Lu Yuanbin coolly propped up his cart and glared at Chen JianShe. Chen JianShe glared right back. They locked eyes, neither making a move.

Lu Yuanbin...

’Is this guy crazy?!’

’Instead of rushing over to help me unload, what’s he staring at?’

Lu Yuanbin rolled his eyes and said with a touch of disdain, "Chen JianShe, help with the stuff!" 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

’And this guy has the nerve to help Brother Leng entertain guests. He’s completely clueless.’

Chen JianShe...

’If this stuff wasn’t for Brother Leng, I wouldn’t even bother with this clown.’

He stepped forward to help unload the items, a sour feeling growing in his heart.

’He wanted to get things for Brother Leng too, but it wasn’t his place to give gifts like this!’

Lu Yuanbin had really brought a lot of gifts.

There were several bags of milk candies, canned fruit, a small crate of cured meat, two old hens, several packs of pastries...

His gift was more than what all the other guests had brought combined.

Everyone stared, dumbfounded.

Only Chen JianShe grew more and more bitter with every item he carried.

’Lu Yuanbin brought all this for Brother Leng. Is he trying to steal my place?’

’I’m Brother Leng’s most reliable right-hand man. My position cannot be shaken.’

After he finished unloading everything, Chen JianShe quietly took out a red envelope he had prepared and stuffed several ten-yuan bills into it.

’That felt a little better.’

’There’s no way I’m letting Lu Yuanbin outshine me.’

’It wasn’t easy for me to buy gifts like that, but I have money.’

Lu Yuanbin set the things down and walked over to Leng Yuan’s side.

"Brother Leng, I got held up on the way and arrived a little late. Is there any work left for me to do?"

Leng Qiushou, Leng ManCang, and Leng Qingtian all took a step forward.

All they had left was the small task of moving firewood, and they couldn’t let this newcomer snatch it away.

Leng Yuan patted Lu Yuanbin’s shoulder and told him to sit down and rest.

Chen JianShe’s eyes darted, and he immediately chimed in.

"Exactly, Brother Leng is right. You just sit and rest. All the work is already finished."

There was a smugness in Chen JianShe’s voice.

’After all, he’d been here helping since first thing in the morning. He was the one who swept the courtyard and arranged the tables and stools.’

’He was the one who brought out the sunflower seeds, peanuts, and hard candies.’

’Today was his Brother Leng’s wedding banquet. As Brother Leng’s closest brother, it was only right that he did more of the work.’

’As for Lu Yuanbin, his relationship with Brother Leng wasn’t as close as his own.’

’He had worked, which made him an insider. Lu Yuanbin hadn’t, which made him a guest.’

Chen JianShe was very clear about this distinction.

Lu Yuanbin...

’As if I couldn’t hear the smugness in that clown’s voice. So what if he’s from the same village, got here early, and did a little work? What’s there to brag about?’

’As if his little bit of work could compare to all the gifts I brought?’

Lu Yuanbin ignored Chen JianShe.

Chen JianShe couldn’t be bothered with Lu Yuanbin either.

Leng Yuan ignored them both. After telling Lu Yuanbin to take a seat, he asked Chen JianShe to go get the sunflower seeds.

A flicker of joy crossed Chen JianShe’s face, and he immediately scurried off.

"I’ll go right now."

’See? Brother Leng really does treat me like one of his own. He didn’t even ask Lu Yuanbin to get the seeds.’

Leng Yuan...

Lu Yuanbin...

’Suddenly, I’ve lost my appetite!’

’That bastard is always scheming to take my place by Brother Leng’s side. He really thinks doing a little manual labor is going to make them closer.’

Leng Yuan paid no mind to their tit-for-tat. The two of them squabbled every time they met; he was used to it.

Once Leng Yuan had left, Lu Yuanbin gritted his teeth.

’I’m definitely at a disadvantage because of the distance.’

’If I lived this close, what business would Chen JianShe even have here?’

Lu Yuanbin was indignant.

But he didn’t just sit there.

He stood up, pulled out the hard candies he had brought, and dropped a large handful onto every platter of sunflower seeds.

The crowd...

Usually, at a wedding, you’d be lucky to get two pieces of candy.

But here at Leng Yuan’s, it seemed you could just take as much as you wanted. What an extravagant waste!

Some children saw the candy and tried to rush forward and grab some, but their parents held them back.