1978: Female educated youth, don’t want an illiterate husband

In the front yard, Feng Jiazhao was also quickly washing up.

Teacher Gu, Feng's mother, stood to the side, holding a dry towel in her hand, seemingly wanting to say something but hesitating.

Finally, after Feng Jiazhao finished wiping his face, she couldn't help but lower her voice and ask again:
"Jiazhao, tell Mom, is Xuemin really alright? With that private jet and Liao Gong involved, I'm so worried!"

Feng Jiazhao draped the towel over the washbasin stand, turned around, looked at his mother's worried face, and softened his voice: "Mom, it's really nothing!"

"If something had happened, would I be in this state? Would Jiayou be in this state?"

"Don't worry about it. Don't you know Xuemin's abilities? This is a good thing; the organization trusts him and has more important work to give him!"

“That makes sense…” Mrs. Feng rubbed her hands, her brows still furrowed, “but I just don’t feel at ease.”

"His job involves movies and foreign films, and now... sigh!"

“Mom,” Feng Jiazhao said, supporting his mother’s shoulders and leading her toward the east room, “you shouldn’t overthink things.”

"Go back to sleep, it's almost dawn. Xuemin might be back later!"

"Okay, okay, I won't ask anymore, I won't ask anymore!" Feng's mother was half-pushed by her son into the house, muttering, "Will he be back later? Then I'll leave the door open for Xuemin, leave the door open for him..."

"Mom, let me do it! I'll leave the door open for Xuemin, you go to sleep first!" Feng Jiazhao couldn't persuade his mother otherwise, and in the end, it was Feng's mother who left the door open for her son-in-law Xuemin.

If Feng Jiazhao hadn't gone to call him again, he might have waited until his brother-in-law Xuemin came back before going to sleep!

Ke Xuemin was picked up by a special car and taken to the lake. Who knows how many nights he will be back!
Feng Jiazhao breathed a sigh of relief after seeing his mother go back into the house.

Cheng Xuemin returned late at night, but his family was not disturbed and the door was left open for him.

After entering the courtyard, he went straight to the backyard. Seeing his wife, Feng Jiayou, and son, Little Squirrel, already fast asleep in the main house, Cheng Xuemin felt very comforted.

He then casually took a shower in the makeshift bathroom he had built to wash away his fatigue, and then lay down to sleep next to the mother and child.

"Xuemin, you're back!" But even the slightest movement still startled his wife, Feng Jiayou.

"Yes, I just got back. Secretary Yang sent someone to bring it back!"

"It's getting late, go to sleep first, we'll talk about it tomorrow!" Cheng Xuemin gently hummed in agreement with his wife and then told her to go to sleep first.

"Hmm!" Feng Jiayou gave a soft "hmm," the sound quickly escaping her lips.

Cheng Xuemin turned to his side, facing his son, and gazed at the small, peaceful sleeping face for a long time in the dim light.

The scent of my son, unique to me, lingered around my nose, a blend of milky fragrance and the warm, clean smell of the sun on the bedding.

The scent was like the most effective calming incense, gradually relaxing her nerves that had been tense for who knows how long.

My eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and listening to my son's soft, rhythmic breathing, I gradually drifted into a deep, sweet dream.

I don't know how much time passed, maybe only a short hour or two, or maybe it was already broad daylight.

Feng Jiayou woke up with a strange feeling of being watched.

She groggily opened her eyes and met a pair of large, round, dark eyes as clear as mountain spring water.

The little squirrel had woken up sometime earlier and was lying beside her pillow, its little hand supporting its chin, staring at her intently.

When she opened her eyes, the little one grinned, revealing a bright, even slightly silly, smile with only a few teeth. Drooling dripped from the corners of her mouth onto the pillowcase.

"Mom...Mom..." The indistinct, childish call touched Feng Jiayou's heart like a feather.

All weariness, worry, and sorrow vanished in that call and that smile.

Tears welled up in Feng Jiayou's eyes without warning. She suddenly stretched out her arms and hugged her son's soft, warm little body tightly into her arms, burying her face in the crook of his neck that smelled of milk, and took a deep breath.

"Hey, Mom's here! Mom's back!" Her voice was muffled, choked with sobs, but filled with immense joy at having something lost and found again.

The little squirrel was held a bit too tightly by its mother and squirmed uncomfortably, but it seemed to sense the difference in its mother's mood. Instead of crying, it stretched out its little paws and tried its best to pat its mother's back, making little babbling sounds as if it were trying to comfort her.

This clumsy attempt at comforting only made Feng Jiayou's tears flow even more fiercely, but her heart felt as soft and sweet as if it were soaking in warm honey water.

