Chapter 65: The Reason Behind the Engagement

Lin Xinsheng didn’t pay it much mind and continued, “Your dad’s back, your family’s reunited, but I still haven’t seen him or your eldest uncle. The old commander said they’re being assigned to the capital, but I don’t know what he’s planning. When are you all heading to Beijing? Guoqing, tell Grandpa what you think. There’s no need to play dumb or keep things hidden—just speak your mind.”

Zhang Guoqing thought for a moment before replying, “Grandpa, I don’t want to go to Beijing for now. Since my mother-in-law is here too, I’ll just say what I think. I’m still young and want to settle down for a few years in the Northeast—work and study at the same time, gain some experience, and when the child is a bit older, Jiao Jiao and I can both take the college entrance exam. It won’t be too late to go to Beijing then.”

“Good, good, good! Ambitious and principled, and you’ve set your goals early. You’re only eighteen this year, right? That’s excellent. Our Jiao Jiao really has an eye for people—she’s found herself a good partner and married into a good family. Old Zhang, you and your wife really know how to raise children. Your son is outstanding.” Old Master Lin handed the child over to Zhang Guoqing, patting him repeatedly in excitement, praising him three times in a row.

Father Zhang quickly waved his hand, grinning from ear to ear. There’s nothing in the world more pleasing than hearing others praise your son.

Old Master Lin glanced at his daughter and said, “Daughter, since your daughter and son-in-law are both here, as your father, I’ll say a few words for everyone to consider. As for Zhou Xiaozheng’s future post, I don’t support him staying in Beijing or in his original unit. So many have fallen over the years. He’s capable, resourceful, and highly intelligent, but he hasn’t been in Beijing for years. The military district has changed hands, old comrades have either died or retired, and only a few have risen to higher positions. If Zhou Xiaozheng takes office, he’ll surely be promoted, but that’ll put others beneath him—how much camaraderie will be left then? He’s strong, but fighting alone is exhausting. Others see him as the Lin family’s son-in-law, and with his rank, plenty of people want to pull him in—the waters run deep. I came to the Northern Military District this time not just for meetings, but to see how things are here. I didn’t let your big brother stay in Beijing either; I arranged for all of them to be stationed elsewhere. I just don’t know what the higher-ups are thinking.”

After speaking, he noticed that only Father Zhang seemed thoughtful. The other two brothers didn’t quite understand the implications, and his own daughter just nodded along. He saw that Zhou Jiao looked calm, but her fingers were tapping on the kang bed, showing she was thinking things through.

“Jiao Jiao, tell Grandpa what you think. If your dad stays in Beijing, whether you live in the compound or your courtyard house, you’ll be living in style. Your house in Beijing is huge, and your mom put a lot of effort into decorating it—it’s beautiful. There are so many nice clothes in Beijing, and you can watch movies in the compound. You could work in your mom’s arts troupe anytime you want. Don’t you want to go?” Lin Xinsheng teased his granddaughter.

Zhou Jiao smiled at her grandfather’s antics. “Grandpa, stop teasing me—I’m not falling for it. I’ll listen to you; you’re the pillar of our family. Why would I need to be so impressive? I don’t bully others, and I won’t let anyone cross my bottom line. Life is the same wherever you go. In two or three years, your granddaughter will go to university in Beijing and make you proud—fair and square.”

“You little fox, aren’t you curious if your dad will agree?”

“Isn’t my mom here? If needed, she can just cry in front of him.”

Lin Lishan, both embarrassed and annoyed, shouted at them, “You brat! What do you mean, your mom will cry at him? If he doesn’t listen to me, I’ll beat him up. You really are a handful. I’d better go check on my good baby instead.”

Everyone in the main room burst out laughing. With this kind of banter between grandparents and grandchild, and mother and daughter, the initial awkwardness was gone. No one felt these people were high and mighty—they were just like any ordinary family.

Old Master Lin glanced at Zhang Guoqing, who was sitting quietly nearby, then at Zhou Jiao, recalling his wife’s instructions.

“Besides studying, do you two have any other plans? You’re not really planning to just stay in the village, working for work points, are you? Since you have a plan to work and study at the same time, you should find a relevant department. Learning isn’t just about books—it’s also about workplace relationships, right?”

Zhang Guoqing nodded. “That’s true. There’s a lot I need to learn. The child is still young, and we have two or three years of breathing room. We want to make the most of this time to improve ourselves.”

