Chapter 234 Utilizing Tactics to Shift the Focus of Conflict
Gu Baobao took the heavy file bag and the dark green bankbook, feeling a little excited:
"Thank you, Minister Sui, thank you, Director Zheng! We feel really bad that you two made the trip on the first day of the Lunar New Year."
"What's the big deal! Seeing that our experts can not only conduct research to save lives, but also generate foreign exchange and increase revenue for the country, we'd be happy even if we ran ourselves ragged!"
Minister Sui laughed heartily.
"Alright, the goods have been delivered. We won't disturb your family reunion any longer! Comrade Gu, get some rest. We might need your cooperation on another mission after the New Year. We'll be leaving now!"
The Gu family members quickly got up to see them off.
Lu Zhanming accompanied the leaders to the entrance of the alley.
Back in the main room, the family immediately gathered around, their eyes all curiously fixed on the savings book.
Wu Guixiang, who was illiterate, asked anxiously:
"Baby, how much money is on this report? How much did the government award you?"
Gu Baobao opened the passbook, looked at the long string of numbers on it, and took a slight breath.
She knew there must be a lot, but seeing it with her own eyes was still quite shocking.
In this day and age, having ten thousand yuan is considered a very wealthy person.
Gu Dongguo was standing right next to her. He craned his neck to look, and his eyes widened instantly. He gasped in shock.
"My goodness! Six... six hundred and seventy-eight thousand four hundred and thirty-two dollars and fifty-six cents?!"
"What?! How much?!"
Wu Guixiang's voice was hoarse as she grabbed Gu Dahe's arm.
"Old man, am I deaf? How much is Dongguo saying?!"
Gu Dahe's hand holding the pipe trembled, and he almost spilled the tobacco.
Gu Jianqiang and Li Fenfang were also dumbfounded, looking at each other in disbelief.
They know their daughter is capable and can make money, but... but this is too much!
There were far more than they could have imagined!
They toil in the fields their whole lives, and even saving a few hundred yuan is a huge sum for them. So what does 600,000 yuan mean?
How high would it get if piled up?
Lu Zhanming returned after dropping off the people and happened to hear this number. Seeing the shocked and dazed expressions on the family's faces, he couldn't help but smile.
He walked over to Gu Baobao, put his arm around her shoulder, and deliberately teased her in a loud voice that everyone around could hear:
"Tsk, honey, looks like I'll really have to rely on you to support me from now on. Does this mean I'm... being kept by a rich woman?"
Gu Baobao chuckled at his words and nudged him lightly with her elbow in an annoyance.
Gu Dongguo was still reeling from the shock of the enormous sum when he heard Lu Zhanming's sarcastic remark about getting a good deal. He snapped out of his daze and glared at him.
"Lu Zhanming! Have you no shame? You're a kept man and you're still so brazen about it!"
Lu Zhanming raised an eyebrow, hugged Gu Baobao tighter, and tilted his chin slightly, giving off an arrogant "I'm proud to have a wife" vibe.
"What's the point of having a face? I have a wife, that's enough. But you..."
He deliberately dragged out his words, his gaze sweeping meaningfully over Gu Dongguo, then glancing at Wu Guixiang, who was staring wide-eyed at the huge sum of money, and suddenly began to scrutinize his eldest grandson with a new look.
"elder brother,"
Lu Zhanming's tone became particularly sincere.
"You're already this age. In the village, aren't the kids of your age old enough to run errands? Shouldn't you start thinking about your marriage? We can't keep your grandparents and your second uncle and aunt worrying about it all the time, can we?"
These words were like a precise fuse, instantly igniting the anxiety in Wu Guixiang's heart that had been temporarily suppressed by the huge sum of money.
The old lady's eyes immediately shone like searchlights on her eldest grandson, and her brows furrowed:
"That's right! Dongguo! The Lu family boy hit the nail on the head! Look at you, you've grown another year older after the New Year!"
Those your age are already grown up, let alone children running errands!
"And you, you don't even have a boyfriend! When your dad was your age, you were already chasing chickens all over the yard!"
Li Fenfang also snapped out of her daze and joined the marriage-urging camp, her tone full of worry:
"Dongguo, I'm not urging you, but you have to take it to heart! Are there any suitable female comrades in the army?"
Or, how about asking your boss to introduce someone? You're not getting any younger, staying single all the time isn't a good thing!
Gu Jianqiang didn't speak, but the look in his eyes as he looked at his nephew clearly conveyed:
It's time to consider it.
Gu Dahe took a puff of his pipe and slowly added, "Fate is something you have to find yourself. Do you think a wife will fall from the sky if you just stay cooped up in the military camp all day?"
Gu Dongguo: "..."
He felt as if countless sharp arrows, urging him to get married, were shooting at him from all directions, instantly turning him into a hedgehog.
He turned his head sharply and glared at Lu Zhanming, the instigator.
Lu Zhanming looked completely innocent, even winking at him, and the kind smile on his lips just looked so irritating.
Gu Dongguo felt a surge of blood rising in his chest.
He knew it!
This guy surnamed Lu is definitely black when you cut him open!
That gigolo act he just now was definitely an act, just to divert attention and shift the blame onto him!
"Grandma, Grandpa, Fifth Uncle, Fifth Aunt..."
Gu Dongguo tried to struggle, forcing a smile.
"Well, I have some things to take care of at the unit! Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and I need to go and wish some of my comrades and former leaders who stayed in the capital a Happy New Year! This matter... we'll talk about it later, later!"
After saying that, he slipped away as fast as a dog could chase him.
"Hey! You kid! Why are you running away! You haven't finished talking yet!"
Wu Guixiang hurriedly called out.
"Grandma! I really have to go! I have to go now!"
Gu Dongguo's voice came from the courtyard, growing fainter and fainter until he disappeared in the blink of an eye.
The main room was quiet for a moment, then burst into suppressed laughter.
Even Gu Dahe smiled and shook his head.
Wu Guixiang laughed and scolded:
"That little rascal! He runs away as soon as we get down to business!"
She turned her head to look at her granddaughter and grandson-in-law, who were snuggling together, and the savings book on the table. The wrinkles on her face smoothed out, and she was filled with satisfaction and pride.
There's a lot of money, frighteningly so.
But more importantly, this is something her granddaughter earned cleanly and honorably through her own hard work and contributions to the country!
Lu Zhanming lowered his head and whispered in Gu Baobao's ear:
"Look, the crisis is over. Brother drew all the fire for us."
Gu Baobao pinched his palm, but her eyes were full of smiles:
"You, all you do is bully my brother."
"I call this making good use of tactics to shift the focus of the conflict."
Lu Zhanming spoke with righteous indignation, but his arm tightened around Lu's shoulder.
The snow outside the window has quietly stopped again.
Sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining on the pristine snow in the courtyard, making the red lanterns even more vibrant and the paper-cut window decorations even more vivid.
The new year officially began amidst a mix of excitement and warmth, including moments of thrills, tears, laughter, shocking sums of money, and casual reminders of marriage.
The future may still hold storms, but as long as family is by my side, love is by my side, and faith is in my heart, I will have nothing to fear.
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