When Zhang Guoqing returned to the bedroom, he saw Zhou Jiao holding her son and reading a book on the kang in the outer living room, humming a little tune. Her leisurely look was enviable.

"Brother, you're back? Where's Dad?" As soon as Zhou Jiao saw him come in, she immediately stared at him with shining eyes. It was really strange that she didn't see her dad later.

"Don't worry, I'll tell you later. It's not a bad thing. I've been busy all day today, so I'll clean up first. I'm all dirty." Zhang Guoqing poured hot water, pulled down the towel and said.

Seeing that Zhou Jiao was still calm, he smiled and didn't rush to speak. He first made a cup of hot tea and placed it on the coffee table. After everything was ready, he returned to Zhou Jiao and took his son to sit down.

He began to tell the story from the time he delivered gifts to the Zhou family in the afternoon, and continued until the evening when Mr. and Mrs. Cheng took Zhou Xiaozheng back to the guesthouse.

"That's how it happened. It happened so quickly that I didn't even realize I'd be going to the ancestral hall tomorrow. But I felt really relieved.

Old Madam Zhou isn't innocent in this matter either; she knows the truth. But your father has been so secretive all his life. She even knew about Liu Xizhi, a child who was clearly being fostered with her, intending to inherit the bloodlines of both families. Yet, she deliberately concealed the truth, even though she has no shortage of sons. I think she just has a bit of a conscience. Her behavior is just inconspicuous compared to Old Man Zhou's.

Zhou Jiao thought back to her childhood, her grandfather's contemptuous yet complacent look, and her grandmother's growing distance as she grew older. Then, thinking of her fifty-fifty resemblance to Grandma Lin, and the similarities between her and her father, she froze.

Zhang Guoqing watched her face change drastically and anxiously woke her up, "What's wrong with you, Jiaojiao?"

Zhou Jiao looked at the familiar face in front of her and said softly, "So my grandmother Gu Mingzhu and my grandmother Gu Ruyi are sisters from the same clan. They should know each other and are very similar. Therefore, my father and my grandmother are also similar. Why weren't the Zhou and Lin families curious about the meeting of their in-laws? The same Gu, the same Zhou, and they are prestigious families in the same place. My grandmother may have come to her senses later, but what about my grandmother? Brother, the human heart is unpredictable."

Zhang Guoqing was stunned. He hadn't thought about this last night, or else he would have asked his father-in-law. He tried hard to recall what Old Lady Cheng had said that night, but unfortunately he had walked away in the middle of it.

"Old Madam Cheng said that the Gu family came to their house and demanded adoption. She also said that she had secretly inquired about the Gu family, whom she hated the most. The Cheng family was an outsider and could not help the Gu family's affairs. In addition, the bandits were causing chaos, so they fled. Most importantly, your grandmother Gu Mingzhu's mother was also forced to death. The Gu family must have forced the main wife a lot.

Wait, let me think about it, something is wrong, it is wrong! Your great aunt's attitude towards your mother was very ordinary. She even asked you several times, grabbed your father's hand, and stuffed the small wooden box directly into your father's hand, and your mother was with him at the time. Logically, their two families are neighbors and should be very familiar with each other, but her attitude towards your grandfather was also very ordinary. This is our in-laws. Old Cheng also said that he would visit the in-laws tomorrow. Our in-laws are not as close as your mother's in-laws. But when we were drinking, no one mentioned that the two families were in-laws. Not even Grandpa mentioned it.

Zhou Jiao nodded and said, "Dad will understand. As long as he understands, that's all."

"Then go to bed early tonight. We'll go to the ancestral hall tomorrow and wait for them. Hand over Ping'an to mother tomorrow. Oh, by the way, remember to bring the title deed to the Huang family's courtyard tomorrow and ask dad what he thinks. It would be best if we return it to the Zhou family."

Zhou Jiao frowned and said, "This yard is said to belong to the Huang family, but my mother had to pay the extra money to get it. It's really a bargain for them. It's better to give it to them. I don't have to be involved with them anymore."

Zhang Guoqing comforted her, "Forget it, just consider those six years' rent as compensation. From what Elder Cheng said, Dad's identity still needs to be clarified with the higher-ups. Do you think there's anything missing? I guess Mom and Dad will be leaving in the next couple of days."

Zhou Jiao lowered her head in thought. After a moment, she shook her head and said, "With the donation documents prepared by my great aunt, the Gu family is safe. The Zhou family's affairs involved two houses, and the old house was demolished. The staff who originally handled the five-courtyard courtyard have passed away, and their names are on my mother's record, so there are no sequelae. My grandparents are both dead, and the Zhou family in Beijing has become history. I can't think of anything else."

"Okay, then you go to sleep first. I guess there will be a lot of things to do tomorrow. The two suitcases that your great aunt brought are filled with a lot of documents. They are said to be your grandparents' belongings, and they must be handed over to you and your daughter. It will take a lot of time to go through them. You should keep your mother away from your grandmother Gu Mingzhu's affairs. I'm not worried about your mother, but she is too careless."

Zhou Jiao understood what he meant, nodded, stood up and said, "Okay, go see your parents and go to bed early. By the way, tell Mom that you will take care of her safely tomorrow. I will take my son back to the inner room first. It's time to go to bed."

Zhang Guoqing followed her inside, holding his son in his arms. He frowned and said, "Aunt Zuo mentioned two vacancies today and asked me to consider them and wait for my reply. I want to refuse. There's no need to rush for my eldest brother's job."

"Are you worried about being too close? Zuo Lin, that's fine. For Aunt Zuo, it's just a matter of raising her hand. If it's suitable, just arrange it directly. It's too troublesome to find someone else. From your second brother to his subordinates, they shouldn't consider alienating the relationship between our two families. You just have to remember not to give them any handles."

Zhang Guoqing relaxed his brows upon hearing this, and immediately smiled easily, "A warehouse manager at a textile factory, and an internal recruiter at a supply and marketing cooperative. The textile factory won't have any major problems, she can handle them. The supply and marketing cooperative probably introduced me there."

Zhou Jiao patted her forehead, remembering something she had forgotten to tell him. "I remember hearing someone say that some people in the village who had started working after 1958 were all sent back to their hometowns around 1960. They said there were too many people in the city and they needed to streamline their team and return home.

At first, they said everyone would go back to work once the situation improved, but they never returned to the city, and a few old men have stayed in the village ever since. "Second brother, you don't have to worry because Zuo Lin is here, and it's a public office. "Big brother, if you don't plan on getting a public office, you should find a regular job as soon as possible, just in case."

Zhou Jiao then shared her thoughts. If the downsized troops were truly required to return to the village but not the city, then urban employment would be even more elusive. This easily explained why rural residents couldn't move into the city in a few years. She wouldn't let him intervene until the situation became tense. According to her analysis, they needed to be arranged before the end of the year, otherwise it would be too late. As for whether the three brothers working together would stand out, they could find a new way. Don't use too many shady tactics.

Zhang Guoqing looked at her in surprise. "Is there such a thing? Then we really need to do it sooner rather than later, no matter how low-key it is. If we get laid off right after we get in, it will be even more troublesome. We have to leave even if we don't want to. Then you rest first, I'll go ask him what he thinks."

Zhou Jiao yawned, waved her hand, and lay down with her son in her arms.