Chapter 407: I'm Not My Father's Greatest Pride, I'm the Second Eldest Brother!

Chapter 407: I'm Not My Father's Greatest Pride, I'm the Second Eldest Brother!

At the restaurant.

Deng Shirong and others were having dinner.

Although this was the first time meeting his third son's female colleague, Pei Qinghua, Deng Shirong had already listed her as a potential daughter-in-law. Therefore, he was extremely enthusiastic towards her, and the topics of conversation were all centered around her.

Deng Yunsong was already fond of her, and he was even happier that his father felt the same way.

Naturally, the conversation flowed smoothly, and Deng Shirong controlled it well. It wasn't the kind of inquisitive chat, but rather started from the topic of Pei Qinghua's excellent academic performance, mentioned by his third son, discussing her growth from elementary school to university.

They also chatted the college admission situation, extending to the educational gap between Guangxi and the capital city.

As for Xiaodong, she was only responsible for eating, so such topics naturally weren't for her to participate in the discussion.

After finishing the meal, Pei Qinghua could clearly feel that this Deng uncle in front of her was a wise and enlightened elder, no wonder he could teach such an excellent son.

Leaving the restaurant, Deng Shirong said, "Xiaosong, I'll bring over the things you need. Now, let's go to the Sihai Restaurant."

"Dad, I know!" Deng Yunsong responded, then looked at Pei Qinghua and said, "Pei Chief, I mentioned before that I have a gift for you, let's go together and get it!"

Pei Qinghua hesitated, "This... Chief Deng, you going to give me something?"

Deng Yunsong smiled, "Actually, it's nothing much. Last time I mentioned our specialty, niuba. You said you wanted to taste it,. Just so happens, my dad knows how to make niuba. This time, he came to the capital and personally made a few niuba, along with some huishui, which is a must-have for our hometown. I'll give you some to taste."

Pei Qinghua was both surprised and moved, saying, "Chief Deng, when we chatted, you mentioned it so casually, and you even troubled Uncle to make it. This long journey, how can I possibly accept it!"

Deng Shirong smiled and responded, "Pei Chief, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. I love to think about making food. Making this niuba is a joy for me. I also made spicy and non-spicy flavors. Take them back and try them, see which flavor you like, and I'll make more for you."

Pei Qinghua wasn't the kind to be overly emotional. Since everything was already well-prepared, she didn't refuse, "Thank you, Uncle Deng."

"No need to be polite!"

Next, the few of them went to the bed in the restaurant.

Entering the restaurant room, they could see the very neatly packaged niuba and huishui inside.

Deng Shirong said, "There are 48 cans of niuba in total. Each bag contains 4 cans, half spicy and half non-spicy. The huishui are 30 in total."

Deng Yunsong took 4 bags, 16 cans of niuba, and 4 huishui, and handed them to Pei Qinghua, saying, "Pei Chief, these are all for you."

These things are quite heavy. One can of niuba is about 1.5 pounds, 16 cans together weigh about 24 pounds, and each huishui is 5 pounds, 4 together weigh 20 pounds, in total, 44 pounds, which is indeed quite heavy.

Pei Qinghua only took one bag of niuba and one huishui, saying, "Chief Deng, I don't need so many. These are enough for me. You must be planning to give these to your superiors and other colleagues, right?"

Deng Yunsong smiled and pushed the rest into her hands, saying, "For the superiors, but for colleagues, I only plan to give you. There's plenty left for the superiors, so don't be polite, take them all. You can take them back for your parents to taste."

Deng Shirong also persuaded, "Pei Chief, don't be polite, take them quickly. these are all my own, not something expensive."

Pei Qinghua couldn't refuse and replied, "Alright, thank you, Uncle Deng."

"No need to thank, Xiaosong, this thing is a bit heavy. You help Pei Chief take them back, and you can also tell her how to eat the huishui."

"Sure," Deng Yunsong responded.

Pei Qinghua immediately said, "Uncle Deng, I'll go home first. Tomorrow at noon, I'll treat you and Xiaodong to lunch."

Deng Shirong didn't mind and directly responded, "Alright."

Xiaodong sweetly said, "Aunt Pei, see you tomorrow."

Pei Qinghua also smiled and replied, "Yes, Xiaodong, see you tomorrow."

After greeting, Deng Yunsong carried the niuba and huishui, and sent Pei Qinghua back to her home.

Walking out of the restaurant, Pei Qinghua said, "Chief Deng, your father is really good to you. He must be your greatest pride, right?"

