I was married off to a disabled hero in lieu of marriage; my in-laws doted on me and I aspired to gr

"sit down!"

Zhou Zhonghai spoke sharply, and Zhou Wenjing immediately became obedient, sitting timidly on the sofa, while his Annie hid behind Luo Meiyun.

"Where did these things come from?" Zhou Zhonghai asked, pointing to the three large items.

"Dad, I bought it in Beijing. It took a lot of effort to get it to Huailin." Zhou Wenjing's eyes were a little unfocused.

"I borrowed a lot of money for treatment in the Soviet Union, and you've been paying it off. Where would you get the money to buy these things?"

Zhou Zhonghai's eyes were like an eagle's, making Zhou Wenjing tremble all over.

"Dad, we can pay off the debt slowly. I can't come back to China empty-handed, can I?" Zhou Wenjing feigned pitifulness.

Zhou Zhonghai slammed his hand on the table: "Tell the truth!"

The whole family was shocked; it was the first time Qiaoqiao had ever seen her father-in-law lose his temper like this.

"Wen-Wenjing, just tell the truth?" Annie, hiding behind Luo Meiyun, said tremblingly.

"What truth? I'm just telling the truth."

Zhou Wenjing glanced at Annie with displeasure. There were no traitors in the Zhou family unless he married Annie.

"Fine, if you're not going to tell the truth, get out of here." Zhou Zhonghai's voice wasn't loud, but it was incredibly powerful.

"Dad, Dad, we really bought these appliances. When you were receiving treatment in the Soviet Union, we didn't actually owe that much money. You're a hero, and the hospital waived a lot of fees. We paid off all that debt a long time ago."

Unable to withstand the pressure, Anne blurted everything out.

Zhou Zhonghai stood up and looked down at Zhou Wenjing with an imposing aura.

"Zhou Wenjing, tell your mother that you're starving to save money. We feel sorry for you and send you all our wages; the whole family depends on your brother's meager salary. You're all dressed up and looking good outside, while we're scrimping and saving, and you still have the nerve to come back? I'll beat you to death..."

Enraged, Zhou Zhonghai saw the rolling pin in Hu Xiaomei's hand, snatched it, and started hitting her with it.

Perhaps because he was used to playing since childhood, Zhou Wenjing quickly ran behind the sofa.

"Dad, it's not what you think. Actually, we had a hard time in the Soviet Union too."

Zhou Zhonghai wouldn't listen, chasing after Zhou Wenjing with a rolling pin. Zhou Wenjing cried and wailed, "Dad, when you were in the Soviet Union, wasn't I the one who took care of you? I brought you beef soup in such heavy snow, don't you remember?"

"Mom, help me... Why are you all just standing there watching?"

Luo Meiyun never took sides when Zhou Zhonghai was disciplining his children; she would just watch quietly with a frown.

Zhou Wenjing was no match for his soldier father and had been hit several times, with no one in the family daring to intervene.

"You unfilial son, the Zhou family will pretend we never had a son like you."

Seeing that another blow was about to land, Zhou Wenjing hid behind Zhou Wenhui.

"Brother, you're so unfair! Every time Dad hits me, you just watch the show," Zhou Wenjing complained with a mournful face.

"Dad, that's enough. Wenjing made a mistake, but it's not a big deal. At least, he paid for the three major items himself."

Zhou Wenhui said quietly, the rolling pin stopped in mid-air. Zhou Zhonghai handed the rolling pin to Hu Xiaomei, and said, "I'm getting old. I've only hit her twice, and my shoulder is a little sore."

Hu Xiaomei grabbed a rolling pin and ran into the kitchen like lightning. She was half responsible for the beating of Zhou's second son.

The eldest son is right. Zhou Wenjing is a swindler, but at least he cheated his family members out of money; he didn't commit any fundamental wrongdoing.

