Chapter 65

Qin Zhuo was born in a family where he would be scolded for being hypocritical if he showed any dissatisfaction.

Strictly speaking, Qin Zhuo is not considered a rich second generation, he is a rich N generation.

The Qin family was already a wealthy salt merchant a hundred years ago. Due to the difficult times, they donated most of their wealth to engage in business and then entered politics.

The Qin family is not like those traditional wealthy business families that have become corrupted from within after times have changed.

The Qin family has perfectly broken the curse of "no wealth can last more than three generations", and even seems to be getting richer and richer.

A century of business experience, three generations of baptism.

The overt and covert lines of the Qin family's business have penetrated into all walks of life.

The Qin family is like a huge tree that towers over the sky, covering the entire business world.

It's just that a tree has a trunk and branches, and the Qin family also has a main business and subsidiary departments.

Qin Zhuo's branch is the vassal lord of the entire Qin family.

After Qin Zhuo's father and grandfather took over the Qin family, they stepped into the forefront of the times every step of the way, as if gods had descended upon them.

In order to preserve the glory of the Qin family forever, they all chose the marriage that maximized the interests of the Qin family when it came to getting married and having children.

Qin Zhuo is the son of Qin's father and the only daughter of the Xu family, an overseas transportation tycoon, through in vitro fertilization.

For those who have to make way for work all their lives, in vitro fertilization is more convenient, faster and has a higher success rate than natural conception, and it can also determine the blood of the child 100%.

As for their relationship as husband and wife, this is the least debatable aspect of this marriage deal.

There is no love between Qin's father and Qin's mother, and they don't have much affection for Qin Zhuo, a child who is familiar to them by blood but extremely strange when they get along with each other.

They only care about whether the heir "Qin Zhuo" can take over the burden of the Qin family, and they don't care about Qin Zhuo.

When he was a child, Qin Zhuo didn't know what a normal family atmosphere was like. He had only seen a happy, talking and laughing family in illustrations in books.

In real life, what Qin Zhuo sees most are his housekeepers, nannies, drivers, and teachers of various subjects who come and go from the Qin family's gate.

Most of the knowledge Qin Zhuo learned as a child was numbers and finance that were beyond the understanding of his biological age.

While his peers were still struggling with the problem of chickens and rabbits living in the same cage, Qin Zhuo had already started to compare and calculate exchange rates.

Xiao Qin Zhuo, who was sitting on a chair with his feet unable to reach the ground, didn't like those unsmiling teachers with gray hair, and also hated those numbers without emotions and preferences.

But it was only when he was studying something called "finance" that Qin Zhuo would see the presence of his parents and the rare smiles on their faces at the dinner table.

Maybe it's because of the blood relationship, but Xiao Qin Zhuo likes his parents very much even if he can only see them once a week.

Dad said that he should increase his study time, so Xiao Qinzhuo usually just read books for fun.

Mom said she was not allowed to make friends with random people, so little Qin Zhuo only played with himself in the backyard at home.

The flowers, trees, insects, animals and all living objects in the backyard are Xiao Qin Zhuo's friends.

Among them, Xiao Qinzhuo’s favorite is the gardener who lives in the backyard and specializes in taking care of landscape plants.

The gardener seemed to be different from the people Qin Zhuo knew.

He only wears a worn-out work clothes all year round, his hair is gray, and he always has a smile on his face.

Xiao Qinzhuo was taught to speak softly and be polite since childhood, but the gardener seemed to come from another world, speaking and laughing without any cover.

Sometimes his laughter would make Qin Zhuo's ears hurt.

The first time Xiao Qin Zhuo saw a gardener who was beyond his understanding, he was a little afraid of him, but Qin Zhuo was soon attracted by the various homemade toys and straw insects he created in his hands.

It only took one afternoon for the two people, who had an age difference of more than half a century, to become familiar with each other from strangers.

Xiao Qinzhuo learned that the gardener's surname was Zhang and that he came here from a place called "A City".

Xiao Qin Zhuo, who is familiar with exchange rates and financial knowledge of various countries, has never heard of this place. He opened his dark and bright eyes and asked the gardener with curiosity: "Is that place far away?"

The gardener looked at the words. After looking at Qin Zhuo, he turned his gaze to the vast sky.

