Chapter 421: Deng Yunzhu: Do You Know What Level My Second Brother Is?

Chapter 421: Deng Yunzhu: Do You Know What Level My Second Brother Is?

I’m so frustrated, it’s like pulling down your pants to fart. After the review, the author modified it immediately, but while it was being modified, I don’t know when it was released. I saved the modification, and it went in again, ohhhh...

...

Nanning.

Ruyi Building.

The Zhou and Deng families gathered here to drink tea and discuss the marriage of their children.

Zhou Father and Zhou Mother came with Zhou Haidong, while the Deng family side was naturally represented by Deng Shirong and his daughter.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they got down to business.

The old man Zhou took a sip of tea and smiled, "Uncle Jiu, my Hai Dong and A-zhu have been getting along for a while. They are both at a suitable age for marriage. We came this time to discuss with you about setting their wedding date. Do you have any requirements for the wedding gifts?"

Deng Shirong waved his hand, "The wedding gifts can follow the usual customs. I have no special requirements. As for the wedding date, have you found a good day, Old Zhou?"

The old man Zhou nodded, "I have chosen a good day. The lunar October 12th is a very suitable date."

Deng Shirong hummed, "That date seems quite suitable. Let’s set it for that day!"

Seeing the parents of both sides settle the wedding date with just a few simple words, Zhouhaid dong and Dengyun zhu exchanged a glance, a hint of joy on their faces.

After all, both of them are not young anymore.

Even Deng Yun zhu is already 25 years old this year, which is considered quite old for a rural girl in this era.

The old man Zhou said with a cheerful tone, "Once I get back, I will start preparing for the wedding. Do you have any ideas about how to handle the wedding, Uncle Jiu?"

Deng Shirong replied, "We can follow your customs. If you want to do it at home, we can do it at home. If you want to do it at a restaurant, we can do it directly at the hot pot restaurant. After all, it’s also part of their business."

The old man Zhou said, "Let’s still do it in the village. When our village’s children get married, they generally do it in the village. We don’t want to make it special."

Deng Shirong said, "Since there is such a custom, let’s do it in the village. I have no objections."

The old man Zhou nodded, "Rest assured, Uncle Jiu, we will do our best to make the wedding grand so that a zhu can marry into our Zhou family with dignity."

Hearing the words "with dignity," Dengyun zhu couldn’t help but glance at Zhouhaidong.

That look, half-smiling, half serious, made Zhouhaid dong feel a bit uneasy, yet he couldn’t quite understand what Dengyun zhu’s eyes conveyed.

After finishing the main discussion, the three Zhou family members didn’t stay long in Nanning and headed to the station to take the train back to Guangzhou.

Deng Shirong and his daughter naturally went to see them off.

At the station, while waiting for the train, Zhouha Id Dong pulled Dengyun zhu to a corner and whispered.

"A zhu, just now when my father said he would make our wedding grand and have you marry into our Zhou family with dignity, your look at me was a bit strange. Did my father say something wrong?"

Deng Yun zhu sighed, "Hai dong, I know Uncle Zhou wants to make our wedding a grand affair that everyone will praise, but to have me marry into your Zhou family with dignity, there might be a bit of difficulty!"

Zhou Ha Id Dong asked, "A zhu, what do you mean by that?"

Dengyun zhu looked at him with that half-smiling, half-serious look and asked in return, "Do you know how grand my second brother’s wedding was when he married my second sister-in-law?"

Upon hearing this, Zhouhaid dong finally realized something. He asked uneasily, "A zhu, how grand was your second brother’s wedding?"

Deng Yun zhu briefly described, "First, my second brother and his wife’s attire and makeup were designed by professional stylists from your side in Guangzhou. Second, they used ten Santana sedans and ten large buses to pick up the bride.

Also, the wedding was held in my hometown. Starting from about one kilometer away, they set up welcoming arches. This short one-kilometer road was lined with colorful balloons and countless happiness characters.

At the same time, a professional photography team was responsible for capturing the entire event.

As for the wedding feast, there’s no need to mention it. They invited professional chefs, and not only was it abundant, but the taste was also top-notch.

Such a wedding is truly grand."

Upon hearing this, Zhouhaid dong broke into a cold sweat. If Dengyun zhu hadn’t said this, the grand wedding they Zhou family planned might not even be worth mentioning in her eyes, just adding to the jokes. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said through gritted teeth, "A zhu, when I get back, I’ll discuss it with my parents. Our wedding doesn’t have to reach the level of your second brother’s, but at least it shouldn’t be much worse."

