Huang Guixiang had no choice but to swallow her pride and go next door to borrow money, grain tickets, and meat coupons from Aunt Wu.
Aunt Wu had a good relationship with her, and when she saw that her “son-in-law” had come to visit carrying Maotai liquor and Zhonghua cigarettes, she didn’t worry at all that Huang Guixiang wouldn’t be able to pay her back.
Without hesitation, she lent her the money and tickets.
Huang Guixiang immediately called Zhang Hongqiang to go to the state-run restaurant to buy steamed buns and braised pork.
The neighbors in the residential compound were stunned by such generous spending.
But after thinking about it, they realized that if it were them, and such a handsome son-in-law showed up at the door carrying Maotai, they would also spend big to entertain him.
He was a driver among the “Eight Major Workers” categories!
Although his conditions were slightly worse than Zhang Qin’s fiancé, honestly speaking, he was still the kind of man who was extremely hard to find even with a lantern.
Soon, a sour feeling spread through the compound.
The men in the Zhang family weren’t anything special, but their daughters were all surprisingly good at finding partners.
At noon, the Zhang family members gradually returned home.
Everyone in the household was very enthusiastic when they saw Huo Xiao.
Zhang Hongqiang immediately called out, “Brother-in-law!”
Huo Xiao handed him a handful of White Rabbit milk candies.
Zhang Hongqiang became even more excited.
Zhang Weiguo, Zhang Weimin, and Zhang Zhi also crowded around him.
“Uncle-in-law!”
Huo Xiao also gave them White Rabbit candies.
The children were so happy they almost fainted.
White Rabbit candies!
A whole handful of them!
Lin Wan quickly stopped them.
“Don’t call him that randomly—we’re not married yet!”
Bao Yan teased, “He’s already come to the house. The wedding is basically just a couple of days away. It’s fine for the kids to call him early.”
Based on how generous Huo Xiao was, both Bao Yan and Zhong Hongmei were very satisfied.
Everyone else agreed with smiles and nods.
Honestly speaking, who wouldn’t understand?
Just yesterday, they were still living on sweet potato soup, farting under the blankets at night.
Now that Lin Wan had brought a man home, there were meat buns and roast chicken.
And now this man came in with Maotai, Zhonghua cigarettes, and handed out so many White Rabbit candies to the kids.
On the table were white steamed buns and braised pork…
This feeling of happiness was indescribable.
Compared to that, Zhang Qin’s fiancé—despite being an official cadre—had been in a relationship with her for so long and had never once brought him home.
Forget White Rabbit candies—he hadn’t even brought a single fruit candy.
But whether it was Zhang Qin’s fiancé or Lin Wan’s boyfriend, their status didn’t really matter.
What mattered was what actually made it into their hands.
That was the real benefit.
Lin Wan spoke again.
“Even so, you can’t call him randomly. Things can still change if we’re not officially married.”
The room immediately fell silent.
Huang Guixiang froze for a moment, then shot a look at her two daughters-in-law.
“Wanwan is right!”
“We’ll change the way we call him after the marriage is official. We’re the woman’s side—no need to rush.”
But deep down, a trace of unease rose in her heart.
As long as the marriage certificate wasn’t obtained, there was always a chance this man could be taken away.
A man with such good conditions would definitely be targeted.
Her daughter must be reminding her of that!
The same tactics she once planned for Guo Xuyang now needed to be used on Huo Xiao instead!
Once the rice was cooked, no one could take him away!
“Xiao Huo, come sit and eat!”
“Old Zhang, open the wine Xiao Huo brought!”
Zhang Aimin had been eyeing the Maotai since earlier, but without Huang Guixiang’s permission, he didn’t dare say anything.
Now that she spoke, his face broke into a wide grin.
He hurriedly brought out the Maotai and poured a glass for Huo Xiao.
“Xiao Huo, it’s your first time visiting. Uncle will drink with you.”
Huo Xiao stood up apologetically and pushed the glass away.
“Sorry, Uncle. My workplace has regulations—I can’t drink.”
Zhang Aimin slapped his head.
“Oh right, I forgot. You’re a driver for leaders—you can’t drink.”
“Then how about a cigarette?”
He glanced toward the Zhonghua cigarettes.
Huo Xiao shook his head again.
“Work rules: no smoking or drinking.”
Lin Wan had been thinking on the train about how to handle Huo Xiao and had forgotten to coordinate his identity in advance.
She quickly spoke up.
“Yes! He’s a driver for leaders. He can’t have any smell of alcohol or smoke on him.”
“And drinking and driving is dangerous anyway. Their unit is very strict!”
She smiled at him and even blinked.
Driver?
Huo Xiao raised an eyebrow.
