When the Mu Family’s wedding procession arrived, the Xie Jianguo family escorted today’s groom to the Mu Family.
The entire family was beaming with joy throughout.
The wedding procession included Mu Mingyue’s friends and family.
Mu Bozhou, dressed handsomely and neatly, stood at the forefront of the procession, exuding an imposing presence.
With his sharp, stylish attire and an overwhelmingly formidable aura, Xie Qingping, standing beside him, was instantly overshadowed.
He appeared timid and unimpressive, hardly fit for the occasion.
This led the onlookers in the courtyard to mistake him for the groom.
Xie Jianguo and Grandpa Xie, seeing Xie Qingping in this state, rolled their eyes in unison and inwardly sighed.
However, they soon remembered that Mu Bozhou was marrying into their family, and smiles returned to their faces.
The people in the courtyard watched the Xie family’s joyful expressions with complicated gazes, then glanced at the talented and handsome Mu Bozhou, who was about to marry into the Xie family. Their eyes were filled with a sourness—
more acidic than the famous aged vinegar from a certain region.
Just as Xie Qingtao walked over to her parents, Mu Bozhou quietly slipped something into her hand.
Xie Qingtao was taken aback, her eyes widening as she looked down to see a nut chocolate sold at the department store.
She had tried it once before at the Mu Family—rich in flavor, with the nutty aroma enhancing the chocolate’s deliciousness. After just one bite, Xie Qingtao had fallen in love with it.
She hadn’t expected Mu Bozhou to know she liked this kind of chocolate.
Xie Qingtao looked up to find Mu Bozhou watching her, his eyes signaling her.
She unwrapped the golden packaging of the chocolate, took a bite, and the light in her almond-shaped eyes brightened even more. A smile unconsciously spread across her face.
Good things should be shared with family, so Xie Qingtao slipped the remaining half into Xie Qingxiao’s mouth.
Leaning close to Xie Qingxiao’s ear, she whispered:
“Brother, isn’t it delicious?”
Xie Qingxiao looked at Xie Qingtao’s smiling face as the chocolate slowly melted in his mouth. The slightly bitter taste made him somewhat uncomfortable at first, but then the rich aroma of chocolate and nuts burst forth.
“Hmm! Not bad. Does Taotao like it?”
Xie Qingtao nodded vigorously:
“I think it’s really delicious, so I wanted to share it with you and let you try it.”
Having grown up together, they naturally didn’t mind sharing food. It was often Xie Qingxiao who finished what Xie Qingtao couldn’t eat.
Xie Qingxiao only tolerated such things from Xie Qingtao.
Watching the siblings’ little interaction, Mu Bozhou’s eyes darkened slightly, and the corners of his mouth turned down a bit.
Xie Qingxiao noticed Mu Bozhou’s gaze and glanced at him from the corner of his eye, a hint of provocation hidden in his expression.
Xie Qingtao and the others arrived at the Mu Family’s residence in the steel mill’s staff quarters.
The place they had visited earlier was the staff quarters allocated to Mu Bozhou after he started working.
Now that Mu Bozhou was planning to marry into the Xie family, the Mu Family naturally moved back to the house allocated to Father Mu’s workplace.
This house was about the same size as the one allocated to the Xie family, more than enough for the elderly couple and Mu Mingyue and her husband.
Today, many relatives from the Mu Family had gathered, and the courtyard was already filled with tables and food.
Xie Qingping and Mu Mingyue recited their vows and sang songs in front of a portrait of a great leader.
After going through the simple formalities, the meal began.
After all, at a wedding banquet, the most important thing is the food.
Halfway through the meal, a group of stern-faced, fierce-eyed individuals walked into the Mu Family’s home.
Leading them was a slightly plump middle-aged man who strolled in with his hands behind his back. As soon as he entered, he spoke in a sarcastic tone:
“Oh dear! You’re having a meal! Why wasn’t I invited? I love banquets the most. Bozhou, as your colleague, you didn’t even mention it?”
