Chapter 37#
Chapter 37 November 25th
Zheng Junda’s matter was not the end, but just an insignificant beginning caused by the general election.
The transfer of central and local officials, the change of policies, promotion and rectification, behind every seemingly ordinary thing, there are many deep meanings.
Since parting with He Hailou that night, Gu Chenzhou stayed at home in Tianrui Garden for several consecutive days. It was not for anything else, but Gu Xinjun called him directly and asked him to live at home for a period of time recently—not asking, but notifying. The wind and waves of the general election had quietly blown up.
Once infiltrated into politics, the complexity of family problems increases exponentially. Fortunately, having lived in such a family since childhood, Gu Chenzhou was already used to it. He didn’t say much, simply packed his things and returned to Tianrui Garden.
Seven o’clock in the evening was the fixed time for Gu Xinjun to sit in front of the TV. Since returning to Tianrui Garden, Gu Chenzhou, who also had the habit of watching news, always sat on the sofa in the living room with Gu Xinjun.
“Shen Youchang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Vice President of the State, and Vice Chairman of the Military Commission, cordially greeted hundreds of people’s representatives from all walks of life across the country in the Haijing Grand Hall this morning. At the meeting, Shen Youchang read out the implementation…”
The female anchor in the news read the speech clearly. Gu Xinjun squinted for a while, took out a pair of reading glasses from the glasses case and put them on.
Gu Chenzhou lowered his eyes, listening while taking an orange from the fruit plate on the table and starting to peel it.
The report on the Haijing Grand Hall lasted only three minutes. Then the screen on the TV changed, broadcasting the transfer of leaders in various provinces.
Gu Chenzhou listened quietly for a while, somewhat surprised: “The transfer is big?”
Any transfer and promotion affairs related to party members were basically within the scope of work of Gu Xinjun, the Organization Minister. The results broadcast on the news now were all finally stamped by him some time ago. He went to read the newspaper as soon as he heard this part, and only said when his son spoke: “Not too big. This term may be a special case.”
Without truly entering the core, everything is like looking at flowers in the fog, always separated by a layer. Gu Chenzhou frowned: “Isn’t it said that the one surnamed Yu was internally decided long ago?” He was referring to the current Vice President Yu Shuifeng.
“Before the end, who knows the real result?” Gu Xinjun said lightly, “Didn’t you just teach Zheng Junda a lesson?”
The father and son rarely talked about this topic. Gu Chenzhou tore the white veins on the orange segments and chose to continue: “Dad, when did you know?”
“Know what?” Gu Xinjun picked the headlines he was interested in on the newspaper.
“One day, two days, a week?” Gu Chenzhou continued to ask, “How long after Zheng Junda showed that diary to my mom and induced her?”
Gu Xinjun shook the newspaper and turned a page: “Twelve hours.”
“Why didn’t you tell my mom?” Gu Chenzhou asked.
This time Gu Xinjun glanced at his son: “Why do you think your mom collapsed so quickly in the last period? Was it because her good sister fell for her husband, or because the son she worried about most had someone to entrust to, so she was relieved?”
Gu Chenzhou stopped talking. Gu Xinjun continued to read the newspaper. Gu Chenzhou ate a slice of orange, sour.
The news continued, moving from domestic to foreign:
“…On the 24th in Atenye, government forces and rebel forces fought in the capital Anpei, causing eight innocent civilian casualties…”
Gu Chenzhou’s finger slipped, and the orange in his hand was squeezed out of juice. He suddenly looked up and stared closely at the TV. The voice in his heart was almost synchronized with the voice of the female announcer on TV:
Prime Minister Ankaroya strongly condemned the brutal behavior of the rebel forces and stated that he would fight against the rebel forces to the end and never compromise. At the same time, he called for the assistance of the international community to help the people of Atenye get out of the shadow of war as soon as possible—
“Prime Minister Ankaroya strongly condemned the brutal behavior of the rebel forces and stated that he would fight against the rebel forces to the end and never compromise. At the same time, Ankaroya strongly called for the assistance of the international community to help the people of Atenye get out of the shadow of war as soon as possible…”
“Dad,” Gu Chenzhou suddenly spoke, “What date is it today?”
Gu Xinjun, who was reading the newspaper, was stunned: “November 25th.”
“November 25, 2012.” Gu Chenzhou murmured, suddenly threw the squeezed orange in his hand into the trash can, ignoring the sticky juice all over his hands, and hurried upstairs.
Turn on the computer, insert the USB flash drive, double-click the document, enter the password, Word opens—
…Government forces and rebel forces fought in the capital Anpei, causing eight innocent civilian casualties. Prime Minister Ankaroya…
Exactly the same sentence, exactly the same sentence as in today’s news.
November 25, 2012.
Gu Chenzhou was slightly dazed. He operated the mouse to move the cursor to the middle of this line of detail records enclosed in brackets. Above the cursor, there were two lines of black font.
One line was death.
One line was returning to the country.
Wei Xiangjin’s death, his return to the country, a news sentence heard while driving… The only detail given in the dream that could find out the specific time…
November 25, 2012.
Gu Chenzhou marked this diary in red bold font above the death. He took out his mobile phone and dialed Wei Xiangjin’s number.