Dengyun zhu shook her head and smiled, "Still, let’s just follow your side’s standards. There’s no need to compare with my second brother’s. After all, both my second brother and my second sister-in-law have unique statuses that we can’t match."

Hearing this, Zhouhaid dong felt a bit unconvinced, and he said, "A zhu, you’re exaggerating a bit. I’m at least a formal-level cadre, on par with the town’s secretary and mayor. And you’re the owner of several hot pot restaurants, a millionaire. Can such a combination really not compare to your second brother’s?"

Deng Yunzhu smiled, "Don’t be unconvinced, our combination is really far behind my second brother and his wife. I know you’re proud of your education. Do you know what level of education my second brother and his wife have?"

Zhou Haidong asked, "What level of education?"

Deng Yunzhu replied, "My second brother graduated from Peking University, and although my second sister-in-law is a bit less impressive, she also graduated from a key university, just like you. Just in terms of education, they far surpass us."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Haidong inhaled sharply. After dating for so long, he only now discovered that not only did she have a younger brother who attended a key university like Zhongshan Medical University, but she also had a second brother who graduated from Peking University. His girlfriend really kept a lot of secrets from him. If it were another girl, she would have boasted about her second brother’s education long ago.

As Zhou Haidong was still in shock, Deng Yunzhu continued, "Now, let’s talk about work. Do you think being a formal-level cadre is very impressive? When my second brother started his career, he was already a formal-level cadre. Do you know what level he is now?"

Zhou Haidong asked nervously, "What level?"

Deng Yunzhu softly said two words, "Deputy Department."

Zhou Haidong's pupils suddenly dilated, and he gasped, "Deputy Department, how is that possible?"

Deng Yunzhu tugged at his clothes, reminding him, "Lower your voice."

Zhou Haidong then lowered his voice, incredulous, "A-zhu, are you joking with me? I remember your second brother is only two years older than you, and he’s only 27 this year. How could he possibly be a Deputy Department, even if he graduated from Peking University, it’s impossible!"

"Under normal circumstances, my second brother indeed wouldn’t be able to rise to Deputy Department so quickly, but who can say he’s not lucky? I’ll tell you the details later, but for now, just know that my second brother is already at the Deputy Department level."

Saying this, Deng Yunzhu looked at Zhou Haidong with a smile and said, "Hai Dong, if you ever dare to bully me or disobey me, I’ll tell my second brother to deal with you. Then we’ll see how scared you are."

Zhou Haidong clutched his chest, "Let me catch my breath first. The news you just told me is too shocking."

He originally thought his girlfriend’s family was just wealthy, but their influence was far from matching the Zhou family’s. After all, his family all worked for the government, and although their ranks were not high, as the saying goes, there is strength in numbers. Combined, they had considerable influence, which was not something an ordinary family could match. Even though he knew his girlfriend was a millionaire, he still felt confident that he was a good match for her.

But he never imagined that his brother-in-law was also in the government and had reached a level he couldn’t believe. As a government employee, Zhou Haidong naturally understood how impressive this level was. His father had worked for decades and only reached the formal-level before retiring.

Seeing his reaction, Deng Yunzhu smiled and continued, "Now, let’s talk about my second sister-in-law. Although she doesn’t work, her family background is very strong. My second brother’s quick rise to Deputy Department also had some help from his father-in-law. I’ll tell you more about this later, but now, do you still think our combination can compare to my second brother and second sister-in-law?"

Zhou Haidong shook his head, "How can we compare? Just your second brother alone surpasses us."

He gave a bitter smile, then thought of something and hurriedly asked, "A-zhu, what do your other siblings do? Tell me about them. I don’t want another Deputy Department to pop up and shock my heart."

"Do you think Deputy Department is as common as cabbage?"

Deng Yunzhu rolled her eyes, but since their wedding date was already set, she decided to give him some background. She said, "My eldest brother and his wife run a chain of supermarkets, which is bigger and more profitable than my business. My sister runs the largest hotel in our county, and her husband is the dedicated deputy secretary of the county committee."

Hearing this, Zhou Haidong inhaled sharply again. The fact that his girlfriend’s eldest brother and sister-in-law’s business was bigger than hers was easier to accept, as he already knew her family had good economic conditions.

But he never expected that after learning his brother-in-law was a Deputy Department, he would then learn that his sister’s husband was the dedicated deputy secretary of the county committee, which was not only a formal-level cadre but also a near-formal-level cadre, a significant figure in the government!

As Zhou Haidong was still in shock, Deng Yunzhu continued, "My younger brother graduated from Tsinghua University and currently works in the Ministry of Finance, also at the formal-level."

Hearing this, Zhou Haidong felt numb all over!

