Chapter 833: Time Flies

Autumn, 1976

Nanluoguxiang

Time flies, and eras change. In this ever-changing world, people are constantly adapting to new changes and pursuing a better life.

In the blink of an eye, several years passed. Cao Cao Weiguo and Song Song Yulan had two sons and a daughter, and at the beginning of the year, he was promoted to Deputy Director of the Municipal Industrial Bureau. With both family and career flourishing, his peers like Seeing Shazhu, Xu Xu Damao, and Yan Yan Jiecheng were green with envy.

Compared to the flourishing life of Cao Cao Weiguo, Xu Xu Damao remained a lone wolf, not even as well off as his rival Seeing Shazhu, who had married a beautiful wife.

That's right, Seeing Shazhu got married. After several years of hard work, Seeing Shazhu finally got his wish and won the beauty. In the autumn of '72, he married the beautiful Jin Jin Lian and, in the eighth month after getting their marriage certificate, was blessed with a son. Although the child was born two months premature, he was healthy and cute, making Seeing Shazhu grin from ear to ear. He worked even harder, and even though Xu Xu Damao, Yan Yan Jiecheng, and others mocked him for being a "happy father" and said He Shen wasn't his, he just assumed they were jealous of him having a son. He didn't take their words to heart, happily going to work and coming home every day, earning money to support his family like an old ox.

Under the care of Jia Jia Zhangshi, Qin Qin Huairu lived as a chaste widow. After Bang Geng came out, he was directly arranged to be sent down to Laiyuan. After returning to the city, he remained unemployed at home, and Xiaodang and Little Huaihua were also idle. The whole family relied on Qin Qin Huairu to support them, becoming the family with the hardest life in the courtyard. If it weren't for Yi Yi Zhonghai's relief, they would have been starving three days out of nine.

The Deaf Old Lady and Yi Yi Zhonghai's wife had passed away years ago. Yi Yi Zhonghai completely let himself go. Without any ties, he lived a nocturnal life, walking the streets to pick up scrap and secretly doing odd jobs. Living alone, he had no worries about feeding a family. He saved up some money and could occasionally provide relief to the Jia family, earning a few "god-grandfather" calls from Xiaodang and Little Huaihua.

He He Yushui married a security officer at a textile factory in '69. Because of a dispute over a house, she had a huge argument with Seeing Shazhu and Jin Jin Lian. After being slapped, she broke off her sibling relationship with Seeing Shazhu in grief and indignation and never returned to the courtyard again.

After the devastating earthquake, Nanluoguxiang became even more crowded. Every household was building unauthorized structures, leaving no room to step in the courtyard. One had to walk sideways, and it was hard for sunlight to shine into the rooms.

Liu's second son, Liu Guangtian, was suspended for misappropriating public funds. Seeing Liu Haizhong convert the earthquake shelter into a temporary house, he proposed to move back home. The third son, Liu Liu Guangfu, who had always been a temporary worker, also wanted to return.

Liu Haizhong didn't agree to let them move back, and the brothers got into a heated argument and started fighting. In the chaos, they pushed Liu Haizhong to the ground, and he stayed in the hospital for half a month. By the time he returned home, his second son, Liu Guangtian, and third son, Liu Liu Guangfu, had already occupied the temporary house.

The Liu Haizhong family was torn apart by father-son conflict. The Yan Yan Bugui family wasn't much better. Yan Yan Jiecheng and his wife had moved out of the courtyard to rent a house outside. Yan Yan Jiefang, Yan Jiekun, and Yan Yan Jiedi were also at odds with Yan Yan Bugui, and even eating a meal at home required calculating every penny.

Compared to the petty squabbles in the Red Star courtyard, Cao Cao Weiguo was now dealing in trades worth tens or hundreds of thousands. Policies had gradually relaxed, and relying on the network he had painstakingly managed for years, he was savagely seizing opportunities both at home and abroad.

Domestically, he secretly manipulated his subordinates to buy houses, land, and shares, acquiring one courtyard and civilian house after another. At the same time, Bai Sister Lijuan, Su Mei, Yu Li, Song Xiong, Song Ying, Song Hu, Cao Cao Zhiqiang, and others were making rapid progress with his help.

After Director Li was transferred from the rolling mill, Bai Sister Lijuan became the Deputy Factory Director, second only to Factory Director Yang. Song Xiong was transferred to the furniture factory in '72 to serve as the Logistics Section Chief. Su Mei was now the Finance Section Chief of the accessories factory, Song Ying had entered the Housing and Construction Bureau, and Song He Yuzhu had entered the Public Security Bureau after being demobilized...

In Xiangjiang, under Cao Cao Weiguo's remote command, Lou Lou Xiaoe was buying up land on a large scale, investing in real estate, and establishing Great Wall Industry. She bought land to build buildings, factories, and skyscrapers, and used Cao Cao Weiguo's gold to exchange for pounds, dollars, and Hong Kong dollars to buy stocks in a "money-scattering" manner.

In addition to Lou Lou Xiaoe, the Xiangjiang female tycoon paving the way with money, Liu Shan relied on the manpower and resources secretly sent by Cao Cao Weiguo to establish the Dongsheng Security Company. Relying on his wealth, he quickly gained a firm foothold and undertook security business for numerous companies and tycoons in Xiangjiang.

