Nominal: Who isn't a son-in-law?

'Bang bang'

Arriving at the courtyard, Chu Shijun knocked on the vermilion gate.

The door opened the moment the sound was heard.

What came into view was a burly middle-aged man with short hair, a chiseled face, and sharp, eagle-like eyes, who was sizing up Chu Shijun.

"Hello comrade, has Grandpa Qi returned?"

Chu Shijun didn't make any unnecessary movements, but calmly asked, because the middle-aged man had his other hand behind his back at his waist.

Hearing this, the middle-aged man's expression softened slightly, but he still didn't move aside. Just as he was about to speak, a voice came from behind him: "Is it the Prince who has arrived?"

"Oh, Aunt Huang, it's me," Chu Shijun replied with a smile.

Footsteps echoed in the courtyard, and the middle-aged man stepped aside.

The newcomer was a middle-aged woman in her forties, wearing an apron and with wet hands, clearly having just washed vegetables and cooked.

Upon seeing Chu Shijun, she smiled broadly and quickly said to the middle-aged man, "Comrade Liu, this is the old man's junior. He has been eating here since he was a child."

After saying that, he wiped his hands on his clothes and pulled Chu Shijun through the gate.

"Shijun, you haven't come back this summer vacation, you only make a phone call. Your brother Yuan is the same. It's just me, an old woman, all alone here." Aunt Huang affectionately took Chu Shijun's hand.

"Aunt Huang, I've been busy with some things this summer vacation. Why hasn't Brother Yuan come back yet?" Chu Shijun reached out and held her hand, warming it.

"He only came back with you and Uncle Dong, stayed for two days and then left." Aunt Huang said, feeling Chu Shijun's movements, her face full of gentle smiles.

Her name is Huang Qiuyun. She has been working here for twenty years, essentially as a nanny. Her husband's job was also arranged by this family, and she usually lives here.

She also had a very good relationship with Chu Shijun's parents. It could be said that she watched Chu Shijun grow up, and treated him like a son.

The two walked into the courtyard, where a Hongqi car without license plates was parked not far away.

The middle-aged man was sitting by the stove near the gate, warming himself by the fire.

But Chu Shijun also sensed that three or four other eyes were looking at him.

As they were talking, the hall door opened.

An elderly man with white hair, around seventy years old, but with a straight posture and vigorous spirit, came out.

"The Prince is back."

Upon seeing the old man, Chu Shijun quickly responded and respectfully said, "Grandpa Qi, Shijun is back."

"You chat with the old man, I'll go cook. You must be tired from the long car ride, so eat more later." Huang Qiuyun said as she saw the two of them greeting each other, and then went to get busy.

"It's cold outside, come in quickly, let's have a chat. Qiuyun, bring out a bottle of my wine tonight," the old man said, adding his instructions.

Huang Qiuyun paused, then nodded and said, "The old lady hasn't returned yet, so I have to keep an eye on you and make sure you don't drink too much!"

"Okay, okay, you keep an eye on me, I promise I won't drink too much!"

The old man agreed and, with Chu Shijun's help, went into the house.

"I'm not old yet, you can help me..."

The old man muttered to himself, but his smile only grew wider.

Qi Wenlu, that's the old man's name. The middle-aged man from earlier was his bodyguard.

Huang Qiuyun's husband used to be one of the old man's drivers, but he has now been demoted to a lower-level job.

……

"Grandpa, you just got back too?"

Helping the old man to sit down, Chu Shijun didn't stand on ceremony and poured tea for both of them before plopping down himself.

"I got back yesterday. Nothing much happened in Beijing, so I'm spending the New Year at home this year." The old man nodded. "I heard you didn't come back for summer vacation either?"

"No, I just thought I didn't have much to do back here, so I called Aunt Huang and stayed at school," Chu Shijun said, presenting the book to Grandpa. "Grandpa, this is a book I wrote. Would you like to take a look?"

"I know,"

The old man reached out and took the book, flipped through it casually, and said, "I read this book in Beijing, and many other comrades have also read it. It was just released, and the secretary also gave it to me."

Chu Shijun was startled but did not reply.

"It's very well written, Shijun. I watched you grow up. You were very naughty when you were little and never focused on your studies. It was your parents' incident that changed your personality and made you start to study hard. Now you've been admitted to a good university and even published a book. I think if Old Chu were still here, he would be very happy."

"In the family of this military general, there's a roughneck who has produced two researchers and a grandson who's a great writer. Doesn't he boast about it for the rest of his life? Heh."

The old man sighed, his eyes filled with emotion.

"Maybe my grandfather was born with the talent for learning, he just never went to school," Chu Shijun said with a smile.

He had never met his grandfather in person, only seen a photograph, which hung in the living room of his house. It was a group photo taken in a cave dwelling in northern Qin, showing only the two of them.

According to his parents, his grandfather passed away in the late 1940s. His father was not very old at that time and was raised by Grandpa Qi.

"Old Chu, you're wrong. His old boss taught him for a while but gave up, saying he wasn't cut out for learning, hahaha."

Chu Shijun dared not accept this, for only the old man could say such a thing.

The two chatted for a while longer. While Huang Qiuyun was cooking, the old man secretly lit a cigarette and tossed one to Chu Shijun, saying, "Hush money. Don't tell your Aunt Huang. If she asks, just say it was you who smoked it."

"Then you'll have to be careful later. Have some tea and get some fresh air to dissipate the smell."

Chu Shijun nodded, took a deep breath. This top-tier special edition was indeed different; he had to have some. He then shamelessly said, "Grandpa, you don't usually smoke much, so it's such a waste to leave these cigarettes. Why don't you give me some?"

"I'll bring you some later. You shouldn't smoke too much, it's bad for your health. When you start working, you can give some to older colleagues who like to smoke." The old man glanced at him and nodded.

After a while, the old man asked again, "I heard before that Handong Province was going to write a report on the ten years of reform and opening up. The day before yesterday, when Secretary Li of Handong Province came to report, he mentioned it again. I also heard about this. He said it was written by a college student, and I think it was you?"

"Ah, this matter has even reached you, sir," Chu Shijun said, slightly surprised. He hadn't expected that Secretary Li would raise it so soon after he finished reading the first draft. However, it also showed that Secretary Li valued and respected it.

"Comrade Zhiguo has been in Handong for quite some time now. The higher-ups are eager to see what his achievements are over the past ten years, and the people below are also curious. He's going to make some changes in the next couple of years. I've also heard that some comrades in the Handong Writers Association are having trouble changing their minds. I just didn't expect him to put this responsibility on your shoulders, a college student. It seems he really values ​​you. He even praised you to General Manager Zhao the day before yesterday."

The old man spoke with great emotion as he thought of Chu Shijun's age. Old Chu, if he were alive, would surely be very pleased.

"It's all thanks to Secretary Li and the others' trust in me and their great help that I was able to take on this responsibility. Grandpa, how about I tell you what I've done and you give me some advice?" Chu Shijun asked expectantly.

"I won't read it. I'll keep it as a memento. I can see it when it's published after the New Year. I'll see how it is then. But if Comrade Zhiguo approves of it, it must be pretty good." As he spoke, the old man shook his head. "Some provinces have also expressed their intention to write it. Some have already taken action, and others are just waiting for you in Handong to set an example."

Chu Shijun was not surprised by this. In his previous life, many provinces had issued similar reports around this time, and a summary was conducted every ten years thereafter. His report also drew on some of these reports. However, this time, Handong took the lead.