Neither Su Jiaxuan nor Shen Fujuan had expected the bureau chief to suddenly extend such an invitation.
If they could move out of a remote place like Black River Village and live in the county town, that would naturally be the best outcome.
Su Jiaxuan cautiously asked, “My wife and child are still in Black River Village.”
He could be temporarily transferred as a technical expert, but what about his family?
Did the Machinery Bureau really have that much authority?
The bureau chief gently shook his head. “It was already quite difficult for me to get you transferred. With my capabilities, I can only apply for a staff dormitory for you in the county town. However, I won’t restrict your movements during weekly breaks—you can return to Black River Village to visit your family anytime.”
This sounded like a rather good offer.
Especially for people like them, who were considered guilty.
Shen Fujuan felt slightly disappointed.
In her past life, Su Jiaxuan had never had the chance to repair the generator, so he never came to the county town, nor did he fix the harvester.
This seemed like an opportunity given to them by fate.
If even one person in the family could escape their hardships, it didn’t sound too bad.
The bureau chief chuckled. “Comrade Su, the conditions I’ve offered are already quite generous for you! Besides, our Machinery Bureau won’t lack food or clothing. Whatever you need, I’ll do my best to provide.”
Professionals like him were as rare as finding a needle in a haystack in a place like Black River Village.
The bureau chief had genuinely recognized Su Jiaxuan’s talent and wanted to give him a helping hand.
However, he hadn’t expected that even after offering such favorable terms, Su Jiaxuan would still firmly shake his head.
“I don’t need it.”
“Where my family is, I will be.”
Su Jiaxuan wasn’t eloquent, but his words were resolute.
The bureau chief wanted to continue persuading him, but the words on the tip of his tongue turned into a sigh.
“Ah—how can a man in this world miss opportunities to achieve greatness for the sake of romantic entanglements and trivial affections?”
The bureau chief looked down on Su Jiaxuan’s way of thinking.
Shen Fujuan took a step forward and spoke up to explain on Su Jiaxuan’s behalf.
“I’m very grateful for your appreciation of my husband, but I believe that a man should not only have the ability to stand tall and achieve great things but also the capacity to protect his family. If someone is willing to abandon their family for so-called fame and fortune, what’s to stop them from abandoning their country when greater benefits arise in the future?”
In her past life, Su Jiaxuan had been framed by Su Lina, branded a traitor, and spent his final days in sorrow and despair.
This had become Shen Fujuan’s greatest regret in life.
Now, with another opportunity before her, Shen Fujuan didn’t hesitate to stand in front of Su Jiaxuan and defend her husband.
The person who drove them back was still Ge Guoqiang. He carried a medium-sized bag of flour and placed it in the car right in front of them.
On the way back, Ge Guoqiang kept glancing at them through the rearview mirror.
“I heard you turned down the bureau chief?”
Shen Fujuan hummed in acknowledgment. “Only one person could move to the county town. That opportunity would be too cruel for our entire family.”
“Our bureau chief may speak harshly, but he tells the truth. Among the state-owned units in the county now, few offer better benefits than our Agricultural Machinery Bureau. Think it over again. If you change your mind, you can come to the Machinery Bureau to find me anytime.”
Ge Guoqiang had the driver take the car all the way, and it stopped in front of the Su family’s remote home.
Looking at the dilapidated house, Ge Guoqiang couldn’t help but frown.
“At least one of you should go to the city first. We can figure out a way to transfer the rest of you later.”
Su Jiaxuan remained silent, expressing his refusal through quietness, while Shen Fujuan politely declined Ge Guoqiang’s offer.
After they pushed the door open, the three younger family members, who had been worried all day, quickly gathered around.
“Mom, Dad, you really scared us! We thought you had been taken to the county for investigation!”
Zhao Xiaorou, already emotionally sensitive due to her pregnancy, burst into tears as she spoke.
“Huang Wenqiang told us that the people from the county just made up a random excuse, but they were actually investigating the case!”
Shen Fujuan was immediately angry: “From now on, just treat whatever Huang Wenqiang says as nonsense! He just can’t stand seeing our family doing well!”
After saying this, Shen Fujuan picked up the heavy bag of flour and waved it in front of everyone.
“This month, we won’t have to eat secretly anymore! Have you had dinner tonight? I’ll steam some big white buns for you!”
The harder times are, the more one appreciates the value of food.
When Shen Fujuan ate steamed buns at noon today, even without any side dishes, she found them sweet and satisfying.
Eating in secret had always affected their appetite, but now, with the flour given by the bureau chief, the whole family could eat openly and fill their stomachs!
Shen Fujuan kneaded the dough, Zhao Xiaorou helped with the preparations, Su Jiaxuan lit the fire, while Su Jianqiang and Su Jianjun helped make the buns.
The whole family worked together and finally produced a pot of fragrant, fluffy white buns.
There were about a dozen of them, enough for everyone to have two each, finishing them all in one meal.
Looking at the flour bag, now one-third empty, Su Jianjun couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret.
“We put in so much effort just to earn this bag of flour, and we’ve already used so much in one meal.”
Back in the city, everyone in the family except Su Jianjun had a salary, and their life had been particularly prosperous.
Besides eating white flour and rice, they could even have meat every day.
Having grown accustomed to such abundance, Su Jianqiang now felt uneasy seeing their current tight circumstances.
Shen Fujuan put away the flour bag: “We worked so hard to get this flour just so everyone in the family could eat their fill. Seeing all of you looking so miserable only makes us feel worse!”
Su Jiaxuan looked at Shen Fujuan, his eyes filled with deep affection.
There were many things he couldn’t say out loud, so he let Shen Fujuan speak for him.
Su Jiaxuan said, “If there’s a chance later, we can see if there are any repair jobs in the county. Maybe we can earn some extra food for the family.”
Su Jianjun slapped Su Jianqiang on the shoulder: “See, you’ve made Mom and Dad unhappy again! You were the one who said I didn’t know how to talk!”
“If you ask me, as long as our family can live together happily, that’s what matters! What’s the big deal about having a full meal once in a while?”
Besides, now that they had the Dimensional Space, they weren’t exactly starving.
They were just a bit worried.
Su Jianjun’s words successfully made everyone laugh.
Amid the laughter, Shen Fujuan suddenly heard knocking at the door.
Whoever was outside was pounding heavily, as if trying to break their door down.
After waiting for a long time with no one answering the door, the man began shouting at the top of his lungs.
“I know you both brought back white flour! By rights, half of that flour should be mine—what are you still pretending for?”
Shen Fujuan’s heart skipped a beat.
It was Huang Wenqiang’s voice!
How dare he have the nerve to come asking for flour?!