The voice that had always been loud like Zhong became much softer at this moment: "Yes, it's very far."

Although there was a smile on his face, Xiao Qin Zhuo felt a little sad for some reason.

Xiao Qinzhuo wanted to comfort him, so he first decided to call him based on his appearance and the knowledge he had learned before: "Grandpa Zhang, if you miss home, you can take our plane back, it's very convenient! "

The gardener laughed again after hearing Qin Zhuo's words.

The voice was reassuringly loud: "Grandpa? Am I already that old?"

Qin Zhuo thought he had said something wrong and was about to open his mouth to make up for it when a rough, dry hand rubbed his head: "But it's reasonable for you to call me grandpa according to your seniority."

"After all, I watched your dad grow up."

Xiao Qin Zhuo was curious about this sentence and wanted to look at him through the gaps between his fingertips, but he was met by a A look he had never seen before.

Xiao Qin Zhuo didn't know what to call that look, nor did he know what the emotion was in his heart after looking into that look.

He just felt warm all over, as if he was wrapped in a warm embrace.

But before Xiao Qin Zhuo had time to feel more, the gardener had already withdrew that look.

The movements of rubbing his head intensified.

As if he was teasing him on purpose, the gardener messed up Xiao Qin Zhuo's hair, and laughed when he saw his surprised look with a hint of anger in his eyes.

"You look like a child."

Qin Zhuo, who was a little anxious because his hair was messed up, laughed for some reason when he saw the gardener's appearance.

However, Xiao Qin Zhuo hadn't forgotten what he just said. He asked the gardener: "Grandpa Zhang, have you known my father for a long time?"

The gardener nodded and gestured to Qin Zhuo with a smile. He was tall and said, "When I first came to the Qin family, your dad was just as big as you."

"It's just that now that there are more professional housekeepers, I was assigned to the backyard."

Xiao Qin Zhuo thought for a while, Then he asked: "Then will you also give my dad toys?"

The gardener looked at the bamboo dragonfly in his hand that was still a little wet, and smiled heartily: "Of course, your dad used to play with you when he was a child. He also always likes to come to me." Xiao Qinzhuo thought of the housekeeper in the front yard who only called him Master. He made a mental evaluation according to the comparison method taught by the teacher, and then said to the gardener seriously: " I think you are better than him." The

gardener was confused when he heard Qin Zhuo's sudden words: "He?"

Qin Zhuo pointed to the direction of the front yard: "The current housekeeper.

I didn't expect Qin Zhuo to say this, and his expression was both surprised and happy: "You are such an interesting kid. You thought I was a good person not long after you met me?"

Xiao Qin Zhuo's expression was very serious: "I made an evaluation. "

The lively laughter rang in his ears again, but Qin Zhuo didn't feel noisy now. Instead, he laughed too.

Xiao Qin Zhuo wanted to talk to him more, but the watch on his wrist reminded him that it was almost time to study.

"I'm going to read a book." He stared at the gardener's face, with a reluctance in his eyes that he didn't even notice. "Can I still come to play with you tomorrow?"

The gardener agreed simply: "Yes!"

Xiao Qin Zhuo's eyes lit up and the corners of his lips curled up: "Then can I call you Grandpa Zhang?"

As if he was afraid that he would disagree, Qin Zhuo added urgently after speaking: "In this place where there are only two of us. At that time."

The gardener looked at the young face with a nervous and expectant expression. He didn't say yes or no. He just raised his hand and rubbed Qin Zhuo's head and told him: "Go back quickly, otherwise it will take a while. It's too late to study. "

Xiao Qinzhuo learned a piece of knowledge in the business language course that can be applied in the current scenario - if the other party does not clearly refuse, it means there is room for change, and it can even be said that he agrees in his heart. .

The teacher told him to just do it boldly.

So Xiao Qinzhuo had a friend named "Grandpa Zhang" in his world.

Although his friend protested after hearing this title, he never stopped Qin Zhuo from calling him this.

Xiao Qin Zhuo, who gradually regarded him as his "first best friend", one day asked him uneasily: "Grandpa Zhang... are we friends?"

Grandpa Zhang was tying up what Qin Zhuo had been saying with straw. "Bumblebee", when he heard him ask this question, he denied it without looking back: "No."

