Chapter 325: Impatience

Old  Chen called ahead to inform the Hao Lianchun, as going there alone would likely result in being turned away. Hence, it was necessary to give them a heads-up. ^[1]Remember that the Zuo Family were staying at something like a military compound where it isn’t easy to enter?? That explains why they needed to give them a heads up first

Upon hearing that Zhang Lan’s family had arrived, Hao Lianchun was overjoyed and almost ran from her house. “Old Chen, hurry and bring them over. I’ve been missing them like crazy.”

As Zhang Lan’s family approached, Hao Lianchun was already waiting at the gate. When he saw Zhang Lan and Wang Zhenhe’s figures, the elderly lady hurried forward and tightly embraced Zhang Lan. “Good children, Auntie really missed you.”

Although Hao Lianchun had returned to work, she still cherished the time spent in that small village as the most beautiful.

Zhang Lan was also excited, embracing Hao Lianchun tightly. The two women exchanged nostalgic sighs. “Auntie, you look great. Since you left, the house has felt empty. Now that I’ve brought the kids here, Qianqian and Mingyuan have also made it, please take care of us in the future.”

Hao Lianchun held her hand, beaming with joy. “Really? That’s wonderful. Our home will finally have some liveliness. Come on, let’s all go inside. We can chat at home.”

The elderly lady led Zhang Lan and Wang Qian inside, while Mingyuan glanced around the courtyard and was amazed. “Dad, I never expected Grandpa Zuo’s family to live in such a place. Wow, the security here is intense. It would be quite challenging for an ordinary person to sneak in.”

Wang Zhenhe chuckled and patted his son’s back. “Think about it, if the military didn’t have strict rules, could it still be called a military compound? Even I was taken aback the first time I came here.”

Mingyuan, watching the armed guards, couldn’t help but feel envious. Armed guards did exude authority. However, considering the limited free time his brother had due to military life, he felt content with his decision not to attend a military academy. It allowed him the freedom to visit his sister and enjoy other activities, which he valued more.

Upon entering the house with the elderly lady, Mingyuan could immediately sense the simplicity of the place. There were hardly any fashionable furnishings in the house.

Hao Lianchun quickly invited everyone to sit down, and a servant came to serve tea.

Hao Lianchun held Zhang Lan’s hand and began reminiscing about their past partings. Wang Zhenhe, not seeing Uncle Zuo, casually inquired, “Auntie, where’s Uncle Zuo? Why haven’t we seen him?”

Hao Lianchun shook her head helplessly. “Your uncle took Mingcheng and the others to the military camp this time. It’s getting late, and he hasn’t returned yet. I called, and they said he should be back by evening. This old man is getting busier by the day. Let’s not worry about him.”

“By the way, Lan’er, how is your younger brother’s marriage situation going? Has that lady from the Bai family agreed?”

When discussing her brother’s marriage, Zhang Lan sighed with a hint of resignation. “Jianing’s mother still hasn’t agreed. I don’t know what’s going on in her mind. She seems determined to separate the couple.”

Although Hao Lianchun didn’t know much about Bai Qingyuan’s wife, she had heard some rumors about her.

“Hmm, Weiguo has quite a waiting ahead. I’ve heard that Bai Qingyuan’s wife is a tough nut to crack. She’s known to be quite stubborn. Be prepared—she doesn’t listen to anyone’s advice, not even Uncle Zuo’s intervention has made any difference. Weiguo really has his work cut out for him this time.”

Zhang Lan smiled wryly. “Auntie, we were planning to try talking to her when we came over, but Jianing’s mother is proving to be quite stubborn.”

Hao Lianchun patted her shoulder. “Well, take it slow. There’s no rush. Zuo Yu came back this morning, stayed only briefly, and then took off. He asked me to let you know that he’s waiting for you all in the south.”

The grandson had mentioned his interest in doing business with the Wang family. The elderly lady didn’t have many demands in that regard. It’s good that the child is ambitious—it’s far better than those who just ask for money from their families to spend.

“Lan’er, stay here tonight. It’s rare for you all to come visit. My home is your home,” Hao Lianchun expressed warmly.

Wang Qian smiled as she looked at Hao Lianchun. The elderly lady’s smile hadn’t faded since their arrival.

“Grandma Zuo, even if you try to shoo us away, we won’t go. We’re enjoying our time here and experiencing life in the compound as Zuo He described,” Wang Qian playfully remarked.

Hao Lianchun chuckled at her comment. “That mischievous Zuo He must have said some not-so-nice things about me to you. I bet all his childhood impressions are being shared with you.”

Wang Qian just smiled. Zuo He often reminisced about life in the compound with her, but most of his stories revolved around how they were eventually neglected.

However, bringing up those memories now seemed pointless. Old Zuo’s status was on the rise, and everyone was trying to gain favor. At this point, no one would dare come and cause trouble.

On the military camp side, Zuo He heard that Wang Qian’s family had arrived and felt a sense of urgency. However, Grandpa was particularly strict during training, and Zuo He had been distracted a few times, resulting in a stern reprimand from Zuo Zhanshan. “Zuo He, what’s wrong with you? Pay attention to your movements. If this were the battlefield, you would have fed the enemy bullets by now.”