Deng Yunsong smiled, "Father is indeed good to me, but I'm not his greatest pride. My second eldest brother is."

Hearing this, Pei Qinghua couldn't help but be stunned, finding it hard to believe, "Chief Deng, you're not joking with me, right?"

"You are the top scorer in the college entrance exam in Guangxi and a high achiever at Tsinghua University. Now you work at the Ministry of Finance. Isn't that enough to make your father proud? What does your second eldest brother do?"

Deng Yunsong replied, "My second eldest brother is a high achiever from Peking University. After graduation, he entered the Planning Commission and now works in Fujian. He has already reached the level of Deputy Director-General."

Hearing this, Pei Qinghua was taken aback. It was already extremely difficult for one person from a family to be a high achiever at Tsinghua University, let alone another from Peking University?

Moreover, this Peking University high achiever was already at the Deputy Director-General level?

What kind of international joke was this?

"Chief Deng, how much older is your second eldest brother than you?"

"Four years older."

Pei Qinghua was genuinely stunned. She and Deng Yunsong were the same age, and their current rank was only at the Director level. She knew very well how far they were from reaching the Deputy Director-General level. Even if she were given ten years, she had no confidence in advancing to that rank.

And Deng Yunsong's second eldest brother, who was only four years older, had already reached the Deputy Director-General level. He was truly amazing.

Pei Qinghua said in amazement, "Chief Deng, no wonder you said your second eldest brother is your father's greatest pride. To reach the Deputy Director-General level at such a young age, that's incredible! Even with family connections, it wouldn't be that fast!"

Deng Yunsong smiled, "My father is a simple farmer, where would he have any connections? The reason my second eldest brother could rise so quickly is not only due to his strong work ability but also some fortunate coincidences. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to reach this level so quickly."

Pei Qinghua sighed, "Regardless of the reasons, being able to reach the Deputy Director-General level at such a young age is a skill in itself."

Deng Yunsong laughed, "Chief Pei, you're too kind."

Pei Qinghua said, "Chief Deng, it seems your family has a natural talent for studying. You and your second eldest brother are both so accomplished, and now Xiaodong is the top student in her grade. I believe she won't be any less successful in the future."

Deng Yunsong replied, "Xiaodong is still young, and it's hard to predict how she will do in the future. Especially after changing environments in middle school and high school, her grades could change significantly. Some people's grades improve, while others decline. It's still uncertain whether Xiaodong will improve or decline."

Pei Qinghua said, "That's true, but Xiaodong is so smart and quick-witted. I believe she will only get better."

Deng Yunsong said, "I hope so. My eldest brother failed to get into university when he took the college entrance exam because the number of university admissions was very limited back then. He has always regretted it. I hope my niece can get into a good university in the future to give my eldest brother some comfort."

Pei Qinghua asked, "Which year did your eldest brother take the college entrance exam?"

Deng Yunsong replied, "The year the college entrance exam was reinstated. The competition was extremely intense. My eldest brother was one of the top students in his class, but the high school in our commune had poor teaching quality. Only one or two students from the entire grade could get into university. My eldest brother didn't even make it into the top ten in the grade, so it was expected that he would fail."

Pei Qinghua asked, "Did your eldest brother choose to retake the exam after failing?"

Deng Yunsong shook his head, "No, my mother passed away early, and my father was raising us alone. He had to support all seven of us siblings, and the family's financial situation was not good. Even if my eldest brother had retaken the exam, there was no guarantee he would get into university, so he gave up on the idea."

Pei Qinghua said, "Back then, everyone's conditions were not good, but for your father to raise a family and still support all seven of you siblings to attend school is truly remarkable."

Deng Yunsong nodded, "My father, though a farmer, was one of the few in the village who valued education. He would do anything to support our education, even treating my two sisters equally. This was unprecedented in our village."

Pei Qinghua praised, "Uncle Deng is truly wise. No wonder he could raise you and your second eldest brother to be such pillars of the nation."

"Chief Pei, you're too kind!"

Deng Yunsong smiled and then said, "By the way, the huishui is a specialty from our hometown. You probably can't find it here. The way to eat it is simple: cut it into pieces about one centimeter thick, then fry it in a pan over low heat.

Fry until both sides are golden and puffed up, then sprinkle salt evenly on top and it's ready to eat.

If you prefer a sweet version, add sugar, melt it, and evenly coat the huishui."

Pei Qinghua noted down the method and asked, "Which one is better, the sweet or the salty?"

Deng Yunsong smiled, "It depends on personal preference. In our hometown, we often eat the salty version with tea, so most people prefer the salty one, which brings out the natural fragrance of the huishui.

