Chapter 1265 - 1137: Interested in Taking a Mission?

Chapter 1265: Chapter 1137: Interested in Taking a Mission?

People always say the palm and the back of the hand are both flesh.

In Zhou Jiao’s heart, her three sons are undoubtedly all her precious treasures.

And as they grew up, their respective personalities and preferences became clearly distinct.

Take Ping’an for example: from the green tones he’d loved since childhood—hard to imagine that a boy who’s set his sights on becoming a soldier—has now become stubbornly partial to white.

People who like white are standard perfectionists.

No matter how deeply her son hides it, no matter how he props up that "gentleman as warm as jade" persona, she knows this boy is quite seriously narcissistic, always carrying a slightly critical gaze toward the people, events, and things around him.

Then there’s May 1st.

He’s practically the polar opposite of his big brother.

This brat has gone from loving bright red the most to wishing he could turn his entire bedroom into black tones, not to mention that row of black sweaters and long johns.

Boys obsessed with black are the hardest type to figure out. And her youngest son is even more like a blackened narcissus.

All blossom and show, but the fragrance he reveals to people carries poison.

Even if this child faces the world with a smile, it still can’t cover up the innate arrogance, the self-righteousness, and that very domineering streak.

It’s her Liu Yi who’s the exception.

Other people say the second child gets the worst of it—stuck in the middle between brothers, neither up nor down, and most easily overlooked.

But she’d personally experienced that in her previous life; how could she bear to let Liu Yi be wronged? She’d even spent the most effort on him, ever since he was little.

She doesn’t know whether she’s had the deepest influence on him; among the three sons, only his temperament most closely resembles her own.

Aside from the three brothers sharing similar features, in other aspects he’s neither like his older nor younger brother, but instead has inherited all of her bad habits.

Privately, she doesn’t want her children to be as cold in feelings as she is, but this time she still couldn’t help guiding him that way. As a mother, perhaps she’s a failure?

Zhou Xiaozheng shook his head in disagreement. "No! This time, out of the three kids, he’s the only one truly unscathed. In that sense he’s the best. To be able to stay calm all the way through—he’s the most suited to join a unit."

"That’s good then."

Zhou Xiaozheng avoided the question without commenting further. His Liu Yi is the one who’ll inherit the Zhou Family; if he truly harbors the softness of a woman’s heart, then that’s when they ought to be worried.

When early spring arrived, as the weather warmed and flowers bloomed, all things revived and grasses grew, orioles flew. Nothing is more delightful than seeing a sea of blossoms.

The four of them, father and sons, who had returned from the front, were already going back to school as they should, and Zhang Guoqing, whose steps had been busy and nonstop, also began to slow down.

Life returned to its normal track again.

In her spare time, with her mood relaxed, Zhou Jiao started thinking about her own job.

With her dad in a high position, plus Zhang Guoqing having gone to be a newly minted vice-level minister, she knew that for the sake of balancing all sides’ power, her own room for further advancement would be rather limited.

At that moment, just as she was deep in thought, Shi Dashen happened to summon her.

Zhou Jiao went whenever she was called and immediately rushed to that mysterious compound.

Heaven favors the honest and foolish; she knew her chance had come.

"Interested in taking on a mission?"

Zhou Jiao froze awkwardly at his words. Asking that the moment she walked in—shouldn’t he circle around a bit instead of being so blunt? She’d even wanted to fish for some useful information first.

"You just give the word."

Shi Dashen decisively picked up a file from the desk and handed it to her. "Read it first; we’ll deal with any difficulties as they come."

Zhou Jiao accepted it solemnly. When it involves a classified mission, even if there are difficulties, they have to be turned into no difficulties. Of course, if she completes it smoothly, she can bring up one small request when the commendations come.

After her eyes swept over the file, Zhou Jiao replied immediately, "No big issues. On the unit’s side I’ll still need you to help negotiate."

"Naturally." After saying this, Shi Dashen paused, looked at her and said, "Right now I’m not your superior. As your elder, I’m going to ask you a question."

Zhou Jiao blinked. "So serious? Go ahead."

"Have you thought about leaving the Planning Commission?"

That old fox must have sniffed something out again.

Zhou Jiao’s thin lips curved slightly, a smile tugging at them. "I’m a brick of the revolution—wherever I’m needed, that’s where I get shoved. As long as the higher-ups give the order, I’ll resolutely obey."

Shi Dashen smiled meaningfully. "There’s a rumor lately that you’ve started delegating power down below."

"And you believe that too? What power or no power—everyone’s working for the country. Once they’re capable enough, naturally I have to put more weight on their shoulders."

"Speak human language!"

Zhou Jiao chuckled. "I’ve been a bit tired lately and want to take a break."

"Want to come back and give me a hand?"

"Here?"

"Where do you want to go then?"

"Heh, with you springing this on me, you’ll have to give me time to catch my breath."

Zhou Jiao didn’t give a definite answer. Not only is it not yet the right time, changing units isn’t a simple matter; she still has to discuss it with her dad and Zhang Guoqing before making a decision.

Even though she already has one or two plans in mind, to show respect to them she needs to seek their opinions first.

"Alright, think it over carefully." Shi Dashen mentioned it once and didn’t press further.

That night.

Zhou Jiao told Zhou Xiaozheng and Zhang Guoqing, the father-in-law and son-in-law pair, about her upcoming business trip to Jiang Province.

Sure enough, her old man had already gotten the news in advance.

But this wasn’t a particularly dangerous mission, more like serving as a roving supervisor. Including Zhang Guoqing, none of them objected. As far as he’s concerned, as long as his wife stays within the country, it’s fine—at least if something happens, he can still protect her.

After settling this matter, Zhou Jiao hesitated for a moment and decided not to bring up the issue of whether she should transfer jobs for now; anyway, these things aren’t urgent.

What she did need to talk to them about was another matter right in front of her.

Seeing her look like she wanted to speak but held back, Zhou Xiaozheng glanced at his son-in-law and asked, "Something else?"

Zhou Jiao nodded, turning over the phrasing in her mind.

Zhang Guoqing looked at her, puzzled—what is there that she hasn’t discussed with him? "Wife, just say it. Whatever it is, Dad and I will back you up."

Zhou Jiao shot him a look, smiled, then turned to Zhou Xiaozheng. "Dad, I might need to mobilize a large sum of funds. That includes all the cash our family has on the surface, and I’ll have to scrape together fifty thousand more in my master’s name."

With great interest, Zhou Xiaozheng asked, "Feeling bold now? Go play—anyway, it’s all yours."

"Daaad~"

Oh my, when his own girl deliberately dragged out her voice, Zhou Xiaozheng really couldn’t take it; he immediately sat up straight and smiled. "Alright, Dad’s listening seriously. Go on."

Zhou Jiao rolled her eyes at him. "You’re not even going to ask how much I’m planning to move? What if I lose it all—how much will we have left?"

Well, Zhou Xiaozheng truly had never paid attention to that. His Jiao Jiao is a money magnet; it’s actually hard for her to lose money. Right now he could only play along. "Then how much will we have left?"

His tone was so half-hearted that Zhou Jiao was annoyed enough to roll her eyes again. "I haven’t counted!"

Zhou Xiaozheng burst out laughing, and seeing that she was about to bristle, quickly cleared his throat. "So you’ve been in touch with Xiao Ming again?"

Now that’s more like it! Finally they could talk properly.

Zhou Jiao immediately scooted her stool closer to him. "Dad, you guessed it? To be honest, I want to give Xiao Ming full authority. He’s got Lawyer Xue at his side—there shouldn’t be any problem, right?"

"Report an approximate amount of capital to me first."