Chapter 1274 - 1146: You’re Not Planning Another Challenge, Are You?

Chapter 1274: Chapter 1146: You’re Not Planning Another Challenge, Are You?

A revolution in Yi Country, hostage crises, and the Old Russians invading other nations—all these events have piled up within six months, and their impact is undoubtedly immense.

As the whole world is enveloped in the shadow of war, military experts from various countries are raising a clamor, exclaiming the arrival of World War III.

Whether World War III is coming—after months of shouting—remains unknown, but the price of oil is indeed skyrocketing, with an unbelievable speed.

This time neither Zhou Jiao nor Zhang Guoqing let even a hint slip; they had long since exchanged gold for oil.

Not just them, but also the four in-the-know, Yi Jiefang included, kept this under wraps, not even revealing a trace to their own parents or wives.

You ask, how did Zhou Jiao find out?

Because these four have already gone insane!

"Sister, you say we’ve made so much money, why do I feel so uncertain inside? You think if I tell your sister-in-law, will she faint?"

Yi Jiefang exaggerates with tightly furrowed brows, but the smile on his face is so dazzling that Zhou Jiao could almost believe it!

"Hahaha... My wife was hesitating the other day whether to buy first-grade or second-grade cabbage, and you all say, how much cabbage can we buy?"

Zhou Jiao shoots a disdainful glance at Ding Datou.

——You big man, how would you understand the ways of managing a household with a steady hand?

"Don’t mention cabbage, I’m sick of it, but not eating it is not an option. This life really is tiresome. Recently, I had someone transport half a carload of seasonal fruits and vegetables from the South, they’ll arrive this weekend. You all remember to find a car and come over to haul them from my place."

As the train station manager, Geng Dazhi indeed has certain advantages.

Whenever there’s an empty returning boxcar, even half-empty, their unit will organize to load some specialty products for holiday and year-end benefits.

This year, the opportunity arose, so he shamelessly requested half a carload. His dad has many old acquaintances, his father’s friends are plentiful too, plus an uncle, three aunts, and three uncles and two aunts.

It’s really not enough to share!

Wan Dayong gives a thumbs up to Geng Dazhi, "Nice, truly well-off!"

"That’s right. Remember back in school drinking that pitch-black porridge, I vowed that in this lifetime I’d never lack food."

"Hahaha... Looking back, it’s quite interesting. Maybe one day we should have a meal reminiscing about the bitter and sweet times?"

"Go! Go! Go! Nothing but bad ideas. Now that we have money, we can eat fried dough sticks and drink soy milk, two bowls of soy milk—one to drink and one to waste."

"Look at your aspirations!"

"Oh, you who have even greater ambitions, still have complaints?"

"Even Da Yong finds fault, and I must despise you! Why not add two buns, eat one and toss one?"

"Wow, that ambition is too grand, then toss one to me."

"..."

Seeing the five of them chatting happily, Zhou Jiao gives them space and heads into the couple’s exclusive study on the first floor.

In the past two years, plenty of foreign books and miscellaneous items have been added to the study’s bookshelves. If you look closely, international languages of all kinds are represented.

Besides the ones Zhou Jiao collected abroad, a significant portion was purchased by relatives—either cousins or siblings—thanks to Miao Tianming being situated in various parts of the world.

Actually, Zhang Guoqing understands many of the materials more than she does, given that in his past life he majored in business management and minored in finance.

During university, he even worked at the stock exchange and ventured into the stock market, while she continuously worked at school post-graduation, constantly engaged with foreign languages.

Fortunately, having stayed by his side long enough, she inevitably picked up bits of finance during idle moments.

But with the era being different and the environment changed, really dedicating oneself to the financial market, relying solely on memory and limited knowledge, still wouldn’t be enough.

Nowadays, domestic universities’ finance studies are still in their infancy; professors returning from overseas are hindered by turmoil, and their thinking is disconnected from the international scene.

Unable to engage in practical operations, they focus more on theory—whether you can apply it doesn’t matter as long as you pass the exams—while foreign books typically emphasize specific operations.

Relatively, schools abroad place more emphasis on practice.

Simply put: you just need to create value, regardless of whether you understand theory.

And what Zhou Jiao lacks most is practice.

May 1st was flipping through a book, and upon seeing her enter, smiled, "Mom, not out listening to their conversation?"

"Here to keep you company." Zhou Jiao didn’t mention her disinterest in hearing their idle chatter, "Your brother hasn’t come back, will you be bored at home alone?"

"No, it’s perfect for reading." May 1st shows a hint of annoyance, "You wouldn’t know, at school now I hardly have any peace and time to read."

Zhou Jiao furrows her brow slightly, "Why is that?"

"Ever since becoming that useless student council president, there’s so much stuff. I’m considering whether retreating into the background and leaving just a title would be better?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jiao relaxes and laughs: "You decide however you wish, Mom supports you."

"Mom is the best." May 1st raises the book in his hand, "Mom, I’ve recently attended a few finance lectures, and found it quite interesting."

Zhou Jiao skeptically eyes him, "You’re not planning on challenging something again, are you?"

May 1st instantly chuckles, "Mom, where are you thinking? Your son is no challenge maniac."

Zhou Jiao doesn’t fully trust her son’s words, but she believes he has plans for his future, so she changes the topic, "Are you planning to go to the military camp during winter break?"

"No, my brothers are also on duty at school this year, we’ve agreed to stay home and spend the New Year with you properly."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jiao’s eyes curve into a smile, "That’s wonderful, winter break should be in just over a month, right?"

"Almost."

"Then when you have the break, we two can prepare for the New Year together. Incidentally, soon money from overseas will come in, allowing us to exchange for plenty of overseas exchange certificates. Is there anything you want to buy?"

When his mother mentioned overseas exchange certificates, May 1st immediately recalled two things he forgot to mention.

The first is just what his mom mentioned—the overseas exchange certificates.

It’s said they’re about to be phased out, soon to be uniformly replaced by foreign exchange certificates, making them easier to use. It’s reported that they’re already printed, just waiting for spring to be implemented.

The other matter is not particularly crucial, but given that the three brothers enjoy stamp collecting, naturally it becomes highly important.

According to a buddy from a postal family, a third generation with a postal lineage.

On New Year’s Eve, the first edition of the Zodiac Monkey stamps will be issued. This opening day cover has been specially designed by artists with monkeys, and the chief stamp designer overseeing the design.

So, as the first stamp entering the new spring of the eighties, with such massive significance, shouldn’t he collect more?

Zhou Jiao finds it amusing upon hearing her son, the significant impact is undeniable. Its financial prospects are vast. It practically heralds the dawn of a new era in the stamp collecting market.

These first set of new stamps carry remarkable leader effects. In the near future, it will undoubtedly become the hallmark collection for Huaxia stamp enthusiasts, a bellwether in the stamp market.