Nominal: Intercepting Zhong Xiaoai, Dominating Handong

In the living room, the father, Gu Yun, was reading the newspaper while wearing his reading glasses, and the mother, Ling Fei, was knitting a small sweater—for her soon-to-be-born grandson.

"Dad, Mom, I'm home." Gu Mingyuan changed into slippers.

"Have you eaten? I've left some soup in the pot for you." Ling Fei put down her knitting needles.

"I ate at work." Gu Mingyuan poured himself a glass of water and sat down on the sofa.

"Where's Xiao Ai?"

"She's inside reading, saying she's waiting for you to come back."

Gu Mingyuan got up and went into the bedroom. Zhong Xiaoai was leaning against the headboard reading a parenting book. The dim light from the table lamp illuminated her gentle profile.

"You're back." Zhong Xiaoai looked up, her eyes crinkling with joy.

Gu Mingyuan walked over and gently stroked his wife's slightly protruding belly: "How are you feeling today? Has the little one been fussy?"

"I'm okay, just a little nauseous this afternoon." Zhong Xiaoai held his hand. "How about you? How's your first day as deputy director going?"

"It's alright, just a lot of things to do." Gu Mingyuan sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I held three meetings, approved more than a dozen documents, and answered dozens of phone calls."

"Take care of yourself, don't overwork yourself," Zhong Xiaoai said with concern.

"I know." Gu Mingyuan smiled and squeezed her hand. "By the way, your dad called this afternoon."

"My dad?" Zhong Xiaoai sat up straighter. "What did he say?"

"They asked about our situation here, and were especially concerned about your health," Gu Mingyuan said.

"I was overjoyed when I found out you were pregnant. I said I must come to Beijing to stay for a while when you have time."

A tender look appeared in Zhong Xiaoai's eyes: "That's how my dad is. He doesn't say it, but he's always thinking about it."

Just then, the phone in the living room rang again.

Gu Mingyuan got up to answer the phone, and Zhong Zhengguo's steady and gentle voice came through the receiver: "Mingyuan, you haven't rested yet, have you?"

"Dad, not yet. Is there something you need calling so late?" Gu Mingyuan was a little surprised, as his father-in-law rarely called at night.

"Nothing much, I was just talking about you with an old comrade and thought I'd give you a call to ask." Zhong Zhengguo's voice was tinged with amusement.

"I heard you got promoted to deputy director?"

Gu Mingyuan felt a warmth in his heart: "Yes, Dad, the documents just came down."

"Okay, okay," Zhong Zhengguo said twice.

"A deputy director at twenty-five is outstanding even nationwide. But Mingyuan, Dad has to remind you—"

His tone became more serious: "It's good to rise quickly in rank, but you must have a solid foundation. The officialdom is like climbing a mountain; the higher you go, the stronger the wind and the more dangerous the path. Every step must be taken with firm footing, and you can't be complacent."

"Dad, I understand," Gu Mingyuan said respectfully.

"Secretary Pei taught me the same thing."

"Comrade Yihong is a good leader. You should learn from him." Zhong Zhengguo paused.

"But Mingyuan, there's something I have to say first—I'm happy for you that you're doing well in Pingzhou."

"Your path is up to you to walk steadily and correctly."

"I initially wanted you to go directly to a ministry, but it's clear you're better off on your own!"

These words were spoken bluntly, but Gu Mingyuan understood his father-in-law's good intentions.

He said solemnly, "Dad, don't worry. I never thought about relying on connections when I chose this path. I want to rely on my own abilities to achieve real results."

"Good, that's ambitious!" Zhong Zhengguo smiled with satisfaction.

"That's my good son-in-law. By the way, how's Xiao Ai's health? Is her morning sickness still bad?"

"She's much better. After my mom came to take care of her, she looked much better."

"Thank you for your hard work, Mother-in-law," Zhong Zhengguo said.

"When Xiao Ai is about to give birth, your mother and I will definitely come over."

"But Mingyuan, no matter how busy you are with work, you should spend more time with Xiao Ai. A harmonious family and a stable home front will allow you to focus wholeheartedly on your work."

"Yes, Dad, I understand."

After hanging up the phone, Gu Mingyuan was filled with mixed emotions.

Although his father-in-law held a high position, he always cared for his son-in-law but was also strict with him, placing high hopes on him while being unwilling to interfere too much.

This sense of propriety is precisely the demeanor of the older generation.

Back in the bedroom, Zhong Xiaoai asked, "What did my dad say?"

"He reminded me to be down-to-earth and said that my approach is correct," Gu Mingyuan said with a smile.

Zhong Xiaoai laughed too: "That's how my dad is, he says the same thing to my brother-in-law."

"But Mingyuan, I believe in you. You don't need to rely on anyone; you can go very far."

Gu Mingyuan held his wife's hand, his heart filled with boundless tenderness.

He was so fortunate to have such a reasonable father-in-law and such a virtuous and considerate wife.

In late August, the airport project entered a phase of substantial progress.

With the land acquisition and demolition work in full swing, Gu Mingyuan had to make one or two trips to the site almost every week.

That morning, he brought several colleagues from the municipal government office and the demolition command center to Dawan Village in Longkou District.

The village has already put up a banner that reads "Support the airport construction and create a better future together," but the atmosphere is still somewhat tense.

In the courtyard of the village committee, dozens of villagers sat together, their emotions running high.

"Director Gu, look, these are the households." The deputy head of Longkou District introduced in a low voice.

"They've all read the compensation plan, but they refuse to sign it. They say the resettlement housing they're offered is in a remote location with nothing around."

Gu Mingyuan nodded and walked among the villagers.

He didn't sit on the platform, but instead found a small stool and sat with the villagers.

"Fellow villagers, I am Gu Mingyuan from the Municipal Government Office. I am here today to hear your honest thoughts." His voice was calm and sincere.

An elderly man with gray hair spoke first: "Leader Gu, it's not that we don't support national development. But we've lived here for generations, and it's hard to leave suddenly. Besides, I've seen the resettlement site; it's all wasteland around, not even a small shop. It's inconvenient for us old folks to buy anything."

"Yes, my son works in the city, and he said it won't be convenient for him to come back and visit us in the future," an older woman chimed in.

Gu Mingyuan listened attentively, occasionally taking notes in his notebook.

After everyone had finished speaking, he finally said, "I understand what you all have to say. It's only natural to be reluctant to leave one's homeland. It's also true that the resettlement facilities are not perfect. However, I would like to ask everyone to consider this from a different perspective—"

He stood up and pointed to the distant, faintly visible mountains: "The airport is built here, but it's not just an airport."

"It will bring logistics, people, and capital. In the next three years, logistics parks, business districts, and residential areas will be planned and built around the airport."

"The government has made detailed plans, and the location of the resettlement site will be the center of the new town in the future."

He took out a planning map from his bag and spread it out for everyone to see: "Look, this plan includes a primary school, a health center, a farmers' market, a bus hub... These are not just empty words, they have been included in the key projects of the municipal government."