Siheyuan: a better life

Chapter 795 Shocking news!
At around six o'clock in the evening, in a private room of Dongxing Building, Chen Hao walked into the room from outside. Seeing the people sitting in the room, he asked Guo Jianxiong curiously, "Jianxiong! Isn't uncle in the hospital? Why did you suddenly think of inviting everyone to dinner today, and in Dongxing Building at that? Could it be that uncle has recovered and been discharged from the hospital?"

When Guo Jianxiong heard Chen Hao's question and saw everyone's curious looks, he replied mysteriously, "Haozi! My dad's surgery has just been scheduled, and he is currently in the hospital receiving treatment."

"The reason why I invited everyone to dinner today is mainly because I met someone in the hospital today, so I invited everyone to come out and sit down with me."

When Chen Hao heard what Guo Jianxiong said, a puzzled expression appeared on his face. He asked Guo Jianxiong curiously, "Jianxiong! Who did you meet? Could it be our classmates? Otherwise, why would you suddenly invite us out to improve the food?"

"Yes! Jianxiong! Who did you meet?" Wang Chaoyang asked Guo Jianxiong with confusion after hearing what Guo Jianxiong said.

Xue Weihua saw Guo Jianxiong's mysterious attitude and asked him curiously, "Old Guo! Did you meet Liu Xiaoyu from our gang? Otherwise, you wouldn't have spent so much money to treat us all to dinner at Dongxing Building."

"That's right! He must have met Liu Xiaoyu. She is the white moonlight in Jianxiong's heart." When Chen Hao heard Xue Weihua mention Liu Xiaoyu, he immediately felt like something had suddenly clicked and blurted out.

Zhao Baoguo, who had been silent the whole time, immediately denied it when Xue Weihua mentioned Liu Xiaoyu: "Old Xue! Haozi! The person Jianxiong met was definitely not Liu Xiaoyu, because Liu Xiaoyu married to Shanghai before the New Year, and she is definitely not in our Jingcheng City now."

When Guo Jianxiong heard Xue Weihua mention his secret crush back then, and thought of the fact that Liu Xiaoyu was already married, a look of regret flashed across his eyes, and he smiled and replied, "Brothers! Can you please stop making blind guesses? You should know that I'm already a married man. If our Xiuxiu knew what you said, I'd have to sleep in the living room when I get home."

After hearing what Guo Jianxiong said and thinking about Guo Jianxiong's character, Chen Hao asked Guo Jianxiong curiously, "Jianxiong! Could the person you want to invite be the leader of your factory? How is that possible? We don't even know the leader of your factory."

Guo Jianxiong heard Chen Hao's question and saw the curious expressions on everyone's faces. He smiled and replied, "Okay! I won't tease you anymore. When I went to the hospital to deliver lunch this afternoon, I met Wu Aiguo in the hospital."

"What! You met Wu Aiguo in the hospital. Didn't that guy Aiguo join the army?" When Chen Hao heard Guo Jianxiong's words, a shocked expression appeared on his face, and he hurriedly confirmed the news with Guo Jianxiong.

When Xue Weihua was in school, he sat at the same table with Wu Aiguo. When he learned that the person Guo Jianxiong met was Wu Aiguo, he immediately asked Guo Jianxiong, "Jianxiong! Didn't Aiguo join the army? How did you meet him in the hospital? Has he been demobilized?"

When Guo Jianxiong heard Chen Hao and Xue Weihua's questions, he smiled and introduced to everyone: "Aiguo had already retired and returned to Jingdu in 1958. His wife gave birth to a daughter in the People's Hospital yesterday. When I went to the hospital to deliver lunch at noon, I happened to meet Aiguo who was also delivering lunch to the hospital."

After hearing what Guo Jianxiong said, Chen Hao learned that Wu Aiguo had retired and returned to Jingdu in 1958. He complained angrily, "Aiguo, this kid, retired from the army and didn't even come to see us old classmates. When he comes, we must give him a good beating. It's best to make him walk in and leave lying down."

Xue Weihua smiled and agreed when he heard what Chen Hao said: "What Haozi said is right. We must have a few drinks with Aiguo tonight. Let him walk in and lie down when he goes back."

Guo Jianxiong heard the conversation between Chen Hao and Xue Weihua, and thought of his father's surgery. He introduced them to everyone: "Haozi! Weihua! Baoguo! You don't know, my father's illness has reached the point where he must undergo surgery, and the only doctor at the People's Hospital who can perform this type of surgery is Director Cao of the Department of Thoracic Surgery."

"Because Director Cao is a famous thoracic surgery expert in our Jingyang City, many patients who want to see him for surgery have to wait more than two months. My father was able to go on the operating table this weekend, thanks to Aiguo's help."

Chen Hao, who works at the Kyoto City Government, has naturally heard of Cao Jianming's name. When he learned that Guo Jianxiong's father was able to schedule Cao Jianming's surgery because of Wu Aiguo's help, he quickly asked Guo Jianxiong, "Jianxiong! After Aiguo was demobilized, did he work at the People's Hospital?" When Guo Jianxiong heard Chen Hao asking about Wu Aiguo's work, he smiled and shook his head and replied, "Haozi! Aiguo doesn't work at the People's Hospital, but his father-in-law and wife both work at the People's Hospital. I heard from Director Cao that Aiguo's father-in-law is the vice president of the People's Hospital, and Aiguo's wife is a surgeon at the People's Hospital."

