151: Chapter 151 Mid-Autumn Night

"Shh, you really have the nerve to say that! The military and police belong to the state, and Academician Chu hasn't asked the common people for a single penny. By 'wasting wealth,' are you referring to the fuel costs for the deployed personnel? How interesting—where do you get this idea of 'toiling the people and wasting wealth'?" Minister Wang said, looking at Chu Jingran with a face full of displeasure.

"According to your logic, when officials come down for inspections, it's all just ostentation and waste?"

"This, this is different, isn't it?" Chu Jingran replied in a low voice.

"You mean one is a family visit and the other is work? Heh, if you knew anything about the contributions Academician Chu has made to the country, you wouldn't be saying this. You're simply too ignorant!"

Minister Wang was indeed a bit angry. Although he wasn't strictly part of the military system, he still knew about some of Chu Ge's deeds.

How could he let an insignificant person disparage such a figure?

"Do you think the treatment of an executive in a joint venture is so great? Or do you think you're more capable than Academician Chu? I'm telling you, if Academician Chu wanted to use money to talk, his wealth could crush you to death!"

"What do you mean?" Wu Jun became interested upon hearing this.

"Rumor has it that Academician Chu has a black card with no limit, specially issued by the state. There are only a few in the entire country. Do you know what 'no limit' means? It's truly no limit. If you need a hundred million, the bank has to scramble to prepare a hundred million. It's not like those castrated black cards that cap out at twenty or thirty million."

Minister Wang spoke in a low voice, looking around for fear of being overheard by strangers.

"This... this is the first time I've heard of this. I didn't expect Academician Chu's status to be so special."

"That's why I asked you just now if you had disturbed him. Don't you understand this level of display yet? If you really don't, Old Wu, your years of seniority in the system have been for nothing."

After those words, Wu Jun's face turned pale. The current situation was that he didn't know if his earlier foolishness counted as disturbing Chu Ge.

With that thought, Wu Jun lost interest in continuing the conversation. After greeting Chu Jingran, he left with Minister Wang.

Chu Jingran stood there for a while before turning to walk toward his own home, recalling Minister Wang's words as he went.

"Comrade, please show your identification."

"Oh." Chu Jingran obediently pulled out his ID card. The guard checked it and handed it back, signaling the guard next to him to let him through. Chu Jingran continued upward with mechanical steps, no longer looking at the guards around him, his eyes vacant.

At this moment, he no longer had the sense of superiority he'd felt in the morning. He only wanted to get home quickly, finish the Mid-Autumn Festival, and leave. He didn't want to stay in this county for another moment...

In the living room, Chu Ge's mother was holding Dilireba Nazha's small hand, refusing to let go.

"This girl, the more I look at her, the prettier she gets. She's even more beautiful than the people in those paintings on the wall."

"Mom, the style of the paintings on our wall has already changed. Look, they're all baby photos, and you picked them yourself this year. Did you forget?" Chu Xiaowu said resentfully, unable to stand her mother's overly affectionate gaze.

"I forgot because you didn't mention it. I hung these for your brother to see, hehe, and also for Nazha to see."

Chu Ge's mother was quite frank; her hints had turned into a full-on ultimatum.

"Uh, I'll go see how Dad's cooking is coming along." Chu Ge bolted. What was all this? They hadn't even gotten their marriage certificate and she was already thinking about children.

Dilireba Nazha's face turned as red as an apple. Seeing this, Chu Xiaowu heartlessly picked up an apple and gestured with it toward her, making her even more embarrassed.

"By the way, Xiaowu, I brought you some clothes. They're all tailored to your size. Do you want to try them on?" Dilireba Nazha said, winking at Chu Xiaowu.

"Sure, sure!" Xiaowu took the hint. "Mom, go to the kitchen and watch your precious son. We're going to try on clothes."

With that, the two ran hand-in-hand into the bedroom like partners in crime.

Chu Ge's mother shook her head with a smile. Xiaowu's words had reminded her of something, and after thinking for a moment, she headed for the kitchen.

In the bedroom,

"Sister-in-law, what my mom said isn't without reason. You and my brother should be talking about marriage by now, right?"

