Chapter 395

This New Year was spent very well, everyone was very happy, after all, they had reunited again.

The children were chasing each other and setting off firecrackers outside, while the adults were busy chatting and laughing at home, with the table full of delicious food, wearing new clothes, and holding beautiful hopes for the future, without the worries of daily life. The hardships were different, but this kind of joy was shared; it was the same for ten Battalion Commander with lights on.

On the evening of the 30th, Zhou Bingyi, who had been drinking tipsily at noon and hadn't been sober for long, still took the heavily pregnant Hao Dongmei and their daughter back to his father-in-law's house to eat dumplings that evening.

The joyful atmosphere of the old Zhou house was not affected in any way; the mood was still quite good. The whole family watched the pre-recorded and rebroadcast TV programs on the black-and-white TV, and with a bunch of little ones enlivening the atmosphere, the adults sighed about life and reminisced about the past; it was quite good.

On the first day of the New Year, Zhou Bingyi returned to the old Zhou house very early by himself, because Zhou Zhigang, just like in the original drama, wanted to take the whole family out to stroll around Guangzipian to pay New Year calls; this was purely showing off. After all, his eldest son and second daughter were both students at China's best universities, his youngest son had now become a "ten-thousand-yuan household," and there was a bunch of grandchildren; the family was prosperous. Listening to everyone's auspicious words along the way, he felt wonderful inside.

Wang Yan's family didn't join in that excitement; they enjoyed the warmth of their own small family in the staff quarters, giggling and laughing, which was also quite happy.

On the second day, as usual, Wang Yan returned to his wife's parents' home with his wife and children. In the evening, the whole family of the old Zhou house, either riding bikes or taking cars, all went to the Provincial Committee compound.

Hao Long Long had also returned early, kindly pulling Zhou Zhigang to talk, caring about his health, caring about the Third Front construction, and also asking about the specific situation of Zhou Bingkun in the South. Actually, although for the past two years every second day of the New Year, Jin Yueji would invite the old Zhou family to come over for a meal together, Hao Long Long had never shown his face...

On the third day, it was the annual gathering of Zhou Bingkun and his friends again. This year's gathering was still in Qiao Chunyan's house. She had indeed had quite a lot of ups and downs: given a house, had it taken back, promoted to a leader, demoted to do foot massages, and this time she was promoted again, and the house had also been changed to a newly built staff building with an external staircase that hadn't been there for two years.

"Let me tell you, when I was demoted, I still felt quite uncomfortable in my heart; there's a gap, you know. You say before, whoever saw me called me Director, and when I came down, everyone wanted to come up and step on me twice. I just thought, is it okay to work in an office, but not okay to do my old job? Can't go up but can't go down, of course that's not right. Once the thinking is clear, then everything is clear. My attitude is good, my technique is good, my personality is also good, and I look okay too. The customers who came for me were so many, so I repaired them pair by pair, and isn't this how I became an advanced worker and a model again?

Let me tell you, my realization is that labor doesn't distinguish between high and low, noble and base; as long as you are a down-to-earth screw in your work, the eyes of the leaders and the masses are all bright, and sooner or later you will succeed."

A group of people listened to Qiao Chunyan giving her promotion speech, and Cao Debao waved his hand: "Forget it, stop talking nonsense. If it wasn't for the coincidence that the deputy minister of the district organization department went for a foot massage, and the coincidence that the district needed a women's cadre, and the coincidence that you served them quite well."

"The first two coincidences were coincidences, but the later coincidence was my consistent work style as Qiao Chunyan. What do they mean by saying opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared? That's me." Qiao Chunyan boasted happily, then turned to look at Zhou Bingkun, who was sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed and smoking: "Brother, why aren't you saying anything?"

"I'm listening to you, aren't I? Your little mouth is chattering away, where is there any room for us to interrupt?" Zhou Bingkun shook his head and smiled: "But to be fair, this house of yours is indeed quite good, much better than the previous one. There's a toilet, a kitchen, heating, gas, and running water; no need to carry water, no need to pour out slop, no freezing your butt when going to the toilet in winter, and no smell in summer; it's much better than the messy Guangzipian. Not bad."

"Isn't that the truth? These conditions, we don't dare to hope for them." After saying this, Wu Qian couldn't help but sit up and start complaining about the dissatisfaction in her family life: "Even if it were like before, it would be fine. Let me tell you, I finally had a little hope, hoping that his two sisters who returned would get married. Well, this is great, his eldest brother-in-law got cancer.

Not to mention spending all the family's money, the person is gone. You guys don't know, that eldest brother-in-law's unit is ruthless; the person left, and they took the house back immediately. The eldest sister's unit also said there's no house. So what to do? Can only bring the child and move back to her parents' house to live. Her family of three, our family of three, plus his parents, eight people, squeezed into two small adobe houses. A place the size of a palm, is that called a home? I think even a shelter is better."

