Chapter 620: Zhou Zhigang retires and the Zhou family reunites
The family had just had breakfast, and Feng Yue was holding Zhou Chen's hand, asking Zhou Chen to take them out for a walk, but at this time, there was a sudden cry outside the hospital.
"Zhou Bingkun, Zhou Bingkun."
It was the voice of an old man with a strong voice. While others were still confused, Zhou Chen already said with a smile: "It's our Ruirui's godfather who is here."
Zhou Rui's eyes suddenly lit up and he asked, "Are they Grandpa Ma and Grandma Qu?"
"Well, let's go and open the door."
Zhou Chen led Zhou Rui and others to the gate, and immediately saw Ma Shouchang and Qu Xiuzhen standing outside.
"Haha, Zhou Bingkun, it's really your boy. You're good now. You didn't even tell us when you came back. If we hadn't met your elder brother during our walk this morning, we wouldn't have known you were back."
Zhou Rui immediately opened the door and greeted the two of them happily, shouting: "Grandpa Ma, Grandma Qu, I miss you so much."
Although he didn't get along with Ma Shouchang and his wife for a long time, they left a deep impression on him in his childhood because these two old men were very kind to him and doted on him.
Qu Xiuzhen held Zhou Rui's hands in a rare way, and the more she looked at her, the more she liked her: "Good boy, grandma misses you too. I heard your uncle said that when you come back this time, you won't leave?"
Zhou Rui nodded: "Well, dad said we will stay in Jichun, and when I reach the third year of high school, we will go back to Yanjing to take the college entrance examination."
"Okay, okay."
Qu Xiuzhen smiled very happily. Zhou Chen and his family had not been in Jichun in the past few years. The old couple did not even have a bond. In addition, they had retired, so there were not many people to visit them. They lived a lonely and lonely life.
Now Zhou Chen's family is back, and they live just one street away. They can come and leave whenever they want, which makes them very happy.
Zhou Chen came over: "Uncle Ma, Aunt Qu, let's go into the room and chat."
Zhou Chen led the two of them into the house. After walking a few steps, Ma Shouchang asked him: "Bingkun, what are you thinking? Didn't you do well in Yanjing? Why are you suddenly thinking about coming back?"
?”
"Being a doctor is too tiring and I don't even have time to rest, so I want to change my life. Now I am running a business."
Zhou Chen did not hide anything from Ma Shouchang and Qu Xiuzhen, but directly told the truth.
"Okay, why do you want to do business again?" Qu Xiuzhen turned her head and asked in confusion.
Zhou Chen smiled and said, "I'll explain this later, let's go inside first."
After entering the house, the two of them saw Li Suhua and exchanged warm greetings. Soon Feng Yue and Zhou Cong felt bored and ran upstairs to play. It was Zhou Rui who was being pulled by Qu Xiuzhen and asked this question.
Then, ask for help.
Zhou Chen chatted with Ma Shouchang about interesting things about Yanjing, and then explained why he resigned and returned to Jichun.
Ma Shouchang and Qu Xiuzhen were shocked when they learned that Zhou Chen had achieved such great achievements. Although they had always thought that Zhou Chen would be promising, they really heard that Zhou Chen had so many assets in just a few years.
Still very shocking.
Ma Shouchang and Qu Xiuzhen came in the morning, but stayed at Zhou's house until evening before leaving happily. Ma Shouchang drank some wine and said drunkenly that he would come often in the future.
The next day.
Zhou Chen was sitting in the back seat of the car, and Xiao Guoqing was sitting next to him. Xiao Guoqing pointed to the street in front of him.
"That's where people catch up and find work. This was originally a place for street offices, but now there are more and more laid-off workers. Many people can't find work, so they come here to look for work. The people from the street office took care of it several times.
No, in the end we have to let them find a job here."
Zhou Chen looked at the crowds on both sides of the street in front of him. There were quite a lot of people, but they were basically men in plain clothes and slovenly looks.
"Is it easy to find a job here?"
"What are you looking for? Look at so many people waiting there. Even if you have a job, it's hard to say whether it will be your turn."
Xiao Guoqing shook his head and sighed in his heart. If he hadn't listened to Zhou Chen back then, he would probably end up like Sun Qunchao now, squatting here looking for work.
"Wu Qian heard Yu Hong complain, saying that Qianchao has been running out every day for the past two years, doing odd jobs, fishing for three days and drying nets for two days, and the family life can't be maintained, and the children's tuition fees are still borrowed.
