After hearing all this, Zhou Jiao lost her mood to go shopping. Now she had no choice but to go back and tell her father about it. There were many things she needed to think about.
As soon as I opened the door of my house, Aunt Chen came out of the kitchen, pointed in the direction of the living room, and said softly: "A young man has come to the Miao family, and your mother is entertaining him."
"Miao family? Who is it? Doesn't my mom have work today?"
Zhang Guoqing chuckled. He suddenly remembered that it must be his mother-in-law's "family" - the Miao family. Someone really came to the door. How could he explain why he had secretly sent away his newborn child?
And his mother-in-law must be crying now, right? This is so real and fake. With his mother-in-law's brain capacity, she is really confused!
Zhou Jiao was surprised by his smile and suddenly remembered the Miao family.
"Now you remember? The man who came here is your cousin. He's a very honest young man! The aunt and nephew didn't say anything, just sat there stupidly. I was worried about them. Go in and take a look. Your mother has asked you when you will be back dozens of times."
Zhang Guoqing rolled his eyes and muttered, "I hate this whole cousin thing. Wife, nowadays, no matter what relationship we have, we have to call each other comrades."
Zhou Jiao smiled and glanced at him, "What are you talking about?"
Aunt Chen watched the young couple's flirting with amusement, then tactfully retreated to the kitchen. It's better to go back to the Northeast less often; it's so much better and more lively at home!
There was actually a man named Runtu, who was about twenty years old, sitting in the living room. When he saw Zhou Jiao and Zhang Guoqing come in, he immediately stood up and looked at the couple helplessly.
Zhang Guoqing quickly greeted him, "You're welcome, please take a seat."
Runtu chuckled, touched his head awkwardly, and sat down obediently.
When Zhou Jiao saw this, she looked at her mother in surprise.
After Lin Lishan pulled her to sit down, she introduced her, "This is your cousin Miao Zhicheng. He is one year older than Xiaowu. He was recommended by his unit to study in Beijing."
"Xiao San, this is your brother-in-law Zhang Guoqing, nicknamed Xiao Wu. This is your sister Zhou Jiao. They also have a son named Ping An, who is five years old and is in kindergarten. He will be back in the evening."
Lin Lishan's introduction made Zhou Jiao very happy. "Little three, little five, and a freshman, when will we be able to get all these numbers?"
Zhang Guoqing smiled and said, "Brother Zhicheng, just call me Xiaowu from now on. When did you arrive in Beijing? Why didn't you send a telegram in advance so that we could pick you up?"
"Little Fifth Brother-in-law, hehe..." Miao Zhicheng looked at him and smiled embarrassedly, "My mother said not to bother you guys on my first visit. I came here to see if my aunt is doing well. I have to go to school later."
Zhang Guoqing had a good impression of this man. He looked quite rustic, but his eyes were righteous and clear when he spoke to others. He seemed a little reserved when he saw Zhang Guoqing come in, but not jealous.
The reason he was recommended to study here was not only because he had an aunt who was an officer, but also because of his personal strengths. It wasn't that he was timid. Most people would be terrified when entering the compound for the first time after being checked by two gatekeepers.
Just as his father said, this compound has its advantages and disadvantages. It is too troublesome to register to enter and exit, and every old man you meet is a high-ranking official, so those who are timid cannot stay here.
"Where is the school? Does the notice say the latest registration date?" Zhang Guoqing tried his best to talk about a place the other party was familiar with.
Miao Zhicheng carefully took out an envelope from his pocket and handed it to him.
This is so sincere! Zhang Guoqing had no choice but to take the red-stamped letter from inside. He smiled happily at the other party and said, "Brother Zhicheng, stay here tonight. We'll go together tomorrow morning. The two schools are not far away."
"No, I'm staying in a guesthouse..."
Lin Lishan didn't wait for him to finish and said with a stern face, "Since you're already here, why should we let you stay in a guesthouse? This is your first time in Beijing and you're not familiar with the roads. Go there with Xiaowu tomorrow and it will be done quickly."
"Brother Zhicheng, what my mother said makes sense. You can stay here today and we will leave together tomorrow. You haven't met my father yet, right? You have to meet him at least."
Miao Zhicheng looked at Zhang Guoqing with a smile on his face, hesitated for a moment, and nodded.
Lin Lishan scolded him with a smile, "Kid, why are you being so polite? If you don't understand something, go find our Xiaowu. He knows this part of Beijing very well."
Zhou Jiao remained silent the entire time, observing the other person calmly. After hearing Lin Lishan's words, she realized her mother had a good impression of the other person. That was fine, as long as she liked him, Zhou Jiao didn't care about blood ties. As long as she didn't bring up her family's best qualities, she would be fine. Otherwise, don't blame her for not giving him face.
"Brother Zhicheng, why didn't you bring your sister-in-law this time? How's your family doing now? My mom was going to go back for a visit after she learned about her past, but then a lot of things came together, and it's hard for soldiers to get leave, so she hasn't been able to go until now. Honestly, it's quite a pity!"
Zhou Jiao gave her man an appreciative smile.
"Since learning of my eldest aunt's whereabouts, my father burned paper money for my grandparents that very night, fearing that they would be worried in the afterlife. When I was young and still a child, my grandmother told me that I would be rich and powerful in the future. She was worried that my father wouldn't be close to my grandparents after being adopted by them, so she arranged a marriage for me with someone from her mother's family.
One year, I fell seriously ill and nearly died. The girl, who had fallen in love with a soldier, came home to break off the engagement, and then the grandmother passed away. As soon as those two things were settled, I inexplicably recovered. By chance, a classmate happened to be visiting me that day, so I snagged a spot on the county agricultural technician exam.
"My mother is very superstitious. She thinks the fortune teller was right and asked me to postpone my marriage. She said my luck was suppressed by these women. Now that I am going to school in Beijing, she told me not to rush and to wait until I graduate before looking for a wife. My father even had a fight with her because of this. I can't blame my father, because I am the only male in my family and he was worried that I wouldn't be able to find a wife." At this point, Miao Zhicheng smiled embarrassedly.
Zhang Guoqing laughed heartily. "You know what? It's really like that. Some things are better believed than not. A real man never has to worry about not having a wife."
After the conversation, Miao Zhicheng felt much more relaxed and agreed with his new brother-in-law's opinion.
"Then if you come over, will the family be able to handle it? Will the household expenses be too high?"
Miao Zhicheng shook his head and smiled, "In our village, even if you're adopted, you still have to provide for your old-age allowance. The grandmother who gave birth to my father was a bit partial. The foundation of the house where my father got married was left by my grandparents, and the wedding was arranged with the help of several grandfathers from the village.
Since my grandmother passed away, the burden on our family has been much lighter. I have a salary, but I barely spend it. My two sisters are now married, one in the village and one in the next, and both families are well off. I usually work in the county town, and it's my two brothers-in-law who take care of my parents.
Zhang Guoqing understood what was going on. This was the product of favoritism. No wonder she kept calling him "grandma" and "my grandma." The estrangement between them was palpable in her tone.
Miao Zhicheng suddenly slapped his thigh. How could he forget his mother's instructions?
"Aunt, it's a good thing you didn't go back first. My mother told me to tell you about the family situation before I came here, so that you wouldn't be deceived when you go back."
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