Chapter 295: Discussion

Chapter 295: Discussion
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Liu Neng looked around the room and noticed that nobody was responding to his arrival. He didn’t seem embarrassed at all. Turning to Liu You, he said, “Come, daughter, sit beside Zhang Hu and your father.”
Liu Neng’s words suggested as if this meal was a formal meeting between the parents of two families. Upon hearing this, Zhao Wan’s expression darkened.
Liu You reluctantly sat down, pulling Zhang Hu with her. She clearly wasn’t in the mood. She had just been reprimanded by Liu Neng when she returned home and then forced to visit the Zhang family. Anyone would be in low spirits in her place.
Liu You even doubted if she was truly Liu Neng’s biological daughter. She had clearly expressed her reluctance to come, but Liu Neng had sternly warned her, “If things don’t work out between the two of you, don’t ever think about coming back home!”
Even though Liu You was usually rebellious, she was afraid of her father and had no choice but to follow him.
Zhang Hu, being clueless, didn’t hesitate to sit down when Liu You pulled him. With both Liu Neng and Zhang Hu now at the table in front of their prospective in-laws, Jiang Chuan and Zhou Lan, and considering it would be impolite to ask Liu Neng to leave, Zhao Wan reluctantly took a seat opposite him.
The last seat next to Liu Neng was taken by Su Zhen.
Picking up his chopsticks, Liu Neng said, “Come on, start eating. The food will become cold.”
Zhou Lan rolled her eyes. She felt it was a waste to serve her meticulously prepared dishes to this man. She clenched her fists under the table.
Jiang Chuan held Zhou Lan’s hand under the table, trying to console her. It was best to endure this for the sake of their eldest daughter.
Zhou Lan smirked but, out of respect, began to eat.
Third Brother Zhang, a straightforward person who didn’t understand the intricacies of adult dynamics, was simply excited about the feast in front of him and began eating.
This was not the first time he had eaten wild boar meat. In the past, he had always felt that the meat was very hard and could not be chewed. Today, the meat melted as soon as it entered his mouth. It was full of the fragrance of meat. It was delicious!
The bamboo shoots, mixed with the salty cured meat, tasted fresh and delightful.
Third Brother Zhang had never tasted such delicious food before. After a few bites, he began to devour the dishes, oblivious to the tense atmosphere, especially between Zhao Wan and Liu Neng.
Zhou Lan had gone through great effort to prepare the meal. It would be rude not to have a bite. Out of respect for Zhou Lan, Zhao Wan picked up her chopsticks and took a couple of bites. Then she straightforwardly asked Liu Neng, “My husband has passed away. What brings you here?”
The implication was clear: Liu Neng’s interactions were only with the Old Master Zhang, and with him gone, there was no longer a need for their two families to interact.
Liu Neng seemed unperturbed. He picked up a piece of wild boar meat and savored it. His family wasn’t lacking in wealth; they’d often dine in the restaurants in the village at the foot of the mountain. However, the restaurant chefs were nowhere near Zhou Lan’s culinary skills. The meat she cooked melted in one’s mouth, making one crave another bite as soon as they had their first. Just for this meat alone, Liu Neng felt it was worth visiting the Zhang family to enjoy this meal.
Swallowing the meat, Liu Neng said with a chuckle, “I’ve just received a notice from the lower mountain, so I hurriedly came to inform you. The government has issued a directive for all hunters living in the mountain to settle in the village.”
With Su Zhen around, Zhao Wan and Jiang Chuan were already aware of this matter, so they weren’t surprised.
Seeing that none of the adults present, except for a few children, showed any reaction, Liu Neng was slightly taken aback, uncertain of their feelings on the matter.
He continued, “The government’s intention is that each village can only accommodate one family. There are seven or eight families in the mountains. If we’re too slow to act, the nearby villages might not accept us. Rest assured, I’ve already spoken to the chief of the nearest village at the foot of the mountain. 1 persuaded him to make an exception and accommodate both our families. This way, we can look out for each other.”
Liu Neng’s words caught Jiang Chuan off guard. He had initially planned to discuss the relocation to Pushan Village with Zhao Wan over lunch. He hadn’t expected Liu Neng to bring it up first.
The key issue was that their current relationships were a bit complicated. As both families were connected to the Zhangs, it seemed biased for Zhao Wan to favor one over the other.
Though the match between Liu You and Zhang Hu hadn’t been finalized, Liu Neng kept addressing them as in-laws. Zhao Wan hadn’t clarified her stance, which left Jiang Chuan unsure of her feelings.
Finally, Zhao Wan spoke up, “Liu Neng, no matter what you discussed with Old Master Zhang before, the two kids are not yet married. It’s a bit premature for you to call me ‘in-law’..”