Volume 2 [245] Helping Father-in-Law Fix Broadband
"When Qiang saw that there was an unopened webpage on the computer screen, he didn't rush to figure out the reason. Instead, he wanted to troubleshoot the signal first, otherwise all his efforts would be in vain."
There were many messy wires behind the desk, so Zhao Qiang had to pull the desk outwards to find the broadband modem and router. He laughed as soon as he saw them. "Isn't the cable between the broadband modem and the router loose? It's really strange that I can still access the internet like this."
Xu Muming leaned closer to take a look: "Did the cable come loose? I really didn't know."
Zhao Qiang said, "The anti-drop spring of the RJ45 connector is broken, so it can slide out of the socket with the slightest touch. Do you have any RJ45 connectors at home? I can replace it with a new one and it will be safe."
Xu Xiaoya said, "I should have some in my room. It's leftover from when I made the net head last time. Wait a moment, I'll get it for you."
Soon, Xu Xiaoya brought over two. "Here you go," she said, "but without crimping pliers, you can't just connect the RJ45 connectors with your fingers. It's not like you can just pinch the insulated wires together haphazardly." Xu Xiaoya suggested, "Should I have Liu Dazhuang bring over a pair of crimping pliers?"
Zhao Qiang said, "No need for that trouble." After saying that, Zhao Qiang glanced at Xu Liming and then gave Xu Xiaoya a wink. The two had been working together for so long that Xu Xiaoya immediately understood Zhao Qiang's meaning. She said to her father, "Dad, why don't you make Zhao Qiang a cup of tea? He's here as a guest, and now he's acting like a repairman."
Xu Liming thought to himself, "I told you to call someone from China Unicom to fix it, but you asked Zhao Qiang to fix it, and now you're blaming your dad." However, Xu Liming couldn't contradict his daughter in front of Zhao Qiang, so he obediently went out to make tea. So Zhao Qiang openly took out the abnormal screwdriver, first controlled the deformation to cut off the original RJ45 head, and then straightened the eight wires according to the connection method on the other end. Then he transformed the abnormal screwdriver into a wire cutter and clamped it tightly. It was done. He plugged it in and tested it. The signal light was on.
Xu Xiaoya kissed Zhao Qiang on the cheek as he looked up from under the table, a reward for him. Just then, Xu Liming entered the study with a teacup and teapot. Although he had witnessed his daughter's stolen kiss, District Chief Xu pretended not to see it. He wasn't complaining to his wife in the kitchen about a man stealing his beloved daughter; he'd probably even praise his daughter for knowing how to charm a man.
One problem solved. Looking further down the line, Zhao Qiang's heart sank. The repair might fail. The carrier signal indicator on the broadband modem was flashing continuously. If it couldn't stay lit, it meant there was no broadband signal, or the signal was too weak to receive, let alone dial up to the internet. Although this wasn't his fault, nor was it something he could fix, the user still couldn't access the internet, so the repair was considered a failure.
"No signal," Zhao Qiang said to Xu Xiaoya after holding back his anger for a long time. He had lost face in front of her this time, but fortunately, Xu Xiaoya wouldn't hold any grudge against him because of this. It was just that Zhao Qiang himself was a little embarrassed.
Xu Liming couldn't understand, so he asked, "What are these signals for?"
Zhao Qiang explained to Xu Liming, "This light indicates a signal. It means the line has received a carrier signal, and the level of the carrier signal received from the line has entered the specified range. This is the receiving signal indicator, and the other is the sending signal indicator. When they flash, it means that the line and the terminal have data signals on the line. The former means that data is being sent from the line to the terminal, and the latter means that data is being sent out from the external line. Now, the light is completely off, which means the line is not working."
Xu Liming was completely confused, and Xu Xiaoya, after all, wasn't a professional in this field, so she didn't quite understand either. However, the more profound Zhao Jie's explanation was, the more she liked it, which showed how talented Zhao Qiang was.
Although Xu Liming didn't understand, he got the gist: the line was down. He said, "Oh dear, now that you mention it, I remember. Your aunt called on the landline earlier and said there was no dial tone. I thought the phone was broken."
Zhao Qiang said, "Oh, if that's the case, it means the telephone line broke somewhere. Let's look for it."
