1978: Female educated youth, don’t want an illiterate husband

They are students!
Although the newspaper was poorly printed, it was indeed his son-in-law, Cheng Xuemin!

Cannes, France?

Palme d'Or (Golden Palm Film Award)?

Xuemin's film actually won the highest achievement award at the Cannes Film Festival in France?

Moreover, they even made a bet of 400 million US dollars with the Japanese side?
They won outright?!
This...what is going on?

The sheer volume of information overwhelmed Mr. Feng's brain like a tsunami, leaving him completely unable to process it for a moment.

He could only rely on his instincts to repeatedly check the words on the newspaper and that blurry yet incredibly familiar face!

“District Chief Feng, this…this Cheng Xuemin mentioned in the newspaper…” Seeing Feng’s father’s changing expression and silence for a long time, Xiao Chen couldn’t help but speak softly, his tone full of uncertainty and inquiry, “Is it…your family’s…Comrade Cheng Xuemin?”

Several village representatives held their breath, watching Mr. Feng expectantly!

Most of them were illiterate. They were surprised and suspicious when the literate young men in the village read the newspaper to them. So they came together with the newspaper to find this knowledgeable District Chief Feng from the capital to confirm.

They certainly knew the name Cheng Xuemin; he was a very famous figure, a pioneer of reform and opening up and a pioneer in foreign exchange earnings!
Moreover, I heard from Xiao Chen, the secretary next to District Chief Feng, that the pioneer in foreign exchange earnings is also District Chief Feng's son-in-law, a specially appointed professor at Yenching University, and also the branch manager of Yenching Film Studio!

But what the newspaper is saying... it's an international award, and it's worth four hundred million US dollars...

This is like something out of a myth!

Is it really the same person?
Mr. Feng did not answer immediately!

He took several deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down, but his hands holding the newspaper were still shaking violently!

He sat back in his chair, his back ramrod straight, his eyes gleaming, and read the report again, word by word!
The report was quite detailed, and although it carried the exaggerated and sensational tone typical of Hong Kong media, the basic facts were clear:

At the Cannes Film Festival in France, a film called "Redemption," directed by young Chinese director Cheng Xuemin, beat out many strong European and American films to win the Palme d'Or, the highest award.

Even more shockingly, off the court, Cheng Xuemin made a stunning bet with a representative of Hitachi Heavy Industries of Japan, involving a whopping $400 million!

The gamble was on whether "Redemption" would win an award.

As a result, Cheng Xuemin won a resounding victory, and the Japanese representative conceded defeat on the spot, with the $400 million bet going to the Chinese side...

Next to the report were several smaller pictures, including Cheng Xuemin giving a speech on the podium, him confronting a Japanese woman, and a close-up of the Palme d'Or trophy.

Every word and every picture struck Mr. Feng's heart like a heavy hammer!
it is true!
It turned out to be true!
Xuemin... he not only won the top prize at that world-renowned film festival in France?

And...and they won 400 million US dollars from the Japanese?!

Four hundred million... in US dollars!
Mr. Feng felt a surge of heat rush to his head, and his vision blurred!

He instinctively grabbed the table for support, his other hand gripping the newspaper tightly, his knuckles turning white.

A tremendous surprise, an unbelievable shock, followed by an overwhelming sense of worry, and an indescribable complex emotion mixed with pride and lingering fear.

Like a spilled bottle of mixed flavors, it churned and surged within his chest!

This kid!
That kid!

Before he left, he only said he was going to France to compete and to discuss the copyright sharing of Shaolin Temple. He never said he was going to make such a big fuss!
The Palme d'Or? A $400 million bet?

This...this is absolutely outrageous!

Mr. Feng's first thought was: Does anyone in China know about this? Does his wife, Teacher Gu, know about it?

Did Jiayou, that child, also experience all of this?
Are they safe now?!

Having won so much money, will the Japanese just let it go?
Furthermore, what kind of shock will this cause when it gets back to China?!

Countless questions instantly flooded his mind, leaving him in a state of utter confusion.

"District Chief Feng? District Chief Feng?" Seeing that Feng's father's face was pale and even had fine beads of sweat on his forehead, Xiao Chen couldn't help but worry and called out twice more!
Mr. Feng suddenly came to his senses and realized that there were several other people in the office waiting for his answer.

He squeezed his eyes shut, and when he opened them again, the turmoil in his eyes had been forcibly suppressed, but the muscles on his face were still somewhat stiff.

He shook the newspaper in his hand, trying to make his voice sound steady, but the slight tremor betrayed his extreme inner turmoil:

"Where did this newspaper come from?"

"It's A-Qiang from the village. He has a relative who works across the street, and he secretly brought him over yesterday when he came back to visit," a villager representative quickly said.

