Siheyuan: I have a multi-dimensional chat group!

In the minds of their older generation, renting a house is never as comfortable as living in your own house.

Zhou Bingkun was at work that day when the new editor came over: "Bingkun, take a look at this article and see if it can be used in our next issue of the magazine."

Because one person left the magazine's editorial department, they hired another person.

Zhou Bingkun took the article and said to the new editor, "Leave it here, I'll take a look at it later."

"Okay, then I'll go out first."

Watching the new editor leave, Zhou Bingkun rubbed his temples.

Since Shao Jingwen went on a business trip, he has been taking on the work of two people all by himself.

I'm not tired, but reading articles and writing reports all day long can be boring and tedious.

Jingle Bell!

Just then, the landline on the table rang!

Zhou Bingkun picked up the phone: "Hello, this is Red Gear magazine."

Then the security guard told Zhou Bingkun over the phone that someone was looking for him.

Zhou Bingkun put down the phone and prepared to go to the door to see who was looking for him.

Zhou Bingkun arrived outside the publishing house and saw an old-fashioned car parked there.

A middle-aged woman wearing a cotton-padded coat stood in front of the car, as if waiting for someone.

Zhou Bingkun recognized her at a glance; she was Qu Xiuzhen, Ma Shouchang's wife.

Of course, Zhou Bingkun still had to pretend that he didn't know who she was.

As soon as Zhou Bingkun approached, Qu Xiuzhen spoke first: "Zhou Bingkun?"

Qu Xiuzhen smiled and said, "Comrade Zhou Bingkun, hello, I am Qu Xiuzhen, and I work at the soy sauce factory."

"Hello, hello!" Zhou Bingkun shook hands with Qu Xiuzhen very politely. "May I ask what brings you here?"

Qu Xiuzhen explained with a smile, "Comrade Zhou Bingkun, the reason I came to see you today is actually to thank you. Do you remember the old man you helped at the public bathhouse a while ago?"

"I remember, I remember, it was that old man named Ma Shouchang, right?"

Qu Xiuzhen nodded: "Yes, it's him! Ma Shouchang is my husband. He couldn't come today because of his leg problems. But he insisted that I invite you to our house today!"

"So, Comrade Zhou Bingkun, are you free tonight?"

Zhou Bingkun declined, saying, "Aunt Qu, I was just helping out with a small favor, you don't need to do this."

“Comrade Zhou Bingkun, it’s just a small favor for you, but it’s a huge help to us. We should thank you!” Qu Xiuzhen insisted. “Your publishing house is about to close for the day, right? I’ll wait for you here.”

"This..." Zhou Bingkun was still a little embarrassed.

Qu Xiuzhen said clearly, "Don't say anything more, it's settled then. You go to work first, we'll wait for you here."

Seeing Qu Xiuzhen's unyielding attitude, Zhou Bingkun nodded and said, "Alright then, Aunt Qu, I'll go arrange some work first. Please wait for me a moment."

"It's okay, don't worry."

Zhou Bingkun didn't keep Qu Xiuzhen waiting for long; he came out in less than half an hour.

Zhou Bingkun said to Qu Xiuzhen, "Aunt Qu, why don't you tell me the address, and I'll ride my bike there myself?"

"No need, just leave your bicycle here. I'll have the driver bring it back later. It's no trouble at all," Qu Xiuzhen said with a smile.

"Well... alright then." Zhou Bingkun nodded and sat in the back seat of the car with Qu Xiuzhen.

This wasn't the first time he'd ridden in a car; he'd ridden in one before when he went out with publishing house executives.

Moreover, the group members are of much higher status than Qu Xiuzhen and her husband, and Zhou Bingkun still chats and laughs with them.

Therefore, Zhou Bingkun did not appear reserved in front of Qu Xiuzhen.

Qu Xiuzhen had been observing Zhou Bingkun. She noticed that after the young man got on the bus, he was very calm and did not look around curiously like other young people.

She had been a leading cadre for many years and still possessed a commanding presence, but Zhou Bingkun remained completely unaffected, composed and unperturbed.