When Xiao Qin Zhuo heard these three words, his facial features instantly drooped.

But before the emotion on his face was transmitted to his brain, Qin Zhuo saw Grandpa Zhang looking at him again and smiled: "Didn't you call me Grandpa? How can we be friends?"

Little Qin Zhuo was stunned for a long time before he realized what Zhang was doing. Grandpa was teasing him.

He has been treated in a polite way since he was born, and he has always treated others in a polite way. For the first time, he has experienced such a thing as a "joke".

The emotion rising in his heart was strange and unfamiliar, but Xiao Qin Zhuo knew that it was not a negative emotion.

Then he laughed.

Staring at Grandpa Zhang with dark and bright eyes, Grandpa Zhang suddenly felt guilty of bullying others.

The movements of his hands speeded up unconsciously. After the grass fabric in his hand was formed, Grandpa Zhang handed it to Qin Zhuo.

Little Qin Zhuo looked at the straw insect with two tentacles in his palm, raised his head and asked him: "Grandpa Zhang, what is this?"

"Bumblebee." Grandpa Zhang thought of Qin Zhuo's mouth a few days ago. He kept talking about something, and said, "Didn't you always want this thing a few days ago?"

Grandpa Zhang seemed to remember something again, and explained: "It's true that wasps are too poisonous, otherwise if I were cleaning up the backyard and saw I'll catch one for you when I get there."

Xiao Qinzhuo stared at the "bumblebee" in his palm, reacted for two seconds and then smiled: "Thank you, Grandpa Zhang, I like it very much."

One is only as long as a finger. The straw wasps with scraps of grass and sawdust were not considered exquisite in Xiao Qinzhuo's toy cabinet.

But that is his favorite toy.

I like to wait until the moisture in the stems and leaves is lost, and the wasp fades and dries. Qin Zhuo also keeps it well in his room.

The fact that Xiao Qin Zhuo and Grandpa Zhang knew each other was like a secret between them. Grandpa Zhang didn't tell anyone, and Qin Zhuo never revealed it to anyone around him.

Qin Zhuo didn't know why, but he always felt that he shouldn't tell this matter.

They sometimes meet by chance in the presence of a third person, but Grandpa Zhang and Xiao Qin Zhuo always have a tacit understanding and pretend to be seeing each other for the first time, and they always become instantly familiar with each other when they are alone.

For the first time, little Qin Zhuo had a secret, and because of this secret he became lively without knowing it.

The backyard became their secret base, where the few happy moments of Qin Zhuo's childhood took place.

But Xiao Qin Zhuo really didn't expect that his secret base would be "broken" so quickly.

On this day, Xiao Qin Zhuo came to the backyard as usual, but he saw a strange figure.

The man looked about the same age as him. His clothes were stained with mud and his pants were scratched.

After hearing the movement here, the man glanced in Qin Zhuo's direction.

There was a bright and silly smile on his face.

Grandpa Zhang was squatting down to clean the mud on his hands.

Qin Zhuo saw them talking and laughing, and suddenly felt unhappy for some reason.

Before Qin Zhuo moved his feet, he saw the little boy stretching out his arm and waving to him.

His expression and voice were both clear: "Hello!"

Grandpa Zhang only discovered Qin Zhuo's presence when he heard the boy's voice greeting him.

But when he saw Qin Zhuo, his expression showed a hint of excitement for some reason: "Qin Zhuo, come on!"

Qin Zhuo walked up to the two of them without any interest. After handling the boy's hands, Grandpa Zhang stood up and patted him. He patted Qin Zhuo on the shoulder and said, "This is a new neighbor who has moved in. He was not familiar with the layout of his home so he got lost and walked to the backyard."

Grandpa Zhang looked at the two people in front of him who were about the same age, with a somewhat relieved smile on his face.

Qin Zhuo has very few contacts with his peers at school due to his mother's active restriction, and even fewer friends. It would be great if they could successfully make friends.

The boy who looked a little embarrassed was very enthusiastic. He stretched out his hand and said to Qin Zhuo: "Hello, my name is Han Sansheng!"

Qin Zhuo looked at the hand that had just been cleaned by Grandpa Zhang with some resistance.

He pursed his lips, but in the end he replied out of politeness: "My name is Qin Zhuo."

