In the living room of the Zhao family compound in the county town, Zhao Dashan was chatting with his father-in-law and son-in-law, Zhou Xiaozheng. Zhou Xiaozheng was praising his daughter, expressing regret that she had married too early; he had originally planned to stay for a few more years.
"Uncle Zhou, you're absolutely right. Xiaowu definitely has bad intentions. He's in such a hurry to marry Jiaojiao off and give birth to a son. You have no idea how pitiful Jiaojiao is. She can't even go shopping with me during her confinement period, and she can't leave whenever she wants. Just now, my aunt and I were thinking of going to SH. In the end, Jiaojiao still has to wait until Xiao Ping'an is three months old before she can go out."
Zhao Yuanyuan happened to come in and overheard, and quickly expressed her opinion. She just hated that Zhang Guoqing wanted to get married so early. He could get married later. Why was he in such a hurry? He was chasing her like she was his life.
Come on, here comes this girl. Zhang Guoqing quickly looked up and rolled his eyes. What a mess! This girl always wants to steal Jiaojiao from him. What a hidden rival!
Zhao Dashan saw her come in with a cloth bag in her hand and asked, "Did you tell your Aunt Zhou that your Uncle Zhou would be back later tonight? And why did you come back with a bag after visiting Jiaojiao?"
Zhao Yuanyuan giggled, "My Aunt Zhou gave it to me, but I didn't want it, so they suppressed me. They said they would give it to you as a snack while drinking."
Zhou Xiaozheng looked at this silly girl. She really couldn't compare to his Jiaojiao. "Take it and ask your mother to add more food. Go over there, what are they doing?"
Zhao Yuanyuan slapped her forehead hurriedly, "Uncle Zhou, they were chatting. I just went over to ask Jiaojiao for some advice. Dad, didn't you tell me to set goals and fulfill my life dreams? I'm telling you, I'm telling you very clearly now, my ideal is to be a train conductor. What do you think? Jiaojiao said this is unconstrained, with long vacation time, and I can travel around the country to play. Let me think about it and ask for your opinions. On my way back, I thought this is much better than selling things in the supply and marketing cooperative. Dad, what do you think? Tell me your ideas, and help me if you can."
Zhang Guoqing heard this and couldn't let Zhou Jiao get slapped with a smear campaign. Knowing his wife well, he'd only casually suggested it, but she'd taken it seriously. He interjected, "Didn't you say you weren't interested in working at the supply and marketing cooperative? Jiaojiao said being a train conductor wasn't restrictive, with long vacations and the freedom to travel all over the country. Then, you said this was the right option, and Jiaojiao said it looked like a promising prospect, but she didn't know what else was going on, so she told you to go home and talk to your uncle and aunt before deciding? Right?"
Zhao Yuanyuan's eyes widened, then nodded. "No wonder he's better than me. He tricked Jiaojiao away first. I don't like working at the supply and marketing cooperative. It's just work all day, no different from going to school. Train conductors can go around anytime."
Zhang Guoqing smiled and said, "Then you have to first determine what the disadvantages of this job are. For example, if a passenger is making things difficult for you, you have to endure it. If it's late at night and the conductor asks you to clean up, you have to endure it. If a child urinates or defecates and asks you to clean up, you have to endure it.
What does a train attendant do? To put it bluntly, it's serving people, unless you're up to the job of being the train announcer. Even the conductor has to clean up regularly. Are you sure you want this job?
The shortest trip from here to Beijing is three days and two nights. Getting to Shanghai would take seven or eight days, and you'd be constantly cleaning the train, surrounded by noise. Are you really sure you want to be a conductor? These are the visible disadvantages. There's also the hidden grime that insiders won't reveal. Are you sure you can keep doing this?
In fact, the most unconstrained and promising way to have a bright future is to study hard. Study for two years and you'll go to college with Jiaojiao. You can sit comfortably in a university classroom, and when you get a job, you can sit comfortably in an office, and maybe even manage others. Think about it, right?
Zhao Yuanyuan opened her mouth wide when she heard this, looked at him in disbelief, then looked at her father. Seeing her father nodding, she immediately put on a sad face and said, "Then I'll think about it." She grabbed her head, picked up the cloth bag and went out in a depressed mood.
After hearing what Zhang Guoqing said, Zhao Dashan looked at him thoughtfully. "Xiaowu, if you were me, what would you do for her besides sending her to college? Tell me about it."
"Uncle, don't joke around. This job is related to your future prospects."