“I still hope you’ll join the army. Our family has always taken that path, and we know a lot of people in the system. Your grandma doesn’t want you to enlist, though—she told me before I left not to force you. She said Jiao Jiao has had a tough enough time already, and from now on, you two should do whatever you want. I agreed, but it’s a pity—you’re cut out for the military. So, have you decided where you want to work?”

Zhang Guoqing looked around and said, “The county armed forces department. Things are still in the works, nothing’s certain yet.”

Lin Xinsheng nodded approvingly. “At least it’s related to the military. That department is good—you’ll get to see how the government and military coordinate, and how departments are managed. It’s cross-disciplinary, and you’ll get familiar with both systems. Don’t rush to pull strings just yet. Tomorrow, bring a change of clothes and come with me to the Northern Military District to meet some of my old subordinates. Your mom can take care of Jiao Jiao for a few days.”

Zhang Guoqing knew this was about introducing him to connections. He hesitated but didn’t refuse. He didn’t care much about networking in the provincial capital—he didn’t need it now, and when he did, he’d repay any favors. Mostly, he was considering Old Master Lin’s feelings. If someone ever needed Old Master Lin’s help, he didn’t want to get dragged into it. He’d build his own network in the future. Still, following the old man would give him a close look at how things worked, and he could share information with his father-in-law when he returned. “Will this affect you, Grandpa?”

“Affect me? Nonsense! I’m just taking my grandson-in-law to visit old friends—what’s the problem? Don’t worry! With me around, no one will dare touch you.”

“Alright, then I’ll go with you and broaden my horizons. If there’s anything I should know, just tell me.” Zhang Guoqing nodded. The old man was a straightforward, impatient military type—best to just listen and do as he said.

Old Master Lin nodded. He wanted to take him out to meet people—seeing more, experiencing more, would broaden his horizons and keep him from being stuck in a small place. This kid was sharp, resourceful, capable, and mature for his age—never showing his emotions. Most importantly, he and Jiao Jiao had a good relationship, and she could keep him in check.

“Daughter, take Jiao Jiao back to rest and help her get her things together. I’ll stay here and chat with Old Zhang and the others.” Old Master Lin saw Zhou Jiao was about to doze off. After all the excitement at lunch, she was tired. He found it amusing—if it were anyone else, being taken out to network would have them thrilled, but she clearly didn’t care and was already bored enough to fall asleep."

"**Chapter 66: Old Master Zhou**

Zhang Guoqing wrapped his wife and son in a quilt and carried them back to the west wing. Lin Lishan followed closely behind, carefully observing the place where her daughter lived as she walked. From the main hall, she noticed the courtyard was spotless, everything arranged neatly, and even the ground was thoughtfully paved with a gravel path leading to the rooms.

As soon as she entered the young couple’s room, she saw a large heated brick bed (kang) under the big window, with a small table on top. A big red Chinese knot hung on the wall at the head of the bed.

Against the right wall in front of the kang, besides a brand-new sewing machine, there was a specially made low cabinet with a thermos and cups on it. Next to the cabinet, two chairs were placed against the right wall, and together with a small coffee table in the middle and a soft couch opposite the kang, they formed a cozy sitting area.

Behind the couch was a bookshelf-like cabinet, dividing the room into two sections. The cabinet was filled with books on top, and drawers and sliding doors below.

The spaces were connected, and she could vaguely see wooden chests of various sizes in the inner area on the right, with some dried game hanging above them.

Lin Lishan quietly took note of the furnishings, considering what else might be needed. She had brought quite a bit of money and ration coupons this time.

Walking past the dividing cabinet, she saw a door in the left wall, leading to their bedroom.

Zhang Guoqing carried them into the bedroom. Lin Lishan stepped in and immediately realized that two rooms had been combined into a small suite.

Near the window was a large heated brick bed. A fine cloth was draped over the bedside cabinet, hanging down slightly, and on closer inspection, she could see delicate bamboo embroidered on it. The rolled-up door curtain and the hanging window curtains were all in matching colors, each with different embroidered designs. The door curtain had large peonies, while the main curtain was particularly unique: clusters of bamboo on the left, poetic verses embroidered in the lower right corner—if you didn’t look closely, you’d think it was a painting.

Less than two meters from the kang, against the right wall, was a specially made 1.5-meter desk, with open books and writing materials on it.

Directly opposite the kang was a row of wardrobes. Beside them, three wooden chests were neatly arranged. From the kang, the wardrobes and chests looked orderly, and the vase on the chest contained lifelike fabric flowers.

