Chapter 495: I'm the Master of My Own Feelings

"Qiuqiu!" Another middle-aged woman with an elegant temperament said: "That's a bit too much. I can understand your feelings—beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all. No matter what kind of person Zhou Andong is, in your eyes, he's definitely the best. But you're blinded by your emotions. Is Zhou Andong really as good and capable as you see him? Our country has over a billion people; there are plenty of talented people. Without Zhou Andong, are you saying the Jiangzhou Brewery really couldn't have been saved by anyone else? I just don't believe it."

"Little Aunt!" Jian Qiu said: "It's true that our country has over a billion people, but I don't know how many talented people there are. I only know that since the Reform and Opening-up started in '78, especially in recent years, countless enterprises have gone bankrupt. How come I haven't seen these 'talented people' you speak of come out and save those factories?"

"You..." The woman was so angry her face turned green.

"I support you, Big Sister!" A seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy wearing glasses said: "What era is this? How many years have we been shouting about liberating our thoughts, breaking free from constraints, and discarding outdated customs? Why are you still clinging to 'parents' orders and matchmakers' words'? It's a new era. If a person can't even be the master of their own feelings, what's the point of living?"

"Shut up!" Little Aunt Jian Yufang glared: "You're just a kid, what do you know?"

Jian Mingfan looked scholarly, but if you looked closely through his lenses, you could see the rebelliousness in his eyes.

"Little Aunt, I'm seventeen, not a fool. What don't I understand?"

"Stop stirring up trouble," the Second Brother said. "Qiuqiu, since Zhou Andong is so capable, then let him go to the radiator factory. Like you said, it's not about who acknowledges his ability. To be honest, among everyone here, except for Grandfather, I don't think anyone is qualified to acknowledge his ability."

His words instantly drew dissatisfaction from everyone, and they looked at him with unkind eyes.

But the boy didn't seem to care: "Don't look at me like that. I'm telling the truth. In business, you really aren't qualified to acknowledge his ability. I suggested he go to the radiator factory because a classmate of mine has parents who work there. One day, I saw him and his parents picking up rotten vegetables that others had thrown away at the market. Since you mentioned the radiator factory, I thought of that, so I think if Zhou Andong goes there, he really can help them."

Jian Qiu asked curiously: "Why do you think Zhou Andong can really help them?"

Jian Mingfan smiled: "He's my idol, of course I believe in him."

Jian Qiu scanned the room: "Zhou Andong's ability will be proven by time; he doesn't need you to acknowledge it. Also, I am the master of my own feelings; I don't need you to decide for me."

"Clack!" The middle-aged man slammed the table heavily: "Jian Qiu, you're so old now, how can you be so ungrateful? Who do you think we're doing this for?"

"Third Uncle!" Jian Qiu said coldly: "I don't know who you're doing this for, but it's definitely not for me."

"Third Brother!" Third Uncle Jian Zhengcun looked at Jian Zhengxue: "Look at the daughter you've raised."

Jian Zhengxue frowned, his face not looking very good either: "Old Third, do you think I need your advice on how to raise my daughter? Look at all of you, what are you doing? I don't even interfere in Qiuqiu's personal affairs, so when did it become your turn to meddle?"

"Second Brother..." Jian Yufang started to speak.

"Shut your mouth," Jian Zhengxue snapped. "Think about yourself. How did you and Song Yan end up together? Have you forgotten how you came to me crying, asking me to work on the family?"

Jian Yufang said defiantly: "Our Song Yan was already a researcher at the Academy of Sciences back then."

"So what?" Jian Zhengxue really wanted to say that after all these years, he hadn't even been promoted to an associate senior rank, but seeing Song Yan sitting nearby, he swallowed the words.

"Researchers can contribute to the country, but doesn't national development also need money? Zhou Andong led the Jiangzhou Brewery to pay over 20 million in taxes this year. Isn't that a contribution?"

"Sister-in-law!" Jian Yufang looked at Gu Minglan: "Second Brother, does this mean you agree to Qiuqiu being with that Zhou Andong?"

"Enough!" Old Master Jian, who had been keeping his eyes closed, suddenly spoke: "It's New Year's, can't you let people have some peace? Let's eat; don't discuss this matter anymore."

"I'm not eating!" Jian Qiu stood up and left.

"Where are you going?" Gu Minglan asked with dissatisfaction.

Zhou Andong turned back with a smile: "I'm going to find Zhou Andong."

After saying that, she didn't give Gu Minglan a chance to speak again and pushed the door open to leave.

"This child, she's going to be the death of me."

Gu Minglan gritted her teeth, but she didn't take Jian Qiu's words to heart, as she didn't know Zhou Andong was in Beijing and assumed Jian Qiu was just speaking out of anger.

"Sigh!"

Old Madam sighed: "It's a rare occasion that you've all come back for the New Year, yet you've turned it into this."

Jian Mingfan suddenly laughed: "Grandma, don't mind them. Try this fish; it's quite delicious."

The boy picked up a piece of fish for the old lady and put it in her bowl.

Old Madam smiled: "My grandson is still the one who cares about Grandma."

"I'm not eating; I'm so angry I'm full," Jian Yufang put down her chopsticks. "And you, Second Brother, you're the father, yet you're pushing your own daughter into a fire pit. That's truly rare."

"Second Brother!" Jian Zhengcun said: "Just now, I assumed you were speaking out of anger. You really can't just let Qiuqiu's matter go."

Jian Minglang sneered: "After the New Year, I'm going to Jiangzhou to take up my post. Then Zhou Andong will be right under my nose. I want to see if he's really that capable, or if he's just had a marketing team behind him building up his image."

"This child, she's going to piss me off."

Gu Minglan gritted her teeth and said, but she didn't take Jian Qiu's words to heart, because she didn't know that Zhou Andong was in Beijing, thinking Jian Qiu was just saying angry words.

"Sigh!"

The old lady sighed: "It's rare that you all came back for a good New Year, but it turned into this."

Jian Mingfan suddenly laughed: "Grandma, don't pay attention to them, you try this fish, it's quite delicious."

This kid picked a piece of fish meat for the old lady and put it in the bowl.

The old lady smiled: "It's still my old grandson who loves Grandma."

"I'm not eating anymore, I'm full from anger." Jian Yufang put down her chopsticks, "And you, Second Brother, you are the father, actually pushing your own daughter into a fire pit, that's really rare."

"Second Brother!" Jian Zhengcun said: "Just now I took what you said as angry words. Qiuqiu's matter, you really can't let it go."

Jian Minglang sneered: "After the New Year, I will go to Jiangzhou to take office. When the time comes, Zhou Andong will be under my nose. I want to see if he really has ability, or if he has a marketing team behind him helping him create momentum."