"It's okay. Just analyze suitable careers for girls. I've looked at supply and marketing cooperatives, textile factories, and art troupes. She's not cut out for this at university, so there's no hope. It should be arranged as soon as she graduates from high school, otherwise she'll have to wait for an opportunity."
Zhang Guoqing glanced at Zhou Xiaozheng and saw him nod slightly before speaking: "Uncle, I'll tell you what I think. Just treat it as a joke and don't take it seriously."
After a moment's thought, he said, "A girl's job depends on your expectations of her. If you just want her to live a stable life, then the supply and marketing cooperatives and textile factories are good options. After graduating from high school, you can find someone and the job they'll be assigned won't involve manual labor. This is the safest path."
If you want her to make a name for herself in the future, given her personality, as long as she's careful with sensitive topics and avoids traps set by those with ulterior motives, then the Women's Federation is a good choice. It's leisurely and respectable, and as she handles more things, she'll learn a lot about social relationships, which will also benefit her future. If she's exceptionally capable and has a high school diploma, she has the advantage of being promoted, perhaps even moving into administration, a flexible path. This is the best of times. The Women's Federation has considerable power, and with a sense of accomplishment, she'll automatically strive for it.
As for the art troupe, she's not suitable. She's too straightforward and easily offends people. Those who join the troupe are either well-connected or good at singing and dancing. Pretty girls are all self-righteous and hard to approach or integrate into. Besides, even if she joins, she'll still have to face the problem of choosing a job after she retires. I think my aunt's Women's Federation is a good choice."
Zhao Dashan pondered his words deeply, analyzing them thoroughly. It was indeed true. He looked up at Zhou Xiaozheng, saw him nod, and took a deep breath. "Brother Zheng, you heard it, right? This is Xiaowu."
Zhou Xiaozheng raised the corner of his mouth and said modestly, "I'm just a kid. Just listen to it and take it as a reference. It's not worth praising."
Zhao Dashan rolled his eyes at him. "Go ahead and show off. Be happy on your own. Well, let's just have a drink. It's still a lot of worrying about the kids growing up." Then he shouted outside, "Hongli, serve some food first so we can have some drinks."
Cheng Hongli set out the wine and food. Zhao Dashan offered Zhou Xiaozheng a bowl of wine first. "Come on, Brother Zheng, drink it all in one gulp. Cheers to the brothers being able to meet again alive."
After drinking, he poured another glass of wine and toasted Zhang Guoqing with a bowl of wine, "Come on, Xiaowu, uncle won't be polite with you, you drink it in one gulp, uncle thanks you for your guidance."
After two bowls of wine, he started talking. "Brother Zheng, I really envy you. How come you haven't changed in all these years? Look at my belly and my figure. You and Xiaowu are like brothers when you go out like this."
Zhou Xiaozheng glanced at him sideways, his lips curled up sarcastically, "You're full of fat, which means you're living a comfortable life. The red pepper has made you grow up, it's like raising a pig. You want to be like me. There's no cure for you, wait for the next life. This is an evergreen."
Zhao Dashan retorted defiantly, "What about the evergreen? You already have grandchildren, so you're just an old man. Don't be so complacent. Now that you're back, let's see if you can gain weight. After this mission, you won't go out again, right? You'd better take it easy. You have a big family now."
"I'm not leaving. I won't take any assignments that I can avoid. I'm really old, already middle-aged, and I don't have the fighting spirit I had when I was young. I'm going to spend more time with my wife and children. I owe them so much over the years."
Zhao Dashan felt the same way and agreed. "Well, my sister-in-law has had a hard time. You are honored, and she has endured all these years alone. Don't worry about anything else, just for this love, you should treat her well. And Jiaojiao, without you by her side, has suffered a lot over the years. Fortunately, Xiaowu protects her."
Zhou Xiaozheng sighed upon hearing this, "Well, I owe them so much. When I came out and saw the child's mother, she cried like a child and fainted. My heart ached.
When I came back and saw Jiaojiao, my heart ached even more. The child was crying and saying incoherently over and over again, "Dad, why did you come back so late?" My heart was sour. They say men don't shed tears easily, but I couldn't hold back my tears. Especially when I thought about how she had been lonely and bullied by my relatives for so many years. I couldn't suppress the grievance in my heart. She was my daughter, whom I regarded as a jewel. How could they? How dare they? In the past 17 years, I have been very careful, for fear of sacrificing myself. She really became a fatherless child, but she still lives without a father and a mother, just like an orphan. "After speaking, Zhou Xiaozheng rubbed his face vigorously with both hands.
