Volume 1, Chapter 63: Persuasion

Uncle Kun still had medicine plastered on his leg!
leaning on a stick, he stood at the doorway, gazing down the roadside.
For years, they had only kept in touch by phone; he had never seen his son in person!
Even with modern technological advances allowing video chats, he had never made a video call with his son.
That was because he was still using an old-fashioned basic cell phone!
Seeing three people laughing and running toward him, Uncle Kun was visibly excited!
"Dad!"
"It's good that you're back. Let's go inside first!"
The father and son did not have many words.
Although each of them was deeply moved inside, they both hid that intense emotion deep in their hearts!
"I'll stir-fry a few dishes this afternoon, the three of you can have a few drinks together!"
This was an old custom in the village.
No matter who it was, when someone returned home from working away, they would invite a few good friends over, host a meal, and catch up on old times!
Meng Yingcai didn't move, while Guo Dong and Li Tianhu dropped their luggage in the courtyard and ran over as well.
"Dad, let me introduce someone to you!"
Uncle Kun smiled: "We'll talk about it once we're inside!"
To everyone's surprise, Meng Yingcai shook his head and looked back at Tian Fang, who had just walked up.
Taking Tian Fang by the hand, he said, "This is our dad!"
As soon as those words were spoken, Uncle Kun was stunned!
Standing there, his body trembling slightly, he suddenly didn't know what to say!
Taking a deep breath to keep his tears from falling, he repeatedly urged, "Let's go inside, go inside and talk!"
The dramatic scene expected did not happen.
Without even asking any questions, Uncle Kun had accepted Tian Fang just like that.
"Dad!"
Tian Fang stood there with a blushing face, following suit and calling him Dad.
After saying it aloud, her whole mood instantly improved.
"Uncle Kun, you guys chat first. We're going to the vegetable plot, and later you and Yingcai can go have a couple of drinks!"
Ignoring Li Tianhu's objection, Guo Dong half-pushed him away.
They needed to give this family some space; otherwise, having the rest of them hanging around here would be a bit awkward.
"Why are we going to the vegetable plot again? Didn't we agree on the fish pond?"
The moment they walked away, Li Tianhu started complaining.
"My dad is still at the fish pond, I need to go say hello!"
"What for?" Guo Dong pulled him along. "Are you afraid the fish are going to run away?"
"When I came back just now, I put two bottles of liquor in my car. Go get them, and by the way, bring back two cases of beer. We're having a barbecue today!"
Li Tianhu looked reluctant.
"I say, you kid really think you're a big boss now, don't you? Giving orders comes so naturally to you! Give me the keys!"

Despite saying that, Li Tianhu ran off anyway.
Buying beer! That definitely required a car!
Driving was his absolute favorite thing to do!
Tables, stools, and the barbecue grill were all fully prepared!
Taking whatever was missing, even Heizi the dog joined the helper brigade.
From time to time, it would trot over from home carrying a basket in its mouth, filled with bowls and chopsticks!
Steady and reliable, never making a single mistake!
Soon, as dusk approached, Li Tianhu drove back.
Cases of beer were unloaded from the car, and various side dishes were carried up the mountain.
Everything was ready, only to find that Meng Yingcai and Tian Fang hadn't arrived yet!
This made Li Tianhu extremely anxious, so he took out his phone and made several urging calls.
When the two of them finally reached the vegetable plot, they noticed that Tian Fang looked as though she had been crying.
Her eyes were red, and her spirits were somewhat low!
Guo Dong exchanged a glance with Meng Xiaohan, signaling her to find out what was going on!
"Guo Dong, why choose this place to eat?"
As soon as Meng Yingcai arrived, he began looking around.
The mountain was still the same mountain, but everything before his eyes was completely different from the past.
"This place is awfully eerie. Aren't you scared choosing to eat here?"
"Go on, go on! Not a single good word comes out of your mouth!
Guo Dong stays here every day and nothing ever happens to him.
Come over and help!"
Scolding him while carrying dishes to the table.
Soon, a table full of food was ready.
"I guarantee this meal will leave you completely satisfied!" Guo Dong said with a smile. "It tastes even better than the food at Xianghe Grand Hotel!"
"Stop bragging!"
"Bragging or not, you'll know once you try!
Let's make it clear first: everyone has to drink at least half a case today, no one leaves until they do!
I haven't had a drink all day, it's been driving me crazy!"
Guo Dong joked while secretly glancing over at Meng Xiaohan.
He didn't know why Tian Fang had been crying, but it was definitely related to Uncle Kun.
Though curious about other people's family matters, it wasn't his place to interfere.
The five young people took their seats and began to drink.
At that moment, Meng Xiaohan shook her head at Guo Dong.
She's fine!
Since she was fine, he could rest easy!
Before they had eaten much food, bottle after bottle of beer had already hit the bottom!

"How is it? The food tastes pretty good, right?"
Li Tianhu clinked glasses with Meng Yingcai, and a cup of beer went straight down his throat.
"You're not planning to leave again after this trip back, right?"
Meng Yingcai shook his head. "I'm leaving. Once the wedding is done, I'm heading back!"
"A wedding?" Li Tianhu froze, holding his cup in mid-air for a long time without putting it down.
"Yeah, a wedding. The main reason for coming back this time is to introduce Fangfang to the family, and we'll leave before the new year!"
As soon as those words were spoken, everyone fell silent, and the previous lively atmosphere vanished instantly.
"Have you been doing really well out there these past few years?"
Li Tianhu was rather blunt; he poured himself another glass and gulped it down in one go!
"It's alright, I can make seven or eight thousand a month!"
Ha!
Li Tianhu laughed. "You call seven or eight thousand 'alright'? I make even more than that driving a truck and hauling cargo.
Don't leave, stay and develop in the village. Right now, our village..."
"It's our village, it has nothing to do with you!" Guo Dong interrupted Li Tianhu.
"It's all the same, I count as part of it too!" Li Tianhu glared at Guo Dong irritably. "Right now, our village is just short of labor like yours."
"I have a family to support!" Meng Yingcai's expression turned somewhat unnatural as he turned to glance at Tian Fang. "I'm having a shotgun wedding now, and Fangfang's family doesn't even know about this!"
"What the heck!" Li Tianhu leaped to his feet. "Brother, you..."
Before he could finish, Guo Dong pulled him back down into his seat.
"I need money, I have to go out!"
Guo Dong nodded, raised his glass, and clinked it with him. "Does your dad know?"
"He knows!" Meng Yingcai's face looked a bit grim. "He doesn't agree. You guys know my situation. My dad is terrified of being cheated.
But Fangfang, she's not that kind of person. She's only nineteen, I have to take responsibility!"
Guo Dong didn't say anything and clinked glasses with him again.
"Fangfang's family lives too far from here, her parents definitely won't agree to us being together, so..."
Before he could finish, his voice grew somewhat hoarse!
A grown man, his eyes had turned red!
"Stay here. Working away only gets you seven or eight thousand a month.
I don't know what things are like out there, but that little money is definitely not enough for your living expenses.
If you stay, in less than two years, the share of money you get will definitely be more than what you make outside."
Once Guo Dong finished saying this, everyone turned their gaze toward him.
"No need to look at me like that. As long as we get our fruit planted, selling at dozens of yuan per catty, these mountains will be full of money.
In the past we didn't know how to utilize it, but now that we have the chance, why not seize it?"
Guo Dong drank as he persuaded him. "While I can't guarantee you'll get super rich, I can guarantee that staying home is better than struggling outside!"