Chapter 24: The Conflict Between the Zhou Family Brothers at the Dinner Table
Mr. Zhou acted quickly. As soon as he completed the design of the courtyard, he contacted building materials and construction companies he was familiar with.
Some people may be curious, Mr. Zhou is just a retired painter, where does he come from such great energy?
In fact, painting and house design are inseparable. As the deputy director of the Northeast Film Factory, Mr. Zhou also has his own connections.
A word from Mr. Zhou can help solve problems that may seem difficult to others.
After the Zhou family's old house was demolished, Zhou Bingkun took Zheng Juan and six-year-old Zhou Cong to live in Guangming's house, while Zhou's mother Li Suhua took three-year-old Zhou Ming to live in Qiao Chunyan's mother's house.
The construction workers worked faster, and the house was completed in less than a month and a half. After about another month and a half, after the cement has completely solidified, the family can move back to their new home.
Zhou Bingkun was pleasantly surprised when the news came back from Hong Kong Island. The physical book of "The Rise of a Great Power" was selling very well on Hong Kong Island, and even some Chinese circles in Southeast Asia, Europe and the United States had spread it to a certain extent.
What Zhou Bingkun didn't expect was that Japan and South Korea also expressed great interest in "The Rise of Great Powers". Japan alone has sold nearly 200,000 copies.
As for the "Hexi Corridor", it has a nuclear bomb-level influence. The desert, lone wild geese, camel bells, and every frame of Zhou Lao's paintings are impacting the souls of the people of Hong Kong Island.
They all thought in unison that their motherland was so vast and beautiful.
The sales of "Rise of Great Powers" and "Hexi Corridor" on Hong Kong Island have caused the numbers on Zhou Bingkun's account to grow every day.
Zhou Bingkun and Ma Tingfang were happy, but the National Daily was surprisingly angry.
The editor-in-chief of the National Daily looked at the staff in front of him and suddenly felt like he hated iron. "Since you took Zhou Bingkun's call, why didn't you report it?"
"I...I thought Zhou Bingkun was joking!
I have been working at the National Daily for so long, and I have never seen anyone like this who dislikes the low remuneration!" The staff also felt aggrieved.
"Oh my God! There are so many things you haven't seen before!
Shouldn't they all exist?
Do you know how much money the Oriental Daily in Hong Kong paid Zhou Bingkun?"
"I don't know!" The clerk shook his head in confusion.
"For the two books "The Rise of Great Powers" and "Hexi Corridor", Zhou Bingkun received half a million Hong Kong dollars in cash!
Converted into RMB, it’s 450,000!
Think about it for yourself, what is the one thousand two hundred yuan from our National Daily?"
"Ah? So much money?"
"Humph! This is just cash!
There will be a lot of dividends in the future!
That’s the big deal!” the editor said angrily.
"But...but our National Daily can't afford so much money!"
"idiot!
There are honors and statuses in this world that money can't buy. These are what our National Daily can give Zhou Bingkun!
Now everything is ruined because of your carelessness!"
...
Before the Spring Festival, Zheng Juan gave birth to a girl, which made the Zhou family extremely happy.
Zhou Bingkun named his baby daughter Zhou Hui, which was named after the names of his two previous sons. It just made up for cleverness.
During the winter vacation, Zhou Bingyi took Hao Dongmei back to Zhou's home. When they saw the newly built Zhou home, Zhou Bingyi and Hao Dongmei's eyes widened in shock.
“Last time I came back, the house hadn’t been built yet!
It's only been three or four months, this change is too sudden!" Hao Dongmei said in disbelief.
"This Zhou Bingkun didn't even notify us of such a big thing as building a house!
It’s really too much!” Zhou Bingyi said angrily.
"Hey! This brother of yours is really difficult to get along with!
Keep everything in your heart!
What’s even more hateful is that our mother is now also affected by him!
We exchange letters frequently, and no news has been revealed!"
"Hey! Our mother can't read, so in the end it wasn't Zhou Bingkun who wrote it!
If he didn't want to say it, no one would know!
I guess our dad might not even know!"
"Hey! Just thinking about your brother Zhou Bingkun gives me a headache!
I heard that he wrote another historical article called "Hexi Corridor".
It was sent directly to Hong Kong Island for publication!”