; I had thought about lending money to Catch Up before, but I was afraid..."
Xiao Guoqing was an honest man. Seeing that his brother was not doing well, he wanted to help, but Wu Qian stopped him.
It's not that Wu Qian is cold and heartless. Now that Xiao Guoqing has made money, she also allows Xiao Guoqing to use some money. However, she told Xiao Guoqing that if she just lends money to Sun Qianchao, it may make Sun Qianchao even more miserable.
Uncomfortable.
After all, Xiao Guoqing listened to Zhou Chen's words, but Sun Qianchao didn't. Now the gap between the two is so big. They didn't mention borrowing money, but you eagerly offered it yourself. There's no telling what Sun Qianchao would think.
Xiao Guoqing was a soft-spoken person. After Wu Qian persuaded him like this, he no longer thought about giving money to Sun Qunchao, but waited for Sun Qunchao to borrow it.
But no matter how bad his life was, Sun Qianchao never borrowed a penny from him, which made Xiao Guoqing very helpless.
"I understand what you mean, let's go. I don't want to see us here even if I want to catch up."
Zhou Chen did not go to Sun to catch up rashly. For a person with such a strong self-esteem, going to find him when he was embarrassed would make him even more uncomfortable.
"After the Chinese New Year, you can find a time to catch up and let the three of us have a meal together. I will persuade him then."
"I know."
Time flies, and a few days pass by, and it’s New Year’s Eve in a blink of an eye.
As the Spring Festival approaches, every household is filled with joy and lights, the streets are full of celebration, and there are fireworks and firecrackers everywhere.
Speaking of the excitement of the New Year now, it may not be as colorful as it was twenty or thirty years ago, but the excitement is definitely not bad at all, because fireworks are still allowed to be set off during this period.
Only those who have experienced this era can understand the differences in this era, and will miss the Spring Festival of this era even more in the future.
Especially for children, as long as they hear the sound of firecrackers, it is a happy moment and it also means that good things are coming.
"Kun'er, when are you going to pick up your dad?"
Li Suhua was busy with the New Year's goods at home, and at the same time, she did not forget to urge Zhou Chen. Zhou Zhigang was on the train today. Since he was coming back from retirement, he would probably have to bring back a lot of things. Li Suhua had been thinking about it since a few days ago.
Zhou Bingyi said with a smile: "Mom, Bingkun and I have agreed to pick up our dad at the station after lunch. You can rest at home peacefully. Bingkun and I will definitely pick up dad safely."
"
Zhou Rong on the side said: "Mom, when we came back, we didn't see you so happy. Now that my dad is back, it's really different."
Zhou Rong and Feng Huacheng came back by train yesterday.
Li Suhua rolled her eyes at her daughter: "When I was in Yanjing, I could see you if I wanted to, but your dad is different. Mom and he haven't seen each other for almost five years."
Yes, Zhou Zhigang has not been home for five years since we left in 1983. Originally, he had a chance to come back, but he wanted to come back together when he retired, so he gave the vacation to others and waited by himself.
He didn't come back until retirement day.
"Zhou Rong, stop joking and go and do your work. Didn't you say you wanted to give our dad a surprise tonight? Let's go and think about what delicious food you can make tonight."
After Zhou Rong came back yesterday, she, as a daughter, must cook a delicious meal for her father unless she waits for her father to come back, so tonight's dinner was left to her.
Zhou Rong patted her chest and promised, "Brother, don't worry, tonight's dinner will be provided to me and Hua Cheng. I promise I won't let you down."
Feng Huacheng smiled bitterly on the side. In the Zhou family, he had no right to speak at all.
It is said that the two of them cook together, but he must have done most of the cooking, because since Zhou Rong went to school and worked, he has basically cooked all the meals at home.
There is no way, there is a gap in status between the two of them. Zhou Rong is a university teacher, but he is depressed in the Yanjing Writers Association and makes less than half of Zhou Rong's money.
When a man has no money, no power, and is old, it is naturally difficult for him to hold his head high in front of women.
After lunch, Zhou Chen and Zhou Bingyi took the car to the train station.
Standing at the exit of the train station, Zhou Bingyi asked Zhou Chen: "Bingkun, when our dad comes back this time, he will not leave again. From now on, your parents will live with you. You have to be more considerate. If there is any problem,
, don’t argue with them, you can communicate with me, okay?”
