Chapter 317 Unexpected

The elders of the Xia family had no choice but to let her go.

After discussing it with the elders, Xia Zhizhi was given another passbook.

Xia Zhizhi opened it and took a look. This amount of money was not small at the moment, but it was not too much for her either.

Seeing Xia Zhizhi holding the passbook without saying anything, Pan Wenjun thought she didn't dare to take it, so she patted Xia Zhizhi's hand and said, "This money is your New Year's money for so many years. Mom has been saving it for you. Your brothers and sisters also have some. You can use it as pocket money."

The Xia family's ancestors were not a large family, and there was no such thing as ancestral savings. Life had only been better in the past two years. When liberation was just approaching, all the family's clothes were patched.

Don't even think about giving her several big boxes of gold, silver, jewelry, and a house and shop when she comes back.

But with the Xia family's current status, compared with power, things like gold, silver, and jewelry are not important.

After hearing what Pan Wenjun said, Xia Zhizhi accepted it. In her opinion, it was not a huge amount of money.

Xia Bangguo and his son went to the study to discuss something. Zeng Zelan and Pan Wenjun, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, took Xia Zhizhi to the living room to chat, and Ah Ju was knitting a sweater next to them.

Zeng Zelan said: "The leader's birthday is in two days. I don't know if it will be held this year, but I think it will be the same as last year. In the evening, we will invite a few of them to have dinner together at the swimming pool, and then let Lao Xia take us to meet some people."

The leader used to live in Fengze Garden. In the second half of last year, because the old residence in Fengze Garden needed renovation, he moved to the swimming pool of Zhonglanhai and lived in a lounge there.

Speaking of this, Pan Wenjun feels proud. Their daughter Zhizhi has been received by the old man. Just to put it simply, how many children can do this on their own?

Pan Wenjun smiled and said, "I made a military uniform for her. I'll bring it over tomorrow night for her to try on. I'll let her wear it on the leader's birthday. I wonder if the old man still remembers us, Zhizhi."

"Remember, our Zhizhi is so well-behaved and sensible, who wouldn't like her?"

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted for a while.

Two days later, Xia Zhizhi still went out to fool around during the day and came back to be angry with Xia Bangguo at night.

Because of her instigation, Xia Bangguo was scolded every day.

On the leader's birthday, she got up early in the morning, put on the military uniform sent by Pan Wenjun, and combed her hair into a neat and simple braid. She looked as energetic as a tall white poplar.

Even Xia Bangguo praised her: "This outfit is great, so energetic and beautiful. I'll wear it like this from now on!"

The one who looked good was Xia Zhizhi, not the dress. Xia Zhizhi didn't say much to the old man, as he had no sense of aesthetics at all.

Zeng Zelan specifically told her before going to work: "Zhizhi, you can either stay at home and play today, or if you really have to go out for something, you have to come back early."

Xia Zhizhi touched her braid and nodded repeatedly, agreeing nicely.

As soon as the old couple's car left, she followed closely and went out again with Ah Ju.

Fortunately, she managed to behave like a normal person and went home around 4pm. After waiting at home until around 5pm, Xia Bangguo's security guards drove over to pick her up.

We first arrived at Xia Bangguo’s office.

Then Xia Bangguo took her and walked towards the swimming pool.

Looking at his granddaughter with an innocent look, Xia Bangguo thought that the child was ignorant, so he would not argue with her. He was kind and gave her a few words of advice: "Don't be afraid when you see them later, your grandfather is here."

Xia Zhizhi nodded: "I know, I know. I'm not afraid. This isn't the first time I've seen you."

Xia Bangguo: ...

This child is so unlovable.

The Xia family wanted to bring their child here to meet the family, so they came early.

The swimming pool house is a wooden structure that has fallen into disrepair over the years. Affected by the Xingtai earthquake, the walls are cracked. Compared to the buildings in this area, it is considered simple.

The old man is in his bedroom.

Xia Bangguo greeted the guard at the door, and seeing that Xia Zhizhi was so excited, he gave up the worry as he realized that she didn't need any comfort or encouragement from his grandfather.

He took Xia Zhizhi directly inside.

The lounge was packed with a bed, two sofas, a not-so-big desk, and several bookshelves filled with books.

When they went in, the old man was writing on the desk.

Xia Bangguo walked to the side and waited for the old man to finish writing.

Xia Zhizhi squeezed over, stretched her neck to look, intending to see what he had written.

I didn't expect that the old man was copying the Tao Te Ching from a copybook.

Whenever he is tired from work, he likes to practice calligraphy to relax.

When you are under a lot of pressure studying with top students, doing a few exercise books to relax you has the same effect.

The old man finished writing the last stroke, put down his brush, turned to Xia Bangguo and said, "You are the first to arrive this year."

The old man looked at Xia Zhizhi again, and felt that she looked familiar. He frowned and thought for a moment.

He is busy with work every day, and sometimes he has to meet countless people in a day. He didn't think of it at the first time, but just felt familiar.

Xia Zhizhi was dressed the same as she was when she met him last year, and she was afraid that the old man would not remember her.

Before Xia Bangguo could speak, Xia Zhizhi took the initiative to attack: "Hello, leader, it's me, I am Xia Zhizhi, do you still remember me? Last year you wrote a message to me and gave me a pen."

The old man's brows relaxed and he laughed: "So it's you, little comrade."

"Yes, it's me!" Xia Zhizhi picked up the calligraphy he had just written, blew off the ink on it, and said with a smile: "Did you know I was coming in advance? You wrote another calligraphy for me!"

He paused, looked at Xia Bangguo and Xia Zhizhi, and asked her with a smile: "I think your personality is friendly. Are your ancestors from Hunan Province? And the tone of your voice sounds like your accent is from western Hunan Province."

Bandits are rampant in western Hunan these days, and the old man was just joking about her aggressive personality as soon as she met him, saying she was like a bandit.

"Who knows?" Xia Zhizhi put the calligraphy into her bag with a playful smile, and then asked Xia Bangguo: "Grandpa, is our ancestral home in the western part of Hunan Province?"

Xia Bangguo glared at her: "You are still talking nonsense in front of the leader."

The old man was always kind and smiled as he advised: "Young comrades, you should be energetic and lively!"

Xia Zhizhi climbed up the pole and ran behind him in small steps: "Look at my grandpa's expression, I think you are right!"

The old man laughed out loud at her amusement.

Apart from anything else, the room was full of smart people, and everyone knew that she was entertaining her parents in colorful clothes. But the leader was quite happy to be teased by her like this.

Xia Bangguo was also happy, but also unhappy.

A few days ago, Xia Bangguo felt that Xia Zhizhi was lazy and didn't know how to please others with words, so only the old woman could pamper her with her eyes closed.

There is a generation gap between her young people and the elderly, so she doesn't get along well with an old man like me. Once those words came out of her mouth, it only made herself angry.

Now I realize that it is not a generation gap issue at all.

Xia Zhizhi is very clever and can coax anyone if she wants to.

The reason why she always makes herself angry is that she is deliberately making herself angry!