Chapter 480: Is My Eldest Brother a Spy?

Chapter 480: Is My Eldest Brother a Spy?

Deng Shirong had a lot of questions about his eldest brother.

His father had explained it clearly to him: when his eldest brother went to serve in the military, he joined our army. But now, his eldest brother had somehow become a general in the Nationalist Party. What had happened in between?

Hearing his younger brother's inquiry, Deng Shize paused for a moment before saying, "I'll explain this to everyone once the children are all here. I've kept this secret for so many years, it's time for them to know."

Deng Shirong realized he had been too abrupt with his question and changed the subject, "Eldest Brother, if Third Sister knew I found you, she would be very happy."

Learning that his third sister was still alive, Deng Shize felt even more joyful and quickly asked, "Where did Third Sister get married? How is she doing? How many children does she have? Oh, and how many children do you have, Ninth Brother?"

Deng Shirong smiled, "Third Sister got married in Baoshan Village. Her husband is a very honest man and treats her well. They have five children, just like you, three sons and two daughters. They live a very happy life. As for me, I have seven children, five sons and two daughters. Except for the youngest son, who is still in school, the other six have already started their own families. Xiaodong and Dongzi are my eldest son's children."

"Great!"

Deng Shize exclaimed with delight and then asked, "Ninth Brother, when your five sons were born, were our parents still around?"

Deng Shirong understood what his eldest brother wanted to hear and nodded, "They were still around, and they were very happy to see their five grandsons. They passed away surrounded by their children and grandchildren."

"That's good! That's good!"

Deng Shize felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. The person he felt most guilty about in his life was his parents. Not being able to take care of them in their old age was his greatest regret. Thankfully, Ninth Brother had taken care of them, or he would have no face to meet them in the afterlife.

Seeing the conversation turning somber, Mrs. Hu interjected with a question, "Ninth Brother, did you bring your grandchildren to Taiwan for a vacation?"

Deng Shirong nodded and smiled, "Yes, Big Sister. I've always had a rule that if my grandchildren do well in their exams, I would take them on trips during the summer and winter holidays. They can go wherever they want. This time, Xiaodong wanted to come to Taiwan, so I brought her and her brother here. If it weren't for Xiaodong wanting to visit Taiwan, we might never have had the chance to meet again."

"Indeed, if we hadn't met today, we might never have had the chance to see each other again."

Deng Shize said, "For many years, I've wanted to bring my family back to our hometown to pay respects to our ancestors, but as you know, the situation between the two places was impossible back then. In recent years, things have changed, and many people have returned to visit their hometowns. They say the mainland is now more open and welcoming to us Taiwanese compatriots. However, my position is different, so I've been observing the situation before making a decision. By the time the situation became clearer and the timing was right, my health began to fail."

Deng Shirong asked with concern, "Eldest Brother, how is your health now?"

Deng Shize smiled, "It's an old war injury. The doctor says if I rest well, I might live another two or three years."

Although Deng Shirong had already experienced this in his previous life, hearing that his eldest brother had little time left still made him feel sad. He asked, "Eldest Brother, can't these old injuries be cured?"

Deng Shize shook his head, "It's not a disease anymore. It's the result of too many injuries and overexertion during the war. Don't be sad. The fact that I survived those brutal battles is already a blessing from our ancestors. These extra decades are a bonus."

This was true. Many people had died during the war, and surviving was already a miracle.

While Deng Shirong and his brother were chatting by the fire, Deng Yunfu, who had received a call from his son, hurried over with his second son and youngest daughter.

Entering the hall, Deng Yunfu's gaze immediately focused on Deng Shirong, and he greeted him, "Uncle Man, I'm Yunfu."

Deng Shirong looked at his well-dressed and successful nephew and nodded in approval, "Great, you look like a successful businessman."

Deng Yunfu smiled, "Uncle Man, you're too kind."

Deng Shize added, "Yunfu runs a food company, and his business is doing quite well."

"Uncle Man, I'm Changyou."

"Uncle Man, I'm Changxiu."

Deng Changyou and Deng Changxiu greeted him.

Deng Shirong looked at his energetic grandnephew and grandniece and asked with a smile, "You two are still in school, right?"

Deng Changyou replied, "Yes, Uncle Man. I'm in my third year of college, and my sister is in her first year."

