Who wants to take the civil service exam after being reborn?

Chapter 474 Love

The meaning of "family" is simple, but it confirms Xiang Xiaohui's guess.

No one in the private room was stupid; on the contrary, almost everyone was smart. They all reacted quickly, even Grandma was quick to react.

Many eyes were drawn to Song Shiwei, and Sweetie suddenly felt a little nervous.

The reason for her nervousness was not being watched, but rather the fact that she had finally confessed her relationship with Chen Zhe to her family.

Song Shiwei picked up the glass of water in front of her again, looked straight ahead, and gulped down a mouthful.

"Little sister, please stop pouring it in."

Lu Bingtang, who clearly had a comedic side, said with considerable annoyance, "【Zhongda Chen Zhe】It's already a clear indication that my little sister is also from Zhongda, why didn't I pair them up?!"

"We didn't expect that either."

Liu Hongjian awkwardly picked up the conversation.

Chen Zhe's resume shows him creating this and tinkering with that, spending 2000 million on one side and 1500 million on the other. He not only has to talk to the world's richest man, but also appears so mature and composed in various interviews, gradually moving towards the category of "entrepreneur".

But no matter how outstanding she is, my younger sister still hasn't escaped her status as a college student.

Ultimately, it comes down to the different achievements the two have made, which leads to different evaluation systems in society.

But back to reality, Chen Zhe is only about to be a sophomore in college. At his age, he might still be sleeping in late, not good at English, and like looking at pretty girls...

Speaking of beautiful women, how could we not mention Weiwei on the campus of Sun Yat-sen University?
The elders in the private room gradually came to understand this logic and found Chen Zhe and Song Shiwei's relationship to be increasingly plausible.

"Handsome men and beautiful women, young heroes and ladies from noble families."

Wei Qi couldn't help but exclaim, "This is the most accurate episode yet."

"Ho!"

Lu Bingtang rolled his eyes at his girlfriend: "You're spouting rhymes all the time. How many points did you get in Chinese on your college entrance exam?"

"141, what's wrong?"

Wei Qi asked.

"It's okay, I'll just ask."

Lu Bingtang turned his face away; this score was even higher than his own back then.

Putting aside the somewhat humorous couple, Xiang Xiaohui, having revealed her past wounds, stopped pretending and became more concerned about another question: "Weiwei, how long have you and Chen Zhe been dating?"

The only thing Xiang Xiaohui knew was that it had been more than half a year, since she had received that Chanel handbag during the Spring Festival almost half a year ago.

Now that Chen Zhe's "family identity" has been confirmed, as Wei Qi said, this is "the most correct episode ever."

If someone else gave you such an expensive gift, you would easily be mistaken for a rich kid.

If other people's parents were just ordinary civil servants, they would also be easily considered unworthy of Song Shiwei, but Chen Zhe doesn't have these problems.

Professor Lu, who had been silent until now, also looked at her daughter, wanting to know how long the two had been talking.

In Lu Man's mind, Weiwei and Chen Zhe must have established their relationship in high school, and her daughter even gave up Peking University for Chen Zhe.

"I……"

Sweet was taken aback by the sudden question.

She didn't know what level of "talking" meant to be considered the beginning.

My first walk?
The first time we held hands?
Or... was it our first kiss?
Her cousin didn't give a clear standard, but Song Shiwei only knew that all of these firsts were given to Chen Zhe.

So, faced with the piercing gazes of her family, including her parents, Sweet Sister picked up her glass again for a "tactical sip," only to find that she had already finished it.

"I am not sure as well."

Song Shi blushed slightly and spoke the truth.

"Hey~"

Professor Lu sighed inwardly upon hearing this.

I can't even remember how long we've been dating. It seems like it didn't start in my senior year of high school. It was probably in my junior year or freshman year, so I've vaguely forgotten even the exact dates.

"The first and second years of high school were probably when I was the strictest with my daughter, but I didn't even realize she was dating."

Lu Man couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness. Were all those previous educational methods truly worthless?
While Professor Lu was reflecting, problems from his family members bombarded Song Shiwei like cannonballs.

