Returning wealthy individuals develop their hometowns and become rich in the 1980s

"Hey, Dad, don't get angry!"

Chen Zaixing hurriedly protected his wine glass, symbolically dodging the blow. Chen Xiangui wasn't really going to hit him; he just couldn't stand the brat's smugness.

"You're just someone who met a ferryman while crossing the river. Let me tell you, without Dongzi backing you brothers up, you wouldn't even be able to get a loan to open this supermarket," Chen Xiangui glared at Chen Zaixing. "Keep your smugness to yourself and don't go around showing off."

"I know, I know. I'm a very humble person and I never show off," Chen Zaixing boasted shamelessly.

"Pah!"

"Dad, have some hygiene! We're still eating!"

"Zaixing, come here," Grandma Wei Shufen suddenly beckoned to Chen Zaixing, who happily ran over and sat down next to her. "Grandma, what's up?"

"You little brat, you have no manners!" Old Mrs. Wei Shufen grabbed Chen Zaixing by the ear and lifted him up. Chen Zaixing cried out, "Grandma, I won't do it again, I won't do it again!"

"Hahaha!"

"Grandma tore off her brother-in-law's ear, braised it, and ate it with rice!"

"Oh, oh, oh, Uncle's pig ears are so delicious with rice!"

The kids immediately started making a ruckus, and all the adults in the room burst into laughter. The meal lasted until after 7 p.m., with the children playing and the adults drinking and chatting. It was fortunate that the Linhe Power Plant provided electricity, otherwise they would have had to use oil lamps, and they would have been scolded by old lady Wei Shufen for being wasteful.

After everyone finished eating, the men went to the lobby to relax and drink tea, while the women cleared the table. Lin Ruiqing was preoccupied with her own thoughts as she cleared the table, glancing towards the lobby every now and then to see if her mother-in-law, Huang Lanzhi, had gone into her room so she could go and talk to her about the supermarket.

In the lobby, the five brothers were chatting happily. Because Chen Zaiguang hadn't invested in the supermarket, he couldn't join in the conversation as the other four talked about it. He could only silently smoke and make tea, occasionally inviting the other four brothers to drink tea.

"Dad, I'm thinking that once the supermarket distributes its profits, I'll have plenty of money on hand. So I'm thinking of seeing if I can apply for a piece of land from the brigade. Hehe, I plan to build a Western-style building just like Dongzi's," Chen Zaixing put down his teacup and looked at his father, Chen Xiangui.

"What, you've grown wings and want to separate and live on your own?" Chen Xiangui fiddled with the Shanghai-plated watch Chen Dong had given him, without even looking up, and shut Chen Zaixing down with just one sentence.

"And you two, are you also planning to go out and build your own mansions, live your own little lives, and find your father and mother in the way?"

The other brothers dared not respond to Chen Xiangui's words, but Chen Zaixing quickly said, "Father, you are the pillar of our family. How could we find you a hindrance? Without you at home, even meals are tasteless!"

"I'm pickled mustard greens, or preserved radish! Without me, your meals would be tasteless!"

As soon as Chen Xiangui uttered those words, Chen Zaixing burst out laughing, "Dad, you're even more sarcastic than me!"

Chen Zaisheng and Chen Zailong both lowered their heads, suppressing their laughter. Chen Xiangui was about to take off his shoes to beat up Chen Zaixing, that brat, when Huang Lanzhi quickly stopped him and said to her husband, "Xiangui, our grandchildren are all growing up quickly. Our ancestral home is indeed too small."

"Yes, Dad, look at my second brother's Rongyuan. He's fifteen this year, and in a few years he'll be almost eighteen. He'll be old enough to marry you off. We can't leave them without a place to live after their wedding," Chen Zaixing said. "My eldest brother's Rongfei and Rongjie, although they're studying in the county town now, they can't just come back to live there every time they come home for the New Year!"

"Dad, there are too many people and we can't fit everyone in here. I've discussed it with my second, third, and fourth brothers, and we've built a new building. We'll invite you two to take turns staying with us then," Chen Zaixing said, glancing at his other brothers and gesturing to them with his chin.

You guys should at least speak up for me! You're just letting me carry the explosives and charge right into the old man's gun barrel!

So I'm the only one who's going to die!

"No!"

Chen Xiangui didn't say whether it was good or bad, but it was Old Madam Wei Shufen, leaning on her cane, who spoke up, "You all have no manners, so eager to go out and live alone?"

Huang Lanzhi whispered to her mother-in-law, Wei Shufen, "Mother, the children are growing up, it's not good to always keep them by your side..."

"Is this something to be kept under wraps? Like brothers fighting a tiger, like fathers and sons going to war," Old Mrs. Wei Shufen slammed her foot on the ground. "We're the eldest branch of the family, the clansmen are all watching us. You've made money, and now you're thinking of showing off? What will the other clansmen think!"

"You can't just make money and then not spend it... right?"

"You've made a lot of money? Give it to me, I'll keep it safe for you," Old Mrs. Wei Shufen glared at Chen Zaixing. "You bunch of kids, your wings haven't even hardened yet, and you're already thinking about flying!"

"The government is advocating reforms, but that doesn't mean you can live a lavish lifestyle. You have a little spare money, and you're all thinking about how to spend it. I tell you not to be ostentatious, but you just let it go in one ear and out the other!"

The brothers lowered their heads and remained silent after being scolded by Old Madam Wei Shufen. Old Madam Wei Shufen looked at Chen Zaiguang, "Zaiguang, you are the eldest brother, tell me, should we build this house now?"

"We shouldn't! Our Chen family is too prominent right now. If we build another Western-style house, I'm afraid we'll only bring more trouble," Chen Zaiguang understood his grandmother's concerns.

"It's not that I don't want you to build, but you're all too impatient right now. You know better than this old woman, I, what kind of life you lived before Zai Dong came," said Old Lady Wei Shufen, looking at the group. "You also know the situation of the villagers."

"A tall tree catches the wind, and the protruding rafter is the first to rot!"

The daughters-in-law who were clearing away the dishes outside also stopped moving quietly, listening to the conversation in the main hall. When they heard that Old Madam Wei Shufen was against it, Wu Fangru pouted and muttered softly, "What's there to be afraid of? It's not like our family can't afford to build a Western-style house. If we have money but can't build it, then what's the point of earning that money!"

"Say less, or your grandmother will scold you if she hears you," Ma Jiao shook her head and walked to the tap with her bowl in her hand.

"Grandma, when are we supposed to build this Western-style house?"

Grandma Wei Shufen said, "Everyone else in the village can build first, but the people from our third branch of the family can't, including your second and third uncles. If they get cocky, I'll go over and give them a good scolding!"

"If no one in the village builds it, then we'll have to stay stuck in this ancestral house forever," Chen Zaixing said indignantly.

"What, you think the ancestral home is too cramped? Is there no bed for you to sleep in?"

"Grandma, calm down," Chen Zaisheng also came to his senses and realized that the Chen family really couldn't be the first to build this Western-style house, so he hurriedly comforted the old lady.

When he was young, he was the only college student in the whole village. Back then, the Chen family was very prestigious. People in the village praised him for his success on the surface, but behind his back, they were saying all sorts of sarcastic things!

There are plenty of people in the world who can't stand to see you doing well!