Chapter 35#

After paying New Year’s greetings to the leaders for three consecutive days, almost exhausting all the courage and emotional intelligence of his life, Chen Jianhua finally breathed a sigh of relief on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year. This was the day his younger sisters would come to visit, and he was naturally happy to wait at home for people to come. Having not seen them for another year, he was quite concerned about his two younger sisters living in the county town.

However, Wang Juan was not as expectant as her husband. In her eyes, these two sisters-in-law were annoying to the extreme!

Because the old man of the Chen family passed away early, Chen Jianhua shouldered the burden of the family early on, and could be called an elder brother like a father. And the mother lost her husband in middle age, her mentality changed, and she was extremely protective of her two daughters, especially the youngest daughter Chen Xiuling. She was only 11 years old when her father died, like a small vegetable seedling, and was charming and lovely, simply spoiled to the sky by the family. As a result, the eldest brother went to work in the city at the age of 18, and all his wages were used to support the family. This girl was good, she ran away with a man at the age of 16 when she was pregnant, almost angering her mother to death. Fortunately, the man was reliable. Although life after marriage was so-so, it was considered harmonious.

On the contrary, the eldest daughter Chen Xiuli was a complete tragedy. Supported by her eldest brother, she went to a teachers’ college and had a good job as a primary school teacher in the county town. In addition, she was not bad looking and should have had a bright life. However, her character was too weak, and she married a terrible husband. After marriage, she only gave birth to a daughter. She was squeezed out by her mother-in-law all year round and abused by her husband. Not to mention helping the family, she couldn’t even take out a dime when her own mother was dying of illness. In the end, she only ended up crying bitterly on the grave. Later, her husband cheated outside, and the mistress even made a scene at home. She could only cry and shout, dragging on and not wanting to divorce. Finally, the mistress moved into the house carelessly with a belly of several months, and she helplessly left the house with her daughter without taking anything.

These two, the older one was weak and easily bullied, and the younger one was willful and arrogant. Not to mention getting along, she didn’t even want to see them much! But her husband really only had these two sisters. Now that their parents were gone, he wished he could give them his heart and soul. What could she do? Stop them from seeing each other?

The good mood of the previous two days dissipated completely, and Wang Juan really couldn’t put on a smile. In this matter, Chen Jianhua also knew that he was in the wrong and was too partial, so he didn’t dare to say much. The atmosphere at home became a bit strange. Chen Yuanming saw it in his eyes and could only sigh softly. Correcting his uncle’s life trajectory was easy to say. Through subtle influence, persuasion, and inducement, there was always a way. But these two aunts, unless they could be fished out of that county town and their environment changed, otherwise don’t even think about reversing their stubborn thinking patterns.

The three members of the family had different thoughts, but the guests wouldn’t worry so much. Almost at noon, the two families finally arrived at home dusty. At this time, one could only take that kind of minibus from the county town to the city. The road was basically a dirt road, not even a cement road. Sitting for 2 or 3 hours in one go could shake one’s stomach out. The eldest aunt looked sallow, probably vomiting a mess again, while the vigorous spirit of the youngest aunt seemed to have been knocked off a bit, looking a bit listless.

A bunch of people entered the room, and this staff dormitory immediately became cramped, almost unable to stand people. Unexpectedly, before they were settled, Chen Xiuling opened her eyes wide and looked at the big color TV in the room.

“Big brother, the family changed to a color TV!” The envy in her voice could almost drip water. Her cousin Li Ming was even more straightforward, directly grabbing the remote control and starting to fiddle with it randomly.

Wang Juan’s lips twitched. She knew that this sister-in-law’s family had bought a TV two years ago, and now she was yelling here, pretending to be strange. Turning her head to look at the pale-faced Chen Xiuli, she sighed, took out an apple and handed it over, “Li Li, eat an apple first. The sourness can suppress the nausea. Look at your face, you are so thin that you are out of shape…”

Chen Xiuli weakly took the apple and revealed a bitter smile. Could she not be thin? After the divorce, she lived in her ancestral house. Although the job in the primary school was relatively stable, the county town was only that big. As a divorced woman, she couldn’t lift her head. Every day, she was speculated by colleagues with strange eyes, and she felt indescribably uncomfortable. Her daughter was also a firecracker. She didn’t know who she took after, fighting and causing trouble with classmates every day, making a mess.

On the other side, Chen Xiuling sat steadily on the bed, smilingly watching her bear child fiddling with the TV there, and asked curiously, “Did Doudou buy all this with the money he earned outside? Oh, working part-time can really make money. Sister-in-law, you are really lucky to have such a capable son!”

