Bricks and timber were continuously piled up on the land purchased by the Xu Qinghe family, and the fourteenth day of the first month was a good day for Qingsong Furniture Factory to start construction.
In the village, many were envious and jealous, but upon hearing that Qingsong Furniture Factory was recruiting apprentices, everyone rushed forward, hoping to make an impression in front of the Xu Qinghe and Xu Song families and be selected as an apprentice.
Cai Feng and Yao Gen had unanimously earned the approval of Xu Qinghe and Xu Song. Not to mention how they had treated Xu Nianji initially at the brick factory, they were the ones who carried Xu Nianji back when he was beaten.
The Cai Family and the Yao Family had good relations with their families.
Cai Feng and Yao Gen were more than willing and volunteered to help automatically.
Building walls and houses definitely couldn’t be done by one or two people alone, so Xu Qinghe and Xu Song invited many young and strong men from the village to help.
The county city, hospital.
Zhao Juxiang was overjoyed at the sight of her chubby grandson, but when it came to naming him, there arose a disagreement between the Xu family and the Shen family.
Since the Shen family had only one daughter, Shen Qiuyun, they proposed that their first son should take the Shen surname.
Why should my grandson take someone else’s surname?
Not just Zhao Juxiang disapproved; even Xu Qingjiang disagreed. If his father knew that his great-grandson had taken another surname, he would definitely be unhappy.
The joy of the child’s arrival had also lessened the tension between the two families.
"Mother-in-law, the child was born to Qiuyun, and they will have more children in the future. The children to come can still bear the Xu surname," Shen’s mother said with an air of superiority. "Even if the child bears the Shen surname, he is still your grandson, your own grandson."
"Is that the same?" Zhao Juxiang, not one to be outdone, said with a smile, "Mother-in-law, I know your family is well-off, you people are from the city with a city household registration. However, the child is a root of our Xu family and naturally should bear the Xu surname, even if he does, he’s still your grandchild from outside the family."
Zhao Juxiang thought to herself that she would not have liked this pampered daughter-in-law if not for the good condition of the Shen family.
"Zhihao." Shen’s mother, frustrated by Zhao Juxiang’s comeback yet unable to argue, turned directly to Zhihao.
Swiftly, everyone’s attention converged on Xu Zhihao.
Xu Zhihao hung his head, the joy of becoming a father now replaced by a headache.
No one knows a child better than their mother, and seeing Xu Zhihao’s guilty and headache-ridden expression, Zhao Juxiang became so angry that her blood pressure soared, almost wanting to throttle her son. At this moment, wasn’t he supposed to support his mother? Did he really intend to let his son take the Shen surname?
"Xu Zhihao, let me tell you, the child must not bear the Shen surname!" Zhao Juxiang stormed out of the ward angrily, reprimanding Xu Zhihao, "Don’t say your grandparents wouldn’t agree, neither would your father and I."
"Mom, don’t be angry."
Xu Zhihao tried to soothe her, saying, "Mom, whether the child bears the Shen or Xu surname, he’s still my son."
"Nonsense! How can that be the same?"
Zhao Juxiang glared at Xu Zhihao, halted in her tracks, and stared intently at him without blinking as she asked, "Xu Zhihao, have you promised her something?"
Xu Zhihao guiltily stepped backward.
Zhao Juxiang sternly demanded, "Speak."
"Mom, Shen’s mother said that if the first child bears the Shen surname, the cannery would be handed over to me to manage," Xu Zhihao revealed, feeling that this wasn’t so difficult to say after all. He analyzed, "Mom, whether the son bears the Shen surname or the Xu surname, he is still my son, Xu Zhihao’s son, but the cannery, think about it, if I go there, I could make a lot of money."