At that moment, he suddenly felt a bit worried about himself. If he did something wrong after marriage and offended his wife, and she got angry and called her brothers over, he would be in serious trouble.

After Deng Yunzhu finished introducing her siblings, Zhou Haidong said with a stunned expression, "A-zhu, you kept this very well hidden."

Deng Yunzhu glanced at him, "Did you ever ask me? Would I just randomly tell you that my second brother is a Deputy Department?"

"Indeed, it was my oversight for not asking clearly."

"You, you should be secretly happy that you’re marrying me this lifetime!"

Zhou Haidong wholeheartedly agreed with these words. To marry such a wealthy and influential partner, it truly felt like his family’s ancestral graves were emitting green smoke. ...

When the three Zhou family members returned home to Guangzhou, it was already past eleven at night.

After entering the house, Zhou Haidong, who had been holding back his words throughout the journey, finally spoke up, "Dad, Mom, there’s something I need to tell you."

Zhou Father and Zhou Mother were both retired and had been on the long bus ride, which left them quite exhausted. After all, in this era, long-distance buses didn’t have sleeping berths; they were still in the development phase and wouldn’t be widely available until 1996-1998.

They sat down on the living room sofa to rest.

Hearing the fourth son’s words, Zhou Mother asked, "What is it?"

Just as Zhou Haidong was about to speak, the door creaked open, and the youngest daughter, Zhou Hailu, emerged from her room with sleepy eyes. She yawned and greeted them, "Dad, Mom, Fourth Brother, you’re back!"

Zhou Mother asked, "Did we wake you up?"

Zhou Hailu replied, "No, I just came out for a drink of water."

Zhou Father looked at his son and said, "It’s late, so if you have something to say, say it quickly."

Zhou Haidong sighed, "Today, I set the wedding date with A-zhu, and she finally revealed to me just how impressive her siblings are. I can say that marrying her is like our Zhou family’s ancestral graves emitting green smoke."

Before Zhou Father and Zhou Mother could respond, Zhou Hailu, who was pouring herself a glass of water, couldn’t help but interject, "Fourth Brother, you’re exaggerating. While my future sister-in-law is indeed outstanding, a millionaire at such a young age, her siblings can’t be that much better. We Zhou siblings are also quite capable, all working for the government. And you, Fourth Brother, graduated from a key university and are already a formal-level cadre at such a young age. In ten or twenty years, you might even reach Dad’s level. To say that marrying her is like our family’s ancestral graves emitting green smoke is a bit much, isn’t it?"

Hearing this, Zhou Father and Zhou Mother nodded in agreement. While the Zhou family wasn’t particularly powerful, they were still quite influential compared to businesspeople.

"Originally, I thought the same."

Zhou Haidong gave a bitter smile, "But today, I learned that our Zhou family’s influence is nothing compared to hers. Her youngest brother graduated from Tsinghua University and is currently working in the Ministry of Finance at the formal-level. Her sister’s husband is the dedicated deputy secretary of their county committee, at the deputy-department level. Her second brother graduated from Peking University and is currently at the deputy-hall level. Now, do you still think our Zhou family’s influence can compare to hers?"

Zhou Father and Zhou Mother were stunned speechless, and Zhou Hailu’s sleepiness instantly vanished.

All of them worked in the government and fully understood the saying, "One rank higher, and you can crush the lower ranks."

In China’s political hierarchy, which could be compared to cultivation realms in novels, there were five major realms: formal-level, department-level, hall-level, ministry-level, and the highest national-level. Deng Yunzhu’s second brother had reached the hall-level, a significant force nationwide. While the Zhou family had produced department-level officials, they had all retired.

Even if they hadn’t, the gap between department-level and hall-level was vast.

Currently, the highest level in the Zhou family was formal-level, and they were several ranks away from hall-level.

If all of this were true, their Zhou family’s influence was indeed insignificant in comparison.

After the shock, Zhou Father sighed, "Knowing Uncle Jiu for so long, his children are so accomplished, yet he never boasted. He’s truly low-key."

Zhou Mother agreed, "Yes, he’s really low-key. Anyone with such accomplished children would be boasting to the whole world."

Zhou Hailu exclaimed, "Fourth Brother, you’ve hit the jackpot!"

Zhou Haidong smiled and then recounted the grand wedding of his future brother-in-law to his parents. Finally, he said, "Dad, Mom, we need to make sure our wedding is done properly. We don’t need to match my future brother-in-law’s wedding, but it shouldn’t be too different. If it seems like we don’t take it seriously, that would be bad."

Zhou Father and Zhou Mother nodded in agreement. They had already planned to handle the wedding well, and now knowing the influence of the future in-laws, they were even more determined to do their best.

