Chapter 186: Chapter 137: An Unexpected Encounter (Part 1)
Zhao Yuanyuan was riding her bicycle back from buying things at the supply and marketing cooperative. From a distance, she saw Zhang Guoqing accompanying a dashing soldier, turning into a small alley under the guidance of Grandma Wang from the neighborhood committee.
Zhao Yuanyuan was about to catch up with them when she suddenly thought it wasn’t appropriate for a girl to approach. Her eyes rolled, a plan popped into her mind, and she rushed home to hand things to her mom. Without waiting for a response, she hurriedly rode her bike back to the neighborhood committee.
Upon arriving, she asked around and learned that Aunt Wang was showing a father and son-in-law around a house for sale at the military unit. Zhao Yuanyuan was overjoyed and secretly pondered how to make them buy the house early.
Zhao Yuanyuan rode her bike leisurely around the area but didn’t encounter them; instead, she ran into her dad, Zhao Dashan.
"Zhao Yuanyuan, what are you doing, looking so sneaky? Are you looking for me, or do you have other plans?" Zhang Dashan asked curiously, seeing his daughter, as she usually didn’t come around this way.
Upon seeing her dad, Zhao Yuanyuan casually left her bike at the corner of the wall, rushed over to hug him, and complained, "Comrade Zhao Dashan, you’re so disappointing. How could you say your precious daughter looks sneaky? Have you ever seen someone as outstanding as Comrade Zhao Yuanyuan, with thick eyebrows and big eyes full of righteousness?"
Zhao Dashan patted her on the head, "Alright, stop showing off, how come you’re here? Do you know someone?"
"Dad, I just saw Zhang Guoqing with a soldier looking at houses and before I could say anything, they disappeared. I asked Auntie from the neighborhood committee, and she said it was a father and son-in-law looking at houses over here. I can’t find them, isn’t it?"
Zhao Dashan thought for a moment, around here only Professor Liu’s courtyard was for sale. If he guessed right, Zhou Jiao’s father, Zhou Xiaozheng, had returned. He also wanted to find Zhang Guoqing.
"Are you thinking Jiao Jiao should live in the county town? Follow your dad and you’ll find them."
Zhao Dashan led Zhao Yuanyuan to Professor Liu’s house, knocked on the door, and inside Zhang Guoqing’s voice was heard, "Coming, coming, wait a moment."
Zhang Guoqing poked his head out, "Oh my, Uncle, how did you know I was here? Come in quickly, my father-in-law is inside too."
Zhao Dashan nodded, entered, saw Zhou Xiaozheng, and stared at him with excitement, immediately stepping forward to salute.
Zhou Xiaozheng hurriedly returned the salute. He squinted his eyes, came to a sudden realization, and pointed at him, "You’re that Zhao Dashan from the XXX regiment, the mischievous boy who always loved to steal melons under Commander Ma? When did you retire? What about your closest buddy Daniu? Zhao Dashan? Oh right, you’re the Minister of the Military Unit that Xiao Wu mentioned?"
Zhao Dashan looked at him with excitement, foolishly smiling, "Brother Zheng, you’re still alive? We missed you so much. It’s good, you’re still alive. Does the provincial city know you’re back?" As he spoke, he went up and tightly hugged Zhou Xiaozheng.
"We really missed you. I’m Dashan, didn’t expect you’d remember me. I was wondering why Zhou Jiao’s father was also named Zhou Xiaozheng? I thought you were from Beijing. Daniu sacrificed. That year our regiment went out, he didn’t come back." He said, releasing his grip but holding onto Zhou Xiaozheng tightly, "Brother Zheng, this time you must come to my house for a good drink, no one’s taking you away."
"Just arrived at noon, still need to have a good chat with my daughter when I return. In a couple of days, after my wife and I settle things here, I’ll come over for a drink, how about that?"
"No way, you’re an active military officer, how can you have so much leave? Brother Zheng, your efficiency is still high! Just this afternoon, you already bought the courtyard. This is for Xiao Wu and his wife, right?
By the way, this is my daughter, she’s friends with your Jiao Jiao. This girl insisted on finding you when she saw you buying a house, to convince you to buy it so she could visit Jiao Jiao. Zhao Yuanyuan, this is Jiao Jiao’s dad, you should call him Uncle Zhou."
