Chapter 1300 - 1172: Miao Tianming Returns to China

Chapter 1300: Chapter 1172: Miao Tianming Returns to China

After the Lantern Festival in the first lunar month, it was the day for Zhang Guoqing’s family to set off.

Unlike previous years, Mother Zhang sent them off with a broad smile. As she put it, shedding tears during the first month was seen as bad luck.

Whether it was due to superstition or become accustomed to frequent separations, Zhang Guoqing felt much better that his mother could say goodbye with a smile.

Waving goodbye to his parents and brothers who were seeing him off to the car, Zhang Guoqing knew that in a few years he wouldn’t be able to return, but fortunately, his parents were healthy.

They arrived in Beijing on this day, and Aunt Chen had prepared a sumptuous dinner.

Spare rib soup, stir-fried lung slices, braised pork, and more filled the entire table; she seemed eager to use up all the supplies from the past period.

Perhaps because he had been stuck in the city for too long, Zhang Guoqing felt a sense of finally being home when he stepped off the train onto this land.

To confirm this feeling, he glanced at his three sons. Indeed, it wasn’t just him experiencing this illusion. His Brother Ping’an and the others were clearly smiling.

Ah, it was difficult to see his second son smiling in public, indicating how delighted the child was.

Now that they were back, they naturally had to visit the mischievous old man, Doctor Hu, before going to work tomorrow.

The day after, after they both went to work, the aftereffects of a long vacation kicked in.

Unable to take their three sons to school, Zhang Guoqing and Zhou Jiao were caught up in their busy work schedule. Having been idle for a while, they found it somewhat hard to adjust all at once.

But life had to go on, and they had to continue living as they should.

Zhou Xiaozheng returned from his visit abroad, and seeing them busy, yet resting adequately, he didn’t remind them much, as he was even busier.

During this time, several letters arrived from Miao Tianming overseas, mostly consisting of casual greetings. Seeing that he didn’t mention investment matters, it put Zhou Jiao at ease.

From an investment perspective, letting a large sum of money just sit in the bank was imprudent. However, Zhou Jiao had considered much and decided to wait a bit longer.

Firstly, as major events she had overlooked became increasingly clear through the financial materials sent by Miao Tianming, she needed to consider them more thoroughly.

Secondly, time was also a factor; over time, a person’s limits could be tested, and if possible, she even considered going abroad.

Without meeting the head of the Miao family, no matter how much she trusted Miao Tianming, Zhou Jiao didn’t dare trust anyone else in the Miao family.

For a big family like theirs, especially one that thrives abroad, she didn’t believe that profit was more important than kinship. Besides, what kinship did the Miao family have with her?

Millions might not tempt them, but tens of billions, or even hundreds of billions?

Currently, as the Miao family treated her kindly, Zhou Jiao was even more cautious to act rashly. Now, she just wanted to remain idle and wait to see the Miao family’s reaction.

And so she waited and waited, more than half a year passed, until New Year’s Day of 1982, and the anticipated return of Miao Tianming, who had promised to come back the following year.

"Sister, I can finally see you."

Time truly is the best testimony!

Zhou Jiao gazed at the unchanged Miao Tianming in front of her and suddenly burst into hearty laughter, and Miao Tianming, with reddened eyes, followed suit with a silly grin.

"Sister, you’re still the same."

"Silly boy, why don’t you just say your sister has become a witch?" Zhou Jiao appraised him from top to bottom, "Not bad, indeed you’ve transformed into a real man."

In the face of being teased by the Miao family abroad as unaltered by pressure, Miao Tianming shyly scratched the back of his head, "Really? I still have much to learn."

Zhou Jiao shook her head with a chuckle, then led him to the couch, reversing roles as the host, "How long can you stay this time?"

"Gotta leave in a week." Miao Tianming looked at her regretfully, "Sis, it’s because it’s the New Year abroad that I could come back this time."

Hearing this, Zhou Jiao knew he had no business to attend to and smiled at him comfortingly, "There’ll be opportunities in the future, when you come back to invest, there’ll be plenty of time."

"Oh? So you’re saying that the domestic situation will only get better in the future?"

Zhou Jiao gave him a sidelong glance, "You’re getting sharp. Just wait, our country will only become better. Are you used to living abroad now?"

"Much better than when I first arrived." Miao Tianming nodded with a smile, "When I first got there, if not for my dad accompanying me and my brothers taking me around, I almost bought a ticket back home..."

Listening to him start recounting his initial days abroad was more vivid than the few lines of letters, even though he still presented the brighter picture, Zhou Jiao could understand his struggles.

The status of Chinese people abroad, especially in developed powerful countries, remained as second-class citizens despite naturalization. No matter how wealthy, they were compared unfavorably with even destitute nobles.

Zhou Jiao quietly accompanied him, listening to him finish the tale of his journey to study abroad and then his recent years, and soon discovered one thing: this lad still didn’t have a partner!

Finally waiting for him to finish his endless chatter, Zhou Jiao handed him a glass of water and asked right away, "Too busy to find a partner?"

With a "pfft," Miao Tianming quickly turned his head to spray out a mouthful of water, cleaned up with a handkerchief, and looked at Zhou Jiao with amusement, "Sis, it’s been years, and you still haven’t forgotten to find me a wife?"

"You don’t realize you’ve turned into a bachelor man yet."

Miao Tianming’s mouth twitched at her words. Could he claim that he was an eligible bachelor abroad? Once he spoke up, he could shed this status immediately!

"What’s your dad thinking? With you as his only son, doesn’t he want to become a grandfather sooner? Does he have an illegitimate child abroad?"

Miao Tianming burst into laughter, saw her about to get annoyed, and quickly stopped laughing to say, "Sister, rest assured. I’ll definitely get married next year."

Zhou Jiao skeptically examined him, "Really?"

"Not lying! My dad said as long as it’s a Chinese, I can marry anyone I want. Isn’t that easy? Seeing him getting on in years, I figured I’d do as he says."

Hearing this, Zhou Jiao nodded repeatedly. "That’s more like it!"

After these small talks, they finally shifted to the main topic.

Miao Tianming was still hung up on the funds at hand, wondering what was to be done with them.

Having just heard that apart from the three uncles of the Miao family and Miao Tianming, even Miao Tiancheng, now managing the main house’s assets, didn’t know about her.

Furthermore, all her funds had been managed by Miao Tianming alone from the start. Not to mention her funds, even the assets of his own household had long been divided from the other two, alleviating some of her doubts about the Miao family.

She might not trust the Miao family, but she trusted the Miao Tianming before her.

It made sense; with the separation, who would allow others to meddle in their family’s industry, especially Third Uncle Miao who had only one son, so it was impossible not to guard against the nephews.