At this point, Guo Jianxiong remembered that Cao Jianming called Wu Aiguo "Director Wu". He paused for a moment and continued, "When Aiguo was demobilized, he worked at the Chaoyang Supply and Marketing Cooperative. Later, he was transferred to the Trade Department. At noon, Aiguo took us to Director Cao's office!"

"Jianxiong! What did you say? Aiguo works in the Trade Department. Is this true?" Chen Hao was shocked when he heard what Guo Jianxiong said and learned that Wu Aiguo worked in the Trade Department. He quickly confirmed the news with Guo Jianxiong.
Xue Weihua heard Guo Jianxiong's introduction and saw Chen Hao's startled reaction to Wu Aiguo's work unit. He asked Chen Hao curiously, "Haozi! What is the Trade Department? How come I have never heard of it?"

When Chen Hao heard Xue Weihua ask about the nature of the Trade Department's work, he remembered what his leader had said, and introduced it to everyone: "The Trade Department! It is a unit that is specifically responsible for purchasing imported equipment and technology. It is directly under the leadership of the State Council. Don't underestimate it as just a unit responsible for purchasing. Its power is far greater than that of ordinary ministries and commissions."

Xue Weihua had a puzzled expression on his face when he heard what Chen Hao said. He asked Chen Hao curiously, "Haozi! Didn't you just say that the Trade Department is just a unit responsible for purchasing equipment and technology? How can its power exceed those agencies of the ministries and commissions?"

Chen Hao heard Xue Weihua's question and saw everyone's curious eyes. He started to introduce to everyone: "Now our country has entered a stage of rapid development. In order to develop local economic construction, many factories need to purchase more advanced production equipment. As a result, the industrial departments of all provinces have sent people to Kyoto to apply for the purchase of imported equipment and technology."

"The Trade Department purchases a large number of equipment from abroad every month. However, compared with factories across the country, these equipments are far too few for the vast majority. In order to successfully purchase the equipment they need, the provinces have to use all their own unique skills. The Trade Department has the final say on which province to purchase the equipment from first and which province to purchase it from later. So, you can all guess how powerful the Trade Department is without me telling you."

Guo Jianxiong had heard from his elder brother before that the Trade Bureau was a very popular and powerful unit. At that time, he did not realize how powerful the Trade Bureau was and why it was so popular. Now after hearing what Chen Hao introduced, Guo Jianxiong finally understood the reason.

Thinking back to the time at noon in Cao Jianming's office when Cao Jianming saw Wu Aiguo and addressed him as Wu Aiguo, Guo Jianxiong instinctively glanced at the classmates who were still immersed in the news, with an expression of wanting to say something but stopping on their faces.

After Chen Hao introduced the Trade Department to everyone, he saw Guo Jianxiong's expression of wanting to say something but not being able to, which made him very confused. He asked Guo Jianxiong puzzledly: "Jianxiong! Looking at your expression, is there anything else you haven't told us?"

When Guo Jianxiong heard Chen Hao's question, he recalled what happened at noon and introduced him to Chen Hao and the others, "Haozi! This afternoon, when Aiguo took the three of us to Director Cao's office, Director Cao directly called Aiguo Director Wu when he saw him."

Chen Hao was shocked when he heard what Guo Jianxiong said. He quickly asked Guo Jianxiong, "Jianxiong! What did you say? Director Cao referred to Aiguo as Director Wu? Are you sure you didn't mishear?"

When Guo Jianxiong heard Chen Hao's question and saw Chen Hao's reaction, he replied unhappily, "Haozi! I'm not deaf, how could I have heard it wrong? And my brother and sister both heard it, so it's impossible that I heard it wrong."

"Jianxiong! You just said that Aiguo was demobilized in 1958. Even if he had a successful career, it would be impossible for him to be promoted to a department-level leader in just a few years! I think you must have heard it wrong." Zhao Baoguo heard Guo Jianxiong's very affirmative answer, but still did not quite believe what Guo Jianxiong said and questioned the matter.

When Guo Jianxiong heard Zhao Baoguo's question, he replied unhappily, "Baoguo! Did I hear you wrong? When Aiguo comes, you can ask him in person and you will know. Besides, whether Aiguo is the director of the Trade Department or not, he is our classmate and that will never change."

After Chen Hao joined the work, with the support of his father-in-law's family, he is now a section chief of the Kyoto Municipal Government. In his subconscious mind, he was the best among his classmates. Now, after learning that Wu Aiguo is the director of the Trade Department, Chen Hao realized that he is like a frog in a well and he feels too good about himself!
After hearing what Guo Jianxiong said to Zhao Baoguo, Chen Hao finally recovered from the news. He smiled and said to Zhao Baoguo, "Baoguo! Jianxiong is right. When he comes, we can ask him in person whether he is the director of the Trade Department or not."

(End of this chapter)