The sweet version is also delicious. You can try both and see which one you like better."

Pei Qinghua nodded, "Alright, I'll try both."

The two continued chatting as they walked, soon arriving at the residential compound.

Before going upstairs, Pei Qinghua took the gifts from Deng Yunsong and looked into his eyes, saying, "Chief Deng, thank you for the gifts. I... really like them."

After saying that, Pei Qinghua took the gifts and hurriedly went upstairs.

Deng Yunsong watched Pei Qinghua, who seemed a bit different from usual, and felt that there was definitely a chance for them. He couldn't help but smile broadly. He only stopped when Pei Qinghua entered her apartment and then skipped off to the Sihai Restaurant.

He looked nothing like a section-level official; he seemed more like a child who hadn't grown up.

...

Sihai Restaurant.

Seeing his third son return, Deng Shirong, who had been curious all along, immediately asked, "Xiaosong, are you and this Chief Pei dating?"

Deng Yunsong replied, "We are still just colleagues for now. Dad, what do you think of her?"

Deng Shirong praised, "She's very good. High academic qualifications, excellent looks, and her manners and speech indicate a good upbringing. Her family background must be decent as well. As for her personality, I can't tell much since I just met her.

However, for you to bring her to meet me, I assume her personality is also very good.

Such an excellent young woman, and a colleague at that, is a perfect match. I think you like her, so go ahead and pursue her boldly!"

Encouraged by his father's approval, Deng Yunsong was very happy and nodded, "Okay, I will definitely try my best to win her over next year."

"Alright, I'll help you transport the rest of the niuba and huishui to your place. You can decide how to give them to your superiors."

"Dad, you rest. I'll call a car to help me transport them."

"Okay, I won't worry about it then."

...

The next day, after having lunch with his third son and Pei Qinghua, Deng Shirong took Xiaodong to visit various tourist sites.

The main attractions were Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and the Old Summer Palace. He also specially took Xiaodong to Tsinghua and Peking Universities, telling her that these were the universities where her second and third uncles studied, and encouraging her to work hard to get into these universities.

During this time, they were lucky enough to encounter a snowfall.

The snow continued for three days, and the sight of snowflakes dancing in the air was very novel for a southerner who had never seen snow. Xiaodong was overjoyed, dancing around and even building a snowman with her grandfather, having a wonderful time.

Originally, when his second son got married, his second son's superior, Zhao Jing, and classmate, Tang Mingjie, had said that if Deng Shirong ever came to the capital, they should definitely contact them for a chance to treat him.

Deng Shirong believed they were sincere, but he didn't like to trouble others, so he had no plans to contact them.

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

With the Spring Festival approaching, Deng Shirong decided to take Xiaodong back to their hometown for the New Year.

Before leaving, Deng Shirong, his third son, and Pei Qinghua had another meal together.

During the meal, Deng Shirong said to Pei Qinghua, "Chief Pei, the Spring Festival is just around the corner. I'll be taking Xiaodong back home tomorrow. If you have the chance, come and visit our hometown in Guangxi."

Pei Qinghua smiled, "Sure, Uncle Deng, I will definitely visit if I have the chance."

Xiaodong added, "Aunt Pei, we have a supermarket at home with lots of delicious food. If you come, I can treat you."

Pei Qinghua, being a true high-achiever of her time and with a good family background, naturally knew what a supermarket was. Hearing Xiaodong mention the supermarket, she had a sudden realization.

No wonder Deng Yunsong said his family's economic conditions were good; they must own a supermarket. That made sense.

Pei Qinghua smiled and said, "Thank you, Xiaodong."

...

The next day, Deng Shirong took Xiaodong and flew back to Nanning.

The tickets were arranged by his third son. Although his third son was only a section-level official, working at the Ministry of Finance gave him the ability to get an introduction letter to secure tickets for his father and niece.

When Deng Shirong and Xiaodong returned to their luxurious home at Wuyue Square, it was already the 26th day of the 12th lunar month.

Seeing her sister return, Dongzi eagerly ran over and asked, "Sister, you're back! Was Beijing fun?"

"It was amazing, really amazing!"

Xiaodong excitedly shared with her brother, "Dongzi, I went to see the universities where my second and third uncles studied. They were so beautiful! I want to go to such a university in the future.

Also, it snowed in Beijing. The snowflakes falling from the sky were so beautiful, and I even built a snowman with Grandpa!

We also visited the Forbidden City, where the emperors used to live, and Tiananmen Square..."

