Rebirth in the 50s: The Couple with the Hidden Space-Chapter 433 - 328: Arrival in the Northeast (Part 2)

"No. Come in first." Zhang Guoqing ran into the living room, placed the child on the small bed, and handed him over. "Little brother, watch him. I’ll go move things."

The little one saw Ping’an babbling and waved at him happily. "You go do your thing. Little An’an, your uncle really misses you. You heartless little rascal didn’t even take uncle to play with you."

Zhou Jiao came in and saw the two talking past each other like a chicken talking to a duck, happily chatting away, making her chuckle.

"Eat something to fill your stomach a bit. You can open the stuff later." As soon as Huang Hui Min entered the house, she began to set out breakfast and quickly said this when she saw Zhou Jiao unwrapping packages.

Zhou Jiao replied without lifting her head, "Godmother, you all eat. I’m not hungry."

"If you’re not hungry, drink some porridge. Go wash your hands and have some with us," Huang Hui Min said, and seeing her get up with a smile and run to wash her hands, she happily remarked how well-behaved and obedient her daughter was.

The eldest winked at Zhang Guoqing and quietly said, "Brother-in-law, see how much mom and dad dislike us."

Zhang Guoqing ruffled his hair and laughed, "Brother-in-law cares for you! Eat up, so you can see what fun things I brought you." This time back, he and Zhou Jiao bought quite a few gifts that the two younger brothers would like.

Zhao Chuan Guang happily watched the kids. He didn’t rush them to the table, and when he saw Zhou Jiao serving porridge to him, he immediately said, "Jiao Jiao, this time you must make dumplings for Godfather. Every time your uncles communicate with me, they can’t stop bragging. You must make lots to make them jealous."

"Got it! Godfather, the uncles asked me to bring you a message, urging you all to quickly come up to Beijing for a gathering. By the way, Uncle Wang said he hasn’t seen you in years and reminded you not to forget what you owe him." Zhou Jiao said with a smile.

"He didn’t tell you what I owe him? That guy still remembers I owe him a meal. Sigh... after more than ten years, he’s finally relocated back. Once your dad comes back, the brothers can reunite again. Tonight, your Uncle Madman and the others are inviting you to dinner. Remember to tell them to make them happy."

Huang Hui Min swallowed her bun and continued, "Initially, the four families wanted to invite you separately. I suggested they combine it. Today, a few of your aunts wanted to pick you up, but I told them not to take the day off and come over at noon. If they come early, we mothers won’t have time to chat."

"Godmother, you really understand us. Combining the four families is a great idea. This period of daily dinners has become overwhelming for me," Zhang Guoqing quickly said.

"I heard you’ve been quite the sensation at the Beijing Mansion! You must have met many bigwig figures this time, right?" Zhao Chuan Guang teased with a smile.

Zhang Guoqing pointed upwards and laughed, "I’ve met the top one! Thanks to my dad, I got to know the rest gradually. Godfather, aren’t you considering transferring to Beijing?"

Zhao Chuan Guang smiled and shook his head. He could still make things happen here, but going there would mean nothing. Here, he could still stay close to the old place, and a few brothers could complement and support each other.

Zhang Guoqing nodded in understanding, "My dad said you’ve been graciously accommodating." Sometimes, no need to say too much; in many ways, it’s indeed appropriate for him to stay here. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Zhao Chuan Guang shook his head with a smile. He inquired about how the couple had been feeling about their time in Beijing. What were they doing in the South? Upon learning that the Cheng Family truly treated Zhou Xiao with sincerity and cared for the couple, and noticing that Zhang Guoqing did not mention the Lin Family, he did not probe, assuming that some conversations are best left for private discussions.

"So far, they’ve indeed treated us sincerely. But you should still be cautious; big issues often arise from small oversights. My current concern is that your dad values emotions too much and might become unsuspecting and fall into a trap."

Zhang Guoqing pointed upwards with a smile and lightly shook his head. His father-in-law told him to reassure Zhao Chuan Guang. He only had one leader, probably anticipating the other’s concern.

Zhao Chuan Guang understood, and his heart was finally at ease. He wasn’t worried about anything else with his Brother Zheng, just concerned that with no close family around, a suddenly appearing aunt might gain all his trust, leading him astray. Those people are sharp as tacks; isn’t everyone calculating in some way?

After breakfast, Zhou Jiao helped Huang Hui Min tidy up, and the two of them held the child and headed to the room for a chat.

In the living room, Zhang Guoqing took out two packages and tossed them to the Zhao family’s two brothers, telling them to check them out in their room. Everyone has their favorites; he couldn’t treat other uncles’ children with the same equity. Before others arrived, he gave the gifts, knowing these two little rascals were smart enough not to show off.

Zhao Chuan Guang paid no attention to his wife’s laughter or his sons’ cheers from the room. He led Zhang Guoqing into the study.

"Last week, Zhao Dashan came over and mentioned you should be reporting in these days. Zhao Yuanyuan helped you with the registration and fee at school. What’s your plan next?"

"We’ll go finish the registration first thing tomorrow, sticking to our original plan."

"The day after tomorrow, you two head back. I’ll take you to meet some people. Besides that, remember to pay New Year’s visits to a few of your godmother’s uncles. Just get acquainted with them; you don’t need to connect deeply."

Zhang Guoqing nodded with a smile. Both father-in-laws were indeed iron brothers, speaking in exactly the same manner.

Thinking about Liu Zhang’s status, he finally reminded, "Godfather, Liu Zhang from the Commerce Bureau is not simple. Keep that in mind, don’t let it show."

Zhao Chuan Guang tapped his forehead lightly with a smile, "Did you find out many people’s true colors this time over? Wait, let me show you a booklet."

Zhang Guoqing took the small booklet, glanced through it, and found that he knew most of the people listed. The intermingling relationships seemed particularly intricate. A pile of sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law and so on.

"You didn’t need to know these relationships when you were not working. But now it’s different. Just get a rough idea of them; they’re still small fry and don’t require much effort. Later, when they gather before you, you’ll have an idea," Zhao Chuan Guang instructed, pointing at his own head as a hint.

Zhang Guoqing suddenly recalled the notes several comrades gave him before leaving. He had sorted them on the train, and pulling out a piece of paper from his pocket, he looked for matching points.

"Godfather, these are the contact addresses the big courtyard buddies gave me, saying if anything happens, I should seek them out. Help me figure out their connections."

After half an hour, the two laughed heartily.

Who would’ve thought? Those few scraps of paper really made an impact. Comparing both sides, it became clear who was close to whom in secret.

With Zhang Guoqing’s family planning to return to the county the day after next, and with tomorrow’s visit to the Huang Family, time was tight. Zhao Chuan Guang decided to take the child to visit old friends today.

After finalizing the plan, Zhao Chuan Guang told his wife not to prepare lunch for the two of them, promising to be back before dinner. He and Zhang Guoqing changed clothes and set off to visit friends.