Chapter 22 Is this a marriage certificate? !

As soon as the words fell, an energetic old gentleman pushed an equally sprightly old lady into the Educated Youth Office.

“Old Chief? What wind blew you here today?” The cadre who had been conducting the background check on Father Song immediately stepped forward respectfully, clearly recognizing the old man as Elder Gu.

Father Song was stunned. Old Chief? What Old Chief? And what did he mean by what he just said?

His confusion didn’t last long—someone explained it for him the next second.

Old Wu trotted over to Elder Gu and gave a proper military salute.

“Good day, Elder Chief Gu! Good day, Granny Gu!”

“Mhm,” Elder Gu responded briefly, then even praised, “You kid did well this time—reported promptly.”

“Hehehe~” Old Wu was delighted. His big brother Xiao’s reinforcements had finally arrived! All thanks to his cleverness in sending word a couple of days ago!

Upon hearing this, Father Song suddenly connected the dots. Could he be the former military region commander—Elder Chief Gu?!

“That’s me,” Elder Gu said calmly. “I heard you say just now that Vice Section Chief Lin Weiguo had no right to scold you. Then I wonder—am I qualified to scold you a couple of times?”

He had arrived back when Lin Weiguo was still scolding people, and had heard it all—especially the part where a father actually wanted to ruin his daughter’s future. Even if she wasn’t his biological child, she was still raised by him! A man like that clearly lacked empathy and only cared about his own interests. Selfish through and through.

Elder Gu had seen through his character in one glance and couldn’t help but want to tear into him.

Hearing this, Father Song quickly said in panic, “Old Chief, please don’t say that! If I’ve done anything wrong, you’re more than welcome to scold me!”

He remembered now. This was the famous old commander who had fought countless battles. And that young man who’d visited his home a few days ago to defend Song Youyou—the one who had looked somewhat familiar—that must’ve been…

“Old Chief, have I done something to offend you?” he asked tentatively.

“Hmph, you allowed your daughter to falsely accuse my granddaughter-in-law. What do you think?”

“G-Granddaughter-in-law?” Father Song was dumbfounded.

“Yes. She is my granddaughter-in-law.” Elder Gu pointed at Song Youyou.

Immediately, everyone’s eyes shifted in unison to the slender but straight-backed girl in the crowd.

She’s the old chief’s granddaughter-in-law?!

Then what the heck is she doing going to the countryside?!

That was everyone’s immediate thought.

That man was a national hero who fought alongside the Chairman himself—an old war hero with countless accolades! Who would dare say his granddaughter-in-law had no job and needed to be sent down to the countryside? Even if she spent her days eating and sleeping, that alone counted as contributing to national development. Her grandfather had earned that privilege for her!

Besides, the countryside assignments were for unmarried young people. Married women didn’t need to go.

Everyone’s impression of Song Youyou instantly shifted—from a pitiful girl betrayed by her adoptive family, to a total life winner. The mental whiplash was real.

Song Youyou herself felt like her brain had stopped working. She froze for a moment before stammering, “You two… are you really Grandpa and Grandma Gu?”

“Mhm.”

“Yes, yes, I’m Gu Xiao’s grandma!” Before Elder Gu could even keep up the pretense, Grandma Gu had already pushed him aside and wheeled herself right in front of her granddaughter-in-law, beaming.

“Aiya, what a pretty and delicate young girl! Woohoo~ My eldest grandson really has an eye for beauty. He managed to trick—ahem, marry—such a sweet and lovely girl!”

She stared at Song Youyou with stars in her eyes, growing more pleased the more she looked. She’d always loved soft, gentle girls, but ended up having two rowdy boys. Now, suddenly, she had a granddaughter-in-law who was everything she dreamed of. Of course she was thrilled!

“Hey! You two old folks need to stop lying—mmph…”

Song Baozhu had just started yelling when her father quickly covered her mouth.

She broke free, annoyed. “Dad! What are you doing?!”

“Stop talking nonsense!” Father Song hissed, his eyes darting nervously as he shot her warning glances.

That’s the Old Chief! A man who made it into the newspapers! Normally, he wouldn’t even have the chance to suck up to someone like this, and now his foolish daughter was about to offend him?! One word from this man could destroy his entire career—or skyrocket it if he was lucky.

But Song Baozhu couldn’t understand why her father suddenly changed his attitude and angrily said to the crowd, “You all heard it too! These two clearly don’t know Song Youyou at all! Granddaughter-in-law? Old Chief? I think they’re just scammers Song Youyou hired to put on an act!”

“You shut up!” Father Song’s head was about to explode. This stupid woman!

“Oh? So you’re saying us old folks, along with the leaders of the Educated Youth Office, were all hired to act in a skit?” The cadre leading the investigation said coldly.

“I-I wasn’t talking about you! I meant just those two old…”

“Insolence! How dare a little girl speak so rudely to an old commander! The peaceful life you enjoy today was bought with the blood and sweat of elders like him!”

Those words ignited a deep sense of reverence in the room. Indeed, many had lived through those turbulent times, and they knew that without the sacrifices of people like Elder Gu, there would be no present-day China.

Song Baozhu’s disrespect instantly drew everyone’s anger.

Father Song looked utterly defeated.

It was over. Everything was over. Whether or not Song Youyou went to the countryside, whether or not the report was valid—his promotion was toast.

“W-why are you all looking at me like that?” Song Baozhu shrank back. “These two old… people, it’s clearly their first time meeting Song Youyou! There’s no way she’s married—I would’ve heard about it!”

Trying to make her claim more convincing, she nearly raised her hand to swear. “Really, believe me! I often secretly check up on Song Youyou. She’s definitely not married. If she were, her best friend Wen Xiaorou would’ve gone to the wedding!”

Then she glared at Song Youyou hatefully. “Stop lying! Dare you say you’re really married?”

Faced with Song Baozhu’s desperate attempt to ruin her, Song Youyou let out a mocking laugh. She couldn’t be bothered to argue. She simply reached into her bag and pulled out a piece of paper with red markings on it.

Everyone craned their necks to look.

At the top was a quote from the Chairman. In the center, it read three bold characters: Marriage Certificate, and beneath it, a red seal.

“A marriage certificate?!” Grandma Gu squealed in delight.