"Hahaha, hahaha, I'm going to be a father again..."
Yu Zhou was as happy as a child. Who knew how long he had waited for this day.
Even when he was so busy, he didn't forget to sow seeds. Wasn't it just to give his little dumpling a brother or sister?
"Old Qin, go call Old Wu. I'll cook tonight, and we'll have a good drink..."
With a wave of his hand, Yu Zhou began to plan how to get thoroughly drunk.
This made Jiang Jie happy, but also a bit speechless. What was going on? Another child in the family, and he could be this happy?
"You! You should think about how to keep this baby..."
Giving Yu Zhou a roll of her eyes, Jiang Jie, though happy in her heart, couldn't help but worry a little for various reasons.
At this time, especially in the early 1990s, it was the era of the strictest family planning.
The slogans in factories, rural areas, and various streets could make everyone feel the immense pressure.
City dwellers were slightly better off. In remote mountain villages, there were even cases of houses being demolished and families becoming homeless for having an extra child.
In the city, such violent incidents might not happen, but it was ridiculous to say that the authorities would ignore a second child.
For the sake of family planning, both communities and district governments had established committees and attached great importance to it.
"What are you afraid of? Little Dumpling is a girl, and I'm not a cadre. I'm just a private factory owner."
"Even if there's a fine, it won't fall on us. If anyone dares to gossip and cause trouble at our home, I, Yu Zhou, am not to be trifled with."
Yu Zhou was not worried at all; he knew the policies perfectly.
If they were civil servants, there was no question. For the first child, whether it was a son or a daughter, to show high moral integrity, they would definitely have only one.
However, for ordinary citizens, this aspect was much more relaxed.
If they hadn't been laid off and were still at the Second Textile Factory, this situation might have been very bad, and they might even have faced the risk of being laid off.
But now, hadn't he already been laid off? Even survival was through independent employment, so what was there to fear?
His elder brother had one child, and he couldn't have another. But for Yu Zhou, if the family had an addition, it would be the situation he most wanted to see.
Little Dumpling was a girl, and it was a bit lonely. Moreover, she was capable of raising another child.
"That's true. I'm actually glad now that I was laid off, and at Tailong Light Industry, I'm just a contract worker without a formal position."
Thinking of this, Jiang Jie also felt a bit more at ease.
This was not like a mountain village where, to enforce the policy, people in offices could turn into a mob and wield their authority crudely.
In the city, if you blatantly targeted someone with this excuse, it would cause big problems.
"Don't worry about it! This kind of thing won't affect us."
Yu Zhou comforted his wife again, his good mood completely unaffected.
Having a new addition to the family was undoubtedly a great joy for Yu Zhou. Of course, he couldn't suppress his excitement and started making calls, spreading the news everywhere.
Immediately, the elderly Mr. and Mrs. Yu moved from the suburbs without hesitation. Their eagerness was even more intense than Yu Zhou's, who was about to become a father.
And as for the Jiang family, even though they still looked down on Yu Zhou to some extent, they had changed their attitude towards him somewhat because of this matter.
After that, Yu Zhou also called his elder brother and second sister.
Upon hearing the news, his second sister's first reaction was to come back and see them.
After all, she had been in Beijing for about a year and hadn't returned to Jiangbei. She had been planning to take her husband and child back for a visit, and now, she had decided to come back in seven days.
Not only to congratulate her brother but also to comfort the "major project" of the Yu family.
For some reason, the news of the Yu family having a new addition spread like wildfire.
In the following period, there were visitors to the Yu family courtyard almost every day.
Well, among them were not only relatives but also Yu Zhou's friends and business partners.
Yu Zhou had become the owner of the Dried Fruit Factory in half a year, and no one knew how much money he actually had. It was no wonder that their home was always bustling with visitors.
However, Yu Zhou had handed over these matters to his father. Many things in the Dried Fruit Factory were still not completely settled.
Even if he wanted to take time to accompany his wife, he couldn't spare any time in this initial stage.
Therefore, he could only try to get off work a little earlier each day to go back and be with her. This behavior surprised many who knew Yu Zhou.
After all, Yu Zhou had never given them the impression of being a henpecked husband.
Whether it was his previous wild behavior, where he didn't seem to care much about his wife, or his later dedication to business, even though he shouldered the responsibility of the family, he didn't seem to be solely focused on his wife.
This made many people feel that as Yu Zhou gradually rose and became richer, the attribute of being a playboy was inevitable.
After all, it was almost a common trait for most bosses in the business world to go astray when they became wealthy.
However, this time, Yu Zhou's actions surprised many. When did this guy start doting on his wife so much?
"Boss Yu, congratulations, congratulations. The Yu family is having another addition to the family!"
"When the child is born, be sure to call me so I can come over for a wedding toast."
A few days later, as Yu Zhou was returning home from work, just as he reached his doorstep, a voice reached his ears.
"Director Ding?"
Yu Zhou was a little surprised because the visitor was Ding Yiping, whose social status was now much higher than his own.
Moreover, they didn't have any deep personal relationship, so how had the news reached him?
With a slight turn of his eyes, Yu Zhou knew that Ding Yiping's visit was not just to congratulate him but to discuss something.
He immediately bowed and invited Ding Yiping into the courtyard, then brought out the good tea he usually kept and was reluctant to drink, and poured a cup for the guest.
"What a good thing! This Maofeng is top-grade. I've been craving it, but I couldn't get any this year."
As soon as he saw the tea, Ding Yiping's eyes lit up, and he said with emotion.
"If Director Ding likes it, take half a pound with you when you leave. Although I drink this often, I'm like a cow chewing peony and can't truly appreciate its flavor."
Yu Zhou said with a smile, showing no reluctance.