Break out of the courtyard

The Zhang family makes a big fuss when they go out, with bodyguards and guards clearing the way; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they are surrounded by a large entourage.

Fortunately, they generally don't go to small shops on the street when there are many people, and they don't usually go out much, so nothing dramatic happened.

Time slips away quietly in the midst of peaceful life...

Before he knew it, Zhang Heping hadn't contacted his family for over a month!
Despite the bodyguards who reported their safety to them outside the factory every day, Tang Xin, Chen Shuting, Zhang Bei, and others became increasingly uneasy and repeatedly requested to speak with Zhang Heping to ensure their safety.

Because of this, Hua Lao flew to Shenzhen to personally assure Tang Xin and Zhang Bei that Zhang Heping had not been restricted in his personal freedom. It was indeed because the project was too confidential and they could not contact the outside world during the process.

On December 12, Zhang Nian, nicknamed "Third Sister," was promoted to Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Hong Kong Island Police Force. Zhang Heping did not attend the promotion banquet held at the Peace Hotel on Hong Kong Island on the 14th.

On December 25th, Zhang Feng's 27th birthday party was held at the Peace Hotel in Shenzhen, but Zhang Heping still did not return!
On New Year's Day, January 1, 1997, Zhang Heping turned 47, but he still didn't go home!
They hadn't received a call from Zhang Heping for over two months. Even with Hua Lao vouching for them, the Zhang family was furious and insisted that they must make a phone call with Zhang Heping!
"Ah Xin, Shu Ting!" After finishing her phone call outside, Director Wang Sumei returned to the living room of the Zhang family villa, looked at the Zhang family members, and said, "I have already told Elder Hua and Elder Zheng how you feel."

"How about this: you write a letter home to Heping, I'll have someone deliver it, and then Heping will write a reply to you."

Tang Xin and Chen Shuting exchanged a glance, while the others watched them, waiting for their decision.

Zhang Bei frowned and said, "Grandma Wang, can't I go over there and meet with my dad?"

"No!" Director Wang shook his head. "That's a top-secret research project. Even those who know about it, like Elder Hua and Elder Li, don't have the authority to enter the factory right now!"

Zhang Pandi interjected, "What if Xiaolong and Xiaohu got married earlier?"

"This..." Director Wang frowned, unsure how to answer for a moment.

"Second Aunt, our parents might not agree!" Xie Wan glanced at Zhang Pandi, then looked at Zhou Xirou and Zhang Bei, and said with difficulty, "How about we ask Brother Bei and Sister Xirou if they are willing to get married?"

“If they are willing, we can write a letter to Uncle Zhang and ask him to set a date for the wedding banquet this month and come back to attend.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xirou blushed immediately, while Zhang Bei stood there stunned, sensing that something was amiss.

Zhang Nan glanced at his mother and stepmother and noticed that the corners of their mouths twitched slightly, but they quickly suppressed it.

Upon hearing this, Wang Sumei quickly glanced at the Zhang family members' facial expressions and vaguely guessed what was going on, but she didn't rush to speak.

"Xiao Bei, what do you think?" Chen Shuting didn't ask Zhou Xirou because the rosy-faced girl's head was buried in the cushion!

Zhang Bei looked at his stepmother who was speaking, then glanced at Zhou Xirou, whose ears and neck were flushed red with embarrassment, and finally looked at his mother who was looking at him expectantly.

"Big brother!" Zhang Feng, the fourth daughter, said solemnly, "If it's your wedding, Dad will definitely come back for the banquet!"

Zhang Nan glanced at Zhou Xirou, who was keeping her head down and not saying a word. Considering her family background and the influence of Old Madam Zheng, even though she didn't know the specific plans of her mother and stepmother, she joined the team to finish her off.

"elder brother!"

Zhang Nan didn't say much, but her gaze when she met Zhang Bei's was firm, because she had mentioned her views on choosing a partner to Zhang Bei, Zhang Nian, and Zhang Feng more than once!

Even though Zhang Bei felt something was amiss, he couldn't immediately sort out his thoughts in the face of this sudden attack.

"We need to ask Xirou if she agrees!" Zhang Bei hadn't thought it through for a moment, so he chose to throw the question out there.

Zhou Xirou remained silent with her head down, but Xie Wan, Xie Ting, Zhang Feng, and Zhang Nuo immediately went over to her.

Less than half a minute later, Xie Ting said loudly, "Brother Bei, our Sister Xirou has agreed, you won't go back on your word, will you!"

Zhang Bei's head was buzzing, and he didn't know how to answer for a moment. In the end, Tang Xin stood up and made the decision, arranging the marriage between Zhang Bei and Zhou Xirou.

