The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 18 Not biological?
The Zhou family is quite shrewd; they also want his job.

The formal system for inheriting work positions will not be formally documented and a clear policy will be established for several years, but there are already many cases of work position inheritance.

It is precisely because there have been too many cases of employees inheriting their work positions in recent years that a clear policy for employees' children to take over their positions will be introduced a few years later.

For an old woman from the countryside like Mrs. Zhou to utter such words, Zhou Zhiqiang would never believe it if he were beaten to death.

After a cold laugh, Zhou Zhiqiang said to the Zhou family, "You've been eyeing my job for a while now, but dreams are just dreams."

I'm going to ask you one question now: are you going to divide this family property or not? If you divide it, you'll each get five yuan a month; if you don't, you won't get a single penny.

"You ungrateful brat, you're dreaming! There's no way we'll split up the family. If you don't give me the money, my whole family will sue you!"

Tian Danu shouted in a shrill voice, her tone exactly the same as that of Old Mrs. Zhou, truly befitting a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

“Go ahead and sue me. Changping County won’t interfere. I suggest you go to Sijiu City or Zhonghai to sue me.”

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he turned to the village chief and the other people who had been invited to witness the division of the family property and said, "Since they are unwilling to divide the family property, then let's call it a day. You've all made a wasted trip, village chief, old man Gao, uncle Liu."

The others exchanged bewildered glances. They hadn't even said anything when they arrived, and they'd already seen Zhou Zhiqiang and Zhou Yongliang arguing.

Judging from this situation, there is really no affection left between the two sides. I don't know how this family has managed to live like this.

If they had a college student in their family, or even just a vocational school or high school student, they would definitely work together to make a good life for themselves.

The Zhou family is a complicated story.

If it were someone else, they would definitely try to persuade them that living a good life is the most important thing right now, and that being together as a family is better than anything else.

But the Zhou family used to brag a lot in the village. This old man, Zhou Liumu, and his wife had conflicts with many other families in the village because of their boasting.

Seeing the Zhou family in this state, they couldn't help but feel a mixture of joy and resentment, like those who have it all are laughing at those who don't.

However, for the sake of appearances, since they had been invited, they still had to say what needed to be said.

"Zhiqiang, there's no need to make such a big deal out of this."

"Yes, the whole family should sit down and have a good talk. What are the unspoken issues?"

"That's right, you're family after all. It's really not right to make such a fuss over such a small matter. Liu Mu, Yong Liang, you should also make a statement. Do you really want to argue with your own family like this?"

"That's right. If you ask me, the fight over splitting up happened because you got really worked up. Why don't you two calm down a bit?"

After hearing others offer a way out, Zhou Yongliang also spoke up, saying, "As long as Zhou Zhiqiang admits his mistake, apologizes to us, and promises to give his family twenty-five yuan every month, then we won't go to the city to sue him."

Zhou Wangzu shouted, "Dad, he's going to give me the bicycle again!"

Tian Danu chimed in, "Yes, leave the bicycle at home."

"Ah"

Zhou Zhiqiang pointed at Zhou Yongliang and his gang to the village chief, then, too lazy to waste any more words with them, said, "You won't get a single penny from now on, village chief. I'm leaving now. I'll come back to see you when I have time."

"You ungrateful brat, don't even think about it!"

When Zhou Yongliang saw Zhou Zhiqiang about to push the cart away, he immediately rushed forward and tried to grab Zhou Zhiqiang.

However, Zhou Zhiqiang reacted even faster. He was now clear-headed and had a sixth sense. He dodged Zhou Yongliang's hand by turning to the side, and then grabbed Zhou Yongliang's neck with his other hand.

Zhou Zhiqiang pulled Zhou Yongliang to his side and coldly asked in a low voice, "Where exactly did you pick up this child from?" "You... what nonsense are you talking about!?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yongliang was startled, and then immediately shouted angrily.

However, Zhou Zhiqiang kept a close eye on Zhou Yongliang, and he immediately noticed something was off about him.

There are indeed some problems.

After releasing Zhou Yongliang, Zhou Zhiqiang said a few words and prepared to leave: "Go ahead and make trouble if you want, let's see what you can do."

He is about to achieve a new production process for alloy steel, and he is afraid that Zhou Yongliang's family will cause trouble.

Even if they really went to Beijing to cause trouble, the worst outcome for Zhou Zhiqiang would be that he would be transferred to another factory or simply quit.

He's not currently prohibited from going to Hong Kong Island; at worst, he can just run off there. The only question is whether his wife, Guo Yuting, will go with him.

It would be difficult to get his wife to leave everything and go with Zhou Zhiqiang, since his parents-in-law were in the country.

However, this is the worst option. Hong Kong Island is also chaotic, and its security is not as good as that of the old city.

"Zhiqiang, wait a minute, Zhiqiang."

As Zhou Zhiqiang was pushing his cart out of the yard, the village chief stopped him, then dismissed the surrounding people and whispered to Zhou Zhiqiang...
"Zhiqiang, I know you don't care, but you're delicate. There's no need to go this far, especially since you're family."

"Village chief, we are not a family, or at least there is a high probability that we are not."

Zhou Zhiqiang interrupted, saying, "I just whispered to Zhou Yongliang where he found me, and his eyes looked a little strange after I heard that. But I have no proof."

"how come."

Upon hearing this, the village chief looked shocked. After regaining his composure, he said again, "Zhiqiang, even if you don't think so, Zhou Yongliang and the others raised you from childhood. In other people's eyes, you are family."

You finally got into university, got a job in the city, and you just got married. If this kind of thing becomes the talk of the town, you'll be the one who suffers the most!

"But as you saw, village chief, they didn't agree to my request. They're just greedy; they won't even accept five yuan."

"You want me to give them twenty-five a month? Who can do that? Am I supposed to starve in the city? I'd starve before I found a job, and I'd starve after I found one. What's the point of having this job then?"

Zhou Zhiqiang's words left the village chief speechless. In his opinion, Zhou Liumu, his wife, and Tian Daniu were all too greedy.

Twenty-five yuan a month?

It's only two or three hundred yuan a year. It would take three or five strong laborers in the village six or seven years to save up. And that would only be if the weather was good and there was a good harvest every year.

“Zhiqiang, I’ll go and try to persuade them again. You finally got into university, and now you should serve your country. You shouldn’t ruin yourself over something like this.”

The village chief could only patiently persuade him, "Teacher Wu doesn't want you to be like this either, and neither does your wife. Didn't you say your father-in-law is also your university professor? They don't want to see you like this either."

After listening, Zhou Zhiqiang thought for a while before saying to the village chief, "Village chief, why don't you give it a try? But I feel like they probably won't listen to you."

"Don't worry, Zhiqiang. If they are truly beyond saving, then I won't say anything more."

The village chief breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Zhou Zhiqiang agree.

He was worried that the only college student in Hongqi Township might run into trouble. As for the Zhou family, the rest of the Zhou family were not well-liked in Hongqi Village, and few people liked them.

(End of this chapter)