On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Zhou Xiaozheng received a notice early in the morning, asking him to bring his daughter Zhou Jiao and son-in-law to meet the president at 2:00 PM. Zhou Jiao, always anticipating an audience with the supreme leader, was thrilled.
Zhou Xiaozheng put aside all his duties and concluded the group gathering. He returned home early, took the two of them back to his study, and meticulously instructed them on the important points of their speech and behavior. He outlined several possible questions and the appropriate phrasing for face-to-face conversations. He recounted the details of his past encounters with leaders.
Finally, Zhou Xiaozheng emphasized that the meeting might last less than two hours, so both parties should prepare any words before speaking and think carefully before speaking. The key is to remain calm, sincere, and concise.
After Zhou Jiao and the other boy nodded, he finally realized he was even more nervous than the children. He was proud of his daughter and son-in-law for their composure and self-assurance. When Zhou Jiao suggested bringing the embroidery, he paced back and forth, pondering it for a moment before nodding slightly.
No one understood his leadership temperament better than he did. Looking at the young couple in front of him, he was confident that the children would perform as well as always.
Since Lin Lishan was still in the army organizing a performance and there was no one to look after the children, they still invited Mrs. Cheng and her aunt to come over. The family didn't specify where they were going, partly out of concern for any potential disturbance and partly to prevent the old lady from worrying.
After lunch, Zhou Xiaozheng let them rest for half an hour before personally driving the young couple to Zhonghai, where they first met with the secretary. They arrived forty minutes early to avoid any misunderstanding about their attitude.
Zhou Xiaozheng was very familiar with these colleagues and declined their advance notification.
At 1:50, the door of the reception room opened and several old men came in.
Hearing the noise, the door was pushed open, and Zhang Guoqing and the other man immediately stood up and bowed to greet the people who came in.
A voice with a thick accent laughed out loud, then said, "How is it? Come and see if they look like old friends. The young couple is truly a match made in heaven! Such quick reactions."
He was followed by the deputy general and an office director, who then praised the two of them with a smile.
"Hurry up and sit down. Don't be shy. Xiaozheng, you should sit down too. You two kids should be more relaxed. Just treat it as if the elders of the family are meeting you. Xiaozheng, your daughter's name is Jiaojiao, right? And your son-in-law's nickname is Xiaowu, right?"
Zhou Xiaozheng immediately stood up and replied.
"Hurry up and sit down! You see, the children are afraid to sit down when you stand up. Sit down and chat with us. This child really looks like her grandmother. It's like an old friend. Old Zhou, take a look at her temperament and see if it's exactly the same as Senior Sister Gu's."
The deputy general smiled and nodded. Seeing Zhou Jiao's puzzled expression, he smiled and said, "Your grandmother, Ms. Gu, was once invited to lecture at various universities. She wouldn't let anyone address her as 'sir,' and instead jokingly called her 'senior' the best. She was exceptionally talented and one of the first patriots to return from studying abroad. She always advocated for peace and equality. She and your grandfather, Master Yu, were close friends, and Madam Song still has their early correspondence."
Zhou Jiao stood up and bowed to them, saying sincerely, "Thank you for remembering them. I also thank the President for clearing the name of my elders."
The President gave her a gentle handshake, inviting her to sit down and talk. He then asked what books she had read so far and whether she was facing any difficulties in Northeast China. He was delighted to learn that the young couple had returned to school, skipped a grade, and were catching up, achieving first or second place in their grades. He encouraged them to continue their efforts, striving to enroll in university soon, carry on Mr. Zhou and Ms. Gu's legacy, and become the next generation of leading young people. He then inquired about the current situation in rural Northeast China.
Zhang Guoqing briefly and in detail provided several sets of data demonstrating that living conditions today have improved significantly compared to pre-liberation times. With the exception of a few villages still struggling to make ends meet, per capita income is sufficient to sustain daily life.
The president and the deputy general nodded in agreement, intrigued by Zhang Guoqing's data. They were even more surprised to learn he'd gathered it through observation, praising his reading skills for being more effective than just rote learning. The president asked what other hobbies he had besides reading and studying.
Zhang Guoqing followed his father-in-law's advice and spoke candidly, explaining that he had passed the county armed forces assessment and would complete the final paperwork at the end of the month before returning to work. He planned to combine practical experience with textbooks in his spare time, hoping to continue his studies if he had the opportunity, to acquire more knowledge and be able to make the greatest contribution to the country.
His words excited the president and his colleagues, who praised the idea as excellent. He also recounted the military's original approach to training talent by ensuring they could both work and study. He encouraged Zhang Guoqing to persevere and to seek help from his father-in-law if he encountered any problems. He also repeatedly urged Zhou Xiaozheng not to be afraid of disturbing him and to come back and spend time with him when he had time.
Zhou Xiaozheng nodded repeatedly, saying that he would come to see his old leader after finishing his work. He asked him to get enough rest and take care of his health.
The president and the deputy general treated Zhou Xiaozheng like a junior, asking him about his current work situation and offering him some advice. The three of them spoke with a natural familiarity throughout.
