After being separated from my family, I became a darling of the military region thanks to my medical

The thud of his knee hitting the mat was heavy.

Mother Ye couldn't hold back her tears, and they streamed down her face.

She recalled the scene in this courtyard six months ago. Her eldest son lay limping on the kang (a heated brick bed), grimacing as he turned over. The rice jar was empty, and they couldn't even spare a spoonful of lard for cooking. Her father squatted on the doorstep, smoking his pipe; as the smoke dissipated, his brows furrowed even more deeply.

Look at what's in front of us now.

The eldest son, kneeling before me, stood ramrod straight, the bright red flower on his chest almost glaringly obvious. Beside him knelt a pretty young woman, her gaze clear and upright, kneeling with perfect decorum.

Which mother could withstand such a comparison?

Mother Ye reached out and handed two red envelopes to Zhao Xiuxiu. Her hands trembled violently, and the red envelopes swayed twice in mid-air.

Zhao Xiuxiu took it with both hands, her fingertips touching the rough back of Ye's mother's hand, and gave it a firm squeeze.

Then she looked up and called out.

"Father. Mother."

The two clear and crisp words, like spring water dripping on a stone, or like a clap of thunder in spring, made everyone in the courtyard tremble.

The courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Even the whooshing sound of the steamer in the kitchen was exceptionally clear.

Then came a deafening roar of applause.

Liu Fen was the first to explode; her voice was loud enough to penetrate three walls plus two courtyard walls.

"Good! Good! Good! Now that's what a family should be like!"

She slapped her thigh, and as if that wasn't loud enough, she tossed the string in her hand into the air, exclaiming, "Chengzi is so lucky to have married such a wonderful wife!"

The old headmaster stood at the back of the crowd, leaning on his cane. His lips trembled slightly, but he said nothing, only nodding heavily twice. A glint flashed in his eyes, which he quickly blinked away.

Behind the crowd, Zhao Dahai stood at the base of the wall.

He had his hands tucked into his sleeves, his neck stretched out, and he stood on tiptoe to look ahead. His lips were clearly upturned, and his eyes were clearly red-rimmed, yet he still forced a dignified expression like a father-in-law.

Zhao Shanhe came over and nudged him with his elbow.

"Dad, why are your eyes red?"

Zhao Dahai pulled out one hand and slapped Zhao Shanhe on the back of the head with just the right amount of force, making him stumble forward.

"Get lost! I'm suffocated by the smoke!"

"Where did this smoke come from..." Zhao Shanhe muttered, rubbing the back of his head. Seeing his father's unfriendly look, he slipped away.

Zhao Dahai rubbed his nose and rubbed the back of his rough hand against the corner of his eye.

He turned his head to the side, facing the wall, and quietly sniffed.

Nobody saw it.

Anyway, he felt that no one had seen it.

The banquet lasted from noon until dusk.

There were twenty-six tables in the threshing ground, with people from both villages sitting together. The clattering of bowls and chopsticks was more lively than firecrackers, and laughter and banter rose and fell.

Braised pork belly, stewed ribs, and steamed buns were plentiful. Gu Zheng opened the three bottles of Fenjiu he brought, and they were empty before the aroma even wafted out. Later, he opened the five jars of rice wine brewed by Zhao Dahai. The rice wine wasn't very strong, but it had a powerful aftereffect. After a few bowls, he became more talkative, louder, and bolder.

Dean Sun and reporter Xiao Li were treated as "experts and VIPs from the provincial capital" and were seated at the best large table.

That sounds quite respectable.

But those sitting at the same table were all strong laborers like Zhao Shanhe and Ye Zhu, who wielded sledgehammers in the quarry. They were all burly and didn't know any better when it came to eating.

When a pot of glistening braised pork was served, the pieces of meat, each about half the size of a fist, were trembling and coated in a thick, dark red sauce. Just looking at it made one's mouth water.

Dean Sun cleared his throat, stood up, picked up his enamel mug, and assumed a speaking posture.

"Comrades, today's meal is of great significance. It is not only—"

The words hadn't even finished being spoken.

Zhao Shanhe plunged a chopstick into the basin, flicked his wrist, and precisely placed the fattest and largest piece of pork belly into the bowl. Ye Zhu followed closely behind, his movements both ruthless and precise. Several other rough, large hands crisscrossed above the basin, their chopsticks swirling like wheels.

Dean Sun opened his mouth, but a few words were stuck in his throat, unable to come up or down.

Three seconds.

The basin was half empty.

Dean Sun grew anxious. He stopped talking, plopped down, and used his chopsticks to aim at a piece of pork belly with cartilage still attached at the bottom of the bowl. The piece of meat was hidden under the broth, in a discreet location, and looked excellent.

Just as the chopsticks were about to pick it up—

Half a black bamboo chopstick suddenly appeared out of nowhere, snatching the item away with a sharp "snap." The force was immense, perfectly executed with precision and ruthlessness.

Zhao Shanhe stuffed the meat into his mouth, his cheeks bulging out, and chewed it a couple of times, his mouth dripping with oil. He then picked up a large chopstick of boiled cabbage and put it into Dean Sun's empty bowl.

"Boss! Eat more cabbage! The cabbage from these mountains is sweet! It helps with digestion and is good for your health!"

Dean Sun held up his empty chopsticks, looking at the clump of bland cabbage leaves in the bowl.

His eyelids twitched three times.

Xiao Li fared even worse. He clutched his Seagull brand camera tightly to his chest with one hand, terrified it would be damaged by the elbows of these thugs, while his other hand held chopsticks, desperately trying to survive in the crevice. After all that effort, he hadn't even gotten a scrap of meat.

At another table not far away, Gu Zheng saw this scene clearly.

He raised the corner of his mouth slightly.

He turned his head and glanced at Ma Zhigang, who was engrossed in eating steamed cake, and tilted his chin towards that table.

"Go to the kitchen and ask your aunt to cut a big bowl of braised pork and get two or three steamed buns. Take them over to your Dean Sun."

Ma Zhigang paused with his chopsticks, almost choking on the steamed cake in his mouth.

"Old Gu, isn't his attitude the most annoying thing about him?"

Gu Zheng picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks without changing his expression.

"After all, they are your superior. The reporter still has to write the article for the provincial newspaper when he gets back. If he's too thin from hunger, he won't have the strength to write. If he writes the wrong report about our bridge, it won't be worth it."

Ma Zhigang chuckled, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and headed towards the kitchen.

In less than five minutes, he walked to the main table and stood there, carrying a large porcelain bowl overflowing with braised pork and three steaming white steamed buns.

"Dean, Chief Gu and Dr. Ye said that you have worked hard on your inspection tour of grassroots development. This is the order slip left for you at the canteen."

The moment Dean Sun looked up and saw the bowl of braised pork, his eyes actually welled up with tears.

It wasn't an act.

I was truly moved.

He took the bowl, nodded repeatedly to Ma Zhigang, his voice extremely low and his tone so sincere that it didn't seem like he was acting.

"Zhigang, you are very sensible and have a great sense of the big picture. Don't worry, the provincial court will never mistreat those who do practical work."

Ma Zhigang smiled, turned around and left.

Dean Sun pulled Xiao Li aside, carrying their bowls, and hid on the side of the field. The two squatted behind the stone mill, eating steamed buns and meat, their mouths greasy and their cheeks bulging like squirrels.

As Xiao Li munched on his steamed bun, he mumbled, "Dean, this is the most delicious meal I've ever had in my life."

Dean Sun chewed on his meat and nodded in deep agreement.

Then he scooped another big piece into the bowl.