Chapter 426 - 301: Distinguished Guests Fill the Seats_2

Words : 1716 Updated : Oct 15th, 2025

Chapter 426: Chapter 301: Distinguished Guests Fill the Seats_2Deng Qikang, along with the Branch Captain and Political Commissioner, walked into the hall, pondering how much money should be given as a wedding gift, when to his surprise, he found no tables set up at the entrance to the banquet hall, nor anyone to keep accounts and collect money. The two couples and several parents stood at the entrance, chatting with two people who were clearly leaders. What was even more surprising was that the two brides looked identical and both were very beautiful. "Director Yu, Director Song, Political Commissioner You, and Mr. Deng are here!" "Oh." Han Yu realized and hurried over to salute: "Director Song, Political Commissioner You, Mr. Deng, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to come and drink the wedding toast for Ningning and me. This is my wife, Han Xiangning." "Hello, Director Song, hello, Political Commissioner You, hello Mr. Deng." Han Xiangning came over with a beaming smile. "The bride looks lovely, Xiao Han, you are really fortunate." "Thank you, Director Song, let me introduce you, this is my father, this is my father-in-law..." It turns out that today two weddings are being held together! Listening to the branch leaders’ small talk with the Han Family People, Deng Qikang couldn’t help but think now that he was here, should he prepare two red envelopes... At that moment, Liang Xiaojun’s father was busy tactfully refusing a red packet offered by a leader from the industry and commerce administration. "Director Xu, your presence is honor enough for us, we won’t accept this red packet." "Old Liang, it’s not for you, it’s for the kids!" Liang Xiaojun hurriedly said: "Uncle Xu, you are too kind, we really can’t accept this red packet, not just yours, but also not any from others." "How can that be!" "Not just us here, Salted Fish and Ningning over there are the same, if you don’t believe me you can ask my father-in-law." They spent the afternoon politely declining red packets. Master Han, along with Director Song and Political Commissioner You, explained apologetically with a smile: "Director Xu, none of our three families are accepting red packets today. We’ve thought it through, with both children getting married at the same time, guests are likely friends of both sides. If we accept red packets, people would have to give twice, but how much do they earn in a month? We all receive fixed salaries, we need to put ourselves in their shoes, we can’t do that." Vice director Chen of the industry and commerce administration did not expect that there would actually be a wedding that refused red packets and was about to be polite again when Xiang Fan said with a grin: "Director Chen, we don’t accept red packets also for the children’s sake. I don’t know about others, but my family’s obligations from social interactions over the years have been overwhelming. Relatives and friends, old armed forces comrades, current leaders and colleagues from work, who doesn’t have things to deal with? When others have matters, we have to offer favors once which isn’t much, but doing it repeatedly is really overwhelming. So our three families have discussed and decided to invite leaders and relatives and friends for a meal, and we will not accept any favors. We don’t want to increase the burden on our leaders and relatives and friends, nor on our children in the future." Today, his family is not accepting favors, so in the future when others have matters, they won’t have to reciprocate. It seems like a big loss, but in the long run, there are only benefits and no disadvantages for the two couples. Vice Director Chen of the industry and commerce administration realized and exclaimed: "Old Liang, Master Han, you’ve thought of everything thoroughly, you’ve set a good example. When I go back, I’ll tell my spouse that we’ll do the same next time we have an event." "It’s not about setting an example, Director Chen, please, come inside." ... They are not accepting red packets! Deng Qikang could not help but laugh, thinking that he had previously been a bit too suspicious. The main reason the Han family didn’t accept red packets was inspired by Xu Sanye’s funeral, where no favors were accepted. Although the funeral was very simple, the reviews about the funeral from relatives and friends were very high. After the Liang family ushers industry and commerce administration leaders into the banquet hall, Han Yu smiles and says: "Director Song, Political Commissioner You, Mr. Deng, let’s also go inside, our Director Zhang, Director Jiang, and Captain Wei from the city bureau are all here already." "What about the secretary from the Port Authority, Secretary Miao?" "Secretary Miao is on the second floor in a private room playing cards with Vice Director Yu Xiangqian from the Huaiyin City bureau." "Scholar Yu is back!" "Director Yu is both my former superior and my elder." "I almost forgot, he was the director of the Water Police Station for a while before being transferred to the Provincial