Break out of the courtyard

Chapter 955: Nephew Chang Xing's Wedding

Unlike the Shen family, which was in a state of despair, the Zhang family was bustling with people because of Chang Xing's marriage and the return of Zhang Heping's family.

Many of them took the initiative to come to us and ask for the invitation on the 28th.

This resulted in Chang Xing increasing the number of wedding banquet tables three times in a row. Finally, at Zhang Heping's request, he simply booked both the Chinese and Western restaurants of the Capital Hotel.

On the afternoon of August 27, Zhang Heping took some time out to go to Chaoyangmen with his family to see the courtyard house chosen by Chang Xing, so as to avoid having to find his nephew's home in the future.

The reason why Chang Xing chose the courtyard house here was mainly because his wife Tan Ying's workplace was next to Panjiayuan in the southeast.

The yard on the Chaoyangmen side was only seven or eight kilometers away from the Capital Library where his wife worked, and it would take just over ten minutes to drive there. It was also only six or seven kilometers away from Chang Xing's workplace.

In addition to the courtyard house given by grandma Ma Xiuzhen, the second floor of the building that Tang Xin bought in Zhongguancun a few years ago was also transferred to Chang Xing's name, left to the young couple to collect rent so that they will not have financial troubles in the future.

Just as Zhang Bei and Chang Le were discussing the wedding route for tomorrow, Old Hua, riding in a car driven by Xiao Qin, arrived at the two-courtyard house under Chang Xing's name.

He came here so accurately, obviously he knew everything about the Zhang family's every move.

"The matter has been roughly investigated!" Old Hua pulled Zhang Heping out of the courtyard gate, stood by the roadside, and said softly:
"Old Shen is Shen Gang's uncle. He followed us to northern Shaanxi during the war and then lost contact with our family. He didn't get in touch with Shen Gang until the 1950s, but their relationship was never made public."

"In February 1975, he was the one who suppressed the gasoline explosion that Shen Mo caused at the Jingcheng Pharmaceutical Factory."

"There's also the issue of Shen Gang embezzling and misappropriating state-owned assets, and Old Shen was behind it."

"As for why he's been blocking your access to the Sanxingdui underground base, he said it was to force you to hand over the longevity potion technology so that Shen Gang's pharmaceutical factory could produce related generic drugs and make money."

At this point, Old Hua couldn't help but chuckle. "After Old Shen finished explaining everything, he made a request. He asked us to ask you, after all these years, how did you immediately recognize that he looked so much like Shen Gang? He wanted to know if you were a human or a ghost?"

Zhang Heping sneered, "Compared to them, who are useless, I am still considered a human being!"

After explaining the situation with the Shen family, Mr. Hua did not mention any follow-up measures, just like the previous cases involving personnel from the State Grid Corporation, which are still pending further discussion.

"I've spoken to Elder Yang and the others about the peer-to-peer exchange technology you mentioned earlier," Elder Hua said, steer the conversation back to business with a serious expression. "However, I would prefer that they reconsider your authorization and that you take charge of the research there."

"Let's talk about it later!" Zhang Heping said nonchalantly, "I'm busy optimizing my brain-computer interface right now. I'm not interested in other things, and I don't want to waste time traveling elsewhere."

Although Zhang Heping spoke calmly, Hua Lao still detected a hint of resentment in his voice.

After devoting so many years, he was blocked from a top-secret research project by a parasite because of a personal grudge. Anyone who encounters this would feel uncomfortable.

After inquiring about Chang Xing's wedding and indicating that he might be a little late the next day, Mr. Hua drove back with Xiao Qin.

When Zhang Heping returned to the courtyard, his family had already arranged the wedding house for Chang Xing and his wife.

First, it was agreed that Chang Xing and his wife Tan Ying would live in this yard for one month, and then they would move back to their home in Houhai, so that Ma Xiuzhen and others could make soup for their grandson's wife to nourish her body.

After the matter here was settled, everyone took a bus back to Houhai.

