Chapter 351: Chapter 351: New Year’s Eve Dinner at the Educated Youth Point

Over in Yan City, an investigation on the Jiang Family is underway, and it’s quite far-reaching.

Almost everything is in place, just waiting for the closure of the net.

Jian Jingchuan doesn’t want to go back to join the commotion, his status is rather sensitive, one wrong move could get him entangled, slapped with unfounded charges, and destroy more than a decade of achievements, not worth the risk.

Earlier, he wanted to recognize his daughter, but the authorities disapproved. After the incident with the Japanese spies in the mountains, the officials believed the opposition had found traces, posing a threat to Xu Qinghuan’s safety. Fortunately, Xu Qinghuan had made a significant contribution and they agreed to let him recognize his daughter.

But for now, he doesn’t want to acknowledge his daughter, doesn’t want to drag her into this mess, ruining her peaceful life.

When things settle down, there will always be a chance.

Throughout these years, he has caused Japan to suffer greatly, and Japan won’t let him off easily for now. He doesn’t want to implicate his daughter.

She’s just a gentle and obedient girl.

If anything happens, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

Anyway, within the system, the authorities have given him discretionary power in handling matters.

Li Shouzhi had actually suspected this long ago, but both were aware of the truth, they just never spoke about it.

Jian Jingchuan shook his head, “No, she…will probably come to pay New Year’s greetings, won’t she?”

“Should come.”

“Meeting her during the New Year’s greetings would be good enough.”

Jian Jingchuan looked forward to the meeting yet feared it, afraid Xu Qinghuan would recognize him, blame him for not acknowledging her, be angry, and resent him.

For this New Year, it was celebrated like every year, the knowledge youth site had a meal together.

Initially, there were twenty knowledge youths who came, Jiang Chengxu was still lying in the hospital, Qu Qiongfang was dead, Xu Manman ran away, Kong Lijuan married Sun Laizi and was still living in misery.

Ever since the attempted murder incident, Lu Nianying hadn’t stepped out, no matter how much Qian Datao cursed and forced her out to work, she remained indifferent, hiding like a fool in her room.

Dong Youfu surprisingly felt sorry for her, shielding her from Qian Datao’s bullying, which infuriated Qian Datao, but to no avail against Lu Nianying.

Recently, rumors were circulating that Lu Nianying was pregnant, outsiders didn’t know the truth, but Xu Qinghuan knew because Dong Youfu had bragged to Jiang Xingye.

Jiang Xingye had scolded Dong Youfu as an idiot at the time, but later was jealous, pushing Xu Qinghuan hard, yet all his efforts were wasted.

Among the eight female knowledge youths, four survived, a loss rate of half.

As for the male knowledge youths, Zhang Tieshan was imprisoned, Xu Hongtu was sent to a farm, twelve remained nine, survival rate was quite high.

In total, among the twenty knowledge youths, after removing seven, over one-third were gone, which wasn’t great either.

No wonder there were rumors that Shangjiang Team’s knowledge youth site was cursed, anyone who came would face doom.

Today’s New Year meal had a total of fourteen people, including Lin Yufei.

Everyone collaborated on the New Year’s Eve dinner; initially, it was said the knowledge youths from this site invited Xu Qinghuan and her group, but no one felt right about it, so they also brought ingredients when they came.

Xu Qinghuan brought three pounds of flour, Qiao Xinyu brought a piece of meat, Yu Xiaomin had earned money recently and was much more financially comfortable, she brought some mountain goods and more than ten sticky bean buns she made last night.

Chen Dewen and his group also brought a lot.

Three days ago, they had invited Lin Yufei to the mountains, and together they caught a wild chicken and a rabbit.

“This New Year is truly plentiful!” Song Anping, the youngest, exclaimed.

Yu Xiaomin took the lead in cooking, while others helped out. Xu Qinghuan sat aside preparing vegetables, after a while Jiang Xingye arrived, maneuvering her to sit aside, “The vegetables are cold, let me do it!”

