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Returning to the 80s: A Beloved Marriage
Qi Feng had no objections to this matter and nodded immediately.
Hu Qiao'er felt a bit guilty. She always thought that this seemed not quite right. After all, Shen Lin was not Qi Feng's child. Even though she married Qi Feng, Shen Lin did not change her surname.
However, for Grandma Qi, the surname did not matter. As long as the child belonged to their family, they would accept them.
For this reason, Grandma Qi specifically asked Shen Lin for her opinion, inquiring whether Shen Lin was willing to be a child of the Qi Family.
Shen Lin's answer was undoubtedly affirmative.
Compared to the Shen Family, which was gradually becoming more and more blurred in her memory, the family that Shen Lin recognized now was the Qi Family, not anyone else.
At this moment, Grandma Qi wanted to take him back to Willow Leaf Village to acknowledge their ancestors, and Shen Lin was more than willing—one thousand times, ten thousand times willing.
In his young heart, he stubbornly believed that as long as he bowed to Great-Grandfather Qi, he would truly be a grandson of the Qi Family.
This was a belief and an affirmation. Shen Lin was very insistent and very much looking forward to it.
Since Shen Lin himself did not oppose it, Hu Qiao'er also said no more and tacitly approved of the matter.
Thus, this matter was completely settled.
With many people traveling together, some inconvenience was unavoidable. However, as long as there was determination, nothing was impossible.
After confirming that everyone would return to Willow Leaf Village, Qi Zheng directly went and rented a medium-sized bus.
From then on, returning to Willow Leaf Village was no longer a problem.
Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju are not the type to waste money carelessly. However, this time when they returned to Willow Leaf Village, their preparations were unprecedentedly thorough.
According to Grandma Qi's plan, they intended to stay in Willow Leaf Village for a month. Therefore, they made sure to buy and bring everything they needed.
Especially the various food, candies, and alcohol required for the banquet, Grandma Qi led Qi Dayong and Zhou Ju to purchase everything from City before bringing it back.
With such a grand setup, when Qi Zheng drove the bus carrying everyone back to Willow Leaf Village, it was no surprise that they became the center of attention for all the Fellow Villagers.
Everyone knew that the Qi Zheng Family had become prosperous. As time passed, what everyone witnessed was that the Qi Zheng Family was getting more impressive, and Grandma Qi and the others were truly enjoying great fortune.
Moreover, upon hearing that Qi Yuehong had scored first in the provincial college entrance examination, the Fellow Villagers rushed to help promote this news vigorously.
In short: the Qijia Family had returned in glory!
Qi Erzhu and Cheng Fangfang nearly jumped up in shock.
How could this be? The children of the Qi Zheng Family were on their way up! How could their lives be getting better and better without even considering helping their family?
Naturally, Qi Erzhu and Cheng Fangfang did not think too much about it; after all, when the Qi Zheng Family was down and out, how did they ignore them?
In their completely selfish hearts, they believed that the Qi Zheng Family should have lent them a hand.
How pitiful they were now! Qi Tingting was still locked up and hadn’t come out! They had to endure gossip no matter where or when…
Those who shared similar feelings with Qi Erzhu and Cheng Fangfang were naturally Grandfather Zhao, Grandma Zhao, and others.
While at home, Grandma Zhao scolded Zhao Guoqiang's family for being ungrateful and urged Grandfather Zhao to quickly go out with her to confront Zhao Guoqiang's family.
Grandfather Zhao, who is usually easily persuaded, remained calm this time.
It wasn't that he didn't want to visit Zhao Guoqiang's family, nor was it that he wasn't envious of their good fortune. Grandfather Zhao was primarily seriously considering the root cause of their previous failed attempts to create a scene at Zhao Guoqiang's house.
If they couldn't figure out the problem, it wouldn't matter how skilled they were; they would still be useless at the door of Zhao Guoqiang's home.
With these thoughts in mind, Grandfather Zhao settled down.