Han Sansheng was an acquaintance. After knowing Qin Zhuo's name, he asked about his age: "Qin Zhuo, How old are you?"

Qin Zhuo glanced at Grandpa Zhang and said reluctantly after meeting his encouraging gaze: "...Nine years old."

Han Sansheng's eyes suddenly lit up: "I am. It's also nine years old! What month is your birthday?"

"August."

Han Sansheng's shoulders slumped when he heard this answer: "I am from December."

But his mood changed quickly, and he just couldn't help it. He became happy again in two seconds, looked at Qin Zhuo and said, "Then can I call you Brother Zhuo?"

"I saw people on TV calling them that, it looks cool!"

Qin Zhuo, who rarely watches TV, couldn't help but Knowing what Han Sansheng meant by "cool", he rarely interacted with strangers and looked at Grandpa Zhang's eyes during the entire communication with Han Sansheng.

After seeing Grandpa Zhang's relaxed expression, Xiao Qin Zhuo looked at Xiao Han Sansheng and nodded: "Okay."

After receiving the permission, Xiao Han Sansheng shouted loudly and followed Qin Zhuo like a bird, "Brother Zhuo. "Brother Zhuo" shouted.

Qin Zhuo found Han Sansheng annoying at first, but Han Sansheng was very sensitive. No matter how Qin Zhuo reacted, he would just imitate the scenes in the TV series and follow Qin Zhuo.

The child's emotions came and went quickly, but within three or two days, Qin Zhuo also began to become brothers with Han Sansheng.

Grandpa Zhang’s backyard changed from one person who laughed more than he talked to two people who were chattering.

Xiao Qinzhuo went to the backyard more and more frequently. The housekeeper who noticed something strange reported the incident to Qin's father and Qin's mother.

Qin's father and Qin's mother were rarely at home. They asked Qin Zhuo about this at the family dinner once a week.

Qin's father was sitting at the dining table eating with his family, and he sounded like he was in a meeting: "Qin Zhuo, why do you always go to the backyard these two days?"

Qin Zhuo, who was originally happy to finally be able to meet his parents, heard this question. He was stunned for a moment, and then he lied in front of his parents for the first time.

Qin Zhuo lowered his eyes, with an expression that seemed to be showing weakness and admitting his mistake: "...I'm going to play with friends."

"Friends?" Qin's mother keenly caught the word and asked, "What friends?"

Qin Zhuo subconsciously concealed it. Grandpa Zhang looked into his mother's eyes and said, "He said his surname was Han, and his name was Han Sansheng."

Qin's mother and Qin's father looked at each other when they heard Qin Zhuo's words, and they both thought of the same question:

——The energy industry giant that just moved next door seems to have the surname Han.

Qin's father's expression softened slightly, and he even had a smile on his face when he saw Qin Zhuo: "When you have time, bring your friends to the front yard to play. Just tell the housekeeper what toys you like."

Like an ordinary person It was the most common advice from a father to his son, but this was the first time Qin Zhuo received this kind of concern from him.

Qin's mother frowned when she heard Qin Zhuo's name and stared at Qin Zhuo with a hint of dissatisfaction in her tone: "Qin Zhuo, you should have more contact with the eldest son of the Han family."

"Although he is a few years older than you "Years old, but he is much smarter than Han Sansheng."

Perhaps feeling that his opinion was refuted, Qin's father also frowned and turned his attention to Qin's mother.

As if discussing a contract, Qin's father expressed his considerations: "The eldest son of the Han family is five years older than Qin Zhuo. Are you going to let a primary school student forcefully make friends with a junior high school student?"

"More Besides, although Han's second son is not smart enough, he has many friends. The sons of the Lu family and the Guan family are very close, so Qin Zhuo is also building connections by making friends with him."

Upon hearing this, Qin's mother also began to weigh the pros and cons and asked Qin. His father expressed his opinion: "Then what if Han Sansheng brought Qin Zhuo to the point where he was uneducated and incompetent? What's the use of connections for an Adou who can't support him?"

Qin Zhuo also received his father's attention for the first time. I saw an argument at the dinner table.

The surrounding secretaries, housekeepers, and nannies did not dare to step forward to stop him, leaving only a little Qin Zhuo sitting on the chair with tears in his eyes, at a loss.

