Chapter 55
Note: not proofreaded
Zhen Youxiu really didn’t tattletale to their parents, but no matter whether Zhen Yuanbai asked Shi Bufan or Zhen Youxiu, he got no information from either of them.
After they returned to their old home, the relatives complimented the brothers nonstop. Zhen Yuanbai wasn’t accustomed to this situation and he ended up staying in his room the entire time. Besides the time spent on sleeping, he almost spent the entire day chatting with Shi Bufan nonstop. He leaned against the sofa and listened to the noisy chatters outside between adults. He looked down at the chat history with Shi Bufan and suddenly unavoidably thought of Shi Bufan’s big but lonely home.
Shi Bufan didn’t mention returning to his old home, but based on Zhen Yuanbai’s understanding of him, he probably wouldn’t return anyway.
He suddenly had the urge to go over and stay with Shi Bufan, but thinking of how he would be unable to explain this to his parents, he silently suppressed the urge.
On the 30th, the family and classmate groups were extremely lively and chatty. Everyone constantly gave red envelopes to each other. As the class monitor, Zhen Yuanbai also participated. A lively and cheerful atmosphere eluded in the air.
The elders in the group gave red envelopes to the youngsters and they fought for them.
Zhen Yuanbai suddenly received Shi Bufan’s red envelope who had given him the most than any other elders. However, Zhen Yuanbai didn’t dare to take it, asking, “Where are you right now?”
“At home.”
“Did you return to your old home?”
“No.”
Zhen Yuanbai clenched his fists and paused momentarily before asking, “Did your parents return home?”
“No.”
“How about your grandparents?”
Shi Bufan answered Zhen Yuanbai’s question, saying, “They came over.”
Zhen Yuanbai was in a happier mood right now. He was originally worried that Shi Bufan might celebrate the New Year alone. He sent Shi Bufan a red envelope with a sum of 99 yuan, saying, “Happy New Year!”
In the past, Zhen Yuanbai enjoyed New Year’s a lot since he could receive a lot of money as a new year present. The money he had been saving up was the result of all the new year’s worth of money he received. However, this year, he wanted to quickly return to the city. It would be best if school could immediately begin!
However, despite how anxious he was, he still stayed at home to celebrate New Year’s. When his parents went back to work, they returned to the city together.
Zhen Yuanbai’s heart skipped a beat as Zhen Youxiu said, “You think he would want the salted vegetables?”
Zhen Pingjin glared at him while Qin Ying smiled and said, “It’s the thought that counts.”
Zhen Yuanbai pursed his lips and listened to Zhen Pingjin continue to say, “What does a kid like you know? Your Brother Bufan is definitely not an ordinary person in the future. Look at how long he’s been in school for and his grades have improved by 300 or so ranks. If he keeps this up, he’ll end up taking first place along with your elder brother. That boy is smart and intelligent. In the future, he might help your elder brother quite a bit.”
Zhen Yuanbai secretly curled his lips up, but then he heard Zhen Youxiu said unhappily, “He’s not my brother.”
“Boy, don’t talk.” Zhen Pingjin said to Zhen Yuanbai, “While you’re at it, ask Xiao Shi if his parents have the time to come out to eat together. I’m paying.”
This time, even Zhen Yuanbai seemed to know that something was up. “You have to talk to Uncle Shi about something?”
“Just business matters.” Zhen Pingjin said, “Ask Xiao Shi about it.”
Zhen Yuanbai was a bit confused. After all, a youngster like him shouldn’t be involved in this. Plus, it’s not like Zhen Pingjin couldn’t talk to Shi Xian at all. Seeing the position he has made to right now, he obviously had some connections with people. But thinking about it, his father’s business matters influences the family’s survival and income. Therefore, Zhen Yuanbai nodded seriously.
After he moved his things back home, Qin Ying was basically the one cleaning up after them. Zhen Yuanbai washed his hands and changed his clothes, about to mention this to Shi Bufan when he suddenly understood something. After a while, he started to type a message. “My father wants to know if your parents have time to come out and eat together. While they’re at it, they want you to come to my house to grab some special local products.”
The atmosphere in the Shi Family really wasn’t the best right now.
During the Chinese New Year, Ling Xuan had spent her entire time convincing Shi Bufan to go back home with them, but he refused. Under a moment of desperation, she was forced to bring their parents over. In regards to Shi Bufan’s attitude towards the elders, it wasn’t that good, but it wasn’t bad either. He wasn’t even willing to come downstairs for the New Years Eve dinner, and it was Ling Xuan who said that if he didn’t come downstairs, his grandma was going to come up for him. As a result, he reluctantly came down.
After they celebrated the New Year, the elders didn’t have the heart to leave since they obviously missed their grandson. But ever since Shi Bufan found out about the matter a few years ago and smashed the items in the house, they almost were never able to sit down peacefully and talk.
After Shi Bufan received the message, he felt an unknown ball of anger rising in his heart. He figured out what they were up to even before Zhen Yuanbai. Almost immediately after he saw the message, he knew. The two families probably have communicated this in advance and going out to eat together was just a pretense. Shi Family’s parents just wanted to make Zhen Yuanbai take the initiative to talk to him, so that he’ll talk to his parents.
Shameless.
But without a doubt, this was a great chance to improve his relationship with the Zhen Family. Shi Bufan found it hard to reject this.
While still angry over this, he sent a message to Ling Xuan with a dark look on his face.
Ling Xuan just took a shower and was talking to her husband when she suddenly received her son’s message. She almost jumped up out of excitement. She immediately responded, “Ok, we can go tomorrow.”
Shi Bufan didn’t reply.
Shi Xian asked, “Something good happened?”
