Chapter 187

When the lunch feast began at noon, Xu Ran said something to express his gratitude. Of course, these people probably liked his last remark the most, which was “Please enjoy the lunch”.

Xu Ran couldn’t find time to eat, so he asked Liu Tong to accompany the Qin family and Housekeeper Zhuo as well as the others, while he himself was bustling around.

There were two rounds of lunch feasts. Even during the second round, all tables were full and there was no empty seat.

Those who had finished eating said goodbye to Xu Ran and went home. Then those who hadn’t started eating started to eat. From what was left on the table, Xu Ran reckoned that the villagers should have been quite satisfied with the feast this time.

When the lunch feast was over, Wu Mei and the others came to clean up the tables. The village head pulled Xu Ran aside and showed him the list of presents. Xu Ran glanced it over and found that the amount of money he converted from the presents he had received was no more than half of what he had spent.

Fortunately, he was doing it for the 100-day celebration of Baozi, not to collect money, otherwise he might have been so angry that he would vomit blood.

The present list was long but no one sent cash. Xu Ran put it away and said to the village head, “Thank you so much, village head. Thank you for your hard work for the whole morning. Have dinner at my house tonight! I also have guests tonight. The more the merrier.”

The village head didn’t refuse, “Alright, I’ll go back for now and come back at night. Entertain your guests! They don’t look like ordinary people.”

Xu Ran smiled, “You are joking. I’m just a peasant. Even if I want to know extraordinary people, I can never!”

The village head smiled without saying a word.

It was after Xu Ran saw the village head off that he could finally greet Qin Shuwu and the others.

However, once he greeted them, Qin Shuwu said that he was going back.

Xu Ran said, “Are you blaming me for not treating you well? Why are you leaving right after you finished lunch? Even if you won’t stay overnight, you have to stay a little longer!”

Qin Shuwu said, “No, I really have something to do. Since the renovation is done and you have also sent the wooden shelf over, I have to go back and get it done as soon as possible. Dad and daddy will spend the night here, and you have to take good care of them.”

Xu Ran smiled, “Brother Qin, what are you talking about? Those are my sworn dad and daddy, so that’s what I should do. Since you really have something important to do, I won’t ask you to stay.”

Once Xu Ran finished his words, Mr. Chen took out a piece of note from his top pocket, “Xu Ran! I came halfway, so I didn’t prepare any gifts for the child. Take this money as my red packet money for the child.”

Xu Ran pushed the note back, “Mr. Chen, what are you doing? I’m already very happy that you are here. Don’t say anything else.”

Mr. Chen said, “Xu Ran, we’ve known each other for almost two years! Thanks to you, my restaurant business has got better and better over the past two years. Apart from anything else, I have to attend the 100-day celebration of your child. The only thing is that you actually didn’t tell me about it. Today, you must take my note, no matter what. If you don’t take it, you are looking down on me.”

Xu Ran’s face was full of embarrassment. He had never seen anyone forcing someone else to take money, and it was such a terrible excuse. However, the most important thing was that, it worked! With so many people here, Xu Ran definitely couldn’t refuse Mr. Chen on the table.

Xu Ran felt helpless, took over the note and said, “I thank you, Mr. Chen, on behalf of Baozi. Mr. Chen, just rest assured. In the future, as long as I have mountain products for sale, the first one I will think of is still you.”

Mr. Chen smiled, “Since you said that, then I’m relieved. I’m leaving. The restaurant can’t be left without anyone looking after it all day long.”

“And me, and me, Xu Ran! I’m leaving too. I don’t have anything good for you. I’ll just give you a 100-year ginseng! I originally wanted to bring it to the hospital for sale today, but before I went to the hospital, I came here.” After that, Doctor He took out a 100-year ginseng from his top pocket.

Probably, only Dr. He would take a 100-year ginseng with him like this!

Just as Xu Ran was about to refuse, Doctor He spoke again, “Xu Ran, since you’ve already accepted Old Chen’s present, you can’t just refuse mine. If you don’t accept it, I won’t leave today.”

Xu Ran, “…” ‘Actually I’m not afraid of that. I have enough food and room for you in my house…’

Before Xu Ran could speak, Mr. Chen leaned over and whispered in Doctor He’s ear.

Then Xu Ran heard something else from Doctor He soon, which was obviously from Mr. Chen. Doctor He might have just recited it all.

Xu Ran smiled, “Fine, fine. Doctor He, I will take your ginseng too. I thank you on behalf of Baozi.”

After Xu Ran accepted it, Doctor He was satisfied. He said, “I’m leaving with Old Chen and the others. By the way, I’ll get even with that Qin on the way.”

Dr. He was obsessed. Xu Ran even started to wonder if Qin Shuwu had betrayed Doctor He when he was young.

