Chapter 696 Liu Ping'an 2
Liu Pingan finished a busy day, dragged his slightly tired body, and slowly walked towards the courtyard. When he finally returned to the courtyard, the last ray of sunset in the sky had gradually disappeared, and the sky was already dark.
In front of the ancient but unique door of the courtyard, a pair of red lanterns swayed gently in the evening breeze, like two quiet dancers dancing in the breeze. The dim light shined through the thin lampshade of the lantern and gently sprinkled on the stone steps in front of the door with traces of time, reflecting a warm and hazy halo, as if covering the entrance of the courtyard with a layer of dreamy veil, making the whole atmosphere become particularly warm.
He stretched out his hand and gently pushed open the familiar vermilion lacquered door. With a slight "creak" sound, the laughter and joy in the yard instantly flooded into his ears like a tide, mixed with the childish babbling voices of children. This sound was like the most beautiful note, filling the courtyard with life and vigor.
"You're back Ping'an!" Zhang Guifang, who was picking vegetables under the grape trellis, heard the door open and subconsciously looked up. She saw her son at a glance and a bright smile immediately bloomed on her face like a blooming flower. That smile was full of love and joy. "I've finally been waiting for you to come back. You didn't know that Xiao Yuelai was very naughty today. He refused to sleep well the whole day and made me, your father and your mother very upset." As she spoke, she did not forget to put the picked vegetables into the basket beside her, but her eyes never left Liu Ping'an's figure.
When Liu Ping'an heard his mother's words, he responded with a gentle smile on his face. Then his eyes, like a nimble bird, passed over his mother and looked towards the lively scene in the yard.
Grandpa and grandma were sitting at the quaint stone table, teasing Liu Yuelai in the walker with a smile on their faces. The little guy, wearing a festive red bellyband, had a rosy face like a ripe apple, and his chubby hands tightly grasped the railing of the walker. His two legs were kicking and swaying as he tried to move forward. He looked so cute, and he kept making "baby" sounds, as if he was telling his grandpa and grandma about his eagerness to explore the world, which made the two old people laugh. The hearty laughter echoed in the yard, immersing the whole courtyard in this rich family happiness.
"Dad, Mom, I'm back." Liu Ping'an said as he quickened his pace and walked forward with a friendly smile on his face. He first greeted his father Liu Jianjun respectfully, his voice full of respect for his father. Then, he turned his eyes to his uncle and aunt, the smile on his face became more intense, and he exchanged a few words with them warmly, his words full of concern and greetings. Then, he turned around and nodded in the direction of his uncle and aunt, and when their eyes met, they conveyed a strong sense of family affection and harmony.
At this time, Xiaoxia and Xiaoyan were surrounding the cute walker. The two of them were like two guardian angels, with their eyes full of doting. They each held a colorful rattle in their hands, shaking it gently and rhythmically. The rattle made a crisp sound of "dong dong dong", as if it had magical power, attracting Liu Yuelai in the walker. The little guy's attention was immediately attracted, his eyes widened, looking at the rattle curiously, and from time to time he stretched out his little hand to try to reach it, shouting "ya ya ya", not to mention how interesting it was. On the other side, Xiaoqiang and Xiaotao, two energetic little guys, were chasing each other in the yard. Their laughter echoed in the yard like silver bells, and a small breeze was raised where they ran past. The wind seemed to be mixed with their happy breath. The two of them were having a lot of fun, as if the whole world had become their happy playground.
At this moment, Qin Jingru came out of the kitchen, holding a plate of freshly cooked dishes in her hands. The dishes were still steaming, and the aroma instantly filled the entire yard, making people drool. Qin Jingru raised her eyes and saw Liu Ping'an. Her eyes suddenly lit up, her face full of surprise, and she hurriedly said: "You are finally back. Is the factory busy today? You must be very tired after a day. Wash your hands quickly, and we will prepare to eat. We have made a lot of delicious food today." As she spoke, she gestured to the place where the wash basin was placed in the room, her eyes full of concern for Liu Ping'an.
Before long, the family sat around the simple and elegant eight-immortal table in a lively atmosphere. The eight-immortal table was placed steadily in the middle of the room. The table was already filled with sumptuous dishes. Look, there is the braised pork that Zhang Guifang is good at. The pieces of braised pork are bright red and shiny, as if telling of its deliciousness. Just looking at it makes people salivate. There are also the hot and sour potato shreds carefully made by Qin Jingru. The potato shreds are cut into uniform thickness and fried crispy. With the right hot and sour taste, one bite will definitely whet your appetite. There are also the braised pork elbows brought by Aunt San. The skin of the elbows is braised to be soft and tasty, with a strong aroma of sauce. The meat inside is even more tender and juicy, as if it will melt in your mouth with a light bite. Liu Ping'an looked at the table full of delicious food, then turned his head to look at his harmonious and happy family members around him. His heart felt like a warm spring was flowing slowly, and a strong warm current surged up. The warm current spread throughout his body, making him feel extremely happy at the moment, as if all his fatigue had disappeared at this moment.
"Ping'an, I heard that your farm has been doing well recently?" Grandpa put down the wine glass in his hand, the wine in the glass was still swaying slightly. He had a kind smile on his face and his eyes narrowed into slits. He asked Liu Ping'an expectantly, his eyes revealing concern and curiosity about Liu Ping'an's career.
Liu Ping'an nodded slightly, with a humble and proud look on his face. After clearing his throat, he began to talk about the recent details of the farm in an orderly manner. His voice was neither hurried nor slow, spreading slowly in this warm house, as if he was telling a story full of hope and struggle.