She loosened her arms slightly, lifted her face, wiped away her tears haphazardly, and kissed her son's chubby little face again and again, making the little guy giggle and climb all over her.

The mother and son laughed and played on the kang (a heated brick bed) for a while until the little squirrel's stomach rumbled, and Feng Jiayou realized that it was getting late.

The sky outside the window was already bright, and you could hear hushed voices, the sound of water, and the thumping of chickens in their coop coming from the front yard!
"Are you hungry? Mom will make you some milk, and Dad can sleep a little longer!"

Feng Jiayou sat up, tidied her slightly disheveled hair, straightened her son's wrinkled vest, gave him another kiss on the cheek, and then gently carried him off the kang (a heated brick bed).

Cheng Xuemin actually woke up groggily, but he didn't have the energy to play with his son, and soon drifted back to sleep.

As Feng Jiayou carried her son into the main room, she heard a clear, slightly childlike scream coming from the front yard:

"Ah! Sis! You're back! Oh my god, why didn't you tell me you were back! I had no idea!"

Feng Jiamo!
Feng Jiayou carried her son to the front yard and, sure enough, saw her younger sister, Feng Jiamo, rushing in through the gate.

She was wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt with a Mickey Mouse pattern, a pair of floral shorts that reached her knees, and plastic sandals. Her hair was a little messy, and she had obviously just gotten up and run over from the Overseas Chinese Apartment next door.

When she saw Feng Jiayou, her eyes widened in surprise, and her face lit up with genuine ecstasy. She rushed to Feng Jiayou in a few steps and said:
"Sis, when did you get back? Why didn't you say a word? I was sleeping over there last night and didn't hear a thing!"

"I woke up this morning and heard from Grandma Wang in the alley in front of our house that she thought she saw our car come back last night, so I rushed over to see! It really is back! That's great!"

She spoke at a rapid pace, like a machine gun, bombarding him with questions one after another, her face radiating barely suppressed excitement and curiosity, giving Feng Jiayou no chance to interject.

"I arrived late last night, it was too late, so I didn't bother you."

Feng Jiayou explained with a smile, feeling happy as she looked at her younger sister's flushed cheeks from running and excitement, and her strikingly bright eyes.

"Midnight? Why are you back in the middle of the night? Didn't you say you were going to stay in Hong Kong for two more days? Where's your brother-in-law? Is he back too? Is he inside?" Feng Jiamo tiptoed and peered into the main room and backyard, like a wary and curious little deer.

"You're back. Keep your voice down. You're still asleep inside." Feng Jiayou whispered, telling Feng Jiamo not to be so loud.

"Oh!" Feng Jiamo stuck out her tongue and followed her sister into the main room, her eyes still scanning around as if searching for some treasure.

Inside the main room, Feng's mother and her two sisters-in-law were preparing breakfast!
The small aluminum pot on the stove was bubbling away, releasing the aroma of millet porridge.

Ke Yumei was slicing pickled vegetables, and Sun Juan was setting the table. When they saw Feng Jiamo come in, they both greeted him with smiles.

"You know how to enjoy life! While your sister and brother-in-law aren't home, you just sit there enjoying the air conditioning all day!"

Upon seeing her youngest daughter, Feng's mother complained in an annoyed tone.

"Mom! The air conditioner that my sister installed is meant to be used for blowing air. If it's not used for a long time, it'll easily break, right, sister?!" Feng Jiamo muttered, speaking in a serious tone.

"Mom's fine. Using the air conditioner won't cost much in electricity bills, and it really is hot these days!"

"Jiamo, if you want to play, you can come over and play every day!" What could Feng Jiayou say? He definitely doted on his only younger sister!

"Just keep spoiling her!" Mrs. Feng had no choice; her youngest daughter, Feng Jiamo, was completely unruly!

In the past, it was considered a luxury to have an electric fan at home.

Now it's great. Ever since her sister's overseas Chinese apartment installed air conditioning last year, she goes there whenever the weather gets hot, without even saying a word!
"Hehe, my sister is so good to me!" Feng Jiamo muttered smugly.

Before long, Cheng Xuemin's biological clock also kicked in, and he woke up!
Upon seeing Cheng Xuemin come out, his family greeted him with overwhelming joy, "Xuemin, you're back!?"

"Oh, Xuemin, you're back!? Did you get back in the middle of the night? Why didn't you wake Mom up?"

"Xuemin, you were picked up by a special car last night and taken to a meeting in the lake. Are you alright?!"

Cheng Xuemin smiled as he looked at everyone's surprised and concerned words, nodding in response to each one: "Grandpa and Grandma, you're back! Mom, I came back late last night. I saw the door was left open, so I just came in without waking you up!"