The next day, no one cared about whether Qin Zhuo went to the backyard or not.

Qin Zhuo himself was in trouble.

He struggled in his room all afternoon, and finally strolled out to the backyard at sunset.

Grandpa Zhang saw Qin Zhuo, who had arrived late, and after seeing his expression, he first reached out and touched his forehead, and asked with some worry: "Are you feeling uncomfortable? Xiao Han keeps asking me when you will come. "

Qin Zhuo shook his head, opened his mouth, and asked: "...Has Han Sansheng left?"

Grandpa Zhang nodded at first, and after observing Qin Zhuo for a few seconds, he immediately noticed something was wrong with him.

Grandpa Zhang knelt down and looked at Qin Zhuo, and asked softly: "Qin Zhuo, what happened?"

Qin Zhuo lowered his eyes and pursed his lips, and was silent for a long time before telling Grandpa Zhang the whole thing. go through.

Qin Zhuo looked at Grandpa Zhang and asked, "Grandpa Zhang, my parents quarreled over this matter. Shouldn't I be friends with Han Sansheng?"

Grandpa Zhang, who was usually quite talkative, was unexpectedly quiet when he heard this. got up.

Finally, he took Qin Zhuo's hand and put it on his chest, and said to him seriously: "Qin Zhuo, you shouldn't ask me, and you shouldn't do things based on your parents' reactions all the time."

"You. You should ask yourself, you can do whatever you want."

Eyes full of grooves and a pair of eyes full of vitality looked at each other, and Grandpa Zhang held Qin Zhuo's hand as if he wanted to teach him all his life experience.

After more than half a century of life collision, the former only said six words to his descendants:

"Qin Zhuo, be yourself."

Every day's food, clothing, housing, transportation and three meals a day were planned. When Qin Zhuo heard these words, he felt like It was hit by a hurricane.

The heartbeat seemed to be reborn and became more intense.

Qin Zhuo asked about his inner feelings for the first time, and after receiving a positive answer, he continued to be friends with Han Sansheng.

There is no interest involved, only emotional connection.

Qin Zhuo continued to study and live as usual, but his life changed quietly.

Qin Zhuo gradually had the rebellious spirit to speak out for himself.

Qin Zhuo is now looking forward to getting along with Grandpa Zhang and Han Sansheng more than having dinner with his parents.

Qin Zhuo became more and more familiar with Han Sansheng, and Han Sansheng also began to introduce his friends to Qin Zhuo.

Qin Zhuo didn't know which family or industry they belonged to. His principle of making friends was just like what Grandpa Zhang taught him - follow your heart.

Qin Zhuo also became closer to Grandpa Zhang. From Grandpa Zhang's mouth, he learned about the customs and customs of City A and his experiences when he was young.

Grandpa Zhang said that he once had a girl he liked, but the day before he confessed his feelings to that girl, she told him that she was going to work.

Grandpa Zhang also said that if he had the chance, he might not leave the village, and it would be a good choice to live and die peacefully in such a quiet corner.

Perhaps because of his nostalgia for his hometown, Grandpa Zhang always loves to watch those local movies on TV. Qin Zhuo sometimes accompanies Grandpa Zhang to reminisce about the past.

The local movies Grandpa Zhang watched had very few plots and many scenes and soundtracks that were a bit boring, but Qin Zhuo could always be absorbed by those pictures.

The scenes on TV become clearer year by year, and Qin Zhuo becomes more mature year by year.

I don't know if it's memory, but Qin Zhuo always feels that Grandpa Zhang is getting more and more rickety and his body is getting weaker every year.

After Qin Zhuo entered high school, apart from studying, there was another social aspect in his life.

The time he spent with Grandpa Zhang became shorter and shorter, but Grandpa Zhang's coughs became more and more frequent.

On the eve of Qin Zhuo's birthday party, he frowned when he heard Grandpa Zhang's increasingly violent cough. After pouring him a glass of water, he said to him: "Master, I will take you to the hospital tomorrow."

Grandpa Zhang took the water and took a sip. His expression was as cheerful as ever, but his voice was not as loud as before: "Which hospital should I go to? How can I not know about my own body?"

