Transmigration: On the Gossip Front
Chapter 862 - 863: 1960s Quadrangle 111

Chapter 862: Chapter 863: 1960s Quadrangle 111

Since Zhang Li left like that, a decade has passed, and many people in the siheyuan have been discussing whether she will never return.

Over the years, there have often been reports that students who studied abroad on public funds never returned after completing their studies.

Everyone thus suspects that Zhang Li’s situation is probably the same, especially since one can earn more abroad than domestically.

Some also speculate that the reason Zhang Li never returned after going abroad must be because Zhang Yu and his wife were too harsh on her. Despite being a grown woman, they supposedly dominated her salary and prevented her from getting married.

This kind of unreliable talk surprisingly gains popularity.

When Zhou Min hears such rumors again, she truly gets angry. "I’ve said already, Sister Xiao Li is working over there, even in the United Nations."

"But why don’t they believe that?" Zhou Min thinks and gets angry, swinging her fists in the air.

Zhang Yu, handling documents at home, sees his sister-in-law storming in angrily and knows she must have argued with others about Zhang Li.

"Why argue with them? Their words are just nonsense."

"They are just jealous of me and your brother for having good jobs." In these years, while Zhang Yu was upgrading his education, he of course did not forget Zhou Zhitao, pulling him along to study too.

No matter how many excuses he came up with, Zhang Yu’s main approach was not to listen but to insist on Zhou Zhitao studying together, even getting Zhou Min and their two sons to keep an eye on him.

Zhou Zhitao had no choice but to study hard, and not long ago, he managed to get a bachelor’s degree from university, thus compensating for the previous lack of educational qualifications.

After Zhang Yu started working at the department, he gradually became proficient and became the pillar of the finance section.

The couple’s careers seemed to be advancing by leaps and bounds, and their two sons were not only good-looking but also performed well academically, truly a case of exemplary children—how could others not be envious and jealous?

"They also worry by saying nonsensical things, but if your brother hears about it, they definitely won’t end up well."

Initially, they did not want to take those people seriously, but unable to tolerate their increasing audacity, eventually, Zhou Zhitao stepped in, revealing the truth. Those who always gossiped were stunned by this development.

They thought that, after all, Zhou Zhitao was a high-ranking leader; how could he bother to argue with them?

Once they lashed out, they discovered even more issues, which scared them stiff, and they started to behave properly.

But this didn’t last long before disturbances began again, and Zhang Yu was too tired to bother with them.

"Sister-in-law, I heard from my brother that your unit is distributing apartments?" Zhou Min really liked living in apartment buildings with private bathrooms, but since coming here, she thought living in bungalows might be fine too.

Zhang Yu hummed in affirmation, "Right, many people in the department don’t have their own homes."

"And many of them are leaders, yet they have no place to live."

"Many ministries face this situation, so everyone just came together." Zhang Yu already has a house to live in, and the living experience is quite decent.

But for the distribution of apartments, she is still very happy. If possible, who wouldn’t want to have more houses?

"So, moving?" Zhou Min hesitated, feeling that if they moved, she probably wouldn’t go.

Whether to move? Zhang Yu hadn’t considered this question. "I don’t even know how big the apartment will be."

Currently, their house barely counts as a three-bedroom flat, and even the living room isn’t very large, yet many people still look forward to it.

"I won’t possibly get a large apartment," she thought, unsure of how many three-bedroom apartments there were in total but knowing too many leaders were also waiting for their share. Obtaining a two-bedroom apartment would indeed be lucky.

A two-bedroom apartment is remarkable, and considering its location in the city center, it makes a great choice, whether it is for renting out or selling in the future.

"If I get the two-bedroom apartment, I’ll see what I can do with it then," she thought. Would it not be wonderful to rent it out and earn some rental income?

Yet, she worried that such a move could cause turmoil and might invite unfavorable opinions from the leaders. After much contemplation, Zhang Yu could only put her thoughts aside.

"Discussing this now is premature. We haven’t even seen what the apartments will look like. Let’s wait and see the actual situation when the time comes."

Zhang Yu still hoped the apartment could be modified to make the living room a bit larger because it wouldn’t just be about entertaining guests; even dining would be a problem otherwise.

Ren Jiahao, lying on the kang (traditional Chinese bed), was lost in his thoughts and heard people in the yard discussing Zhang Li’s study abroad and her decision not to return. He turned over in annoyance.

Others might doubt her abilities to stay abroad, but he believed what Zhou Min explained that Zhang Li wasn’t avoiding coming back; she was instead working at the United Nations.

He thought about Zhang Yu and her husband, knowing they too worked in government. Couldn’t they understand how much Zhang Li’s decision to stay abroad could affect them?

Their leaders, knowing this, would surely be displeased. But were they?

Apart from anything else, how did they still manage to promote the couple? Zhou Zhitao even moved into the municipal office recently.

He didn’t just enter a minor or insignificant office, but one with substantial authority—certainly an elevation.

As for Zhang Yu, although he wasn’t sure of her exact situation, it seemed she was doing well in the ministry, and it was said that she would soon be allocated an apartment.

If the leaders had any objections to her, would she still get an apartment?

Ren Jiahao, listening to his brother and sister-in-law talk next door about their children, covered his head with his blanket.

He now understood that the perfect wife they sought to find, one better than Zhang Yu, was just a way to hoodwink him into staying unmarried and funneling his earnings back home.

His younger siblings’ marriages were also settled, which meant that as the eldest, he would be taking care of their aging parents.

As for his own future, care would depend on the goodwill of his younger siblings.

But does goodwill last? It does when money is involved, but the moment it runs out, faces change.

Even if they had to give away a house, it would go to a married sister, not to him since he had no wife or children.

If he decided to marry later in life, the house would potentially end up with the daughter-in-law’s family. What then?

No need to ask how he knew that. One sleepless night, while pondering his future, he overheard his parents’ late-night conversation.

Remembering what his parents said that night still sends shivers down Ren Jiahao’s spine.

Despite his substantial contributions to the family and his dutiful nature, this was his lamentable destiny.

He used to mock Sha Zhu for his foolishness. Now, he realizes, what right does he have to laugh at Sha Zhu? He was the fool all along.

Some decisions need to be made. The first half of his life has gone by; he can’t afford the latter half to be the same.

Having cleared his thoughts, Ren Jiahao soon made a decision, finally feeling relieved and ready to fall asleep.