"Can you stop embarrassing yourself?" Having her own messy affairs put out to talk about, it wouldn't be comfortable for anyone, especially since Xiao Guoqing was a man, and a man with a fiery temper, so how could he take this? He immediately got up and wanted to beat Wu Qian.

There are many kinds of domestic violence; like Xiao Guoqing, directly using his hands is one kind, but like Wu Qian, whose mouth is like a cotton-padded waist, saying everything out loud day after day, isn't that also a kind of harm to Xiao Guoqing?

Zhou Bingkun didn't like Wu Qian very much; every year's good mood at the gathering was ruined by her. But he couldn't really watch Xiao Guoqing beat Wu Qian, so he immediately reached out and pulled the furious Xiao Guoqing to sit down: "Guoqing, what are you doing? It's the New Year, calm down your fiery temper, don't just want to use your hands."

Qiao Chunyan echoed: "Isn't that right? Can't we have a good New Year? Wu Qian, what did I tell you before? Don't natter about those things when we gather; the New Year should be happy, talk about other things later. Right, Brother?"

Zhou Bingkun nodded and asked: "Did your eldest brother-in-law go to Brother Yan to get checked for cancer?"

Xiao Guoqing sighed: "We went to see him. At that time, I took my sister and brother-in-law to see him. Brother Yan checked my brother-in-law directly and said it was discovered too late, the disease was progressing too fast, and he couldn't cure it. It wasn't that we didn't give up, we went through the trouble of going to the capital for treatment; Brother Yan even introduced us. By the time we got there, the money was almost spent, and we couldn't save him."

"Ah, then there's no way. Brother Yan's medical skills are high, but there are quite a few people who have died under his hands over the years. There are too many diseases, and too many that can't be cured." Zhou Bingkun stopped this topic and pondered: "Before, Ganchao's family didn't have enough space, didn't they build a house later? How about this, Guoqing, your family also has a yard; when spring comes, I'll get you some materials, and Ganchao and you guys can help build one, that would be much more spacious."

Wu Qian, who had just been drooping her face, immediately smiled: "Then Bingkun, the money for the materials..."

"Get lost." Xiao Guoqing cursed angrily, then turned to look at Zhou Bingkun beside him and said in a low voice: "That, Bingkun, we are a bit tight on money, you pay for it first, and I'll pay you back slowly."

"That's all easy to say, pay me back whenever you have it. Besides, there are still two months until spring, plenty of time."

Qiao Chunyan smiled: "Look at my brother, Wu Qian, I have to tell you, it's already decent that he's helping you, don't be insatiable. My brother's family conditions are relatively good; his son-in-law's brother is a high official, his cousin is a miracle doctor in the Northeast, and he himself is doing quite well in the South, so he is much better off than us. But he doesn't owe us anything; helping us is a favor, not helping is his duty, don't go too far."

She said this very clearly and very sensibly, even though she later looked for Zhou Bingkun to help handle things and wanted more housing. From this, it can also be seen that people have a cheap disease; when talking about others, they always stand on high ground and are righteous, but when it comes to themselves, they do things more excessively than anyone else.

Wu Qian saying this, on one hand, she really didn't have it, and on the other hand, she was trying to take advantage and just wanted to get it for free. This is understandable; Xiao Guoqing's family is indeed average, and what she said is indeed the truth. When normal people say this, they will feel humiliated in their hearts; perhaps she did too, it's just that life is like this, so she had to speak up. Whether she could save that money and take advantage is not the point; speaking up is never wrong, just in case Zhou Bingkun wanted to be the "big head." If you don't say it, there's a hundred percent chance you won't take advantage; if you say it, there's at least a fifty percent chance.

Her kind of mentality is common among many people who are disliked in daily life. They just dare to speak up, they just have no shame; some might be truly in difficulty, while others are just playing the rogue and bullying honest people. Qiao Chunyan is like this, Wu Qian is like this, and Yu Hong, who wanted a house from Zheng Juan later, is also like this. However, in life, most people are still too embarrassed to speak up, can't let go of their pride, and don't know how to refuse.

Seeing Xiao Guoqing, whose face was flushed red and who was glaring fiercely at her, Wu Qian lowered her head and sat silently to the side, no longer speaking. They had been together for so many years, and she knew Xiao Guoqing's temper very well; when they got home, it definitely wouldn't be over.

Zhou Bingkun patted Xiao Guoqing's shoulder, signaling him not to be angry, and looked at the others present with a smile: "Chunyan is right, I'm doing quite well in the South now; although there's no hope for great wealth, I can at least manage to eat my fill. Debao, Guoqing, Ganchao, and Wu Qian, Yu Hong, I told you before, you guys didn't go, how about this time? Come over and help me?"

