Chapter 45: Son Succeeds, Father Benefits

Zhou Laodie was in high spirits due to happy events; his son had become successful, and yesterday he had brought home a gold cigarette holder for him.

It was a pure gold cigarette holder, exquisitely crafted; one look and it was clearly a high-end item.

He had worked at the trading firm for decades, so he still had the eye to distinguish quality.

It wasn't just the cigarette holder, but also jewelry for his wife; neither were things an ordinary family could afford.

He still remembered his wife's reaction, which was quite amusing; faced with the gleaming gold, she was so terrified she kept waving her hands to refuse it, fearing their son had done something wrong.

Later, when You'er said it was a gift from a Senior Brother, she finally accepted it.

"You'er's peers are either rich or noble; it's me, this old father, who is embarrassing him, sigh!"

Thinking of this, Zhou Laodie felt a wave of despondency in his heart.

Everyone hopes for their son to be successful, but being too successful is also not good; when it came to his own family, he complained that he couldn't help his son.

Even if his Zhou Family emptied their savings, they couldn't scrape together a return gift equal to such a heavy present!

Debts of favor are the hardest to repay!

You'er had taken something and was now at a disadvantage; he didn't know what difficult situations might arise in the future.

Zhou Laocan loved the gold cigarette holder very much, but he dared not use it to smoke, fearing it would be blackened by the tar.

He played with it for half the night, wiped it clean, wrapped it in cotton cloth, and carefully stored it in the cabinet.

The next day, when he went to work at the trading firm, his mind was still preoccupied with the gold cigarette holder.

"Old Zhou, you've been working at our firm for over thirty years now, right?"

The one who came to find him was Manager Xu, one of the top three stewards in the firm; not only did he receive a generous salary, but he also held dry shares in the firm, allowing him to collect a substantial dividend every year.

In the trading firm, there were plenty of laborers like Zhou Laodie who had wasted most of their lives and remained bottom-tier clerks.

However, there were also talents like Manager Xu.

He had also started as a clerk; he was sweet-talking, had a sharp eye, a good memory, and handled all matters thoroughly, earning the deep trust of the old proprietor.

It had taken him only twenty years to rise from a clerk to a manager.

"Manager Xu, if you count it up, it should be over thirty-one years."

Zhou Laodie was somewhat flattered; usually, he was bossed around by the head clerk of the firm, so he never had the chance to see the manager.

Even though his son and Manager Xu's son were Senior Brothers, he had never thought of using that to climb the social ladder.

Manager Xu smiled. "You are one of the old-timers of our firm."

He nodded and asked a question that made Zhou Laodie's heart tremble, "Why haven't I seen you using the gold cigarette holder?"

The gold cigarette holder—how did Manager Xu know about it too?

Zhou Laodie was shocked to his core and for a moment didn't know how to respond.

"Old Zhou, you are a man of great fortune; you don't know yet, but the gold cigarette holder was given by the Young Master."

Manager Xu looked at Zhou Laodie, also feeling a wave of emotion.

Among all the clerks, Old Zhou was the oldest and the most honest, knowing only how to work with his head down and earn wages to support his family.

The firm needed such people, but would not promote them to important positions.

Who would have thought that the old ox-like Old Zhou could raise a son who looked like a young tiger.

He had already learned from his son, Xu Ying, that Old Zhou's son, Zhou You, had recently become a full member of the martial arts hall and had caught the eye of the hall master, Wang Jianxiong.

The Young Master, Shen Sijing, had hosted a banquet at Zhaijin Lou to win them over, and Xu Ying had also gone as an accompanying guest.

"See this little gold fish? It was a congratulatory gift from the Young Master when my son became a full member."

Manager Xu brushed his waist, where a lifelike little gold fish hung from a silk ribbon, also crafted from pure gold.

He smiled and said, "Now, you and I are the same."

This sentence had quite a hidden meaning.

Zhou Laocan felt his chest swell, and many words could not be spoken.

He thought he knew his son was successful, but he didn't know he was *this* successful.