"We read it, but we couldn't recognize most of the words. We just listened to the young man read it aloud, saying that Cheng Xuemin had won a huge prize in France and had also won against the devil... oh, he won a lot of money from the Japanese!"
We thought about it, and the name Cheng Xuemin... reminded us that Secretary Chen mentioned your son-in-law... This, this can't really be..."

Looking at the several dark, weathered faces, yet filled with simple curiosity and pride, Mr. Feng knew that he could no longer hide it!
Since this news could travel from Hong Kong to a remote village, it will eventually spread in other ways!

He hesitated for a few seconds, then slowly nodded, his voice heavy and firm:
"If the newspaper didn't publish the wrong article, and the person in the photo is not mistaken... then it should be him!"

“He is my son-in-law, Cheng Xuemin.”

Wow!
Although he already had seven or eight parts of a guess in his mind, he was still surprised when he heard his father confirm it!
Xiao Chen and several village representatives couldn't help but gasp softly, their eyes widening instantly, their faces filled with extreme shock and excitement.

"Is it really Comrade Cheng?!"

"My God! They won a major award abroad?!"

"They even won 400 million from the Japanese... How much money is that? Let me count... Tens, hundreds, thousands... My God, I can't even count it all!"

"Incredible! Incredible! This really brings honor to our country and to the Chinese people!"

"District Chief Feng, is this your son-in-law?!" A villager gave a thumbs-up, his face flushed with excitement.

The atmosphere inside the small prefab house instantly became lively!
The villagers chattered excitedly, their eyes filled with unprecedented admiration and envy as they looked at Mr. Feng!

With such an amazing son-in-law, the Feng family has truly produced a dragon!

Mr. Feng was also filled with excitement, but even more so with a heavy sense of responsibility and vigilance!
He raised his hand and pressed it down, signaling everyone to be quiet.

"Fellow villagers!" Mr. Feng's voice wasn't loud, but it carried the authority and earnestness of an official. "This is how it was reported in the newspaper!"

"But we still don't know the specifics of the situation, where Xuemin and the others are now, or whether they are safe!"

Moreover, this kind of matter involves diplomacy and international repercussions; it is extremely sensitive and of great importance!

He glanced at the crowd and his tone became serious: "Before the official announcement, I hope everyone will refrain from spreading this matter, and even more so from exaggerating or making unfounded rumors."

"In particular, it must not be transmitted to the other side of the river, as this could cause unnecessary trouble for the safety of the students and for our country's work. Can everyone understand?"

Several village representatives looked at each other. Although they were not highly educated, they had lived on the border for many years and had an instinctive awe of words like "sensitive" and "secrecy".

Seeing how serious and solemn Mr. Feng was, the excitement on their faces gradually subsided, and they all nodded. "District Chief Feng, we understand, we understand!"

"Yes, yes, we mustn't tell anyone. This is a big deal, we can't spread rumors."

"That's right, Comrade Cheng has made great contributions to the country, we can't cause him any trouble!"

Seeing their support, Mr. Feng breathed a sigh of relief and softened his tone, saying, "Thank you for your understanding, folks!"

"Once we have definite news, the organization will definitely let everyone know. For now, let's continue with what we were doing. The construction of the special economic zone is a major undertaking, and we can't afford to be distracted!"

"Yes, District Chief Feng is right!"

"Then we won't disturb District Chief Feng's work."

"Let's go back to work!"

Filled with excitement and a touch of apprehension, the villagers left the prefab houses one after another.

The office fell silent again, leaving only Mr. Feng alone.

He picked up the Hong Kong Daily again, his gaze lingering on the huge headline and Cheng Xuemin's photo for a long time!

……

Just as Mr. Feng was overwhelmed with emotion and unable to sleep all night while looking at a copy of the Hong Kong Daily, he was deeply moved.

He had no idea that his beloved daughter and son-in-law had just finished a long journey across half the globe and had already set foot on the soil of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong, Kai Tak Airport!
As evening fell, the airport was bathed in a reddish-orange sunset, but the air was thick with a humid, sultry heat, and a unique scent that was a mixture of the smell of the sea and the hustle and bustle of the city.

It instantly transports you from the romantic charm of the Mediterranean to this bustling, sleepless city in the Far East!

The flight announcements alternated between Cantonese, English, and Mandarin to broadcast arrival information!

The arrival hall was bustling with people: those picking up relatives and friends, taxi drivers soliciting passengers, hotel staff holding up signs, and travelers in a hurry, creating a noisy scene of everyday life.

Fu Qi, the general manager of Great Wall Film Company, was wearing a well-fitting gray suit. His sparse hair was neatly combed. He kept raising his hand to check his watch and anxiously looking towards the passenger arrival gate.

