Chapter 58: Finally Meeting at Last

Section Four: The Lin Family Arrives (Part Four)

There were still crowds gathered at the main gate; too many people had shown up today, and the discussions around hadn’t died down. Old Master Zhou had already left, and no one knew where Zhou Xue had gone. Zhang Guoqing glanced around and spotted a young man in military uniform. He nodded at him, signaling with his eyes to head outside. The two of them left quietly, one after the other, and slipped away to the back mountain without drawing attention.

Zhang Guoqing smiled apologetically, checked that no one was around, and, seeing that the other man was sharp and straightforward, decided not to beat around the bush. Soldiers liked directness, after all. “Brother, I’m guessing you’re one of the comrades around Zhou Jiao’s grandfather, right? Sorry I didn’t greet you earlier—too many people, too much going on. Please, put in a good word for me with the old master later. Otherwise, if he tells Jiaojiao, she’ll definitely give me a hard time.”

“Oh? How did you know that was Zhou Jiao’s grandfather? Maybe you just happened to see him?”

Zhang Guoqing found the soldier’s stern, square-jawed face amusing.

“Come on, you can just tell by looking at him—he’s got that natural authority, even without getting angry. Plus, he’s in uniform, and those elite soldiers with him didn’t look like they were just passing by. There’s never been a general from these villages, and the only old revolutionary is Old Master Zhou. I’ve never seen any of his old comrades visit. And they stood off to the side the whole time—if you weren’t paying attention, you’d miss them.”

Fang Fei couldn’t help but laugh at how quickly Zhang Guoqing had warmed up to him. Just a few minutes ago, he’d been fiercely protective of his wife, and now he was all smiles.

“Since you called me ‘brother,’ I’ll accept you as my little bro. I’m Fang Fei, a good friend of Lin Dingsheng, Zhou Jiao’s eldest cousin. That guy called me from far away when he heard I was coming to check you out, just to see if you’re reliable.” Fang Fei gave Zhang Guoqing a friendly punch in the chest.

Zhang Guoqing responded in kind. “Just call me Xiao Wu—I’m the fifth in my family, so that’s my nickname. How long are you staying? Let’s hang out while you’re here. It’s hunting season in the Northeast—how about it, soldier, you know how to hunt?”

Fang Fei kicked at him, but Zhang Guoqing dodged easily. “You’re a sly one, already trying to set me up. I’m only here for a week—this was arranged half a year ago. Your grandfather can only stay in the Northeast for a week, including meetings at the military district, so he’s only here for one night. Your mother-in-law wasn’t scheduled to come.”

“So that woman really is my mother-in-law? She doesn’t look like Jiaojiao at all, and she’s not as pretty. I only caught a glimpse, but I was suspicious. But I guess she must be my mother-in-law.”

Fang Fei couldn’t help but smack him on the head, seeing his “my wife is the prettiest in the world” expression. “You’re such a wife guy. Yeah, your wife’s the prettiest. She takes after her grandmother, and she’s got the same poise.”

By now, the two were walking with their arms around each other’s shoulders. Male friendships were different from women’s—when you hit it off, you really hit it off. “You just haven’t met the right person yet. Anyway, let’s not talk about that. Let’s go in the back way and hang out at my place for a bit.”

“Not now. Let’s wait until the old master comes this afternoon, then go together. I still need to report back to your grandfather about what happened—someone from the township just took him away. But you and your wife, you two are really something.” Fang Fei gave him a big thumbs-up.

Zhang Guoqing shook his head helplessly. “What can we do? All that stuff is long gone. Just tell the Lin family not to send anything else. But you can’t say that openly—these days, with all the political movements, even a small rumor could get you in trouble. In Beijing, every position is filled, and any trouble has to be rooted out completely.

My wife and I had no choice. To prevent the Zhou family from dragging the Lin family into things, we set a trap to get everything out in the open, and to make things clear. Who knows what the future holds? You have to do what you have to do. You’ve probably heard the rumors—people say Jiaojiao is a ‘golden child,’ supporting five families and making five villages rich. All of Jiaojiao’s things were sent by the Lin family, which could be a problem in the eyes of some. So we figured it’s best to break the connection between the Lin and Zhou families. We can’t let this drag on because of us. Besides, that family treats us worse than strangers.”

