Chapter 0557: Cause and Effect

When Zhao Fusheng happened to meet his uncle by marriage Zhang Houde, Sun Qingfeng and Wang Xiaorong were having dinner together.

"Hey, tell me, that young Zhao, how are his family circumstances?"

Wang Xiaorong blinked her big eyes and whispered to her husband.

Although it was their first meeting with Zhao Fusheng today, judging from his conversation, demeanor, and that mobile phone worth several thousand yuan, Zhao Fusheng left a very good impression.

At least in Wang Xiaorong's view, this young man was quite impressive.

Sun Qingfeng frowned slightly, then said, "I remember that Uncle Zhao's eldest son works at the city's beer factory, but I haven't heard anything about the beer factory making a fortune, have I?"

Because he was a neighbor of Zhao Fusheng's grandfather, he had some understanding of the family situation of the elderly Zhao Aiguo, so Sun Qingfeng was rather skeptical of his wife's opinion.

After all, Old Man Zhao and the other uncles and aunts of the Zhao family all lived in Yanjiang Village, and he really hadn't heard any rumors about the eldest son of the Zhao family making a fortune in the city.

"Is that so?" Wang Xiaorong tilted her head, somewhat puzzled. "But judging by that child's demeanor, he doesn't seem like someone short of money."

She was a very observant person. Generally speaking, people engaged in professions such as doctors, teachers, and sales are actually very good at observing others, not to mention government officials and cadres. Because of their work, these people often come into contact with all kinds of individuals, so they basically develop a habit: when meeting a stranger, they always subconsciously size up the other person and form an evaluation in their minds.

"Whether he's short of money or not has nothing to do with us," Sun Qingfeng said while eating. "Anyway, he's Uncle Zhao's grandson, so just take care of him. It's only a three-month internship."

Originally, the internship period for interns was only one and a half months, but then a new director came to the Municipal Education Bureau. For some unknown reason, he made a new rule: interns sent by various universities were not allowed to leave before three months. Helpless, everyone had to follow the rule.

But in such matters, there are policies from above and countermeasures from below. Generally, after one month of the internship, the school basically no longer cares about the interns' comings and goings.

It wasn't that they didn't take it seriously, but these interns were clearly still students. No one would want to help a university manage a group of students who hadn't yet graduated.

"I understand."

Wang Xiaorong nodded, a strange, indescribable smile appearing on her pretty face. Her eyes flickered, and no one knew what she was thinking.

...

...

Zhao Fusheng never thought of reminding Sun Qingfeng that his wife was no longer the good woman willing to share hardships with him.

Some things, if they haven't developed to a certain extent or haven't produced bad consequences, are useless no matter how eloquently or earnestly you explain them. Even if you tore out your heart and told the other person that there would be an earthquake here tomorrow and many people would die, before the fact occurred, no one would believe you. They might even think you were mentally ill, a madman, or alarmist.

So Zhao Fusheng, knowing that some things would happen, was utterly helpless.

This is human nature, an instinct.

If it were oneself, without prior knowledge of the future, one would naturally maintain a cautious attitude toward goodwill that lacks any evidence.

It's not that one dislikes anyone, but because words alone are unreliable, people find such inexplicable kindness somewhat baffling.

After greeting his uncle-in-law and arranging to have dinner together in the evening, Zhang Houde hurried off to the market to buy groceries, while Zhao Fusheng strode toward the house where his grandfather lived alone.

Yanjiang Township is located entirely on the Yanjiang Plain, covering a total area of sixty-three square kilometers. There is one irrigation station, capable of irrigating thirty thousand mu of farmland. The arable land area is sixty thousand mu, mainly planted with vegetables, rice, and soybeans. Township-run industries include rubber, sand and gravel, and iron products factories. In 1992, the total output value of township enterprises reached ninety-three million yuan. The township governs nine villages: Heitong, Sanlian, Xinhua, Poziyan, Minxing, Yanjiang, Fusheng, Beixing, and Dongxing. By the end of 1999, the total population of the township was over fifty thousand.

As the seat of the township government, Yanjiang Village had a permanent population of nearly ten thousand, making it a fairly prosperous village.

The entire Yanjiang Village was originally divided into four production teams. Later, when a road was built, a highway happened to pass nearby, and from above, the whole village looked like a cake cut into the shape of a cross, divided into four areas.

Of course, using the highway as a boundary, the villagers habitually referred to their place of residence as Daonan or Daobei.

Grandfather's house was in Daobei, and moreover, in a spot further inside.

Zhao Fusheng walked along the familiar yet unfamiliar road, with people passing by him from time to time. Some recognized him and, after passing, discussed him with their companions. Others he found familiar; after a glance, he recalled a past event.

He was never the ruthless type who built his success on the bones of others. Betraying and using people was not Zhao Fusheng's nature. He was just an ordinary nobody, occasionally favored by heaven, given a chance to change his fate. So Zhao Fusheng's thoughts were simple: just make life a little better for those around him.

As for those major issues concerning the nation and its people, he would do what he could. If he really couldn't manage, Zhao Fusheng would never do something that sacrificed himself for others—he didn't have such high-minded觉悟.

Oh, isn't this the eldest grandson of Uncle Zhao?

When he reached the alley of his grandfather's house, a middle-aged woman came toward him. She looked about forty, with big perm curls, short and rather plump.

Uh, Auntie Fatty? Zhao Fusheng was startled, then smiled and greeted her.

The visitor was his grandfather's neighbor. Her husband's surname was Fan, and everyone habitually called her Fatty Sister. It was said that she had once tried to set up Zhao's father with someone, but fortunately, he didn't agree. Otherwise, today, Zhao Fusheng might not know where he would be.

Ah, Fusheng, here to see your grandfather? Fatty Auntie said warmly to Zhao Fusheng with a smile. Your parents didn't come?

Zhao Fusheng shook his head. No, I'm interning at Hongqi Middle School and came by to see my grandfather. And you?

Ah, I'm going to buy soy sauce. Fatty Auntie smiled. Come over to play when you have time.

Okay.

Zhao Fusheng agreed readily, but in his heart, he was determined never to go.

The reason was simple: perhaps because she hadn't married Zhao's father, Fatty Auntie had been diligently trying to introduce her precious daughter to Zhao Fusheng since he was a child.

That would be fine, except that girl, now a sophomore in college, is 1.7 meters tall and weighs 170 jin...