Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

Zhang Dabiao rolled his eyes at him: "The smaller the bank, the less you should touch it."

"What if it goes bankrupt due to a run on the bank one day? Wouldn't your money be gone for good?"

"Don't ask any questions, just choose HSBC."

Jin Youwu scratched his head. He would just do whatever the boss said.

The wealth in Hong Kong is expanding at a snowball rate, but Zhang Yaoyang knows very well that this money isn't very useful right now. He would like to start an electronics factory, but he doesn't know anything about the industry, doesn't have enough money, and doesn't have the time to manage it. So he can only save it as a trump card for the future and accumulate it slowly for now.

As for the stock market, real estate, and finance, he knows even less about them, so don't mess around.

------------

63 9 Month 15 Day.

This is a big day.

Zhang Dabiao celebrated his twentieth birthday.

This is also the legal minimum age for marriage.

As soon as it was dawn, Zhang Dabiao jumped out of bed.

He hummed an unknown tune as he carried an enamel basin to the yard to fetch water for washing.

The cold water splashed on my face, dispelling the last trace of autumn drowsiness.

Zhang Dabiao specially changed into a newly tailored outfit, looking like a student leader.

Her hair was neatly combed, and even her leather shoes were polished to a shine.

Qin Jingru had been busy in the kitchen for a long time, and came out carrying a large bowl of steaming noodles.

Two round, poached eggs rest on top of the noodles.

He Yushui sat at the table, looking at Zhang Dabiao's energetic appearance, and felt quite uncomfortable.

He Yushui lowered her head and muttered something under her breath.

Happy birthday, Brother Da Biao.

Zhang Dabiao picked up his chopsticks and slurped up the noodles.

"Thank you for your kind words. Once I've taken care of things today, I'll treat you to a big meal tonight."

Qin Jingru clapped her hands happily from the side.

"Yay! Brother Da Biao is finally going to get his marriage certificate with Sister Wan Qing!"

While they were eating, Xu Damao pushed open the door and strolled in.

Xu Damao held a handful of melon seeds in his hand, looking Zhang Dabiao up and down.

"Hey, Da Biao, you're all dressed up today, what are you up to?"

Zhang Dabiao swallowed the noodles in his mouth and glared at him.

"I'm going to the school to get a letter of introduction today."

"I'll go to the Civil Affairs Bureau first thing tomorrow morning to get the marriage certificate."

Xu Damao pursed his lips and spat out the sunflower seed shells.

"Look at you, so smug. You're getting married and you're already wagging your tail like it's on top of the world."

Zhang Dabiao ignored the foul-mouthed guy, shoveled down his noodles in a few bites, wiped his mouth, and stood up.

He pushed the Flying Pigeon bicycle, hopped on, and sped out of the courtyard.

Then Xu Damao, who was behind him, suddenly scratched his head and said, "Although Da Biao and Mu Wanqing are engaged, but..."

"Can college students get married?"

He genuinely had never heard of it.

------------

As the autumn wind blew on his face, Zhang Dabiao felt that even the air was sweet.

He rode directly to the arts and crafts school.

After parking his car downstairs at the office building, Zhang Dabiao rushed upstairs and knocked on Zhou Muye's office door.

Zhou Muye was wearing arm sleeves and leaning over the table revising his drawing.

Zhang Dabiao pulled out a chair, sat down, and tapped on the table.

"Teacher Zhou, are you busy?"

Zhou Muye looked up at him, then put down his paintbrush.

"Da Biao, what brings you back to school today?"

Zhang Dabiao rubbed his hands together and grinned.

"I've turned twenty."

"I've come to get a letter of introduction from you and the department so we can get our marriage certificate."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Muyi's smile froze.

Zhou Muye opened the drawer, rummaged around for a while, and then took out a document with a red header and slammed it on the table.

"You little brat, haven't you been reading the newspaper or listening to the radio?"

Zhang Dabiao was completely bewildered.

"What newspaper or radio?"

Zhou Muye pointed to the title on the document.

"Look carefully, this is a document recently issued by the higher authorities in Henan Province entitled 'Several Regulations on Promoting Late Marriage and Family Planning'."

"It will be rolled out nationwide soon."

Zhang Dabiao took the document and quickly glanced at it.

The document clearly states: We actively encourage late marriage.

It is recommended that men marry around the age of 28 and women around the age of 25.

Zhang Dabiao frowned.

"Promoting late marriage is just that—promoting it. It's not like I'm being forced to get married before I'm twenty."

Zhou Muye sighed, turned to the second page of the document, and pointed to a small paragraph below.

"Look down."

"Starting from January 1964, except for specific personnel, universities, secondary vocational schools and other institutions of higher learning shall not admit married students."

"Students are not allowed to get married while studying."

"If they do not heed the advice, they may be advised to drop out of school or suspend their studies."

Zhang Dabiao stared at the lines of text, his mind going blankly.

Zhang Dabiao suddenly stood up.

"What kind of ridiculous rule is this!"

"When I got engaged, the school didn't interfere, did they?"

Zhou Muye picked up his teacup, took a sip of water, and said helplessly.

"An engagement is an engagement, but it has no legal effect, so the school naturally doesn't care."

"That's because you and Mu Wanqing are dating. You're engaged, so your relationship is perfectly legitimate and aimed at marriage. It's not considered being a scoundrel."

"But marriage is different."

"You're a student now. If you insist on getting married, you'll have to drop out of school."

"Or rather, the policy hasn't been implemented yet, so you can get married first."

"But it's hard to say whether the policy will change next year, or whether they will discourage people from applying."

"You should think about it carefully."

Zhang Dabiao slammed his hand on the table.

"I'll quit if I want. I have enough to eat and drink anyway, so whether I have a degree or not doesn't matter to me."

Zhang Dabiao was really furious. He had been hoping for this for several years, and suddenly he told me that students in school cannot get married.

Where the hell can we go to seek justice?

After the storm, there were still people who went to college with their babies and big bellies. I'm just getting married. What did I do to deserve this?

In later generations—some people even had children while studying!

Zhou Muye's eyes widened, and he pointed at Zhang Dabiao's nose and cursed.

"What nonsense are you spouting, you brat!"

"You've dropped out of school, what about your job prospects?"

"Do you still want your cadre status?"

Zhang Dabiao curled his lip indifferently.

"If you don't want it, then you don't want it."

[I have hundreds of thousands in bank deposits, nearly 100,000 pieces of antiques and paintings, and over a million in Hong Kong. Do you think I need a government official position?]

"I'm a time traveler, what do I care about this stuff!"

Zhou Muye sneered.

"Fine, Zhang Dabiao, you're capable enough not to care about this vocational school diploma."

"What about Mu Wanqing?"

"She's an undergraduate student at the Beijing Art Academy."

"If she drops out of school to marry you, her life will be ruined!"

"With a voice like hers, she won't even be able to get into a performing arts troupe!"

"What are you going to do with her? Can't you think about things from her perspective?"

This statement hit Zhang Dabiao's weak spot.

Zhang Dabiao slumped into his chair like a deflated balloon.

Yes, he could be indifferent, but he couldn't ruin Mu Wanqing's future.

Mu Wanqing loved singing so much that she finally managed to gain a foothold in school with just a few songs.

If I drop out of school now, all my previous efforts will be wasted.

Yes, he could take Mu Wanqing to Hong Kong to start from scratch, but did he ask Mu Wanqing if she was willing?

You can't just think about yourself all the time, right?

Mu Wanqing is more than just an object.

What the hell should we do?