Chapter 424: Return to the In-Laws, the Young Son-in-L aw's Shock, and the Elder Brother's Sudden Co

Chapter 424: Return to the In-Laws, the Young Son-in-L aw's Shock, and the Elder Brother's Sudden Collapse

The newlywed couple returns to the bride's family on the third day after the wedding, a traditional custom in most regions of our Country.

However, in Shuangwang Realm, whether in this era or in the future, the newly wed couple returns to the bride's family on the Second day of the New Year.

On the third day after the wedding in Shuangwang Realm, there is a special term for this visit, called "La Chao" in Hakka dialect. This "La Chao" is when the bride's family comes to visit their married daughter at the groom's home.

At this time, the groom's family should serve the same dishes as the wedding banquet to the bride's family.

The reason for this custom is that in Shuangwang Realm, parents usually do not attend their daughter's wedding, so when they come for "La Chao," the groom's side shows respect by serving the same wedding banquet dishes to the bride's family.

Additionally, there is a rule that if the bride goes back to her family with her parents on "La Chao," she must return to her in-laws' home after three days, which is called "San Chao Qu San Chao Huan" in the local dialect.

If the bride does not go back to her family with her parents and returns a few days later, she can stay at her family as long as she wishes.

This custom is relatively rare.

In his previous life, Deng Shirong always followed this custom, not attending his daughters' weddings. However, after being reborn, he no longer strictly adheres to this custom but is more flexible.

For example, he attended both of his daughters' weddings.

Since he attended the weddings, he no longer adheres to The "La Chao" custom.

Therefore, for the younger daughter's wedding, Deng Shirong plans to follow the groom's family customs and will not participate in "La Chao," thus avoiding the need for the groom's family to hire a chef to prepare the same dishes.

If the groom's customs are followed, Deng Shirong will be prepared to welcome his daughter and her son-in-law on the third day after the wedding.

...

Guangzhou.

Zhou Haidong and Deng Yunzhu, carrying a large number of gifts, boarded a long-distance bus to Nanning.

After placing the gifts, Deng Yunzhu said, "Riding the bus is really inconvenient. You should take some time to learn how to drive. My father bought cars for all four of us siblings. My car, a Santana worth 200,000, is parked in Nanning. Once you learn how to drive, you can take the car back, and it will be more convenient to go out."

Zhou Haidong, already aware of his wife's considerable wealth, nodded and said, "Alright, I'll take some time to learn how to drive. If your father bought you a car, you should be able to drive, right?"

Deng Yunzhu replied, "I can drive, but my father doesn't allow me to."

Zhou Haidong was surprised, "That's a bit strange. Since your father bought you a car and you know how to drive, why doesn't he allow you to drive?"

Deng Yun zhu explained, "My father is concerned about my safety. This world is chaotic, and according to my father, bandits and robbers are everywhere, even in cities. If I drive a 200, 000 car every day, I will eventually be targeted by robbers.

Even if they just want money, I'm afraid of encountering those who rob and kill for money. At that time, not only will the money be robbed, but my life safety will also be at risk. Those people have no qualms about how many lives they have taken, and they might shoot directly upon sighting me as their target. Just thinking about it is scary."

Zhou Haidong nodded, "What your father said makes sense, but spending so much money on a car and not allowing you to drive it is a waste, isn't it?"

Deng Yun zhu laughed, "Who says I can't drive? My father has hired a platoon of veterans to protect our safety. We generally have security personnel accompanying us wherever we go. They are not only our bodyguards but also our drivers. Wherever we want to go, we just need to tell them, and they will arrange it."

Zhou Haidong was profoundly moved. Their Zhou family's conditions were already quite good, but compared to his father-in-law's family, the difference was significant.

After getting married, his wife told him that the Wuyue Square in Nanning, which they had visited, was built and owned by her father.

The first floor of Wuyue Square houses a large supermarket belonging to his brother-in-law, the second floor's hot pot restaurant is his wife's business, the third floor's home appliance mall is owned by her fourth brother, and the fourth floor is currently unused. The fifth floor is where his father-in-law lives.

When Zhou Haidong first heard this, he was naturally shocked for a while.

He also understood why his wife's hot pot restaurant was so profitable. With such a large area and using her own property, she saves a significant amount of rent, naturally making more profit than renting a storefront.

...

It was 5 PM.

Wuyue Square, Nanning.