This made her look at him with new respect.

Qu Xiuzhen smiled and said to Zhou Bingkun, "Bingkun, is it alright if I call you that?"

"Of course, no problem. You're my elder, you can call me whatever you want."

Qu Xiuzhen said with a smile, "I heard from Old Ma that you are a very warm-hearted young man, and it seems that you also know a little about medicine. You were able to tell that Old Ma had a bone fracture and you can even relieve Old Ma's pain?"

"Aunt Qu, it's like this, I personally like medicine, I've read some medical books and taught myself a little bit, so I know a little about it!"

Seeing Zhou Bingkun's humble demeanor, Qu Xiuzhen smiled and said, "I think it's more than just a little! Besides, there are quite a few young men in our factory who are afraid of me as soon as they see me. You are much better than them."

"They are afraid of you because you are their leader. I am different from them."

Hearing Zhou Bingkun's words, Qu Xiuzhen said happily, "What you said makes some sense. You are a very clever young man."

In her eyes, Zhou Bingkun was younger than her son, but his demeanor was no less impressive.

They are much better than the young people in their soy sauce factory.

The car drove steadily on the road, and after about ten minutes, it arrived at a group of buildings that looked somewhat historic.

Finally, it stopped in front of a very grand-looking mansion.

After the car stopped, Qu Xiuzhen said to Zhou Bingkun, "Bingkun, we've arrived. Get out of the car."

Zhou Bingkun got out of the car and looked at the building in front of him with a hint of envy in his eyes.

The houses here are much better than the one he was renting.

However, he also knew that he couldn't rent a house here even if he wanted to.

This is a place where only cadres and leaders can reside temporarily.

People who aren't qualified enough have no right to live here.

Chapter 120, Cao Debao and Lü Chuan! (Please subscribe!)

Qu Xiuzhen gave the driver a few instructions, then walked over to Zhou Bingkun and gently patted him on the shoulder: "Let's go, come inside with me."

Following Qu Xiuzhen into the house, Zhou Bingkun changed his shoes and looked around at the things inside.

Although the decor and furniture here seemed quite ordinary to him.

But in this day and age, it's really quite good.

The house is decorated quite tastefully, and the original residents must have been cultured intellectuals who knew how to enjoy life.

Zhou Bingkun had only glanced around the living room a few times when Qu Xiuzhen came over.

Beside her stood a familiar old man, none other than Ma Shouchang.

Ma Shouchang looked at Zhou Bingkun and said happily, "Bingkun."

Zhou Bingkun also said politely, "Uncle Ma, we meet again!"

"Yes, it's great to see you again!" Ma Shouchang said warmly, holding Zhou Bingkun's hand. "Bingkun, I didn't even have a chance to properly thank you for what happened last time! I just got out of the hospital and I sent Lao Qu to find you. I hope I didn't bother you?"

Zhou Bingkun waved his hand: "I'm not disturbing you. It's my honor to come here to see you."

"Come, sit down and let's chat." Ma Shouchang gestured for Zhou Bingkun to sit down. "I enjoy being with young men like you; it makes me feel younger too! Bingkun, since you're here, have a good meal with me!"

Zhou Bingkun smiled and replied, "Then I shall respectfully accept your offer, Uncle Ma."

"We'll have to wait a while for dinner, Lao Ma. You and Bingkun chat for a bit, I'll go check on things," Qu Xiuzhen said at this moment.

“Go ahead, go ahead, I want to have a good chat with Bingkun.” Ma Shouchang said to Zhou Bingkun, “Bingkun, I heard you’re doing quite well at Liaoning Provincial Publishing House! You’re so young and you have such abilities, much better than we were back then.”

Zhou Bingkun humbly replied, "How can I compare to you? You are a national hero, while I am just an ordinary citizen."

"What kind of hero am I! Besides, what's wrong with ordinary people? Ordinary people are the foundation of our country," Ma Shouchang said with a smile.

Ma Shouchang was a man who lived through the war years, and Zhou Bingkun benefited greatly from talking with him.

Before they knew it, the two had been chatting for almost half an hour.