Grandma asked, "Weiwei, is that young man's personality as gentle as he was during the interview? How is he usually to you?"

Auntie asked, "Weiwei, have you met Chen's parents? What are they like? Are they easy to get along with?"

Cousin Lu Bingtang asked with a smile, "Little sister, have you two made your relationship public at school? What do your classmates think of you?"

Brother-in-law Liu Hongjian asked inquiringly, "Weiwei, have you ever been to Chen Zhe's company? Is it large? What are the educational backgrounds of the researchers?"

……

Song Zuomin picked up some peanuts and continued eating them without a care in the world.

The questions raised by each person here actually represent their feelings for their daughter: the concern of elders, the jokes of peers, and the exploitation by "outsiders."

But none of that matters; different ideas are bound to exist within a family.

Just like a Party committee, the top leader and secretary should have the vision to allow for different voices, but they should be clear about their roles.

However, these issues were too concentrated, and some were too private. Song Shiwei wasn't the type to like showing off on social media.

Sweetie's view on love is like the wind blowing through the courtyard, a petal falling on your shoulder, quietly picking it up and tucking it into a book, occasionally smelling the fragrance on your fingertips—that is happiness.

So, faced with these "bombs," Song Shiwei didn't want to give too detailed an answer, but ignoring them wouldn't be appropriate either, so she could only respond from her grandmother and aunt first.

Fortunately, Chen arrived quickly.

At this time, he was like a "big star" who stepped out of the news, appearing abruptly in front of Sweetie's family.

The private room fell silent for a moment.

Then, Xiang Xiaohui and Liu Hongjian stood up first to greet him: "President Chen... Chen Zhe."

Liu Hongjian wanted to address him as "General Manager Chen," but Xiang Xiaohui changed her address to "Chen Zhe."

This shows that Xiang Xiaohui's emotional intelligence surpasses that of her highly educated husband. In situations like this, she would definitely need to quickly close the distance to make it easier to express her needs.

After all, my uncle has already declared that we are "family".

Chen paused his gaze on Liu Hongjian and his wife for a moment, then smiled.

"Sister Xiaohui, Brother Liu."

Chen greeted them.

This way of addressing them is more appropriate; it avoids directly calling them "sister and brother-in-law" or being too formal by calling them "General Manager Liu and General Manager Xiang."

Xiang Xiaohui looked somewhat surprised and asked curiously, "Um...we haven't met before, have we?"

"No."

Chen smiled even more broadly: "But Uncle Song mentioned to me that Brother Liu is a top student from Peking University and also studied at Wharton Business School. He has unique insights into the development of the world economy. Sister Xiaohui is also a role model for us. She is a well-known Eastern beauty on Wall Street."

"what?"

Xiang Xiaohui and her husband looked at Song Zuomin with a mixture of surprise and delight.

They had always felt that their aunt's husband didn't like them very much, but they never expected him to praise the two of them behind their backs.

Song Zuomin chuckled and did not deny it.

She had only sent a text message to Chen Zhe to let him know who was having dinner today, and she was planning to introduce them one by one when he arrived. She didn't expect that Chen Zhe would figure out Liu Hongjian and Xiang Xiaohui's identities from some clues.

However, the advantage of Chen praising him in this way is:
He managed to please both Xiang Xiaohui and Liu Hongjian;
Xiang Xiaohui's mother, Lu Lin, also believed it to be true. While feeling gratified, she also had a very good first impression of Chen Zhe.
By presenting herself in a certain way, she is more likely to be accepted by Sweet Sister's family and elders.

Not only that, Chen then accurately called out the identities of each person without any mistakes.

Even Song Zuomin was surprised. Little did he know that his daughter had sent photos of the family gathering to her boyfriend during the winter vacation.

Within ten minutes of Chen entering, people exchanged pleasantries (with peers), greeted each other (with Lu Lin and others), and bowed (to his grandmother). Almost everyone felt "valued."

A truly skilled person demonstrates their "cultivation" in the smallest details.