He was accompanied by two ordinary-looking but sharp-eyed and lean young men, who served as his assistants and bodyguards.

Fu Qi and Shi Hui returned from Cannes two days early to arrange airport pickup and other follow-up matters.

At this moment, the expression on his face was far less relaxed than it had been in Cannes!
"Boss, why haven't we seen Cheng Sheng and the others come out?" a bodyguard whispered, his eyes scanning the surging crowd around him warily.

Fu Qi frowned, grunted in response, and said nothing.
His gaze passed over the crowd of people waiting to pick up passengers and landed on the glass curtain wall outside the airport terminal.

It seemed noisier than usual there, and you could vaguely see many people carrying cameras and recording equipment, craning their necks to look inside.

Some people were holding signs that read "Cheng Xuemin," "Redemption," and "Golden Palm."
They were reporters, and quite a few of them!

Fu Qi's heart sank!
He deliberately chose the relatively off-peak time of evening and tried to keep his itinerary secret, but the news still leaked out.

Or rather, Cheng Xuemin's current influence has led the ubiquitous paparazzi and media in Hong Kong to treat the airport as a news front that they must stake out!

"Qiang, go outside and check the situation. Why are there so many reporters?" Fu Qi instructed another bodyguard, his tone somewhat grave.

The bodyguard named Qiang nodded, quickly pushed through the crowd, and headed towards the exit!

A few minutes later, A-Qiang returned with a grim expression. He leaned close to Fu Qi's ear and whispered quickly, "Boss, something's wrong!"

"There are many reporters outside, not just from the entertainment section, but also from the finance and current affairs sections, hundreds of them, and there are also TV station interview vans!"

“I heard someone say that someone got wind of it, that Mr. Cheng will be in Hong Kong today, and that…”

Ah-Qiang paused for a moment, then lowered his voice even further, "I saw a few unfamiliar faces, they didn't seem like reporters, their walk and eyes were off, I suspect they're from Japan, or... other gangs!"

Fu Qi's heart clenched, and his face instantly turned ugly.

His worst fears have come true!

Cheng Xuemin made such a big fuss in Cannes that the lure of four hundred million US dollars was enough to drive anyone crazy, including those desperate criminals!

Will the Japanese, having lost such a large sum of money, become enraged and resort to underhanded tactics?
Hong Kong is a melting pot of all sorts of people; if someone were to take such a risk, the consequences would be unimaginable!

"Are you sure?" Fu Qi stared at A Qiang.

"I'm 70% sure! I've seen one of them wearing gold-rimmed glasses on Portland Street; he's had contact with people from Wo Shing!" Ah Keung said with certainty.

Fu Qi's brows furrowed into a knot!
Without further hesitation, he quickly told his two bodyguards, "You two stay here and keep watch, I'm going to make a phone call!"

He turned around, hurried through the crowd, and came to the relatively quiet airport public phone area. He inserted coins and dialed a number he knew by heart but rarely used.

The phone was answered after a few rings, and a steady male voice with a heavy Cantonese accent came from the other end: "Who is this?"

"It's me, Fu Qi." Fu Qi spoke quickly and in a low voice, "Cheng Sheng's plane has arrived, but the situation outside the airport is complicated. There are too many reporters, and I suspect there are Japanese gangs infiltrating the area. I'm afraid there might be danger!"

There was a two or three-second silence on the other end of the phone, then the steady voice sounded again, the tone not much different, but the speed of speech noticeably faster: "Exact location? How many people are there?"

"Kai Tak Airport, outside International Arrivals Gate A. There are at least two hundred reporters there, and my men have spotted at least a dozen suspicious individuals, possibly connected to local triads!"

"I only brought two young men with me, I'm afraid they won't be able to keep things under control!" Fu Qi quickly reported.

"Understood! Try your best to stall Cheng Sheng and don't let him leave the gate immediately. I'll send someone over right away; they should be there in fifteen or twenty minutes at the latest!"

"Remember, safety first. If necessary, contact the airport police!"

"Understood!" Fu Qi breathed a slight sigh of relief and hung up the phone.

He wiped away non-existent cold sweat from his forehead, steadied himself, and turned to walk back quickly.

He had to find a way to delay them before Cheng Xuemin and the others came out, or at least prepare for the worst.

However, when he hurried back to the arrival gate, he saw Ah Qiang frantically gesturing to him, his finger anxiously pointing into the passenger passage.

Fu Qi's heart skipped a beat, and he looked in the direction A-Qiang pointed.

At the entrance of the passageway, passengers began to emerge one after another!

Among the crowd, a few figures stood out.

……

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