Xu Xiaoya said, "I know how our phone line runs; I'll show you."
Following Xu Xiaoya's instructions, Zhao Qiang used X-ray glasses to trace the telephone line all the way to the door. At this point, Zhao Qiang was both amused and exasperated. He took off the X-ray glasses and slapped his head repeatedly. There were two brightly lit broken wires by the door. Neither of them had noticed them when they entered the house. Judging from the broken wires, they were not broken naturally, but rather cut by pliers.
Xu Liming flew into a rage: "What the hell? Who cut my phone line?!" Anyone would be furious in this situation, and Xu Liming, being a man of emotions, couldn't help but swear.
Sun Junmei ran out of the kitchen. "What's wrong, Lao Xu? Can't you talk things out calmly? Zhao is right here. Can't you be mindful of your behavior in front of the children?"
Xu Liming shook the drooping telephone cord and said, "Look at this, who did I offend that they cut our telephone line!"
Sun Junmei said, "I knew it! There was no dial tone when I called, and finally..."
"Mobile phones are so convenient now that most people have abandoned landlines. Even Xu Liming doesn't want to use a landline because he doesn't have a phone book and it's inconvenient to make calls."
Xu Xiaoya frowned deeply and said, "Dad, stop talking. We must have offended someone. Our district probably has the best public security in the entire Donghai City, so the fact that this person dared to cut the phone line means we've offended them quite badly. Or maybe this is just a warning. You and Mom should be more careful in the future."
Xu Liming sighed. Who could argue with that? Since this district head's position had become increasingly powerful, he naturally couldn't attend to everything. What pleased one side might displease another, or if someone caused trouble, District Head Xu would severely punish or even dismiss them. How could he not offend people? In the world of politics, how could one avoid getting hurt? He had to accept it; what else could he do? The district had surveillance cameras, but there weren't any in the stairwells. Investigating would be too difficult. Besides, it was just cutting the phone line; even if they caught someone, they'd only get a fine at most—it wouldn't matter.
Zhao Qiang quickly reconnected the telephone line. The city government district has a district network, but every household has a computer, often two or three. During peak internet usage times, with so many people watching movies and downloading, the network speed is not fast. That's why Xu Xiaoya uses the telephone broadband separately, so she has exclusive access to the internet. With the boost, she can achieve high speed, which is sufficient for both watching movies and downloading.
Returning to his study, he saw the light was already on. He then started using the computer, and a webpage opened. Xu Liming praised, "Zhao, you're truly an expert! You're proficient in everything. I have to admire you."
Sun Junmei had already prepared the meal and was calling out to everyone from the dining room, "Stop chatting, eat first, then go online."
Xu Liming had already received instructions from his daughter, so he didn't pour Zhao Qiang any more wine. He poured himself a glass of Wuliangye, picked up the glass, and sighed, "Sigh, being the district head is tough. Look, look, even the phone line at home has been cut."
Sun Junmei said, "Come on, don't you think you're already in heaven compared to before? What kind of status did you have in the district before? Now you've been riding on Zhao's coattails and you're feeling pretty smug. You're so upset about someone cutting your phone line. If you're having a hard time, what's harder for you than those salespeople? Our tire factory is almost being dragged down by Haifeng Group's debts. Several salespeople are living and working at Haifeng's finance department. Last time I saw them, they were practically inhuman. And the big boss is still pressuring them, saying he'll sue them all if they don't get their money back."
Zhao Qiang was taken aback: "Auntie, what are you talking about? Haifeng Group has a lot of outstanding debts?"
Sun Junmei said, "What, you don't usually pay attention to the business community in Donghai City?"
Zhao Qiang blushed: "These things are usually done by Ya. I focus on research and maintenance."
Sun Junmei said, "That makes sense. You can't be distracted while doing research. It's the same with Ya managing things for you. Haifeng Group's performance has been declining since the second half of last year. According to my analysis, it should have suffered huge losses in the first half of this year, conservatively estimated to be around 1 billion yuan. Analyzing the number of debt collectors coming and going from Haifeng's finance department every day and the amount of money involved, I estimate that Haifeng Group will face a full-blown economic crisis in the second half of the year, with its capital chain breaking. Once the news gets out, it will immediately cause the stock price to crash. At that time, even a god can't save it."
