Chapter 1378: What Kind of Factory Should We Establish?

Zhou Jiao could see perfectly well what her man was plotting in his heart, but the housing reform policy was still a long way off, so right now she just covered her mouth and laughed quietly.

It was Miao Lishan who unwittingly exposed it with a single sentence: “Your dad gave up his turn for an apartment, but your mom was allocated a unit in a new building, in the city, three big rooms.”

Zhou Xiaozheng immediately cleared his throat and stood up. “Since we’re all free right now, come with me to the study. Xiao Wu, tell the kids about that one hundred million too.”

What a joke!

You think his family would be short of that little bit?

His own wife digs the hole, and he has to be the one to fill it!

Zhang Guoqing instantly tossed down the chess piece in his hand and pushed his father?in?law toward the study. With an unreliable mother?in?law, thank goodness there was still a father?in?law who could hold things up.

Ping’an shook his head, amused, and pulled his grandma up. “Why give it to my mom? She’d still have to pay rent. There are only a few of us in our family, who’s going to live there?”

“This time your mom has to take it, whether she wants to or not. She’s already turned it down a few times. If she refuses again, the people below won’t be able to do their jobs. The rent is hardly any money.”

It’s not that they can’t do their jobs—anyone else would be dying for this chance.

Only his grandma would believe that kind of nonsense!

Ping’an didn’t bother to take these trivialities to heart, he wrapped an arm around his grandma and led her into the study.

Anyway, his parents never do anything that leaves others a handle on them; their only goal is always the three brothers. A bit of rent means nothing.

Behind him, Liu Yi cast a doubtful look at his mom, then pushed her along toward the study too.

He might not know his dad’s exact purpose, but to say it had no deeper meaning at all—he’d never believe that. Just look at the way his honored mother was smiling with extra implication!

Zhou Jiao rolled her eyes speechlessly, deciding she’d give her man a good talking?to later. In this family, apart from her mom, every single one of them had a mind like a sieve, full of little schemes.

Careful you don’t blow your cover!

On a winter night, with sons home again, the darkness felt even more peaceful and full of happiness.

In the soft orange lamp?light, Zhou Jiao watched her sons listening intently, her gaze growing gentler and gentler—only when her eyes slid to the telephone did a brief shadow pass through them.

Outside the window it was pitch?black, the wind still howling, the falling snow growing heavier and heavier. Over where her May 1st was, it should be daytime now—she wondered if he’d put on more clothes.

After listening, Liu Yi fell into silence, thinking of the comrades who had fought side by side with him and then died or were wounded. He slowly let out a breath.

“Dad, save a few more spots for me.”

As soon as those words came out, the room fell completely silent.

It was Zhang Guoqing who solemnly nodded, breaking the heavy, serious atmosphere. “The project’s already been approved. What kind of factory do you think we should set up?”

“Medicine!”

Ping’an nodded his agreement. “Chinese patent medicine! The frostbite ointment and trauma salve my mom mixes—our comrades all say they work extremely well.”

“No one can say for sure what will happen in the future. Since this factory is, by nature, under the state, just in case, the core has to stay firmly in our family’s hands.”

As Liu Yi spoke, he glanced at Zhou Jiao. “My mom has prescriptions.”

With a smile in his eyes, Zhou Xiaozheng tapped the tabletop. “What else needs to be added?”

Liu Yi swept his gaze around everyone and went on, “Let my grand?master sit in town for us first, and get my senior uncles involved too. As for my mom, she’ll have to work a bit harder at the start, make one thing clear to people:

This factory—she’s the founder. Every blade of grass and every tree is our family’s selfless contribution.”

Zhou Xiaozheng’s smile slowly blossomed. “Anything more?”

Liu Yi gave Ping’an an apologetic look. “Brother, it’d be best if the factory site were set up near your **** regiment.”

Ping’an patted him on the shoulder. “No problem. It’s safe over there.”

“That’s all I’ve thought through for now. Brother, you see what else needs to be added?”

“Funds, personnel, machinery, raw materials—since none of those are issues, we’re almost there. What’s left is the foundation. I suggest we postpone that for now.”

“You want to wait until the factory’s profitable?”

“Exactly. Planning off real profits will be more concrete and thorough.”

“Makes sense. Once Grandma and Mom step forward, some donors will appear.” Liu Yi narrowed his eyes slightly. “There’ll be no small amount of entanglements then too.”

“Sure. If you want to pick peaches, you have to climb the tree first.”

When the two brothers finished, they looked at each other and smiled, the rest of their meaning all in their eyes.

Zhou Xiaozheng lifted his chin at his son?in?law in satisfaction: See that?

Zhang Guoqing couldn’t help but chuckle. “Dad, so we’re passing this?”

“I vote in favor.”

“Mom, what about you?”

Miao Lishan had listened in a blur, but there was one thing she clearly understood. “So I don’t have to retire right away, do I?”

“Grandma, don’t go to work anymore. It’s too exhausting.”

“Don’t rush. Let Grandma decide for herself.” Ping’an cut Liu Yi off and looked at Miao Lishan. “Grandma, just do what you like.”

Miao Lishan laughed and shook her head. “I’ve worked my whole life; I’m sick of it too. What your mom said sounds pretty interesting—being able to help more retired veterans.”

“My grandma really has high political awareness. Truly worthy of an old revolutionary.” Ping’an gave her a thumbs?up in praise. “Then you must be voting in favor too, right?”

“Mm, no question about it.”

Zhou Jiao looked at Zhang Guoqing, amused, and nodded. Even if her son had suggested postponing it forever, she would still vote in favor.

“Then it’s settled. We’ll start construction after spring next year.” Zhang Guoqing thought for a moment, still uneasy, and reminded his sons, “I’ve already transferred that fifty million to the research institute. If anyone brings it up, remember to keep it secret.”

The two Brothers Ping’an both nodded as expected.

As if that even needed saying? If someone dared ask, they’d start by asking whether the person understood confidentiality regulations. Did people really think the two brothers were that easy?going?

Seeing they’d finished discussing proper business, Zhou Jiao pointed outside and slipped out first.

If her sons liked hiding their physical condition from her, she’d pretend not to know. But the medicinal food still had to be prepared. If a young body isn’t properly cared for, what’s it going to be like when they’re old?

Don’t think she hadn’t noticed Zhang Guoqing sneaking glances at the two kids, probably checking where they’d been hurt on missions. You have your clever schemes; I have my own ladder over the wall.

None of them let her stop worrying!

Zhou Jiao went up to the second floor and pushed open Ping’an’s room first.

—She hung the new coat in the wardrobe, put away clothes, felt the thick quilt on the bed, and finally stuffed the big wooden chest at the foot of the bed full of snacks.

After one round of inspection, she smiled, satisfied, closed the door behind her, then pushed open Liu Yi’s bedroom across the wall and repeated the whole process.

In her heart, no matter how tall or strong her sons grew, they were still children.

While they were not married yet, she had to go to their rooms more often. In the future, those doors would no longer be hers to push open at will.

The more she thought about it, the more bitter it felt: her perfectly good sons would end up belonging to someone else.

Maybe one day, all their thoughts would be on their own little households, and their eyes would have no time to spare for their birth mother anymore.

But what could she do?

Just like her mother?in?law had said.

In the end, the ones who would accompany the children into old age would be their respective partners. However reluctant she was, she still couldn’t guard them all the way to the end of their lives.

If you love, then love deeply.

Learn to let go, learn to watch from the side, learn to take each role in life seriously and play it well.

She should be able to do that, right?