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“Wang Qian, if anyone dares to bully you in the future, just let me know. I’ll make sure to give them a proper lesson alongside your brothers,” Zuo He assured.
In Zuo He’s eyes, Wang Qian could never be at fault. If anyone dared to mistreat her, it would be their wrongdoing, and he was determined to stand up for her. He believed that if he couldn’t protect a young girl in his territory, all his efforts over the years would be in vain.
Wang Qian simply chuckled at Zuo He’s protective words, sensing a different aura from him this time. It felt distinctly masculine.
The masculine aura, she couldn’t help but be surprised. When had she started treating Zuo He like a grown man? Despite her youthful appearance, internally she was an adult, and she couldn’t ignore how Zuo He had treated her over the years.
Looking at Zuo He’s satisfied smile, she couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. He was undeniably attractive, and while he might make a good husband with promising offspring, she anticipated a fair share of romantic entanglements. She decided to let things unfold naturally. After all, she was still a child, not yet at an age to consider such matters at her young teens.
Soon, they arrived back home. Wang Qian paid more attention to the two unfamiliar faces in the house. Despite their unremarkable appearance, Wang Xuan mentioned that they had been instrumental in handling the shipments for the week.
Seeing the two unfamiliar faces, Wang Qian greeted them warmly, making them feel like part of the family without any sense of awkwardness, seamlessly integrating them into the household.
After dinner, Sun Zhiming and Han Zhengdong took their military dogs for a walk within the confines of their large courtyard, strolling around the premises.
The siblings sat in the yard and discussed recent events. Wang Xuan updated them on the recent income situation. Unexpectedly, at that moment, Old Wu and Old Zuo, along with Wu Lei, arrived.
Unexpectedly, Wu Lei had returned at that moment. Wu Changyong eagerly approached with a package, saying, “Qianqian, come with me into the house. Let’s see if what I have in this package is what you’ve been expecting.”
Following the two elders into the study, Wu Changyong opened the package, revealing several sets of clothes. Wang Qian immediately recognized them as matching the designs she had drawn, resembling modern styles. The fabric felt delicate, sturdy, and the craftsmanship was impressive, albeit slightly inferior in texture compared to modern fabrics.
“Grandpa Zuo, Grandpa Wu, this is the product. Wu Lei did a great job. It’s almost exactly what I envisioned. What do you think?” Wang Qian inquired.
Wu Changyong couldn’t contain his excitement. “Dear, I never expected it to turn out this good. When I saw the samples, I realized the design is simply outstanding.”
Eager to try them on, Zuo He and the others picked up the clothes. They found the new outfits to be stylish and more vibrant than their current attire.
“Grandpa, how do we look? Wearing these outfits with matching hats, we could easily blend in without being noticed. Plus, they’re quite comfortable,” Zuo He remarked enthusiastically.
Zuo Hao was the first to express his feelings, with Ming Cheng and the others nodding in agreement. Zuo Zhanshan smiled warmly at his old comrade.
“Old Wu, the next steps are up to you. Not only do we think it’s great, even they approve. It shows we’ve made the right decision. Wu Lei has done quite well to produce these samples in such a short time. Tomorrow, you should head back promptly. It wouldn’t be good to delay at school. Although your father’s old comrades are supporting you, we need to work hard as well. The future relies on you guys,” Zuo Zanshan remarked, acknowledging Wu Lei’s efforts.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Wu Lei rubbed his head and looked at his father. Without the connections of Old Wu, he wouldn’t have been able to come over so quickly. However, considering the importance of the matter, he couldn’t delegate it to others and had to handle it himself.
“Dad, I’ll let the factory continue working, and I’ll have Bother Wang and the others oversee it. You don’t have to won’t worry about the rest,” Wu Lei replied confidently.
It was the first time Wu Changyong saw his son’s capabilities. Previously, he thought the boy was a bit carefree. Despite his intelligence, he hadn’t achieved much besides getting into the military academy. However, this time he truly saw his son in a new light, feeling proud and delighted as a father.
“Well done, son. Oh, Zuo, isn’t there a helicopter transporting equipment tomorrow? Let my son go along to save time on the journey. It wouldn’t be easy to explain his absence from school,” Wu Changyong suggested.
Zuo Zhanshan cheerfully patted his old comrade’s shoulder, “Sure, old buddy, you’re even taking advantage of this opportunity. Alright, tomorrow Wu Lei will fly over with the aircraft.”