Zhou Haidong, carrying a large number of gifts, followed his wife up to the penthouse on the fifth floor. Even though he was mentally prepared, he was still stunned by the ancient and elegant decoration of the interior.

Until his wife started greeting the family members, Zhou Haidong snapped out of his daze and followed suit, greeting everyone one by one.

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Ah Zhu, you go put your luggage away first. Haidong, you can have a cup of tea with the elder brother and the others. I'll just finish a few more dishes, and we can start eating."

"Sure, Dad."

Zhou Haidong and Deng Yunzhu both responded.

Deng Yunzhu then took their luggage to the bedroom where she had always stayed, while Zhou Haidong sat in the incredibly spacious living room and had tea with his brother-in-law and the others.

Here, it's worth mentioning some taboos associated with the return to the bride's family. In many places, newlyweds are not supposed to share a room during this visit.

According to some local legends, if the newlyweds share a room at the bride's family home, it can lead to the decline of the bride's family.

In ancient Chinese culture, the act of intimacy between a man and a woman is often seen as a loss for the woman.

Given this belief, the bride's family might feel psychologically oppressed if the newlyweds share a room at their home. Additionally, since the bride's and groom's families are not of the same bloodline, it is considered inappropriate to use the bride's family home for the continuation of the groom's lineage.

If a pregnancy were to occur during this visit, it would be seen as taking the "human vitality" and "wealth" from the bride's family to the groom's family.

Therefore, many places have the taboo that newlyweds should not share a room at the bride's family home. This taboo has gradually faded in modern times, but it still persists in some regions.

In Shuangwang Realm, however, there is no such rule. Since the newlyweds only have the "La Chao" visit and the actual return to the bride's family happens on the second day of the New Year, by that time, they have been married for a long time, and any potential pregnancy would not be an issue.

Now, on the third day after their wedding, Deng Yunzhu was returning to her family. Deng Shirong, having lived two lives and experienced many things, did not care about such taboos.

...

After chatting with his brother-in-law and the others for a while, Zhou Haidong's father-in-law announced that it was time to eat.

Once they started eating the dishes prepared by his father-in-law, Zhou Haidong realized that his wife had not been exaggerating at all. His father-in-law's culinary skills were on par with those of professional chefs, especially in the preparation of various seafood dishes.

As Zhou Haidong ate, he praised, "Dad, your cooking is amazing, especially this steamed mudworm. It's the best dish I've ever had."

Deng Yunzhu glanced at her husband and smiled, "I knew you had good taste. This steamed mudworm is one of Dad's specialties, and everyone who tries it praises it."

Deng Shirong smiled, "If you like it, have some more."

Zhou Haidong didn't hesitate and ate three large bowls of rice, emphasizing his health and appetite.

As for alcohol, he wasn't the type of man who abstained from drinking, as such a person wouldn't be suitable for a career in politics. However, he knew that drinking could affect the health of future children. Now that he was married and could have his own children at any time, he naturally had to be more restrained in this aspect.

Once his wife was pregnant, he could drink without any issues.

Without alcohol, the meal went quickly.

After the meal, Deng Shirong said, "Ah Zhu, show Haidong around the house."

Zhou Haidong, who had been curious about his father-in-law's home, readily agreed, "Dad, I'd love to take a look. The interior decoration is truly beautiful."

Deng Yunzhu then led him on a tour.

The luxuriousness of this 3,000-square-meter mansion was beyond what most people could imagine. Zhou Haidong, having lived in Guangzhou, one of the top cities in the country, had seen many impressive things, but he was still stunned by his father-in-law's home.

It was understandable. In modern cities, most people live in apartments ranging from 90 to 120 square meters. A 300-square-meter apartment is a symbol of wealth.

Deng Shirong's mansion was ten times that size. What did that mean? Who could remain unmoved upon seeing such a level of luxury for the first time?

Moreover, the interior decoration was truly impressive. The ancient and elegant ambiance made people feel as if they had traveled back in time. While such decoration might not be as impactful to those without cultural sophistication, it was absolutely perfect for those with a deeper appreciation.

As a top graduate from a prestigious university, Zhou Haidong could fully appreciate the essence of the decoration, and he was genuinely impressed.

After the tour, Zhou Haidong was thoroughly in awe of his father-in-law. Not only was he wealthy, but his taste was also unparalleled.

"Ah Zhu, how much did such beautiful decoration cost?" Zhou Haidong asked.