A seemingly casual remark is actually the culmination of countless experiences.

Finally, Chen Zhe sat down next to Song Shiwei, next to Lu Bingtang's girlfriend Wei Qi.

This older cousin is quite interesting. When we shook hands just now, he winked and said, "I used to be the most handsome guy in the family, but now that you're here, I feel like I'm going to lose my title of 'Number One Handsome Guy'."

He seems like a funny guy who's easy to get along with.

Another strange thing is that Professor Lu seemed a bit unusual when he greeted his "mother-in-law" just now.

She didn't glare at him as usual, and when she greeted Chen, she only gave a perfunctory "hmm," as if she was frowning and thinking.

Of course, Chen Zhe wasn't sure either, since Professor Lu often frowned.

As Chen sat down, the private room fell into a brief silence.

This is normal. After all, there are suddenly many "outsiders" with rather special identities, so everyone is unsure how to start a new conversation.

Chen Zhe also sensed it, but this was not an official social event, and it was not appropriate for him to break the silence. The greetings he had just given had already introduced him to everyone, and to do something more would be to overshadow the host.

When meeting elders for the first time, it's important to maintain a proper sense of decorum.

"It's hot today, are you thirsty?"

Chen seized the opportunity to speak with Sister Sweet.

Song Shi blinked slightly, shook her head in confusion, indicating that she did not understand what it meant.

"Look, you've finished your whole glass of water."

Chen smiled and said, "Are you too nervous and worried that I won't pass your family's three-way interrogation?"

Song Shiwei, realizing her thoughts had been exposed, pouted and turned her head away gently: "No, I didn't."

The rare shyness and bashfulness of the aloof young woman has a unique charm.

The elders all witnessed this scene. Grandma and Aunt exchanged a glance, thinking that in all these years, they had never heard of Weiwei talking more than a few words to any boy. They never expected that she would react like a normal girl in love in front of Chen Zhe.

This also shows that the two must have a very good relationship in private.

"cough~"

Song Zuomin coughed lightly. He felt a little jealous as he watched Chen Zhe flirting with his precious daughter.

However, Chen Zhe's achievements completely exceeded his own expectations.

Song Zuomin can even openly say to everyone: "Before Suhui was founded, I had high hopes for this young man."

It has the keen insight of an old man like Lü Taigong, who was certain that Liu Bang was destined for greatness even before he rose to power.

In short, when a daughter has a boyfriend, the father's feelings are the most complicated. He is both happy and heartbroken, but he still has to side with his "son-in-law".

How did the interviews go this morning?

Song Zuomin stretched out his arm and turned the lazy Susan to face Chen Zhe, who was facing a plate of Australian lobster.

Chen understood that his "father-in-law" was worried that he would go hungry, so while picking up a lobster, he replied, "A British media outlet, the BBC. Dean Shu said that since he is a foreign friend, he should be more important than the final exam, so he told me to go and do the interview halfway through the exam."

"The BBC."

Xiang Xiaohui couldn't help but sigh softly; that was the famous "British Broadcasting Corporation."

However, since Chen Zhe has already been featured in Reference News, the BBC seems unsurprised. It can only be said that Chen Zhe's successful bid and his subsequent remarks have attracted attention and discussion not only in China and the United States.

"Then what about your exam?"

Lu Bingtang's perspective was rather amusing: "Did your dean just wave his hand and let you pass with a perfect score?"

That was obviously obvious, but Chen shook his head and said, "I'll go back to school to retake the exam next semester," just to show off.

"Damn, is CUHK really this heartless?"

Lu Bingtang didn't understand, but as they chatted, they gradually became familiar with each other.

The topics weren't limited to work and studies; Grandma and Auntie started asking about Chen Zhe's parents, work, family, and so on.

These seem to be the standard questions asked when visiting a girlfriend's (boyfriend's) house; Wei Qi experienced them a couple of days ago as well.

However, she and Chen Zhe were treated completely differently.

The two came from similar families, but Chen Zhe's abilities, eloquence, and emotional intelligence far surpassed Wei Qi's. Wei Qi, like a little quail, answered the elders' questions in a very proper manner.