Zhang Weiguo had dinner at his mother-in-law’s house that evening. Upon returning home and seeing the brightly lit study, his attention was immediately drawn to the samples on the table. Without even saying hello, he expressed immense interest in the garments.
“Uncle, what’s this? It looks more like combat gear than our usual clothes. This is way better than what we have,” Zhang Weiguo exclaimed with curiosity.
Mingcheng chuckled, “Uncle, you have a good eye. These are the samples we just received. How about trying them on? Interested?”
Without hesitation, Zhang Weiguo picked up the clothes and tried them on. He even went to a room with a mirror to get a better look before returning.
“Uncle Wu, I think I won’t need to buy any other clothes for my wedding. This outfit is great. How about making one for me?” he suggested eagerly.
Wu Lao ye clapped his hands approvingly, “Good lad, you’ve got it all planned out. However, these are still samples. We’ll have to wait until we submit the report. Can’t let any news slip. I’ll try to get approval as soon as possible, but I can’t guarantee it’ll be ready by your wedding day. Be prepared for both scenarios.”
Understanding the importance of the matter, Zhang Weiguo didn’t push it. If he could wear it, great; if not, there was always his military uniform. He wasn’t too concerned.
After discussions concluded, everyone went their separate ways. However, Zuo He and the others decided to stay behind, as there would be training for them the next morning.
After a satisfying meal, Mingyuan sat comfortably in a chair while the brothers sat in the yard, discussing their respective experiences at school.
“Little sister, are the girls in your dorm bullying you?” Mingyuan’s biggest concern was for his younger sister, who had skipped grades and was younger. Being in the capital was different from their hometown, where people were relatively straightforward. However, university was a diverse place, with students coming from all over. Though they were all studious, he felt some of them carried an air of superiority. As a boy, he could easily joke around with his dorm mates, but his sister was different.
Growing up together and being in the same class at school, he had always been able to watch over her. However, now in a new environment, he felt helpless, unable to protect her.
“Don’t worry, brother. I’m the youngest, and I don’t provoke them. If anyone dares to bully me, I’ll speak up. They may be older, but I won’t be an easy target. Besides, we have our backgrounds, and we have you, brother, and grandpa to watch over us, right, Brother Zuo Hao?” Wang Qian smiled at Zuo Hao.
“Exactly. Anyone who dares harm our Qianqian will have to deal with my grandfather. Don’t worry, go about your business confidently. As long as we don’t cause trouble, we won’t be afraid of any. If anyone dares bother you, my brother and I will step in,” Zuo Hao assured.
Anyone who dared to bully his sister-in-law would surely face consequences, unless they had a death wish.
Zuo Hao’s charming eyes narrowed slightly, a gesture reminiscent of the men in the Zuo family—indicating contemplation. Wang Qian knew that being scrutinized by them often led to dire consequences. Despite Grandpa Zuo’s usually cheerful demeanor, if provoked, he could be fiercer than a lion, fiercely protective of his family.
“Don’t worry, everyone. I won’t cause trouble. Even if there are issues, I won’t be afraid. The world is vast, but it all boils down to reason. I want to focus on my studies at school. And once we have money, we can travel abroad,” Wang Qian reassured them.
Thinking about this, she recalled the impending dissolution of the Soviet Union and the potential business opportunities it might present. However, that was a distant plan for after her graduation.
As Wang Xuan and Yang Nuo brought in the washed fruits, Cong Tao took a bite of an apple, then relaxed, “Yang Nuo, you’re so considerate of us. I was just wondering why no one brought fruit earlier. Being at home is indeed better.”
Even after satisfying his hunger, Cong Tao couldn’t resist making this comment. Zhang Weiguo jokingly tapped his head from behind, “You little rascal, we know home is better. You have it much easier than us. Try managing things back where we are; you wouldn’t last a day there. You’d run back here in no time.”
Yang Nuo nodded in agreement. Seeing Cong Tao’s lazy demeanor, he doubted whether he could handle military life without complaining every day.
“Uncle, that’s exactly why I didn’t choose to attend your type of school. Our lifestyle is great—learning a bit, making friends in our free time, and doing business. You might envy our way of life, but I find it quite comfortable,” Cong Tao remarked confidently.
“By the way, have you all decided where to go after graduation? It’s about time for us to start considering it. Do you all have any plans in mind?” he inquired about their future post-graduation plans.
As the topic of future graduation plans arose, Wang Xuan and Yang Nuo exchanged a glance. As long as they could be together, the location didn’t matter much to them. Being with their family was the most important aspect for both of them.