223: The reason for imprisonment? Ah? He was arrested when the Red Hare Army was captured!

"It would be fine to have the gatekeeper, Grandpa Liu, tell his family; after all, it was a mistake made by the grandfather's generation," Ma Quanlin said leisurely.

With Ma Quanlin's clear instructions, when Zhao's father came to the guard post again that afternoon, Grandpa Liu acted mysterious.

"Seeing that you're sincere, running back and forth every few days for your kid's job, how about this: go home and ask your kid's grandfather if he committed any offenses when he was young."

The kid's grandfather? Committed an offense?

"That's impossible. My dad is over eighty; what kind of offense could he have committed?" Zhao's father muttered.

Grandpa Liu said eerily: "That, I wouldn't know."

Zhao's father returned home worried and told his wife the news.

"Impossible. How could our dad, such an honest and simple man, have committed an offense?"

"I don't believe it either, but Grandpa Liu from Julong Steel was very insistent."

"Could it be that Grandpa Liu is just talking nonsense?"

"It's possible, but the probability is very low."

That night, the couple tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

With the day after tomorrow being the deadline for all new hires to report to Julong Steel, and their son's luggage already packed, time was running out.

If he couldn't get through the door on the reporting day, wouldn't their son cry his heart out?

At six o'clock the next morning, Zhao's mother woke her husband.

"Old Zhao, why don't you go again? Bring Grandpa Liu something valuable."

"Alright, Long Xia has a case of moutai; I'll carry it over to him."

Julong Steel guard post.

Grandpa Liu looked at the whole case of moutai and fell into deep thought; this guy was too honest.

"Taking a few packs of cigarettes from you isn't a mistake, but if I accept your liquor today, Grandpa Liu's reputation will be ruined."

Upon hearing this, Zhao's father got anxious: "Grandpa Liu, this was all given by friends; it's not worth much."

"Not worth much? It's nearly twenty thousand. Don't waste your efforts here; go back and ask your kid's grandfather why he was arrested and thrown in jail when he was young."

Ah? My father was thrown in jail? How have I never heard of this?

"Thank you."

After clarifying the reason, Zhao's father immediately rushed home to discuss countermeasures with his wife.

"You're saying our dad was in jail when he was young? Come to think of it, he does have a few scars on his back, and injuries on his legs," Zhao's mother recalled.

Zhao's father whispered: "Julong Steel says that recruits must have a clean family background. If Dad was in jail, this matter..."

"The key is, we didn't even know Dad was in jail, so how did Julong Steel find out?"

"Are you stupid? Julong Steel is a first-level confidential unit; what information can't they dig up?"

"Then what do we do now? We can't let Dongdong actually lose the job, right?"

Click!

Zhao's father lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and said: "I'll go ask Dad about the specific situation. If he really broke the law back then, sigh..."

"No, let me go. After all, I'm the daughter-in-law of the Zhao family; I'll ask," Zhao's mother said with a firm gaze.

Grandpa Zhao was sitting at his desk tinkering with his old-fashioned radio. It wasn't until Zhao's mother approached him and explained the situation that he understood everything that had happened over the past few days.

"How could my, Zhao Mingzhi's, grandson have any problems? So, it turns out there's some scum stirring up trouble behind our backs!" Grandpa Zhao was furious.

Dongdong's mother quickly tried to persuade him: "Dad, you're at your age now, don't get so angry."

"Angry? When I was killing people in my youth, I was even angrier!"

Grandpa Zhao's anger rose from his heart; he looked at his daughter-in-law and said: "You don't need to worry about this matter; I'll go talk to Julong Steel."

"Dad, don't be impulsive."

"Rest assured, I won't be impulsive. I just want to know which piece of scum is gossiping behind my back!"

Grandpa Zhao slammed the door shut and then began to pack his things.

At two o'clock that afternoon, at the gate of Julong Steel Factory.

"Where is your director? I want to see him," Grandpa Zhao said sternly.

Grandpa Liu saw that a tough character had arrived and stood his ground.

"Old brother, if you have any business, you can register it here, and I'll be responsible for passing it on."

Grandpa Liu's words were polite, but his tone was unquestionable.

Grandpa Zhao glared with wide eyes: "You? My grandson clearly passed the interview, why won't you let him join the job?"

"You are that kid's father? Old brother, haven't I already told you about this? Identity issues..."

Grandpa Liu stopped mid-sentence, and Grandpa Zhao said angrily: "I just want to ask which son of a bitch reported my grandson."

Passing workers pointed and whispered.

"Who is this old man? Daring to butt heads with Grandpa Liu?"

"Don't know him, it seems to be about his grandson being rejected for employment."

"Rejected? Could there be an issue with his identity?"

"Not sure, but daring to go against Grandpa Liu is pretty badass."

"Someone call the director; let's hope they don't start fighting."

Julong Steel Factory director's office.

Ma Quanlin frowned and said: "Who did you say? The grandfather of the little Zhao who was rejected?"

"Director, you better go take a look; Director Lu has already gone over."

"Ah? Let's go, quickly!"

As Grandpa Liu and Grandpa Zhao confronted each other, Lu Shenwei spoke up: "Grandpa Liu, what's going on?"

"This... this old gentleman is the grandfather of the rejected Zhao Sidong, and he insists on us giving an explanation."

Lu Shenwei said in surprise: "Rejected? What's going on?"

Didn't Director Ma say there were no issues with the recruitment? How could there be someone rejected?

"His situation..."

Grandpa Liu whispered in Lu Shenwei's ear.

The old gentleman in front of him had been to jail? He didn't look like it; he looked kind and benevolent.

"Everyone, don't crowd at the factory gate; go back to work. And you, old gentleman, please come with me," Lu Shenwei said politely.

Even if the person really had issues, Lu Shenwei hoped to clarify things.

"You're saying?"

"This is our chairman."

"Chairman? That's the boss here, right? Fine, I'll talk to you."

Five minutes later, Lu Shenwei, Ma Quanlin, Zhou Cun, and Zhao Mingzhi were sitting in the guard post reception room.

"Old gentleman, I have verified the situation. Someone reported that you were in jail when you were young, so... we cannot hire your grandson," Lu Shenwei said earnestly.

Ma Quanlin added: "We are a national first-level confidential unit; the higher-ups do not allow us to hire anyone with a criminal..."

"I have been to jail..." Grandpa Zhao suddenly said in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, Lu Shenwei's heart sank.

He had seen Zhao Sidong's resume; his ability and qualifications were both top-tier, what a pity...

"If you really have been to jail, we can only say sor..."

"I have been to jail! But I was sentenced and imprisoned by reactionaries because I joined the Red Rabbit Army. Are you going to reject him for that too?"

Whoosh!

Zhao Mingzhi said excitedly, ripping open his jacket to reveal the military medals pinned all over his shirt.

This...

The 10th Anniversary of the Founding of the Republic Medal, First-Class Merit Medal, Special Forces Honorary Medal, Republic Builder Medal...

The dazzling military medals made Zhou Cun unable to open his eyes, and Lu Shenwei murmured: "You are... Red Rabbit Army?"

"In my youth, I traded my pen for a sword to fight the devils for our motherland; I never expected that decades later, some sons of bitches would be splashing dirty water on me!"