Mu Bozhou didn’t even lift his eyelids, busy picking out a piece of braised pork for Xie Qingtao. After removing the fatty part and skin, he placed it in her bowl.
“Since you’re here as a guest, just find yourself a seat.”
When Xie Qingtao saw the man, she froze for a moment.
The middle-aged man felt slighted. His hands, clasped behind his back, tightened, and he swept a hostile gaze around the room. When his eyes landed on the two main characters of the day, he sneered coldly:
“No, no, I’m not here for a meal today. Someone reported that your sister and brother-in-law have improper conduct, engaging in premarital pregnancy. Bozhou, do you think this is true?”
The middle-aged man was Mu Bozhou’s rival at work. Usually, Mu Bozhou outshone him, and this man held a grudge.
Now, under the man’s hostile scrutiny, Mu Bozhou remained calm and composed:
“Nonsense. If you want to arrest someone, you need evidence, right? Coming here to make arrests based solely on a flimsy report—Li Dajun, your actions are rather impulsive. As an official, where is your basic professionalism? No wonder you’re stuck with marginal tasks.”
Mu Bozhou’s expression was utterly arrogant and rude, his words even more infuriating. Li Dajun’s face flushed red with anger, and combined with his plump cheeks, he looked like a pig’s head smeared with red paint during the New Year—both comical and ridiculous.
Xie Qingtao couldn’t help but giggle. Realizing this, she covered her mouth with her hand, her laughter soft and her almond-shaped eyes curved into crescents.
The Gossip System rolled with laughter:
[Hahaha~ Host, this guy is so unlucky! He’s always been overshadowed by Mu Bozhou, and now Mu Bozhou has marginalized him in the unit. He’ll probably retire as a lowly clerk.]
[System, do you think a regular clerk’s salary could keep someone that plump?]
Xie Qingtao’s lively eyes discreetly glanced over, feeling rather puzzled.
In this era, overweight people were rare creatures.
A few years ago, during the great famine, everyone was emaciated and sallow-faced, and some still hadn’t recovered.
The Gossip System searched its data and then revealed Mu Bozhou’s salary:
[Mu Bozhou is Secretary Lin’s right-hand man, highly trusted, with a salary of 80 yuan. That Li Dajun isn’t valued much, so his salary is just over 60 yuan. He also has a family, so of course he couldn’t keep himself that plump!]
[System, do you think he might have…]
[Embezzled money!]
The Gossip System’s brainwaves instantly aligned with Xie Qingtao’s. Both the host and the system had gleaming eyes.
The Gossip System eagerly took on the task:
[Host, I’ll go investigate this guy’s background right away.]
While Xie Qingtao and the Gossip System were chatting animatedly, things between Mu Bozhou and Li Dajun weren’t going well. The atmosphere had grown tense, reaching a boiling point.
Li Dajun stared fixedly at Xie Qingping and Mu Mingyue, waving his hand grandly:
“Take them back for questioning. Then we’ll know the truth.”
Li Dajun had finally caught a handle on Mu Bozhou. Seeing a chance for promotion and a raise, how could he let this opportunity slip?
At his command, his followers immediately rushed over to seize Xie Qingping and Mu Mingyue.
Mu Bozhou’s expression turned stern, his lips pressed into a thin line, his words dripping with venom:
“Who dares! Li Dajun, your actions are tarnishing the image of official personnel in the eyes of the common people. If everyone were like you, some investigators could simply follow your example and arbitrarily arrest innocent civilians on the streets to pin charges on them. How convenient that would be!”
Li Dajun felt almost suffocated by the barrage of accusations Mu Bozhou hurled at him.
His supporters hesitated, their grip on Xie Qingping and the others noticeably loosening.
The guests attending the wedding banquet today all cast skeptical glances at Li Dajun, as if he were a villain hiding among the common folk.