Many relatives from his father Zhang Bing's hometown came. Except for the unpopular Zhang Cuishan who was still participating in research in the northwest, everyone else came to meet Zhang Heping, including Lou Xiaoe, Zhang Xin, and Zhang Xiao.

However, Zhang Heping has been busy dealing with acquaintances in the capital and those who came to make friends these days, so he didn't pay much attention to the relatives from the Zhang family. At most, he nodded as a greeting.

Zhang Zhaodi and Zhang Pandi came to the capital after finishing junior high school in their hometown, so they are familiar with their relatives there, including many of their childhood playmates.

This is also the reason why when relatives from their hometown came to Zhang Bing and asked Zhang Zhaodi and Zhang Pandi to help find jobs, they did not refuse.

Zhang Heping rarely interacts with his relatives in his hometown, so there is no emotional bond between them, only the nominal relationship.

However, Zhang Zhaodi and Zhang Pandyi could not be as indifferent as Zhang Heping, otherwise they would be criticized and even be branded as ungrateful.

If this gets to the workplace, how will their superiors view the two sisters?
After all, this society is a society based on personal relationships.

Many relatives from his mother Ma Xiuzhen's side of the family also came. Although Zhang Heping had no time to greet these relatives, he asked his eldest son Zhang Bei to arrange for them to stay at the Capital Hotel.

As a result, the difference in treatment between the Zhang and Ma families' relatives became apparent, which made Zhang Bing feel a little jealous.

However, Zhang Bing is now fully equipped, and he is the one who arranges food and lodging for his relatives in his hometown. As for why he did not arrange these relatives to stay in the Capital Hotel, you have to ask him why he thinks the charges there are too expensive!
"Uncle San, Aunt San, Heping, you are back!" When Lou Xiao'e saw Zhang Heping and the others get off the car, she hurriedly left Ma Lili's tailor shop and walked towards Zhang Heping and the others with a smile.

After Lou Xiao'e married Zhang Cuishan last year, she was disliked by Ma Xiuzhen for a long time.

No matter how much Lou Xiao'e explained that she and Xu Damao no longer had a relationship, Ma Xiuzhen ignored her.

It was not until Zhang Cuishan came back from vacation and took Lou Xiao'e, Zhang Xin, Zhang Xiao, and invited Zhang Bing and others out for a meal that some misunderstandings were cleared up.

As for whether Zhang Xiao is Zhang Cuishan’s son, it actually doesn’t matter anymore. As long as this kid has the same surname as him, Zhang, he’s already that old anyway.

Although Ma Xiuzhen still had some grudges against Lou Xiao'e, she did not stop her from entering the hospital.

Others were worried that Zhang Heping didn't like Lou Xiao'e and Zhang Xin, but they didn't expect that Zhang Heping had been busy receiving visitors recently and had never even looked at them.

It is human nature to seek good fortune and avoid harm. Zhang Heping does not mind Lou Xiao'e using her relationship with Zhang Cuishan to get close to the Zhang family, as long as she and Zhang Xin and Zhang Xiao do not do bad things in the name of the Zhang family.

So, when Zhang Heping saw Lou Xiaoe coming over, he nodded as a greeting.

Lou Xiao'e followed him into the yard with a smile, and saw that the Zhang family members were busy with their own things.

Lou Xiao'e did not shamelessly follow Zhang Heping and the others upstairs. Instead, she helped Ma Xiuzhen, Chang Wen and the others pick vegetables and prepare dinner by the patio, trying to integrate into the Zhang family and hopefully get another dinner.

"Xiao'e, are you no longer running that restaurant?" Ma Xiuzhen's tone was casual, but her intention to chase her away was obvious.

"I asked Zhang Xiao to look after the store, and the head chef is in charge of the kitchen. As long as nothing unexpected happens, I don't need to go there in person." Lou Xiao'e explained with a smile, as if she didn't understand Ma Xiuzhen's subtext.

"Doesn't Xiaowen work at the Bank of China?" Lou Xiao'e quickly changed the subject and asked the older girl next to her, Chang Wen, "You didn't go to work today?"

Chang Wen hummed. She was not familiar with this cheap relative and had no common topics with him.