Department." "Director Song, you have a good memory." "Let’s go, take me to say hello to Secretary Miao first." "Sure, right this way." Secretary Miao is just a habitual term, in formal occasions, one should refer to the Deputy Mayor. It was just approved in this year’s People’s Congress, currently holding the position of Vice Mayor and concurrently the secretary of the Port Authority. The Fire Brigade Branch Captain knew Vice Mayor Miao was present, so he definitely wanted to go up and say hello. Han Yu hurriedly led the way, and as he came down from the second floor, a Port Authority Santana pulled up right in front of the lobby entrance. Yang Director from the logistics department of the Port Authority, knowing his son and Salted Fish were returning, had personally gone to the long-distance bus station to pick them up. After several months, seeing "Salted Fish" and Sister Xiang Ning again made Xiao Yu unspeakably excited, gripping Han Yu’s arm tightly, laughing and saying, "I’m not late, am I? Sister Xiang Ning, you look really beautiful today!" "Having just left for a few days, you’ve learned to sweet-talk. Does Yu Zhen know about your return?" "She doesn’t know; I didn’t get the chance to call her." "There’s a public phone at the front desk; go call Yu Zhen right away." "No rush, I’ve brought you guys something." "What did you bring?" "Local specialties." Xiao Yu opened the travel bag brought by Yang San, enthusiastically pulling out one item after another like unveiling treasures: "Here’s Lingfu pickles, Zhongzhou fermented tofu, peach blossom slices from Yunyang, and Wushan snow dates..." Han Yu asked curiously, "Did you visit Mountain City?" Before Xiao Yu could answer, Yang San proudly said, "Director Yu, we’ve visited many places; we’ve covered all the docks where the Yangtze River cruise ships berth." Last time, when Xiao Yu left, Director Yang had treated them to a meal. Han Yu had already met Yang San and patted him on the arm: "I know you guys are really capable now, managing everything from the head to the tail of the Yangtze River. Keep up the good work, but make sure to stay safe." "Yes!" "All right, hurry inside, we’ve saved seats for you." As soon as Han Yu finished speaking, Han Xiangning also smiled and said, "Xiao Yu, your dad and mom are inside, Uncle Li is there too. We’ll keep some of these local products for ourselves, and you can take the rest to them." "Sister Xiang Ning, I brought these for you!" "What’s more important, us or Uncle Li and your parents? Hurry up, I haven’t told them you’re back. Go inside and give them a surprise." "Okay, we’ll go in first." "Uncle Yang, you better hurry up too. With so many leaders here, my parents don’t know how to arrange everything, please help me keep an eye out." "Okay, I’ll go in and check it out." Han Yu wasn’t just being polite but was genuinely worried because today’s gathering was indeed full of distinguished guests. From our side, there were leaders from the Port Authority, Port Supervision Bureau, Customs, Water Police Station, Changhang Bureau, Linghai Police Bureau, Fire Brigade, and the Agricultural Bureau. From my father-in-law and mother-in-law’s side, there were leaders from the Meteorological Bureau and People’s Hospital. Liang Xiaojun and Han Xiangmeng’s side included leaders from Changzhou City Health Bureau and Changzhou City People’s Hospital, and Liang Xiaojun’s father had leaders from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce. Seating arrangements for the meal were as meticulous as organizing a meeting. As he worried about whether the inside could accommodate everyone, another taxi pulled up outside. The guests who were expected had mostly arrived, and as he and Han Xiangning wondered if it was a hotel guest, a familiar tall figure emerged from the passenger seat, waved at them, and then opened the back door to let the passenger out. Han Xiangning thought she had seen wrong and exclaimed, "Brother Haoran!" Han Yu came to his senses and hurried to the door: "Master’s wife, Sister-in-law Xiao Qin, how come you’re back?" Sister Wei, who had been on a train for a day and a night and then on a long-distance bus for over seven hours, was very tired, but seeing the young couple, she was delighted, holding onto Han Xiangning, who ran over, and said with a big smile, "How could I not come back for such an important occasion as your wedding?" "But it’s so far..." "No matter the distance, I had to come back." Sister Wei took out a red envelope prepared long ago from her pocket, stuffed it into Han Xiangning’s hand, and said with a laugh, "Take this; I’ve prepared it for you guys years ago." Han Xiangning quickly said, "Master’s wife, we don’t accept red envelopes." "You can refuse red envelopes from others, but you can’t refuse this one. Be obedient." "Ningning, Salted Fish, quickly take it. If you don’t, not only will my mom be unhappy, but my dad will be unhappy too if he finds out." "Alright, we’ll head inside first. Oh, and Xiao Yu came back today too."

Chapter 426 - 301: Distinguished Guests Fill the Seats_2

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