"You just have to celebrate your birthday happily tomorrow. ." Grandpa Zhang said jokingly, as if he was afraid that Qin Zhuo would be worried, "Remember to leave a piece of cake for me tomorrow."

"Maybe it will be better if I get the blessing from the birthday girl."

Qin Zhuo smiled. Standing up: "Okay, I will definitely leave you the biggest piece."

Qin Zhuo's birthday party was held at the Qin family, but this event, which was nominally to celebrate Qin Zhuo's birthday, was more like a social banquet.

The adults at the banquet were more active than Qin Zhuo. Although there were many people of the same age as Qin Zhuo, except for the second son of Han Sansheng and Xiaoguan, Qin Zhuo maintained a polite but distant attitude towards everyone.

Not sure if it was because his nerves had been tense for a day, Qin Zhuo always felt a little anxious.

While Qin's father, Qin's mother, and other guests were socializing, he slipped out of the banquet alone.

His footsteps subconsciously led Qin Zhuo to the backyard, where he encountered an extremely familiar figure at a fork in the road.

"Brother Zhuo!" Han Sansheng looked excited after seeing Qin Zhuo, "Why are you here too?"

Qin Zhuo did not reply directly to Han Sansheng, but said jokingly: "This is my home, I want to go Just go wherever you want."

Han Sansheng quickly expressed his weakness: "Okay, you can do whatever you want."

The two looked at each other and walked towards Grandpa Zhang's residence.

No one asked how the banquet in the front hall was, and no one worried about whether there would be any leaks if the protagonist Qin Zhuo left.

They knocked on Grandpa Zhang’s door only with their own intuition and ideas.

But the door that was always open to welcome them was now tightly closed, and no matter how long they knocked, there was no sound inside.

Qin Zhuo and Han Sansheng, who had called for a long time but received no response, both became a little flustered as time went by. They looked at each other at the closed door and began to bump their shoulders.

The wooden door was not strong, and they only bumped into it a few times before stumbling into the house.

The room was a little dark, with only the moonlight from the window bars shining on the ground.

Qin Zhuo saw that Grandpa Zhang, who was talking and laughing with him yesterday, was now lying alone on the ground.

Qin Zhuo looked at Grandpa Zhang who kept staring at a dull eye and his purple lips, his whole figure seemed to be nailed in place.

My hands, feet, and limbs suddenly became numb, and my throat felt like it was filled with cement.

Qin Zhuo couldn't speak, and his breathing became a little difficult.

Han Sansheng reacted first and helped Grandpa Zhang up with trembling hands.

After a few seconds, he raised his head and said to Qin Zhuo in a trembling and crying voice: "Brother Zhuo... Grandpa Zhang is not breathing."

Qin Zhuo seemed to be struck by thunder, and suddenly his eyes suddenly becomes blank.

I don't know how long it took before I was shocked back to my senses by the cold wetness on my face.

Qin Zhuo stepped forward and knelt down on the ground, holding Grandpa Zhang's hand tightly that could not absorb any heat.

His throat seemed to be blocked by something and hurt, Qin Zhuo cried silently under the moonlight.

Qin Zhuo and Han Sansheng were found by the guards in the middle of the night.

Qin Zhuo, who was dressed up in a custom-made suit and looked happy, had red and swollen eyes at the moment, tears streaming down his face, and was in a state of embarrassment.

Qin Zhuo, who was found, was still trapped in the blow and was carried back in a daze.

What awaited him was Qin's father's angry slap in the face.

The side of Qin Zhuo's face seemed to be on fire, and his ears were buzzing.

But he seemed unconscious, his eyes dull.

Qin's father had never been so angry. He asked Qin Zhuo why he was so absent as the protagonist of the banquet.

Qin Zhuo, who had been beaten and bleeding from the corner of his mouth, still didn't seem to have come back to his senses. He just muttered in his mouth: "...Grandpa Zhang is gone."

"Grandpa Zhang?" Did Father Qin hear Qin Zhuo's words? In a daze, it took him two seconds to react before he remembered what the assistant had just told him about the incident.

Qin's father was so angry that he slapped Qin Zhuo on the face again, and the crisp sound filled the whole room.

Qin's father stared angrily and said angrily: "You're leaving the Qin family's partners in the front hall just for an old weeder?!"