Dongzi felt more and more envious as he listened. He had been stuck at home doing homework while his sister was out exploring Beijing with their grandfather. The difference in treatment made him almost want to cry.

Xiaodong, noticing her brother's sad expression, stopped teasing him and patted his shoulder, encouraging him, "Dongzi, work hard next semester. That way, you can join Grandpa and me on our trips."

Dongzi sniffed, not very confidently responding, "Okay... I'll try!"

...

The 29th day of the 12th lunar month.

At 10 AM, a jeep stopped in front of the Ministry of Finance residential building in the capital city.

The car door opened, and a muscular, broad-shouldered man got out and walked into the residential complex. He easily navigated to the third floor of a certain building.

"Knock, knock, knock."

The man knocked on the door.

"I'm coming!"

Pei Qinghua opened the door and, seeing the man outside, immediately smiled, "Second Brother, why did you come so quickly!"

Pei Yuanba laughed, "Of course, I want to bring my little sister home for the New Year as soon as possible!"

Pei Qinghua asked, "Is Second Sister-in-law and Little Hu back yet?"

Pei Yuanba replied, "They're both back. Little Sister, do you have anything you need to bring? If not, let's go!"

Pei Qinghua said, "Yes, I have some local specialties that my colleague gave me. I tried them, and they are really delicious. I want to bring some back for Mom and Dad, and for you all to try."

Pei Yuanba asked, "What kind of local specialties?"

Pei Qinghua smiled, "Definitely something you haven't tried before. I've packed them up on the table, Second Brother, come in and help me carry them down."

Curious, Pei Yuanba walked in and saw several bags on the living room table. Upon closer inspection, he noticed three bags contained cans, and the other three bags held three round, golden-colored items.

Pei Yuanba immediately asked, "Little Sister, what are these things?"

Pei Qinghua smiled, "My colleague said these are called huishui, a must-have during the New Year in their hometown. I tried them, and they are indeed very delicious."

Pei Yuanba wasn't very particular about food, but he picked up the bags and asked, "Little Sister, do you have anything else you need to bring?"

Pei Qinghua said, "No, I have enough clothes at home."

Pei Yuanba said, "Then let's go!"

"Okay!"

...

An hour later.

The Pei family siblings returned to the old Pei family home.

"Father, Mother, Elder Brother, Elder Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law."

"Qinghua."

"Little Sister."

"Aunt!"

The family greeted each other.

Pei's second sister-in-law saw the items in her husband's hands and curiously asked, "Yuanba, what are you carrying?"

Pei Yuanba replied, "These are local specialties that my little sister's colleague gave her. She wants to bring them back for everyone to try."

Hearing this, Pei's mother asked, "What kind of local specialties? Show me."

As Pei Yuanba handed the items to his mother, Pei Qinghua added, "Mother, the cans contain niuba, and the round, golden items are called huishui. They are both very delicious."

In the Pei family, who didn't know that Pei Qinghua was a famous foodie, the moment she mentioned they were delicious, Pei's elder sister-in-law and second sister-in-law immediately showed interest and gathered around.

Pei's mother took a can of niuba from the bag and, while examining it, asked, "Qinghua, what is this niuba? Where is it from?"

Pei Qinghua replied, "Niuba is a delicacy made from beef, a specialty from Yulin, Guangxi."

Seeing the dozen or so cans of niuba, Pei's father frowned slightly and said, "Qinghua, what's the deal? These cans of niuba must not be cheap. Why did you accept so many gifts from your colleague?"

Pei Qinghua naturally understood her father's concern and reassured him, "Father, don't worry. It's not what you think. These cans of niuba were made by my colleague's father, who brought them for his granddaughter during a trip to the capital. Since we are good friends, he naturally wanted to share them with me."

Pei's father's expression softened, and he said, "Even if you are good friends, you shouldn't accept so many gifts!"

Pei's mother had a thought and asked, "Qinghua, is this colleague a man? Is he interested in you?"

Upon hearing this, the rest of the Pei family also understood and all looked at Pei Qinghua.

Pei Qinghua blinked and said, "Yes, he is a man. Whether he is interested in me, I'm not sure."

Actually, she knew. If Deng Yunsong didn't have feelings for her, he wouldn't have invited her to dinner so often, nor would he have had his father make so many cans of niuba just because of a casual comment.

If it were just a regular colleague, no matter how good the relationship, they wouldn't have gone to such lengths.

Therefore, Pei Qinghua was almost certain that Deng Yunsong liked her and wanted to pursue her.

...

PS: Thank you all for the support and votes.

(End of Chapter)

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