Deng Yunzhu replied, "According to Dad, the entire building was decorated at once. From buying the land, building the house, to decorating, it cost several tens of millions."

Zhou Haidong gasped. The more he learned about his wife's family, the more he felt their depth was unfathomable. After a long pause, he said, "Wife, it seems the people in our village were right. Marrying you is like our Zhou family's ancestors are smiling in their graves."

Deng Yunzhu said with a proud expression, "That's right, you should be happy about it!"

...

Zhou Haidong and Deng Yunzhu only stayed in Nanning for one night and returned to Guangzhou the next day.

It wasn't that they didn't want to stay longer, but Zhou Haidong, being a public servant, couldn't take too much time off, as it would leave a bad impression on his superiors.

On the way back, Deng Yunzhu couldn't help but say, "Your job really doesn't give you much freedom. Let's see how things are in a couple of years. If you don't get promoted, you might as well quit and start a business with me."

Zhou Haidong nodded, "Alright, this job isn't very interesting anyway. If I don't get promoted, I'll quit and start a business with you."

Although his job was something many people in this era dreamed of, Zhou Haidong had always been the pride of the Zhou family. At such a young age, he was already a full-time section-level official, and he had graduated from a prestigious university, with great potential for a successful political career, possibly even surpassing his father.

Previously, he had never considered quitting.

But as the saying goes, times change. After marrying Deng Yunzhu, Zhou Haidong's mindset was completely altered. Compared to a business that could earn millions annually, his dream job didn't seem so significant anymore.

...

Nanning Architectural Design Institute.

Deng Shirong was reviewing the design renderings for the hospital, which clearly marked the purpose of each building and divided the project into two phases: the current construction and the expansion for a tertiary hospital.

The design was straightforward and clear.

Deng Shirong said with satisfaction, "Dean Huang, you've done a great job. I'm very pleased with the design."

Dean Huang smiled, "Mr. Deng, as long as you're satisfied, that's all that matters. You are our largest client, and we will naturally do our best to meet your requirements."

Deng Shirong put the renderings on the table and said, "Dean Huang, besides reviewing the renderings, I have another request for your institute."

Dean Huang asked, "What additional design do you need?"

"Design for the experts' villas."

Deng Shirong explained, "We can provide housing subsidies for other medical staff, allowing them to rent their own homes. Once the Ye Deng Villa Complex is completed and the residents move in, the old houses can be rented to these medical staff, so they won't be left vacant and wasted.

Moreover, this way, everyone can choose their housing based on their needs. Those who want a more comfortable living environment can pay more for better houses, while those who want to save money can share older houses with colleagues. It's like going to a restaurant; the choice of luxury or frugality is up to the individual.

However, for the more renowned experts, they might not be willing to work in a rural area. Therefore, we need to offer them the highest salaries and the most comfortable living conditions to attract them to work at our hospital."

Dean Huang praised, "Mr. Deng, you have considered everything. Building villas for the experts is indeed very necessary. How many villas do you plan to build?"

Deng Shirong replied, "Let's start with about twenty to thirty villas. That should be enough for now, and we can always add more if needed in the future."

Dean Huang nodded, "No problem. What kind of villas do you want to build? Will they be standalone villas?"

Deng Shirong said, "Yes, let's build standalone villas."

...

In the following days, with nothing much to do, Deng Shirong wandered around, looking for potential matches for his young niece.

If Deng Shirong were a typical matchmaker only interested in making money, he would have arranged many meetings for his niece by now. However, he wasn't a professional matchmaker, and since he was looking for a match for his own niece, he wanted to find the right person before arranging any meetings.

Finding the perfect match was not easy.

For example, his second son's Peking University classmate, Song Yu, was already 30 years old but still hadn't found a suitable match. Her parents were extremely anxious, but such matters couldn't be rushed. Until Deng Shirong found the right person, he wouldn't arrange a meeting for her.

As Deng Shirong was busy with these tasks, time flew by, and before he knew it, it was already late December.

Then, the world's attention turned to the superpower.

On December 21st, the signing of a certain declaration brought the bipolar world order, which had existed for over forty years after the war, to an end.

On December 25th, the superpower that had dominated the world for decades and was the only one capable of challenging the United States, suddenly collapsed.

This moment shook the world.

Especially for those in socialist countries, it was a massive earthquake, a moment of utter darkness. Many in our country couldn't believe it was real, thinking it was some kind of conspiracy. How could such a powerful superpower collapse so suddenly?