Xu Liming said, "This is all due to family discord. Zhao should have witnessed it all this afternoon. If you hadn't intervened, Luo Wanfeng and his family of three would have been in dire straits. Since the second half of last year, Haifeng Group's stock price has been slowly declining. Fortunately, I sold all my shares, otherwise I would have lost fifty or sixty thousand by now."
Xu Xiaoya was extremely anxious. "Oh dear, Wei usually doesn't tell me about these things, so I always thought it was her family's business and didn't need to pay attention. I didn't expect it to be so serious. What should Wei do? She must be so worried."
Xu Liming said, "Zhao Ya, don't blame me for criticizing you, but Qimingdeng Electronics shouldn't have been managed by Luo Wei any longer! Have you considered that if Luo Wanfeng really needs a large amount of funds to save the market, will Luo Wei just ignore it? She probably also holds a lot of your wealth! This is inappropriate; your trust in outsiders is really unwise. I suggest immediately taking back the management and financial control of Qimingdeng Electronics. This is an urgent matter."
Even the usually composed Sun Junmei spoke up to advise, "Zhao, don't blame your uncle for being blunt. You can't see into someone's heart. There's an old saying, 'You can draw a person or a tiger, but you can draw their bones. You can know a person's face, but you can't know their heart. You shouldn't have the heart to harm others, but you can't be without the heart to guard against them. The Luo family has already reached a dead end. Don't let the empire you've worked so hard to build go to waste!"
Zhao Qiang was grateful for the elderly couple's concern, but he smiled calmly and said, "Uncle, Aunt, please don't worry about us. If Luo Wei needs anything, I can give her all the Qimingdeng electronics."
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Volume 2 [246] Su Xiaosu wants to play together with Xu Xiaoya
Xin Xiaoya said firmly, "Yes, Qiang, I support your decision. We'll help raise the funds. We absolutely cannot watch her suffer! How can a friend abandon her in her time of need? If Qiang were that kind of person, we wouldn't be where we are today! I might have died at the Holiday Inn long ago."
It's a pity Luo Wei didn't witness their heartfelt declaration of friendship; otherwise, she would have been moved to tears. Zhao Qiang was originally penniless. While Qimingdeng Electronics was important, he could easily rebuild another company. But Luo Wei was irreplaceable. Zhao Qiang couldn't forget that she was the one who extended the olive branch first. If it weren't for Luo Wei, would he have been able to cooperate with Hu Qian? Moreover, Luo Wei was Hu Qian's cousin. If Zhao Qiang stood by and did nothing, Hu Qian would be furious with him. Even if it meant investing another billion, Zhao Qiang would still step in. He could simply squeeze more money out of Yang Shiqi, since Yang Shiqi wasn't spending her own money anyway.
Xu Liming shook his head as he listened, but he couldn't make the decision for his daughter and son-in-law. He could only drink alone in silence. These young people really didn't value money. They were willing to give away a factory worth tens of millions of yuan in just a few words, not even counting the patent fees.
Perhaps Xu Liming was too concerned about his son-in-law's Qimingdeng Electronics business, because he became tipsy after just a few drinks, and dinner ended hastily. Sun Junmei accompanied her husband back to their room to rest, while Xu Xiaoya said to Zhao Qiang, "My computer system is a bit slow, can you take a look?"
Xu Xiaoya had a computer in the bedroom. Zhao Qiang said, "Okay." The two went into the bedroom, and Xu Xiaoya chuckled as she locked the door. Then she threw herself into Zhao Qiang's arms, saying, "I won't let you leave tonight. This time, Zhao Qiang isn't drunk."
Holding Xu Xiaoya in his arms, Zhao Qiang was also filled with joy and excitement. "Aren't you afraid your parents will say something if you leave me here?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "Don't worry, my mom has asked me several times."
"What?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "Of course it's about my relationship with you. I'm afraid you'll abandon me, afraid you'll be seduced by Luo Wei. But will you fall for Luo Wei? She's so beautiful, I don't have legs as long as hers."
Zhao Qiang's hand reached for Xu Xiaoya's breasts. They felt so full. Zhao Qiang couldn't help but increase the speed and pressure. "But she doesn't have breasts like yours!"
