After breakfast the next day, the Li family, all spruced up, prepared to set off.
Han Lu Shi, dressed in new clothes, secured their daughter in a baby carrier and wore her on her chest.
Li Wei Bo was startled when he saw it, then smiled. The more his brother-in-law cherished his sister and niece, the better.
His gaze swept to Chen Fu and Lin Hua Er out of the corner of his eye.
Was it not also true that their relationship had changed slightly due to Chen Fu's own heart, with Tong Xin Hua being the catalyst for its ruin?
Every choice in life should be taken seriously, and one must cherish their choices after making them.
...
Shen Jian Rong, tired from more than ten days of work, was exhausted when her father called her again to set up more tables.
By the time the Li family arrived, the Yu family had just finished breakfast.
Yu Zi Yu, seeing the fatigue on her mother's face, handed her son to her husband and rolled up her sleeves to tidy the tables.
Shen Jian Rong really didn't want to move, so she let her daughter handle it.
She sat next to Tian Jing and said, "You know, I arranged things just like when Zi Yu got married. Why does it feel so chaotic?"
It was then that Tian Jing realized Shen Jian Rong had assigned Yuan Ji Yong to work in the kitchen with the head chef.
With two chefs working together, and neither having complete authority, wouldn't everything fall back to Shen Jian Rong? Wouldn't it be chaotic?
She grumbled inwardly but said, "Zi Yu could help you then. Now Zi Yu can't help you, and you have to help Zi Yu and Si Ji. An extra child means a lot more work."
Shen Jian Rong thought that made sense. "Sit for a while, I'll go upstairs and change my clothes."
After Shen Jian Rong left, Yu Jing Hai took his grandson from his son-in-law's arms and played with him.
Tian Jing glanced at him and then looked away. Did some men truly not know how to do housework?
Shen Jian Rong's exhaustion was not only due to assigning two chefs to the kitchen, but also because Yu Jing Hai ignored household chores.
Even these few bowls from breakfast were washed because Zi Yu felt sorry for her mother.
Even if Comrade Yu Jing Hai ate in the mess hall for the two months Shen Jian Rong was in the mountains, he must have used kitchen utensils at some point, right?
Men's chauvinism is often spoiled by women, first by their mothers, then by their wives.
Just like Lin Hua Er, who took care of all the trivial matters at the restaurant, she didn't dress herself up but kept her husband neat and tidy.
Shen Jian Rong changed into a light-colored qipao dress and put up her hair. She came down and went to the mess hall with her husband and son-in-law to await the guests.
The Li family, along with Yu Zi Yu and her son, would join them later with Old Master Shen.
Old Master Shen inquired about Tian Jing's recent situation, and Tian Jing simply said she was well.
Old Master Shen smiled and said, "There are even more guests today than last time, many of them are here for the Ginseng Replenishing Pill."
Tian Jing raised an eyebrow. "The people you're talking about, they wouldn't all know that I grew the ginseng, would they?"
Old Master Shen nodded.
Tian Jing: "..." She had avoided her own household, but not this one.
"I only grow ginseng and take my share. The rest has nothing to do with me."
Old Master Shen shook his head. "Among the guests is the CEO of Yao Ren Tang."
Yao Ren Tang was a time-honored pharmacy in the capital. Regardless of whether the person was here for her, Tian Jing's health had already taken a turn for the worse:
"Old Master Shen, my health is not well, and the seedling nursery cultivation base has been closed. Do you know that?"
"I know." Old Master Shen not only knew, but also knew Tian Jing was lying. "Are you planning to make it public?"
Tian Jing nodded. "If the seedling nursery cultivation base can't be managed, how can I do anything else?"
Old Master Shen chuckled. "Are you trying to overshadow the Ginseng Replenishing Pill as well?"
Tian Jing smiled faintly. "It wouldn't hurt to tone it down a bit. Besides, the last batch planted still needs over a year to reach maturity, so there's no rush."
Old Master Shen agreed. "That makes sense. The stock I have on hand can last for some time, and I imagine the price will still increase."
"The higher the price, the better." Tian Jing wished it were as expensive as possible. "Only two pills a month, and it costs only two thousand yuan a month to maintain one's health? Where can you find something so cheap?"
