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

The moment Teacher Gu asked Ms. Feng's question, the main room fell silent!

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their gazes to Cheng Xuemin.

Feng Jiazhao's expression changed slightly, and his lips moved as if he wanted to explain something, but seeing his mother's unquestionable gaze, which was filled with scrutiny and hidden worry, he swallowed his words back.

Ke Yumei realized that she had almost caused trouble, and lowered her head guiltily, nervously twisting the hem of her apron with her fingers.

Her husband, Feng Jiazhao, had already instructed her to keep these words to herself and not to spread them outside, not even to Feng's mother's house for the time being.

But little did they know, the whispered words in their pillow talk would lead to them letting the cat out of the bag.

The little squirrel seemed to sense the sudden change in the adults' emotions, squirming uneasily in Feng Jiayou's arms and making a soft "hmm" sound.

Feng Jiayou gently patted her son's back, her gaze also falling on her husband's face, filled with inquiry and a hint of nervousness.

She knew that she hadn't dared to say anything last night, firstly because her older brother, Feng Jiazhao, had told her to be careful when she came back, and secondly because the matter was too big and she was afraid of scaring her family and causing trouble for Cheng Xuemin.

But now, judging from my mother's attitude, it's impossible to hide it anymore!

As Cheng Xuemin faced the concerned, inquisitive, and tense gazes of his mother-in-law and the rest of his family, the gentle smile on his face did not fade, but his eyes became more composed.

He knew that the truth about the four hundred million US dollars couldn't be kept secret forever, especially at home!
The previous silence was due to the timing being inappropriate and the fear of worrying family members.

Now that she's been asked, and judging from her sister-in-law's expression, her brother must have already told her.

Rather than letting your family hear embellished versions of the story from various sources, it's better to speak frankly and appropriately.

He walked to the octagonal table, pulled over a stool, sat down, and gestured for everyone to sit down and talk.

Feng's mother took the baby squirrel and sat down. Ke Yumei and Sun Juan also came over, while Cheng Wenxiu and Wang Quanwen stood a little behind.

The grandparents also sat down shakily in the chairs next to them, and everyone looked at Cheng Xuemin, waiting for him to speak.

"Mom, Grandpa, Grandma, Eldest sister-in-law, Second sister-in-law, Sister, Brother-in-law!" Cheng Xuemin's voice was not loud, but very clear, carrying a reassuring strength, "Yes, that's right!"

"This trip to Cannes, besides winning the Palme d'Or, also involved a rather significant collaboration with Hitachi Heavy Industries of Japan!"

He paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, his gaze sweeping over the tense yet expectant faces of his family members.

"This collaboration involves some... business betting agreements, with a stake of four hundred million US dollars!"

"Four...four hundred million?" Upon hearing this, Teacher Gu, Feng's mother, repeated it, her voice slightly unsteady, as if she hadn't heard clearly, or as if she was stunned by the number.

The little squirrel in her arms seemed to sense that her grandmother's grip had loosened, and let out a dissatisfied "ah," prompting her to instinctively hug it tighter.

"Four hundred million US dollars?" Sister-in-law Ke Yumei gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes widening even more than Feng Jiamo had just done.

Although her husband had told her about it last night, hearing it from Cheng Xuemin's own mouth now still made her heart pound.

Sun Juan's chopsticks fell to the table with a clatter, but she didn't bother to pick them up. She just stared at Cheng Xuemin as if she were seeing her brother-in-law for the first time.

Cheng Wenxiu and Wang Quanwen exchanged a glance, both seeing horror in each other's eyes!
Wang Quanwen subconsciously reached for the cigarettes in his pocket, his fingers touched the cigarette pack, then he pulled them back, only his Adam's apple bobbed up and down!
The old man was hard of hearing and didn't hear the exact number, but seeing his children's faces suddenly turn pale, he realized the matter was serious. He tapped the ground lightly with his cane and asked in a loud voice:
"How much? How much foreign exchange did Xuemin earn?"

Feng Jiamo was completely dumbfounded. She had just been excited about the Palme d'Or, and in the blink of an eye, she heard her brother-in-law casually say that four hundred million US dollars, a term she had only occasionally heard in newspapers and on the radio, representing astronomical figures and unattainable wealth.

Her mouth hung open, unable to close for a long time, her mind blank, with only four hundred million... US dollars... buzzing in her mind.

Feng Jiayou's heart also tightened as she looked at her husband.

Although she had personally experienced that negotiation, hearing it recounted by Cheng Xuemin, especially in front of her whole family, still made her feel dizzy with its weight.

