Chapter 326

Chapter 326

The debts were paid, the food shortage had ended, and though people’s lives were still poor, making it through the hard times was a blessing. With more mineral resources being developed, their finances grew stronger, and the future looked bright.

Zhang Zhenxing felt deeply content and naturally cheerful.

He prepared for Haohao a Chinese yo-yo, bamboo-copter, grasshopper woven from grass, carved gourds, and various odd but fun toys, which thrilled her immensely.

After arranging accommodations, Zhang Zhenxing kept his promise and treated Lu Mingzhu’s family to Beijing roast duck at Quanjude.

Haohao tasted it for the first time and exclaimed, "This duck is divine!"

Fu Yulin nearly choked on his food. "Shouldn’t it be 'heavenly person'?"

"Ducks aren’t people, so of course, it’s 'divine duck,'" Haohao retorted. She quickly assembled a thin lotus-leaf pancake, adding scallion strips, hoisin sauce, and crispy duck skin, rolled it up, and took a big bite, her cheeks puffing out. After swallowing, she continued, "I wish we could take this back to Hong Kong. Grandpa can’t eat it there."

Lu Mingzhu chuckled. "Your grandfathers in Hong Kong appreciate your filial piety. Let me tell you, they’ve tasted all the finest delicacies. They were eating roast duck before your parents were even born."

"What about Daddy Xie?" she asked.

Lu Mingzhu deflected the question. "Why don’t you ask him yourself?"

Haohao turned to Xie Junhao, who smiled warmly. "Yes, I’ve had it before—long ago. But back then, it didn’t taste as delicious as it does today."

"Why?" Haohao was puzzled.

"Because today, the whole family is together," Xie Junyao added as he rolled a duck wrap for Lu Mingzhu. "Eat up, Haohao. You’ll need the energy to climb the Great Wall tomorrow."

Normally, Xie Junyao wouldn’t climb the Great Wall again after having done so before. But to indulge her wish, he and Lu Mingzhu agreed to join her for a family photo there.

The next day, the little girl woke up exceptionally early, bursting with excitement as they drove to the foot of the Great Wall. She charged ahead immediately but soon grew breathless and exhausted, stretching her arms out for Xie Junyao to carry her.

"I won’t carry you. Climb on your own—it’ll feel more rewarding," Xie Junyao dodged.

Lu Mingzhu was even less inclined.

Her own legs and feet ached from the climb. Carrying Haohao would kill her!

Zhang Zhenxing leaned against the wall. "Haohao, how about resting with Grandpa for a bit?"

"Okay!" Haohao plopped down on the steps and patted the space beside her. "Grandpa Zhang and Daddy Xie, sit on either side. We’ll rest and then keep climbing. We’ll all be ‘true men’!"

Xie Junyao couldn’t resist asking, "If I won’t carry you, why don’t you ask someone else? Like Daddy Xie?"

Haohao sniffed. "Carrying me would tire Daddy Xie out."

Xie Junyao was mock-offended.

"So you’re not worried about tiring me out?" He pointed at himself. "We’re both your dads. You shouldn’t pick favorites."

Haohao shrugged. "Didn’t you say you’re young and strong? Strong people like you don’t get tired!"

The others couldn’t help laughing.

Except Xie Junyao.

Lu Mingzhu, dressed in a simple sweatsuit and sneakers, a sun hat shading her face, leaned against the wall, rosy-cheeked and radiant. She patted Xie Junyao’s chest lightly. "Don’t mind her. She’s just being a kid."

Hao Hao stole a glance and felt relieved.

Fu Yulin, on the other hand, leaned over to admire the scenery beyond the Great Wall, taking a deep breath. "Only the mainland has views like this. The film sets may be impressive, but they lack this grandeur. It's a shame I didn’t bring any weapons. If I could show off all eighteen martial arts moves here on the Great Wall, I’d film it for sure as a keepsake to cherish in my later years."

Lu Mingzhu laughed. "You can still throw in some moves. I’ll record it for you."

