"Negotiations, finding suppliers, price bargaining, third-party inspections, logistics, information feedback... every single one of these steps takes time. And that’s assuming nothing unexpected happens. Not to mention, we have to calculate foreign exchange quotas, figure out shipping costs, and more. You’ll get it once you’ve been through it."

Xue Yue really hadn’t expected that just the negotiations with the representatives from Country A would take over a week and still not be finalized.

During this time, He Nan’s family had already brought Uncle He and Aunt He to Beijing City.

After getting off the train, they took a bus to He Lang’s house.

At home, it was the usual routine: those who had work were at work, and those who had school were at school. Only Mrs. He was home.

Mrs. He was overjoyed to suddenly see Uncle He and the others.

"I was just wondering if you’d be able to come, and I can’t believe you’re already here."

Aunt He patted Mrs. He’s hand. "With Ziqing getting married, we, as her family, had to come and show our support."

She then sized up the courtyard and said with envy, "I have to say, sister-in-law, you’re really enjoying a blessed life now. Just look at this place! Our poor little home back there can’t even compare. Let me tell you, when I got off the train, I was completely stunned. This is the Capital, after all. Big cities are just better."

Mrs. He said with a smile, "They’re both good. The cost of living is high in a big city, and you don’t know anyone when you go out. It’s not like back home, where I can go out and chat with you all whenever I’m free. If it weren’t for taking care of my grandchildren, I would have gone back long ago."

Aunt He shot her a glance. "It’s great staying here. What would you go back for? Haven’t you had enough of tilling that yellow earth? Besides, the temperature here is comfortable. Back home, the snow is already up to our calves by now."

Mrs. He nodded. "That’s true. It snows here in the winter too, but it’s not as cold as back home."

Uncle He took a stroll around the courtyard and asked, "Is my brother not home?"

Mrs. He replied, "He’s not back yet. He gets off work at six."

When He Lang and Mr. He returned that evening, they were also very happy to see Uncle He and the others.

Mr. He, in particular, immediately went to get the fine tea He Lang had gifted him.

"Big Brother, this tea is very expensive. He Lang gave it to me, and I couldn’t bear to drink much of it. Now that you’re here, let me brew you a cup. You have to try it."

Uncle He nodded. "In that case, I must have a taste."

The two of them chatted as they drank their tea, and eventually Mr. He brought up his job.

"I have quite a few people working under me. Apart from the key He Lang has for the warehouse, I hold all the others. They do whatever I tell them to do..." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Anyone who knew would know he was just an employee, but those who didn’t might think he was building his own little empire. He’d managed to turn a warehouse job into a grand drama of workplace politics.

Mrs. He could hardly bear to watch. He Lang and He Nan were grinning as they listened to their father brag, while Uncle He and Aunt He listened with rapt attention, their eyes widening in surprise from time to time.

The younger ones were also snickering.

Wang Hui Fang asked He Lang, "How come I haven’t seen your wife?"

"She went abroad."

"Huh?" Wang Hui Fang wasn’t the only one who was surprised. Everyone there, except for He Lang, thought going abroad was an enormous deal.

He Lang explained to them, "That’s just how her job is. She has to go abroad when work calls for it. Before she left, she asked me to apologize to all of you. She’s afraid she won’t make it back for Ziqing’s wedding."

He Nan was stunned for a moment, then said, "It’s alright. Work is more important."

Uncle He also nodded and said, "Exactly. He Lang’s wife’s job is special, so she doesn’t have a choice. Work comes first."

He Lang just smiled and said no more.

After a lively evening, the next day Mr. and Mrs. He took Uncle He and the others to see the clothing store He Lang had opened. Then they went over to He Lang’s supermarket and even had lunch there.

Mr. He showed them where he worked. Uncle He was incredibly envious, constantly praising He Lang for being so capable and Mr. He for being so fortunate. A grin stretched from ear to ear on Mr. He’s face.

For the next two days, Mr. He didn’t rush off to work. Instead, he took Uncle He and the others around Beijing City, sightseeing here and eating there, playing the part of the perfect host.

The third day was the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the wedding of He Ziqing and Qi Mingyang. It was held at the same hotel where they had their engagement party.

He Lang had a poster board specially made for He Ziqing’s dowry list, detailing all the items.

Aunt He stared at the writing on the board for a long time before whispering to Uncle He, "I can only make out a word or two. What does it all say? It looks like so much!"

Uncle He read it to her, and Aunt He was left dumbfounded.

’Good heavens! Is an emperor marrying off his daughter? How much money must all this be worth?’

It wasn’t just them who were surprised. Even the other guests were astonished when they saw the bride’s dowry list. The Qi family was a prominent one. Their grandson was marrying a girl from the countryside, and even though she was a college student, it still wasn’t considered a good enough match. They hadn’t expected her family to provide such a large dowry; it seemed they had a solid financial foundation after all.

The Qi family’s relatives and friends couldn’t help but look at He Ziqing in a new, more favorable light.

He Nan looked at the home appliances written on the list. It seemed to include pretty much every model currently on the market, which also exceeded his expectations.

He glanced at He Lang, only to see him with his head lowered, speaking to his two children.

He Nan knew this was a testament to He Lang’s feelings for them, and it made him stand up a little straighter.

After attending He Ziqing’s wedding, since He Nan and his wife had to go back to work, Uncle He and the others had to return home as well.

"It’s the middle of winter, a time for staying indoors. What’s the rush to go back? Stay with me for a few more days. When it’s time, I’ll have He Lang buy your train tickets and see you off."

"No, we can’t. We came to see you all, and we’ve spent the last few days eating and sightseeing in Beijing City. It’s time to go back. The livestock at home still need to be fed."

Mr. He also tried to get them to stay, but Uncle He told him, "Just coming to see you is enough. Knowing that you’re all doing well puts our minds at ease."

Then he reminded Mr. He, "Don’t work yourself too hard, either. You’re getting on in years, not a young lad anymore. If you feel tired, take a break. It’s your family’s place, after all."

Mr. He nodded.

They had one last lively evening together. Early the next morning, He Lang hired a car to take them to the train station and saw them off on the train.

Watching them leave, Mrs. He felt a pang of emotion. "I’m starting to feel a little homesick, too."

He Lang told her, "If you’re homesick, you can go back with Little Chen for the New Year this year. Then you can come back with him after the holiday."

Mrs. He looked at him. "What about you and the children?"

He Lang shook his head. "We’re not going back. We don’t know when Yue’er will return, so we’ll wait for her at home."

Mr. He nodded. "I think that works." He was also starting to feel homesick and missed the old folks back in the village.

The plan had been settled, but Mrs. He never expected that when she went out to buy groceries that afternoon, she would actually run into Gu Yuwei on the street.

The two walked toward each other, and upon seeing one another, both paused, a look of disbelief on their faces.

The moment Gu Yuwei saw Mrs. He, her instinct was to run, but Mrs. He grabbed her by the arm.