"Golden scales are just things in the pond. They turn into dragons when encountering wind and cloud. Even if Shen Dapeng is a golden scale, his family background is wind and cloud. Without the wind and cloud, even if he can overturn the rivers and seas, he will never become a real dragon in the end. So, you
Do you understand?"
Cao Xinmin raised his head and drank the remaining half of the glass of white wine. He glanced at his daughter with squinted eyes, "My daughter is a golden phoenix on a branch. She does not have the body of a golden dragon. She is not worthy!"
"Then Huang Bin from the Huang family is worthy? I'm afraid he can't even be considered a snake and python, right? If the Huang family were not around, it is estimated that his survival would be in question. Do I really want to be engaged to such a person?"
Cao Mengyuan didn't want to embarrass her father, nor did she want to embarrass herself, but the Cao family actually agreed to the Huang family's request to get engaged as soon as possible without any discussion. She had a four-year agreement with Shen Dapeng, and she didn't want to break it.
"I will discuss this matter with the elders of the clan, so don't worry!"
Cao Xinmin seemed a little lost, his official career was not going well, he could not take good care of his daughter, and his wife was bothered and worried every day. Perhaps to outsiders, he was the deputy secretary-general of the provincial government and held a high position, but only he knew what was going on behind the scenes.
Bitterness and helplessness.
"Daughter, do you believe him?"
Cao Xinmin spoke inexplicably.
"believe!"
Cao Mengyuan answered very simply and neatly, without any hesitation.
Cao Xinmin stared at his daughter quietly for a long, long time, and smiled happily for no reason, "Okay, I understand! Come, let's eat. I'll go back to Cao's house in a few days and give your second grandfather good news!"
Cao Mengyuan and her mother looked at each other. For some reason, they both had a tacit understanding and didn't speak again!
If possible, Cao Mengyuan would rather never see this second grandfather in her life, and Su Xin also has no good impression of the current head of the Cao family. After all, the marriage between her daughter and the Huang family was proposed by this old guy.
The ‘Second Grandfather’ in Cao Xinmin’s mouth is named Cao Zhongxiao. He is the current head of the Cao family in the capital and is in charge of most of the Cao family’s economic lifeline and political relations.
However, the title "Second Grandpa" came only after the engagement between his daughter Cao Mengyuan and Huang Bin. In the previous ten years, Cao Xinmin had only seen him from a distance a few times.
In fact, Cao Xinmin's father and second uncle Cao Zhongxiao are just cousins. Starting from the grandfather's generation, their family is a branch of the Cao family. If there is no major event, they can't even break into the house, let alone another one.
If Cao Xinmin, who is a generation younger than him, had not married Su Xin, the eldest daughter of the Su family, he would never have had a chance to be taken seriously.
Now with the marriage of Cao Mengyuan and Huang Bin of the Huang family, Cao Xinmin, who has not had much contact with the family for many years, has once again attracted attention.
In fact, why doesn't Cao Xinmin want to be able to make the decision for his daughter's future? But amid the overt and covert struggles within the family, he is powerless. If he really wants to blame, it would be because his daughter is too good and is jealous of others.
In the capital city, at the foot of the old city, there is a simple and square courtyard. At the entrance is a bluestone screen wall carved with auspicious unicorns. Turn left and you will see the hanging flower gate, and then go inward to see the inner house.
After entering the gate house, you can see the east and west wing rooms on the side, the front hall on the north side, and the private rooms and boudoir further inside.
A courtyard with "three entrances" like this is placed in a courtyard that was extremely luxurious in the late Qing Dynasty. Now it is owned by the Cao family in the capital at the feet of the emperor. This kind of courtyard with its south and north facing, extremely upright, can no longer be purchased with money.
Measuring and owning it is a symbol of status.
The stone path in the courtyard leads to the hall. Pomegranate trees and persimmon trees are planted on both sides of the stone path. The so-called "Pomegranate tree in the fish tank on the ceiling, Mr. Fat Dog and Fat Girl" is a portrayal of the life of many scribes in the old days of Beijing.
Nowadays, the Cao family's position in the officialdom of the capital is worthy of this "deep and somewhat deep" three-entry courtyard.
But this courtyard now belongs exclusively to Cao Zhongxiao, the head of the Cao family. The old man is seventy-nine years old. Except for a few nannies and caregivers who take care of daily life, not even his son or daughter can live with him.
It's not that he is aloof and indifferent, it's just that he is older and has a very different living habit from the younger generations. If he wants to live a few more years, he still needs to be quiet and indifferent. But obviously, the Cao family today is several times more lively than usual.
In the inner hall, in front of the solid wood round table, Cao Zhongxiao was not too hot. He was wearing a blue robe and coat that is rare among modern people. His hair was dyed white, and he sat in the main seat with his back straight, lightly twirling the goatee on his chin, and smiling.
He looked at the two sons and one daughter on the table, his granddaughter, his grandson, and of course Cao Xinmin's family of three who were sitting next to him at the door.
Cao Zhongxiao has two sons and one daughter. The eldest daughter, Cao Rongyue, is married to the second son of the Zhang family in Yanbei. She is the wife of the Zhang family business group, a full-time wife, and has a daughter named Zhang Xin.
The eldest son, Cao Xinguo, is several years older than Cao Xinmin and has already taken the position of mayor of a municipality directly under the central government. He has two children, son Cao Qiu and daughter Cao Wan. They may be busy with their official careers and have two children who are less than ten years old.
Behind Cao Xinmin.
The youngest son, Cao Xinsheng, is also a year younger than Cao Xinmin, but he has no intention of pursuing an official career, so he goes into business. He has only one son, Cao Zhang, who is three years older than Cao Mengyuan. He is a top student in the third year of Shuimu University and may have been criticized by his father.
He likes the influence of official career and doesn't like intrigues, but he has a bit of a gentleman's demeanor.
"Today we have some simple meals. Let's get together to celebrate some of the children who have achieved great success. Especially Yuan'er. She became the top liberal arts scholar in the capital in the college entrance examination. She brings honor to your father and our Cao family.
Good boy, keep up your hard work!"
Cao Zhongxiao was scalding a pot of wine by himself at the table. In this scorching summer, young people usually drank ice-cold beer, but he also drank scalded warm wine, which was good at taking care of his health.
"Second Grandpa, I won't let my family down!"
The family members in Cao Mengyuan's words did not include anyone here at all in her heart, but she still had to smile indifferently on her face.
"Hey, Mengyuan, I remember the last time I saw you, you didn't seem to have such good results. Why, how hard have you studied in the past year? Are you exhausted for the false reputation of being a liberal arts champion? Come on, take a bite.
fish……"
Cousin Zhang Xin had a bit of hypocrisy on her face and a sour tone. She was obviously very dissatisfied with Cao Mengyuan who had stolen her limelight. The fish in Cao Mengyuan's bowl was not fish at all, it was just fish bones.
Originally, her seventh place in liberal arts in the capital was enough for her grandfather to reward her, but she didn't expect that Cao Mengyuan, who had always been inferior to her in academic performance, actually won the top prize. Now she naturally felt indignant and unfair, and she even felt that Cao Mengyuan was lucky.