Section 6, Household Affairs

Zhao Guodong noticed that the atmosphere had become somewhat awkward due to this topic, so he quickly interjected, "Lao San, you are about to graduate as well. How confident are you about the college entrance examination?"

Skillfully gliding through the crowd on his bicycle, Zhao Guodong sensed the faint fragrance carried by the flow of people

Zhao Guodong is also aware that Zhao Changchuan's performance is considered acceptable in the private school, but once he enters Jiangmiao Middle School, it becomes quite ordinary. Each year, only a handful of students, around ten, from Jiangmiao Middle School manage to enter universities, vocational colleges, or technical schools, and it is evident that Zhao Changchuan is not among them

A meal was dampened by two remarks from Zhao Deshan, and Zhao Guodong also realized that some disharmonious elements seemed to have emerged in his home. Having been away for a long time, he did not expect that his previously harmonious family would also encounter issues, which left Zhao Guodong feeling somewhat troubled

"Mom! Dad! I'm back." As soon as Zhao Guodong stepped through the door, the familiar aroma that greeted him filled him with an indescribable warmth. In the pot on the stove, pig trotters were simmering, and the enticing fragrance made Zhao Guodong swallow hard. In the iron pan, sliced pork with black fungus was being stir-fried, which was also Zhao Guodong's favorite.

No, no, it is still not confirmed yet," Zhao Lingshan said, her face suddenly turning red as she hurriedly clarified.

This is a unique scent created by the mixture of soap and shampoo with body odor found on countless women, a peculiar sensation that can only be experienced in a textile factory filled with a large number of young unmarried women. Zhao Guodong could sense the numerous gazes directed at him by the women, filled with surprise, astonishment, and, more importantly, a sense of curiosity

The whole family of five is together. The eldest sister has already been arranged to work in the factory, as there is a high demand for female workers, which is fortunate. However, the arrangement for male workers in the factory is quite tight. If I do not manage to pass the exam and secure a position outside, I fear that the family will truly be engulfed in worry and despair.

You! A flicker of anger crossed Zhao Lingshan's face. She had long been aware of her second brother's dissatisfaction with Liu Cheng, but this was her own choice of partner, not a matter for the family to decide. Zhao Deshan's openly contemptuous tone when discussing her partner, especially at the moment her eldest brother first learned of it, naturally made her very angry

Zhao Guodong was taken aback for a moment. Upon seeing the somewhat mysterious expressions of his three younger brothers, he immediately understood, "Oh, has elder sister found someone too?"

Guodong, why have you only just returned? I thought you would be back by noon. Is work very busy? Mother Xu Xiuqin's face has always been so kind, and Zhao Guodong seems to feel the warmth of home for the first time. In the past, he would rush home and rarely had such feelings; his parents seemed to exist more as a vague impression.

It is quite difficult as it stands now. The second child is wandering around aimlessly, and my mother has told me several times to come back and discipline Zhao Deshan. However, I was simply too busy in the first half of the year and did not have the heart to pay attention. Now, I finally have some leisure time to rein in this wild horse, Zhao Deshan, otherwise, one day there might be a major incident that we would be unaware of.

Since graduating, Zhao Deshan has found fault with everyone in the family except for his elder brother. It has been over two years since graduation, and he still has no luck finding a job at the factory. Zhao Deshan feels anxious and restless, wandering around like a wild horse. Every few days, someone comes to complain, but Old Zhao is no longer able to manage him. Moreover, feeling incapable of helping Zhao Deshan secure a job at the factory, he feels guilty and can only apologize privately to others.

"Brother, you are back? When did you return?" A figure reeking of sweat burst in, skillfully spinning a basketball in his hand. Upon seeing Zhao Guodong, he immediately exclaimed in delight.

"Elder brother, the teaching quality at Jiangmiao Middle School is also average, and my grades in class are just mediocre. I really don't have much confidence." Zhao Changchuan noticed his elder brother's gaze directed at him, and his eyes became somewhat evasive. He knew his own situation well, and he did not dare to speak carelessly in front of Zhao Guodong.

It seems that he was somewhat dissatisfied with his son's response, but he could tell that his son did not want to elaborate on the matter. Old Zhao let out a sigh and chose not to say more. His son had grown up and was now a police officer. In a certain sense, if the role of a father is in opposition to that of a police officer, it is likely that the role of the police officer holds more weight.

Some old brown wooden doors, with a few wisps of greasy smoke still lingering in the kitchen window, had their original coal replaced with natural gas two years ago. This change has earned the current leadership of the factory high praise from all the housewives. In a daze, Zhao Guodong suddenly rushed to the front door and was jolted awake, abruptly squeezing the bicycle's handbrake and coming to a sharp stop at the threshold

Father sat silently at the dining table, clearly unable to contain Zhao Deshan any longer. Mother, with a worried expression, seemed to hesitate to speak. Deshan was unemployed, and Changchuan was about to graduate from high school. With two able-bodied men at home without jobs, it was no wonder that both parents were anxious.