Chen stood tall and straight, his eyes bright and upright. He spoke at a measured pace, his attitude gentle and humble, displaying both the vigor of a college student and the confidence of a successful person.

It doesn't seem so hard to understand why "such a young person founded Suhui".

Throughout the entire conversation, Professor Lu remained silent.

Firstly, she already knew about Chen Zhe's family background, and secondly, her mind was a bit confused right now.

Regarding the issue of "yearning for America," she still doesn't think she's wrong, although her niece and nephew's views may not necessarily be wrong either.

It may sound contradictory, but to sum it up in one sentence: as time goes by, old ideas may become outdated.

Nostalgia for the past is like trying to find a lost sword by marking the boat on the river of time.

You may have had some unforgettable experiences, but if you keep using them as anchors or even as life experiences, it's easy to fall into the trap of "dogmatism."

Lu Man is not someone who easily changes her mind. She will not waver in her long-held beliefs because of a few words from a younger person.

However, the situation today was not suitable for further discussion, so she took a deep breath, temporarily put aside her doubts, and glanced at her "son-in-law's" performance.

At this point, the topic had shifted back to the "imminent danger".

"Chen Zhe".

Xiang Xiaohui wiped her mouth with a napkin. Since they were family, there was no need to keep her in suspense. She said seriously, "A classmate of mine works at Psion. During a casual chat, he accidentally let slip that the company's legal department is collecting evidence and preparing to file a lawsuit retroactively."

People outside the industry may not know who "Psion" is, but Chen knows very well that it is the company that develops and operates the Symbian operating system.

The reason they are suing themselves is likely because they discovered that the phone assistant had exploited a bug in the Symbian system to grow and expand.

As the saying goes, "People are afraid of becoming famous, just as pigs are afraid of getting fat." Now that he's famous, the hidden dangers of the Traceback Mobile Assistant have also been exposed.

Seeing that everyone was curious and confused, Chen Zhe didn't hide anything and explained the pros and cons.

Upon hearing that the Symbian system was backed by mobile phone industry giants such as Nokia, Ericsson, and Motorola, Lu Bingtang couldn't help but exclaim "Damn!"

Although the company is quite famous now, it is still as insignificant as a spark compared to these multinational corporations.

When do they plan to start the lawsuit?

Song Zuomin asked in a deep voice, his face no longer showing the ease and comfort he had just displayed.

As a leader of a state-owned enterprise, his considerations naturally carried a political and social dimension. Chen Zhegang was established as a role model and exemplar for college students, but immediately faced an international lawsuit.

Or to put it another way, this lawsuit is not so simple; to put it more deeply, it is most likely a targeted political attack.

Doesn't China claim it's going to rise?
Isn't Chen Zhe portrayed by the media as one of the role models of patriotic youth in the context of China's rise?
Then I'll humiliate you severely. I don't care about compensation; I just want to ruin your international reputation.

So, if they win this lawsuit, all will be well; but if they lose, it won't just be Chen Zhe who will be humiliated.

Xiang Xiaohui clearly didn't realize the key point. She comforted him, saying, "They might sue next semester, but the compensation isn't much. It's not a big deal even if you lose."

Chen's eyes flickered, but he didn't respond to the question. Instead, he stood up, picked up his teacup, and said, "The information Sister Xiaohui gave me was crucial. Otherwise, I would still be in the dark. Let me offer this tea in place of wine to Sister Xiaohui and Brother Liu."

"You're welcome, you're welcome."

Xiang Xiaohui quickly said, "We are Chinese, and now we are family. We can't let you suffer losses without knowing why."

"Yes, yes, we're family."

Just as Chen Zhe finished his tea and was about to sit down, Xiang Xiaohui continued, "Um... Chen Zhe, I have something I'd like to ask you for a favor. If it's too much trouble, then forget it."

"what's up?"

Chen Zhe did not express his opinion, but simply smiled in response.

Xiang Xiaohui waited a moment and realized that Chen Zhe didn't casually shout "No problem, I will definitely do it," so she understood that her brother-in-law was much more mature and profound than he appeared.