Xu Xiaoya said somewhat smugly, "Yes, I touched her this evening." Suddenly realizing her slip of the tongue, Xu Xiaoya quickly covered her mouth. Zhao Qiang gently pinched her chin and said, "Still hiding it? Where did you touch her? If you don't explain clearly, it means you two have done it again."
Xu Xiaoya said anxiously, "No, that's not true! Wei's chest was injured, there are two lumps in her breasts. She was injured when the car crashed this afternoon. She was too embarrassed to go to the hospital for a checkup. Later, I called a friend and asked her to try applying a hot compress overnight."
Zhao Qiang suddenly remembered that he had used his arm to bump her! "Oh dear, is she alright?"
Xu Xiaoya pinched Zhao Qiang's chin this time, "Darling, be honest, you're so worried about Wei. Is it because you're interested in her? She's so pitiful, even I can't help but want to protect her. If you really like her, I can give you a chance."
Zhao Qiang said, "What are you thinking? I just remembered. I bumped into her with my arm when I was turning the steering wheel. I didn't expect it to be so serious. There was an emergency stop, and she was not wearing a seatbelt and drifted into the driver's seat. In order to avoid the oncoming truck, I moved too violently and accidentally injured her. Then the assassin appeared, so I didn't ask her what happened."
Xu Xiaoya said, "Wow, it was that dangerous! I misunderstood you. Let me call her and ask what happened."
Zhao Qiang sat down at Xu Xiaoya's desk and said, "Okay, if needed, we'll take her for a checkup. Finding a female doctor wouldn't hurt, would it? She seems a bit too withdrawn."
Xu Xiaoya teased Zhao Qiang, "Isn't it better to be open-minded? If we're too open-minded, you'll get angry again. You'll scold us if we wear anything sexy, so how can we dare to?"
Zhao Qiang turned on the computer and chuckled without answering. Xu Xiaoya, while connecting Luo Wei's phone, hugged Zhao Qiang from behind and whispered in his ear, "Stop pretending. My computer is fine."
The familiar embrace was right beside him. Zhao Qiang closed his eyes happily. He couldn't remember how many times Xu Xiaoya had hugged him like this. Perhaps in the future, she would hug him like this every day, and the two of them would embrace like this until they grew old. What a happy life that would be. At this moment, Luo Wei's phone rang.
"Xiaoya Yao".
"Zhao Qiang was worried and asked me to ask you. Are you feeling better?"
Luo Wei's voice was panicked, "Oh no, he found out? You... how did you tell him?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "He bumped into it himself, how could he not know? Don't be so embarrassed."
"I'm much better now. It was my own fault for bumping into you. Don't worry about Zhao Qiang. I think I'll be pain-free by tomorrow morning."
Xu Xiaoya said, "That would be best, otherwise Zhao Qiang would be worried about you and would want to go back and take you to see a doctor."
Luo Wei said with all her might, "No need, you don't have to worry about me. I'm really much better. I want to rest early. Goodnight, Xiaoya."
Luo Wei hurriedly hung up the phone, unable to continue speaking, while Xu Xiaoya giggled.
Zhao Qiang casually browsed through Xu Xiaoya's files, and Xu Xiaoya didn't say anything to him. She was even delighted that Zhao Qiang was interested in her secrets, and turned around to get her clothes to take a shower.
Zhao Qiang found a folder containing videos he had recorded himself. He opened it casually and saw that it was probably a video he had taken on the street. The crowd was a bit chaotic and the sound was a lot of noise. At first, the video was shaky, but soon a simply dressed girl with a ponytail appeared in the frame. She was so pure and innocent that it made people feel sorry for her. She was holding a guitar and leaning against the wall.
The sound of a guitar rose from the noisy environment, gradually fading away the sounds of people and cars, leaving only the clear strains of the guitar in my ears. "How can I express the deep longing in my heart? Even a phone call home won't put my mind at ease; how can I repay them? Several winters and summers have passed since I left home. My parents are getting old; please take good care of yourselves. I miss home, I miss home, no matter where I am in the world."
Zhao Qiang was struck dumb. His first reaction was extreme distress, because the pure and innocent guitar girl was Su Su! If she wasn't the one Zhao Qiang knew, would there be two people in this world who looked so alike, even with the same voice? Even if Su Su and Su Su looked alike, and Su Su could dress up like she did in her student days, their voices were different and impossible to imitate, especially their singing voices, which Su Su didn't have the talent for.
