Chapter 518 The first half of the bad old mans life
I have to say that Cheng Yu was actually a little surprised.
Is it so measured?
It's not that Cheng Yu thinks everyone in this world is greedy for money, but the sense of propriety shown by this aunt's family does make people feel a little strange.
But this was not something too important, so Cheng Yu didn't say much.
In any case, the appearance of the northeastern aunt perfectly explained why Cheng Qingsong wanted to sell the property and where he spent the huge sum of money.
At the same time, Cheng Qingsong never mentioned this, and even after Cheng Guangnian found out the truth, he helped him hide it, which was perfectly explained.
After thinking for a while, Cheng Yu said: "It's not easy to find this, right? How did you find it back then?"
“It’s difficult to say it’s actually not difficult.
In the early 1990s, unless it was buying a house or a car, it was not easy to spend a huge sum of 300,000 yuan.
I recall that in 1991, your grandfather once took a long trip. At that time, he said he wanted to visit the places where he went to the mountains and countryside.
Because I was only in my early twenties at that time, and your second uncle, third uncle, and sister-in-law were all still young, so before your grandfather went out, he told me to take good care of my younger brothers and sisters, so I was quite impressed."
"So, you think that the money is related to grandpa's trip to Northeast China? But at that time, real-name system was not required for train tickets, and even if real-name system was implemented, it was only in 1991. It is estimated that it would be difficult for the railway department to retain it for such a long time.
record."
Cheng Guangnian nodded and said: "When I checked this matter, the railway department had just implemented the real-name system for train tickets. My thoughts at the time were the same as yours.
At that time, I felt that it was unlikely to find out anything about the train tickets.
But from this, I thought of another possibility. That is, at that time, if you wanted to travel far away, you would probably need a letter of introduction."
Cheng Yu was stunned. Letter of introduction? What the hell is this?
Three words. Of course Cheng Yu knew which three words they were. He could write each word, and he also had a rough idea of what a letter of introduction was.
But Cheng Yu didn't understand what it was like to need a letter of introduction when traveling far away.
As a post-95 generation born in 1997, when Cheng Yu was born, letters of introduction from ordinary units had basically withdrawn from the stage of history. Now only some public institutions or government agencies still use them, and they are rarely used.
This period of history has little to do with economics. Cheng Yu received his middle school and university education in the United States, so the "letter of introduction" played a huge role from the founding of the People's Republic of China until the mid-1990s. For him,
It's a really unfamiliar concept.
Perhaps sensing Cheng Yu's confusion, Cheng Guangnian explained a few words.
“After the founding of the People’s Republic of China until the mid-1990s, when state-owned enterprises were restructured on a large scale, private enterprises sprung up like mushrooms after a spring rain, the market economy realized a truly open supply, and many vouchers, including food stamps, truly disappeared from the stage of history.
A letter of introduction is a kind of personal ticket.
It was okay in the 1990s, but a few years ago, if you didn't have a letter of introduction when you went out, you couldn't buy train or bus tickets. When you got to a place, if you didn't have a letter of introduction, you wouldn't even be allowed to stay in a hotel.
Without a letter of introduction, it was almost impossible to move forward in those days.
Although the three northeastern provinces were the cradle of China's industry before the 1990s, they had already begun the restructuring of state-owned enterprises at that time. They were the areas most affected by the restructuring of state-owned enterprises.
And in the three northeastern provinces at that time, the living conditions in the industrial cities were relatively better, while rural areas and other places were still very backward.
I just thought that if you were going to the south, your grandfather would definitely not need a letter of introduction.
But if he goes to the Northeast, where he went to the mountains and countryside, maybe it will be useful.
So, I went to your grandfather’s workplace, and after going back and forth, after a lot of trouble, I was able to find the person who gave him a letter of introduction back then."
Cheng Yu understood, he smiled and said, "The one you won't find is the female neighborhood committee cadre that grandpa once pursued, right?"
Cheng Guangnian also laughed and said: "There are indeed many coincidences in this matter, but it is because of these coincidences that I gradually found the truth.
I first went to your grandfather's workplace, which has been merged by a private enterprise. The person in charge of the private enterprise is also considered a friend of mine.
He was very helpful, but after the merger, these useless information had long been discarded. However, he still helped to ask many old employees in the factory, and also provided some information about your grandfather who came back from the Northeast and entered the factory together.
Employee information.
From one of the old gentlemen, I learned that in the late 1980s, the factory where your grandfather worked had begun cooperation with private capital and was among the first batch of units to attempt restructuring.