"Our Lao Liu..."

Xiang Xiaohui could only recount the story again, and facing Chen's unfathomable smile, the more she spoke, the less confident she felt.

She finally finished speaking, and couldn't help but let out a heavy "whoosh" as she breathed a sigh of relief.

It's really stressful to talk to self-made entrepreneurs, regardless of age.

However, after listening for a moment, Chen Zhe immediately agreed, "No problem!"

"what?"

Liu Hongjian stood up abruptly, causing the chair behind him to fall to the ground uncontrollably.

Although he is nominally a member of Berkshire Hathaway, he is actually a subsidiary of the group. He cannot even report directly to the boss of the subsidiary, let alone meet with a big boss like Buffett.

Now that Chen Zhe has given him this opportunity without making any extra demands, how could he not be excited?
"thanks, thanks!"

Liu Hongjian strode over, and if there hadn't been so many people, this Ivy League elite would have almost hugged Chen and given her a few pats.

Chen Zhe did not adopt a condescending attitude, as if he had done someone a great favor.

On the contrary, he said very sincerely, "Brother Liu, you're too kind. If you had guidance during future communications with Berkshire Hathaway, things would likely go much smoother." "I..."

Liu Hongjian, who was in his forties, was almost choked up by the sight of nineteen-year-old Chen.

Xiang Xiaohui also brought over a teacup to express her gratitude, and even Lu Lin and her grandmother were praising her. The private room was in a lively and chaotic state.

Taking this opportunity, Song Zuomin quietly said to his wife beside him, "Do you still think your Ivy League school nephews and nieces are comparable to Chen Zhe?"

"Humph!"

Professor Lu didn't want to talk to her husband, but she also wouldn't deny Chen's excellence like a blind man would.

Or, to put it another way, even if Chen Zhe isn't that outstanding, judging from the sweet little interactions between his daughter and him, it would be incredibly difficult to force a divorce.

"Hey~"

Lu Man felt a mix of emotions. She couldn't help but pick up her glass and take a sip of water before asking her husband, "Is the lawsuit Chen is facing very difficult?"

The tacit understanding between husband and wife of over twenty years meant that even though they often argued, they could still sense the seriousness in Song Zuomin's eyes just now.

“It’s tricky.”

Just as Song Zuomin was about to explain, his phone suddenly rang. He picked it up, glanced at it, and said, "I'll take this call."

"Ah."

Lu Man turned to watch her husband's departing figure. The tacit understanding between them, which had lasted for over twenty years, remained unchanged. She had a feeling that this phone call was not about work.

If it's not work, then it's private.

Who exactly is this person who made her husband so hastily avoid her?

The affected voice from a few months ago has unknowingly become a shadow in Professor Lu's heart. However, after so many years of trust between husband and wife, Lu Man never thought that her husband would cheat on her.

A moment later, Song Zuomin returned, his expression showing a hint of anger, but he quickly returned to normal.

Professor Lu hesitated for a moment, but didn't ask any more questions. The family dinner was eventually finished in a happy mood.

Chen Zhe, with his "halo" of charisma and near-perfect performance, won the approval of all his family members on his maternal grandmother's side.

Chen's peers all added his contact information. After going downstairs, they discovered that there were two S600s parked there, with two drivers standing around.

One car belonged to Song Zuomin, and the other to Chen.

Sunlight streamed down, making the imposing and elegant Mercedes-Benz shine. Although this car wasn't a luxury item for these people, and they could probably afford it if they gritted their teeth, it still didn't have the same impact as a nineteen-year-old owning it.

"Sister."

Lu Bingtang said, rather speechless, "With such a perfect son-in-law, you previously said you were still investigating and understanding him. You used to be so outspoken and never modest!"

Lu Man was too lazy to pay attention to her mischievous nephew. She glared at him and said, "Get along well with Xiao Wei. She's a nice girl."

Song Zuomin chuckled. To be fair, Wei Qi was far inferior to Chen Zhe. His wife could view "other people's children" fairly, while Chen Zhe had to work so hard to gain recognition little by little.

