Chapter 398: The Shock Brought by a Millionaire

Chapter 398: The Shock Brought by a Millionaire

That night.

The Yan Family.

When Yan Shuwen returned, her parents were still awake, sitting in the living room waiting for her!

As soon as she closed the door, her mother couldn't wait to ask, "Xiaowen, how do you feel about Bu Xiaoshi?"

Yan Shuwen pondered for a moment and evaluated, "His strength is his honest character; he doesn't have many ulterior motives, so marrying him would likely result in a stable life. However, his lack of ambition is a drawback. He doesn't have the drive to become wealthy on his own."

Her mother said, "Xiaowen, for us women, a stable life with a man is already quite good. Even if he lacks ambition and won't become a millionaire, his family is wealthy, so you can enjoy a comfortable life right away."

Her father added, "Xiaowen, you are smart and have a good business sense. The clothing store is doing well, and Dad believes you can become wealthy on your own. When choosing a partner, focus on character. I think Bu Xiaoshi is a good choice."

Yan Shuwen replied, "He seems fine for now. I'll observe him a bit more. If everything checks out, then it will be him."

Her mother exclaimed happily, "That's great! I'll help you run the store, and you can spend some time with Bu Xiaoshi to get to know him better. If you think he's a good match, let's aim to get married this year."

Yan Shuwen blushed and said, "Mom, aren't you being a bit too hasty?"

Her mother replied, "Can I not be worried? Girls your age have children in school already. At your age, even in modern times, you'd be considered an old maid."

Yan Shuwen couldn't really argue with that. In the future, girls in their mid-twenties wouldn't be considered old, as they would have just graduated from school and most wouldn't be in a rush to get married.

But it was 1990, and although the country was promoting late marriage and late childbearing, only a few people actually followed it. In the city, it was a bit better, but in the countryside, at least eighty percent of young people got married before the legal age.

There were very few women Yan Shuwen's age who were still unmarried.

Yan Shuwen didn't dwell on the topic and changed the subject, saying, "Dad, Mom, you can't imagine how impressive Uncle Deng is."

Her parents exchanged glances, their foreheads creasing with a big question mark.

Before they could ask, Yan Shuwen continued, "When I was out with Bu Xiaoshi, he told me about his uncle's achievements. It really blew me away. Uncle Deng is truly remarkable, just as he was able to see through my disguise."

Her mother was astonished, "What happened? What did this Brother Deng do that was so impressive?"

Her father also looked surprised. His daughter had always been proud, and he had never seen her admire someone so much. He was very curious about what this person had accomplished to earn such praise.

So, Yan Shuwen recounted what Bu Xiaoshi had told her, detailing Deng Shirong's rise to wealth and his efforts to help his entire clan prosper.

In the end, she said with a sigh, "This Uncle Deng is the chairman of a large group, a millionaire with assets worth over ten million. He never mentioned this to us, showing how humble he is."

Her parents were also stunned by her story.

After all, even Yang Baiwan, who had gained considerable fame in Shanghai, was only a millionaire. Deng Shirong, an unknown figure, was a solid ten millionaire, which was enough to shock anyone.

Especially since this ten millionaire wasn't just some distant figure in the newspaper but someone who had interacted with them as a regular person.

Moreover, this ten millionaire was also the matchmaker for their daughter!

There was a good chance that they could become relatives, which made both her parents quite restless.

Her mother, clutching her rapidly beating heart, asked excitedly, "Xiaowen, are you sure everything Bu Xiaoshi said is true?"

Yan Shuwen nodded, "I'm sure he's telling the truth. If he lied, I would have noticed."

Her parents had no doubt about this. Their daughter's talent in this area was genuine, and her observational skills were outstanding, even in her former department. Unless someone was well-trained, it would be impossible for an ordinary person to lie and deceive her.

So, her mother decided, "Xiaowen, you don't need to think anymore. Bu Xiaoshi is the perfect match for you."

Yan Shuwen was taken aback, "Mom, I said I would observe him for a few more days!"

Her mother glared at her and swore, "What more do you need to observe? Bu Xiaoshi is honest and has a good family background. His uncle is so impressive. A man like him is hard to find, even with a lantern. Why are you still hesitating?"

Yan Shuwen: "……"

……

Nanning.

The luxurious residence at Wuyue Square.

