Chapter 77: Why Are You So Stubborn?!

Wang Dahai, the elder in Li Xiangdong’s words, felt his heart warm after hearing his speech.

He thought to himself, this kid Dongzi is a good one, and he couldn’t let him suffer too much of a loss.

Thinking again of the pre-Qingming Longjing tea Li Xiangdong had just mentioned, he stood up and walked towards his locker. He took out a can of tea leaves from inside and strode over to Li Xiangdong.

“Dongzi, take this can of tea and drink it.”

Wang Dahai said as he tried to stuff it into Li Xiangdong’s hands.

“Uncle Hai, I wasn’t after your things.”

Li Xiangdong pushed against Wang Dahai’s hand and took two steps back.

“What are you talking about? Come over here and take it! Do you think Uncle Hai is stingy, only willing to give you one can of tea?”

As Wang Dahai spoke, he took out several meat tickets from his pocket. “The kids at home are lacking meat, right? You just started working and haven’t managed to trade for any good stuff. Take these few meat tickets, go buy some meat, and bring it back to supplement the kids’ nutrition.”

Seeing him not move, Wang Dahai took two steps forward, staring at him with eyes as big as a bull’s. “Take it!”

This sudden shout startled Li Xiangdong. “Uncle Hai, one can of tea is enough. You should take the meat tickets back.”

“Take them!”

Wang Dahai stuffed them directly into his pocket. “Dongzi, it’s not that Uncle Hai is criticizing you, but why are you so stubborn? Do I have to stuff them in your pocket for you to take them! You can’t refuse when an elder gives you something, you understand?”

“I understand, Uncle Hai. Thank you.”

Li Xiangdong had initially just wanted to do a favor; he never expected to get an unexpected reward.

Now, holding a can of tea in his hand and with several extra meat tickets in his pocket, he felt wonderful.

“That’s more like it.”

Wang Dahai patted Li Xiangdong’s shoulder and looked at his apprentice, Erguaizi, asking, “Aren’t you going to show some appreciation?”

“Yes, of course, Master.”

Erguaizi took out two oil tickets from his pocket. “Brother Dong, take these.”

“If you dare refuse again, I’ll punch you!”

Wang Dahai took the two oil tickets from Erguaizi on Li Xiangdong’s behalf. “Put them away properly!”

“Thank you, Uncle Hai, and thank you too, Erguaizi.”

Li Xiangdong, being a considerate person, certainly couldn’t let his Uncle Hai be in a difficult position forever. He reached out, took the oil tickets, and put them in his pocket.

Liu Erdan, who had been watching the whole time, was not happy. “Uncle Hai, aren’t you going too far? Dongzi is partnered with our family’s Hou San. You can’t just have eyes for one person!”

Hearing this, Wang Dahai was momentarily at a loss. It wasn’t intentional; he had just habitually overlooked Hou San.

It was just that he only had two boxes of tea in his locker. He had given one to Hou Jianshe yesterday, and the other he had just given to Li Xiangdong. Moreover, the only hard currency he had on him, the meat tickets, had all been stuffed into Li Xiangdong’s pocket.

“San’er, Uncle Hai doesn’t have any good things on him right now. I’ll make it up to you later, okay?”

“Oh.”

Hou San’s head drooped, and he sniffled, looking extremely wronged.

“You… you.”

Seeing his expression, Wang Dahai felt a little embarrassed. He thought for a moment and said, “How about this, San’er? Next time your dad wants to beat you, you run to our office. How about Uncle Hai blocks for you once?”

Hearing this excuse meant to fool a child, Liu Erdan was just about to refuse on behalf of his brother-in-law.

But Hou San, standing next to him, was so excited he was about to jump. His eyes darted around. “Uncle Hai, once is not enough. You have to block for me at least twice!”

Wang Dahai smiled and nodded, saying very readily, “Alright, then it’s a deal between us. No one can go back on their word.”

Hou San chuckled, “Whoever goes back on their word is a puppy.”

Liu Erdan propped his elbows on the table and rubbed his face hard. He could only force a bitter smile and shake his head.

Hou San, enjoying himself, glanced over and fixed his small eyes on Erguaizi, who was secretly laughing on the side. “Erguaizi, Uncle Hai has promised to help me. What about you?”

“Hou San, don’t look at me. I can’t afford to offend your dad!”

Erguaizi almost jumped up. He wasn’t his master, Wang Dahai. He didn’t have that kind of face in front of Hou Jianshe.

“How about I give you two oil tickets too?”

As he spoke, Erguaizi took out two half-city-jin Beijing-area oil tickets from his pocket.

“Give them to me.”

Liu Erdan intercepted them halfway, snatching the oil tickets and putting them into his own pocket.

Hou San watched the two oil tickets disappear before his eyes. He thought he had taken advantage of Wang Dahai and his apprentice just like his Brother Dong.

But he hadn’t gotten anything in his hands. He felt something was not right. His eyes turned to his brother-in-law, Liu Erdan.

“Ahem, what are you looking at? What if you take them and lose them? Besides, I’m taking these two oil tickets to make delicious food for your nephew. I’m not lying to you, brother-in-law. I’ll fry meatballs for your nephew tonight when I get back.”

Liu Erdan explained to Hou San with a red face.

“Mmm.”

Only then did Hou San nod in satisfaction. “Brother-in-law, you should eat fewer of the fried meatballs. My nephew has gotten thin.”

“Your nephew is having a growth spurt. If you don’t understand, don’t talk nonsense.”

Liu Erdan waved his hand, telling Hou San to stop talking.

After dealing with Hou San, Liu Erdan looked at Wang Dahai and said, “Uncle Hai, you’ve been pestering me for a whole day about the shift change. Now that Dongzi and Hou San have agreed to go to Shandong for you, you should be satisfied. Go home quickly, don’t let Auntie worry.”

“It is time to go home for dinner.”

Wang Dahai raised his wrist to look at the time and called for his apprentice Erguaizi to go home.

Li Xiangdong picked up a few packages of dough twists and hurried forward. “Uncle Hai, this is a small token from me, your junior.”

Wang Dahai took the dough twists, walked back, and put them on the office desk. “You child, you’re too honest. I already said you don’t need to give them to us. Why won’t you listen!”

He walked out as he spoke. “You’re so honest it makes me anxious. Erguaizi, what are you still looking at? Hurry up and follow me.”

With a *bang*, the office door was closed.

“Erguaizi, can’t you learn from Dongzi? Why are you so full of crafty ideas all day long?!”

Standing at the door, Li Xiangdong couldn’t help but want to laugh as he heard Wang Dahai, through the door, still using him as an example to lecture Erguaizi in the hallway.

“Dongzi, now that it’s just the three of us, tell me the truth. Why did you help Wang Dahai? You’re not a fool; you definitely understand the ins and outs of this.”

Liu Erdan’s gaze was full of scrutiny as he looked at Li Xiangdong.

“Team Leader Liu, I really can’t hide anything from you.”

Li Xiangdong’s face first showed a look of conflict, then suddenly, as if he had come to a realization, he sighed and repeated the previously discussed excuse to Liu Erdan.

Liu Erdan was very surprised after hearing it. He asked incredulously, “You did this just to help a friend?”

Seeing Li Xiangdong nod, he took a sip of the tea Hou San had made for him. Although the tea was too strong and hard to swallow, he felt he needed a drink to calm himself down.

In this day and age, people like Li Xiangdong who were so loyal to their friends were becoming fewer and fewer