How come the proverb "A mother-in-law finds her son-in-law more and more pleasing to the eye" is no longer accurate?
Since Chen had other things to do in the afternoon and needed to leave alone, everyone understood that he was busy at the time.

However, before leaving, Song Zuomin pulled him aside, deliberately avoiding relatives, and only his wife and daughter were around.

These were whispers among "family members," and at least to others, they seemed like family.

"Will bringing Liu Hongjian along affect your original plans?"

That's why he's still her father-in-law; he was worried that Chen would be forced to agree to Xiang Xiaohui's request because he couldn't refuse.

"That won't happen."

Chen chuckled and said, "I can even bring one more person."

Song Zuomin was relieved. From Chen's words, it seemed that he didn't value meeting Buffett too much.

All he wanted was the process and the impact of the fermentation. In that case, even the world's richest man was just one link in the chain of his scheme.

Song Zuomin nodded, but his tone became even more serious: "How do you plan to deal with that lawsuit?"

"I can't lose!"

Chen was still very clear-headed, and he was not confused at all about the key points that Song Zuomin had seen.

Is there a chance of winning by going back to the starting point?

Although Song Zuomin did not study law, there were many such infringement cases within the group, so Chen's chances of winning did not seem very high.

"I'm just saying, I can't lose."

Chen had his own thoughts: "[Not being able to lose] does not mean that you must win. You can also prevent this lawsuit from going to happen, or settle the case hastily in a way that makes it seem like a draw to outsiders."

Seeing that Chen Zhe was so wary, Old Song was no longer worried. He patted Chen Zhe on the shoulder and encouraged him, "When necessary, the country will be your strongest support."

Strictly speaking, this does indeed involve a power struggle between nations. Chen smiled and nodded, then hailed a taxi.

Song Zuomin was taken aback: "Aren't you taking your own car?"

Chen turned his head and said, "Grandma and Auntie are going back too, right? I'll leave the car for them to use."

Without waiting for anyone to react, the taxi closed the door and sped away.

"Xiaoman, this son-in-law is perfect!"

Lu Lin walked over and said, "From the moment Chen entered until he left, every action and every word he uttered was impeccable. You should stop insisting on your requirement to study abroad."

Lu Lin and Lu Man were intellectuals of the same generation and were brainwashed around the same time, so she was the one who could best empathize with her younger sister's earlier hesitation.

Lu Man remained silent.

"Did you only agree to Weiwei's relationship with Chen Zhe after he became the richest man in eastern Guangdong?"

Lu Lin jokingly offered some advice.

"No way~"

Lu Man shook her head and got into the car on her own.

Song Zuomin's S600 still carried his family of three. The car sped along the inner ring road, but the cabin was so quiet that not a sound could be heard.

Lu Man sat in the back seat, looking at her husband's phone screen in the passenger seat. It seemed to light up again, then her husband frowned and tapped it off.

"Old Song."

Lu Man suddenly called out.

"Ok?"

Song Zuomin turned his head, and his wife's tone was tender and affectionate.

It's different than now.

Just like I remember.

Are you free during summer vacation?

Lu Man asked, "How about you come with me to America for a visit?"

"Traveling?"

Song Zuomin was somewhat puzzled: "It's very troublesome for me to travel abroad with my identity."

"Not really."

Lu Man thought for a moment and said, "I want to go there and see what the real America is like."

Song Zuomin still didn't quite understand: "Hasn't your school organized several trips to study at American universities?"

"Studying is very busy, and in the cultivation laboratory, what I see is a more advanced aspect than what we see in our country."

Professor Lu said seriously, "So I want to walk around the streets of America, eat at their restaurants, experience the cost of living for ordinary people, and personally feel whether this country's development potential is about to be exhausted."

"It's not necessary."

Song Zuomin smiled and waved his hand: "Let me tell you the answer first, it's certain! Just search the news online, look at the headlines, or even ask your friends, and you'll basically come to a conclusion. There's no need to go there in person..."