Then, Director Wang quickly took out his phone and called Grandma Zheng.

Before Zhang Bei could react, Zhang Feng and Zhang Nuo pulled him to sit down next to Zhou Xirou.

To make them sit closer, the two maids, Zhang Feng and Zhang Nuo, sat on either side of them, squeezing Zhang Bei and Zhou Xirou together.

Zhang Long ran upstairs to his study to get paper and pen, squatted by the coffee table, and began writing a letter home while listening to everyone's comments.

Not long after, Director Wang took the letter home, and everyone else slipped away, leaving only Zhang Bei and Zhou Xirou sitting in the large living room, the atmosphere gradually becoming ambiguous. Outside, by the artificial lake, Zhang Nan, arm in arm with his mother Tang Xin, asked with a smile, "Mom, you won't use this trick on me in the future, will you?"

"Hmph!" Tang Xin snorted lightly, but did not answer a single word, leaving Er Yatou and Zhang Nan with much room for imagination.

After getting some information from Xie Wan and Xie Ting, Zhang Nian quickly went to the artificial lake and took her mother Tang Xin's arm.

"Mom, will Xirou pursue a career in politics in the future?" Zhang Nian asked in a low voice.

"That's not important!" Tang Xin laughed. "Your most important task right now is to find someone you click with, get married, and have children!"

"Whether this person is an official or has money is actually not important!"

"As long as your partner treats you well, our family can lend a hand!"

Upon receiving the news, Mrs. Zheng immediately ended her inspection of the Focheng Peace Nine-Year Compulsory Education School and returned to Shenzhen that evening. There, she discussed Zhang Bei and Zhou Xirou's marriage with Director Wang, Ma Xiuzhen, Tang Xin, and others.

The following day at noon, Zhang Heping received a letter from Zhang Long while having lunch in the military factory canteen.

Upon learning that his eldest son Zhang Bei had not objected to his marriage with Zhou Xirou on the spot, Zhang Heping couldn't help but smile, thinking to himself that the brat had finally taken the bait!

Zhang Heping's trip to guide the development of new equipment and the design of the production line must have been incredibly demanding; how could he not know how long it would take?

Since he knows, he will definitely tell Tang Xin and Chen Shuting to put their minds at ease, so that their families won't worry if too much time passes!

As for forcing Zhang Bei and Zhou Xirou into marriage, it was out of desperation that they had no choice but to resort to this tactic.

If Zhang Bei and Zhou Xirou had progressed a little faster in the past few months, they wouldn't have encountered this forced marriage scenario.

After reading the letter, Zhang Heping calculated the time again and then set the wedding date for Zhang Bei and Zhou Xirou for the 30th of the month.

At the end of this reply, Zhang Heping also copied down some names and phone numbers so that Tang Xin could invite people to their eldest son's wedding in advance.

The reply arrived quickly in Shenzhen by plane.

The next day, in front of Zhang Bei, Zhou Xirou, and others, Tang Xin read Zhang Heping's reply and, with remarkable acting talent, breathed a sigh of relief, as if the thing she had been worried about for a long time had finally yielded a good result.

"Xiaolong, did your father's reply mention when he'll be back?" Ma Xiuzhen hadn't participated in the forced marriage drama, so she didn't know that this was a backup plan that Zhang Heping, Tang Xin, and Chen Shuting had discussed in advance.

Zhang Long took the letter, read it, and replied, "Grandma, Dad didn't say when he'd be back, he only said he'd come back early for my older brother and sister-in-law's wedding!"

Chen Shuting said to Tang Xin from the side, "Xirou's home is in Suzhou. We need to ask Aunt Wang to send the betrothal gifts over as soon as possible!"

"Xirou!" Tang Xin held her future daughter-in-law's hand and said gently, "Do your parents have any other requests?"

Zhou Xirou blushed and shook her head, "Aunt Xin, my parents didn't tell me about these things!"

Tang Xin gently patted Zhou Xirou's hand and smiled, "After you and Xiao Bei get married, we'll be a family."

“At that time, the family trust fund will give you a monthly allowance.”

Zhou Xirou hurriedly said, "Aunt Xin, can I not take this...?"

"Silly girl, let me finish!" Tang Xin held Zhou Xirou's small hand. "Our family trust fund had its dividend rules set when the Peace Group was first established."

“Every member of the family, including your future children, and even your grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc., can receive money from the family trust fund.”

"You can keep it for your own use, use it to start a business, help relatives, or use it for charity, but as a family member, you cannot refuse to accept it!"

"There's one more thing I need to tell you: once you've taken the money from the family trust fund, you can't work for the Peace Group."

...(End of this chapter)