wan Jiyong’s estimation of his sister-in-law rose another level. When the conversation turned to compound fertilizers, he joined in.
"It would be wonderful if all the farmers in our county could use fertilizer. It would save people from going hungry during the lean months."
Qiao Yan followed up with a joke. "In that case, could Director Nan open a 'back door' for our county?"
He had been discussing various work-related issues with Nan Sheng and realized that Yu Feng was right—Nan Sheng’s insights were proving decisive for his future work direction.
Everyone expected Nan Sheng to deflect the request with a joke, but to their surprise, she turned serious.
"I received a call from Rongcheng before the New Year. Something happened at the fertilizer plant that will affect production. I’m afraid it won't be easy to get a quota."
Secretary Ma arrived halfway through the meal. He didn't stand on ceremony; after asking where Nan Sheng was, he found his way over.
He pulled up a seat next to Lin Han and had a pleasant chat with Xiao Yi during the meal.
Xiao Yi hadn't originally planned to sit at this table, but when Nan Sheng beckoned him over, his mind went blank, and he found himself sitting down before he realized it. Fortunately, he knew his place; unless someone asked him something directly, he kept his mouth shut.
There were so many guests that by the time everyone had left, the Nan family members were so exhausted they could hardly stand up straight.
As the bride, Luo Tong had been staying in the room. Realizing that her parents-in-law hadn't had a chance to eat, she immediately got up to reheat some dishes. She had visited the Nan home many times before the wedding, so she didn't feel awkward stepping into her new role.
Nan Sheng had intended to leave, but Nan Jingyu insisted the family eat together before they departed, saying they weren't in that much of a rush.
While his daughter-in-law was in the kitchen, Nan Jingyu told his son that Grandpa Nan would be staying with them in the east room for the next few days, so the young couple would have the west room to themselves. Mingli, who had been drinking "fake wine" (water) all day to stay sober, turned bright red instantly.
Nan Sheng raised an eyebrow. She thought to herself that the silly boy finally realized he was a groom. He had been grinning all day, and she had almost wondered if he understood what was happening.
But in this moment, she decided to be kind and pretend she didn't know exactly why he was blushing...