CHAPTER 448: CHAPTER 100: SON-IN-LAW VISITS, JOY ABOUNDS_4

Ning Yuhuan’s father is also a hospitable person.

"Dad, brother-in-law bought us so many gifts!" An’an excitedly exclaimed.

Next to them, Suisui started to describe the gifts, but he could only mention toys, snacks, and clothes. He didn’t really know the specific names of the gifts, like Gundam and such.

"Dad saw them. Lin really spent too much!"

Ning Haifeng felt somewhat embarrassed. Being from a rural background, many honest folks are not keen on sons-in-law bringing too many gifts when visiting, as it makes it hard to reciprocate.

"Uncle, it’s my first visit, please be understanding."

"Uncle was worried you might not be comfortable here!"

Ning Haifeng wanted to pour tea for Xu Lin.

Xu Lin stopped him, "Uncle, let me do it."

Saying this, Xu Lin took Ning Haifeng’s teapot, which had just been boiled and was still steaming.

Xu Lin first poured a cup for Ning Haifeng, and then poured one for himself.

Seeing this, Ning Haifeng was very touched, as he hadn’t expected Xu Lin to pour tea for him first.

"Lin, I heard from Hanhan that you drove over from Jiangdu yesterday morning? I think that drive takes over ten hours."

"Yes."

"Were you tired? Driving such a long distance."

"It was alright, not too far, and I found a place to rest last night."

Xu Lin couldn’t very well say he had an unusually strong constitution.

"That’s good."

The two casually chatted in the living room.

Generally speaking, when the son-in-law visits, the father-in-law and mother-in-law would more or less ask about what the other family does, weighing the other family’s background.

But Ning Haifeng didn’t ask. He just talked about his work today and what he generally does.

Ning Haifeng used to work as a repairman at a repair company, taking company assignments to repair air conditioners and pipes in the city. Later, he ventured out on his own, and due to his skills and somewhat known reputation, many people sought him for work. As time passed, Ning Haifeng’s reputation grew, and now, in this small county, he earns over ten thousand a month, and this month near the New Year, he estimates it could reach twenty thousand.

Such repair masters, if they have the skills, indeed do well and never worry about lacking work. Sometimes appointments with them have to be scheduled quite ahead.

That’s how Ning Haifeng slowly improved the family’s circumstances, and they’re preparing to finish paying the mortgage.

He initially paid a ten thousand down payment for his house, with a total price of around thirty thousand.

"Next year, Suisui and An’an are preparing to start elementary school. I’ve got to send them to school in the county, hoping for a good beginning. When Hanhan was young, our family didn’t have much means, and she attended a rural elementary school, missing out and lagging behind in basics."

Xu Lin nodded along, "Indeed, the county is much better, rural areas have too few educational resources now. What about over in Duanzhou?"

Here is Guangning County, under Duanzhou’s administration. A prefecture-level city’s educational resources definitely surpass a county’s, and overall, children’s quality is higher, with a good environment offering better development for them.

"Over there is too far, inconvenient. But for junior high, I’ll send both of them there for school. The education resources there are better, or when they apply for high school, if both of them perform well. There are two key high schools there, and if their grades meet the mark, they can attend."

Both Ning Haifeng and Wu Xiulin suffered from having too little education. Both came from rural families; Ning Haifeng graduated from junior high, and Wu Xiulin graduated from high school. In their era, it wasn’t easy for rural folks to study through junior high, let alone high school.

Hence, they wanted their kids to attend school well, no matter what.

"Hanhan has a high learning aptitude, so it’s likely Suisui and An’an won’t lag behind either."

Xu Lin gently squeezed the little faces of the two children.

"Haha, hopefully," Ning Haifeng also affectionately patted his children’s little heads.

The father-in-law and son-in-law chatted in the living room while Wu Xiulin and Ning Yuhuan cooked in the kitchen.

Soon, it was time to eat.

Tonight’s meal was even more sumptuous, with five dishes and two soups. It was home-cooked, quite different from the day’s meals, along with a dish of pork bone soup. Under Wu Xiulin’s exceptional culinary skills, Xu Lin was quite eager to eat.

"Auntie’s cooking is really good!"

Xu Lin couldn’t help but say.

"Lin, eat more!"

Ning Haifeng laughed, taking out a bottle of homemade grain alcohol.

"I usually drink a bit of alcohol occasionally, not addicted. Lin, would you like some? We made this ourselves!"

When the son-in-law visited, Ning Haifeng couldn’t help bringing out his homemade specialty.

"I’ll try a cup!" Xu Lin was quite interested, having never tried homemade alcohol, only the industrial stuff from outside.

Some homemade rural foods have great flavors, like cured meat, dried fish, sour pickles, and sour beans. Especially sour pickles and sour beans, these things aren’t necessarily reproduced well in cities.

Tonight, Wu Xiulin opened her homemade sour beans, which involved rubbing beans with fine salt, putting them in a pickle jar, and sealing them for at least half a month, resulting in delicious sour beans.

Xu Lin tasted them tonight.

At this time, Ning Haifeng poured Xu Lin a cup of alcohol.

Ning Yuhuan reminded, "Just one cup, don’t drink too much."

"It’s fine, just tasting," Xu Lin smiled.

Wu Xiulin also said, "Drinking leads to mistakes, but a little is fine, just savoring the taste, eat more food and rice."

"Auntie, I understand."

Soon, Xu Lin tasted the alcohol made by Ning Haifeng.

This alcohol had a slightly higher proof, and indeed tasted quite good.

"Lin, how does it feel?"

"I think it’s quite good, really hits the spot!"

"Dad, I want to drink alcohol too!"

Suisui, seeing Xu Lin and Ning Haifeng savoring the alcohol, couldn’t help but shout.

Ning Haifeng gently responded, "No, wait until you’re grown up. Children can drink beverages."

"Alcohol isn’t a good thing. When you grow up, you can drink, but not too much, only occasionally taste it, understand?"

Xu Lin chimed in.

"Okay!" Suisui earnestly nodded.

"Brother-in-law, eat some meat!"

On the other side, An’an passed Xu Lin a piece of beef.

"An’an is so good!"

"Brother-in-law, let me also give you some!"

Suisui stood up on the chair, trying to pass Xu Lin food, but his arms were too short, and couldn’t reach, making everyone laugh.

Dinner passed in this joyful atmosphere.