It seemed like a long wait. The phone was picked up, and the person on the other end said: “Hello? Xiao Zhou?”
“I…”
“What’s wrong with you?” Wei Xiangjin seemed to notice something wrong, and his voice became concerned, “Your voice is a bit strange.”
“Maybe caught a cold.” Gu Chenzhou calmed down and found an excuse for his tense voice just now.
Wei Xiangjin was relieved and puzzled: “The weather has changed recently, you should pay more attention… Aren’t you very afraid of the cold? In previous years, as soon as the weather changed, you were the one wearing the warmest clothes?”
Being afraid of the cold is really a state. Having exercised since childhood, Gu Chenzhou really hasn’t been afraid of the cold for a year. He said casually: “Haven’t been sick for too long, always have to be sick once.” Then changed the subject, “How are things on your side?”
“Quite good.” Wei Xiangjin said, “Same.”
“That’s good.” Gu Chenzhou said. His gaze was still fixed on the screen. In the few sentences of the phone call, he had clarified his thoughts.
In the dream, he was abroad and never came back.
Wei Xiangjin died at this time, and he was framed at the same time.
Not a personal grudge.
Because of the general election.
“Xiao Zhou?” The voice on the phone suddenly rose.
“What?” Gu Chenzhou asked absent-mindedly.
“Did you hear what I just said? …”
But why?
The Gu family walked steadily and had no intention of taking a step forward.
The position of the Organization Minister is certainly important for the faction, but this time his father is likely to be transferred.
…Wrong.
Gu Chenzhou suddenly remembered the question he asked when watching the news just now.
—“The transfer is so big?”
—“Not too big. This term may be a special case.”
The old crown prince Yu Shuifeng, Wang Boyuan who is about to appear and is valued by the current administration…
And the He family relying on Yu Shuifeng’s Yu faction…
“Xiao Zhou? Gu Chenzhou?” Gu Chenzhou heard Wei Xiangjin calling his name on the phone, with strangeness and worry in his voice, “I called you several times, didn’t you hear?”
“Signal is bad.” Gu Chenzhou answered the other party slowly.
“…” Wei Xiangjin, “You really lie as soon as you open your mouth, brother! This is military communication and you say the signal is bad?”
Sure enough, those who grew up together are not easy to deceive… Gu Chenzhou was ashamed of his behavior of lying without thinking just now: “Okay, I’m in a bad mood.”
“What’s wrong?” Wei Xiangjin asked.
Gu Chenzhou couldn’t possibly say you died at this time in my dream. He thought about it and simply told Wei Xiangjin about the recent interactions with He Hailou. In this way, although he summarized concisely and deleted many plots, he still talked for a while.
Wei Xiangjin exclaimed and applauded from time to time like listening to storytelling: “Mudslide? Went directly to the Shen family to find you? Waited for you outside the cemetery? Is He Hailou too unparticular or what? —Why do I feel that he truly loves you?”
“Then you must have loved me to death, unable to stop, and desiring me so much since I was five years old.” Gu Chenzhou enunciated clearly, “Pedophile, Young Master Wei.”
Wei Xiangjin was obviously choked. It took a long time for his voice to come from the phone again: “I was just saying…”
“I was also just saying.” Gu Chenzhou closed the document, pulled out the USB flash drive, and ended this nutritious conversation, “Do you plan to come back recently?”
“Of course not. I haven’t stayed in the army for a few months yet.” Wei Xiangjin said, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, just asking casually.” Gu Chenzhou said, “I still have something to do, hanging up first.”
“So what on earth did you call for…” Wei Xiangjin asked tangledly on the phone, didn’t insist on Gu Chenzhou answering, said goodbye and hung up.
Gu Chenzhou threw the phone on the table, tilted his neck back, and closed his eyes slightly.
The line that had been blurred in his mind seemed to finally reveal some clues at this moment.
Wei Xiangjin’s death and his being framed happened before the general election.
Because of this matter, the Gu and Wei families would inevitably be unable to concentrate all their minds on politics.
After the dream, the Gu family failed because of the wrong stance. But in fact, until now, his father had no such intention at all—neither his grandfather nor his father had any such intention.
They sought stability.
This road is very smooth, and nothing can happen.
The He family followed Yu Shuifeng, and Yu Shuifeng successfully ascended.
But now it is a special case… The old crown prince Yu Shuifeng and Wang Boyuan, who is valued by the current administration, will definitely have a serious struggle.
At the end of the dream, Chen, Wen, and He joined forces to reshuffle the forces.
So, if, Wei Xiangjin’s car accident and his being framed were all because in this general election struggle, the Gu family or the Wei family had a chance to take a step forward…?
The ringtone of the mobile phone broke the silence in the room.
Gu Chenzhou opened his eyes and looked at the white ceiling for a while before straightening up and answering the phone.
It was someone in the circle calling to invite him out for car racing.
Gu Chenzhou asked about the location and the people going casually, and heard a name: “Young Master He is also going?”
“Yes, Young Master He is also here, right beside me.” The person calling Gu Chenzhou laughed.
Gu Chenzhou also showed a faint smile, just a bit cold: “Okay, then I’ll go too.”