Deng Shirong was playing cards with his eldest daughter-in-law, second daughter-in-law, and youngest daughter.

To keep his second daughter-in-law in high spirits, Deng Shirong went to great lengths. He teamed up with her and used the system space's perspective to give her hints.

Of course, he didn't intervene every time. Instead, he waited for her to have a good hand and then played in a way that allowed her to use her cards to their fullest potential. Every now and then, they would score a four or six-point win, leaving the eldest daughter-in-law and the youngest daughter wide-eyed and the second daughter-in-law laughing heartily.

After a round of cards, it was time for dinner. The family went upstairs to the hotpot restaurant.

When it comes to a diverse and balanced diet, a hotpot where anything can be cooked is the perfect choice.

During dinner, the family discussed Bu Xiaoshi's wedding.

Previously, Deng Shirong had accompanied his young nephew to Guilin for a blind date, and both parties were very satisfied. In just a few days, they had agreed on the dowry and even set a wedding date. The speed was impressive.

Now, in less than a month, they had already registered their marriage, and the wedding banquet was set for the 18th day of the eighth lunar month.

After discussing his young nephew's wedding, Deng Shirong looked at his youngest daughter and sighed, "Azhu, speaking of which, you're not getting any younger. It's time to start thinking about marriage. I need to find you a suitable match."

Deng Yunzhu replied, "Dad, no rush. I want to wait a couple more years before getting married!"

Deng Shirong said, "You can wait a couple more years to get married, but you should start looking for a match now. Otherwise, you won't have anyone to marry in a couple of years."

Zhang Xiuping chimed in with a smile, "That's right, Dad is correct. When Aizhen was dating, she took her time and married when the time was right. Azhu, you should start dating someone so you can get married whenever you're ready."

Deng Yunzhu laughed, "Alright, Dad, you can start looking then!"

Gu Caiwei blinked and asked, "Azhu, what kind of person are you looking for? I have several unmarried university classmates, and a few of them are quite good matches. Would you like me to introduce you to any of them?"

Deng Yunzhu shook her head and sighed, "Second Sister-in-law, your university classmates are all top graduates from prestigious universities. They probably wouldn't be interested in me, a high school graduate."

Gu Caiwei laughed, "Azhu, don't be modest. A high school diploma isn't bad, and with our family's background, they have no right to look down on you."

Deng Shirong also became interested. His second daughter-in-law had graduated from a prestigious university, so her classmates were the cream of the crop of that era. He asked, "Caiwei, which of your classmates do you think would be a good match for Azhu?"

Gu Caiwei thought for a moment and said, "I think our class president is quite a good match. He's from Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, about 1.75 to 1.77 meters tall, and quite handsome. He was very popular among the female students in school.

He currently holds a small leadership position in a state-owned enterprise. I know his family background is good, but I'm not sure what his parents do specifically."

Deng Shirong asked, "Since you were classmates for four years, what's his personality like?"

Gu Caiwei pondered, "Overall, his personality is very good. He's very energetic and one of the best students in our class."

Deng Shirong nodded, "Sounds good. If you have his contact information, you can feel him out first. If he's interested, we can proceed; if not, we'll drop it."

Gu Caiwei said, "Alright, I'll contact him and feel him out."

Deng Yunzhu couldn't help but say, "Dad, Second Sister-in-law, even if he's interested, it's a few thousand kilometers away. Wouldn't it be too troublesome to date long-distance?"

Gu Caiwei smiled, "Azhu, if there's a will, distance is no problem. Look at me and your second brother; we're also far apart, but I still became your second sister-in-law."

Zhang Xiuping added, "That's right, Azhu. Your second sister-in-law is correct. Distance isn't an issue, and phone communication is quite convenient these days."

Deng Yunzhu said, "That's true, but if we get to the point of marriage, wouldn't I have to move to his city? That's too far from home, and I don't want to. Besides, my career is here in Guangxi; I can't leave it."

Gu Caiwei pondered, "That is a problem. I'll ask him first. If he's interested, I'll make it clear to him that if he wants to be with you, he'll have to accommodate you, not the other way around.

After all, he's just a small leader in a state-owned enterprise, which can't compare to the importance of your career."

Seeing that her second sister-in-law had put it so clearly, Deng Yunzhu had no further objections. She nodded, "Alright, you can ask him first."

……

Half a month later.

Jiangsu.