The common people couldn't believe it was real, but the higher-ups knew it was a fact.

Fortunately, our country had been reforming and opening up for over a decade, taking a path vastly different from that of the older brother. Although the collapse of the older brother caused a significant psychological shock, it did not shake our foundation.

However, the sudden collapse of the older brother was still incomprehensible and shook the faith of some people.

At this critical moment, the Chief Designer stepped forward.

Thus, a speech that holds milestone significance in the history of our country's reform and opening up, and has a profound and long-term impact on our current and future development, was born.

The great historical significance of this speech is immeasurable. No matter how much praise it receives, it would never be enough. It was because of this speech that our country's reform and opening up truly shifted from being "reform-focused" to "openness-focused," ushering in a new stage of development.

It is not an exaggeration to say that this Southern Tour Speech was the guiding light for our country's development.

Deng Shirong had experienced this in his previous life, but he didn't understand the significance of this speech for our country's development back then. It wasn't until he started reading web novels in his later life that he realized how crucial the Chief Designer's speech was for our country at that time.

In this life, he understood. Seeing the elderly man on the news, Deng Shirong felt genuine admiration. If it weren't for this elderly man, even if he had been lucky enough to be reborn, he wouldn't have been able to achieve his current prosperous life so quickly.

If he hadn't forgotten, after the Chief Designer's speech, there was a significant impact within the system. Countless elites responded to the call, immediately resigned, and plunged into the business world without hesitation.

Most of the elites, however, chose to take a leave of absence with pay. With this security, they confidently chose to enter the business world.

If they succeeded, they would become wealthy. If they failed, it wouldn't be a big deal; they could always return to their jobs, as their positions would still be waiting for them.

...

Nanning.

Luxury Residence at Wuyue Square.

Deng Shirong was looking at Xiaodong'er and Dongzi's report cards. Xiaodong'er, the academic star, consistently performed well and once again secured the top grade in her class. Dongzi, on the other hand, had a bit of luck this semester and barely managed to rank 20th in his class.

After reviewing the report cards, Deng Shirong looked at his granddaughter and praised her, "Xiaodong'er, you did a great job, securing the top grade again. Where would you like to go for the holidays?"

Xiaodong'er had clearly thought about it and blurted out, "Grandpa, I want to go visit Uncle Second."

Deng Shirong was a bit surprised but still nodded with a smile, "Alright, I'll take you to visit Uncle Second."

Dongzi quickly jumped in, "Grandpa, I also ranked 20th in my class. Why don't you ask me where I want to go?"

Deng Shirong chuckled, "Alright, where would you like to go?"

Dongzi said, "Grandpa, I also want to go visit Uncle Second."

Deng Shirong couldn't help but laugh, "Then we'll all go visit Uncle Second. I'll prepare some local specialties for him, and we'll set off in three days."

Dongzi excitedly said, "I wonder if Ergou can speak yet."

Xiaodong'er said, "He can, Aunt Second called a few days ago, and Ergou even called me 'Sister.'"

Dongzi asked, "Will he call me 'Brother'?"

Xiaodong'er replied, "Teach him, and he will."

Dongzi nodded, "I'll make sure to teach him well when I go."

...

To go to Fujian, Deng Shirong naturally had to prepare thoroughly. He still had plenty of the beef jerky cans he had made earlier, but the beef brisket and spicy crab cans were in short supply after he had distributed them among his children.

So, over the next three days, Deng Shirong made another batch of beef brisket and spicy crab cans. He also prepared some huishuiye, a local specialty.

As for the glutinous rice wine, longan, broken red tea, and Azhuzhen cigarettes, Deng Shirong didn't need to prepare them separately, as he still had plenty stored in his system space.

After preparing everything, Deng Shirong took his grandchildren on a flight to Fujian.

When they arrived in Fuzhou, it was already past five in the afternoon.

Deng Shirong had no plans to rush to Fuqing that night. Instead, he found a place to have dinner with his grandchildren and then checked into a high-end hotel.

The next morning.

Deng Shirong took his grandchildren to have a local specialty breakfast. The dish was called guobianhu, also known as dingbianhu or dingbianchui, a popular snack in Fuzhou.

The taste was indeed excellent, and all three of them enjoyed it, no wonder it was so popular.

After a delicious breakfast, the three of them, carrying their luggage, boarded a long-distance bus to Fuqing.

...

PS: Thank you to all the relatives for your support and monthly votes.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end