When she walked to the door, she saw two guards standing on the left and right. Li Hongjuan was caught off guard and was startled.

She patted her chest, and before she could ask, An Jingzhi explained, "This is my son's guard, who is specifically responsible for protecting my son's safety this time."

After Li Hongjuan asked someone to give An Guosheng a message, the mother and son returned to the room.

"Why did you come back so suddenly? You didn't even call to let your family know so I could pick you up. Look, I haven't even prepared dinner for you yet."

An Jingzhi said indifferently, "It's okay. As long as I can see my parents, it doesn't matter what I eat."

The main reason was that he wasn't sure when he would be back. If he called and gave the couple hope, but then their hopes were dashed, it would be better not to say anything in the first place.

The mother and son talked about what had happened in the past few years. Li Hongjuan talked about things at the factory, and An Jingzhi also shared with her what he could say about the research institute.

"Mom knows what you are doing. It doesn't matter if you don't come back. I'm proud of you." Li Hongjuan suddenly looked at An Jingzhi quietly, looked at the beard on his chin, and suddenly said.

"Mom." An Jingzhi suddenly hugged her, "Thank you for your understanding."

The mother and son chatted emotionally for a while, then sent An Guosheng home, said hello to the guards outside, and came into the room.

Hearing the noise outside, the mother and son walked out of the room.

An Guosheng happily put down the dishes in his lunch box and introduced them one by one. "This is the braised pork made by Lao Chen. His braised pork is not fatty or greasy. It was only because of my connections that I was able to get in front of the line. Otherwise, by the time it was my turn, the braised pork would have been gone."

"There's also smoked fish and a bowl of tofu with green onions."

Sitting between the old couple, An Jingzhi enjoyed the meal very peacefully.

The old couple was just like when he first came home, only caring about serving him food and completely ignoring themselves.

After dinner, An Guosheng asked, "How long do you plan to stay at home this time?"

An Jingzhi thought for a moment and said, "I can stay for three days and leave the day after tomorrow."

"Three days is fine, three days is fine." An Guosheng looked at his son with relief, "Are you going home for the New Year?"

An Jingzhi shook his head, "I'm not sure."

A hint of sadness flashed across Li Hongjuan's eyes, but she then forced a smile and said, "It's okay, it's okay. I'll go back to my hometown with your father during the Chinese New Year."

Because the original owner had deserted the army a few years ago, the old couple had not returned to their hometown for a long time. After An Jingzhi came back and explained everything clearly, the old couple re-established contact with their hometown.

As the family was chatting, An Jingzhi suddenly thought of something. He stood up and walked to the two guards, asking them to take out a small cloth bag that he had asked them to carry.

After getting it, he turned around and walked back home, and handed the small cloth bag directly to Li Hongjuan.

This is the salary for the past few years. There is money and tickets, including various scarce industrial tickets, sugar tickets, food tickets, cloth tickets, etc.

"The institute provides food and accommodation, and I don't have much to spend. I've saved all my salary over the years. Mom, take whatever you need to buy for the house."

There were at least one or two thousand yuan in the cloth bag, as well as various colorful bills. Li Hongjuan was immediately surprised.

Even the workers in their steel mills don’t have so many industrial tickets.

"Why are there so many?"

These industrial tickets can buy several bicycles.

An Guosheng said, "Didn't my son tell me? I saved all the money I had left to honor you."

Li Hongjuan ignored him, "I'm not talking to you."

After looking for a while, she put all the small cloth coupons back into the bag.

He handed it back to An Jingzhi and said, "Mom doesn't want yours, so you save it. Mom and Dad both have salaries and work in the factory. They don't lack food or drink, so why do they need you for these?"

"Save it for yourself and when you get married, give it to your wife for safekeeping."

An Jingzhi pushed back the small cloth bag that Li Hongjuan had pushed over to him. "Let's talk about the future later. I feel at ease leaving it with you. Besides, your money is my money, isn't it? When I need money in the future, I'll ask you for it. Can you still not give it to me?"

"That can't be possible," Li Hongjuan objected consciously, then she came to her senses and said with a smile, "Okay, then I'll keep it for you first. If you need anything, just tell me."

An Jingzhi nodded happily when he saw that the other party agreed.

The news of An Jingzhi's return soon spread throughout the Sanhua Steel Plant, and many people who got along well with the An family came to visit.

The An family, who originally wanted to go out for a walk, had to postpone this plan and only had time to go out as a family the next day.

When he got the receipt for his salary, An Jingzhi knew that the era of planned economy had arrived.

I accompanied Li Hongjuan through the once bustling vegetable market, which has now been replaced by a huge shopping mall.

"You used to buy vegetables here, but now you can only buy them at the place next to the supply and marketing cooperative that sells vegetables and meat." Li Hongjuan introduced to An Jingzhi as they walked.

"Again, Mom will take you to the supply and marketing cooperative. You haven't seen it yet, right?"

An Guosheng couldn't help but interject, "Then the supply and marketing cooperatives in the capital aren't bigger than ours? What's so interesting about them?"

Although he missed his son, he was too impatient to go out shopping.

"If you don't want to go back, just go back. You look so reluctant, it makes me upset."

An Guosheng smiled awkwardly and said, "I'm not reluctant."

Li Hongjuan ignored him and pulled An Jingzhi straight to the supply and marketing cooperative.

The salesman from the supply and marketing cooperative, upon seeing An Jingzhi's height and build, and the fact that he had two guards, knew at a glance that he was no ordinary person, immediately spoke more politely.

Li Hongjuan sensed the difference in the salesperson's attitude, and proudly pulled her son to the counter. She pointed at a few pastries and asked the salesperson to weigh half a pound of each.

I also walked around the second floor of the supply and marketing cooperative. There were more electrical appliances on the second floor, including bicycles, radios, fans and other things.

"Tsk tsk, this salesman from the supply and marketing cooperative is always looking for the right person to serve. Look at the look he gave Mom just now."

Everyone has vanity. An Jingzhi saw through Li Hongjuan's thoughts and deliberately cooperated with her.

"Before, he was so reluctant to ask for help. I used money and tickets to buy things, as if I owed him something."

"If you encounter this kind of situation next time, Mom, you can complain directly to his leader," An Jingzhi suggested.

"Why complain? Forget it. What if it causes someone to lose their job?" Li Hongjuan refused without thinking.

On the way back, Li Hongjuan held An Jingzhi's arm and greeted acquaintances one by one.

After staying with the old couple for three days, An Jingzhi walked around with Li Hongjuan to see the changes in their hometown. On the fourth day, An Jingzhi returned to the research institute under the reluctant gaze of the old couple.

Before returning to the institute, he went to the base where he had previously repaired the aircraft and sat there for half an hour. The base chief was still the same person.

They learned from the other party that K49 has now become popular throughout the country, and the foreign researchers who used to act arrogantly in their base have long been driven back to their hometown.