The younger uncle-in-law Li Shucai noticed that the sister-in-law opposite didn’t look right. He snatched the remote control from his son’s hand, drove him to the side to eat melon seeds, and sat happily beside his wife. “Exactly, now the children have grown up, and you, brother and sister-in-law, can finally take a breath. Sigh, unlike us in the county town, we can’t do anything even if we want to. Our son’s grades are not good either, it’s really worrying…”

Chen Xiuling immediately chimed in, “Exactly, exactly. I see some people in the county have gone down to plant tobacco leaves. I heard that the profits of the cigarette factory have been very good in the past two years. Our fields here are suitable for planting tobacco leaves. Shucai and I are thinking about this every day. But look at this family being poor and clanging, and Xiaoming’s grades are not good. He is already in the second year of high school. If he fails to get into college, wouldn’t he have wasted two years of high school…”

Li Ming shouted over there, “I’m not going to college! Doudou can make money. I’m only a few months younger than him, I can also go out to work. Doudou, tell the boss and let me go too!”

As soon as these words came out, half of the people’s faces changed. Chen Xiuling slapped her son on the arm, “What nonsense are you talking about? If you don’t study hard, will you drive a big truck for others for the rest of your life?!”

Hearing this, Wang Juan’s face became even worse. What’s wrong with her son driving a big truck? Can your little brat earn tens of thousands of yuan by driving?! And take you with him? This is working for someone else, not owning a shop. How can he just stuff people in directly? Is this coming to pay New Year’s greetings? This is fucking coming to collect debts!

Less than half an hour after sitting down, the atmosphere in the room was terrible. Chen Jianhua sat aside, watching his wife’s face turn black, not knowing what to say. At this time, Chen Yuanming smiled aside, “Auntie is right. Driving outside is hard. It’s normal not to rest for more than 10 hours at a stretch. If the car bumps or crashes, it will be deducted from the salary. It’s hard and tiring, simply not a job for humans. Even if you can earn some money now, can you drive for others for the rest of your life? It’s better to study…”

Chen Xiuling loved to hear these words and slapped her son again, “Listen to what your brother Doudou said! Listen carefully! If you can’t make it this year, continue next year. Even if you repeat a year, you have to get into a school. Do you want to be a farmer for the rest of your life like your dad?!”

Li Shucai did not agree immediately, but sighed with a sad face, “Look at what you said, it’s not that easy. If our family goes to plant tobacco leaves, there will be a lot of expenses at home. How much money will it cost to repeat a year…” As he spoke, his eyes glanced at Chen Jianhua sitting aside, the meaning in his eyes couldn’t be clearer.

Chen Jianhua’s lips trembled, wanting to say something, but seeing his wife’s unkind gaze, he swallowed the words. Actually, if you let him say, now that the family has money, it’s okay to help his sister’s family. Just lending money, it can always be paid back later… Well, honestly, he also knew that the money lent out might disappear, but they were all family, and he really couldn’t bear it.

Seeing that his father didn’t speak immediately, Chen Yuanming breathed a sigh of relief. As long as his heart was still on his own side, it was fine. As for money, was something that could be solved with money considered a problem? After thinking carefully for a while, Chen Yuanming took up the conversation.

“It is naturally best to be admitted to a good school by repeating a year, but you can’t study in the county town anymore. The teaching quality is not high, just wasting money. If you really want to learn, you can go to the No. 1 High School in the neighboring county to repeat. It is a fully enclosed intensive education. It is said that the admission rate is even higher than the City No. 1 High School. Go there and repeat well for a year, it shouldn’t be a problem to get into a better school.”

“Neighboring County No. 1 High School…” How could Chen Xiuling not know that high school was good, but the price was also extremely expensive. How could her family afford so much money for her son to repeat?

Chen Yuanming naturally knew where the other party’s concern lay, and smiled slightly. “Back then, father could support two aunts to go to school and become adults. Now I can naturally afford to support my younger brothers and sisters. I can pay for the repeating fees, limited to one year. If he successfully gets into a good university, I can also pay the tuition fees. But if he hasn’t been admitted after more than a year, it’s better to stay at home and farm honestly.”

The words were resounding, causing shock in the room. Wang Juan had forgotten what to say, looking at her son in astonishment. How could this be?! Whose child is it anyway? How can everything be blamed on her own family? Even if he can make money, it shouldn’t be wasted like this! Even Chen Jianhua opened his eyes wide. Is he being too extravagant…

Chen Xiuling and Li Shucai looked at each other, unable to hide the surprise on their faces. They had never thought of such a good thing. Originally, they just wanted to borrow some money from their brother and sister-in-law. Unexpectedly, they could solve their son’s studies in one fell swoop. This was a great thing!