How did she end up in Xu Xiaoya's video? Could it be that Su Su was short of money and had to sing on the street to make ends meet? And Xu Xiaoya happened to see her and filmed it? But how could she be short of money? Zhao Qiang never let her suffer any hardship. Just a few days ago, they were video chatting, and Su Su even sang "Tante" to Zhao Qiang in a coquettish way, almost shocking him to death. She should be happy and content right now, so what's going on?
With a creak, Xu Xiaoya, wrapped in a bath towel, slipped into the room. Seeing Zhao Qiang watching the video she had filmed, she said, "Isn't it beautiful? This girl's voice is so sweet and pure. I like it so much. Later I found out she's from Dongyang City, so we're from the same hometown."
Zhao Qiang was hit with another blow. Oh no! Xu Xiaoya and Su Su actually met in Beijing! What he feared most was that the two of them would run into each other. He never expected that they wouldn't meet in Dongyang City or Donghai City, but instead, they would meet in Beijing, hundreds or thousands of kilometers away. Was this fate? But judging from Xu Xiaoya's words, neither of them had mentioned Zhao Qiang yet, otherwise they would have given themselves away long ago.
"Her name is Su Su, she's such a cute girl," Xu Xiaoya said while drying her hair with a towel. Zhao Qiang, afraid that the topic would continue, changed the video again, but it was still Su Su singing. Xu Xiaoya laughed and said, "This folder is full of her videos. We were even discussing getting together to play during the summer vacation. Either we'll go to Dongyang City, or she can come here. By the way, your hometown is Dongyang City, don't you know each other?"
Zhao Qiang shook his head firmly: "I don't know him, and I've never been to Beijing."
Xu Xiaoya didn't think much of it. "I know a little about Beijing now. Let's travel together next time."
Zhao Qiang casually turned off the video and said, "Okay, I'll go with you wherever you go."
Xu Xiaoya threw away the towel, somewhat moved, and said, "Qiang, you're so good to me. Let's go on our honeymoon, okay?" Xu Xiaoya's voice was soft, with a woman's innate allure. As she spoke, she reached out to unbutton Zhao Qiang's shirt. Zhao Qiang was still nervous and remained motionless, letting Xu Xiaoya do as she pleased. Soon he was shirtless. Then Zhao Qiang felt a heat on his back as a hot, delicate body pressed against his back, her full breasts pressing against his shoulders. Xu Xiaoya had actually come back from the bathroom without a bra. This temptation made Zhao Qiang's blood boil.
"Qiang, this is where I grew up. This bed holds my youthful dreams. For years, I've slept here, always dreaming that my Prince Charming will appear here. I want you here tonight, right here on this bed, to give me the greatest happiness of my life, to give me the most beautiful memories!" Xu Xiaoya pressed her body against Zhao Qiang's back, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck. Zhao Qiang turned around and picked her up. His skin, fresh from a shower, was so smooth. Zhao Qiang carried Xu Xiaoya onto the bed, turning off the light. It was time. After so long, it was time for a resolution.
Sun Junmei paced back and forth in the living room, occasionally listening intently. Xu Liming peeked out from the bedroom and whispered, "You'd better come back right now. It wouldn't look good if Zhao Jie came out and saw this."
Sun Junmei said, "What's wrong? I'm just worried about my daughter."
Xu Liming said, "What's there to worry about? Don't girls all have to get married? Zhao is such a good guy, I've decided he'll be our son-in-law. I support my daughter's decision! Which young person doesn't do that these days?"
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Volume 2 [247] The Heart of a Mother is Pitiful Under Heaven
Junmei glared at Xu Guming! "What about Jianya's pregnancy?"
Xu Liming tossed a stack of condoms at her: "Why don't you go in and give these to your daughter?"
Sun Junmei threw the condom back: "What should I say when I go in? Should I knock on the door and ask my daughter if she needs it?"
Xu Liming said, "If you don't want to take them, then come back. Don't bother the couple."
Sun Junmei said, "I'm afraid my daughter will be bullied. You have no idea what a mother feels."