The spacious, bright bedroom was decorated with fabric crafts in many details, exuding elegance, warmth, and joy. The room smelled fresh, with a hint of baby’s milk, but none of the unpleasant odors one might expect from a child.

Zhang Guoqing noticed his mother-in-law standing by the kang, lost in thought, and reminded her, “Mom, you and Jiaojiao should sit on the kang and have a good chat. Don’t rush to sleep yet, dinner will be ready soon.”

Lin Lishan nodded. Seeing Zhou Jiao about to lie down, she hurried over, carefully pulled the quilt over her, took the baby and placed him by her side. Looking at her daughter’s sallow, thin face, her own expression twisted with worry. She pulled Zhang Guoqing into the outer room. “Jiaojiao, you rest first. If you need anything, just call for me. I’ll organize our things. Let Guoqing take the food to the kitchen, and we’ll decide together what to give away.”

“Okay, Mom, just do as you see fit. They’re not picky people. My mother-in-law and father-in-law are easy to get along with,” Zhou Jiao managed to say before falling asleep.

The small sitting room outside was piled high with things. Earlier, Zhang Guoqing had been carrying Zhou Jiao and hadn’t looked closely, but now that he had a moment, he realized—half the room, even the couch, was covered. What was going on? Did his mother-in-law prepare all this herself, or was it from the Lin family?

He rather liked his simple-minded mother-in-law—she seemed straightforward and pure. It was clear her only worry was that Jiaojiao wouldn’t talk to her. When Jiaojiao called her a great wife and mother, she had beamed with joy.

Earlier, when Grandpa Lin was explaining, she was so afraid Zhou Jiao wouldn’t believe him that her expression kept changing. Whenever the old man mentioned her, she’d nod along. But when he suggested he suspected her father was alive but didn’t dare say so, she glared at him, her eyes full of accusation. She was a child raised in an ivory tower, just as Fang Fei said—a girl at heart. Luckily, the Lin family protected her; otherwise, the Zhou family would have picked her clean. If Jiaojiao was a book, her mother was a glass of water—clear and transparent, as innocent as a child.

Before meeting her, he had looked down on such women—who could let their daughter go 17 years without seeing her? He couldn’t feel any fondness. But the reality was baffling: such a woman was perfect as a daughter or wife, but just not fit to be a mother. She lacked maturity and a sense of responsibility.

Thinking of his mother-in-law, he was reminded of Professor Yang’s wife—an excellent spouse who took care of her husband in every way, but was negligent with their two children. If she was interested, she’d dote on them; if not, she wouldn’t even cook if they were starving, just give them money. Everything else was left to the nanny. If the kids got sick, she’d just cry, not even knowing to take them to the hospital. But could you say she didn’t love her children? Every time Zhang Guoqing saw her playing with them, he could feel her affection. Such a mother was like a friend—she wouldn’t restrict you, but neither would she carefully protect or pamper you. She herself needed to be loved and cared for. He didn’t expect much from his mother-in-law—just that she wouldn’t hurt Jiaojiao. Her whole world was Zhou Xiao Zheng, but for him, it was only Zhou Jiao.

“Mom, this is way too much stuff! How did you bring it all? Weren’t you worried about getting in trouble, carrying so many bags onto the train? Please don’t send so much next time. How much do you make a month? We’re not short of money, really. Sometimes I go up the mountain and hunt, and secretly send game to the city. If you don’t believe me, just look at how much Jiaojiao has on hand.”

Lin Lishan waved it off. “Don’t worry, your mom knows how to make money. The art troupe often sends us all over the country, and all expenses are reimbursed. Sometimes I earn a little extra by helping people carry things. Who could live on just that salary? Everyone does it on the sly—it’s not dangerous. But you shouldn’t go up the mountain anymore, that’s too risky.”

Zhang Guoqing was concerned by her casual attitude. “Hey, you really can’t be so reckless. Don’t get involved in speculative trading. What if something happens? I have money. When Dad comes back, if your salary isn’t enough, we’ll make up the difference. Buy whatever you want, just please, don’t do this anymore.”

Lin Lishan laughed, lowering her voice, “Didn’t expect to enjoy my daughter and son-in-law’s filial piety so soon! Let me tell you a secret—don’t tell anyone but Jiaojiao. I have assets overseas, nobody knows, not even your dad. Things are strict now, but I have chances to go abroad with the troupe. So I’m not short of money, trust me. I’m not stupid. As for the monthly remittance, that’s based on my old salary—I’ve had several raises since then, and I keep the extra with your grandma. You and Jiaojiao just use it as you like, our family really isn’t short of money.”"