Because he was reported for speculation, Zhao Zhao Yuanchao fled overnight. After several twists and turns, he went to the US and took the English name Tony. Following Cao Cao Weiguo's instructions, he used the funds sent from Xiangjiang to establish "Black Hole Capital," becoming an angel investor that made countless Americans and Europeans go crazy. Walmart, Microsoft, KFC, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Apple, General Motors, Ford... he was investing in a way that was like shoving money at them. Need money? I'll invest! Don't need money? I'll invest anyway! Take it and spend it! I'm not short of money! I don't care about the money; I just want you to call me 'Grandfather'!

Even though they were thousands of miles apart, Cao Cao Weiguo was spending and earning money every day. He could feel the ugliness of capital even while sitting at home. Thinking of those evil capitalists spending his money on debauchery while he still had to go to work from nine to five, Cao Cao Weiguo really wanted to fly over and give them a few slaps.

Riding his "Twenty-Eight" bicycle past the warm Red Star courtyard, a little fatty ran out of the gate, clutching his buttocks, shouting: "The tigress is eating people! The tigress is eating people!"

Cao Cao Weiguo laughed: "Little brat, being naughty again, huh?"

Seeing Cao Cao Weiguo, the little fatty happily crashed into him: "Godfather, save me!"

"Little brat! If I don't beat your buttocks to a pulp, I'll take your surname!"

Jin Jin Lian, with her perky figure and rosy cheeks, chased out holding a feather duster, her face full of murderous intent, scaring the little fatty into hugging Cao Cao Weiguo's thigh and calling for help.

Cao Cao Weiguo rubbed the little fatty's head dotingly: "Sister Jin Jin Lian, do you even know how to be a mother? Why are you beating my godson every few days? Can't you talk things over properly?"

Jin Jin Lian raised the feather duster and pointed it at Cao Cao Weiguo: "What's it to you? Get lost! This is my son; I'll beat him if I want to."

Yan Yan Bugui watched Jin Jin Lian speak so fiercely to Cao Cao Weiguo and couldn't help but feel puzzled, unable to figure it out at all.

The neighbors all knew the relationship between Seeing Shazhu and Cao Cao Weiguo—they were mortal enemies. Whenever Seeing Shazhu mentioned Cao Cao Weiguo, he would grit his teeth, wishing he could swallow Cao Cao Weiguo alive.

Yet Jin Jin Lian, as Seeing Shazhu's wife, not only didn't share her husband's hatred but was actually close to Cao Cao Weiguo. She even insisted on letting her son call Cao Cao Weiguo godfather, despite Seeing Shazhu's opposition, and would occasionally bring her son to Cao Cao Weiguo's house for meals.

What was even stranger was that Cao Cao Weiguo treated this godson as affectionately as his own. During festivals, he would buy him new clothes and toys, and every few days, he would take him to restaurants. Otherwise, with Seeing Shazhu's meager salary, how could He Shen be raised so plump and healthy?

Cao Cao Weiguo rubbed He Shen's head and stared at Jin Jin Lian with an unfriendly expression: "I'm warning you, even if He Shen is your son, you can't just beat him whenever you want. What you're doing is child abuse. You can't take your anger out on the child."

Jin Jin Lian felt wronged: "You think I'm a stepmother? I'm He Shen's biological mother! It hurts me too when I hit him! But this little brat can't be left alone. If you don't beat him for three days, he'll tear the roof down. I just went out to buy some vegetables, and he dared to play with fire in the room. You tell me, shouldn't he be beaten?"

"This little brat, he should be beaten! Beat him to death!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao Weiguo's attitude reversed instantly. He picked up the little fatty, pressed him onto the back seat of his bicycle, and gave his little buttocks a good thrashing, making the little fatty cry for his father and mother.

"Cao Cao Weiguo, let go of my son!"

Seeing Shazhu returned from outside carrying a lunchbox in a net bag. Seeing this scene, he exploded on the spot and rushed toward Cao Cao Weiguo with a face full of rage.

"You stand still!"

But Seeing Shazhu hadn't run a few steps before he was blocked by Jin Jin Lian with the feather duster. She whipped him, making him clutch his arm and shout: "Ouch, are you crazy? Why are you hitting me instead of Cao Cao Weiguo? Don't you see he's beating our son?"

Jin Jin Lian glared: "Cao Weiguo is disciplining the child. Do you know what He Shen did today? He deserved to be beaten. Don't meddle; go stand somewhere cool."

Seeing Shazhu was so frustrated his face turned red: "This is my son. If he needs discipline, I'll do it. It's not his place!"

Jin Jin Lian sneered: "Your son? You're not worthy! Stay over there."

Yan Yan Bugui stood at the gate, his eyes moving between Jin Jin Lian, Cao Cao Weiguo, and Seeing Shazhu, and then he stared carefully at the little fatty He Shen's face for a while.

Hey!

This little fatty's nose, mouth, and face shape were carved from the same mold as Cao Cao Weiguo's when he was a child.

Good heavens!

No way!

Jin Jin Lian and Cao Cao Weiguo?

And He Shen and Seeing Shazhu?

Seeing Shazhu and Jin Jin Lian had been married for eight months when He Shen was born... two months premature...