Just as Lou Xiao'e was racking her brains to create a topic, Aunt Chen from the Zhou family came down from upstairs and joined the dinner preparation team.

"Mom, there's no need to bother!" Tang Xin changed into a white dress and went downstairs. Looking at the vegetable leaves scattered on the ground, she said, "We're having roast duck tonight. I've asked the bodyguard to order it. It will be delivered at dinner time."

"I said we should eat noodles tonight to save some space for the wedding banquet tomorrow!" Ma Xiuzhen smiled and picked up the leaves in her hands. Then she stood up and took the broom, ready to clean up the rotten leaves and vegetable heads on the ground.

Seeing this, Lou Xiaoe hurried over to get a shovel to help sweep the floor.

...Compared to Lou Xiao'e in the courtyard, Xu Damao, who still hadn't given up on currying favor with the Zhang family, was standing on the opposite bank of the lake, frowning as he looked at the Zhang family's three-story building and the security guards downstairs.

Xu Damao shifted his gaze and looked at the police car parked at the Yinding Bridge on the right, the several middle-aged women with red sleeves gathered together to chat on the left, and the young people around them with unfriendly eyes. Finally, he had no choice but to change seats and did not dare to stay here for long.

However, just as he walked a short distance, he unexpectedly discovered that Qin Huairu and Bang Geng were supporting Jia Zhang and appeared on the other side of the river. Judging from the direction they were heading, it seemed that they were going to Zhang's house!
This discovery made Xu Damao turn back and stare at the three people from the Jia family from afar, wanting to see what they were going to do.

Then, as Xu Damao had expected, Qin Huairu and the others arrived at the gate of Zhang's courtyard.

As expected, the bodyguards didn't let them in!

Xu Damao has gained experience from observations over the past few days. As long as the bodyguards do not conduct body searches, people visiting the Zhang family will not be able to enter the Zhang family.

Seeing that Qin Huairu was still talking to the bodyguard, several middle-aged women with red sleeves walked over.

After just a few words, Qin Huairu and her group of three turned around and walked towards Yinding Bridge, obviously persuaded by Aunt Hongxiu.

"what is your job?"

Xu Damao was still looking at the people from the Jia family when he suddenly heard someone asking a question next to him, which scared him.

I saw a young man with a flat head staring at Xu Damao, trying to make his eyes look sharp.

The key point is that there is more than one young man like this, and there are two young men with unfriendly eyes standing in front and behind the road.

Including the one in front of him, Xu Damao was shocked to find that he was surrounded by five people.

"Misunderstanding! Misunderstanding!" Xu Damao wanted to explain, but unexpectedly the young man in front of him showed him his ID.

"Come with me to the small restaurant next door and explain the situation!" After putting away his ID, the young man grabbed Xu Damao's right wrist and pulled him into the small restaurant without any question.

Although Zhang Heping didn't know that Xu Damao had been arrested on the other side of the river, he knew that in addition to the group of enthusiastic red-sleeved aunties, there were also some plainclothes guards guarding everywhere, so he was not worried about safety issues.

Of course, it is not impossible to regard those guards as surveillance to prevent Zhang Heping from leaving early.

There is not much time left for Mr. Yang and the others!
After attending the wedding, Zhang Heping will definitely return to Hong Kong Island and will not stay in the capital for too long.

"Although Mr. Shen made a mistake and had his own selfish motives regarding Consultant Zhang's authorization, the reasons he gave for his refusal are issues we cannot ignore."

"Old Tang, are you still against granting Consultant Zhang authority over the Sanxingdui underground base?"

"Emotionally, I agree! After all, Consultant Zhang brought us a lot of technology and investment. But rationally, I tell myself that I must rely on facts. He is still a Hong Kong Islander!"

"Let's not debate this issue for now. What are your thoughts on peer-to-peer exchange technology?"

"The recipe for the 120-year lifespan potion, the principle of converting brainwaves into mental power, and basic brain-machine manufacturing technology—what can we offer in exchange? Consultant Zhang provided a lot of domestic technology. Even if there are new technological research projects, they are likely projects that Consultant Zhang has supervised."