"I heard from Changqing that today is the weekend, and I estimate that your father and I will be back today as well." A mother's words are always the most considerate, not even questioning why she was reassigned to the Jiangmiao Police Station, which warmed Zhao Guodong's heart.

"Hmm, just got home, did you go play basketball again?" Zhao Guodong skillfully snatched the basketball from the opponent, dribbled it twice on the ground, and then tossed it back to the opponent, "Did we win or lose?"

Only the fourth son, Zhao Yunhai, of the family is considered promising. He is currently a first-year high school student at Zhongxiao Middle School in Jiangkou County. The entire family hopes that he can achieve the same success as they did and bring honor to the Zhao family. If two members of the family manage to attend university, it would be the first instance in the cotton spinning factory.

"It's nothing, it's entirely due to work requirements. Jiangmiao is lacking personnel to handle cases, and the bureau needs to assign someone from the criminal police team. Since my family is from this area, I naturally became the first choice." Zhao Guodong did not want to engage in this topic, but faced with his father's caring gaze, he felt compelled to respond.

"Guodong, you were doing well in the criminal police team, so why were you transferred back? Did you make some mistake?" The serious face of his father had once been Zhao Guodong's greatest fear, but it has now lost its former power

"Hehe, brother m.hetushu.com.com, when have we ever lost?" The person is Zhao Guodong's second brother, Zhao Deshan, standing at a height of 1.83 meters and weighing over 170 pounds. His bare upper body, with well-defined chest and abdominal muscles, resembles that of a bodybuilder, while his deep blue sports shorts have begun to fade. The sports shoes he wears are the ones he bought during his time at the police academy. This kid has certainly grown a lot in the past two years

With a heavy grunt, Zhao Deshan said no more and focused solely on his meal

The slight discomfort of being assigned to Jiangmiao quickly faded amidst the warmth of family. When all six members of the family were seated at the dining table, Xu Xiuqin casually asked, "Ling Shan, why hasn't Xiao Liu come? Didn't I ask you to call him?"

Hmph, regardless of whether you pass the exam or not, you must study diligently. If you cannot get into university, then go for self-study examinations. In this day and age, without skills and a diploma, how do you expect to get by? Are we all just going to wait for the factory to arrange jobs for us?

In early summer, the young girls fully display their graceful body curves in the air. Most of the female workers are either unmarried young women or newly married ladies, dressed in T-shirts, short-sleeved shirts, or dresses. The vibrant colors of red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, black, and white are fully released at the moment of getting off work, showcasing their elegance and charm, which also evokes a nostalgic feeling in Zhao Guodong reminiscent of several years ago.

"Hmm, Mom, I have been transferred to the Jiangmiao Police Station, so it will be more convenient for me to go home in the future." Zhao Guodong nodded and set down the bag he was holding

Zhao Guodong's image clearly does not resemble that of the local vegetable farmers' children, while the factory workers' children seem to have little in common with someone like him, who has long since distanced himself from this circle and is an outsider to the world of books

After the meal, only Zhao Guodong and his mother remained in the living room. Washing the dishes had always been the responsibility of the eldest sister, while the father had gone to find a few chess friends for a game. The other younger brothers had quietly slipped out, seemingly aware that the mother and the eldest brother had something to discuss

Alright, Second Brother, the matter concerning Eldest Sister requires your management. Do you still have a say in this? I haven't been back for a few days, and you have become so presumptuous? Get out of the way!

After all, there are not many people riding bicycles in the factory area. The entire factory area resembles a self-sufficient closed circle. Aside from the local farmers who come to sell vegetables at the market, almost everyone is well-known to each other. Even the newly hired female workers establish their own social circles within a year or so.

Zhao Lingshan glanced at Zhao Guodong, her face instantly flushed, "He has something to attend to; the factory requires overtime."

"Look at that useless Liu Cheng; he doesn't even dare to meet my brother, yet he wants to marry you? I told him long ago that if he wants to enter my family, he must first get past my brother. If my brother doesn't approve, he might as well give up and leave. " Zhao Deshan's face showed a look of disdain, clearly indicating his dissatisfaction with his elder sister's suitor.

Seeing that the elder sister's face was flushed and her eyes were glistening with tears, Zhao Guodong quickly scolded Zhao Deshan in anger. This guy's mouth has always been foul, and during their school days, his brothers had no idea how many pointless fights they had gotten into because of his mouth.

Guodong has returned, hasn't he? The father's back has also slightly bent; after working for several decades, he has saved nothing for the family, only managing to raise five children. Zhao Guodong feels a bit sentimental.