"Brother, it's alright. I was just called in to report on what happened in France."

"Brother-in-law!" Feng Jiamo, who was serving porridge in the kitchen, heard the commotion and quickly came out to see what was happening.

He then darted to Cheng Xuemin, tilted his head back, stared at him with bright eyes, and shouted in an exaggerated yet assertive tone:

"Brother-in-law, you really won that Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival... what was it again? Right, the Palme d'Or?! Is it true? The most prestigious award?!"

Her voice was clear and loud, filled with the undisguised admiration and excitement unique to young people!
In an instant, all eyes of Feng's mother, Ke Yumei, Sun Juan, the maternal grandparents who were preparing breakfast in the main room, and Cheng Wenxiu and Wang Quanwen who had just come out from the backyard, fell on Cheng Xuemin!

Cheng Xuemin looked at his sister-in-law, whose cheeks were flushed with excitement, and felt the gazes of his family gathering around him.

A gentle smile appeared on his face as he nodded, his tone calm: "Yes, it's true, they won the Palme d'Or!"

"Wow!" Feng Jiamo exclaimed briefly, covering his mouth with both hands, his eyes widening even more. He then lowered his hands, jumped up excitedly, and shouted:

"That's amazing! Brother-in-law! You're incredible! I knew it! I told my classmates a long time ago that my brother-in-law's movie was sure to win a major award! They didn't believe me! Now let's see what they have to say!"

"It's a pity they're on summer vacation now and have all gone home!"

Her words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

"Huh? Xuemin, you really won an award?!"

Actually, Feng's mother, who didn't know yet, asked with a surprised look.

When my son Feng Jiazhao and daughter Feng Jiayou came home last night, it was so late that we didn't say much to each other!

I didn't tell her about winning the award in Cannes, France!
"Mom! Xuemin and Jiazhao went to Cannes, France this time, and they not only won that gold... award, but also..." Sister-in-law Ke Yumei was about to reveal more!
Because her husband came back last night, although she didn't have time to tell her mother-in-law, Mrs. Feng!

But her daughter-in-law must have known since they slept together last night!
After finishing their business, her husband recounted everything that had happened in Cannes, France, to his wife in great detail!
Ko Yu-mei was shocked to hear that her brother-in-law, Hsieh-min, and her husband had made a film that had not only won a gold medal on such a big international stage as France!

What shocked and bewildered Ke Yumei the most was that her brother-in-law, Xuemin, had such audacity!
They actually dared to gamble against the Japanese!
And the bet was so big!
A bet of up to four hundred million US dollars! Just thinking about it is terrifying!
But Cheng Xuemin, the brother-in-law, actually had the guts to gamble with the Japanese!

Not only did he gamble, but his brother-in-law Cheng Xuemin also won the bet, earning the country a staggering 400 million US dollars in foreign exchange!

I really don't know how to describe it!

Ke Yumei had been holding back all night, and this shocking news was something her husband, Feng Jiazhao, hadn't even told his mother, Feng's mother, when he came home yesterday.

So I thought I'd talk to her mother-in-law, Mrs. Feng, first thing this morning!

But she was warned by her husband, Feng Jiazhao, that this matter was far too serious, and that even as his wife and bedmate, she shouldn't talk about it!
So she was told not to tell her family yet, and to wait until her brother-in-law Xuemin came back from the meeting at Haizi before telling them!

But now, with her sister-in-law Feng Jiamo coaxing her like this, she completely forgot her husband Feng Jiazhao's instructions, and Ke Yumei was about to blurt out the news about the four hundred million US dollars.

"Cough cough!"

It was her husband, Feng Jiazhao, who quickly coughed and pulled her back, causing her to swallow the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

But the words had already been said more than halfway. What kind of person was Teacher Gu, Feng's mother? She knew that her son, Feng Jiazhao, had forgotten his mother after getting married!
He actually told his wife some things, but he had to keep them from her!
Moreover, his wife wanted to say something, but now she was pulling him away from speaking, so she quickly pressed him, saying, "More than what? Yumei, what else did Xuemin and Jiazhao do in France besides winning the gold medal?"

"Jia Zhao, don't speak! Let your wife talk, and your mother can't know either!" Seeing her eldest son trying to stop his wife from speaking!

Frustrated, Teacher Gu, Mrs. Feng, didn't even bother asking Ke Yumei, the eldest daughter's daughter, but instead looked directly at her son-in-law, Cheng Xuemin, and asked, "Xuemin, your elder brother told you not to say it, so you'll have to say it yourself!"

"Besides the gold medal, what else is there?! You mustn't just tell me the good news and hide the bad; you have to tell Mom what else happened!"

……

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