“You’re a smart guy, so I’m not worried. What Jiaojiao said today has already shut a lot of people up, and things will be easier for you two from now on. You and your wife are a perfect match. But tell me honestly—did you know the Lin family was coming?”

“Brother, I wouldn’t tell anyone else, but since you’re treating me as a brother, I’ll be straight with you. No one else knew—just the two of us guessed that the Lin family would most likely show up tomorrow for my son’s three-day celebration. Didn’t expect them to come so soon. I thought her mom might come, but didn’t expect the old master himself.” Zhang Guoqing figured it was okay to say this much.

Fang Fei felt half the weight in his heart lift. Zhang’s analysis matched his own, and he was honest about it—no secrets between brothers. He already liked Zhang Guoqing, but still felt the need to give him a reminder.

“Xiao Wu, let me tell you something: if the old master arranges a job for you, don’t be shy about it. Your grandmother isn’t in good health, and she specifically told him not to force you to join the army unless you want to. She said Jiaojiao has suffered enough, and you two should live however you want. In the Lin family, the old lady has the final say. The old master is totally henpecked.

Their family is easy to get along with, except for your second uncle and aunt, who grew up together in the same compound and didn’t have an arranged marriage like other families. That’s rare in the compound.

As for your mother-in-law, your grandfather had four kids. Except for your youngest aunt, who grew up with your grandmother, the rest were fostered out to local families and only brought back when they were older. Your grandfather likes her the most—she looks the most like him, too. She’s a bit stubborn, has a good temper, but is a bit of a spendthrift. Can’t hold onto money. I’ve heard Shengli and his brother say she’s still got a girlish heart. She fell for Jiaojiao’s dad because he was good-looking—she’s all about love first. Later, her husband managed the money, and he spoiled her. Only after her mother-in-law took over did things get better.

So if she buys a bunch of stuff here, don’t be surprised. I haven’t seen her much myself—she’s always traveling around the country and abroad, hardly ever home. Sometimes she’s gone for two years at a time.”

“Thanks, brother. Who cares what the mother-in-law does? Someone will deal with her eventually. As long as she’s not a shrew, I’m fine with anything.”

“…You’re not hiding something, are you? Spill it! If you tell me, I’ll give you a surprise later.” Fang Fei was really starting to suspect this clever guy. He’d heard rumors that Lin Aiguo and Zhou Xiaozheng were coming back, not dead, just on missions. His dad had let that slip on the phone.

“Heh, not telling, no matter what. You and I are thinking along the same lines—you’ll find out soon enough. At first, I thought you were all serious and soldierly, but you’re not really cut out for the army. You need to keep it together.” Zhang Guoqing couldn’t help laughing as Fang Fei grabbed him and started tickling him.

“You’re one to talk! You change faces even faster than me. Just now, you were all fierce protecting your wife, and then you put on a poker face when people came up. Remember, when Dingsheng and Shengli come back, they’re going to give you a hard time. I’m not sure if I’ll help you or not. You didn’t even get their approval before marrying their sister—they’re all sharpening their knives, ha!”

Zhang Guoqing grabbed his arm on purpose. “Brother, you have to help me! If you ever fancy someone’s sister, I’ll help you win her over.”

“Get lost! I’m a handsome guy, I don’t need to chase after girls. Those girls are always acting cute—so annoying. I’ve already decided I’ll marry a female soldier. We’ll both be in the army, and if she doesn’t listen, I’ll just pull rank. You don’t know how annoying the army wives are in the military district—always causing trouble.” Fang Fei said, full of longing.

Zhang Guoqing was speechless at his taste in women. He patted Fang Fei’s forehead. “At least you’re not running a fever. But have you thought about what it’d be like if your wife was just like a man? You see men all day, and then go home to a woman who’s like a man, and if you have a daughter who’s also like a man, your life will be nothing but gray.”