Cao Debao shook his head: "I'm doing quite well as a workshop director at the soy sauce factory, and Chunyan has also become a small leader now; we're both doing quite well, so we won't go to the South to toss about. Don't look at me, look at them."

Qiao Chunyan nodded in agreement: "Isn't that right, Brother, we're both doing quite well, no need for you to worry."

She didn't think she was sick; after all, she was also in the officialdom now, and she didn't want to leave her hometown and run so far away, wasting the current great situation.

Seeing Zhou Bingkun looking at him, Xiao Guoqing nodded, and just as he was about to speak, Wu Qian, who had been playing dead on the side, spoke up: "Thank you, Bingkun. We won't go. Now I'm at the state-run restaurant, and he's at the timber factory; although we don't earn much, at least it's a stable job, and there's income every month, right? We can't compare to your family, we can't afford to toss about. If there's any month we don't earn money, our whole family will be out of food. If there's any illness or disaster, we won't be able to hold on. Xiao Guoqing, shut your mouth."

Listening to Wu Qian's roar, Xiao Guoqing's cheeks bulged high, his already square face became even squarer, and his face turned red to his neck. This wasn't from shame, it was from anger; he was very furious. He didn't speak, taking deep breaths to stabilize the emotions that were about to explode.

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Zhou Bingkun patted him again and turned to look at Sun Ganchao on the side: "What about Ganchao? What do you think?"

Sun Ganchao glanced at the silent Yu Hong and nodded: "I'll go with you, Yu Hong will forget it; now the child is also a year old, although my mom can help take care of him at home, the child can't do without his mom. Taking the child over isn't realistic either; she'll just work at home and take care of the child, and she can also look after my parents."

"Fine, then when work starts after the New Year, you go to the timber factory and resign. Stay with your family for a while, and I'll tell you in advance when to leave. As for things, no need to bring anything, just go yourself; there's everything over there."

Everyone chatted for a while longer and then set off to the Provincial Committee compound to pay New Year calls to Qu Xiuzhen.

Just like in the original drama, at the gate of the Provincial Committee compound, they met Tang Xiangyang and Lv Chuan, whom they hadn't seen for several years and who had been waiting there for a long time. After a simple reunion, they went to Qu Xiuzhen's house together.

Qu Xiuzhen knew about Zhou Bingkun's affairs, if not clearly, then close to it. For the past two years, every second day of the New Year, the old Zhou family would go to Hao Dongmei's house for a meal, and Zhou Bingkun would also incidentally take things to her place to sit for a while.

Qu Xiuzhen had known since the time it wasn't legal, not to mention now that it was legal, and Zhou Bingkun hadn't hidden it either, answering whatever was asked. So hearing that only Sun Ganchao was going south with Zhou Bingkun this year, she still felt a bit emotional.

Having known each other for many years, she saw clearly what these people were like, and she knew more or less about the things that had happened. So she knew that Sun Ganchao's going this time was truly because he wanted to help Zhou Bingkun. She didn't know what kind of mood the others would be in when they found out later how Zhou Bingkun was doing over there; it was quite interesting...

After eating a meal at Qu Xiuzhen's house, everyone dispersed. Although they hadn't seen each other for several years, and although no one said it, everyone had a feeling; Tang Xiangyang and Lv Chuan had indeed drifted apart, and there was no point in getting together. And let alone them, even Zhou Bingkun was a bit awkward with the three of them, Cao Debao included. So there was no intention to add another session of reminiscing about the past, and everyone went back to their own homes.

On the fourth day, the old Zhou family group sat down with Chen Jing's family to eat together again.

On the fifth day, because the photo studio was open on the tenth and Zhou Zhigang was leaving home on the eighth, Wang Yan brought people from the newspaper office with cameras to take a lot of photos of the old Zhou family.

On the seventh day, because of Feng Huacheng's work, Zhou Rong and the others got on the train and left Jichun. Speaking of which, Feng Huacheng was quite unhappy. Because no matter what, although he didn't have a son-in-law like Zhou Bingyi, and didn't have a miracle doctor like Wang Yan, he was always better than Zhou Bingkun, who had always been at home. But now the situation had changed; Zhou Bingkun had suddenly become a "ten-thousand-yuan household," while they had become the worst off. The brand-new foreign watch on his wrist made him truly feel the heavy weight.

On the eighth day, Zhou Bingkun sent his father to the railway station to leave. During the process, of course, there was no shortage of Zhou Zhigang, the father, giving instructions to his youngest son, telling him to abide by the law, to love his country and family, to take on his own responsibilities, not to mistreat workers, and so on.

