Chapter 191: Chapter 190: Hare Dish and a Steaming Pot of Wine

Ling Chengyan patted the little girl’s now shinier black hair and said with a smile, “Your dad has work today. When he has some free time, I’ll have him make more for you.”

Hongling and Xiaoyu exchanged a glance and said with a suppressed smile, “Fourth Uncle’s cooking skills are really good.”

Ling Chengyan gave her a piece of rib and laughed, “Well, if your Fourth Uncle finds out he’s getting so much praise just by not having dinner at home one night, he’d probably be over the moon.”

The children all burst into laughter, and Hongbing and Shi Tou laughed so hard they almost fell over, slapping their legs and tilting their heads back with laughter that shook the heavens and the earth.

They didn’t know that at this time Wang Liansheng was filled with astonishment because Mr. Lian’s so-called investigation had indeed gone to Taiping Commune in Fucheng County and even looped around the back of Nanli Team.

Wang Liansheng was invited by Mr. Lian to sit in his car, right next to him.

Mr. Lian didn’t say much, but Wang Liansheng sharply noticed that Mr. Lian seemed emotionally off, especially once they arrived at Taiping Commune. His face grew increasingly tense, and even though he controlled his emotions well, his eyes were slightly reddened, with a glint of moisture that even his glasses couldn’t hide.

Wang Liansheng pondered this: Though Mr. Lian’s ancestral home is indeed in Eastern Province, he left to study when he was young and never returned home. The key point is, the Lian Family’s ancestral home wasn’t in Fucheng County, not even in Huicheng District, but from the Eastern Peninsula. Regarding homesickness, it shouldn’t cause such an emotional fluctuation over Taiping Commune, should it?

He kept mulling it over, not being able to figure out what exactly drove Mr. Lian to specifically visit the impoverished rural area of the Nanli Team and become so inexplicably moved.

Wang Liansheng noticed Mr. Lian’s water cup placed in the car, thought for a moment, and handed it over, “Sir, have some water to moisten your throat.”

Mr. Lian turned his gaze to fall on Wang Liansheng, a sharp glint in his eyes that didn’t escape notice.

Instinctively, Wang Liansheng wanted to avoid it, but ultimately held his ground, moving his hand forward again and repeating, “Autumn here is dry; please have some water to moisten your throat.”

Mr. Lian blinked, the sharp glint in his eyes disappeared, replaced by a calm and gentle demeanor, even a soft smile at the corner of his mouth. He reached out, accepted the cup, sipped it lightly, and sighed, “Wandering for over thirty years, stepping onto this homeland once more, I’ve lost my composure. Forgive my manners, Section Chief Wang.”

Wang Liansheng smiled warmly, saying, “Whenever it’s convenient, come back whenever you wish. Take care of your health.”

Mr. Lian smiled and nodded, took another sip of water, and suddenly said, “Judging by your accent, Section Chief Wang, you’re a local, right?”

Wang Liansheng replied, “From this Taiping Commune exactly.”

Mr. Lian gave an acknowledging sound, seemingly very interested, “I hadn’t expected to find myself at your doorstep, Section Chief Wang. How are your elderly parents? How old are you?”

The smile on Wang Liansheng’s face faded slightly, replying curtly, “They’re fine. I’m over fifty.”

His simple words merely answered the questions asked, with no desire to elaborate further.

Having weathered storms of all kinds and being almost shrewd in his old age, Mr. Lian immediately discerned that Wang Liansheng probably didn’t have a good relationship with his parents, and his eyes carried a deeper shade as a result.

They didn’t stop locally, the car looped around and headed back, encountering a village market in the neighboring town of River Commune, resulting in some blockage due to traffic and people. The car stopped.

People from the jeep behind got off, wanting to clear the road ahead, but Mr. Lian had already instructed Jenny, sitting in front, “I’m getting out to have a look around.”

Jenny agreed immediately, opened the door, and stopped the approaching staff, “Sir says he wants to get out and walk around, listen to the local dialect.”

The staff exchanged glances, hesitated slightly but agreed in the end.

Nurturing an affection for one’s homeland is good; feeling affection for one’s hometown increases the likelihood of returning to invest and contribute to its development. Wonderful!

So Mr. Lian got out of the car, not needing anyone else, only having Wang Liansheng accompanying him, and they walked leisurely into the market.

They abandoned the car to walk but did not remain low-profile, simply because Mr. Lian’s attire of a suit and overcoat, along with a dress hat, was too different, not to mention Jenny, the beautifully dressed woman in a suit skirt exposing a pair of pale legs in the cold, following behind. As they entered the market, the bustling crowds automatically made way for them, whispering among one another, some even pointing and gesturing.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep