28: Chapter 28 A month without the smell of meat, like jackals and tigers.

Elder Shang looked at these photos, his expression growing increasingly grave.

"Our cause still has a long way to go! Sun Ning, since you have decided to achieve something at the grassroots level, you must put the people first."

The older generation is always like this, with such a heavy sense of patriotism.

They selflessly dedicated themselves to this country, which is how the people are able to live and work in peace.

And Sun Ning loved listening to Elder Shang's teachings.

Having encountered all sorts of things throughout his life, Elder Shang was very experienced.

He always brought Sun Ning new insights.

"Your student will keep your teachings in mind!"

Elder Shang was always very gratified by Sun Ning's attitude.

Teachers are always like this; they love students who listen carefully and possess strong comprehension.

Elder Shang was no exception; he liked Sun Ning exactly like this—respectful of academics, intelligent, motivated, and so on.

Elder Shang carefully looked at the photos Sun Ning had taken once more.

Feeling troubled inside, he said, "It's good that you know. These children are the future flowers of the motherland and must be treated with care. Do you need this old man to make a trip on your behalf?"

Sun Ning was instantly moved by his teacher's offer to make the trip himself.

Except for him, no other Senior Brother received such treatment.

Thinking back to a few years ago when his Third Senior Brother had to visit the ministries, it had been one round of drinking after another.

Later, when he saw the teacher, he had casually acted spoiled and complained about his grievances.

He had been scolded by Elder Shang, who told him he had brought it upon himself!

While touched, Sun Ning quickly and politely declined: "Thank you, Teacher, but I would still like to go myself!"

Sun Ning dared not let Elder Shang make this trip for him.

If the elder went, he would likely be facing those minister-level bigwigs directly.

They only had, at most, ten primary schools that needed renovation.

According to Sun Ning's budget, five hundred thousand was enough for one primary school, so ten would be five million.

Elder Shang's face was worth far more than five million.

As the saying goes, debts of gratitude are hard to repay, and Sun Ning did not want Elder Shang to owe a favor for no reason.

Sun Ning wouldn't even go to his Eldest Senior Brother for this.

He planned to try using his own network, as he had met quite a few people this past year.

If that didn't work, he would then let Senior Brother Liu Zhiyuan and the others step in.

A mere five million was a huge sum for the township or even county finances.

But for the country, it was a drop in the bucket.

In fact, besides the Poverty Alleviation Office, many ministries had their own poverty alleviation tasks.

After all, as state ministries, they still needed to set an example.

So, Sun Ning planned to visit the Poverty Alleviation Office, the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, the Ministry of Education, and other departments.

If that failed, he would go back to the Development and Reform Commission to 'beg'.

He believed that, given his contributions, the leaders at the commission wouldn't have a problem chipping in two or three million.

"Stop chatting, you two, and come serve the food."

In the kitchen, the teacher's wife had finished preparing the meal.

Sun Ning stood up subconsciously; normally, the teacher's kitchen was the battlefield for him and the teacher's wife.

So, serving the food was also his and the teacher's wife's job.

"Sit down, let the outsider go!"

Sun Ning's step faltered, and he nearly tumbled onto the sofa.

It seemed the elder still hadn't completely cooled off.

As for Shang Rou, she was here today to apologize, and although she looked like a mistreated maid, she obediently went to serve the food.

Only at a time like this would this pampered daughter of heaven, who had never lifted a finger, endure such grievances.

Seeing her youngest daughter come to serve the food, the teacher's wife knew that the elder had forgiven their daughter.

She also took the opportunity to step down from the tension.

When the mother and daughter brought the food out, the atmosphere was already quite intimate.

Throughout the meal, the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

The teacher's wife kept putting food into Sun Ning's bowl, constantly fretting that he had gotten darker and thinner.

Elder Shang would occasionally argue with his wife, using the phrase "jade must be carved to become an object of worth."

When the meal was almost over, the teacher's wife suddenly said, "Since you insist on going to Hong Kong, why not get married first? You haven't seen anyone for so many years."

"You have no excuses now, do you? As long as you don't settle down, your father and I won't be at ease!"

Just this one sentence caused the atmosphere to instantly become awkward.

Sun Ning, not knowing what got into him, stood up abruptly and was about to confess: "Teacher, Teacher's Wife, I'm sorry, I..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Shang Rou stood up and stepped hard on his foot.

Even though Sun Ning's physical fitness had improved a lot, he was still in pain from being stepped on by those high heels.

Shang Rou hadn't expected that in her agitation, she had used so much force.

But the deed was done, and the scene had already been made. In her shame and anger, she left behind a "We're leaving first."

She grabbed Sun Ning and left the teacher's home.

"Hey, you two..."

Seeing that they hadn't finished their meal, Elder Shang wanted to call them back.

But he was stopped by his wife.

"You, you've been a blockhead since you were young. I've figured it out; there's definitely something going on between them. You're going to have a grandchild!"

Elder Shang didn't think much and blurted out: "Huh? Wouldn't that be ruining Sun Ning?"

Hearing this, the teacher's wife pinched the elder's waist in dissatisfaction.

Really, who talks about their own daughter like that?

The teacher's wife was very happy and couldn't help but chatter to Elder Shang: "It's so good. Our girl Rou Rou has finally bloomed. I was really worried she didn't want to get married."

But she didn't get a response from Elder Shang.

The teacher's wife looked over and saw that Elder Shang's expression had become quite grave, his brows furrowed with worry.

With a worried look, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Rou Rou's household registration has been transferred to Hong Kong, and Sun Ning is determined to enter officialdom. I'm afraid this is an ill-fated relationship for the two of them!"

Although the teacher's wife was the type to only focus on her books, she still had decades of life experience.

She understood what Elder Shang meant by "ill-fated relationship."

For a moment, the teacher's wife's mood also sank.

Both of them knew their youngest daughter's personality too well; once she set her mind on something, she wouldn't easily change it.

And today's revelation by the teacher's wife made them recall the unusual things between the two over the past few years.

Their relationship had likely been going on for more than a day or two.

The elderly couple sat side by side, neither speaking.

They understood their daughter and knew that, having grown up around it, she was quite knowledgeable about the rules within the system.

They also knew Sun Ning, who was determined to use what he had learned to govern a region.

If the two had been together for a long time, they should have had a clear understanding of the outcome of their relationship.

If they were still together, that was worth considering.

After a long while, the teacher's wife sighed: "Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. Let them be; as long as they have each other to rely on, that's enough."

Elder Shang didn't speak either. Born during wartime, they had seen too much of the coldness and warmth of human relationships.

They also knew about those arranged marriages where both parties lived their own separate lives.

And they knew even better the ways of those driven by greed.

They just hadn't expected the two children to have reached this point.

"Next time he comes, I'll break his legs."

Elder Shang muttered, then stood up to clean up the mess.

Eventually, time would dilute things, and invisibly, Sun Ning and Shang Rou had dodged a bullet.

If it had been exposed to their faces, they would likely have been dealt with by family law.

And once they got home, the two were even more shameless in their daytime declarations of love.

It was truly, "A month without meat, like wolves and tigers."