Fang Fei sat with his uncle-in-law, He Yunwei, on the playground. The evening wind was a biting, biting chill. The two men, wearing their military coats, stared out at the empty playground, smoking cigarettes and occasionally chatting about their old man back home in Beijing, the army, and their own thoughts.
After a while, Fang Fei said seriously, "To be honest, Grandpa is worried about you and my aunt. You don't know that Zhou Xiaozheng is coming back yet, right? This news hasn't spread yet, so not many people know about it. I heard that his brothers are doing well here. I guess the Lin family wants him to come here too."
He Yunwei stood up in shock and said in bewilderment, "Zhou Xiaozheng is alive? Is that true? I don't really know him, but I come here to hear about his deeds at any time."
Seeing Fang Fei nod in confirmation, he breathed a sigh of relief, sat down, and said softly, "You only knew Zhou Xiaozheng was very capable when you were in the capital, but you didn't know enough about him. His shadow is everywhere here, and the instructors still mention him from time to time when training new recruits. He is very famous. I heard that when the news first came, several female soldiers fainted from tears.
If it really existed as the rumors said, the Lin family would be helpless no matter how hard they tried. Who was he? Would he be influenced by others? Unless he wanted to. Zhou Xiaozheng was a Siberian tiger. It was a wishful thinking that just Lin Lishan could influence him.
As for his brothers, when I first arrived, rumor had it he had twelve of them living and eating here like close brothers, all led by him. Some have died, others have been transferred. Quartermaster General Zhao Chuangguang is probably his brother. Every Qingming Festival, he burns sacks of paper, and every year, someone accompanies him. Speaking of Zhou Xiaozheng's brothers, it's probably impossible to count them all; his influence is enormous."
After hearing this, Fang Fei thought deeply for a while, and then explained in detail what happened during this trip.
He Yunwei took a puff of cigarette and looked at the trees in the distance. "What is the old man of the Lin family planning? Bringing his grandson-in-law with him so publicly doesn't seem like sending him to the military camp."
"Zhang Guoqing has no plans to join the military; he's probably thinking of following that path. He's a very clever man. The old man is clearing his name and bringing him out, intending to let him take over the Northeastern connections. Combined with Zhou Xiaozheng's connections, he'll be a powerful assistant to the Lin family. In the next generation, he and Lin Dingsheng will be one scholar and one warrior. But I think it's uncertain. Zhang Guoqing should have guessed Old Man Lin's intentions, but he definitely won't take over, let alone become a helping hand to anyone."
He Yunwei said in disbelief: "How is it possible? He is only 18 years old and comes from a farming family. He has no background. Just because he married a good wife, how can he be with Lin Dingsheng? Lin Dingsheng was trained by the old man and his wife of the Lin family."
"If he's not amazing, why would the commander bring him out? This is a testament to his abilities, and also to the influence of Zhou Xiaozheng. You haven't met him, but he's a pretty good person. He's shrewd and resourceful, and his strategy and background are still pretty good."
I heard the couple were preparing for college entrance exams. People like them wouldn't speak without thinking; their goal is likely to be to obtain a high degree and enter the government. Let's not even talk about Zhou Xiaozheng's future. With the Lin family behind him, he'll be safe from anyone in the capital. He's incredibly steady and cautious. He possesses the righteous nature of a Northeastern man, a keen eye, and a wealth of cunning tactics. With the right people, timing, and location, there's no doubt he'll rise to prominence in our generation.
Moreover, he had a very intelligent wife. Zhou Xiaozheng's daughter, Zhou Jiao, had been with her father, and this time, she had returned to see them unexpectedly without notifying them. Yet, they had guessed, the young couple, aged 17 and 18 respectively, from a few clues, that the old man and Lin Lishan would arrive before the child's birth, calculating the time to just one day in advance. They also figured out that Zhou Xiaozheng was not dead, that he was on a secret mission, and would be back before the end of the year. Each and every one of them was handled beautifully.
Zhou Xiaozheng's daughter looks very quiet and bookish. She is as pretty as her name, Jiaojiao, but she is so eloquent that she can intimidate a crowd of nearly 1,000 people. It's less than 1,000 people. You think an ordinary girl would not be afraid, but a 17-year-old girl standing there, quietly intimidating so many people with her every move, it is estimated that this matter will soon spread to the provincial capital.
The entire county was abuzz with her. She bore a striking resemblance to the Lin family's old lady, yet she was even more formidable and imposing. When we first met her, we were watching her from the sidelines before we even had a chance to meet her. The Lin family's father had ordered her speech to be recorded and distributed to the next generation of the Lin family. From convicting her cousin to kneeling and kowtowing to her grandfather, she was every bit as capable as those old foxes. The entire county praised her, and no one criticized her for going too far.
Zhang Guoqing, a shrewd and arrogant man, always consults her and dotes on her. Zhou Jiao's ruthless and decisive nature complements Zhang Guoqing's soft and warm heart.
A very clever woman, a young wife with no food to eat, yet she was loved by her two sisters-in-law and loved by her parents-in-law. Imagine her methods. She suffered all kinds of grievances in her family, and no one knew about it, but she just endured it. Just think about her endurance. A girl of only 17 years old, that's the nature of her.
This couple has a great tacit understanding, knowing each other's intentions with just a glance. It's something they've cultivated since childhood. Imagine what the future holds for a couple like this."
He Yunwei gasped and said in shock: "She's only 17 and she's like this. Our eldest is 15 and still eating and playing foolishly. She's worthy of being Zhou Xiaozheng's daughter! No wonder the old man brought her with him. Who doesn't like a youngster like this?"
Fang Fei nodded. "The old man will like it even more. He performed very well throughout the whole process today. Lin Lishan finally made it. Zhou Jiao is very protective of her. She once said to Lin Lishan that she could accept her parents not being around, but she absolutely could not accept betrayal. Lin Lishan told us this as a joke, but I know it was the truth. It's definitely something someone with her character would do. She never said a word of nonsense. Lin Lishan is a very nice person and has no ulterior motives. It's good that my aunt has a good relationship with her."
He Yunwei looked at him suspiciously, "So you mean Zhou Xiaozheng's daughter is so magnanimous that she has forgiven him?"
"Zhou Jiao will forgive Lin Lishan. She's a smart person. Just because her mother waited for 17 years and didn't remarry, she would choose to recognize her mother and forgive. The premise is that Lin Lishan won't calculate Zhou Xiaozheng and his daughter for the benefit of the Lin family. But with Lin Lishan's attitude, how could she do that?"
He Yunwei nodded. "Okay, let's not talk about them anymore. Now that you've mentioned it, I understand what's going on. Please take some time to go home and visit them in the next few days."
Fang Fei scratched his head in pain, "Uncle-in-law, I beg you. Please talk to me and tell me not to try to be a matchmaker for me. Uncle-in-law, you can't stay here any longer. Grandpa can't reach here. Find an opportunity to transfer back and see."
"Okay, go back and discuss it with the old man. We can contact each other if there is anything."
"Let's go. I have to go back too. I'm freezing."
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