Zhou Chen looked at him with dull eyes: "In your eyes, am I the kind of unreasonable person? Besides, if my parents don't live with me, should I live with you at my sister-in-law's house?"
This sentence immediately made Zhou Bingyi's face darken, and he said dissatisfied: "Bingkun, do you have to talk to me like this?"
"You were the one who first used the arrogance of being a big brother to ask me. Why, you are only allowed to ask me, but I can't say a few words? If I were you and couldn't do it myself, don't ask others to do what you want. Honoring your parents is the right thing to do.
It depends on what you do, not what you say. I think you did a good job at my sister-in-law's house. Why can't you do it well at our house?"
Zhou Bingyi took a deep breath and tried hard to calm down.
"Bingkun, I know you still have prejudices against me, but in terms of filial piety to my parents, I don't think I'm any worse than you. I haven't fulfilled my responsibility as the eldest son in these years, but that's all because of our dad.
He is still at work, and my mother will help you take care of your children. If my mother lives with me, I will definitely be able to take good care of him."
"hehe."
Zhou Chen responded with a disdainful sneer. He didn't believe Zhou Bingyi's words at all. If he was really filial, he wouldn't just write letters to Li Suhua without going to see him for several years.
Zhou Bingyi was angered by Zhou Chen, but he couldn't vent it out because he had not made any achievements in recent years and had not been filial to his parents. He had no confidence to break up with Zhou Chen.
"Bingkun, I don't care what you think. Since my parents will be in Jichun from now on, and I am also in Jichun, I will visit them often. Even if you don't like me, I hope we can still be in front of my parents.
Maintaining harmonious relations is my only request."
Zhou Chen said indifferently: "Don't worry, I don't want to make them sad more than you."
"So much the better."
Seeing that Zhou Chen had no intention of continuing the conversation, Zhou Bingyi said no more. He originally had an attitude of peace talks, but Zhou Chen's attitude really chilled him.
But he didn't know that Zhou Chen didn't want to tell him because Zhou Chen couldn't stand what he did. You can never wake up someone who is pretending to sleep.
Zhou Bingyi is such a person now. He would rather stay in a family like the Hao family than let Zhou Chen wake him up. In this case, what else is there to talk about.
There are some things that you have seen too much and you don’t want to read them anymore. There are some things that you have to say too much and you don’t want to talk about them anymore.
At around four o'clock in the afternoon, Zhou Zhigang finally got off the train station. As soon as he exited the station, he saw Zhou Chen and Zhou Bingyi waiting for them.
"dad……"
Zhou Zhigang's salutes had already been taken by Zhou Chen and Zhou Bingyi. When he followed Zhou Chen outside the train station, he couldn't help but take a breath.
"This is the smell of my hometown. It has not changed at all after so many years."
Retirement is not a happy event for a hard-working man. Zhou Zhigang is such a person.
After completing his retirement, he felt empty in his heart. On the train back, he was in a bad mood. It was only after he got off the train and saw his hometown again that he felt a little better.
"Dad, the car is over here."
Zhou Zhigang followed Zhou Bingyi and was stunned when he saw Zhou Chen handing the salute to the driver and putting it in the trunk.
"Did you arrange this car? Bingyi, if Dad didn't tell you, how could you use a public car to pick me up at the train station? This is too..."
But before he could finish his words, Zhou Bingyi interrupted with an embarrassed expression: "Dad, this car was not arranged by me, but by Bingkun. This is his own car, not a bus."
"Bingkun's car?"
Zhou Zhigang looked incredulous: "Why does Bingkun have a car?"
Zhou Bingyi also looked surprised: "Dad, you still don't know about Bingkun?"
"What's wrong with Bingkun? Is it about resigning and returning to Jichun? He really did something wrong in this matter. I..."
"Dad, that's not what I'm talking about. Forget it, I'll let Bingkun tell you after I get in the car."
Seeing that Zhou Zhigang really didn't know anything, Zhou Bingyi thought for a while and still didn't tell the truth, leaving it to Zhou Chen to tell himself.
Seeing his son's hesitant expression, Zhou Zhigang became even more puzzled: "What kind of riddles are you two brothers doing? Bingkun, have you done something wrong again?"
Zhou Chen came around from the other side of the car and opened the back door for Zhou Zhigang: "Dad, am I so unreliable in your eyes? Get in the car first, and I will tell you slowly when you get home. You should
You’ll understand.”