The Young Master, a figure of the noble class, actually invited You'er to dinner, and at a place like Zhaijin Lou, no less.

He also knew of Zhaijin Lou; it was the designated place for the firm to entertain high-end clients, where a single meal cost an immense amount.

"The cigarette holder was given to you to be used; don't keep it Zang, take it out and show it off more."

Manager Xu smiled and advised him.

Zhou Laodie kept saying he didn't dare, but suddenly realized that the year the other party was promoted to manager was exactly the year his son Xu Ying became a full member at the martial arts hall.

At that time, the several people competing for the manager position with him were all old-timers of the firm, having both seniority and connections.

In the end, it was Manager Xu who successfully stood out.

Could it be...

"Old Zhou, the firm is currently short of a head clerk; I've thought it over, you've worked for thirty years and are familiar with everything inside and out, are you willing to give it a try?" Zhou Laodie's head buzzed—was this a promotion?

Heavens have mercy, he had worked for so many years and had long since lost hope; he never expected such a day would come.

A head clerk, while nothing in the eyes of the firm's top brass—who could hire or fire them with a single word—was still considered an official of sorts among the large group of clerks.

Zhou Laocan, no matter how hard he worked, was always scolded severely in the past because he refused to suck up to the head clerk.

It was the old saying: a local official is better than a distant superior.

"I am willing."

Zhou Laodie's blood rushed to his head, and he agreed without a second thought.

He wasn't doing it for himself; even if it was just to earn some face for his son, he had to firmly grasp this opportunity.

Otherwise, when his son talked to his Senior Brother in the future, how would he introduce what his father did?

"I didn't misjudge you, Old Zhou; we have worked for the firm our whole lives, and the most important thing is the heart to serve the proprietor."

Manager Xu smiled and said, "In the future, we should get closer; after all, my son and your You'er have a pretty good relationship."

When Zhou Laodie left Shopkeeper Xu's place, he was completely dazed, his feet feeling as soft as if he were treading on cotton.

As he stepped out, he stumbled and nearly fell to the ground, but a figure rushed over like lightning to steady him.

"Brother Zhou, are you alright!"

Zhou Laodie looked at the other man; the usually fierce and menacing head of the shop assistants was now smiling broadly as he supported him.

"Brother Zhou," he had never heard this form of address before; didn't he usually just call him "Old Man Zhou"?

"Brother Zhou, I've already heard the news; Shopkeeper Xu has promoted you to head of the shop assistants."

"From now on, you are one of Shopkeeper Xu's own people; I am happy for you."

"This 50 taels of silver is my congratulatory gift; don't think it's too little, I'll have more offerings for you in the future!"

Back then, to scrape together 50 taels, Zhou Laodie had borrowed from every friend and relative he had, his hair nearly turning white from the worry.

The head of the shop assistants before him had offered a 50-tael red envelope without a second thought.

"No, I appreciate your sentiment, but I cannot accept the money."

Zhou Laodie shook his head; although the gleaming silver was dazzling, it did not cloud his heart.

The head of the shop assistants wanted to say more, but at that moment, another person came to Zhou Laodie's rescue.

The accountant coughed twice and walked over, "Old Zhou, I was just looking for you!"

"Then I won't disturb you any further."

The head of the shop assistants left resentfully, calculating how he could get the money to him.

"Many thanks..."

Zhou Laodie had just opened his mouth when the accountant grabbed his sleeve and pulled him away.

"Old Zhou, I'm taking you out for a drink, my treat."

Zhou Laodie thought to himself that he still owed the man money; now that he had been promoted and his wages would increase, it was the perfect time to pay off his debt.

He spoke up immediately, "I can't let you pay; I'll pay back the silver I owe you in a few days."

"Old Zhou, you're not treating me like a friend."

The accountant put on a stern face, "If you don't let me pay today, our friendship is over."

"Also, when did you ever owe me money? I don't remember that, don't talk nonsense."

Zhou Laodie felt as if he were in a dream; had he gotten out of bed the wrong way this morning, and was he still not awake?