Chapter 177: An Invitation

Chapter 177: Chapter 177: An Invitation

"Siyuan, what are you doing here?"

Looking at his friend, a rare expression of joy and excitement appeared on Shen Yanzhi’s face.

Xu Siyuan smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. "I’m here on business. I was planning to head to Menghai to see you once I finished up, but I didn’t expect you to come to the city instead. Talk about a coincidence!"

"Brother Yanzhi."

Shen Yanzhi’s gaze fell upon the young woman beside Xu Siyuan, his voice softening noticeably. "Shushu, you came too."

Xu Shu nodded shyly, her voice soft and gentle. "Mhm, I came with my big brother."

Xu Siyuan explained, "Shushu’s school is on break, and she’s been bored at home with nothing to do, so I brought her out for a trip to see the great sights of our country."

Jiang Moli leaned over and whispered in Lu Tingting’s ear, "Hey, look at her. You should take some notes."

Lu Tingting was baffled. "Take notes on what?"

"On how to be as gentle as water. All men like that type."

"My third uncle doesn’t like that type. Otherwise, what would you be doing here?"

Jiang Moli: ...

She actually had no comeback.

Xu Siyuan’s attention was drawn to Jiang Moli. It was rare to see a woman in Xili City with such delicate features and fair skin.

"Yanzhi, are they your friends?"

Shen Yanzhi quickly made simple introductions for both sides.

Upon learning that Jiang Moli was already married and that her husband was a battalion commander in the army, Xu Shu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

She had noticed Jiang Moli earlier but had been too shy to ask Shen Yanzhi about her.

"Yanzhi, we have to get together properly. Let’s have lunch."

Xu Siyuan also invited Jiang Moli and her two companions. "Comrade Jiang, thank you all for taking care of Yanzhi. Please join us for a simple lunch."

Jiang Moli beamed. "Sure. You don’t mind if I invite a couple more people, do you?"

Xu Siyuan paused for a moment, then smiled. "No problem."

Xu Siyuan still had a visitor to meet, and Jiang Moli’s group needed to go to the post office.

The two parties agreed to meet at noon at the Peacock Restaurant, across from the guest house.

The post office only had two telephones, and there was a line for each one.

Fortunately, phone calls were expensive, so people usually only called for urgent matters and hung up as soon as they were done.

Soon, it was Jiang Moli’s turn.

Jiang Moli first called the machinery factory. While waiting for someone at the factory to find Jiang Dahai and bring him to the phone, she made another call to the Lu Family residence.

Ma Hongmei answered the phone. Her face lit up with a smile when she recognized Jiang Moli’s voice:

"Xiao Jiang, are you doing okay over there?"

"I’m doing great. Thanks for asking, Auntie. Could you put my mom on the phone?"

Ma Hongmei quickly called An Hui, who was picking vegetables in the yard, back into the house.

An Hui hurriedly picked up the phone. "Moli, is something wrong? Why are you calling?"

"I just missed you! And I wanted to see how you were doing at home."

A smile touched An Hui’s lips, but she feigned annoyance. "As long as you behave yourself and don’t cause any trouble, I’m doing just fine."

"What kind of thing is that to say? Anyway, did my sister-in-law come over for dinner last time? She didn’t make you angry, did she?"

At the mention of her eldest son’s wife, An Hui’s tone softened considerably. "She came. Haoyu and Nana loved the crayfish your auntie cooked, so they came over to eat again the next day."

"That’s good. Tell Dad for me that I’ll be back after the Mid-Autumn Festival..."

Before she could finish, an impatient voice urged from behind her, "Can you hurry it up? There’s a long line of people waiting back here!"

"Mom, hold on a sec."

Jiang Moli covered the receiver and turned around. "What’s the rush? Are you in a hurry to get reincarnated?"

"Hey, what did you just say!?"

"I speak with my mouth. Don’t you? You don’t speak with your ass, do you? That would explain the stink."

The person’s face turned red with anger.

She had never met anyone with a mouth more hateful than Jiang Moli’s!

『Disdain +1. 10,000 yuan credited to account.』

Hearing the disdain points being credited, Jiang Moli turned back and continued her call with An Hui.