Xiaodong didn't need her grandfather to prompt her and greeted, "Uncle, Brother Changyou, Sister Changxiu, I'm Xiaodong."

Dongzi followed suit, "Uncle, Brother Changyou, Sister Changxiu, I'm Dongzi."

Deng Yunfu praised, "What good children."

Deng Changxiu, looking at her lively cousin, asked with a smile, "Xiaodong, how old are you this year?"

Xiaodong replied, "I'm 15 years old, including the extra year for my birthday."

Deng Changxiu said, "That makes me four years older than you!"

...

Of Deng Shize's five children, only his eldest son, Deng Yunfu, and his youngest son, Deng Yunshou, stayed in Taoyuan County. His second son, Deng Yunlu, and his two daughters were developing in other places.

After Deng Yunfu's family arrived, Deng Yunshou's family, consisting of a son and a daughter, also arrived shortly after.

Deng Yunshou had a son named Deng Changshang, who was 10 years old, and a daughter named Deng Changshang, who was 12 years old.

Through conversation, Deng Shirong learned that his nephew and niece were both middle school teachers, a very respectable profession, especially in Taiwan, where teachers generally earn higher salaries compared to the mainland.

Although Deng Shize's second son and two daughters were developing in other places, they were not far away. By four o'clock in the afternoon, all of them had arrived.

The eldest son's family of five, the second son's family of four, the youngest son's family of four, the eldest daughter's family of four, and the youngest daughter's family of three, added up to about twenty people, making it quite a lively gathering.

Deng Shize looked at his eldest grandson and instructed, "Elder Grandson, you stay here with your brothers and sisters. I have something to discuss with your elders."

Deng Changzuo nodded, "Understood, Grandfather."

Deng Shirong also instructed, "Xiaodong, Dongzi, stay here and play with your cousins. Grandfather needs to talk with Uncle."

Xiaodong obediently replied, "Okay, Grandpa."

With that, Deng Shize, supported by his children, made his way upstairs.

The others followed suit.

Once they reached the living room on the second floor and everyone was seated, Deng Shize began, "There's something I've kept buried in my heart for decades, never telling any of you. I originally intended to take this secret to my grave, but today, after unexpectedly meeting your Uncle Man, it's time to reveal this long-buried secret."

At this, Grandma Hu, the children, daughters-in-law, and sons-in-law all perked up with curiosity.

Deng Shirong was extremely curious as well. His eldest brother had joined their party, but somehow ended up as a Nationalist general, leading him to believe his brother had long passed away. He was more eager than anyone to know the truth.

Deng Shize started his story: "My original name isn't Deng Shidong, but Deng Shize. When I was a young man, I was noticed by a covert operative of the Communist Party. He taught me a lot, so my true identity is that of a Communist. To put it in modern movie terms, I'm an undercover agent."

Hearing this, Grandma Hu, the children, daughters-in-law, and sons-in-law were all stunned.

Their husband (father), a Nationalist general, was actually an undercover agent, which was hard for them to believe.

Deng Shirong, having the advantage of prior knowledge, knew his eldest brother had joined their party. Therefore, when he heard the word "undercover," he accepted it more easily.

However, despite his acceptance, he still had many questions and couldn't help but ask, "Brother, logically, your undercover career should have ended in 1949. Why has it continued until now?"

The others also wore puzzled expressions. Even if it hadn't ended in 1949, there was no reason for it to continue until retirement.

Deng Shize sighed, "If everything had gone smoothly, it wouldn't have happened this way. I might have been able to return home and bring honor to our family, or even take care of our parents in their old age. Unfortunately, my undercover mission encountered a major crisis.

During that crisis, I was severely injured and nearly died. After recovering, I learned that the intelligence unit I was part of had been completely wiped out.

It's unclear where the mistake occurred, but from that point on, I lost contact with the organization.

Although I kept trying to find a way to rejoin the organization, I never got a chance. After the Nationalists' defeat, I had no choice but to come to Taiwan with them.

The rest, as you know, is history."

Deng Shirong and the others were taken aback, never expecting the story to unfold this way.

Deng Shirong, having seen many spy movies in his past life, understood the dangers of being an undercover agent. To protect their own, the fewer people who knew about the undercover identity, the better.

If an entire intelligence unit was destroyed and the sole survivor lost contact with the organization, it was a common occurrence.