“Fanfan just sent me a message.” Ling Xuan showed him as if showing him a treasure. She and Shi Xuan were like the ideal couple, rarely fighting with one another. Although Shi Xian said that he didn’t care for his son, his expression softened once he saw this message. Ling Xuan looked at the message over and over, saying in a low voice, “Hopefully, we can have the same relationship as Zhen Yuanbai and his family.”
Shi Xian didn’t crush her thoughts even though he could tell that Ling Xuan’s wish might never happen with Shi Bufan’s attitude.
After Zhen Yuanbai sent that message, he felt as if he had been putting Shi Bufan in a difficult situation. He wanted to say more, but he was scared of Shi Bufan finding out that Ling Xuan had told him what happened. Therefore, he was in a dilemma.
When Qin Ying was done packing up, she walked in and said, “Let me change the sheets for you.”
Zhen Yuanbai obediently climbed over as Qin Ying pulled the sheets off the bed and said, “Let’s change it all and wash it tomorrow.”
As Zhen Yuanbai stared at his virtuous mother, he couldn’t help but ask, “Is there actually someone who doesn’t like their child?”
Qin Ying was stunned and then she casually said, “How could there be someone who doesn’t like their child? Why are you suddenly asking me this?”
“Then...” Zhen Yuanbai considered his words and then said, “Then could there be someone who doesn’t like the child, but then they suddenly like the child after they have grown up?”
Qin Ying brushed her hair and sat on the bed, looking over, “Aunt Ling told you about Shi Bufan?”
“She told you about it too?”
“She told me a bit.” Qin Ying sighed and said, “Fanfan is quite a pitiful child as well, but your Aunt Ling is also pitiful.”
“You think that Aunt Ling is pitiful?” Zhen Yuanbai immediately said, “Shi Bufan was so young when she said that she didn’t want him. She is clearly ruthless.”
Qin Ying smiled and shook her head, saying helplessly, “When I was pregnant with you, I almost aborted you.”
Zhen Yuanbai would’ve never thought that he had experienced a life and death situation like that. He suddenly widened his eyes as Qin Ying slowly said, “To me and your father, you were an accident. At that time, we were only married for less than a year and your father was deceived by someone in business. I reasoned with him in every way possible and then finally convinced him to come back and pick up a proper job, and for him to stop thinking about the impossible. Therefore, we were thinking about focusing on our careers. I told your father that once we have 2 million in our bank, enough to raise you and pay for the expenses, including your tuition to college, we’ll think about having children. After all, a lot of time and energy would be spent in raising a child.”
Zhen Yuanbai subconsciously nodded. Although he hadn’t graduated, he knew that the students in schools were divided into two extremes. There were some students who depended on their parent’s financial aid and there were others whose shoes cost about $3,000 to $4,000. Towards a middle-class family like them, they probably had spent quite a bit of money every year. Calculating this, if the parents wanted to give their children the best, Qin Ying’s thought of saving up money wasn’t wrong.
“But I suddenly got pregnant with you.” Qin Ying said with exaggeration, “During that time, your father and I were both dumbstruck and we didn’t know how to raise you. It was your grandfather who stood up and said that he was willing to help out with the financial issue and raise you. It was then that we were able to calm down and accept this.”
“Your Aunt Ling was forced by her parents to bear a child when she was against it. From her perspective, she wasn’t ready to be responsible for the child. Now that she was responsible, Shi Bufan has already grown up. Even though she could just bear another child and give Shi Bufan the cold shoulder, she didn’t because she couldn’t bear to in the end.” Seeing that Zhen Yuanbai slightly knitted his eyebrows, Qin Ying said, “I’m not pitying her by saying this, but that I can understand her. She is paying the price right now through Shi Bufan’s constant rejection.”
Zhen Yuanbai kept his head down. Of course, he was still on Shi Bufan’s side. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Shi Bufan was quite pitiful. Qin Ying changed the sheets and then looked up to say, “Congming...”
“Don’t call me that.” He was instinctively against that name.
“Yuanyuan.” Qin Ying calmly changed her words and said, “Mother wants to tell you that no one has the right to criticize someone else’s life decision. In the past, Aunt Ling was a stubborn and willful person. Even though she regretted her decision right now, people shouldn’t laugh at her. Right now, she made up her mind. This is her business, and not anyone else’s. Do you understand?”
Zhen Yuanbai obediently nodded and explained, “I didn’t talk behind her back.”
“I know. You and Shi Bufan are friends, so you unavoidably might consider the situation from his perspective.” Qin Ying carried the blankets to be washed and turned around, preparing to leave when Zhen Yuanbai suddenly called out, “Mother.”
He tested, “If I do something that you guys can’t accept one day, will you guys beat me up?”
Qin Ying thought about it before saying, “As long as you didn’t hurt anyone else. You have the right to make your own decision. It’s your life. But doing drugs and gambling are crimes. They’re not life decisions.”
She joked.
Zhen Yuanbai laughed and watched his mother leave, saying, “Mother, sorry for all the trouble.”
“Look at you. You’ve become sweeter now that you’re around Shi Bufan.”
Mentioning Shi Bufan, Zhen Yuanbai’s eyes brightened and he asked, “Mother, do you like Shi Bufan?”
“Xiao Shi isn’t bad by nature. You can play with him, as long as he maintains his grades.”
She walked into the washroom and Zhen Yuanbai smiled. Zhen Youxiu who was across suddenly peeked out and hollered towards the washroom, with a gloomy face, “Then if you have a daughter, will you let her marry Shi Bufan?”
“Be his mother-in-law?” Qin Ying twisted the washing machine open and shook her head, saying, “No. I can’t bear to marry my daughter off to a wealthy second generation.”
Zhen Yuanbai was speechless.
He placed his smile away and closed the door hard.
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