"Old Song, we haven't gone on a trip in ages!"

Professor Lu suddenly interrupted.

Song Zuomin was surprised.

He turned to look at his wife, and there was no hysteria in her eyes as she usually did when they argued; instead, there was only a kind of desolate disappointment.

Song Zuomin's heart softened, and he said reassuringly, "I really don't have time during the summer vacation. The Olympic Group also has tasks to complete. Lu Lin has never seen the real America either. It's a good opportunity for you two to travel together."

"Oh."

Lu Man stared at her husband for a moment, then turned to look out the window and said nothing more.

The people, cars, and buildings that flashed by were like frames from a movie, mixing with past memories in my mind, as if it had become a long and arduous journey.

I and Lao Song fell in love on our own, which was quite rare in an era when marriages were decided by arranged marriages.

At that time, her husband was not as powerful and influential as Chen, and she was not as beautiful or popular as her daughter, but they were still considered a "perfect couple" by everyone.

And back then, I didn't admire America as much as I do now.

Conservative systems and education have led me to maintain a cautious and observant attitude towards foreign trends that emerged after the reform and opening up.

One day, Song Zuomin, the youngest county supply and marketing cooperative director in the city, suddenly developed a high fever while collecting agricultural payments in the countryside due to overwork and a torrential downpour.

She rushed over, only to find her husband already unconscious in a makeshift hospital in the countryside, where he was on an IV drip but his fever wouldn't come down no matter what she did.

From 40 degrees to 40.5 degrees, and then from 41 to 42 degrees, the husband had reached the dangerous stage of talking nonsense.

However, due to the torrential rain and muddy dirt roads outside, the county's ambulances were unable to get in.

The doctor here is an elderly woman in her fifties. She has no formal education and was originally a barefoot doctor. In the countryside where medical talent is scarce, she was recruited into the hospital.

She knew the unconscious young man was a government official, and she also knew the soaking wet woman in front of her was a college student, but she had tried everything—physical cooling, traditional Chinese medicine, and domestically produced cooling agents—but nothing worked.

This is fate; perhaps God is going to take him away.

The barefoot doctor had witnessed all the major events since the founding of the nation and was accustomed to death.

"Please, please save my husband!"

However, the female college student, disregarding her soaked trouser legs, suddenly knelt down with a "thud".

The compassion of doctors, who have the heart of a parent, has been shaken.

The doctor went into the pharmacy and took out a small bottle of medicine: "This is something from the Americans, but no one has tried it yet. It's said to lower fever..."

"use!"

Lu Man wiped the rain or tears from her face and said firmly.

Looking at the girl's resolute face, the doctor, without much confidence, slowly pushed the bottle of "American goods" into the young cadre's veins.

The female college student remained kneeling, waiting without moving.

She was thinking, if her husband died because of this bottle of medicine, then it would be the fault of her decision. Should she go with him?
Half an hour later, a miracle occurred.

The husband's fever subsided.

The rain gradually stopped.

As a result, the female college student subconsciously became skeptical of domestically produced products in everything she did afterward, especially when it came to medical treatment and medication.

Over time, she began to accept and trust the culture in the United States.

Later, her daughter was born.

The female college student decided that once her daughter grew up, she would send her to the most advanced place in the world to receive a high-level and scientific education.

Everyone's change of faith may have a "trigger". Lu Man's reason was this, and perhaps Lu Lin's reason was something else.

But those experiences, that young state cadre may have forgotten. The vows of eternal love made in the past have ultimately faded into mere shadows on the film of his life, never to be felt again.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the residential compound, Professor Lu and his daughter entered the building together without even exchanging greetings.

Watching the mother and daughter walk away, Song Zuomin wiped his face and said wearily, "Going to the cancer hospital. The old Party Secretary has been diagnosed with cancer, and he probably doesn't have much time left."

It's right to visit a sick former leader, but Song Zuomin felt disgusted just thinking about his daughter.

Once the old boss leaves, he'll kick her back to her old workplace!
……

The elevator slowly ascended. Professor Lu leaned against the clean, transparent metal surface, which was like a mirror, staring blankly at the floor selection buttons, which jumped up one floor at a time.