Seeing Grandfather Zhao's composure, Chen Cui was truly unwilling to accept it. She pushed Zhao Guofu several times, signaling him to speak up quickly.
Even if Chen Cui had ten times the courage, she couldn't have imagined that one day Zhao Guoqiang's family would actually move to City.
What surprised Chen Cui even more was that the reason Zhao Guoqiang's family was so fortunate was because Zhao Jin married Qi Zheng!
That was a marriage proposal for their daughter Zhao Ying'er that they had once rejected and disliked immensely.
If they had known back then that Qi Zheng would achieve such success, how could they have possibly let Zhao Ying'er marry Wu Feng while pushing this good match with the Qi Family onto Zhao Jin?
Some things can only be truly appreciated and regretted after they are lost.
Zhao Guofu and Chen Cui were certainly not new to regretting their past decisions, but each time they felt an indescribable pain and discomfort even more acutely.
Now, facing Zhao Guoqiang's family's continued prosperity, neither Zhao Guofu nor Chen Cui could maintain their composure. They were so angry that their expressions changed repeatedly, wanting to rely on Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao to negotiate some benefits and advantages from Zhao Guoqiang's family. With Chen Cui pushing him like this, Zhao Guofu could no longer stand still and hurriedly urged Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao, "Dad, Mom, you should say something! Isn't it too much for my elder brother's family? Back when Zhao Jin could marry Qi Zheng and live such a good life, it was thanks to our family's efforts!"
Zhao Guofu's thoughts were naturally aligned with Grandma Zhao's.
Faced with Zhao Guofu's disgruntled expression, Grandma Zhao pouted and coldly snorted, "Do you think I don't want to confront that unfilial son Zhao Guoqiang? It's not like his whole family listens to me or your father. Even if your father and I went, it would still be useless."
Unintentionally, Grandma Zhao had hit upon Grandfather Zhao's hidden concerns. It was extremely awkward, yet she had to admit it.
"What should we do then? Are we just going to let Big Brother's family live prosperously while we do nothing?" If Zhao Guoqiang's family had continued living in Willow Leaf Village, it might have been bearable. At least the visible differences wouldn't have been so stark, and Zhao Guofu could have reluctantly accepted it.
However, now that Zhao Guoqiang's family had moved to the City, Zhao Guofu was furious and deeply frustrated.
"Of course not." Grandma Zhao would never agree to watch Zhao Guoqiang's family thrive while doing nothing.
As for how to find fault with Zhao Guoqiang's family and how to approach the matter, Grandma Zhao stamped her foot, mainly waiting for Grandfather Zhao to speak up.
Grandfather Zhao wasn't truly planning to remain silent either. Sensing the impatience of Grandma Zhao and Zhao Guofu, he sighed lightly and stood up. "Let's go take a look!"
No matter what, they couldn't just wait at home. Otherwise, who knows what the situation would be like in the future?
Their family had already lost much of their standing in front of Zhao Guoqiang and his family. If this continued, it was likely that Zhao Guoqiang's family would completely forget about them as relatives and ignore them altogether.
What kind of proud person was Grandfather Zhao? He would never tolerate being disregarded by Zhao Guoqiang. He hadn't forgotten the unpleasantness from before. He just wanted to wait for Zhao Guoqiang to come to his senses and apologize to him as his father.
However, it was quite evident that Zhao Guoqiang had never had such thoughts or intentions. Along with that, Grandfather Zhao's hopes for those thoughts he had kept bottled up were also dashed.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Grandfather Zhao walked at the front of the group with Grandma Zhao, his expression serious and his mood quite complex.
Among his three sons, he had thought that the least promising one, Zhao Guoqiang, was now doing better than anyone else. Conversely, his most valued son was still living a life that was merely adequate.
This stark contrast left Grandfather Zhao feeling quite unsettled and reflective.