Zhou Father immediately said, "Tomorrow, I’ll call your eldest sister, second brother, and third sister. We’ll gather the whole family this Sunday to discuss this. With everyone’s help, we should be able to arrange a few sedans as wedding cars."

Zhou Hailu also eagerly joined in, "I have a colleague who has a car. I’ll ask him tomorrow to see if he can lend it to us as a wedding car."

Zhou Mother said, "One of my old friends has a car too. Borrowing it as a wedding car shouldn’t be a problem."

Zhou Father added, "My old face still has some influence. Borrowing one or two cars shouldn’t be difficult."

Hearing that the whole family was taking the wedding seriously, Zhou Haidong secretly breathed a sigh of relief. With the Zhou family’s united efforts, he believed they could handle the wedding well.

...

In the afternoon.

Naye Village.

During the meal, seeing his diligent niece and nephew-in-law who had worked for him for so many years, Deng Shirong felt it was necessary to arrange a future for them. He said, "Dafang, you’ve been working for your uncle for many years. It’s time to start thinking about your own future."

Bu Dafang smiled, "Uncle, are you thinking of having us start a business outside again? Ah Hu and I aren’t cut out for business. Helping you manage the orchard and living in the countryside is just fine for us."

Jiang Dehu also smiled, "Uncle, Dafang is right. We’re not good at business. Farming in the countryside suits us better."

Deng Shirong swallowed his food and smiled, "I know you don’t want to start a business outside, but doing business doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go outside. Not all businesses are complicated. There are simple ones that can make money too."

Bu Dafang was surprised, "Uncle, what do you mean?"

Deng Shirong explained, "I plan to build a large hospital in the village and eventually turn this place into a tourist attraction. Once it gains a good reputation, it will attract patients from nearby areas for treatment and tourists from all over the country.

At that time, the families of these patients and the tourists who come from afar will need places to eat and stay. You two can prepare in advance. The best would be to open a hotel that provides both accommodation and meals. If you find it troublesome, you can also open a hotel that only provides accommodation.

This way, you can earn money easily."

The idea of building a large hospital in the village had been on Deng Shirong’s mind for a long time.

Since his rebirth and becoming the clan leader, he had always wanted to change this poor and backward place. Having money alone wasn’t enough; he also needed to improve the various facilities.

The biggest gap between the countryside and the city was in healthcare and education. To thoroughly change this poor and backward place, these two aspects were absolutely essential.

Education was easier to address. For example, Naye Primary School already had one of the best teaching staff in the county, and its ranking would continue to rise over time.

Currently, Shuangwang Junior High School’s teaching staff was not among the top in the county, but with more time, it would eventually rank in the top few. After all, in the previous life, without Deng Shirong’s intervention, Shuangwang Junior High School had already ranked in the top three in the county, attracting students from several neighboring towns. In this life, it would definitely maintain that ranking.

The remaining issue was healthcare. Building a large hospital would require a significant investment, which was why Deng Shirong hadn’t mentioned it before.

But now, the Naye Deng clan was no longer short of money. The annual revenue of the Deng Group had reached an astonishing figure. Investing in a hospital, as long as it wasn’t an exaggeratedly large, nationally renowned hospital, would not be a significant burden for the Naye Deng clan.

In the future, the Bobai County People’s Hospital successfully upgraded to a Grade-3A hospital, but in this era, Bobai did not have a Grade-3A hospital.

Deng Shirong was hesitant about whether to build a Grade-3A hospital. If it was just a regular county hospital, the cost wouldn’t be too high, but building a Grade-3A hospital would require a substantial investment.

After some thought, Deng Shirong ultimately decided against it. It wasn’t that the Deng Group couldn’t afford it; it was just that building a Grade-3A hospital in the countryside in this era wasn’t necessary. A county hospital would be more than sufficient.

As for future development, they could address that later. They could reserve space for the hospital and expand or upgrade it when necessary.

Bu Dafang couldn’t help but feel interested. She didn’t want to start a business outside, but if it was in the village and such a simple business, she was definitely interested. She said, "Uncle, I’m quite interested in what you said. When do you think the hotel should be built?"

Deng Shirong smiled, "There’s no need to rush. We at least need to wait until the hospital is built to have a steady stream of customers. I’m just letting you know so you can be mentally prepared."

Bu Dafang nodded, "Okay, I understand."

...

PS: The mystery is solved! You all just love seeing people show off. With this courtyard, the number of followers has broken the record again (^ω^). There are only five more hours left. If any relatives have monthly tickets, please vote now, or they’ll expire!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end