Chapter 10

"Did you choose it yourself? That's even better! Be down-to-earth! You need to be down-to-earth! I'm most afraid that you'll become too ambitious once you get to college." Zhang Guodong excitedly patted his son, "In our system, it's all about skills and experience. Getting a chance to work at a power plant is a very good experience, which is very important for future dispatch operations, safety production, and comprehensive management!"

"Yes, yes, that's what I thought too." Zhang Yifu couldn't help but look at his father with new respect. Although his eyesight wasn't good, his perspective was broad, befitting his former position as a cadre in the power bureau.

"Hmm..." After Zhang Guodong's excitement subsided, his expression gradually relaxed, and after a brief moment of thought, he said, "In that case, it's best to return that gift."

"What gift?"

"It's nothing, Mom and Dad will handle it."

Zhang Yifu looked around and only then noticed a few packs of red and white cigarettes under the coffee table, which were likely Marlboros. There were no Chinese characters on them, and given the era, they were probably smuggled foreign cigarettes. Zhang Guodong had a particular fondness for them.

"Is this it?" Zhang Yifu took out a pack of Marlboros and asked.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it. I'll go to Director Song's house tonight and return them." Zhang Guodong smiled helplessly, "I was confused too, but I should have understood his intention earlier."

The full name of the Director Song Zhang Guodong mentioned was Song Yuanshan, a section chief under the Metering Department of the Jijing Power Supply Bureau, who was Zhang Guodong's superior. Normally, it was unheard of for a superior to give gifts to a subordinate, especially such rare items, which were considered significant gifts in that era.

Zhang Yifu's mind quickly grasped the situation: "It's not... about marriage, is it?"

"Haha, you're smart." Zhang Guodong laughed heartily, "Xiaoni grew up with you in the same courtyard and played well together. I just realized what Director Song meant; he wanted to become family."

"Um... that makes sense."

"But now that you're going to the power plant, I think this matter will fall through." Zhang Guodong shook his head, and the reasons behind it were somewhat disheartening, so he didn't plan to elaborate further.

Zhang Yifu continued, "I understand Director Song's character. He doesn't really like me; he's mainly interested in my status, hoping I would graduate and directly enter the ministry or the power bureau. That way, his daughter could marry me first. Given the current situation, he probably won't look favorably upon our family anymore."

"Ha, our family might not look favorably upon his either." Zhang Guodong, seeing his son's clear understanding, no longer hid his thoughts, "I had already refused these cigarettes, but his wife gave them to your mother. I was thinking about how to return them without losing face, but now it's easier to say."

Technically, if Song Yuanshan proposed such a matter, it would be considered his daughter's marriage into the Zhang family, given that he was Zhang Guodong's superior. Zhang Guodong should have been grateful, but from his father's words, it was clear he had no intention of giving Song Yuanshan face and was highly respectful of his son's opinion.

Zhang Yifu also understood that refusing a superior's proposal could affect his father's future work.

"Dad... will this make things difficult for you?" Zhang Yifu bit his lip and said, "Maybe I should talk to him and say I have a girlfriend in college..."

"It's fine, your dad can handle this." Zhang Guodong looked at his son and nodded in satisfaction, "I made a big mistake in the past, and my life is like this now. Offending one more person doesn't matter."

"But..."

As they were talking, a knock came at the door. Zhang Yifu thought it was his mother and quickly got up to open it, only to find an old woman with a wavy perm.

"Oh! Yifu, you're really back!" The woman was particularly warm upon seeing Zhang Yifu and pushed her way inside, "You didn't even let us know you were back!"

"Aunt Lu..." Zhang Yifu knew she was Director Song's wife.

Zhang Guodong had no choice but to stand up to greet her, forcing a smile and saying, "Yifu just got back, and I just found out."

"Ha ha." The woman didn't act formally and pulled Zhang Yifu into the house, sitting on the sofa, "Yifu, I heard from the neighbors that you've been assigned to the power plant?"

"Yes, the Jibei Power Plant."

"That's good, I think it's good. The power generation sector is also very promising." The woman smiled broadly, her eyes already darting to the cigarettes under the coffee table, "To celebrate your graduation, Old Song sent two packs of cigarettes to your dad..."

"I was just about to mention that." Zhang Guodong quickly took out the two packs of cigarettes, "American cigarettes, I'm not used to them. They might go bad if left too long, so..."

"How can that be..." The woman, seeing Zhang Guodong's initiative, responded while already taking the cigarettes, "We didn't give them properly. How about this, I'll exchange them for two domestic ones?"

"No, no, that's not necessary." Zhang Guodong declined repeatedly, "I don't smoke much these days."

"Ha ha..." The woman's eyes flicked, thinking he was sensible, then turned to Zhang Yifu, "Yifu, someone recently introduced a match for Xiaoni. We're not sure about it. If you have time, you could meet him and help Xiaoni evaluate him."

"Aunt Lu, you have such keen eyesight, if you're not sure, how can I be?" Zhang Yifu felt a bit heavy-hearted; things had changed too quickly.

"Ha ha, young people understand each other better. I don't understand anymore." The woman picked up the cigarettes, finished her business, and was about to leave, "You two chat, I won't disturb you."

She had given the gift, and now she was taking it back, making Zhang Yifu and his family look foolish. Zhang Yifu was a bit angry and wanted to make a sarcastic remark. But he thought that if he offended her now, his father might suffer at work in the future. Zhang Yifu didn't want his father to experience that feeling of being undermined by a superior again.

Hold it, hold it, Zhang Yifu gripped his pants to calm himself down. He would deal with it when he was stronger.

Zhang Guodong's face was also not good, and he just wanted to quickly see this superior's wife out.

At the door, Lu Qingxiu seemed to feel her words were not clear enough and added, "Yifu, the neighbors always spread rumors about you and Xiaoni. Don't take them seriously. She's already dating someone. If you have the chance, you should clarify things with the neighbors so it doesn't affect Xiaoni."

Zhang Yifu's face twitched, and before he could respond, Zhang Guodong couldn't hold back and said, "Lu Qingxiu, my son knows how to handle himself. He won't have any further contact with your daughter. Now that the gift is returned, let's consider this matter closed."

Lu Qingxiu was taken aback and quickly smiled, "Ha ha, I just didn't want Yifu to take the rumors seriously and bother Xiaoni."

At this point, seeing his father was serious, Zhang Yifu could also make a statement.