Although she had covered the receiver, some sound had inevitably leaked through.

An Hui asked, "Moli, where are you?"

"In Xili City. The Education Bureau invited us to put on a performance to promote the legal system."

An Hui was quite surprised. "A performance? You know how to perform?"

"You underestimate me. And it’s not just me; your precious granddaughter Tingting is here too. She’s right beside me."

An Hui wanted to ask what kind of show they were doing, but remembering it was inconvenient for Jiang Moli to talk for too long, she just offered a few words of care before hanging up.

Jiang Moli then called the machinery factory again.

Seeing that she was making another call, the people waiting in line behind her grew dissatisfied.

However, no one dared to rush her. After all, they had just witnessed Jiang Moli’s truculence and didn’t want to be her next target.

It’s human nature to bully the weak and fear the strong.

The call connected quickly, and Jiang Dahai’s cheerful voice came through the line. "Hello, is that Moli?"

"Hehe, Dad, you miss me?"

"Stop the sweet talk. Are you and Xiao Lu doing alright over there?"

"We’re great. I’ll be back after the Mid-Autumn Festival. Oh, by the way, please let Aunt Hongying know that she’s about to become a grandmother."

Jiang Moli had only heard about Jiang Qing’s pregnancy on the way here from Tang Yuan.

As a first-time father-to-be, Zhang Jia Ming was understandably proud and had shared the happy news with his comrades as soon as he got back to the dorms.

By the time she finished her calls and got back to the guest house, it was almost noon.

Jiang Moli told Shen Yanzhi, Lu Tingting, and Tang Yuan to go to the restaurant first. She then returned to the guest house to round up Feng Meihua, Jiang Wenjuan, the three Zhong siblings, and all the other family members participating in the performance.

"Xiao Jiang, Teacher Shen’s friend is treating you to a meal. Is it really appropriate for so many of us to go?"

On the way, Jiang Wenjuan couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy.

They had never even met the person, yet here they were, a whole crowd of them, going for a free meal. It felt like they were freeloaders.

"Sister Wenjuan, as the saying goes, ’a thick skin gets you your fill.’ Just eat as much as you want later. I’ll handle everything else!"

Inside the restaurant, the Xu Family Siblings had already arrived.

Xu Siyuan had ordered a pot of tea and was chatting with Shen Yanzhi as they drank.

Lu Tingting was sipping her tea when she glanced outside the restaurant and promptly did a spit-take.

"Teacher Lu, what’s wrong?"

Meeting the confused gazes of Shen Yanzhi and the Xu Family Siblings, Lu Tingting pointed outside. "Jiang Moli’s here!"

The four of them turned to look.

Seeing Jiang Moli leading a mighty contingent of over a dozen people, Xu Siyuan was dumbfounded.

’Didn’t she say a couple of people?’

Shen Yanzhi was equally shocked.

’He had assumed Jiang Moli would just bring Feng Meihua and Jiang Wenjuan, not the entire group.’

’This wasn’t a meal; it was a banquet.’

"Mr. Xu, we’re not late, are we?"

Xu Siyuan forced a smile. "No, please, have a seat."

’They were already here, and he couldn’t possibly turn them away. A learned man couldn’t do something so undignified.’

"There are so many of us, I don’t think we’ll all fit at one table. Waiter, we’ll take this table next to us as well."

Watching Jiang Moli take charge as if she were the host, the Xu Family Siblings were speechless.

’Could her skin be any thicker?’

『Disdain +2. 20,000 yuan credited to account.』

The other family members and the three Zhong siblings sat at the adjacent table, while Jiang Moli, Feng Meihua, and Jiang Wenjuan sat with the Xu Family Siblings.

Jiang Moli sat down next to Lu Tingting.

Lu Tingting whispered mockingly, "Could you have some shame? Someone else is treating, and you brought this many people."

Jiang Moli retorted, "Then you can go back. One less person, one less mouth to feed."

Lu Tingting just huffed. She wasn’t going anywhere.

’Everyone else was getting to eat out, so why shouldn’t she?’