Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Meeting the Elders
Wen Ci rolled her eyes at him. "Hangzhou is at least a few days’ drive from Beijing. They’re up there in years—you can be so thoughtless sometimes."
’Worst case, I’ll just make a few more trips to the mall this afternoon.
I’ll sell off all the stock in the warehouse at once, go to Hangzhou to see Grandpa and Grandma, and while I’m there, I’ll meet up with Xu Jinghe to settle the payment in person.’
"Just kidding." Huo Jingyuan’s lips curved into a smile.
Of course he wasn’t going to make his grandparents come all the way to Beijing. But his grandparents had already booked their tickets. He said calmly, "We can leave tomorrow or this afternoon. We’ll be back the day after tomorrow at the latest."
"We’re flying?"
Hearing this, Wen Yaozu raised his hand. "Can I go?"
"No." Huo Jingyuan shook his head.
Flying required proper documentation, and minors had to be accompanied by a next of kin. Wen Yaozu’s parents had no idea he was in Beijing.
So he couldn’t fly.
Wen Ci lowered her gaze. ’It’s only for a few days, so it won’t cause any delays.’ "Then let’s fly out this afternoon," she said. "We can spend more time with them."
’Huo Jingyuan has spent years in the Northwest Military Region since enlisting, and his parents work for a classified organization. His grandparents must miss their grandson terribly.’
"Okay, I’ll go make the arrangements."
With that, Huo Jingyuan turned and walked toward the landline in the living room.
Wen Ci took a five-yuan bill from her bag and gave it to Wen Yaozu. "Be good and stay home. Don’t go running around. We’ll be back in a few days."
Wen Yaozu’s eyes lit up at the sight of money. "No problem! I’ll definitely be good and stay right here."
「At noon that day.」
Huo Jingyuan went to the Beijing Military Region. Leaving Beijing required approval from his superiors in the Northwest Military Region, as well as the results of a follow-up examination from the military hospital.
Once he met the requirements, he and Wen Ci immediately took a taxi to the Beijing Airport. The sun was shining brightly as Wen Ci stared at the small airplane before them.
She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Does this small plane fly directly to Hangzhou?"
Huo Jingyuan nodded. "Yes."
In the 1980s, airlines assigned aircraft types based on the number of passengers. A large group meant a large passenger jet, while a small group got a smaller plane.
Wen Ci nodded.
The flight from Beijing to Hangzhou took two hours. The Southern weather was somewhat humid, but Wen Ci, a Southerner to the bone, was used to it.
Huo Jingyuan, however, seemed a little uncomfortable.
"What’s wrong?" Wen Ci asked.
"I’m not used to it."
Hangzhou has long been called a paradise on earth. Huo Jingyuan took Wen Ci’s slender hand, a lazy smile playing on his lips. "How about a stroll around West Lake tonight?"
"Huh?" Then it dawned on her. "Does your family live near West Lake?" she asked.
"Not exactly."
West Lake was just where his grandmother preferred to live. The true ancestral home was in a mountain village, where the family had taken refuge over a decade ago. Now that times were peaceful again, they had moved back to the area around West Lake.
"Not exactly?" Wen Ci frowned.
Just as they walked out of the airport, a middle-aged man with graying hair approached them. He wore a Zhongshan suit and carried himself with an impressive air, saying respectfully, "Mr. Huo."
"Uncle Wang, don’t call me Young Master."
Wen Ci’s eyebrow twitched.
’Who would’ve thought Huo Jingyuan’s family was on the level of the old landlord class? But what about that whole period over the last decade or so? How did their family get through it unscathed?’
’And Huo Jingyuan was even able to join the army.’
’No, wait.’
Wen Ci’s eyes gradually widened.
’Could it be that Huo Jingyuan’s family was one of the great clans that helped fund the founding of the nation?’
Huo Jingyuan made the introduction. "This is my wife, Wen Ci."
Wen Ci nodded. "Hello, Uncle Wang."
"Hello, Young Madam."
Wen Ci was speechless.
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