A State-Owned Enterprise in Nanjing.

"Director Su, you have a letter."

"Thank you!"

Su Ziheng took the letter and noticed it was sent from the distant Guangxi. His eyes widened in surprise. This address was only known to his relatives, friends, and university classmates. However, none of his relatives, friends, or classmates, as far as he knew, lived in Guangxi. So, who could have sent him this letter?

Curious, Su Ziheng opened the letter immediately and flipped to the back to see the sender's name.

When he saw the name "Gu Caiwei," Su Ziheng was both shocked and delighted.

It turned out that the university beauty queen and class beauty had written to him, which was a real honor.

The term "beauty queen" wasn't a modern internet phenomenon; it had been used since the Republican era. In the novel "Secret History of the University" (Chapter 1), it described: "A group of male students in the first classroom were holding a meeting to vote for the beauty queen. Three beauty queens were elected, with the most votes going to the queen, the second to the princess, and the third to the beauty queen."

Originally, the term "beauty queen" referred to the most popular female student in the school. Over time, the term has become closely associated with physical attractiveness.

Gu Caiwei was the undisputed beauty queen of Su Ziheng's university.

This was not surprising. Female university students were rare in those days, and those who could get into key universities were even rarer. Given Gu Caiwei's appearance and figure, it was only natural for her to be the beauty queen.

Excited by the letter from the beauty queen, Su Ziheng flipped back to the first page and began reading it carefully, word by word.

It took him more than ten minutes to finish the letter.

At that moment, Su Ziheng's feelings were extremely mixed.

Back then, Gu Caiwei had been the dream girl of every male student in the class and the entire school. The line of boys who secretly loved her could stretch from the school's east gate to the west gate. As the class president, Su Ziheng was no exception; he was one of the many admirers.

Unfortunately, Gu Caiwei had very high standards. Even when popular figures in the school confessed to her, she rejected them.

Although Su Ziheng was quite excellent, he still fell short compared to the school's top figures. Since Gu Caiwei had rejected even the most outstanding boys, he naturally wouldn't embarrass himself by confessing and instead buried his feelings deep inside.

Now, receiving a letter from the beauty queen was supposed to be a happy event, but the letter contained a piece of information that left him conflicted: she was married!

Su Ziheng had long been prepared for this. After graduation, they were all getting older, and many classmates got married within a year or two, which was quite normal.

He just wondered which lucky man had married Gu Caiwei.

What made Su Ziheng's feelings even more complex was that Gu Caiwei wanted to introduce him to a potential match, her sister-in-law, leaving him at a loss for words.

After putting the letter away, Su Ziheng went to the cafeteria for dinner. After thinking about how to respond to Gu Caiwei, he called the home number she had left.

The phone was answered by a middle-aged man's voice: "Hello!"

Su Ziheng politely said, "Hello, is Gu Caiwei there?"

The man replied, "Yes, hold on a moment."

Su Ziheng said, "Sure, thank you!"

After about twenty seconds, a familiar voice came on the line: "Hello, this is Gu Caiwei, who is this?"

Su Ziheng tried to calm his excitement and said, "It's me, Su Ziheng!"

Gu Caiwei laughed, "Oh, it's the class president! Did you receive my letter?"

Su Ziheng said, "Yes, I just got it this afternoon. I went to the cafeteria for dinner and then called you. Have you eaten?"

Gu Caiwei said, "Yes, how is your work going?"

Su Ziheng said, "Thanks for asking, it's going well. I saw in your letter that you got married. When did that happen?"

Gu Caiwei said, "Not long ago, just at the beginning of this year."

Su Ziheng said, "Gu Caiwei, you were the dream girl of all the male students in our school. Who is the lucky man who married you?"

Gu Caiwei laughed, "Not as dramatic as you make it sound. My husband is a graduate from Peking University and currently works in Fujian. I can introduce him to you sometime."

Hearing this, Su Ziheng took a deep breath and felt somewhat relieved. A girl as talented and beautiful as Gu Caiwei should indeed be matched with a true elite, and a Peking University graduate certainly fit that description.

They then briefly discussed their post-graduation developments and caught up on other classmates' news.

After about ten minutes, Su Ziheng said, "Thank you, Gu Caiwei, for thinking of me and introducing me to a potential match. I believe your sister-in-law must be very excellent, but I already have someone I like, who is also a worker at our factory. So, I can't accept your kind offer."