Zhao Yuanyuan stared with her big eyes, curiously looking at Zhou Xiaozheng, "Uncle Zhou, you’re the Soldier King my dad mentioned, and also Jiao Jiao’s father, the same person all along?"
Zhou Xiaozheng smiled and nodded, turning to Zhao Dashan, "How is it? Still the Red Pepper?"
Zhao Dashan laughed heartily, "Doesn’t she look like her mom? If her mom sees you, you won’t be able to leave my house. Yuanyuan, ride your bike to Zhang Family Village and tell Jiao Jiao and your Aunt Zhou that your Uncle Zhou and Xiao Wu have been pulled back home by me and will be back late tonight."
Before Zhou Xiaozheng could refuse, Zhao Yuanyuan had already run out and ridden away, and Zhao Dashan hurriedly told the two not to pack, to go first to his house to see the Red Pepper, saying she’ll probably be overjoyed to see him.
Zhao Dashan pulled Zhou Xiaozheng and Zhang Guoqing into his house, not even entering the courtyard yet, Zhao Dashan’s loud voice already shouted, "Hong Li, come out and see who’s here?"
"Who’s here? Look how happy you are." The figure hadn’t even appeared yet, but someone inside the house loudly responded. It was a middle-aged woman in a patched old cotton-padded jacket, the jacket washed white, dressed neatly holding a basket, briskly walking out.
As she looked at the visitor, wondering who could make Old Zhao so happily shout, the basket slipped from her hands to the ground without her noticing, she just pointed with a trembling finger at Zhou Xiaozheng, "Zhou Xiaozheng, how are you still alive? Weren’t you said to have died? Fake righteous, you’re really alive, where did you die for almost twenty years without a word?"
Zhou Xiaozheng stepped forward, picking up the basket and handing it to her, "Red Pepper, you still look vibrant. As long as you’re alive, I, being younger, have to live a few more years."
Cheng Hongli wiped the tears off her face, happily pulling him inside, "If those know you’re alive, they’d peel your skin for sure. You don’t know when news spread of your sacrifice, several girls in our women’s company fainted from crying. Aren’t you from Beijing? How did you end up in this remote place? Is it a task? Also, tell us what exactly happened during those years, was it a mission all along?"
After she finished, she turned to her husband, Zhao Dashan, and said, "Hurry and buy some meat, cooked is fine. He loves to eat meat, can’t do without it. Oh, hurry up. By the way, Xiao Wu, did you come to see your uncle? Let’s not talk about work today, just eat first, we’ll discuss later, Auntie has an esteemed guest here."
Zhao Dashan laughed heartily, speaking to Zhou Xiaozheng, "See? Didn’t I tell you she’d cling to you not letting you leave? When news of your sacrifice came, she cried like there was no tomorrow, several girls shed tears. Everyone said if you hadn’t gone back to Beijing, it would’ve been better. Brother Zheng, you made many comrades envious."
After saying this, he looked at Cheng Hongli rolling her eyes, "You silly woman, didn’t you notice anything? Think about it, what’s the name of the golden baby’s dad, Xiao Wu is his son-in-law. How’s your man doing? Not bad, right? Dragged him over to see you after all."
Cheng Hongli was utterly stunned, looking at Zhou Xiaozheng, then at Zhang Guoqing, incredulously asking, "Are you saying this Zhou Xiaozheng here is the same Zhou Xiaozheng we knew? Pfft, pfft, are you saying Zhou Jiao’s dad is this guy we know? How’s that possible? Isn’t this guy from Beijing? We even had comrades attend his wedding."
Zhang Guoqing was quite interested in the scene before him. He thought about whether to tell Jiao Jiao, seems like his father-in-law has quite the charm with women.
Zhou Xiaozheng straightened his face, telling the silly couple, "I did marry a girl from Beijing, who said I’m from Beijing? Now that a guest is here, Red Pepper, you should understand how to entertain guests, serve tea."
Cheng Hongli gave him a look, "Only because your son-in-law is here will I give you face. Everyone knows your stern face is just fake dignity, when Old Zhao got caught stealing melons, who quietly confiscated those melons? Several people ate till they were full, waiting for Old Zhao to act again. No tea, just plain boiled water!"
After finishing, she grabbed the money tickets and hurried out yelling, "Old Zhao, we have a cheeky guest. No meat left, only white radish. You all sit here for now, I’ll go buy some white radish."