Therefore, the factory has transferred power to the local streets for issuing letters of introduction. I went to the street office and found the female neighborhood committee cadre you mentioned.
Because of your grandfather's relationship, the female cadre immediately remembered what happened twenty years ago.
I also remembered that my eldest sister also found her and asked about your grandfather.
In fact, I had already guessed some clues at that time, but there was no evidence after all, so I asked the female cadre to recall it carefully. She enthusiastically helped me search for a long time in the neighborhood committee’s archives, and finally found it.
I have confirmed which township my eldest sister belongs to in Northeast China."
There is no need for Cheng Guangnian to continue talking about what happened next. Cheng Yu can guess what the situation is.
It was nothing more than Cheng Guangnian flying to the Northeast, then finding the township where Northeastern Auntie belonged, and then checking the township government for more specific villages, and finally found the Auntie.
After having Auntie as a person, all the mysteries will be solved naturally.
"So, you and I are not the only ones who know that grandpa has an illegitimate daughter in the Northeast. The female cadre of the neighborhood committee must have guessed it to some extent, right?"
"She will not reveal it and will definitely keep it strictly confidential."
Cheng Yu raised his eyebrows and said with a smile: "How much money did you give me for hush money?"
"Three percent of Qianjin's shares."
Cheng Yu was stunned again when he heard this.
Qianjin?
What does this have to do with Qianjin?
But three percent shares?
Well……
Isn’t that the share Xu Dong received?
Cheng Yu's mind was running rapidly and he soon understood.
He smiled bitterly and asked: "So, Xu Dong is the son of the female cadre of the neighborhood committee?"
Cheng Guangnian nodded and said: "After I found out about my eldest sister, I knew that Xu Dong's mother might have guessed part of the truth.
After all, she had met the eldest sister in 1991, and then I went to investigate this matter. Anyone would probably think of the true relationship between the eldest sister and your grandfather.
It’s not really about keeping it secret, but I happened to hear that she had a son who had just graduated from graduate school and needed a job, so I asked her if she would like her son to work at the Cheng Group.
At that time, Cheng's business had a scale of tens of billions, and it was considered a star company in Wudong, so she had no reason to refuse."
Cheng Yu blinked, feeling that this matter had become a bit funny.
But when he thought about it carefully, Cheng Yu felt that something was wrong.
"Xu Dong is thirty-five this year? He was born in 1983 or 1984? But my grandfather is eighty. Even if the female cadre he pursued was younger than him, she must be over seventy this year, right? Six years ago eight years ago
More than ten years ago, I retired early..."
Cheng Guangnian shook his head and his face turned a little dark.
"Retired, but just two years after retiring, the neighborhood committee hired her back to help. Moreover, Xu Dong's mother was only fifteen when your grandfather became interested in her."
Cheng Yu was stunned again, but he soon understood his mental error.
At his age, a girl who wants to work in a government agency must have graduated from college, so she must be at least twenty-two or thirty years old.
It was 1967 or 1968.
According to Cheng Yu's inference, Xu Dong's mother was born four or five years ago. Wouldn't she be seventy-three or four years old today?
Eight years ago, I would have been sixty-five or sixty-six years old, and it would have been almost ten years since I retired.
But if he is fifteen years old, he was born in 1953. Eight years ago, he was fifty-seven or eighteen years old. He had indeed retired only two years ago.
Only fifteen years old, this age...
Cheng Qingsong was really unreliable when he was young. Not to mention the fact that he is fifteen or sixteen years older than others, the other party is only fifteen years old, and he is not a minor in the legal sense. How can he do it?
Orally.
Looking at Cheng Yu's colorful expression, Cheng Guangnian also guessed his mental activities.
Shaking his head, Cheng Guangnian said with a wry smile: "Don't think so much. Your grandfather didn't know that Xu Dong's mother was only fifteen years old. After knowing this, he stopped harassing others."
"But working at the age of fifteen..."
"It was a special era, especially 1968.
A total of six classes of middle school students graduated in 1968. The students who were supposed to graduate in the first two years were concentrated in those who graduated together in 1968 due to special historical reasons.
Those three classes of middle school and high school students were later called the third class.
Xu Dong's mother started studying early. She graduated from junior high school in 1968 when she was fifteen years old. The society was in a mess, so she was assigned to work."
Well……
Cheng Yu touched his chin and said okay.