Zhao Dashan patted him on the shoulder. "It's all in the past. Now that you're back, treat her extra well. She's a sensible girl and hasn't grown up in these years. Children from poor families have to take on responsibilities early, so consider this an opportunity for her to hone her skills. Look, she's better than other children her age now. Who wouldn't give her a thumbs up?"
Zhou Xiaozheng looked up and took a deep breath. After a while, he said, "Dashan, the more sensible she is, the more uncomfortable I feel. It's all because I didn't protect her well. Look at your Yuanyuan, she's a normal girl. Jiaojiao is like me, stubborn and likes to hide things in her heart. It's too tiring for such a person to live. I want her to be unrestrained and do whatever she wants. If something happens, I'll be there to support her. But she's too mature and too low-key. I'm afraid that she'll get me into trouble by accident. I've heard a lot of things from her mother, so I want to take her to the capital to have a look. Let her be bold in the future and let her know that her father can support her without relying on her grandfather."
Zhang Guoqing looked at his father-in-law. He was a sensible man. No wonder everyone who knew him admired him. Given his kindness, he had to treat him well.
Zhao Dashan poured him some wine. "Don't overthink it. Children and grandchildren will have their own blessings. Jiaojiao looks like you. If I tell you to be flamboyant, will you do it? This child's actions, scheming, and methods are exactly the same as you were back then. It's just her nature. I envy you. My daughter Yuanyuan is much worse than her. You think your daughter is just eating and drinking like a fool? She just follows you in her heart. Don't even think about it. But when you go to the capital, take her to see it. It will make her feel less worried."
"Dad, don't worry, Jiaojiao is doing well. I'll take care of things by my side, and I'll come to you if I can't solve them. She keeps a low profile because she doesn't want to be conspicuous in the countryside, but she will be more open when she moves to the county town. Besides, now that you're back, she has a backbone, someone to protect her, and she has someone to rely on. You are her courage. As long as you're fine, she has nothing to worry about." Zhang Guoqing comforted him.
Zhou Xiaozheng's expression softened after hearing this and he nodded. "Well, Dad's back now, so you don't have to worry about him anymore. Just live your life well. Dashan, pour yourself some and we'll have a good drink."
"Okay, let's eat quickly. It won't taste good if it gets cold. Brother Zheng, will you come and clean up the new yard tomorrow? I'll ask someone to help, and you guys just go about your business."
Zhou Xiaozheng shook his head. "No need. The old man packed everything up very cleanly. He only took some books and rations with him. He left everything else. I see there's nothing left to pack."
Zhao Dashan looked at him in shock. "I know that Professor Liu's courtyard may look ordinary from the outside, but the desk and bookcase in the study are a complete set. And the bedroom furniture is also a complete set. He once got drunk and secretly told me that he had disguised the furniture. Don't look at it as insignificant, it's actually more valuable than the courtyard. He even asked me not to tell anyone about it afterwards. How could he bear to part with it? How much did you pay for it?"
Zhou Xiaozheng and Zhang Guoqing looked at each other and said, "What a bargain! It only cost 800 yuan, including the yard. Is it worth it?"
"It's absolutely worth it! The yard alone is worth at least 600 yuan. It's like giving it to you. You're lucky. Professor Liu didn't intend to sell it. You see, his family is well-off. Both of his sons want this house, so he only released the news these past two days to save them the trouble."
This yard was a real bargain. It's in a great location. The front and back yards are well separated, giving it plenty of space. Most importantly, his neighbors are friendly and there aren't any troublemakers. The families on either side are small, with single-family homes. The couple on the left work at the meat processing plant. The family on the right is familiar to Hongli; the woman is an accountant at the supply and marketing cooperative, and the man works at the grain bureau.
This old man is so funny, he looks for people before selling a house. A lot of people have been asking about the place these past few days, and I was thinking of asking him to sell it to Xiaowu. So when Yuanyuan said you were looking for a house, I knew his house was the only one close to the Armed Forces Department.
Zhang Guoqing nodded, "Yeah, uncle, what you said is true. My dad and I went in, and my dad said he bought it for us, and he just stared at me. Later he asked a lot of questions about knowledge in books, which made me sweat. In the end, he just said he sold it all to us. He is really picky! No, it's a loss, Dad, a big loss. If Jiaojiao came and talked about the past and present with that old man, it would probably be given away for nothing." After saying this, he deliberately patted his thigh.
His words made them burst into laughter. Professor Liu was clearly a bookworm; meeting Zhou Jiao was truly a kindred spirit. This scholar was still a nerd at heart; even selling a house would require finding the right person. Giving it away for free was just a joke.
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