Zhou Zhonghai sat down again, panting as he smoked. Luo Meiyun looked at her youngest son with a mixture of anger and pity. Qiaoqiao followed Sister Hu into the kitchen and eavesdropped by the door.

Zhou Wenjing sat down close to Zhou Wenhui.

"Why did you suddenly come back?"

Finally, they asked me something important.

"Dad, it's not that I didn't want to come back. In previous years, the country was in such chaos. Today they were criticizing people, tomorrow they were confiscating our property. I was thinking that if my family's property was confiscated, at least I would have a way out," Zhou Wenjing said, trembling.

Zhou Zhonghai looked up and glanced at Zhou Wenjing, who trembled again.

"Wenjing, don't talk nonsense. We are a military family. Who dares to criticize us?"

Zhou Wenhui said calmly that no matter how big the situation, he could remain calm.

"Hehe, things are stable in the country now. The government welcomes us students who stayed in the Soviet Union back to contribute to the country, so I came back, didn't I?" Zhou Wenjing said with a fawning smile.

What contribution can you make?

In Zhou Zhonghai's eyes, Zhou Wenjing was just a pretty face with no substance.

"Dad, don't underestimate me. I'm a good student who's been steeped in red blood."

As Zhou Wenjing spoke, he took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Zhou Zhonghai: "My transfer order."

"Director of the Office of the Party School of Huailin City?" Zhou Zhonghai frowned.

"Yes, yes, all the party members and cadres in Huailin City will have to go through me from now on."

"Someone like you, how could you possibly become a cadre at the Party School?"

"Dad, I'm an international student, that's what I call 'gilded'."

Zhou Zhonghai slammed the transfer order on the table: "This is utter nonsense."

"I think it's a good idea. Wenjing has a very persuasive way of speaking. It's good that he goes to the Party School to promote the spirit of the Party."

Zhou Wenhui glanced at the transfer order, handed it to Zhou Wenjing, and smiled encouragingly.

"My brother understands me best. My parents only have eyes for him and can't see my good points at all," Zhou Wenjing said softly.

"Alright, let's eat." Zhou Zhonghai said, and Hu Xiaomei and Qiaoqiao quickly served the dishes and rice.

Finally, the family sat down to eat together normally. Hu Xiaomei sat in the corner, not daring to even pick up any food. This family hadn't felt so oppressed in a long time.

"Dad, have some vodka." Zhou Wenjing poured a glass of wine for his father, brother, and himself.

Zhou Zhonghai did not refuse, took a sip, and thought, "Good wine, spicy and strong, suitable for soldiers."

"Has Yue Meng's work unit been arranged yet?" Zhou Zhonghai asked expressionlessly.

It turns out that Annie's Chinese name is Yue Meng.

"It's all arranged. I'll be an English teacher at the No. 1 Middle School in the city."

Weren't they studying Russian? How come they're English teachers?

Qiaoqiao couldn't help but glance at her younger sister-in-law. Wow, she's amazing! She speaks English, while she herself knows absolutely nothing about it.

Zhou Zhonghai sighed deeply, for reasons unknown.

Luo Meiyun smiled gently: "Since the work has been arranged, then go to work. Annie, your brother and sister-in-law live on the third floor, you two live on the second floor. Dad and I live on the second floor, and there are still many empty rooms."

"Why do we have to live on the second floor? I want to live on the third floor too," Zhou Wenjing blurted out.

"This is not your place to make decisions. If you want to live here, stay; if you don't, get out." Zhou Zhonghai, who had just calmed down a bit, turned angry again.

"Dad, it's fine for us to live on the second floor."

Annie hurriedly tried to smooth things over, while Zhou Wenjing muttered, "It's biased. You treat your brother like your son."

"What are you muttering about?" Zhou Zhonghai asked irritably.

"I... I'll do as my parents say." Zhou Wenjing could only mutter this; how could he dare to disobey?

After dinner, Zhou Zhonghai went to work, and the atmosphere at home instantly relaxed. Zhou Wenjing started tinkering with his three main items.