"I think it was the success in his career that made Zhou Bingkun a little forgetful!
You are so arrogant that you look down on our relatives!"
...
Seeing that her eldest son Zhou Bingyi and her eldest daughter-in-law Hao Dongmei came home together, Zhou's mother Li Suhua was really happy. She quickly held her son Zhou Bingyi's hand and introduced her son from room to room like a child offering a treasure.
Seeing his mother looking so happy, Zhou Bingyi temporarily put Zhou Bingkun's "unreasonableness" in the back of his mind.
When the family sat down to eat, seeing his younger brother Zhou Bingkun's playful smile, Zhou Bingyi wanted to punch him hard for some reason.
Zhou Bingkun could still feel the fierce look his eldest brother Zhou Bingyi looked at him, and heard Zhou Bingyi keep humming when he looked at him.
Zhou Bingkun suddenly pretended to be serious and said, "Brother, what's wrong with you?
Why do you already have rhinitis after not seeing each other for several months, and you keep moaning and groaning here!"
Zhou's mother Li Suhua, who was eating next to her, heard Zhou Bingkun's words and quickly put down her chopsticks and said to Zhou Bingyi with concern, "Bingyi, you don't really have rhinitis, do you?"
"Mom, it's okay!
Don't listen to Bingkun's nonsense!
I'm very good!" Hearing Zhou Bingkun's words, Zhou Bingyi was so angry that his nose almost twisted. Seeing his mother Li Suhua's concern, Zhou Bingyi quickly explained with a wry smile.
"Brother, don't take it seriously!
My sister-in-law is also studying medicine!
If you don’t believe me, ask her!
Is the air quality in Beijing too poor? There are frequent sandstorms!
Maybe this is why you contracted rhinitis!?" Zhou Bingkun still pursued and beat his elder brother Zhou Bingyi fiercely.
“I have a classmate who suffers terribly from rhinitis!
My nose always smelled a bad smell. At first I thought it was someone else's socks, and I even got into a fight with another classmate!
In the end, I found out that there was something wrong with his body!
Brother, do you think this is a slap in the face!?"
How could Zhou Bingyi not understand the underlying meaning of Zhou Bingkun's words? It's just that he is too arrogant to admit his mistakes.
He thought he was not wrong when he chose Hao Dongmei instead of being promoted to deputy political commissar Ming!
He thought he was not wrong when he and Zhou Rong persuaded Zhou Bingkun to give up going to college and focus on taking care of his mother!
Nor would he think that it would be a mistake for him to endure the alienation and precautions of Hao's father and Hao's mother for Hao Dongmei.
In Zhou Bingyi's mind, Zhou Bingkun was just lucky for a moment and had achieved some results, so he wanted to be arrogant in front of him. Zhou Bingyi would not allow it.
"Bingkun, don't worry!
As soon as we go back, let Bingyi go to the hospital to check!
However, I think it may not be rhinitis, just a small cold!" Hao Dongmei saw the two brothers who were at war with each other and quickly said with a smile to smooth things over.
After hearing Hao Dongmei's words, Zhou's mother Li Suhua felt much more at ease, and Zhou Bingkun on the side no longer "pursued and beat up" his brother Zhou Bingyi.
"Brother, sister-in-law, there is a room for you in the new house. Come back often in the future!"
This is your home!
Don’t really think of yourself as your door-to-door son-in-law!”
Zhou Bingkun's "son-in-law at home" sentence was really heartbreaking for Zhou Bingyi. This has always been the biggest pain in his heart.
"You...Zhou Bingkun!
Speaking of new houses, I have to ask you something!
Why didn't you tell me about such a big thing as building a house in your letter?
No matter what, I also want to take out a sum of money!" Zhou Bingyi could only angrily use the topic as an excuse.
"This... I really had enough money at that time!
No need to trouble you any more!
If you really want the money, just give it to my mother!
Let’s leave it as pension for our mother!”
“Bingkun, what are you talking nonsense about?
I usually don’t have any place to spend money, so what kind of pension do I want!” Zhou’s mother Li Suhua, who was on the side, didn’t know the conflict between her two sons’ words, so she complained quickly.
"Haha! Yes!
Our mother doesn’t want to ask for your money either!