"Dad, it's four hundred million US dollars!" Feng's mother snapped out of her daze, her voice hoarse as she explained to her elderly father. Then she abruptly turned to Cheng Xuemin, her voice trembling, "Xuemin! You...you gambled four hundred million US dollars with the Japanese?!"

"My God! What if we lose?!"

"Lost?" Cheng Xuemin shook his head slightly, a calm yet confident smile on his face. "Mom, we won!"

"We've already won at Cannes! Winning the Palme d'Or means that our films have received the highest recognition for their artistic value and international influence!!"

He spoke calmly, but each word struck his family like a hammer blow.

Won?

Four hundred million US dollars...and they won?
"What does 'won' mean?"

Mrs. Feng's voice was still trembling, but a glint of disbelief flashed in her eyes. "You mean... that four hundred million US dollars is ours? It... it belongs to the country?"

“Yes!” Cheng Xuemin nodded firmly. “It’s not for me personally; the Japanese side needs to provide our country with four hundred million US dollars in cash and foreign exchange…”

The main room fell silent again, with only the faint bubbling of the porridge pot on the stove.

This silence, unlike the shock just now, was more like a brief moment of speechlessness after being overwhelmed by a huge surprise!

"My...good boy..."

Second Sister-in-law Sun Juan murmured, wiping her hands unconsciously on her apron, her eyes glazed over, "Four hundred million... US dollars... how much would that be in our money... this... this would need to be packed in sacks, wouldn't it?"

Her simple, even somewhat comical, metaphor strangely broke the stagnant atmosphere.

Grandma finally understood, slapped her thigh, and exclaimed repeatedly, "Good! Good! Xuemin is promising! He's made a lot of money for the country! He's earned a lot of foreign exchange!"

Although the old man was a little hard of hearing at first, he clearly heard that the country had earned 400 million US dollars in foreign exchange. He grinned, his toothless mouth chuckling, and nodded repeatedly.

Feng Jiazhao's shoulders, which had been tense, relaxed slightly at this moment.

He looked at Cheng Xuemin with a complex expression, a mixture of pride, emotion, and a sense of relief.

He kept quiet last night because he was afraid the news would be too frightening!
The best effect will come from Xuemin himself saying it!
Feng Jiamo finally snapped out of her petrified state. She grabbed her older sister Feng Jiayou's arm and shook her violently, her voice sharp with excitement:
"Sis! Sis, is this true?! Four hundred million! US dollars! Brother-in-law... you and brother-in-law made four hundred million US dollars for the country on this trip to France!?"

"My God! This...this is too...too..."

She hesitated for a long time, unable to find the right words. Her face flushed red, her eyes sparkling. The way she looked at Cheng Xuemin was no longer just admiration, it was like looking at a god! Cheng Wenxiu also stood to the side, nodding repeatedly, her eyes slightly red, her voice choked with emotion: "Xuemin... good, well done!"

All the words in the world can be summed up in just a few words!

She knew how difficult it had been for her brother to get to where he was today; the pressure and risks behind it were unimaginable to outsiders.

Wang Quanwen rubbed his hands together, his honest face full of excitement, repeatedly saying, "Good! Really good! Xuemin, you're the one!"

He immediately gave a thumbs up!

Ke Yumei, having recovered from her shock and excitement, patted her chest and said to Feng's mother, "Mom, did you hear that? We won! Xuemin won!"

“Last night, Jia Zhao came back and told me that I hadn’t slept well all night, my heart was in my throat the whole time, but now I can finally relax!”

Looking at her son-in-law and then at the excited children and grandchildren in the room, Ms. Gu, the mother of Ms. Feng, slowly felt her initial shock and worry fade away. An indescribable sense of pride and joy welled up in her heart, making her eyes well up with tears.

But she was, after all, the head of the household, and quickly suppressed her turbulent emotions. She grabbed Cheng Xuemin's hand, squeezed it tightly, and said solemnly, "Xuemin, well done! You've done a great service to the country! Good, good! Mom... Mom is so happy for you!"

Immediately, her expression turned serious, her gaze sweeping over everyone in the room, her tone sterner than ever before: "But, you all listen up!"

"What Xuemin just said is known only to heaven, earth, and our own family! Once we leave this room, no one is allowed to utter a single word about it! Do you understand?"

Her gaze lingered particularly on Feng Jiamo and her two daughters-in-law: "Jiamo, especially you, watch your mouth!"

"Yumei, Juanzi, you two, whether you're going back to your parents' home or chatting with the neighbors, say what you should say, and don't mention a single word that you shouldn't!"

"Xuemin's achievement is a national achievement. We, as his family, are happy, but we must not cause him trouble or hold him back!"