Zhou Jiao suddenly realized what was happening. Her father always said that no one could control him and that he had his own bosses. So these two were his old bosses. No wonder those cunning men in the compound often came to her house. She had thought her family was easygoing and hospitable, and that her friends were happy to stay at her house.
The chairman noticed Zhou Jiao's expression and asked her with a smile what she had discovered.
Zhou Jiao didn't care about her own thoughts and replied immediately. She finally understood who her father's old boss was.
Zhou Xiaozheng added, jokingly saying his daughter didn't even know his current position, rank, or monthly salary. He'd never seen her ask a single question. She might even think all the veterans in the compound were his superiors.
As soon as he finished speaking, the president and others saw Zhou Jiao blushing and looking shy, and they burst into laughter.
The president was particularly curious and asked Zhou Jiao why she didn't ask. Did she forget to ask? Or was she just not curious?
Zhou Jiao straightened her body and solemnly stated that she would not ask even if she was curious.
Seeing everyone stop to listen, Zhou Jiao paused. She explained that, in her mind, the military profession was sacred. Soldiers themselves couldn't reveal too much to the outside world. Perhaps a small detail could allow the enemy to glean a multitude of secrets. She worried that she might accidentally reveal information about her father, causing harm to him and the country, and then she would become a sinner. Regardless of the size of his official position, he was still her father, and his salary was high. He wouldn't let her go hungry, so asking wasn't pointless. She preferred not to know; as long as her father was safe and well, she would be content.
"Very good! Very good! Very thoughtful. Highly conscious and with a strong sense of crisis, you are truly worthy of being the offspring of Senior Sister Gu and Master Yu."
"This child follows Xiaozheng's lead and is very thoughtful. He's a good kid. Those next generation who are always showing off their fathers need to take note of these words."
The president and everyone applauded and praised the performance.
Zhou Jiao blushed, shook her head vigorously, and said, "Please don't praise me. I'm not as good as you think. Really. I'm just worried that I'm not sensible enough and might make mistakes."
After she finished speaking, she calculated that it had been almost two hours. Too much talk leads to mistakes. Some things, some things, should be left alone.
Zhou Jiao pulled the framed picture from behind her chair and carefully placed it on the coffee table from a distance. She explained that she'd been grateful ever since her grandparents had the president's blessing to clear their names. She'd originally wanted Zhang Guoqing to bring the wild game over, but she was worried about the food.
Finally, she thought that only by doing it herself could she best express her inner gratitude, so she personally embroidered a picture for the president, hoping that he would accept her sincere gift.
The staff tore open the outer wrapping paper, revealing a dazzling Suzhou embroidery inside. The president, bathed in the blazing sun, appeared radiant.
Zhou Xiaozheng knew the value of this embroidery. When he retrieved the finished product two days ago, the shop owner kept asking if he could resell it to him, at any price. Finally, still determined, he asked the master if he could rush a piece for him, offering the highest price currently on the market. Seeing everyone present awed, he felt even more proud.
After examining the embroidery, the deputy general remarked that the key to this work lay in the original draft. Its use of a blend of traditional Chinese painting and oil painting gave it a truly three-dimensional quality. Upon learning that Zhou Jiao had single-handedly created the entire work, from initial draft to finished product, he marveled at the fact that she was truly the offspring of Master Yu and Senior Sister Gu.
The president was delighted to touch the embroidery and jokingly asked if he wanted a return gift. Seeing Zhou Jiao come in, he began to examine a calligraphy piece he had written on the wall. Suddenly, his interest was piqued, and regardless of Zhou Jiao's claim that she had already received the best gift, he immediately ordered his secretary and staff to prepare paper and ink.
“**********”
Zhou Jiao bowed and carefully accepted the gift with both hands. The staff suggested that everyone perform together for a souvenir. After taking a photo with them, the president and the deputy general offered some encouragement.
Seeing the secretary frequently looking at the clock, Zhou Xiaozheng realized that more than two hours had passed. Knowing that his old leader was very busy, he immediately said goodbye to the two of them and left.
After leaving Zhonghai, Zhou Jiao relaxed, slumped in her seat, and let out a long breath.
Zhou Xiaozheng smiled slightly and praised her, "Your performance is even better than Dad expected. You managed to be subtle but intriguing. Xiaowu is also very good. You two should keep it up. It's better to be quiet now than to move. We can talk about the future later."
"Dad, I feel so sorry for you now. The society is too complicated. I have been eating, drinking and having fun every day in the compound for a while. I am a little confused and have lost my vigilance. I wonder why those people in the compound always come to our house? Do you think that you and my brother are attractive because of our personal charm? This shouldn't be the case, this shouldn't be the case." Zhou Jiao said, shaking her head.
Her words made Zhou Xiaozheng, his father-in-law and his son-in-law laugh.
"You have dad to protect you, so it's okay to be a little confused at home. Don't doubt your own charm. There are people in the compound who have higher positions than dad and whose parents are easygoing, but have you seen them? At home, you can do whatever you want to be comfortable. If you have to think so much at home, what's the point of life? Think about where to take you guys tomorrow?"
Zhou Jiao felt bad that he hadn't gotten enough rest, so she quickly said she wouldn't go out for the next two days. She had a lot of books on hand now, so she could read at home. But she hadn't expected the wave of invitations that would come her way.
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