If the organization sent someone to "wake up" the agent, they could return to the fold. But if something went wrong and no one came, the agent had to remain undercover indefinitely.

Clearly, his eldest brother fell into this category.

Seeing his family stunned by this revelation, Deng Shize said sternly, "I originally intended to keep this a secret forever, as it would do you no good to know. If word got out, it could harm you.

So, you must keep this to yourselves. Don't tell the children, and act as if nothing happened, understood?"

"Understood, Dad!"

Deng Yunfu and the others responded, understanding the gravity of the situation. If the secret were to leak, the consequences would be dire.

Deng Shirong sighed, "What a shame. If you hadn't lost contact with the organization back then and continued to develop, you would have been the first general in our Deng family. Now, although you are a general, it's not the same under the Nationalists."

Deng Shize was also deeply regretful that he couldn't return home in glory. However, after so many years, he had come to terms with it and smiled, "When I joined the military, I never dreamed of becoming a general. I was filled with passion, determined to fight the Japanese.

During the war, I personally killed dozens of Japanese soldiers, and even more under my command. My life has been worth it."

Deng Shirong thought for a moment and asked, "Brother, do you still want to return to the organization?"

Deng Shize replied, "Of course, I've been waiting for decades to return. But unfortunately, there's no chance now."

Deng Shirong said, "Brother, if you have a way to prove your identity, I can help you contact the leadership."

Deng Shize shook his head, "It's no use. If the organization knew about me, they would have contacted me by now. Since no one has, it means something went wrong. Even if I want to return, there's no one to vouch for me."

Deng Shirong sighed, "In that case, you'll have to be an unsung hero. After all, there were many who fought for the country without recognition."

Deng Shize smiled, "Compared to those unsung heroes, I'm incredibly lucky to be alive."

Grandma Hu reminded him, "Old man, it's about time to go to the restaurant to welcome Ninth Brother."

"Alright, let's go down then!"

Deng Shize nodded and looked at his children, "You're all grown up now and should understand the gravity of this. I'm emphasizing this again: you must keep this secret to yourselves. Don't tell anyone, or the consequences will be severe, understood?"

"Understood, Dad!"

Deng Yunfu and the others responded in unison, aware of the seriousness of the matter. Even though their father had retired, such a secret, if leaked, would have dire consequences.

With that, the group descended the stairs.

Downstairs, Deng Changzuo and his siblings had been waiting.

Seeing their grandparents and elders come down, Deng Changzuo asked, "Grandpa, it's about time. Should we head to the restaurant now?"

"Sure, let's go!"

...

Fifteen minutes later.

Deng Shirong and the others arrived at the most upscale restaurant in the county.

While waiting for the food to be served, Deng Shize said, "Ninth Brother, tell me about the situation back home. I've heard from people who have returned to the mainland that there's been a reform and opening up, and life is better than before, but it's still very poor. Is that true?"

Deng Shirong nodded and said, "If you compare it to Taiwan, the mainland is indeed still very poor. However, since the reform and opening up, changes have been happening at a rapid pace. The future will definitely get better."

"As for Bangjie Village, where the Ye Deng Clan is located, it is well-known in our Bobai County. The Ye Deng Clan has six or seven hundred households, all of whom live in large villas and have at least several hundred thousand in savings. Even on a national scale, it is one of the wealthiest villages."

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback.

Among Deng Shize's five children, the eldest son, Deng Yunfu, was in the best financial condition. He ran a food company, and making tens of millions of Taiwanese dollars a year was no problem, which is equivalent to about two million RMB.

The second richest was the youngest daughter, Deng Yunhua. Her husband was also a businessman, dealing in clothing, and their annual net profit, converted to RMB, was about one million, which was also quite impressive.

The third was the second son, Deng Yunlu, who, along with his wife, was a fruit wholesaler, earning several hundred thousand RMB a year.

The fourth was the eldest daughter, Deng Yunlian, who, along with her husband, were civil servants.

The last was the youngest son, Deng Yunshou, who, along with his wife, were middle school teachers.

Although Deng Yunfu, Deng Yunhua, and Deng Yunlu had assets worth more than several hundred thousand RMB, they were still shocked by Uncle Man's words. After all, Uncle Man had mentioned that every household in the Ye Deng Clan had at least several hundred thousand in savings. They could only imagine how much the wealthiest households had.