"Bingkun, do you know how to play chess?"

"Uncle Ma, what game do you want to play?"

How about chess?

"sure!"

Ma Shouchang took out a chess set and started playing Chinese chess with Zhou Bingkun.

Since starting work at the magazine, Zhou Bingkun has often played chess with the editors during his breaks, mostly Chinese chess, so his chess skills are quite good.

After a few moves, Zhou Bingkun could tell that Ma Shouchang's chess skills were quite average.

So he put away most of his skills and played slowly with Ma Shouchang.

They played two games, one win and one loss, which gave Ma Shouchang plenty of face.

Having satisfied his chess craving, Ma Shouchang exclaimed happily, "Bingkun, your chess skills are much better than Lao Qu's, you're on par with me! You're impressive, truly impressive!"

What else could Zhou Bingkun say but offer a smile and a compliment?

At this moment, Ma Shouchang suddenly clutched his stomach and said, "Oh dear, my stomach feels a bit off! Bingkun, you sit down first, I'm going to the toilet."

After saying that, he leaned on his cane and hurriedly left.

Zhou Bingkun chuckled. This Ma Shouchang was truly a man of genuine character, not hiding anything even when facing a junior like him.

Not long after Ma Shouchang left, Qu Xiuzhen led two young men into the house.

Looking at the two young men, Zhou Bingkun immediately recognized them as Cao Debao and Lü Chuan.

Zhou Bingkun was quite surprised to meet these two people.

He originally thought that if he didn't go to work at the soy sauce factory, he wouldn't have the chance to meet Cao Debao and Lü Chuan.

Unexpectedly, the world's corrective power was so strong that he still encountered these two people at Ma Shouchang's house.

"Bingkun, dinner's ready!" Qu Xiuzhen said to Zhou Bingkun. "By the way, where's Lao Ma?"

"Uncle Ma's stomach is a little upset, he's gone to the toilet!"

Qu Xiuzhen nodded and said to Zhou Bingkun, "Oh! Bingkun, let's sit down and get ready to eat!"

Zhou Bingkun followed Qu Xiuzhen to the restaurant.

After they sat down, Qu Xiuzhen took the initiative to introduce them: "Bingkun, I thought you might feel a little uncomfortable having dinner with just the two of us, so I found you two people your age!"

"These two are like me, working in a soy sauce factory, and in the toughest and most tiring slag removal workshop. They are both very good young men, you should get to know them."

"This is Lü Chuan, and that is Cao Debao."

Then Qu Xiuzhen introduced Zhou Bingkun to the two men: "Lu Chuan, Debao, this is Zhou Bingkun, my old man's savior. He is now an editor at Liaoning Provincial Publishing House. He is a very cultured and capable young man."

The three greeted each other and got to know each other.

When Lü Chuan looked at Zhou Bingkun, his eyes flashed with a strange light.

He is a studious person, so he also wants to make friends with cultured and capable people.

Zhou Bingkun clearly fits his goal.

After the three got to know each other, Qu Xiuzhen said with a smile, "You young people should communicate more in the future. The future of the country rests on your shoulders."

“Yes, yes, yes.” Zhou Bingkun and the other two nodded repeatedly.

Just then, Ma Shouchang arrived at the restaurant: "Old Qu, why are you being so serious? It's just a family meal, let's talk about something lighthearted!"

After Ma Shouchang sat down, he said to Zhou Bingkun and the other two, "Eat and drink as much as you like, just like you're at home."

Soon, the nanny started serving the dishes.

Qu Xiuzhen also went over to help, and even brought several bottles of good wine.

The dinner party started quickly. Ma Shouchang and Qu Xiuzhen were both eloquent people, and Cao Debao was also a chatterbox, so the dinner table was very lively.

Zhou Bingkun and Lü Chuan spoke reasonably normally, though with some reservations.

But after a few drinks, Cao Debao became a little dizzy and started talking nonsense.

After watching the video, Zhou Bingkun had no good impression of Cao Debao and Lü Chuan.

Cao Debao was lazy and extremely jealous; he couldn't stand seeing others do better or be more outstanding than him.