They had brought a video camera.

Just taking photos wasn’t enough for them anymore.

Upon hearing this, Fu Yulin immediately straightened up. "We’ll film it once we’re higher up. I’ll give it my best."

Zhang Zhenxing looked up at him and asked Lu Mingzhu, "Is this kid Comrade Fu Qing’s grandson?"

"Yes," Lu Mingzhu admitted readily.

"Good kid." Recalling reports that he was an actor—though talented in both arts and martial arts, he was no match for his grandfather—Zhang Zhenxing felt a twinge of regret. "Any plans to move back to the mainland?"

He directed the question at Fu Yulin.

Fu Yulin shook his head. "No. My aunt is in Hong Kong, and I’ve grown accustomed to life there."

Why go back to the mainland?

To deal with food and clothing rations? Too rough—he couldn’t handle it.

Having endured hardships as a child, Fu Yulin cherished his current life. He lived simply, never splurging, and still stayed in the company dormitory, liking the hustle and bustle and helping each other out.

Zhang Zhenxing also knew life on the mainland couldn’t compare to Hong Kong. After getting his answer, he didn’t press further.

Different strokes for different folks, and Fu Yulin wasn’t exactly an irreplaceable talent anyway.

Once Hao Hao had rested, they continued their ascent.

The adults were fine, but Hao Hao, being so young, wore out fast and was soon carried on Xie Junhao’s back.

Apart from Zhang Zhenxing and Lu Mingzhu, everyone else, including the bodyguards, took turns carrying her. Xie Junyao couldn’t escape his turn either, though fortunately, his stretch of the Great Wall was relatively easier to climb.

Out of breath at the top, he declared, "Hao Hao, I’m never coming back here with you."

Life was hard enough—climbing the Great Wall burned energy, which meant burning through food rations. Regular folks wouldn’t put themselves through that, and they didn’t encounter any other visitors that day.

Occasionally, foreign visitors might come to climb the Great Wall, but today, not a single one appeared—perhaps the heavens had reserved the space just for their family.

Hao Hao, full of energy, shouted, "Photos! Photos!"

She straightened her outfit and pulled a comb from her little bag, asking Lu Mingzhu to tidy her hair so she’d look put together.

After the photos, it was Fu Yulin’s turn to be filmed.

Against the backdrop of the Great Wall, he demonstrated one martial arts routine after another—Wing Chun, Tai Chi, Tiger-Crane Double Form, and more.

At the time, they filmed it just as a keepsake, never imagining that one day the footage would go viral online overnight, sparking a storm of drama.

Hao Hao joined in too, mimicking the moves with her own playful "hah!" and "hee!", showing off her cute but clumsy moves.

Lu Mingzhu recorded her past misdeeds.

Since they'd packed plenty of food and water, they sat on the ground to drink and eat.

They had dried meat, biscuits, preserved fruits, nuts, pastries, and other items that were easy to store and filling. They ate casually, planning to have a proper meal once they returned.

Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao leaned side by side against the city wall, watching Well flit about like a butterfly.

One minute she was pouring water for Zhang Zhenxing, the next she was handing tea to Xie Junhao.

Xie Junhao, with a smile, raised his canteen and clinked it with Zhang Zhenxing’s. "Hong Kong's been suffering from drought this year. Does the mainland have a plan to address this?"

"We'll divert water from the Dongjiang River to Hong Kong," Zhang Zhenxing replied.

Just as Xie Junhao expected, he thought of his dreams and asked, "Do you need financial support for this?"

"You folks have already given so much. We can't keep asking for your help every time we're short on funds. With the increasing discovery of mineral resources and our stable international standing, things'll only get better."

Come to think of it, Lu Mingzhu had a hand in the mushroom cloud's success.

If not for her and her family's aid in helping mainland disaster victims survive the crisis, the mainland wouldn't have been able to focus on repaying debts or allocating more funds to scientific research, leading to such a monumental achievement.

That mushroom cloud meant the nation's immunity to foreign military threats.