"If anyone can't control their mouth and goes around spouting nonsense, don't blame me for turning my back on them!"

Mother Feng was usually kind and gentle, but when she was serious, she had a certain air of authority.

Feng Jiamo stuck out her tongue and quickly promised, "Mom, I know! I promise I won't tell! I'll just tell my classmates that my brother-in-law won the Palme d'Or, and I won't say anything else, no matter what!"

Ke Yumei and Sun Juan nodded repeatedly: "Mom, don't worry, we know what's important."

"Yes, yes, this is a huge matter, we must keep it to ourselves!"

Cheng Xuemin felt a surge of warmth in his heart as he looked at his mother-in-law's solemn instructions.

He nodded and said, "Mom, don't be too nervous!"

"This matter is indeed not suitable for widespread disclosure at the moment, as it involves subsequent negotiations and specific implementation. It's best for us family members to keep it to ourselves and not tell anyone else!"

"Once everything settles down, those who need to know will naturally know!"

Feng Jiayou then chimed in, "Mom, when my older brother and I came back last night, we didn't dare to say anything right away. We were afraid of scaring everyone, and we were also afraid that if word got out, it would be bad for Xuemin."

"Now that Xuemin has said it's okay, we can keep that in mind!"

“Yes, yes, we only found out after Xuemin said it was okay!” Madam Feng nodded repeatedly, then looked at Cheng Xuemin with undisguised concern in her eyes, “Xuemin, when…when can we get this four hundred million US dollars? Will there be any…trouble?”

She couldn't help but worry, after all, the amount was too large and beyond her comprehension.

Cheng Xuemin hesitated for a moment and said, "Mom, this can't be rushed."

"The agreement has been signed, but the specific handover process still needs further discussion. I came back this time to report to my superiors and receive instructions for the next steps. Perhaps..."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Next week, I have to go to Hong Kong again to continue negotiations with the Japanese representatives, finalize the details, and completely implement this $400 million bet!"

"We're going to Hong Kong again?" Feng's mother's heart, which had just settled down, started racing again.

“Yes, I have to go. Some things must be discussed face-to-face!” Cheng Xuemin’s tone was calm, but with an undeniable firmness. “Mom, don’t worry, this time is different from last time.”

"Last time we were competing for an award, we were overcoming obstacles. This time, we're negotiating with the leverage of victory, so we're confident. The country will also give us its full support!"

Looking at her son-in-law's calm and confident face, the light in his eyes made her feel inexplicably at ease.

She sighed and patted Cheng Xuemin's hand: "Alright, alright, Xuemin, it's good that you know what's going on. Be careful while you're out and about. Don't worry about home, we're here!"

"Thank you, Mom!" Cheng Xuemin felt a warmth in his heart.

At this moment, the little squirrel, which had been ignored all along, became dissatisfied. It wriggled its little body in Feng's mother's arms, stretched out its little hand towards Cheng Xuemin, and made "ah ah" sounds, clearly wanting its father to hold it.

Cheng Xuemin smiled and reached out to take his son from his mother-in-law's arms!
As soon as the little guy was in his father's arms, he immediately quieted down, resting his little head on his father's strong chest, and curiously reaching out to grab the buttons on Cheng Xuemin's shirt with one little hand!

Holding his heavy, soft son in his arms, feeling the warmth of his completely dependent body, the last trace of sternness that had risen in Cheng Xuemin's heart from discussing official business turned into a soft warmth.

This is one of the reasons why he strives: to put his family at ease and to allow his children to grow up in a better environment!

"Alright, alright, let's eat first! The porridge's getting cold!"

Once the matter was cleared up, Mrs. Feng felt a great weight lifted from her shoulders and regained her capable demeanor as the matriarch of the household. She urged everyone, "Xuemin, hurry up and eat. Don't you still have to go to the factory after you finish eating?"

The family sat down around the eight-immortal table again.

The atmosphere was completely different from before. Although the excitement that couldn't be shared was still suppressed, everyone's face was beaming, and even the sound of drinking porridge seemed louder than before.

Feng Jiamo chattered on and on, asking a barrage of questions, but this time they were all about the glamour of Cannes, the red carpet at the film festival, and what foreign celebrities looked like.

She wisely kept silent about the four hundred million US dollars, but the occasional glimpses of Cheng Xuemin's eyes were still frighteningly bright.

Cheng Xuemin patiently answered his sister-in-law's whimsical questions, and when he got to the funny parts, it drew laughter from everyone.

As Feng Jiayou fed her son rice porridge, she watched her husband, sister, and family members chatting and laughing. The weight that had been hanging over her heart finally settled down.

……

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