I'm incredibly ambitious after being reborn.

Chapter 22 I'm Awesome

The old man had originally intended to inquire about his grandson's marriage, but since his grandson's wife wasn't his great-grandson's mother, he lost his right to bark like a dog and could only help arrange the social obligations.

When are we having our "success meal"?

"At the end of August, Zhang Xiang said that the 'Zhang Family Canteen' would be opened at the end of the month, which was a double celebration."

In the rural courtyard, the elderly women and aunties who were helping out picked and washed vegetables while chatting about Zhang Daxiang's future endeavors.

Although it's "one person, twelve incense sticks," each stick is the first one lit...

Zhang Daxiang is Zhang Daxiang, but Zhang Daxiang also has eleven incarnations.

"You've already had your meal so soon? Did you choose the right day?"

"Zhengxuan said it was an auspicious day; everything went smoothly that day."

"He's a Taoist priest, so there's nothing wrong with listening to him."

The "successful engagement dinner" is basically an engagement banquet, usually a time for people to meet and for the couple to exchange titles. Red envelopes are a must, though the amount isn't important to the Zhang family.

The main reason is that their ancestors were not prominent figures, so having too many "heavenly rules" is useless. Only top-tier wealthy families with connections in the court and land in the countryside would have strict rules.

As we were chatting, we heard the sputtering of a motorcycle outside. Then we saw a burly young man park his motorcycle, come in, drink a couple of sips of tap water, and then go out again to unload the goods from the cart.

"Ah Miao, where's your Ah Da?"

"I took Sister Yu Ke to buy gold jewelry."

"You've gone out? When are you coming back? I was just saying I'd ask around to see if any hotels are hiring cleaners."

"I expect to be home before 11 o'clock."

Although Zhang Damiao was only fourteen years old, he was quick and efficient at loading and unloading twenty cases of beer and twenty cases of soda by himself, and soon he had piled all the goods under the eaves.

I can only work for Zhang Daxiang for one summer vacation. After school starts in September, I can only come back to help out after school.

“Your father is truly good to you, nothing can change that.”

"Ah Da is kind to everyone."

"Those who die young are now quite eloquent."

"Haha."

Zhang Damiao smiled, wiped his sweat, and continued working. Many salted fish and meats were hung in the east wing. There was no more space to hang salted goods at "Shizipo". Even three freezers were placed in the countryside.

It's lunchtime now, and some drivers like to eat salted chicken, especially salted grass-fed chicken, so after unloading the cargo, they take it directly to "Shizipo".

In addition, there are farmed fish such as eels and soft-shelled turtles, which are all expensive, and truck drivers from Hebei South Road and Huaibei Road are the most willing to spend money.

A wild soft-shelled turtle that costs 80 yuan locally can sell for 120 or 130 yuan or even more, depending entirely on their mood that day.

After loading the wild fish into the vehicle, Zhang Damiao put on his helmet, rode off on his motorcycle.

No sooner had he left than the women who were picking vegetables and washing dishes started gossiping again.

"A couple of days ago, A-Miao said she didn't want to study anymore and wanted to go straight to work for Zhang Xiang, and she got beaten up badly..."

"Of course! It's not like his grades are bad. I would have hit him too. It's not like Little Elephant didn't want to go to university. It's just that Zhang Qihui is a good-for-nothing bastard who made a scene, turning the family line into 'twelve incense offerings per person.' Little Elephant had no choice but to drop out. Although Zhang Miao's father is gone, he's been eating with Little Elephant since he was little. He's never starved and eats well. How could he dare not study?"

Just then, an old man who had just greeted Zhang Damiao and wanted to go home for a visit shrank back, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and turned to leave...

The old woman who could call him by his given name was either his aunt who was still alive or the wife of one of his brothers.

The grumbling old man cursed the gossipy old woman, wishing her an early death and rebirth.

Ugh, what bad luck!

The old man has been very busy these past few days, going to two villages near "Wujiatan" to discuss land transfers. Just as his elder brother Zhang Qiding said, at first they were all barking at 60,000 yuan per mu, but when he arrived at the land, the two villages immediately lowered their prices by 10,000 yuan. There was no way around it; after all, he was the former director of the Jiyang No. 2 Chemical Plant, a prominent figure in both villages, and coincidentally, someone in his family worked at the plant.

The long-lost air of grandeur made the old man drink a couple more ounces of liquor. He carried two packs of good cigarettes, strolled around "Shizipo," and expressed his appreciation and expectations for his grandson's career. Only then, with a basketful of praise from his guests, did he happily walk two kilometers home.

It wasn't that he didn't have a car to ride in; it was just that everyone he knew along the way greeted him, offered him cigarettes, and showered him with compliments that made him feel incredibly comfortable.

He used to be the director of the Second Chemical Plant. He was upright and disciplined, but that doesn't mean he didn't like flattery.

A chemical plant is a place that can't withstand even the slightest flattery. Any accident could easily lead to a major incident where the flattery was utterly ineffective.

Retiring now is really great.

The only drawback is that retirement life still has some imperfections.

The old man sat on the dock, smoking and thinking for a while. He decided he needed to talk to someone more in detail and try to lower the price to 30,000 yuan per mu.

There was nothing he could do. Those elderly women in their seventies and eighties loved to gossip and clearly wanted to see him make a fool of himself. How could he allow his retirement to become a laughing stock?

Cheer up, Zhang Hui!

You are the pillar of this family, the golden beam that holds up the sea!
Zhang Hui, it was your idea to offer twelve incense sticks to one person!

"Grandpa, what are you doing standing by the river in a daze?"

Suddenly, a voice interrupted Zhang Qihui's thoughts, along with the inner cry of a sixty-year-old.

Turning his head, he saw his own grandson returning with his future granddaughter-in-law. He immediately tensed up and quickly threw the cigarette in his mouth into the river. Actually, he didn't like smoking; he only started smoking after retiring.

I've been smoking a lot lately, mainly because everything's going wrong...

Have you eaten?

"I ate at 'Wujiatan' and went to check out the land prices. As soon as I arrived, the Wu and Li families offered to lower the price by 10,000 yuan per mu. I told them not to be so polite, but there was nothing I could do..."

"..."

Seeing his grandfather start bragging again, Zhang Daxiang didn't call him out on it and introduced him to the old man, "Grandpa, this is Sang Yuke."

"Hello grandpa."

"Alright, alright, have you eaten?"

"Ate."

"It's good that you've eaten, it's good that you've eaten..."

Zhang Qihui was quite satisfied with the mother of his elder brother's great-grandson. Before the engagement banquet, he went to Zhang Qiheng's memorial tablet to offer incense and ask him if he was satisfied.

This is all I should do, no need to thank me in a dream.

If it weren't for me, as his brother, thinking of him, how could the family line have continued?
I, Zhang Hui, am just that loyal and righteous!

"Okay, okay? Where's the red envelope? Just give me 800 yuan."

"Huh? Oh... okay."

The old man didn't quite catch on for a moment, and actually pulled a wallet out of his pocket, then counted out eight bills and handed them over.

“I’ll keep what Grandpa gives me. He’s rich; he used to be the director of the Second Chemical Plant, and his retirement pension is very high.”

"Thank you, grandpa."

Sang Yuke, as always, was straightforward. She took the eight hundred yuan with both hands and then put it into her small wallet, which cost ten yuan for three, with a smile.

The old man, whose mind had been reactivated, wanted to give his grandson a good thrashing, but seeing Qi Heng's great-grandson's mother nearby, he could only sulk. After the two young men had walked away, he silently took out a cigarette and lit it.

(End of this chapter)