"Uncle, Aunt, Sister-in-law…"
Li Haochen greeted them warmly, one by one.
They responded with equal enthusiasm, though Li Haoyang’s sister-in-law offered only a lukewarm reply.
The elder uncles were busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. The arrival of their in-laws was an occasion that demanded their utmost attention and could not be treated with carelessness.
Meanwhile, Li Haoyang had gone into the city to book rooms. He was a bit taken aback, as he had been completely unaware of his father-in-law’s visit.
Li Haochen, now worldly-wise, held his own against the two professors from Modu. He could discuss any topic with insight, much to their surprise.
Even Zhuang Xiaomin, who harbored a slight reservation towards Li Haochen, could not help but admire him.
The conversation shifted, naturally leading to the matters at hand.
"Haochen, your Haoyang mentioned that Xiaoxia’s job has been arranged?"
"Yes, Uncle Zhuang. It’s at our county’s No. 1 Middle School. Of course, the income won't be as high as in Modu."
It was inevitable that the income wouldn’t match that of Modu. Besides the capital and Shenzhen, there truly weren't many places better than Modu; even Guangzhou lagged slightly behind.
That Li Haochen managed to arrange a position at the county’s No. 1 Middle School showed some influence, which slightly reassured Zhuang Jingnian and his wife. Moreover, although Li Dehai and his wife weren’t highly educated, they were genuinely good people. Their current income had significantly improved, meaning their daughter wouldn’t be a burden, which was one of the reasons Zhuang Jingnian and his wife had agreed to Zhuang Xiaoxia’s move.
The other reason was Li Haochen himself. They had learned from Li Haoyang that he was the one who opened the bamboo product factory in the village, and he had also arranged the food processing plant. A reliable sales channel was secured, and it seemed the business could succeed.
"That’s good then."
At this moment, Li Haoyang walked in, appearing somewhat dejected.
"What’s wrong?"
His wife, Zhuang Xiaoxia, asked.
"Mom, Dad, I’m truly sorry. All the hotels in the county are full. There are guesthouses, but their conditions are too poor, and I’m not entirely comfortable with them."
"It’s also our fault for not notifying you in advance. It’s alright, we can squeeze in at your place tonight."
"No rooms?"
"Yes, most of them are occupied by people returning home for the New Year."
Li Haochen suddenly realized. Indeed, many rural populations had migrated to the cities, leaving the villages largely empty. Normally, there weren’t many people around. Once houses lost their vibrancy, they would quickly fall into disrepair.
But no matter how dilapidated, people would still return for the New Year. If there was no place to stay at home, they had to find accommodation in the city, which was the main reason for the shortage of hotel rooms during the festive season.
"I’ll make a call!"
Li Haochen took out his phone and walked outside. He looked at Liu Yupu’s private number, hesitated slightly, then dialed.
"Hello, Uncle Liu."
"Haochen, are you home for the New Year?"
"Yes, I was just planning to ask when you’d be free. I wanted to visit you for a cup of tea, heh heh!"
"Don’t beat around the bush. Just say what you need. Anything that violates discipline is not allowed."
"I couldn’t escape your sharp eyes. It’s like this…"
Two minutes later, Li Haochen walked back in. "Brother, the hotel issue is resolved. It’s the Phoenix Hotel. Just mention you’re from the Municipal Government, and someone will arrange everything for Uncle Zhuang and them."
"Thanks!"
Li Haochen playfully punched him and said, "Why are we being so formal between brothers? Hurry up and play host. I’ll go help Great Uncle come down."
Soon, Li Haochen helped Li Shuren descend. He was the most senior, so he naturally took the honored seat, as was customary everywhere.
After Li Shuren sat down, Li Haochen went out to the courtyard and brought in two bottles of Maotai and a pack of Huazi cigarettes.
As soon as Zhuang Jingnian saw the wine, his eyes were fixed on it. He was likely an old wine enthusiast.
Upon recognizing the brand, he was shocked. These were 09 Feitian Wuxing, each bottle costing over ten thousand yuan.
Although he was a second-tier professor, his income wasn't enough to afford a bottle of wine worth that much. He usually drank Wuliangye, which cost a few hundred yuan.
Good wine naturally called for good food. The table was laden with exquisite dishes: a large free-range chicken, stewed goose, stir-fried oysters with ginger and scallions, steamed grouper, a plate of roe crabs, and large prawns. To procure such dishes on New Year's Eve showed how much Li Dehai valued his in-laws’ visit.
"Cheers! Reunion and good health!"
"Cheers!"
Li Dehai was also a wine lover. When two wine enthusiasts met, sparks would fly. Their camaraderie quickly deepened, and by tomorrow, they might be calling each other brothers.
These two middle-aged men, likely under strict control in their daily lives, had seized this golden opportunity and were determined to drink their fill. In less than half an hour, both bottles of Maotai were finished, though Li Haochen and his brother had also consumed a fair amount.
If they weren't heading to the county hotel to stay later, they might have opened another two bottles.