As of today, blaming the Zhao Guoqiang family for their lack of filial piety seems pointless; Grandfather Zhao instead regrets his earlier inability to recognize their worth.
If he hadn't forcibly arranged the marriage with the Qi Family for Zhao Jin, and if it had been Zhao Ying'er who married into the Qi Family, where would the Zhao Guoqiang family be now?
Such a good life is what they should have been living. It has nothing to do with the Zhao Guoqiang family, and even less with Zhao Jin.
Currently, there are indeed people in the Zhao Guoqiang household. Having not returned for quite some time, dust has settled everywhere in the house, which urgently needs cleaning before anyone can move back in.
Thus, Xu Mei is leading her two daughters-in-law, Sun Chun'er and Qian Minmin, in a thorough cleaning inside and out.
Meanwhile, the three Zhao Guoqiang men are chatting with their uncles from the Xu Family, sharing updates on each other's lives after being apart for so long.
Zhao Jin has also left a detailed address for the Xu Family. She has always intended to keep in touch with her grandparents and uncles and aunts; no matter how much time has passed, she will never forget their kindness.
However, during all this time, the Xu Family has never visited City.
It's not that they don't want to connect with the Zhao Guoqiang family; rather, they worry that their visit might disturb them and create unnecessary trouble for them.
After all, City is different from their countryside; there isn't as much space, and dining together isn't as convenient.
If it were Willow Leaf Village, the Xu Family would come over uninvited without needing to be asked.
The Xu Family's concerns are well understood by Zhao Guoqiang and his family.
At this moment, while chatting together, Zhao Zhenan keeps insisting that their house in City is quite spacious and that there’s no need to worry about causing trouble or being a nuisance. As long as they have time, the Xu Family can visit anytime they wish.
After all, they are such close relatives. Hearing Zhao Zhenan's detailed reassurances, the Xu Family uncles nod in agreement without further objections. At the same time, they begin to ponder whether they should find an opportunity to visit City after all.
No matter what, one must see it with their own eyes to truly put their mind at ease.
If Zhao Zhenan is really this good, the Xu Family would certainly want him.
Having confirmed that the Zhao Family is doing well in City, they undoubtedly offer their most sincere blessings.
When Grandfather Zhao and the others approached, what they saw was such a harmonious and lively scene.
As soon as they got closer, they heard Zhao Zhenan animatedly describing how wonderful City is, and the expressions on Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao's faces instantly darkened.
Since City is so great, why are these ungrateful people not thinking about their elders who are still suffering in Willow Leaf Village?
Just thinking about how the Qi Family had made a big fuss about taking Grandma Qi to live in City, while there were no signs or indications that they would be taken to City. Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao were furious.
“Zhao Guoqiang!” With a shout full of anger from Grandma Zhao, everyone's attention in the yard turned towards them.
“They're quick to act. We haven't even finished tidying up, and they're already here looking for trouble.” Qian Minmin was genuinely annoyed with Grandfather Zhao and the others. As soon as she spotted them, she quietly murmured to Sun Chun'er.
It's no wonder that Qian Minmin felt this way. The purpose of the visit from the Xu Family was to invite Zhao Guoqiang's family over for dinner.
Considering that Zhao Guoqiang's family had just returned, everything needed to be prepared slowly. There wasn't even a single vegetable in the kitchen.
Thus, Grandma Xu unceremoniously sent her two sons out to invite Zhao Guoqiang's family back for dinner.
Prior to this, the arrangement for dinner at the Xu Family had already been made.
In Qian Minmin's view, the arrival of Grandfather Zhao and the others was definitely not out of goodwill to take care of their dinner. They were more likely here to cause trouble.
Since it was clear that Grandfather Zhao and the others had ulterior motives, and Qian Minmin was not someone who would easily be taken advantage of, how could she allow their schemes to succeed?
Thus, Qian Minmin immediately displayed her displeasure on her face, completely disregarding whether Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao were elders or whether Zhao Guofu and Chen Cui were watching.