Looking up at the blue sky and white clouds, Zhang Zhenxing smiled. "Who could have imagined this day over a decade ago? We've fixed up all the damage to make things somewhat presentable. The next step is to strive for prosperity and peace. I truly hope to witness a time of peace and prosperity in my lifetime."

"Don't worry, you'll definitely see it," Lu Mingzhu interjected.

The Zhang family seemed to have longevity genes. Zhang Shuo lived past a hundred—not to mention his rebirth—and Zhang Zhenxing himself was a long-lived man, reaching his nineties.

By her calculations, he still had twenty years left.

Zhang Zhenxing was delighted. "Mingzhu, you've got good luck and a gift for prophecy. I'll take your kind words to heart."

After eating and resting briefly, they headed down from the Great Wall.

Xie Junhao carried his little niece on his back, telling her about the history of the Great Wall and the emperors associated with it, such as Qin Shi Huang, who connected the walls.

Well listened eagerly. "Unifying the six states—what a power move!"

She loved it.

Lu Mingzhu's legs were shaking from exhaustion, with no energy left to listen to Xie Junhao stuffing his daughter's head with facts. She rested for a full three days after returning to the International Hotel.

Even after three days, her legs still ached, and she stayed in bed, not wanting to move.

Xie Junyao massaged her gently. "I said we should find someone to give you a proper massage, but you refused."

"I'm not that delicate," Lu Mingzhu said, closing her eyes to enjoy his attentive care. "Where's Well? Did she go out again with Comrade Zhang and your brother?"

"Yes," Xie Junyao replied with a laugh.

Well had the most energy after heading down from the Great Wall.

Zhang Zhenxing and Xie Junhao also seemed unaffected, going about their business as usual.

Since Well wanted to see a siheyuan, they spent the morning accompanying her through the hutongs, trying out famous old restaurants. They even happened to see someone emptying a spittoon.

They knew Lu Mingzhu and Zhang Zhenxing.

Lin Xiaohong.

They investigated for two years but found no proof that she or her family had leaked information to foreign entities—this was one thing they did right. However, they were still implicated by Guo Tianbao. Forget riches—even Old Lin lost everything, left with nothing.

Lin Xiaohong did two years of hard labor, too.

Her family hated her guts. After her release, they refused to support her or her son, kicked them out of the Lin family’s courtyard home, and drove them away.

With Guo Tianbao already executed, her son was left for Lin Xiaohong to raise.

Life had been extra hard for them lately.

Fortunately, Lu Aiguo got all the perks meant for Lu Zhuri, frequently receiving packages—likely sent by Lu Zhuri—from Fenghua, containing food, clothing, and daily necessities.

He could ignore everyone else, but not his birth mother, who had always doted on him. With the higher-ups watching, he sent Lin Xiaohong and her younger son some money and supplies each month, on the condition that mother and son could never meet again. This at least kept them alive.

But living well? Impossible.

Once tied to Guo Tianbao, you were marked for life.

When Lin Xiaohong suddenly saw Zhang Zhenxing, her thin body tensed up, and a flicker of fear flashed in her eyes.

"Comrade Zhang," she murmured.

Zhang Zhenxing frowned. "It’s you? Do your thing. I didn’t see you."

"Who is she, Grandpa Zhang?" Well looked Lin Xiaohong over, suddenly feeling pissed for no reason. The sudden emotion puzzled her, and she tilted her head slightly.

Before Zhang Zhenxing could answer, Lin Xiaohong had already gotten a clear look at her face—her eyes went wide.

"Lu Aiguo!" she blurted out.

But then she shook her head. "No, you’re not Lu Aiguo. You must be Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao’s child. But you’re the spitting image of young Lu Aiguo!"

Not a perfect match, but close enough to be family.

Her eyes widened. "How’d I miss that? What’s your connection to Lu Zhuri? Where is he?"

"Who’s Lu Zhuri? Who’s Lu Aiguo?" Well had never heard these names before. "No clue who you mean."