They lived in the bustling Taiwan and had the advantage of having a father who was a general, which contributed to their current financial status. However, the clan members back home did not have such advantages. How could they have become so successful?

Deng Shize, originally from Ye Village, was well aware of the situation there. He asked in shock, "Ninth Brother, is what you said true? Every household in the Ye Deng Clan lives in a large villa and has at least several hundred thousand in savings?"

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Of course, it's true. With the reform and opening up, there are countless opportunities to make money. Yunfu, Yunlu, Yunlian, Yunhua, and Yunshou, if you are interested, you should return to your hometown to develop. It will definitely be better for you than staying in Taiwan."

Deng Yunfu and his siblings exchanged glances. They had grown up in Taiwan, and for them, Taiwan was their home. They knew very little about their hometown on the mainland. Even though Uncle Man had said this, they were not ready to give up their life in Taiwan and shift their economic focus to the mainland.

Deng Shize did not pay attention to what his children were thinking. He eagerly said, "Ninth Brother, tell me about the development of the Ye Deng Clan over the years."

"Sure, it all started with the household responsibility system..."

Deng Shirong briefly recounted how he led the entire clan to develop, concluding with, "Currently, the Deng Clan Group, which we established, is the top-ranked private enterprise in the country. If you ask anyone who knows about the mainland, they will definitely know about the Deng Clan Group."

After hearing the story of the Ye Deng Clan's rise, Deng Shize was amazed and praised, "Ninth Brother, you are truly impressive. To lead the entire clan to this level is far beyond what I could have done as your elder brother!"

As for Deng Yunfu and the others, they were utterly in awe of Uncle Man. Leading the entire clan to prosperity and developing the clan's group into the top-ranked private enterprise in the country was an achievement that far surpassed their own. They found it hard not to admire him.

At this point, the waiters began to serve the dishes, and everyone paused the conversation.

" Ninth Brother, these are specialties from Taiwan. Try them out."

"Xiaodong, Dongzi, these dishes are quite tasty. Try them and see if you like them."

"Uncle Man, you are truly amazing. I'll raise a glass to you."

"Uncle Man, you are my role model. I'll raise a glass to you."

"Uncle Man..."

As they began to eat, the younger generation showed great enthusiasm!

Previously, they respected Deng Shirong purely because of his seniority. Now, their respect was not just out of seniority but also genuine admiration.

After a few rounds of drinks and several courses of food, Deng Shirong put down his chopsticks and said, "Brother, you have lived in Taiwan for decades. As one gets older, the desire to return to one's roots grows stronger. Have you thought about returning to your hometown to retire?"

Deng Shize also put down his chopsticks and sighed, "Returning to my hometown to retire has always been my wish, but my current health condition may not allow me to even board a plane. It might not be easy to go back."

Deng Shirong thought for a moment and said, "Then let's go to the hospital for a detailed check-up to see if you can fly. If flying is not suitable, we can take a ship. With some precautions, I believe it will be possible."

Deng Shize was moved. In the past, he could barely contain his homesickness, but now, after seeing his younger brother and hearing about the changes in his hometown, his desire to return had reached its peak. He wanted to fly back and see the land where he grew up with his own eyes.

"Alright, Yunfu, arrange for a hospital check-up tomorrow."

"Sure, Dad, I'll make the arrangements right away. We can have the check-up early tomorrow morning."

Deng Shirong looked at his sister-in-law and said, "Sister-in-law, you have been married to my brother for decades. It's time for you to return to our Deng family's ancestral graves for a proper visit."

Mrs. Hu, a bit excited, said, "That's right. If your brother can fly, I will accompany him to retire in our hometown."

Deng Shirong nodded inwardly. His sister-in-law was different from his brother. His brother grew up in Ye Village and had deep feelings for his hometown, which he could never forget no matter where he was. Although her ancestors were from Fujian, she grew up in Taiwan, and Taiwan was her homeland.

Willing to accompany her husband to retire in the hometown was quite remarkable.

After all, her social circle was in Taiwan, and moving to the mainland would mean giving up her existing social life and starting anew. This showed that the relationship between his brother and sister-in-law was very strong.

"Yunfu, Yunlu, Yunlian, Yunhua, Yunshou, if you five siblings are interested in developing in your hometown, you can start making preparations."

"Sure, Uncle Man!"

...

PS: Thank you all for your support and votes.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end