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Failing to act as a matchmaker for Zhang Weiguo left Old Wu feeling frustrated. A war hero, a top student in military school—what more could one ask for? They couldn’t understand why the Bai family didn’t see their worth. Just a chief of staff, there were plenty of those around. If only they had a daughter of suitable age, Zhang Weiguo would have been welcomed into their family long ago. It’s a shame the Bai family got to pick up this bargain.
“Old Wu, don’t get too worked up. That woman from the Bai family is known in our unit for being strong-willed. You got off relatively easy. Back in the day, if she had an issue with someone, she’d stand in the courtyard and let loose. At least she was somewhat polite to you,” remarked Hao Lianchun.
Old Wu, upon hearing Hao Lianchun’s words, couldn’t help but chuckle wryly. “Old Hao, she’s not someone an ordinary person can handle. They say ‘like attracts like,’ but I wonder who can rein her in.”
In everyone’s conversations, Han Ying had become synonymous with a fiery and unreasonable woman. Wang Qian even felt a bit concerned for Zhang Weiguo. How would he cope with a mother-in-law like that in the future? Even if the marriage went through, dealing with the daily trivialities with such a meddling mother-in-law—could he and Bai Jianing handle it all?
Hao Lianchun glanced at his watch, muttering to herself in surprise, “Why has Zuo He been out for so long and not returned? It’s getting dark soon.”
Zuo Zhanshan glanced at his wife and asked casually, “Who came to look for Zuo He earlier?”
“Who else could it be? It was Wei Hong looking for him. That girl is always hanging out with those boys in the courtyard instead of focusing on her studies. Let’s hope she doesn’t tire out our Zuo He,” replied Hao Lianchun.
Hao Lianchun knew all too well the hidden intentions of that young girl. Back in the political turmoil, she had followed his grandson around, but when their family faced difficulties, she had ignored them. He remembered how his grandson and his friends had been puzzled when she distanced herself from them. It was a sigh-worthy moment, reflecting how even children were affected during those tumultuous times.
When Zuo He was summoned by Wei Hong, he thought she had something to discuss, but he was surprised to see the others behind her.
“San’er? What brings you all here? Do you need something from me?”
Zuo He recognized the group of people behind Wei Hong; they were mostly children from the courtyard whom he had played with in his childhood. However, since his family moved to the Northeast, they hadn’t interacted much. After he got into military school, their meetings were limited to casual exchanges. Over the years, their childhood friendship had faded with age and time.
The full name of San’er was Li Tianqiang, but Zuo He was so accustomed to calling him by his nickname since childhood that even with limited contact in recent years, he still used it out of habit.
“Heh, Zuo He, you didn’t even inform us of your return. It’s been so long since we last met. Today also happens to be Wei Hong’s birthday, and we wanted to invite you to join us for a meal,” Li Tianqiang explained.
Zuo He noticed Wei Hong staring at him intently, and he could sense the affection in her gaze. He understood that look well, as he himself had once looked at Wang Qian in a similar way.
Although invited to Wei Hong’s birthday celebration by Li Tianqiang and the others, Zuo He wasn’t particularly interested, so he politely declined.
“Guys, we have an important guest at home today, and it’s been years since we last met. Let’s catch up when I have some free time in the future. I’m sorry for today,” Zuo He explained to his old friends.
However, Wei Hong wasn’t willing to let Zuo He leave so easily. It was rare to get a chance to see him, especially with the strict regulations at the military academy and Zuo He’s infrequent visits home. When he did have time off, he would either be in the military or visiting his parents in the Northeast. If it weren’t for San’er informing her of Zuo He’s return, she might have missed the opportunity to see him altogether.
The present-day Zuo He had grown even more handsome than in his childhood. None of the boys in the courtyard could compare to him. While all the boys from his family were good-looking, she felt that Zuo He was the one who truly matched her ideal standards.
Looks aside, having prospects was important too. His grandfather held a high position, far more influential than her own grandfather. If she didn’t seize such an outstanding young man, he might slip away one day, as her mother often warned her.
“Zuo He, why don’t we just go out for a bit? It won’t take long, I promise to make sure you return early to entertain your guests. It’s rare to have this chance to meet you today, who knows when we’ll meet again,” Wei Hong suggested.
Zuo He didn’t have any particular feelings for Wei Hong, but he didn’t want to unnecessarily offend these individuals. Being children in the same compound, each had their own influence. Utilizing them well could be like making a strategic move. However, he didn’t want to get entangled in romantic debts; his heart and mind were reserved for a young girl. Although she was still naive and innocent now, he had the patience to wait for her to grow.