What’s the matter? They dared to act, but she wasn’t allowed to respond? She was standing right here in front of them; what could they do to her?
Zhao Guofu and Chen Cui naturally could not do anything to Qian Minmin.
The two exchanged glances, both feeling quite unhappy. However, at this moment, they were more concerned about whether Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao could successfully stand up for them. Once Qian Minmin was dealt with, they would have plenty of opportunities to teach her a lesson when they followed Zhao Guoqiang's family to the City for a better life.
Qian Minmin ignored the silent communication between Zhao Guofu and Chen Cui. Even if she understood their schemes, she would only scoff at them.
Zhao Guofu and Chen Cui were being overly presumptuous. Sorry, but their family wasn’t falling for that. Zhao Guofu and Chen Cui were destined to waste their expressions.
Zhao Guofu and Chen Cui didn’t pay much attention to Qian Minmin; their focus was entirely on Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao. With full expectations, their eyes unconsciously sparkled with hope.
Unfortunately, no matter how bright Zhao Guofu and Chen Cui’s eyes were, Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao did not have enough authority in front of Zhao Guoqiang’s family to fulfill their wishes. “Zhao Guoqiang, is this how you treat people? Good, very good. You take your wife and children to the City to enjoy life while leaving your father and me here in Willow Leaf Village to suffer. When you’re eating well and drinking well in the City, doesn’t your conscience hurt? At your age, with grandchildren already, aren’t you afraid of retribution?” Grandma Zhao’s voice was as loud as ever, and her words were just as sharp.
There was no denying that her fighting spirit had not diminished over the years.
However, Zhao Guoqiang was not intimidated by Grandma Zhao's shouting.
Grandma Zhao's fierceness was nothing new. How poorly had she treated Zhao Guoqiang's family? Each member of his family was already well aware of it and had suffered greatly because of it.
If Grandma Zhao suddenly became exceptionally kind, they would be the ones surprised.
Now Grandma Zhao is just playing her role, and the Zhao Guoqiang family certainly won't be intimidated, showing no signs of being scared at all.
Especially Zhao Guoqiang, who was directly sprayed with saliva by Grandma Zhao, remained unfazed and very calm throughout.
After Grandma Zhao finished her tirade, she did not get the desired result. Gritting her teeth, she was about to take action.
Fortunately, Grandfather Zhao had some sense. Before Grandma Zhao could make a move, he directly stopped her.
They came to get along with the Zhao Guoqiang family, not to create enmity. If they let Grandma Zhao continue shouting like this, life would likely become even more difficult. Their plans to move to City would also become increasingly distant.
Thus, as soon as Grandfather Zhao noticed that Grandma Zhao's reaction was off, he immediately pulled her back.
After that, it was Grandfather Zhao's turn to take charge.
Compared to Grandma Zhao, Grandfather Zhao did not start cursing but planned to appeal to emotions and reason.
"Oldest son..." The moment Grandfather Zhao threw out his emotional appeal, it made Zhao Guoqiang and the others shiver involuntarily.
Oh dear, this was truly a case of goosebumps. If they continued to listen to Grandfather Zhao's feigned gentleness, they would probably be struck dumb.
However, Grandfather Zhao himself did not feel that his sudden goodwill was inappropriate.
He had silently rehearsed this in his mind several times and felt quite good about it. Therefore, Grandfather Zhao did not pay much attention to the reactions of others and continued to express his true intentions: "Your mother and I have worked hard to raise you brothers. It was so difficult! When we just had you, our family couldn't even afford food. Others advised me and your mother to give you away, but we stubbornly chose to go hungry ourselves rather than consider sending you away. Your father and mother could never bear to part with you..."
Cough cough, Grandfather Zhao considered his words flawless. However, he clearly forgot that Zhao Guoqiang was his eldest son.