Even though Zhou Chang’an was still the head of the knowledge youth site, he hardly spoke after so many incidents, showing up only to reveal his face, leaving things to others, indifferent to opinions, and quite disheartened.

Huang Dahai was now the only one at the youth site able to match Zhou Chang’an in experience, he addressed Jiang Xingye, “Brother Ye, would you stay and have the New Year meal with us later?”

Jiang Xingye arrived, bringing with him a bottle of Quanxing Daqu, sold at a state-run store for three yuan, available only with a coupon.

Xu Qinghuan had scoured quite a bit from the Jiang Family and Lu Family, both money and coupons were plentiful, those stashed coupons were all nationally applicable.

Jiang Xingye still found it hard to spend, but Xu Qinghuan told him that within a few years, such coupons would be canceled, and presently valuable coupons would someday hold no value even for collecting, convincing him to be less frugal.

“No, the Jiang Family will also have their meal soon, I’ll head there to eat.”

Initially, he wanted to take Xu Qinghuan over to the Jiang Family’s New Year dinner, but his wife refused to go, arguing she hadn’t married in yet, and there was already food here, so it was fine to stay here.

That night, the two of them stayed up together, had midnight snacks.

After helping Xu Qinghuan finish her tasks, Jiang Xingye left.

At three in the afternoon, Huang Dahai set off a string of firecrackers with under a hundred explosions at the door, and the New Year’s Eve dinner commenced.

Everyone gathered around an Eight Immortals table; crowded with many people, the male knowledge youths sat on one side, each poured a little liquor to savor, while female knowledge youths sat on the other side eating.

Today’s meal was lavish, yet when scrambling, the momentum was still fierce.

However, after scrambling for a while, with some grease in the stomach, things improved greatly.

Duan Qingmei asked Xu Qinghuan, “When do you plan to get married?”

Everyone stopped their chopsticks, thinking Duan Qingmei’s question was a bit abrupt.

“Is something up?” Xu Qinghuan raised her eyebrow.

Sitting at the same table didn’t imply one could freely ask such personal questions.

“Can’t one ask if there’s nothing?” Duan Qingmei still showed her immature appearance, “If you get married, then Comrade Jiang would have to live here, wouldn’t Yu and Qiao have nowhere to live? Are you two planning to move back to the youth location?”

This question was directed at Yu Xiaomin and Qiao Xinyu.

“Why? Do you want us to move back here? Before we lived at the knowledge youth site, didn’t you disdain us so much, refusing to let us sleep on the north kang, forcing us to sleep on the south kang?” Qiao Xinyu replied coldly.

Duan Qingmei was somewhat angry, that was ages ago, “The past is the past, now is now.”

Mainly, with her being the only female knowledge youth at the site now, it was not only unsafe, but some gossipers in the production team would spread rumors that were unpleasant when they reached her ears.

Also, because she lived alone, she hadn’t entered any workshop in the production team, her source of information was very limited, not even aware that Qiao Xinyu and Yu Xiaomin both had partners.

“We’re not moving back, just right for you being alone to have more space.” Qiao Xinyu retorted.

“What, are you planning to live under the same roof as them as a couple?” Duan Qingmei, with her character, would never learn to lower her head.

She talked while her chopsticks danced wildly.

Xu Qinghuan was a bit nauseated, put down her chopsticks refusing to eat anymore.

“What nonsense are you babbling?” Chen Dewen was furious, “Can’t my house accommodate? Yu Fei will also build a house at the start of the year, then they’ll get married too, isn’t it possible to not live together?”

Duan Qingmei was shocked extremely, looking around, not understanding what was said.

Liu Zhijian asked, “Oh, are you both getting married, when will that be, good thing I’m on salary now, otherwise I wouldn’t afford the wedding gift money.”

His joke lightened the mood slightly.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep