Mixed in 1980

Chapter 548 Extra Chapter 2: Zeng Ali

I am Zeng Ali, Chen Fan's second wife, and a very lucky person in my life.

I've been very lucky since I was a child.

In the 1960s, with both parents working and families well-off, we even avoided the hardships that our generation had to go through, such as being sent to the countryside.

When I was very young, I was diagnosed with mild ADHD. Fortunately, it wasn't serious. It just made me a bit eccentric and more active than boys.

My family encouraged me to learn dance.

He gradually improved through dance and eventually gained control of his body, but his personality remained as unconventional as ever, and he often got into fights.

Especially for Qiu'er.

She's a troublemaker. When she doesn't move, she seems weak and easy to bully, but the moment she moves, she's causing trouble for others. As the eldest sister, I have no choice but to fight for her.

In comparison, Yuanyuan is much less troublesome than her, except that she is a bit lazy.

For our generation, the experience of going to the countryside was an unavoidable topic, and I was fortunate enough to be recommended to the Beijing Dance Troupe because of my outstanding dancing skills.

Even if the dance troupe isn't very good.

Yes, I don't like dance troupes.

Even though I was a mainstay, I still didn't like it. But in those days, you didn't have a choice about your job. Compared to those who went to the countryside, I was very lucky.

I visited Qiu'er and Yuanyuan when they went to the countryside.

How should I put it? Anyway, seeing my younger sister, whom I've always doted on, covered in dirt and grime in the countryside, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

My time in the dance troupe changed me a lot.

How should I put it? Some of the words are harsh, but they're true: actors are just entertainers.

It is feared that in the 1970s, when the people were in charge and dance performances were tasked with propaganda, some people's ideas were still stuck in the past.

I'm good-looking and have a great presence, but there are always some people with ill intentions.

Be careful when you're out and about.

So I put on a shell for myself, cold, arrogant, and unapproachable. No matter how high-ranking the leader is, I just won't drink when they offer me a toast.

Throwing wine at the leader.

They poured the liquor on the ground, toasting the leader as if they were at a funeral.

I've done all of these things.

Anyway, they can't fire me. At worst, I'll just give up my lead dancer position. They want me to compromise? No way. I don't care.

This kind of life was originally going to continue for a long time.

It wasn't until 1980 that Qiu'er started dating a man named Chen Fan. The first time we met, I was fully shown what it meant to be shrewd and what it meant to be manipulative.

He's a very interesting person.

It's hard to judge, but he published articles one after another for Qiu'er, saving face and reputation for her. I knew then that he was someone Qiu'er could entrust her life to.

This person is definitely not a good person.

He's also incredibly petty. My younger brother is only nine years old, and he tries to take advantage of him to the point of exhaustion. Many times, it makes you want to bite him.

It was on that occasion, after he got drunk, that I went to confront him, but he grabbed my hand. In that instant, I felt flustered and a feeling of affection began to take root in my heart.

That's all.

Chen Fan helped resolve Huang He's situation, and their feelings for each other deepened.

These are all hidden deep in my heart.

What's really infuriating is Qiu'er, that brat. She can't satisfy Chen Fan herself, so she tries to drag me onto this mess. I've taught her a lesson for that.

What era is this? Still having one husband and two wives?
That would be turning back the clock, something I, Zeng Ali, could never accept. Even if it were just feelings, or even if I were truly in love, I would never compromise.

If nothing unexpected happens, life will likely continue like this.

In a year or two, like many others, I will either find someone I like at Peking University on my own, or go on blind dates arranged by my family.

No one knows whether tomorrow or an accident will come first.

The unexpected happened just like that. While on business in Hong Kong, she got very drunk and ended up sleeping with Chen Fan. What happened after that was only natural.

Chen Fan is very good to me.

Between me and Qiu'er, I wouldn't treat one of us better or worse, even though I know he favors Qiu'er more.

When things get really intimate, I'll call him "little brother," and he'll call me "big sister"...

Life is truly beautiful.

However, due to the special circumstances at the time, I had to stay in Hong Kong and start my own business, Lululemon, at Chen Fan's suggestion.

Unlike Qiu'er, I am career-oriented.

With good planning and financial support, Chen Fan's entrepreneurial journey went very smoothly. He even went on to create several brands with a market value of tens of billions of US dollars.

I like children.

Back in 1982, I wanted a child. In those days, things weren't like they are now. Getting married and having children was a whole process, and it was normal to have a child in your twenties.

Chen Fan, however, kept making excuses.

Because of this, I often wondered if Chen Fan didn't like children. But it didn't seem like it; he genuinely loved Xiao Yi'er and Xiao Xi.

The eldest child was born in 1985.

We named him Chen Yanxi, and I was still worried that Chen Fan wouldn't like it, but the opposite was true. Chen Fan loves all the children very much.

Apart from the third child, none of the children in the family are easy to deal with.

The eldest son fights, the second son is cunning, the fourth son is lazy, and the fifth son is unruly... Even so, Chen Fan loves each and every one of his children very much.

They have also been planning for the children.

The eldest child is a lucky one, having nothing to worry about. As the eldest daughter in the family, she enjoyed the love and affection of the entire family before her younger siblings were born.

Even her husband was her childhood sweetheart.

As for work, he loved antiques and calligraphy since childhood, which was cultivated by his family from an early age. After growing up, he taught at Peking University, and everything was perfect.

Xiao Wu is no good; he's always worrying about things.

It seems to be ADHD inherited from me. Once I could walk and run, I couldn't stay still. Only my eldest and second eldest siblings could keep me in line.

Even your own mother won't do.

At that time, I always felt that this child was hopeless. Fortunately, Xiaoyi doted on her nephew. When the child was in high school, she personally took care of him and carefully guided him. He barely got into Xiamen University.

Even after entering university, things weren't easy.

The name "Walking Thirty Thousand" makes me want to punch him. Luckily, the eldest and second eldest brothers suppressed him, so it wasn't too embarrassing.

Fortunately, he turned over a new leaf. After completing his postgraduate studies, he eventually took over the industry and founded "Chen Xiaowu Green Food Company," creating millions of jobs.

This alone is remarkable.

Although I feel proud, I don't value these things. What makes me happiest is that my youngest son actually married Jing Shu. It's like my ancestors' graves are emitting auspicious smoke!

Jing Shu, what a wonderful girl.

She grew up at home and we know her inside and out. Her appearance, character, and abilities are all top-notch. The key is that she has taken care of Xiao Wu since he was a child and can keep him in check.

There is no better choice than Jing Shu.

Speaking of this, I have to mention another thing: none of my children are willing to take over Starlight Investment, which I founded.

How can we make them look down on us?
Fortunately, after Jing Shu joined the company, she took over Starlight Investment, ensuring that there was a successor.

That's pretty much how my first half of life went.

I am very satisfied with myself. Not only is my life thriving, but I have also done a lot of good deeds and donated a lot of money.

He received the Grand Bauhinia Medal in Hong Kong and had his own page in the family genealogy with Yuanyuan.

However, there's one thing I'm still envious of.

Qiu'er received the July 1st Grand Medal!

It wasn't jealousy, it was simply a desire. Who wouldn't want that? What an honor that would be, to have a separate page in the family tree, to be written into the concise history of the Republic.

A July 1st Medal is a talisman that can be left to children.

I've returned to the workforce after retiring.

I still have a good chance. When I was young, I donated a lot of money to the Hsu Chin-Chiu Charitable Foundation and also donated billions of dollars of my fortune to the government. With a little more effort, I should be able to achieve that.

In 2025, the children will separate!
It was an inevitable thing to do, just like we said when we got married in 1984: one of the children would get the lion's share, and the rest would be divided among the others, including Chen Yi and Xiao Xi.

The separation of the family was peaceful and did not cause any trouble.

This is better than anything else.

Apart from the Liyuan Charity Foundation, I no longer concern myself with anything else. All five children are doing well, and my meddling only annoys them.

In 2034, their wish finally came true.

After years of good deeds, Yuanyuan and I finally got our wish and brought back two July 1st Medals for our family. We held a big banquet to celebrate.

Although it may seem somewhat pragmatic, I really get things done!
No one can find fault with it.

At this point, I officially retired: "From today onwards, I am officially retired. Eldest son, the Liyuan Charity Foundation will be handed over to you from now on."

"If you like it, keep doing it."

"If you don't like it, you can work there for another two years, or shut it down directly, it's up to you."

The leader laughed and said, "I'll definitely keep going and make sure I don't let you down."

I just smiled at that.

"It depends on you. If you're willing to keep going, then do it well. If you work for another ten or twenty years, you might be able to get another July 1st Medal."

The boss really did continue.

Many years later, Zhen brought home a July 1st Medal, and Wanwan also brought home one.

The Taklamakan Desert has truly turned green.

Investing massive amounts of money and persisting in desertification control, Ye Wan's years of dedication have finally paid off, making her an indispensable figure in desert greening.

There's also the second child.

His contributions are similar to his father's, both being credits for infrastructure construction. First, he invested hundreds of billions of yuan in the Sichuan-Tibet Highway and the Inner Mongolia-China Highway, and later invested in two trillion-yuan projects.

His contribution was significant, and he received a medal.

Our family can be described as a family of merit.

Everything at home is fine, but there's still a problem with who will be the heir.

Xiao Wu's two children are not bad, nor are they mediocre, but compared to Xiao Wu, they are still lacking in skill, not to mention compared to the second child.

They are good at maintaining the status quo, but not good at expanding their horizons.

The two children, one inherited the Chinatown supermarket and the other inherited Chen Xiaowu Green Food Company, and they also have cross-shareholdings.

Xiao Wu also sold 30% of the supermarket's shares, and Chinatown Supermarket entered the joint venture stage.

There's nothing wrong with that.

If there is no successor, then strategic contraction is the appropriate course of action.

Wealth doesn't last three generations. The worst thing is when three generations mess things up. As long as they don't mess things up, the next generation, or the generation after that, will produce someone capable and they can still rise up.

I've long since come to terms with these things.

Chen Fan is right. Wealth and status cannot last, but morality can. Even if children and grandchildren are not capable, as long as they know hardship and are not absurd, the family tradition can still last for many generations.

If I had any regrets in my life...

Thinking about it carefully, there really isn't one. If I had to say there is one, it's that I've lived too long. That bastard Chen Fan, who was two years younger than me, actually passed away before me.

I would rather go before him.

Before he died, Chen Fan held my hand, a smile in his eyes, and called out, "Big Sister!"

I replied, "You brat!"

My brat is gone.

During those years, I lost interest in everything I did, and I didn't want to worry about anything else. I became very lazy, even lazier than Zhao Yuanyuan.

I got up with my hair all messy.

I had to have my food and drinks brought to me by others. My eldest and fourth brothers even thought I had Alzheimer's disease and hurriedly moved back in.

"Smelly brother!"

Thinking back on the sweetness and absurdity of my youth, two years later, my condition finally improved, and life gradually returned to normal: "Let's go out for a walk!"

Qiu'er didn't recover until a year later.

I'm a year ahead of him.

Since then, I have been to many places, all of which I visited with Chen Fan when I was young.

I also stayed in Hong Kong for a long time.

We fell in love in Hong Kong and lived there for a long time. Whenever I think of those years, I always remember Chen Fan coming to visit me from the mainland.

Several years passed like this.

When I was ninety-five, I went to Hong Kong again. A Hong Kong television station wanted to interview me, and after thinking about it, I agreed.

The interview took place at home.

The host was a young woman, quite pretty and with a good temperament. I even joked with her, "My great-grandson is quite nice, how about I introduce him to you another day?"

Of course, it was just a joke.

When the host asked about the financial crisis of 1997 and 1998 and the financial defense battle in Hong Kong, it was a familiar topic, but many young people at that time did not know about it.

I explained it in detail once.

This is probably the most detailed version of all the records and interviews, including how Chen Fan made preparations, how he lured Soros into the trap, and how he launched the final blow.

Every detail is crystal clear.

"The Huo family, Hu Yingxiang, Li Zhaoji, Dong the Ship King, Zhao the Ship King, Hua Sanshao, Liu Jianxiong, Li Hongying, myself, and Zhao Yuanyuan."

"We sit together for meetings almost every day."

"Push them up one by one."

"Those years were truly unforgettable; now all that's left are these memories."

That was Chen Fan's most triumphant battle.

It is a trace left by my husband, so I am happy to talk about it, and I talk about it in great detail. It should not be buried in the dust of history.

This is also a matter concerning our generation.

When the host asked about the Liyuan Charity Foundation, I readily answered that it was the legacy left by Yuanyuan and me, which resulted in three July 1st Medals.

It's also part of the Chen family's capital!

Whether at home or abroad, when people talk about the first two generations of the Chen family, they all have to say "I admire them" because of the two foundations that have helped so many people.
But they have never raised a single penny from the outside world.

After the interview, I returned to Beijing and even fell slightly ill. But at this age, even a minor illness can be fatal.

I know I'm not going to make it.

Grandchildren and great-grandchildren returned one by one, and each person met with them. The little bit of food they had left was distributed to the great-grandchildren.

It's not much, just something to remember the memory of.

The same applies to the children; each one is explained clearly, with the second child being left out last.

"Second brother, take good care of your brothers and sisters."

"And these kids, you have to take good care of them. You're the head of the family. If anyone dares to disobey you, give them a good beating and discipline them according to family rules. Don't be soft on them."

"Remember, our family has a tradition of philanthropy."

After giving instructions to the second sister, she called Qiu'er and Yuanyuan over. After decades of being sisters, no matter how reluctant she was to part ways, it was coming to an end: "Don't cry, you two."

"There's no point in crying."

"I beat you to it and went to find Chen Fan before you. Being with him is much more interesting than being with you guys."

"You can only be envious."

"Remember, bury me and Chen Fan together, don't do the splits for me."

(End of this chapter)