Zhou Zhigang got into the car, and then Zhou Chen and Zhou Bingyi also got into the car. Zhou Chen sat in the front passenger seat and gave way to Zhou Bingyi in the back.
"Bingkun, your elder brother said this car is yours. Please tell me quickly, what is going on?"
Zhou Zhigang got into the car and couldn't wait to ask Zhou Chen, because sitting in this luxurious car made him really restless.
Zhou Chen patiently explained: "Dad, please be at ease and sit still. This car is really mine."
"Where did you get so much money to buy such a nice car?"
Although Zhou Zhigang has not studied cars, this car is very high-end at first glance, and the price is definitely not cheap.
He knew that his younger son was capable and could make money, but since his younger son had already bought a house in Yanjing and had to support a family, he felt that it was impossible for his younger son to have the money to afford such a good car.
"Dad, listen to me, it's like this, back then I..."
Zhou Chen didn't go into too much detail, he just told in a concise and concise manner how he had started a company and made a lot of money...
When Zhou Zhigang heard that Zhou Chen owned a large company with assets of over one billion, he was completely stunned.
He can be considered a person who has experienced strong winds and waves, but even so, he was still shocked by the news and couldn't believe it. This was really incredible.
After being stunned for a long time, he asked solemnly: "Bingkun, everything you just said is true?"
"Really, more real than real gold."
But Zhou Zhigang still didn't believe it, and looked at Zhou Bingyi next to him. Zhou Bingyi could only smile bitterly and said: "Dad, it's true. Bingkun is indeed the big boss now. You will understand when we arrive at our new home."
"New home?"
"Yes, the house Bingkun just bought is a small western-style building. You will live there from now on."
"Bingkun?"
"Dad, no matter how much I say now, it's better for you to watch it later. We'll be home soon, so you can watch it slowly later."
Hearing is false, seeing is believing. Zhou Chen knew that what he said was just flying in the sky, and it would be better to let Zhou Zhigang see it with his own eyes.
Zhou Zhigang frowned, but without retorting, he turned to Zhou Bingyi and asked again.
…………
Zhou Zhigang got off the car and looked at the small foreign-style building in the wall in front of him, unable to regain his consciousness for a long time.
"Bingkun, is this the new house you bought?"
Although he had been mentally prepared and knew that if his younger son had money, he would definitely buy a better house if he bought it again, but now when he saw it was a small western-style building, he was still very shocked.
As an eighth-level construction worker, Zhou Zhigang is not considered to be living at the bottom of society, but it is impossible to say how high his social status is. At most, he is better than ordinary people.
At that time, he was already satisfied with the two rooms that only had the size of a picture. The house that Zhou Chenhou bought exceeded his expectations.
As for the house in front of him, he had never dared to think about it before.
"The child's father."
When Zhou Zhigang couldn't believe it, a large group of people came out of the house and ran straight to the door. Li Suhua's voice was heard in the distance.
When Zhou Zhigang heard his wife's voice, he didn't care about the house. He opened his eyes wide and looked at Li Suhua who was approaching.
"Child's mother."
The door opened, Zhou Zhigang and Li Suhua walked towards each other cautiously, and hugged each other with tears streaming down their faces.
"Suhua, I'm back."
"Just come back, just come back. I will take care of you from now on and never be separated again."
Since 1969, for nearly twenty years, they have spent less than a month together in total, and they both miss each other.
Now that we are finally back and we can be together in the future, it’s really hard to describe my feelings in just a few words.
"Dad, Mom, let's go inside first."
Zhou Bingyi saw that his parents were unwilling to separate for a long time, and everyone passing by looked at them curiously, so he stepped forward and whispered to his parents.
Zhou Zhigang let go of his hand, glanced at his children and grandchildren, and said with a satisfied laugh: "Haha, let's go, let's go home."
The family walked into the courtyard in a grand manner, leaving only Zhou Chen and the driver. Zhou Chen gave instructions to the driver and then followed behind.
"Dad, this house is nice, isn't it?"
Li Suhua took Zhou Zhigang and looked around in the building. Zhou Zhigang put his hands behind his back and looked curiously from room to room with a complicated expression.
There is happiness, relief, surprise, but also emotion, shame and embarrassment.
He worked hard all his life, and finally got a house with a light letter, but Zhou Chen only had so many houses and so many assets in just a few years.
In his whole life, he has not made as much as his younger son in a year. With such a promising son, he is happy but also feels melancholy. Doesn't this mean that he is so useless?