“Can’t there be a pretty female soldier? Think about it—female soldiers are tall, with long legs. Oh man, I have to go meet up with people at the village entrance and finish a task in town. I’ll head off now—we’ll talk more tonight. I’ll let you know what happens next. You don’t need to go to the county—they’ll be here around 2 or 3. Go keep your wife company. Oh, and a heads-up: you two were hugging, and Jiaojiao and the others really did see it. I told Xiao Zhou, so make sure to welcome your mother-in-law properly.” As he spoke, he mimicked Zhang Guoqing’s tone, patted his own arm in mock disgust, and ran off."

"**Chapter 59: Mother and Daughter Reunited**

**Chapter 59: Mother and Daughter Reunited**

**Chapter 49: The Lin Family Arrives (Part 5)**

That temperament really isn’t suited for being a soldier, but he’s a genuinely good person—not like some of those high-ranking officials’ kids who look down their noses at people. With a friend like that, the Lin family folks have nothing to complain about. Zhang Guoqing finally felt at ease and entered through the back door. There weren’t many people left at the entrance to the compound, just a few of his uncles and older male relatives. The crowd had already dispersed. No one in the family had eaten a proper lunch—right when they were about to, that lunatic showed up.

“Dad, Uncle, Little Uncle, come in and have a seat. Let’s sit in the main room. Dad, where are my buddies?”

Father Zhang pulled his two brothers along to close the main gate and entered the main room. Zhang Guoqing poured three bowls of water and set them on the table. “Have a drink. Thank you, Uncle and Little Uncle. Only family would step in to help when something happens. Come over for dinner tonight—I’ll have Mom cook up some good dishes. What do you three brothers think?”

Father Zhang laughed and patted his son on the back. His boy really knew how to talk. “Where did you run off to just now? Your second brother went looking for you. Your eldest brother and sister-in-law went to pick up the kids. The team leader had to go to a meeting in town. I figured there’s nothing much to do this afternoon, so I was just talking with your uncles about the house. When the time comes, your cousins can help out and things will move quickly.”

“Thank you so much, Uncle and Little Uncle. I’ll have to thank my cousins properly, too. Being the youngest, I always get the easy end of things. I hardly ever help my brothers out, but whenever something comes up, they’re the first ones I call. Haha. We have guests coming tonight anyway, so I’ll call everyone over for a get-together. Uncle, Little Uncle, you don’t need to go home—just stay and I’ll fill you in on what’s going on. Dad, you asked where I went? A soldier buddy pulled me aside to talk just now, when things were chaotic outside. There were so many people, it was hard for him to find me. He told me that Jiao Jiao’s maternal grandpa and her mother will be visiting us this afternoon. Dad, do you know where Mom is? I want to tell her that her long-lost in-laws are finally coming to visit at the baby’s three-day celebration, haha.”

“Oh, after all these years, now he wants to see his granddaughter? I guess he’ll hear about what happened today, too. What a coincidence, everyone’s running into each other. That old Zhou family is really something—Old Master Zhou still hasn’t come by to say a word. I just saw him leave without saying anything. So much for being close family, it’s all over now. From now on, as long as Jiao Jiao is filial to her grandparents, that’s enough,” said Zhang Youfu.

Little Uncle Zhang Youcai agreed, “It’s better this way. Did you hear how she cursed today? If you didn’t know better, you’d think our family was taking advantage. They’ve gotten all the benefits, and now they’re playing the victim. Now that the Lin family’s coming, let’s see if he has any face left. Big Brother, you said he left without coming in—how could he have the nerve to come in? You think he really doesn’t know what’s going on? We all live in the same courtyard. He’s just letting Jiao Jiao take the blame, that shameless old man.”

Father Zhang couldn’t help but twitch his lips at his brother’s bluntness. Then he looked at Xiao Wu and his wife—after all these years of putting up with that family, it was only now, after being insulted at home, that Jiao Jiao finally exploded. Today, she really stunned hundreds of people. The crowd was so dense it made his legs go weak, and every word she said hit home—she was even more skillful than the commune secretary.

“Your mom’s in your room with Jiao Jiao, worried the child might get too upset. Your uncle’s wife and aunt, along with the village women, are there comforting her. The baby’s only a couple of days old, and the Zhou family’s already causing trouble. When you talk to Jiao Jiao, take it slow. She hasn’t seen her mother in years—she must have a lot of resentment, maybe even some grievances. Try to talk her through it.”