Zuo He pondered for a moment and then took out his wallet, pulling out a stack of money to hand to Wei Hong. “Wei Hong, it’s your birthday today, and I didn’t come prepared to celebrate with you. I should have been there, but I couldn’t get away from some family matters. Let me treat you to this meal as a birthday celebration. Once I finish up at home, I’ll come back and we can gather with our courtyard friends. San’er, when you gather everyone, we’ll have a good meal together.”
San’er glanced around the crowded living room at the Zuo household, understanding Zuo He’s situation. He then smiled and said to Wei Hong, “Alright, buddy, we’ll let you off the hook today. Let’s leave for now. Zuo He is truly occupied. We’ll catch up another time. Wei Hong, let’s go. Zuo He is really tied up today.”
Seeing Wei Hong’s lingering gaze on Zuo He, feeling uncomfortable, San’er subtly pulled Wei Hong away, gesturing towards the crowded living room. “Look, there are guests inside. Zuo He is genuinely busy today. We can have dinner together another time. Consider this meal as Zuo He’s treat.”
Reluctantly, Wei Hong turned back to give Zuo He one last deep look before being led away by San’er.
Watching the group of people walking away, Zuo He finally breathed a sigh of relief. It had been many years since he had interacted with these individuals, and he didn’t know much about them. He decided to have a good chat with his grandfather when he got back home, as understanding each other is key to success.
Feeling his wallet that had been relieved of its contents, Zuo He winced a bit. It was his second brother’s pocket money, and he hadn’t even had the chance to go shopping with Wang Qian before it was taken by this group of people. Nevertheless, he felt happy to be able to spend the evening with Wang Qian. Money could be earned back, but opportunities to be with Wang Qian were rare.
Upon Zuo He’s return, Zuo Zhanshan casually asked, “Zuo He, why did you only come back now?”
Zuo He nonchalantly explained, “Oh, it was just some people from the compound who wanted me to go out with them, but I declined.”
Zuo Zhanshan glanced thoughtfully at his grandson, not saying anything more. However, he had made up his mind to have a good conversation with the boy that night. With the upcoming elections and potential changes in the air, it was time to have a heart-to-heart chat with his grandson.
As for Grandpa Chen and Wu Changyong, they were escorted back home. Wu Changyong invited Zhang Lan and the others to his house as they had spent quite a while at his place. It was a way for the youngsters to get to know their benefactor and be able to lend a hand in the future if needed. It was important that even family members should know each other to avoid any misunderstandings.
Zhang Lan and her family gladly accepted Wu Changyong’s invitation. With their daughter’s school starting later, they had come early this time with the intention of visiting several families. However, both old Zhou and old Cui were not at home, so they planned to visit them another time when the opportunity arose, as they were not familiar with their households.
That evening, the family stayed at the Zuo residence. Hao Lianchun had prepared everything in advance, arranging rooms accordingly. Zuo He and Mingyuan shared one room, Zuo Hao and Mingcheng were together, the sisters shared a room, and Zhang Lan stayed with Wang Zhenhe. Luckily, the Zuo family had a separate two-story building, as accommodating so many people would have otherwise been challenging. Wang Qian had already decided that if space became an issue, she would move everyone to their spacious courtyard.
Zuo Zhanshan called his two grandsons to the study and began imparting important advice. He analyzed the various relationships within the military compound for the brothers, as Zuo He and Zuo Hao had been away for many years and were not fully aware of the changes that had taken place. He thoroughly explained the intricacies of the relationships and entanglements within the courtyard to them.
To establish themselves well under the imperial city’s wing in the future, the brothers needed to understand the complexities involved. They had to master various relationships, as leveraging these connections could be a significant asset. Since Zuo Zhanshan couldn’t accompany them forever, it would eventually be up to the younger generation. With the eldest and second son serving as officials locally, the family’s military legacy rested on the third son. Zuo Zhanshan hoped that his grandsons and youngest son could achieve greater heights in the future, enabling them to see further and understand more deeply.
“Grandpa, we know what to do. Rest assured, we have everything under control and won’t act recklessly,” reassured the two grandsons, which left Zuo Zhanshan feeling satisfied. He trusted his grandsons, and if only Zuo Yu could attend military school, the three brothers would form a strong support system. Unfortunately, the youngest grandson’s aspirations lay elsewhere, and as a grandfather, he couldn’t force the child against his will.
“Zuo He, take this outfit and give it to Mingyuan. Have him join the guards for morning drills. That kid thinks he can escape, but once he’s under my supervision, he won’t have it easy. He shouldn’t assume he can avoid discipline just because he’s not in uniform,” Zuo Zhanshan instructed, handing the package to Zuo He. He had decided that Mingyuan shouldn’t waste his potential and needed proper training. It might come in handy in the future.