Chapter 399: Settling Karma

"Grandma, Dad, Mom, Grandpa met someone about the same age as Second Brother. They ate at the dumpling shop this noon and he isn't coming back."

"And that man is even calling Grandpa 'brother'. Grandpa even told me to call him Grandpa Zhang."

The one speaking was Zhang Qingwan. She was originally a quite delicate and pretty girl, but as soon as her Lu Province accent came out, it instantly made people feel like she was a little old lady.

"Nonsense. Your Second Brother is only thirty. Thirty years old and calling your grandpa 'brother'? This is just ridiculous."

"It's true, Grandma. I'm not fooling you. That man is named Zhang Ping'an, and he even said he hasn't seen Grandpa for thirty years. But I also find him a bit familiar; it's like I've seen him somewhere before."

"Zhang Ping'an? This name sounds a bit familiar. Zhang Ping'an?" The old lady repeated the name over and over, but just couldn't remember where she had heard it.

"I find it familiar too," the eldest son on the side also muttered.

Zhang Qingwan was also thinking about where she had seen him. Just a moment ago, she felt he looked familiar, but she was a teacher; apart from teaching, she was preparing lessons.

She spent most of her time on campus and basically had no time to go out, so she shouldn't have met him, but she just felt he was familiar. For a moment, the family of three was deep in thought.

In the dumpling shop, Zhang Ping'an and the other man were already drinking. The Lu Cuisine here was not just a little bit different from what He Daqing made.

"Brother, how is it? Does our Lu Cuisine suit your taste?"

"Mm, it's indeed not bad."

"Right? The cook here is a sixth-grade master chef; he used to be at the Textile Factory too."

No wonder they were so familiar. Zhang Ping'an had also learned about what happened back then from Zhang Weiping, and he understood why he insisted on not taking the money.

Back then, their family of seven had just returned home from Sijiucheng when they caught the recruitment drive at the Quancheng Textile Factory.

Their family had dealt with cloth for years and had that advantage. Aside from their parents, all of them were hired.

Zhang Weiping himself had also stepped up from a Quality Inspector to a Workshop Director, and his three sons were no worse.

After he retired, his eldest son took over the position of director, and the other two brothers were now team leaders as well—all of them were workers filling cadre roles—and his grandson was now at the Textile Factory.

It could be said that if their family had returned one day later, even just one day, they would have missed the Textile Factory's recruitment. That was why he had always been grateful to Zhang Ping'an for buying all his cloth back then.

Otherwise, if he had sold it bit by bit, who knew how long it would have taken to clear the inventory, and he wouldn't have encountered the Textile Factory's recruitment upon returning to his hometown.

"Brother, that was entirely your own good fortune; it doesn't have much to do with me."

"Eh~ how can you say that? If it weren't for you back then..."

"Alright, alright, alright, let's not talk about it. Come, drink."

"Good, come, bottoms up."

Zhang Weiping downed two taels of liquor in one gulp, and Zhang Ping'an didn't hesitate either, finishing his in one go as well.

"Brother, no rush, drink slowly."

Zhang Weiping was also nearly seventy, but his physical condition was indeed quite good. If nothing unexpected happened, living another twenty years wouldn't be a problem.

"Hahaha, brother, what's this? If there's a big market here, I still have to have two taels in the morning to taste the salt."

"Stir-fry two small dishes, drink a little wine, and finally have a bowl of lamb soup to seal the deal—that feeling is something even an immortal wouldn't trade."

"Hahaha, brother, you really live a carefree life."

In his past life, Zhang Ping'an had only seen Lu Province big markets in short videos. There were indeed many old men drinking small amounts of wine, but those interviewed seemed to be bachelors, the kind with a minimum living allowance.

Zhang Weiping had such an open-minded attitude, and now he had children and grandchildren everywhere, all of them had jobs, and he couldn't even spend all his retirement pension. It was no wonder he took the ten thousand yuan so lightly.

The two drank and chatted, and before long, two bottles of liquor were down their throats. Zhang Weiping was also getting a bit tipsy.