Since getting into the car, Song Shiwei has barely spoken, only sending messages. Occasionally, her long eyelashes flutter as she lifts them, revealing her concern and worry for her mother.

With a "ding," we arrived at the 16th floor.

Lu Man instinctively stepped out of the elevator, then suddenly remembered that her daughter had just come from school and was carrying luggage, so she turned around and helped her drag the suitcase.

"I can take it myself."

Song Shiwei said softly.

Professor Lu didn't say anything, appearing cold and unapproachable. He simply grabbed the suitcase, dragged it a few steps, and then rang the doorbell.

Soon, the housekeeper came running over to open the door, bowing and greeting, "Professor Lu, Weiwei, you're back."

Professor Lu ignored her, but while changing her shoes, he frowned and said to the aunt, "I just said yesterday that Weiwei's sneakers and sandals shouldn't be put together, so she doesn't accidentally wear the wrong ones when she's in a hurry to go out!"

"Excuse me."

The auntie quickly corrected it.

Professor Lu went into the kitchen again, where there was an auntie cooking.

Weiwei ate seafood for lunch.

Lu Man instructed, "Don't make bitter melon and pork rib soup tonight, lest it be too cold and harm your health."

Afterwards, Professor Lu went into Song Shiwei's room and saw that the bedding had been changed that morning. Although she hadn't found anything wrong, she still said with dissatisfaction, "You're still in your adolescence, you can use some bright and colorful things, why are you always so plain..."

If we forget everything before and start "slicing" from the moment she enters the room, Professor Lu's behavior is that of a nitpicky, perfectionist, and controlling "vicious" middle-aged woman.

He even dictates the color of his daughter's bedding.

But! Is she really like that?
"I didn't take a nap, I'm going to lie down for a while."

Lu Man rubbed her temples and commanded her daughter, "Study New Concept English on your own."

In fact, she is a mother who "would subconsciously comfort her daughter even when she has a headache."

"Mom, when are you going to America?"

Song Shiwei suddenly asked, her voice as melodious as a babbling brook.

“Your dad doesn’t have time, and I don’t want to go alone either.”

Professor Lu sounded a little impatient.

Her head was throbbing, and she sounded like she had no patience to talk.

"I have time."

Song Shiwei's eyes were like clear lake water, and her expression was elegant and serene.

The "middle-aged vicious woman" paused for a moment.

"What? You want to come with me?"

Lu Man pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses: "You don't want to see Chen Zhe during the summer vacation?"

“I talked to him about it, and he supported me.”

Song Shiwei raised her phone.

Lu Man suddenly realized that the information in the car was from her daughter and Chen Zhe.

So, you had already planned this back then?

Professor Lu leaned against the door frame and said in a sarcastic tone, "You were absolutely unwilling just now, but now you're offering to go. Could it be that you're taking pity on your dad and accompanying your mom because he saw that your dad refused?"

Song Shiwei did not respond to her mother's childish behavior.

Professor Lu, having been rebuffed, scoffed and said, "Fine, I'll take it as a sign of your filial piety. Speaking of which, you stayed in Guangzhou for Chen during college, and went to America for me during summer vacation. In your heart, who is more important to you, the two of us?"

"I'm going to read a book."

Song Shiwei said calmly.

"Okay, okay~"

Professor Lu trailed off lazily as he closed his daughter's bedroom door. He stood silently for a while, then the footsteps in the hallway suddenly became much lighter, and a voice muttering to itself could be heard:
"I don't want to sleep anymore, Weiwei. Let's go downstairs and play badminton later."

"it is good."

As Sweetie responded, she looked at the photo on her desk—a beautiful mother with her ten-year-old daughter's arm around her shoulder, both of them smiling radiantly.

Professor Lu may never have realized that no matter how the room's furnishings changed, this photograph was always placed in the most prominent position.

You and Chen Zhe are both the most important people to me.

But you were the one I loved first!

······
(End of this chapter)