Of course, that thought just crossed Xu Ran’s mind. After all, there were not so many men who liked men.

Qin Shuwu’s brothers, Housekeeper Zhuo and the shopkeeper, were also leaving. Anyway, only the old Qin couple would stay in the end.

Xu Ran thought that it was good for them to leave together, so that they could take care of each other on the road. After all, except for Qin Shuwu and the shopkeeper, it was the first time for the rest to ever visit Xu Village.

Xu Ran sent everyone outside the door, and didn’t come back until the carriages went far away.

Qin Shuwu and the others hadn’t given Xu Ran anything. He might have either given something to Liu Tong or the child.

Xu Ran already felt very happy that they had come.

After seeing off the guests, Xu Ran still had a lot of business to attend to. He had to deal with the leftovers in the kitchen, and return all the tables, chairs, bowls and chopsticks that he had borrowed.

He also needed to give red packets to Wu Mei and the others. Anyway, Xu Ran had to bustle around the rest of the day except for sleep time.

After working for a while, Xu Ran remembered that he hadn’t seen his children, Lin Hua or any other one. He went to ask Liu Tong where they were.

Liu Tong said, “They couldn’t just sit there doing nothing. After lunch, they asked Tangtang and Guoguo to take them up to the mountain. It’s spring now. Many trees on the mountain are blooming. It’s great for them to watch.”

Xu Ran nodded, indicating that he got it. He thought that since his two children were with them, there should not be any problem, so he went back to work on his own business.

It was when it got dark that Lin Hua and the others came back. The food was ready. Those who should appear appeared too. Everyone was waiting for them.

Lin Hua looked a little embarrassed and was limping.

Xu Ran saw it when he opened the door. He asked Lin Hua, “What happened? How did you make yourself like this on the mountain?”

Lin Hua gave a bitter smile, “I didn’t pay attention while walking down the mountain. I slipped and fell.”

Xu Ran smiled unkindly, “Bro! It’s better for you not to go to the mountain. I wanted to take you to town tomorrow, but I didn’t expect you to turn yourself this way. Just rest at home tomorrow! I’ll only take Zhao Chen to town.”

After that, Xu Ran started laughing again.

Lin Hua stretched out his injured ankle in front of Xu Ran, “Didn’t you see that I’m injured? Are we still friends! I’m injured yet you are laughing so happily!”

Xu Ran pointed at Lin Hua’s ankle, “Come on. How serious could it be since you walked home yourself? Besides, it was because you didn’t pay attention while walking that you fell. I don’t feel for you. But no worries. I’m a kind person, and I will offer white wine at night for you to rub your ankle. Maybe you will get well tomorrow.”

Although his previous words made Lin Hua angry, Lin Hua decided to be magnanimous on this for the sake of Xu Ran’s last remark and not bother with him.

They had been at the door for a little while. It was when Liu Tong came out to call them for dinner that Lin Hua limped inside the house. Zhao Chen wanted to help him but Lin Hua refused him, “Xu Ran is right. It’s not that serious. But if you help me, I would feel that I’m seriously injured. That’s not Okay. I still hope that I will get well tomorrow morning.”

Zhao Chen looked at him, speechless. But when he saw that Lin Hua didn’t really need help, he withdrew his hands.

When Lin Hua limped to the table, he was greeted by everyone present.

Although he felt embarrassed, Lin Hua still told the truth. After all, there were elders there.

There were two more people tonight. After dinner, they got together. Xu Ran thought that they needed to do something to spend the night. However, there were so many people and the age gap was big, so the only thing he could think of was story-telling.

But this time, Xu Ran wouldn’t tell stories in China’s Four Great Classic Novels, but suspense stories.

“Young Judge Bao Qingtian” was one of Xu Ran’s favorite suspense dramas. After all, there were only a few decent Chinese suspense dramas, and Xu Ran could count them on one hand.

Xu Ran remembered when he had been obsessed with “Young Judge Bao Qingtian”. He had sat in front of the TV and watched it alone in the daytime. Then during night time, he couldn’t help but think too much about the scenes he had watched in TV. He had been too frightened to sleep.

However, this had not stopped him. The next day, he would have kept watching. He even admired his own courage then.

Before Xu Ran told the story, he said frankly, “If you think you will be scared, don’t listen to me. I’m afraid you won’t sleep well at night. What’s important is that I’m afraid you won’t dare to get up and go to the toilet tonight.”

Lin Hua waved his hand, “Just tell the story! How old are we? We’re not afraid of it. Besides, it’s not true. What’s there to be afraid of?”

While the others stared at Xu Ran with the same look on their faces.

Xu Ran said, “You want to listen to the story yourselves. Don’t blame me tomorrow.” After that, Xu Ran smiled, as if something wicked was brewing up in his mind.

Seeing that no one objected to it, Xu Ran began to tell the story slowly.