"Hahaha." Old Master Shen laughed heartily. "I think so too. By the way, the holder of the prescription will also be here. After the banquet, they want to talk with you."
Tian Jing nodded. "Alright."
...
As it was about time, the group set off for the mess hall.
At the check-in counter at the entrance of the mess hall, the Li family each presented a gift of ten thousand yuan.
It wasn't that the Li family was extravagant, but they wanted to save face for Li Wei Bo and Yu Si Ji's father and son. Regardless of what outsiders said or thought, Yu Si Ji was still a grandson of the Li family.
Shen Jian Rong instructed the person in charge of the ledger to record it and the person in charge of accounts to accept it.
The guests who could only afford to give two hundred yuan as gifts...
Not long after the Li family was led to their seats by the greeter, Shen Jian Fang, several elders walked in.
Disregarding Shen Jian Fang's guidance, they walked directly towards Old Master Shen's table.
The Li family, all fifteen of them, old and young, were to be seated mixed with the Shen family.
Tian Jing and Li Mu, for instance, were assigned to Old Master Shen's table.
After greeting Old Master Shen, these elders all looked at Tian Jing and asked Old Master Shen to introduce them.
Old Master Shen inwardly scoffed at these old foxes. They clearly recognized Tian Jing but still asked him to introduce her.
After a series of introductions, Tian Jing politely addressed each of them according to their military rank, maintaining a respectful distance.
During Xiao Bo and Zi Yu's wedding, these people hadn't appeared, simply because they hadn't seen the value of the Ginseng Replenishing Pill, nor the value of the Shen family, the Yu family, and herself, Tian Jing.
The atmosphere, which had been somewhat lively, became awkward due to Tian Jing's polite reserve.
Old Master Shen smiled as he looked at the elders seated opposite him, but he made no move to ease the situation.
He had introduced them as requested. If they wanted to build a relationship and get close to Tian Jing, they would have to rely on their own abilities.
One elder broke the awkward silence with a smile and said, "I heard that Captain Tian has been unwell recently, and the seedling nursery cultivation base has been closed? Is your health alright now?"
Was this genuine concern, or an attempt to probe?
Tian Jing smiled faintly. "Thank you for your concern, Elder Guo. My health is much better. The cultivation base under my jurisdiction has been completely closed."
'Much better' was a polite courtesy.
'Completely closed' was her way of telling everyone, regardless of whether they believed her reason for leave or not, that she had received official permission, and she herself had added the word 'completely.'
Whether the promotion of Zheng Ge to county magistrate was compensation for her, or whether they would ask her to 'poverty alleviation' the whole country again, she was unwilling to do it.
The peace she desired was gone. Her tranquility had been exploited by others, so why shouldn't she take this opportunity to spread the word and block any further requests for her to 'poverty alleviate the country'?
When she was first appointed as the deputy captain of the special skills team, this 'poverty alleviation' task was assigned to her.
Now, she had promoted all the members of the special skills team to higher ranks and was officially a deputy captain of the special skills team. The 'poverty alleviation' task should come to an end.
Elder Guo's expression remained unchanged. He continued to smile. "It's good that you're alright. Health is the capital of revolution. Old Shen has the latest developed Ginseng Replenishing Pill. Captain Tian can try it."
The other elders chimed in, adding that Old Master Shen and Captain Tian were related by marriage, and they should send some for Captain Tian to try, or perhaps charge her only the cost price.
Tian Jing really wanted to roll her eyes.
These old foxes, with their vast experience, spoke with so much strategy:
"If the Ginseng Replenishing Pill works for me, then Captain Zeng wouldn't be worried."
The medicinal effect of the ginseng was suppressed to the minimum. It was only slightly better than ordinary ginseng on the market.
For it to be effective on ability users, it would require ginseng that was thousands of years old...
Tian Jing's thoughts suddenly paused. Did Matvei come to find the Lan family and the Ginseng Replenishing Pill, perhaps looking for ginseng that was effective for ability users?
If Matvei had infiltrated this circle, he would definitely know it was her ginseng.
That eager look in Matvei's eyes when they met two days ago...