Chapter 1288 - 1160: That’s the Best Possible Outcome

Chapter 1288: Chapter 1160: That’s the Best Possible Outcome

"He’s pretty capable. I might sign a long-term contract with him."

"Then he’ll be over the moon." Miao Tianming could practically picture how excited that guy would be. "By the way, Sis, is May 1st really not going abroad to study?"

"He still doesn’t plan to go this year." Zhou Jiao had already asked her youngest. This year the school offered spots for fully funded overseas study; he turned them down again.

According to him, studying abroad and all that will have to wait. The kid said he needs to think it over more, so Zhou Jiao didn’t press him.

Anyway, once he makes up his mind, he’ll naturally discuss it with the family first.

"Alright. Tell me when he’s coming over, I’ll go pick him up."

Hearing that, Zhou Jiao couldn’t stop laughing. "Maybe the country he goes to study in will end up being even farther from you than staying in China."

"No big deal, it’s just a flight. Sis, I still can’t make it back this year. I’ll try to come home next year to see you."

"Okay, stay safe. Remember to pass on my greetings to the uncles."

Hanging up in a rush, Zhou Jiao then realized she’d forgotten to ask one more thing: that 200,000 US Dollars belonging to Yi Jiefang and the others—about how much is it worth now?

But forget it, that’s not urgent. Once the year-end statement comes, everything will be clear at a glance.

Even though Miao Tianming hadn’t mentioned the current profit on that 200,000 during the call, she could still roughly estimate the result.

Back then, 40,000 people’s currency, converted into US Dollars at the exchange rate, with all the handling fees and miscellaneous charges, took up about ten percent of her total investment.

What’s unfortunate is that this time they didn’t use leverage. Even though the trades were synchronized, going in with a principal of 200,000—no matter how you roll it over—it still ended up losing.

If they’d used leverage, each person would have made at least over a million US Dollars.

Such a pity...

"Next month the drop’s going to be pretty big. Should I ask them one more time?" It wasn’t that Zhou Jiao wanted to play the saint; it’s just that such a small amount of资金 sitting in there felt awkward and was hard to operate around.

Zhang Guoqing listened to her and, after pondering for a moment, shook his head with a wry smile.

"What’s wrong?"

Zhang Guoqing glanced at her. "Headache!"

"..." Zhou Jiao blinked. "You’re worried that when the money earns too much later, it’ll scare them?"

"That’s the minor issue. The main thing is I don’t want people knowing how much you’ve made. At least for the next few years we can’t let outsiders find out. The timing’s not right yet."

Zhou Jiao smiled in understanding. It was only the end of ’81; she was also planning to pull the funds back after the Plaza Accord. With time, it wouldn’t stand out so much.

"Then I’ll listen to you. Anyway, there’ll be plenty of chances to make money later. After we finish the next wave, I’m done with futures. Starting next year, the funds are going to slowly move into the stock market."

Zhang Guoqing smiled without saying anything and just nodded.

That would be for the best.

You have to know this is the early ’80s. Fifty million placed in any country is no small sum. Of course, real tycoons wouldn’t even look twice at a few tens of millions.

But every country’s intel agencies aren’t to be trifled with.

Everything has to be done slowly, step by step. You can’t rush it.

Time slid by day after day, and overseas they were still quietly "robbing money" just as planned.

In the blink of an eye, it was time for the year’s winter vacation again. Because this year during summer break Ping’an and May 1st had gone down to the grassroots for internships, they could actually rest at home during winter.

All at once, the Zhou Family returned to its usual bustle. For several days straight, people came and went, so noisy that Zhou Jiao’s head was pounding.

"Son, you’re not selling Spring Festival couplets anymore?"

May 1st stared at her in surprise. "Didn’t you say remote command is the real skill? I’ve handed everything over to Brother Shitou and the guys now."

"Mom, do you want to go stay at the old house for a few days?" Liu Yi handed her a cup of tea. "Or I can take you out for a stroll? The marketplace has everything these days."

Ping’an shot May 1st a sideways look, then smiled at Zhou Jiao. "Mom, Grandpa is taking Grandma on an overseas visit at the end of the year. How about we don’t spend New Year at home and go somewhere instead?"

May 1st rubbed his nose and quickly chimed in, "Right, and Dad happens to have annual leave. After Little New Year, how about we go back to the hometown?"

Liu Yi nodded in agreement. "Good idea. It gets even noisier at the end of the year with everyone coming and going. We don’t have to go to the hometown; Hai City is nice too. Mom, which place do you like?"

Zhou Jiao looked at her three sons. How did the topic suddenly jump to going away? But her man hadn’t gone back in years. With her parents away from home, it was actually a good time to spend New Year in the hometown.

"Do you guys want to go back to the old place?"

The Ping An Brothers looked at one another and smiled. Going to Daqing Mountain to play sounded good; they could revisit those beautiful old times.

It was Liu Yi who was more thoughtful. He immediately asked, "Mom, will going back to the hometown be too noisy for you?"

"They wouldn’t dare." May 1st’s face sank at once. "Whoever upsets my mom, I don’t care who he/she is, Grandpa’s gonna crush the little punk."

Liu Yi frowned. "What nonsense are you spouting? Once Dad and Mom go back, there’ll definitely be visitors at the door. Are you going to crush every single one who comes?"

"Then what do you suggest? Should we go to Hai City instead?"

Zhou Jiao laughed and cut off her sons’ back-and-forth. "Enough, your mom isn’t that fragile. We’ll still go back to the hometown. Don’t tell your dad yet; I’ll go apply for leave at work tomorrow and give him a big surprise."

"Mom, should I ask Brother Shitou if they’re going back too?"

Zhou Jiao nodded noncommittally. "You can ask. But they probably won’t go; they just took the kids back once during summer break, and now it’s cold."

May 1st nodded at that. Even if they did go, it wouldn’t be a big deal; his dad could take a soft sleeper. But he and his brother hadn’t gone back until they were five, so they couldn’t force other people.

With New Year approaching fast, Zhang Guoqing suddenly had more free time. He casually noticed his wife was once again sorting out New Year gifts, so it must be parcel-sending season again.

He didn’t ask much, but he did start thinking whether the whole family should make a trip back to the hometown. Watching her rush around, though, Zhang Guoqing felt reluctant.

It was rare for her to relax for a few days, and then she’d have to travel by train, brave the cold, and entertain relatives and friends. That kind of "break" didn’t seem right for his wife.

Before he could figure out a perfect solution, the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month arrived.

As soon as Zhou Jiao received the international fax sent over by Heizi, she didn’t say a word, just ordered her three sons to start grabbing bags.

"Wife, what are you doing?" Zhang Guoqing looked at her, amused. "Planning to ditch me and have you four run away from home?"

Zhou Jiao shot him a teasing side-eye. "Exactly, don’t want you anymore. Hurry up and keep up, the train’s going to leave soon."

"Where to? How come I don’t know?"

The Ping An Brothers were quietly delighted, hauling the luggage out. Their mom had their dad under control!

"Just come with me." Zhou Jiao tossed her head and walked out. How could she reveal the secret ahead of time? If she said it now, there’d be no surprise.

Zhang Guoqing shook his brows with a smile and took the things from her hands. She wouldn’t say, huh? Then he’d just pretend he didn’t know. The only question was how he should play along later to really make her smile.

Given what he knew of his wife: no second guesses. It had to be a trip back to the Northeast hometown. Even if she hated socializing with outsiders, for his sake she’d still go.

His silly wife, always managing to move him.