Zuo Hao nudged his brother with his elbow. “Zuo He, focus. I know you’re eager, so am I, but we can’t afford to lose focus now. Learn from Mingcheng.”

Inwardly, Zuo He wondered if he could really learn from Mingcheng. During his last vacation at home, he had spent the entire break with Qian Qian. Previously, he had only been able to visit for three days in all these years, and even then, it was just to accompany her for exams. Convincing Grandpa to let him take time off had been a challenge, all to supervise the little girl’s journey to university in the capital. It hadn’t been easy for him.

Although Mingcheng continued practicing with a poker face, internally he felt incredibly anxious. His younger siblings had both gotten into university, and he felt a twinge of regret for not congratulating them immediately. Now that the whole family was here, he truly longed to see his loved ones.

Observing the various expressions on the faces of the three young individuals before him, Zuo Zhanshan found it somewhat amusing. He had long seen through his grandson’s little schemes. However, for Zuo He to be with Qianqian, he knew Zuo He had to prove himself. Relying solely on family background wouldn’t get him far.

That little girl had caught his eye long ago—beautiful, capable, with a mysterious allure that was hard to pinpoint. If his grandson wasn’t exceptional, it would be challenging for him to match up with her. With the girl’s striking appearance, once in the capital city, many people would surely take notice. Hence, over the years, he had continuously pushed his grandson to excel, considering this aspect.

As the sun set behind the western mountains, the day’s training finally came to an end. Zuo He and his companions had sweat rivers on their handsome faces, and their clothes were drenched as if they had been pulled from water.

Zuo Zhanshan glanced at the three children and cheerfully instructed, “The three of you, quickly go take a shower. We’ll depart in ten minutes. Qian Qian and the others are waiting for us at home.”

Upon hearing Grandpa’s command, the three brothers dashed to the bathroom. In less than ten minutes, they were neatly dressed, standing outside, waiting for Old Zuo’s car to take them back.

“Old Wu, Zhenhe and the others are all here. We’re having a gathering at our place tonight. Make sure to invite Old Zhou and Old Cui as well. It’s been a while since we all got together. Let’s catch up.”

On the phone, Wu Changyong burst into hearty laughter, the sound nearly deafening Zuo Zhanshan. “Hey, can you tone it down a bit, Old Wu? Your booming voice is almost deafening me. By the way, how’s it going with Weiguo’s marriage? Now that everyone is back, there must have been some progress, right?”

Wu Changyong on the other end fell silent for a moment. “Old Zuo, let’s discuss that when we meet in person.”

As they exited the barracks, they saw three handsome young men anxiously waiting. Seeing their radiant faces, Zuo Zhanshan couldn’t help but smile, a stark contrast to his icy demeanor during training.

Zuo He, feeling a bit impatient, spoke up, “Grandpa, can’t we hurry up a bit? Maybe Grandma and the others are already eating at home. It’s been so long since we’ve had Aunt’s cooking, I’m already craving it.”

Zuo Hao chimed in, “Exactly, Grandpa, please hurry up. It’s been years since we’ve seen them.”

Zuo Zhanshan tossed his bag to Mingcheng, patting the shoulders of his two grandsons. “You two rascals, look at Mingcheng, he’s not as impatient as you two. Get in the car quickly. Don’t you think I’m not anxious? I’m even more eager than you. Mingyuan didn’t even choose to attend a military academy, must have picked up bad habits from Zuo Yu.”

Mingcheng smiled brightly, “Grandpa Zuo, I suppose my brother has his own reasons. It’s okay, we have each other.”

Zuo Zhanshan chuckled, “Thank goodness for all of you. Otherwise, all the effort from me and your grandpa Wu would have been in vain.”

As Zuo Zhanshan’s jeep entered the courtyard, before the vehicle even came to a complete stop, the three individuals inside had already leaped out and dashed towards the house. Their speed rivaled their training sessions.

Zuo Zhanshan couldn’t help but smile wryly. He had just thought Mingcheng was the most composed, but it seemed this mischievous young man couldn’t wait any longer.

Seeing the forgotten bag in the car, the old man had to carry it himself, quickening his pace towards the house, moving faster than usual.

“Old Zuo, wait for me!” Wu Changyong’s car had just come to a stop when he saw Zuo Zhanshan swiftly entering the house, his voice unheard.

“This old rascal, not getting old yet, but his ears are failing him. Wu Lei, get out of the car quickly. I’ll take you to meet the Wang family,” Wu Changyong exclaimed.

Wu Changyong’s son, Wu Lei, clad in military attire, emerged from the car, grinning as he saw his father. “Dad, I heard the Wang family has two young ladies. Can I finally meet them this time? You used to mention them often, and I’d like to see how formidable these young ladies are.”

Wu Changyong swiftly slapped his son’s hand away. “Kid, be serious. Don’t scare those girls with your antics.”