Chu Xiaowu spoke while sizing up the clothes. She didn't even need to look at the labels to know that every piece was very expensive; the fabric felt completely different to the touch.

"Your brother is as busy as a president. I'm telling you, it's a real struggle for me just to see him once. If I want to talk about marriage, I have to actually catch the man first. And, and besides, I can't be the one to take the initiative on this!"

Dilireba Nazha replied while helping Xiaowu smooth out the wrinkles in the clothes. By the time she finished, her face, which had just cooled down, was burning again.

"That's true. Sister-in-law, anyway, I've already decided you're my sister-in-law. I'm going to Yanjing for school after the holiday, so I'll be closer to my brother. I'll help you knock some sense into him later. He's tinkering with guns and cannons all day; if he keeps stalling, his wife will run away."

"Get out of here!" Dilireba Nazha tickled Xiaowu.

"Ah! How did you know I'm ticklish there? My brother must have told you. I'm coming for you too!"

"Hahaha..."

"Haha..."

In the bedroom, the two young women began to laugh and play.

In the kitchen, Chu Ge's mother began her offensive.

"Chu Ge, you're not a child anymore. When are you and Nazha planning to give me a big, fat grandson?"

"Mom, where would I find the time right now? Let's wait until I'm done with this busy period, okay? I know what I'm doing." As Chu Ge spoke, he began gesturing to his father for reinforcements.

"Just keep fooling me. I think Nazha is a very good girl. In matters like this, you can't expect a girl to take the initiative. You'd better hurry up. If you lose my daughter-in-law, just you see how I'll deal with you."

"Alright, that's enough of a woman's narrow view. Chu Ge is doing big things right now; how can he afford to be distracted? I believe my son is a responsible man. If he says he knows what he's doing, then he definitely has his own plans, right? Son." After finishing, Chu Ge's father winked at him.

Chu Ge was just about to praise Old Comrade Chu. "However, lifelong events are also very important. A truly great man should be able to manage both his career and his love life."

Chu Ge caught sight of his mother's pinching hand and sighed helplessly. These reinforcements were too unreliable.

Chu Ge's father was a good cook, a talent that Chu Ge didn't seem to have inherited.

At the dinner table, the old couple kept piling food onto Dilireba Nazha's plate. Chu Ge looked at the plate in front of her; it was already stacked like a mountain. Chu Xiaowu watched from the side with her mouth open, envy and jealousy written all over her face.

Chu Ge silently placed a piece of braised pork on Xiaowu's plate. The siblings glanced at each other, feeling a sense of mutual sympathy. Out of sight, out of mind—the two began to lower their heads and shovel down their rice.

Lunch ended in a strange atmosphere.

In the afternoon, Chu Ge and Dilireba Nazha didn't go out. Either one of them walking out now could cause a riot; if they went out together, this small county might truly become famous.

Chu Ge accompanied his father in the living room playing chess, while Xiaowu and Nazha learned how to knit gloves from Chu Ge's mother.

National Day follows the Mid-Autumn Festival, and after National Day, the weather starts to turn cold. In the north, spring and autumn are extremely short; the weather turning cold or hot seems to happen in an instant.

Dilireba Nazha studied very seriously. She knew these were gloves Chu Ge's mother was knitting for his father. Since his father did mechanical processing, his gloves wore out very quickly in winter.

She wanted to knit too, for her Chu Ge. It was just that, having been pampered since childhood, she appeared a bit clumsy learning this handiwork now.

Time passed unknowingly until evening. After the family finished dinner, they sat there watching the Mid-Autumn Gala. Chu Ge's mother brought out mooncakes and fruit, forcing the three young people to eat one each.

Laughter rang out from the family from time to time in the living room. After laughing, Dilireba Nazha tilted her head to look at the bright moon outside the window.

"May we all be blessed with longevity though far apart, we are still able to share the beauty of the moon together." She knew this brief reunion would soon end. Gathering today meant being scattered across the world tomorrow; she felt a little sentimental.

Looking back at Chu Ge, her heart stirred, and she took out her phone to secretly send him a text message.