“With your words, Doudou, Auntie must make this little brat study hard no matter what!” Reacting instantly, Chen Xiuling immediately nailed it down.

Wang Juan’s face was livid. Just as she wanted to say something, unexpectedly Chen Yuanming continued to say to Chen Xiuli, “The same goes for Eldest Aunt’s family. If Tingting gets into a good school, I will also pay the tuition fees. Going to school is a big deal and cannot be delayed because of money.”

It was simply an unexpected joy. Chen Xiuli had never thought about this at all. Who knew that her nephew would even cover her family’s affairs? She murmured a few words immediately, and tears came to her eyes. She was having a hard time now. How could she not be happy to have some help?

With Chen Xiuli crying, Wang Juan was completely speechless. She glared at her son solidly, turned around and ran out the door to cook. Her dad didn’t say much, and her mom wasn’t in the room, so the conversation naturally fell on Chen Yuanming again. After comforting his eldest aunt properly, Chen Yuanming thought for a while and suggested, “Anyway, Eldest Aunt has a teacher’s qualification certificate and is a proper teachers’ college graduate. Why not leave the county town and find a job in the city? Nowadays, more and more primary schools are opening in the city, as well as kindergartens and the like. Isn’t changing the environment better than staying in the county town all the time?”

Just as Chen Xiuli wanted to say something, her daughter beside her stood up in response, “Exactly! Why stay in that shitty place? You only know how to cry, cry, cry. What’s the use of crying! Can’t we live if we move out?”

“But your studies…”

“Is there anything worth lingering about in the schools in the county town! I’m about to be in the third year of junior high school. This time I’ll get a good grade and go to high school in the city! You can also take care of me nearby. Isn’t it better than staying in the county town!” The little girl looked at Chen Yuanming stubbornly, “Brother, will you take care of me when I go to high school?!”

These words were quite imposing, but Chen Yuanming nodded simply, “If you can get into the City No. 1 High School, I will take care of it.”

These words immediately aroused Song Tingting’s anger, “Isn’t it just No. 1 High School! Of course I can get in! Mom, did you hear that? Move me out of that ghost place quickly!”

Getting angry while crying, making people unable to sit still anymore. The younger aunt and uncle also had to comfort her. Until lunch time, the atmosphere was still quite choking. Secretly happy, worried, sulking, and out of state… The faces of the family were not quite right. After lunch, they chatted indifferently for a while, and the two families were about to take the bus back to the county town. Holding the same big red envelope of 50 yuan, and having new expectations for life, these two families looked much more comfortable. But after closing the door, Wang Juan couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Doudou, how could you agree like that?! The tuition fees for a year must be several thousand yuan. Does our family pick up money from the sky? Taking care of one after another, when will it end?!”

“It’s just the time for school. And not only Auntie’s family, but also Uncle’s family should be taken care of.” Chen Yuanming replied lightly, “Now our family has money, and I will earn more money in the future. Tuition fees are just a small amount. But after going to school and broadening one’s horizons, the perspective of seeing things will naturally change. After all, we are a family. We can’t consider just one household. We have to plan for the farther future. Mom, don’t worry, money is really not a problem. Family harmony is the key.”

These words choked Wang Juan so much that she almost couldn’t breathe. Taking care of her own brother too, her mind was not unmoved. But if this continued, would the family still be in shape? Chen Jianhua, who had been sitting silently beside, finally opened his mouth and squeezed out a sentence.

“Juanzi, our son really has good intentions. The eldest in the family just can’t only care about himself… Don’t worry, if our son makes money, I can also make money. Later, I will build a good relationship with the leaders and get a cadre position. The family’s life will get better. Our family members are not really heartless. If everyone can get better, won’t we worry less?”

Looking at the father and son who unexpectedly formed a united front, Wang Juan couldn’t speak for a long time. In the end, she nodded, “Okay, you earned the money, you have the final say!”

If everyone could live a good life, how could she not hope for everything to go smoothly?

Looking at his father whose eyebrows showed joy, and his mother who was reluctant but no longer gloomy, Chen Yuanming exhaled softly. This is it, the family fund. Now it may be studies, and in the future it will become more, covering entrepreneurship, marriage, pension and other aspects. He really didn’t lack money now. If he could use the fund to smooth the scars of the family and cultivate an excellent next generation, this family would truly be reborn and become a family worth relying on.

Maybe this goal will take a long, long time to achieve, but the first step has been taken, and it will always get better.

Things were settled one by one, and the annual leave came to an end in a blink of an eye. Without agreeing to his mother’s bitter retention, Chen Yuanming still stepped on the train to Shanghai. In his Shanghai stock market account, there was still a large profit to be harvested, and more complex and changeable opportunities were waiting for his exploration.