"Dad, Mom, third uncle, third aunt, eldest uncle and aunt, this is the case. Some time ago, the wheat seedlings on our farm were troubled by diseases and pests, which made everyone very anxious. But fortunately, we did not lose heart. I took several skilled craftsmen from the farm, as well as those young and energetic guys, to run to the wheat fields every day, carefully checking the condition of the wheat seedlings and consulting agricultural experts. After some effort, we finally found the right treatment method. Now, the wheat seedlings have been cured of diseases and pests, and each plant has become green again, and it looks particularly energetic." Speaking of this, Liu Ping'an's eyes were full of relief, as if the scene of the vibrant wheat fields appeared before his eyes.
"Also, the fence surrounding the farm was damaged in many places due to wind and sun. This is not conducive to our management of the farm, and there are also some safety hazards. So, we arranged people, purchased new materials, and spent a lot of time repairing the fence. Now it looks very solid and neat, just like a solid protective wall for our farm." As he spoke, he gestured to the fence with his hands, and described it vividly.
"Oh, by the way, there is also the oxygenation equipment. It is a key piece of equipment that affects the growth of fish in our farm's fish pond. The previous equipment had been used for a long time and was always breaking down. This time we specially invited professional technicians to help with the installation and debugging, and successfully replaced the new oxygenation equipment. Now the fish in the fish pond are very happy, swimming freely in the water." Liu Ping'an became more and more excited as he spoke, his face filled with a sense of accomplishment.
Grandpa sat there, listening and nodding his head. His wrinkled face was full of smiles, and his eyes showed infinite longing for the future of the farm. He kept saying, "Great, great, our Qinjia Village has hope. If this farm develops well, our whole village will benefit from it. It's really a happy thing."
"Ping An, you have to work hard." The uncle looked serious and expectant. He stretched out his thick palm and patted his shoulder heavily. The force seemed to convey the trust and expectations of the whole family. "Our Liu family is counting on you to set a good example for the village. What you are doing now is of great significance. Everyone is watching. You have to keep working hard."
Liu Pingan quickly agreed with a smile, saying, "Uncle, don't worry, I will definitely do my best and live up to everyone's expectations." But in his heart, he had already started thinking about tomorrow's affairs. He thought that he had to go back to the factory tomorrow. After all, the factory was also very concerned about the development of the farm. He had to report the current progress of the farm to the leaders and talk about the achievements in detail so that the leaders would have an idea. Moreover, he had to strive for more support, whether it was in terms of funds, technology, or manpower. As long as he could strive for more, the subsequent development of the farm would be able to reach a higher level. But today, looking at the harmonious and loving family in front of him, he just wanted to put those work things behind him, spend time with his family, and enjoy this rare warm time.
After dinner, the night had completely enveloped the earth, and the breeze blew gently, bringing a hint of coolness.
The family walked into the yard one after another, sat on the comfortable chairs, and enjoyed the cool breeze. Liu Yuelai had fallen asleep sweetly in Liu Ping'an's arms, her little face was rosy, like a ripe apple, with a faint milky fragrance, she looked so cute that people couldn't help but feel pity for her.
Qin Jingru leaned gently against Liu Ping'an, slowly reached out her hand, gently held Liu Ping'an's hand, tilted her head slightly, with an expression of expectation and a little worry, and asked softly: "Ping'an, do you think our farm can really become a model of rural revitalization as you said? Sometimes I feel unsure in my heart, after all, this is not an easy thing, but I really hope it can succeed, please tell me about it."
Liu Ping'an raised his head slightly, his eyes passed over the quaint eaves of the courtyard and looked into the distant night sky.
In the night sky, the stars are twinkling, like countless bright gems inlaid on the black silk. They are bright or dim, blinking, as if telling a mysterious story in the universe. Liu Ping'an's eyes are full of determination, which is the light of confidence in the future. He just quietly looks at the twinkling stars in the distance, as if he has drawn endless strength from the vast stars. Then, he nodded firmly, and said in a steady and powerful tone: "It can be done. As long as we all work together, there is nothing impossible. Our Qinjia Village farm carries the hopes of all of us. As long as we think in one direction and work together, we will find ways to overcome difficulties together. Whether it is the current development problems or the various situations that may be encountered in the future, they will be solved smoothly. Our farm will definitely become more and more prosperous and become a good example of rural revitalization."
At this moment, Third Aunt seemed to be suddenly struck by an idea. Her eyes suddenly lit up. She smiled and patted her thigh, then said: "By the way, Ping'an, Xiao Yuelai will be one year old soon. Time has passed so quickly. It feels like the blink of an eye. How do you plan to celebrate his birthday? This is a big happy event for our family, so we have to plan it carefully." As Third Aunt spoke, she looked at the family members around her, her face full of anticipation, and she seemed to be eager to participate in the preparations for this birthday.
Auntie San's words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly causing ripples among the family members and reminding everyone at once.
Guifang was originally sitting on a chair, squinting her eyes and enjoying the comfort of the night. When she heard this, she immediately became energetic. She straightened her back at once, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and she kept saying, "Yes, yes, this is a big happy event for our family, we can't be careless. I think it would be great to hold a lively birthday party in our courtyard. We can invite all relatives and friends, and everyone will get together, it will be lively and there will be a great atmosphere. When the time comes, we can hang some festive ribbons and decorate this place beautifully, just like the Chinese New Year. And set out several tables of delicious food so that everyone can eat happily and celebrate our little Yuelai's first birthday."
Zhang Guifang became more and more excited as she spoke, as if she had already seen the lively birthday party scene, and the smile on her face never disappeared.