After the fifteenth, Zhou Bingyi and Chen Jing also boarded the train to the capital, and the old Zhou house returned to its usual appearance; Li Suhua inevitably felt sad again.

Zhou Bingkun wasn't in a hurry to leave; he was scheduled to leave on the 20th, so he stayed at home for these few days to accompany his mother, wife, and children.

On the evening of the 18th, after eating, the family was on the hot kang; Wang Yan, Zhou Bingkun, Zheng Guangming, and Li Suhua were playing cards together when a series of knocking sounds rang out. It wasn't that the person knocking was forceful, but that the old, broken door just made that sound.

Hearing the knocking, the few boys sitting on the floor stopped their movements; Zhou Jianbang ran over to open the door, and Zheng Juan, who was sitting on the edge of the kang watching the fun, also got off the floor and went out.

"Guoqing, looking for Bingkun? Come in, come in, it's quite cold outside."

Before long, Zheng Juan closed the room door and walked into the room with Xiao Guoqing.

"Auntie, Brother Yan, Bingkun, Guangming." Xiao Guoqing walked into the room and greeted everyone with a smile.

Zhou Bingkun frowned as he looked at him: "What's wrong with you? Look at those big marks on your face; did you have a fight with Wu Qian? Did she scratch you?"

It was no wonder he asked like that; not only were there several marks on his face, but there were also some on his neck, which clearly looked like they had been scratched out.

"It's nothing, I accidentally scraped it." Xiao Guoqing said: "That, Bingkun, aren't you and Ganchao leaving on the 20th? I, that, I'm going with you two."

"Going together?" Zhou Bingkun understood and shook his head: "Didn't you resign from your job at the timber factory?"

Xiao Guoqing nodded and said: "We are good brothers, I have to help you. Ganchao is going with you, and we were both in the timber factory; if he can go, I should go even more, can't let you work over there by yourself, and have no one to help if something happens. That's it, I'll come over early on the 20th, I'm leaving, Auntie, Brother Yan."

"Hey, slow down, wait for me to put on my shoes to see you off." Watching Xiao Guoqing, who was in a rush and turned to leave, Zhou Bingkun was between laughter and tears, and hurriedly got off the kang to put on his shoes, threw on his clothes, and chased after him...

After a while, Zhou Bingkun ran into the room, panting, jumped onto the edge of the kang, took a small quilt to cover his feet, shivered, and said: "Brother, help me buy another train ticket."

"Fine, just go over and get it tomorrow morning." Wang Yan nodded and smiled: "This Xiao Guoqing is quite decent."

"That's a tiger." Zhou Bingkun couldn't help but shake his head: "Didn't I ask him once before? Last time his wife Wu Qian wouldn't let him go, saying she would divorce him if he went. Maybe it's because I said I would help him build a house, plus Ganchao also decided to go with me, and he didn't have much fun working there, so he wanted to go over and help me. Thinking about it until today, he resigned from his job during the day, and after telling Wu Qian when he got home at night, this is what happened; look at how he got scratched, and he still won't admit it. I reckon Wu Qian didn't have it easy either."

"So this shows it, your 'Six Little Gentlemen,' two left, three remain, and the ones who stand by you are these two."

"Not necessarily, Debao has already become a workshop director, and he might be able to get promoted later, so there's really no need for him to work with me. Ganchao and Guoqing really want to help me; they don't know what I'm like over there, and they probably think I'm just holding on hard. The day before yesterday I went to find Ganchao, and his wife Yu Hong didn't agree to let him go with me either, and they had a fight. Ganchao was also straightforward, resigning from the timber factory just like that. Hey Brother, what kind of work should I arrange for them?"

"The factory is yours, the friends are yours, you study it yourself. But I want to remind you of one thing: people are fickle, and after a long time, they might not necessarily not have other thoughts. Even if they don't, it's hard to guarantee that Yu Hong or Wu Qian won't have thoughts. You should pay attention yourself, don't end up with nothing left."

Zhou Bingkun hummed, lay there, and thought about things in a messy way...

Two days later, Zhou Bingkun took Sun Ganchao and Xiao Guoqing, who had never left Jichun until now, and boarded the train to the South. The only one who came to see them off was Yu Hong; Wu Qian didn't come, she had been beaten quite badly, and Yu Hong said she was still angry. As for the divorce mentioned before, Wu Qian was of course just saying it; when a man really shows his power, her cotton-padded waist mouth, no matter how fierce, wouldn't be of any use...

--- Side note ---

Thanks to the five big brothers (brokensword), (Old Cao Nanny), (Tang Song Yuan), (Record 1906), (Casual) for their continued support.

Daily thanks to the good brothers who voted for the monthly ticket,

Thanks to all the brothers who voted for the recommendation,

Thanks to the big brothers who read the book silently for their support.