If Zhao Guoqiang were replaced with Zhao Guofu, and Grandfather Zhao came to complain about the family's poor conditions, the many children, and how they couldn't afford food, almost starving Zhao Guofu or sending him away... it would evoke a much stronger sense of sympathy.
However, if it were Zhao Guoqiang, the effect would instantly diminish. To put it bluntly, even if Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao said that when Zhao Guoqiang was just born, the family was so poor they couldn't even afford to cook. Then, Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao should have a serious discussion with Zhao Family Patriarch about why the Fellow Villagers dared to suggest sending away the eldest son!
Isn't the old man planning to watch his own grandson starve to death? This is the eldest grandson!
The Farm Family cares deeply about their sons, especially the eldest. The older generation can relate to this sentiment.
There are countless elderly people like Grandma Qi, who have spent their entire lives following their eldest sons.
Of course, there are parents like Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao, who are biased towards their youngest son. However, those who disregard the eldest son and grandson are few and far between.
All the children grew up in the village; who doesn't know each other? Grandfather Zhao insists on fabricating these stories, but Zhao Guoqiang cannot be swayed. However, he also doesn't feel moved by it.
Thus, even though Grandfather Zhao is self-pitying, it has little effect on Zhao Guoqiang.
On the side, Qian Minmin has stopped cleaning, crossed her arms, and is coolly waiting to watch the drama unfold.
She believes that Grandfather Zhao and the others have come with ill intentions! At this moment, it really seems that way; nothing has exceeded her expectations.
Grandfather Zhao must have made a significant decision to put on such a performance for Zhao Guoqiang. Unexpectedly, Zhao Guoqiang completely dismisses his act, allowing him to forcefully fabricate stories without responding at all.
To be honest, Zhao Guoqiang was originally a filial son. But unfortunately, he has been forced by Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao into a position where he can no longer be dutiful.
Now, all Zhao Guoqiang wants is to live well for his own family. As for Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao, he doesn't care about them and doesn't want to get involved.
Still, he will continue to provide for Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao, ensuring they won't go hungry. But asking him to take them to City, that is something Zhao Guoqiang cannot agree to.
It is not only Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao who need to live their lives; their whole family also needs to survive. His daughter has finally found some happiness after enduring hardships, and out of filial piety towards her parents and gratitude towards her brothers and sisters-in-law, she specifically invited them to enjoy life in the City together.
Jin is a manifestation of filial piety and good intentions. Does he, as a father, really want to make things difficult for Jin when they could be living well?
With the character of Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao, Zhao Guoqiang does not believe they will change at all. He is even less convinced that they genuinely want to live a stable life with his family.
He fears this is just the first step for Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao! First, they ensure that they can go to the City, and the next step will be to bring Zhao Lei and Zhao Guofu's family...
Even if Zhao Guoqiang does not think deeply about it, he can guess the tricks of Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao.
As for putting on a show or anything like that, Zhao Guoqiang has no intention of cooperating.
He may not be as studious as his younger brother Zhao Guoqing, nor as quick-witted as his fourth brother Zhao Guofu. But that does not mean he will always be foolishly manipulated by Grandfather Zhao.
In the past, he was concerned about respecting Grandfather Zhao as an elder, but now, Zhao Guoqiang does not think that way anymore.
Thus, Zhao Guoqiang pursed his lips and remained silent.
As a result, no matter how many tricks Grandfather Zhao had up his sleeve, they instantly became useless.
The atmosphere became extremely awkward until the forced smile on Grandfather Zhao's face could no longer be maintained. "My brother, do you really want to be so unfilial? After all, they are our Parents; you can't just live your good life without caring about our Parents' well-being, can you? Yes, I admit that Parents have been living with our fourth brother's family all these years. But we are all children raised by Parents; why should you be able to ignore everything while just spending some money to live your carefree life? Does our fourth brother's family deserve to suffer? Are you not afraid of being criticized by the Fellow Villagers in the village?" Seeing that Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao were defeated, Chen Cui couldn't help but speak up.
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