But to be honest, a fifteen-year-old girl doesn't look much different from a seventeen-eighth-year-old girl or even a twenty-year-old girl. It's normal for Cheng Qingsong to miss her.
Fortunately, Cheng Qingsong was not that unreliable. At least he chose to give up after learning that he was only fifteen years old.
"It seems that Xu Dong's mother got married late enough."
"Well, his mother is also a miserable person.
She got married at the age of twenty-two and has had no children since the marriage.
People in that era were relatively ignorant. If a woman couldn't give birth to a child, they thought there was something wrong with that woman.
Later, her husband divorced her. After living alone for several years, she was introduced to Xu Dong's father when she was approaching her thirties.
Xu Dong's father was much older than her, almost forty years old. His wife passed away in that era, and his child also died in infancy.
Fortunately, Xu Dong’s father was very good to his mother, and after having Xu Dong, he also loved him very much.”
Uh, okay, why did you tell another story?
Maybe Cheng Guangnian also realized that the topic was a bit far-fetched, so he said, "Why are you asking about these things?"
Cheng Yu rolled his eyes and said, "Aren't I just more sensitive to time data? I didn't ask, you said it yourself."
Cheng Guangnian thought about it and said, "In short, Xu Dong's parents will never reveal anything..."
"Then Xu Dong also knows about this, right?"
"Not sure. Maybe his mother has mentioned it to him, but maybe she hasn't. But no matter what, I still trust Xu Dong. Unless he gets my permission, he will never go out and spread it."
Seeing that Cheng Yu seemed to still have questions, Cheng Guangnian said: "Okay, you have learned enough tonight, and your curiosity has been satisfied. You can't make it easier for me during the New Year.
Remember, these things are ultimately related to your grandfather’s privacy. He didn’t choose to tell me and your uncle and aunt, so you have no reason to help him reveal it.”
Cheng Yu nodded and said: "Don't worry, why should I talk to them about this when I have nothing to do? But our bad old man was really not a fuel-efficient lamp when he was young. This is because he was a person of that era.
, if it were left now, wouldn’t you still be able to become a master of flower picking?”
Cheng Guangnian's face turned dark and he glared at Cheng Yu, seemingly scolding him for not talking about his elders like that.
Cheng Yu hurriedly made a gesture and said with a smile: "I just complained casually, mainly because I was shocked by the legendary first half of the bad old man's life. Don't worry, I'll stop here and won't mention it again."
Cheng Guangnian then took a deep breath, stood up and said, "Go out. We have been chatting for so long today. Your mother must be surprised."
"Well, the key is that we didn't quarrel and were able to talk for so long."
Cheng Guangnian glared at Cheng Yu again, and Cheng Yu hurriedly ran out of the study.
Looking at Cheng Yu's back, a slight smile appeared on Cheng Guangnian's face.
"This brat finally looks like a son."
Cheng Yu returned to the hall and sat next to Ning Kezhu.
"Have you finished talking to your dad?"
"Well, we talked about some past things."
"You don't know. It was a good thing that your father-in-law was here before. After you sent him away and returned to the study, I was always worried about hearing some quarrel coming from the study.
movement."
Cheng Yu laughed, hugged his mother's arm, and said, "Don't worry, I'll try not to argue with him in the future."
There was a smile in Ning Kezhu's eyes as she said, "After all, we have a family. My Yu'er has grown up and knows better than to argue with his parents."
"I have never had any quarrels with you since I was a child. The main reason is that Lao Cheng is too authoritarian."
Cheng Guangnian also walked out of the study at this moment, and the hall was naturally filled with voices greeting him.
I watched the Spring Festival Gala with Ning Kezhu for a while. After twelve o'clock, the New Year's Eve dinner was truly finished.
Cheng Guangle and Cheng Guangtian both stood up to say goodbye, and Cheng Guangnian asked Cheng Yu to see them off.
When the two families left, Cheng Fu seemed particularly reluctant to leave and pulled Cheng Yu to chat, which gave Cheng Yu a headache.
After finally getting the two families into the car, Cheng Yu returned to the house, and Cheng Jie said it was almost time to go back.
"You and Xiaomao don't go back, it's just the two of you. You have to come over tomorrow anyway, so you might as well stay." Cheng Guangnian spoke.
Ning Kezhu also nodded and said: "Yes, Xiaojie, what I mean is that after Xiaomao starts school, you can just move back here. You see, you don't care about the company's affairs now.
The company has also been robbed by your eldest brother. When you come back, we sisters will still have a companion."