"Mr. Hua, what's your view on this 'reciprocity'? If we offer a semi-finished technology, does Consultant Zhang also only offer half of the technology?"

……

The next morning, ten black cars and ten black SUVs stopped outside Zhang's house, decorated with flowers and balloons.

Zhang Bei, Chang Le, Zhou Xiaopeng and other unmarried guys acted as best men. They took Chang Wen, Zhang Nan and other young people, took the betrothal gifts, red envelopes, salute sticks, etc., and drove towards the bride's house in a mighty manner.

Such a grand event attracted many teachers and family members who came to watch the fun when it arrived at the dormitory building where Tan Ying's parents lived.

That means school hadn’t started on August 28th, otherwise there would have been a large group of students watching.

After the young people went to pick up the bride, Ma Xiuzhen went to the Capital Hotel with her son Zhang Heping and others.

Zhang Bing also had to greet relatives from his hometown, and Zhang Zhaodi and Chang Sheng had to rush to the courtyard in Chaoyangmen to welcome the bride.

Zhang Pandi and Zhang Yong originally planned to return by flight yesterday, but the weather in Hong Kong Island was bad, so they had to stay in Huadu for one night and flew back from Huadu this morning.

Fortunately, the Zhang family has a lot of people and the Chang family has many relatives. Everyone cooperated with each other and gathered at the Capital Hotel smoothly.

When Zhang Zhaodi saw her third brother Zhang Heping standing at the door of the hotel, helping to welcome guests, her eyes suddenly felt sore for no reason.

Outsiders all know how rich her brother is and how successful he is in the field of science and technology, but in the eyes of her family, her brother is still the brother who is in charge of the family, who always stands before the family and protects them from wind and rain.

"What's wrong?" Chang Sheng saw that his wife had a strange expression on her face, so he couldn't help but move closer to show some concern.

"It's okay!" Zhang Zhaodi blinked dozens of times and said with a smile, "Let's go to the door to greet the guests first and let Heping go in to accompany them. Many guests today are here for him, and we can't let him hide away at the door!"

Zhang Heping seemed to sense something. He met Zhang Zhaodi's eyes from a distance, smiled, and continued to greet other guests.

The groom Chang Xing came over with his wife Tan Ying, smiling, and they both called Zhang Heping "Third Uncle"!
Afterwards, Chang Xing introduced his father-in-law Tan Zhou and mother-in-law Tan Fang to Zhang Heping.

Even though both the couple have the surname Tan, they are not related by blood, otherwise Zhang Heping would not be able to pass this test.

"Dad!" Zhang Nan said with a smile from behind, "Zhang Bei said that he will go on stage and sing the song 'For You' later!"

Zhang Heping looked at his eldest son, nodded, and then was replaced by his eldest sister Zhang Zhaodi, who let Zhang Heping follow him into the banquet hall.

In the Chinese restaurant, Zhang Bing and his two comrades, Lao Li and Lao Tang, were surrounded by guests from the medical system, who were asking them about their various feelings before and after using the regenerative repair fluid.

When they saw Zhang Heping coming in, the medical experts surrounded him.

However, there are still faster ones!

Zhang Yi's father-in-law Luo Wen and more than 20 professors of physics, mathematics, mechanics and other majors had planned to sit at the tables and chairs near the door.

Seeing Zhang Heping coming in, they immediately surrounded him, invited Zhang Heping to their table, and took out a stack of information, which shocked the other guests. Is he going to do academic research?
Zhang Heping was not annoyed, because when he was at Shenzhen Peace College, he often encountered experts and professors who came to him to discuss issues at inappropriate times, and he was used to their thinking patterns that ignored worldly views.

"Do you have a pen?" Zhang Heping asked casually after reading two pages of information.

Immediately afterwards, someone took a pen from his shirt pocket and placed it in front of Zhang Heping with both hands.

Zhang Heping picked up a pen and wrote as he said, "Next time, you can post these on the World Internet Forum. I'll see them and respond. This way it's more efficient."

(End of this chapter)