1994: Starting with unpaid leave

"this……"

Zhang Jinlong's expression was rather unpleasant.

When a younger generation visits their elders' home, especially their parents-in-law, it is customary to bring some gifts.

He simply doesn't have any money right now.

It’s different in the past.

The once proud No. 1 Machine Tool Factory in Heicheng is now completely finished.

Most of the production workshops were shut down, and workers were ordered to go home and wait for their shifts.

Their security department no longer had anyone to protect. Apart from a few people with strong connections who could stay and watch the factory, everyone else, like them, went home to wait for further notice.

In addition, the couple spends a lot of money to maintain a decent standard of living, and their savings will be depleted by the end of this month.

I really don't have any money to buy my parents-in-law any gifts right now...

For a moment, Zhang Jinlong was frozen in place by Dong Jianguo's words, unable to advance or retreat.

Fortunately, his wife was smart enough to turn the tables and get him out of trouble at the crucial moment:

"Alcohol isn't anything good, what's so great about it? Your brother-in-law has quit drinking, I'll try to persuade Dad to quit too."

"Let's go, stop standing around, let's get upstairs!"

After saying that, the second sister turned around and headed upstairs without looking back.

Zhang Jinlong gave Dong Jianguo an awkward smile and hurriedly followed his wife without looking back.

Dong Jianguo chuckled as he watched their retreating figures, unconcerned, and helped Xiuyun up as well.

When the door opened, it was Zhou Yuejin, the father-in-law, who opened it for the four of them.

When Zhou Yuejin saw his second daughter and son-in-law walk in first, he was taken aback:

"Oh, what brings you all here?"

Zhou Xiuqing interrupted, saying:

"It's all because of Jinlong. He heard that Mom wasn't feeling well, so he insisted that I take a day off and come with him to see... How is Mom?"

"What else can it be? It's an old problem, high blood pressure. It's much better after taking medicine, but she's still a little confused and is resting in the inner room."

Zhou Yuejin raised his hand and pointed to the inner room, his gaze sweeping over his second son-in-law, whose hands were empty, and simply nodded.

Zhou Xiuqing smiled and said, "Dad, you and Jinlong chat. I'll go in and check on Mom first."

"Go."

Zhou Yuejin gave a greeting, then turned his gaze to Dong Jianguo, who was walking at the back.

Now, the more he looks at Dong Jianguo, the more he likes him.

He became noticeably more enthusiastic when he saw that he was carrying two bags.

"Xiao Dong, look at you! Why are you buying so much stuff again... Xiuyun bought a lot yesterday, and now you're buying even more! The house is almost overflowing!"

"Dad, it's nothing. I was just thinking that Mom wasn't feeling well and couldn't cook. I bought some ready-made food so we could all eat together. Coincidentally, I ran into my second sister and brother-in-law when I went upstairs after buying the groceries."

Zhou Yuejin took the bag, weighed it in his hand, and nodded after feeling its heavy weight.

"Oh, you're such a filial child... If your second sister and brother-in-law hadn't come, we could have had enough to eat for several meals..."

Zhang Jinlong, who had already changed his shoes and entered the house, knew that his father-in-law was talking to him, and his face twitched involuntarily.

But since they came empty-handed, they didn't have much confidence to get angry.

Xiuyun was worried that her second brother-in-law would lose face, so she quickly changed the subject:

"Dad, has dinner been cooked? If not, I'll cook it..."

"No need, it's already cooked, just serve it up and it's ready to eat. But what about you? How did your checkup go? Did the doctor say anything?"

"Everything is fine, the child is healthy."

Xiuyun reached out and touched her lower abdomen, replying with a smile.

"That's good... Did the doctor tell you whether it's a boy or a girl?"

"No, doctors don't allow us to talk about it anymore..."

"Is that so... they take the money but don't do anything! What kind of world is this!"

Zhou Yuejin snorted in dissatisfaction.

In the past, he would have thought that it didn't matter whether his daughter Xiuyun had a boy or a girl, there was no difference.

But now the third son-in-law, Dong Jianguo, has completely risen to prominence.

According to Xiuyun, things have changed from the small-scale egg trading business to a large-scale operation with its own food factory, and she has now become the factory manager.

Not only that, the family also moved from a bungalow to an apartment building, specifically the Xijuzhai residential complex, which was recently criticized by the Hecheng TV station.

Even when picking up their daughter for prenatal checkups, the factory's bread truck provided transportation.

After the two left this morning, many neighbors asked Dong Jianguo about the red van...

This gave him a small moment of fame.

People live for face, just as trees live for bark. These three sons-in-law have really made themselves proud!

If only my daughter could give Jian Guo a big, healthy son...

Wouldn't that make your face even brighter?!

But if he has a daughter, then all the wealth that Dong Jianguo will accumulate in the future... won't it all go to someone else?

Zhang Jinlong, who was standing next to him, saw through his father-in-law's thoughts at a glance and flattered him with a smile: "Dad, don't worry, Jianguo and Xiuyun are definitely the right couple. I think their first child will definitely be a son."

After being comforted by his second son-in-law, Zhou Yuejin felt a little better.

Xiuyun went into the kitchen to serve rice, and Dong Jianguo followed to help.

Seeing his second sister chatting with his mother-in-law in the inner room, while his brother-in-law accompanied his father-in-law out for a smoke, Dong Jianguo poked Xiuyun's lower back:

"Xiuyun, do you know why your second sister came today?"

"Hey, stop messing around." Xiuyun twisted her body.

Although Xiuyun was pregnant, she had a unique charm.

"I'm not some kind of fortune teller, how would I know what they're here for?"

Dong Jianguo smiled mysteriously:

"You don't know how, but I do. Want me to calculate it for you?"

"you?"

Xiuyun looked at her man with curiosity, her face full of suspicion.

Dong Jianguo nodded: "It should be a loan!"

"Bullshit!"

"Even if they were to borrow money, they would borrow from us. How much money could Mom and Dad possibly have?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Xiuyun noticed that Dong Jianguo was looking at her with a smile.

She thought for a moment and instantly realized that Jianguo thought that his second sister and brother-in-law's target was the two of them.

Suddenly, she felt a bit troubled.

She had a bad relationship with her second sister since childhood; they had been fighting since they were little.

But after all, they are sisters. If the second sister's family really encounters difficulties, they can't just stand by and do nothing because of the grudges they accumulated when they were young, can they?

Besides, our family's current situation is not bad. Although the food factory has not yet made a lot of money, the wholesale egg business has never stopped, so overall we are still making money.

Being stingy... that's something she really can't do.

But if I were to borrow, how much should I borrow?

Xiuyun looked at the smiling Dong Jianguo and couldn't make up her mind for a moment.

"Don't just stand there laughing! You're the head of the household, you have to make the decisions!"

"If I said I wouldn't lend it, would you agree?"

Dong Jianguo grinned and picked up a piece of braised meat from the plate, stuffing it into his mouth.

"Huh? Why?!"

Dong Jianguo was only focused on eating meat and didn't explain anything to Xiuyun.

The key is that although he knows the reason, he is afraid that if he says it, his wife will not be able to accept it.

Moreover, when his second brother opened his small shop, he gave him a red envelope containing two thousand yuan.

It's really not right for me to refuse to contribute a single penny when it's Xiuyun's turn to need money...

This is actually a bit tricky...