Before Cheng Jie could speak, Wang Shuran spoke first.
"Auntie, your words are discriminatory."
"Huh? How do you say it?"
"Why do you have to wait until I start school and go abroad before letting my mother move? Don't you really want to see me? Why can't you let me live here with my mother?"
Ning Kezhu laughed and said, "Don't I think that as a little girl like you, you may not be willing to live with your elders when you grow up? If you are willing, I will find someone to help you move your things tomorrow.
Move here together, spend more time with your grandpa, and spend more time with me. Later, my aunt will take you shopping!"
"Yeah! Long live auntie! I knew I was so popular with everyone, how could auntie not like me?" Wang Shuran jumped up from the sofa, cheering.
Cheng Guangnian also looked at Cheng Jie and said, "Xiaojie, what do you think?"
Cheng Jie thought for a while and said, "I'm afraid that coming back will make the second brother and the third brother unhappy."
Indeed, the two buildings in this courtyard were actually built by Cheng Guangnian himself.
At first, the whole family lived here, but later Cheng Jie moved out after getting married, and Cheng Guangle and Cheng Guangcai also moved out.
The reason why we built two houses is actually for a large family.
But obviously since such a pattern has been formed, if Cheng Jie moves back alone, the other two families will inevitably have some ideas.
But Cheng Guangnian has never been someone who minded such things.
He waved his hand and was about to speak, but Cheng Yu beat him to it.
"Sister-in-law, you are overthinking it. Does my father care about that kind of thing?
The second uncle and the third uncle had some ideas that made them want to go, but my dad didn't seal off the yard to prevent them from living there.
You live alone most of the year now, so it makes sense for you to live here and take care of each other.
In fact, I think there is no need for Xiaomao to study abroad. How old is she?
Will the education be poor after returning to China?
It was Wang Hai who had to let her out in the first place. Didn't you also object to it?
I suggest that you simply let Xiaomao come back to study. If she can pass the university on her own, or she can study wherever she wants, I'll see. At this stage, it's not necessary."
Cheng Jie seemed very hesitant, and Ning Kezhu persuaded her: "Yes, Xiaomao is very smart, and he will be the same when he returns to China to study."
Wang Shuran raised his hands, thought for a moment, and then lay on the sofa and raised his feet.
"I wholeheartedly agree with my brother and aunt's opinion. This is simply the best news I have heard in the past few years, bar none!"
Cheng Jie still hesitated and looked at Cheng Guangnian, seeming a little worried.
After all, Cheng Guangnian sent Cheng Yu away when he just graduated from elementary school.
Wang Hai also used this as an excuse a few years ago, saying that Cheng Guangnian could send Cheng Yu away, so what reason did his family have to feel sorry for their child?
Cheng Jie also objected to it at the time but it was invalid, so she agreed.
In Cheng Jie's view, Cheng Guangnian must be the kind of parent who wants his children to receive Western education. In fact, domestic education is not weaker than Western education. This is not the 1970s and 1980s.
However, there are still some differences between Eastern and Western education. I cannot say who is better or worse, but it is inevitable that some people think that Western education is more suitable.
Cheng Guangnian was actually very embarrassed. The reason why he sent Cheng Yu away was entirely for an unspeakable reason.
As for Wang Shuran, especially since she was a young girl, Cheng Guangnian actually felt that it was good for her to stay in China with Cheng Jie, and there was no need to go abroad at all.
But what to say now?
After all, what he did to Cheng Yu made everyone feel that he was a parent who was more inclined to Western education in terms of educational philosophy.
If he asked Wang Shuran to come back at this time, Cheng Jie would inevitably think that it was because Wang Shuran was not his child, so it didn't matter.
Cheng Jie's marriage to Wang Hai has cast a shadow on her life. Cheng Guangnian doesn't want his little sister to be hurt in any way, and he doesn't want her to feel depressed because of him.
"Lao Cheng, please express your opinion. Don't you see that my sister-in-law is waiting for you to pronounce the sentence?"
Hearing Cheng Yu's words, Cheng Guangnian had a headache.
After thinking about it, Cheng Guangnian said: "My personal opinion is that I prefer Western education (this is really contrary to my wishes). But when you and Wang Hai sent Xiao Mao out, the place they chose was not very suitable.
Secondly, this matter ultimately depends on you. If you want Xiaomao to come back, I have no objection."
Cheng Jie was slightly startled when she heard this, and looked at Cheng Guangnian with a look that seemed a little uncertain.