"Brother, you rest for a moment, I'm going to the restroom."

"Alright, alright."

Zhang Ping'an went out and paid the bill. When he returned, Zhang Weiping was already slumped on the table asleep. This was a bit troublesome.

Zhang Ping'an put the money back in his pocket and ran to ask the owner.

"Owner, do you know where Brother Zhang lives?"

"You mean Director Zhang? His home is in Building 1, Unit 1, First Floor of the Textile Factory Family Quarters. We have a flatbed cart here; want to borrow it?"

"That would be great, thank you. I'll leave my Bicycle here as collateral and pick it up when I get back."

"Good."

Zhang Ping'an helped Zhang Weiping onto the flatbed cart, turned a corner, and entered the Textile Factory Family Quarters. He found the corresponding door number and knocked.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Who is it?"

"It's me, your Grandpa Zhang." Zhang Ping'an recognized the voice of the young girl from noon.

"..."

"Your grandfather drank too much, I'm bringing him home."

"You wait."

The girl hurried inside to call her grandmother, and Zhang Ping'an helped Zhang Weiping onto the living room sofa to lie down.

"Old Zhang, what happened to him?"

"Sister-in-law, do you remember me?"

Zhang Weiping's wife looked at Zhang Ping'an, gradually merging him with the green youth in her memory.

"You're the young man who bought our cloth back then. No wonder I felt your name was familiar. It's you."

"Hahaha, it's me. It's like this, sister-in-law, I came over today because..." Zhang Ping'an explained briefly again.

"No, no, Old Zhang said back then he was giving it to you. Now, no matter how much it's worth, that's your business."

Zhang Ping'an praised her silently in his heart. This family's values were so upright it was almost eerie; they weren't moved even looking at the ten thousand yuan in front of them.

"Sister-in-law, listen to me. I've already agreed with Brother Zhang. You just rest assured and keep it. As for me, I have to catch a flight back this afternoon. I'll leave you a phone number and address. When you come to Sijiucheng, I will definitely arrange everything."

"This..."

Zhang Weiping's wife knew her old man probably wouldn't take this money, but she was afraid there might be something else behind it.

"Just rest assured and keep it. If not, don't I still have the phone number and address here?" Zhang Ping'an placed the written contact information on the table.

"Well, alright then, I will keep it for now. If Old Zhang wakes up and won't accept it, we will fly a plane to deliver it to you even if we have to."

"..."

"Deal."

Zhang Ping'an pulled the flatbed cart back to the dumpling restaurant, thanked the boss, and then rode his bike to the airport.

"Grandma, is he really the same age as you?"

"Nonsense, he's about the same age as your dad. Oh, right, I hadn't even noticed until you mentioned it; thirty years have passed and he doesn't look old at all."

Zhang Weiping's wife told her granddaughter about the time they did business in Sijiucheng back then.

Zhang Ping'an returned to Sijiucheng at four in the afternoon and received a call from Zhang Weiping that evening.

"Little brother, you really..."

"Hahaha, brother, I said we are both in business; the thing we fear most is muddled accounts. You just rest easy and keep it."

"You... alright, then I'll keep it. If you have any needs, just tell your brother; consider it as you keeping it with me."

"Hehe, deal."

The next day, Monday, Zhang Qingwan returned to school for classes as usual, and a group of people were surrounding a young man on the playground, making plans.

Zhang Qingwan's eyes suddenly lit up. Isn't this the person who looks very much like the Grandpa Zhang from yesterday? I knew he looked familiar; it turns out he looks like General Manager Zhang.

"Eh? General Manager Zhang? Grandpa Zhang? Them? I think I've discovered something."

"Qingwan, what are you daydreaming about?" Zhang Qingwan's colleague and best friend had arrived behind her at some point.

"Ah? Oh, it's nothing."

"Hehe, he's very handsome, right?"

"Ah? What?"

"Don't pretend. I saw you peeking at General Manager Zhang just now. Well, you're twenty-one already; it's time to get married."

"Oh my, what nonsense are you spouting?"