The Cannon Fodder in Quick Transmigration Refuses the Usual Path

Chapter 557: Fifty Cannonfodder and the Dead Weight (36)

Although there was indeed a bit of regret, Commander Lu quickly came to terms with it.

A person cannot have everything and want everything.

Xiao Zheng's temperament clearly wasn't suited for politics. Now that he could wholeheartedly focus on his research and even protect his own achievements and honors, it was largely because he and his wife were still around.

The political arena isn't easy to navigate, but is the academic circle any easier?

Even though he hadn't had much direct involvement, that didn't mean he didn't understand. Places where people gather are never truly pure and untainted. Just look at all those professors who were criticized and sent down in recent years, weren't there many?

How many were targeted by their own students, friends, colleagues from the same research institute, or even jealous individuals with ulterior motives?

It was only because of him and his wife that Xiao Zheng could have his current stability.

But as the saying goes, in the political arena, "the tea cools when people leave" is not just an empty phrase.

Connections only count as connections if you have the ability to maintain them.

Once you lose your influence, forget about others, how many of your old acquaintances would remain?

This was also why he had taken notice when he first heard about his daughter-in-law from Old He years ago. Respect for scholars was one thing, but more importantly, it was for the future of the Lu Family.

And obviously, looking at it now, that move hadn't been wrong. Leaving aside his own son, his daughter-in-law's abilities were far more impressive than he had initially thought.

Visionary, meticulous, and extremely capable.

This was Old He's earlier evaluation, but in his view, it should now include another phrase: worldly wise and adept in human affairs.

Just look at these years—she has risen step by step, her speed far surpassing others. Not yet thirty, she's only one step away from becoming a deputy department head. Moreover, she maintains good relationships with leaders in various departments as well as most of the subordinates below.

It shows she truly conducts herself with magnanimity.

Commander Lu couldn't help but smack his lips.

This is what they say in the military: don't eat alone. When she has a brilliant idea and earns credit for herself, she is never stingy about letting others, especially her own people, share in the benefits.

She grasps the sense of propriety perfectly.

Someone like her, with such talent—to put it bluntly, as long as she doesn't become arrogant in the future, rising up is only a matter of time.

Presumably, even if one day he and his wife really pass away, with such a person at the helm, the Lu Family, which he built up through hard struggle, won't experience a cliff-like decline.

Since that's the case, one cannot ask for too much.

Furthermore, Ah Jing not only inherited his mother's intelligence but also has a strong constitution. His future path seems smooth and bright. Apart from not being suited for the military, this old man has no regrets!

Thinking this, the old master felt much more at ease.

An Ning could naturally see through the old master's thoughts.

However, Commander Lu was also a decisive person. After coming to terms with it, aside from doting on Ah Jing even more in daily life, he indeed never brought up the matter again. He didn't even mention it to his own wife.

Regarding this, An Ning was naturally happy to "remain unaware."

After all, he only thought about it in his heart and didn't actually pressure her. Besides, ever since Ah Jing was born, the old master had been truly generous with connections. Without the Lu Family, she might still have reached this point, but definitely not as smoothly as she has now.

Anyway, this life is busy enough. Who wouldn't want to make things a bit easier!

And Xiao Jing—in this lifetime, both his parents are quite busy, so it's actually the elderly couple who take care of him more often on a daily basis.

They are gentle and usually don't like to disturb the couple. To put it bluntly, in this era, the elderly couple already surpass many parents-in-law.

In a family, why overthink things!

After the New Year, while An Ning was striving to advance further, Xiao Jing was also reaching the age to start elementary school. As a clever little guy, studying was indeed as relaxed and carefree as previously imagined. Occasionally skipping a grade, he could also learn other things from his mother.

However, the little guy's only worry these days is probably:

"Big Aunt's son, sigh!"

Frowning his little face, the six or seven-year-old Xiao Jing Yao rarely looked utterly speechless. After a long pause, he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence with difficulty:

"Big Uncle-in-law really has it tough!" Goodness, he doesn't know how Big Uncle-in-law manages to persevere. He nearly fainted from frustration just helping explain two problems.

Then, thinking of something else, he sneakily glanced at his mother: "Mom really had it tough back then too."

It's said Big Aunt was even more terrifying than her son back in the day!

Indeed, Grandma was right. The absolute peak of the family's intelligence pyramid is, and only is, his own mom!

An Ning: "..."

"Truly terrifying, siblings in one family can actually be so different!"

Completely unaware of his mother's complicated feelings, idly fiddling with a model in his hand, Xiao Jing couldn't help but mutter to himself. Thankfully, thankfully, he doesn't have any younger siblings. If he were unlucky enough to get a slow one, just thinking about his future hardship...

Xiao Jing couldn't help but shed a sympathetic tear for himself.

Big Uncle-in-law and Cousin really have it tough too.

That's right, Big Aunt's family also has a little cousin, Xiao Shu. But unlike her brother, Cousin is much smarter. She's just not as good-looking as her brother, and of course, not as good-looking as him either.

In his mom's words:

Big Cousin: Nine parts of Big Aunt's looks, plus one part of Big Uncle-in-law's intelligence.

Little Cousin is precisely the opposite: Nine parts of Big Uncle-in-law's intelligence, one part of Big Aunt's looks. (Who she takes after in other aspects goes without saying).

In a way, it's actually quite balanced? Or fair?

But both Big Cousin and Little Cousin seem pretty happy about it.

Xiao Jing Yao subconsciously touched his own delicate little face, which had been praised by many people.

Forget it. If it were him, he wouldn't want to lose either of those two!

Thankfully, thankfully, his own dad and mom are both smart and good-looking!

He doesn't have to make such a difficult choice.

Seeing at a glance what the other was thinking, An Ning couldn't help but want to laugh:

Such a tiny little guy, and already quite the vain little thing!

However, soon An Ning had no mind to dwell on this. In 1977, with the restoration of the college entrance examination, the domestic situation also faced enormous changes. But for their family, the truly important event was still to come.

In 1978, riding the spring breeze of reform, when Little Ah Jing was eight years old—the year An Ning turned thirty—relying on her absolute economic acumen and vision accumulated over the years, An Ning finally crossed the threshold into the deputy department head level. Three years later, she officially removed the "deputy" from her title.

It was also this year that Commander Lu formally stepped down, transferring most of his connections into An Ning's hands.

However, thanks to An Ning being a rising political star, plus the old master still being around, and Lu Zheng having gained some fame in the physics field, overall, the Lu Family didn't experience too much change.

In fact, those with clear eyes could see the potential of An Ning, the new helmsman.

Compared to many families with no worthy successors, the elderly couple nowadays... let's just say they aren't exactly envied by everyone, but they are certainly eyed with jealousy by quite a few...

Old Lu's eye for talent is truly something else!

Of course, there's another person who is truly eyed with jealousy:

Old Wang, who struggled his whole life, spent the first half of his life relying on his father-in-law, and in his old age finally reached the position of factory manager by basking in his daughter's reflected glory: "..."

Sigh, I'm just saying, Factory Manager Wang doesn't sound as good as Department Head Wang!

"Indeed, smart people are just different!"

Glancing at the Little Wang Brat, whose head was almost shrinking into his neck, Old Wang couldn't help but click his tongue inwardly:

Looks like I'll have to light a few more incense sticks for the ancestors tomorrow.