"Sure, then I'll congratulate you in advance!"

"Thank you, I hope I can succeed in winning the beauty."

"Alright, phone calls are expensive, so we won't talk too much. Let's meet up again when there's a chance!"

"Okay, goodbye!"

"Goodbye!"

After hanging up the phone, Gu Caiwei sighed and said to her father-in-law, "Dad, I didn't expect my classmate to already have someone she likes. It seems I still need your help to find her a suitable match."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "It's quite normal for people to start thinking about settling down soon after they start working. You and your classmates have been out of university for a while, so it's not surprising that she has someone she likes."

...

Nanjing, Jiangsu.

After hanging up the phone, Su Ziheng felt a bit disheartened. He believed that the match his old classmate had introduced him to would definitely be excellent, but no matter how outstanding she was, he wouldn't consider dating her. If they were to get together, he would have to call his dream girl, Gu Caiwei, his sister-in-law. If Su Ziheng had a special ability like Cao Cengxiang, he might find it more exciting, but he was a gentleman and had no such vulgar thoughts. Therefore, politely declining was the right choice.

...

For many students, summer and winter vacations are the happiest times.

However, happy times are always short-lived.

Before they knew it, the summer of 1990 had ended, and students across the country began returning to school. Those who had been accepted into technical secondary schools, junior colleges, or universities set off for different cities and even different provinces with their families to continue their studies.

Deng Yunheng, accompanied by his father, boarded a long-distance bus to Guangzhou.

On the way, Deng Shirong said to his youngest son, "You're studying in Guangzhou, which is much more convenient for you to visit home compared to when your second and third brothers studied in Beijing. We have our own car here in Guangzhou, so you can always find a seat whenever you want to come back."

Deng Yunheng nodded and said, "I'll come back for the winter holiday."

Deng Shirong said, "When you get to Guangzhou, I'll buy you a beeper so we can keep in touch more easily. You can also call home if you need anything."

Deng Yunheng happily replied, "I understand, Dad."

Deng Shirong added, "Also, although you've chosen the medical field, which means you won't be entering politics or business, it's still important to build relationships. Your classmates are all talented individuals with the potential to become well-known doctors in the country. As for the professors, they are leaders in their respective fields. Everyone gets sick from time to time, and having connections in the medical field can provide additional security for yourself and your family."

Deng Yunheng nodded and said, "I understand, and I'll make more friends when I get to school."

...

Deng Shirong and his son took a night bus, arriving in Guangzhou just as the sky was brightening. After having breakfast with the family driver and the accompanying staff, Deng Shirong took his youngest son to Sun Yat-sen Medical University.

The process of registering for classes and paying various fees was routine.

By the time they settled into the dormitory, it was already past one in the afternoon.

Deng Shirong said, "Yunheng, let's go out to eat something first. After we finish, I'll take you to the bank to get a bank card. I'll deposit your living expenses into this card, and you can withdraw whatever you need from the bank."

Deng Yunheng responded, "Okay."

China's first bank card was introduced in Zhuhai in 1985, but from 1985 to the early 1990s, it was still in the early stages of development. Only in places like Guangdong, which was at the forefront of the reform and opening-up, were bank cards widely used. In more backward regions like Guangxi, people generally used passbooks, and it wasn't until the mid-1990s that bank cards began to be more widely adopted.

After finishing lunch, they went to the nearest bank to get a bank card and deposited enough living expenses. By then, it was time for dinner.

There is a famous saying in China: "Eat in Guangzhou, dress in Suzhou, play in Hangzhou, and die in Liuzhou."

"Eat in Guangzhou" refers to the exquisite and delicious Cantonese cuisine, which is considered one of the greatest pleasures in the world. "Dress in Suzhou" is due to the renowned silk from Suzhou, which is comfortable, luxurious, and beautiful. "Play in Hangzhou" refers to the beauty of West Lake, which is soothing and refreshing. "Die in Liuzhou" is because Liuzhou has good wood, which can be used to make a fine coffin. In the past, when burials were the norm, a good coffin was highly valued, and it was a source of envy to have a good final resting place.

Deng Shirong had never specifically tried the local cuisine in Guangzhou before, but today he was in the mood. He took his youngest son to Tao Tao Ju, a famous century-old restaurant in Guangdong, to try its signature dishes.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end