Lin Wan secretly tugged at his sleeve, her watery almond eyes looking at him pleadingly like a little cat scratching softly.
Huo Xiao’s heart gave an unexpected jolt.
If it really was a honey trap set by enemy agents, then someone with weaker willpower would have definitely fallen for it.
He nodded slightly. “Yes.”
Lin Wan finally let out a breath of relief.
Zhang Hongqi smiled and said, “Dad, it’s a big happy occasion for our family today. I’ll drink with you!”
Zhang Hongbing also chimed in, glancing at Huang Guixiang from the corner of his eye.
This was Moutai!!!
If they didn’t take advantage of this now, when would they?
Once Huo Xiao left, all of it would definitely be locked away by Huang Guixiang.
Let alone drinking it—they wouldn’t even be allowed to look at it.
Huang Guixiang waved her hand. “Alright, everyone can have some.”
“If you drink too much, just take the day off work.”
It was her daughter’s first time bringing home a son-in-law, so she wanted to appear generous.
“Aunt Huang, you should have some too!”
“Everyone should drink a little!”
Huo Xiao stood up and poured wine for everyone.
Even women like Bao Yan and Zhong Hongmei, who didn’t usually drink, quickly raised their cups, pretending to take a sip while barely hiding their excitement.
Lin Wan immediately understood Huo Xiao’s purpose in bringing Moutai.
So this was what he had been waiting for.
Moutai!
Who wouldn’t want to drink it?
And once people got drunk, what secrets wouldn’t slip out?
This man had at least eighteen thousand clever schemes.
“I’m not drinking.”
When Huo Xiao finished pouring for everyone, he reached Lin Wan. She quickly covered her cup.
Her sisters-in-law must have done it on purpose—putting cups in front of everyone the moment they saw Moutai.
Huo Xiao didn’t force her. He simply replied, “Alright.”
Then he poured water from a thermos into his cup instead. “I’ll use tea instead of alcohol and toast Uncle Zhang and Aunt Huang…”
Lin Wan rolled her eyes internally.
Before long, the Zhang family members were all flushed from drinking, their tongues loosened.
Whatever Huo Xiao asked, they answered.
Even when he didn’t ask, they kept talking on their own.
Within a single meal, the Zhang family’s entire ancestry—eighteen generations—had been thoroughly exposed.
As for Huo Xiao himself, they only learned a unit name and that he lived in Beijing, while his parents’ positions were vaguely mentioned.
The Zhang family members were already slightly drunk and dizzy.
Huang Guixiang sent them back to rest.
Then she brought up the matter of Huo Xiao and Lin Wan registering their marriage.
“Originally, both families should meet first.”
“But Wanwan is facing the issue of being sent to the countryside, so we’ll handle things urgently…”
Huo Xiao replied sincerely, “Aunt Huang, I understand.”
“I also want to resolve my personal matters with Lin Wan as soon as possible. The marriage application has already been submitted.”
“It should be approved within the next couple of days.”
“And even if there’s a delay, don’t worry about the resettlement office. I’ll handle it.”
Lin Wan shook Huang Guixiang’s arm. “Mom, now you can relax, right?”
“Anyway, I have something to discuss with Huo Xiao. I’m going back to my room.”
She hurriedly pulled Huo Xiao into her room.
The room was small—only about five square meters, roughly the size of a bathroom.
A military-green outfit hung behind the door, along with a military satchel, a green water bottle, and a black umbrella.
By the wall near the door stood a small wardrobe.
Next to it was a narrow bunk bed pushed against the wall, with wooden boxes stacked on the upper bunk.
On the lower bed was a blue checkered bedsheet, the blanket neatly folded into a square, and the pillow placed on top. The pink pillow cover had a rising sun pattern.
By the window sat a small writing desk with a glass jar filled with a bouquet of wildflowers in white, yellow, and purple.
Beside it were a small mirror and a wooden comb carved in the shape of a fish.
The room was very tidy, carrying a faint, subtle fragrance.
The confined space made the presence of a young man and woman feel strangely intimate.
The air seemed to warm by several degrees.
Lin Wan’s face quietly turned red. To break the awkwardness, she quickly pulled out a wooden stool and gestured for Huo Xiao to sit.
Just as Huo Xiao sat down—
Huang Guixiang came in carrying a bowl of red sugar-boiled eggs, warmly saying:
“It’s our hometown custom that when the son-in-law comes for the first time, we serve red sugar eggs. I was so busy earlier I forgot!”
“Eat it while it’s hot!”
“Wanwan, make sure Xiao Huo eats it!”
She gave Lin Wan a meaningful look, and as she left, she even pulled the door shut behind her.