Zhang Guoqing found it amusing how serious his dad looked while saying all this and quickly excused himself, “Okay, I understand. You all keep chatting, I’ll go tell them.” With that, he left—he still had to arrange food and lodging for the guests.

“Second Brother, now that the kids are gone and it’s just us three brothers, tell me honestly—weren’t you scared with all those people outside? My legs were shaking, there must have been nearly a thousand people! You probably didn’t notice, but the whole foot of North Mountain was packed, more than at a movie screening.” Little Uncle patted his chest and let out a breath.

Big Uncle shot him a look, “What’s there to be afraid of? When has our Zhang family ever been scared of trouble? Besides, those people were just there to watch the commotion, not to help her deal with us. That girl must have bullied Jiao Jiao a lot before, thinking she’d be scared this time. She’s really clueless. Jiao Jiao said it herself—family scandals shouldn’t be aired in public. She used to put up with it, but now she’s part of the Zhang family. If she backed down now, she’d be a fool.

You think she’s a fool? Look at her—what presence, what composure! She spoke calmly, one point after another, and even the old men were stunned. She handled things better than the commune secretary. Who doesn’t say the poor child’s had a tough life, and the Zhou family is heartless? People say she’s kind and righteous—I say Zhou Xiao Zheng’s blood isn’t bad.”

Father Zhang lit his pipe and took a few puffs. “Honestly, I was worried too. With so many people, who knows if someone might stir up trouble? But Jiao Jiao really did us proud—she’s got the Zhang family’s backbone. Before, I worried about splitting the family, thinking the two of them were still kids and couldn’t handle big matters. But after seeing her today, I’m relieved. She’s always been soft, like a steamed bun, but today when she lost her temper—even though she’s still gentle, not like the village women who can curse up a storm—she still held her ground. No one will dare bully her again.”

“Come on, we all grew up together—I know you’re secretly pleased. She’s not weak at all, she’s even better than those old women at arguing. Did you see how she just sat there quietly at first, then calmly said, ‘I know you’re jealous of me,’ and casually exposed the Huang family’s dirty laundry? Even after the crowd left, people were still repeating her words. The Huang family’s finished, but they brought it on themselves—raising a troublemaker for the Zhou family. And every word she said was sharp, no wasted breath, every jab hit home.”

Little Uncle nodded repeatedly. “Exactly. Second Brother, you don’t even know how many people are in trouble now. Chunming’s dad told me that just based on what Jiao Jiao said today, the Zhou village team leader will be dismissed, the post office supervisor is done for, even the Wang family’s team leader can’t keep his job, and the Huang family will definitely be dealt with. If things get serious, just the fact that Zhou’s girl led so many people here—even if it wasn’t intentional—could be seen as inciting a crowd. If the county hears about it, even the township officials could be in trouble—a whole bunch of people could go down. Chunming’s dad is sharp—everyone knows he’s clever. He said if Jiao Jiao doesn’t implicate the township officials, they’ll probably be grateful to her. See how smart he is?”

“She’ll handle it lightly. You all know Jiao Jiao’s temperament—she doesn’t make enemies easily, always says life is hard for everyone. Even if her grandpa comes, she’ll go easy. She’ll listen to the township officials’ advice. She grew up with me, I know how she handles things,” Father Zhang said thoughtfully. He knew that with their personalities, he and his wife wouldn’t drag innocent people down. People who can handle big matters always have a plan—he figured those two would get along well with the township officials.

Big Uncle took a sip of water and said, “Let’s leave it at that. Our Zhang family isn’t afraid of anyone, but we have to act with a clear conscience, so people won’t gossip. We’ll head out now. With all those people coming, it’s not convenient for us to stick around. It’s been over a decade since they last visited—there’ll be a lot to talk about. We won’t join the excitement. We’ll go home and rest. No need to invite our families for dinner tonight. Later, I’ll have your sister-in-law send over some venison for you—see if you need anything else, just come get it from our place. Youngest, let’s go.”

Father Zhang followed them out—he wanted to see where his wife was and ask if she needed anything. After all, it’s not often people come to visit; they had to be good hosts."