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Mingcheng was clueless, but Wang Qian was well aware, “Brother, our family has been in business for a while now. Mom and I secretly sold goods in the city for several years, so we’ve saved up some money. I believe saving money is stagnant; we need to invest in real estate. Haven’t you noticed that’s what merchants do? Besides, we do need a house in Beijing. Dad and Mom can visit Beijing in the future.”
Since his sister assured him about the family’s finances, Mingcheng no longer dwelled on the matter. The siblings discussed future plans in the courtyard when the sound of a tractor approached. Wang Mingshan arrived with a group of people, including the children who had returned unexpectedly, each carrying parcels, likely with their change of clothes. Zhang Lan and Wang Zhenhe were also in the car.
“Mom, why did you come back so soon?”
Mingcheng and his sister helped everyone off the car. Zhang Lan held her daughter’s hand as she got off, saying, “Silly girl, with such a big incident, how could I stay put? How are your grandparents doing now?”
After everyone settled in the courtyard, Mingcheng detailed the morning events to them.
“That uncle of yours, is he even human? Disowning his parents for a house, what a character,” Cong Tao couldn’t help but comment, having seen some dishonest folks but never someone this despicable.
Zhang Lan sat expressionless on a stool, lost in thought. Wang Zhenhe, feeling sorry for his daughter facing confrontations that morning, asked, “Qianqian, are you okay from this morning? Did they harm you? If they dare bully my daughter, I’ll take revenge for you.”
Their little daughter was precious to the couple, and they couldn’t bear to see her hurt. However, in the morning, the Zhang family members had joined forces to target their child, which seemed utterly outrageous.
With a reassuring smile, Wang Qian comforted her father’s protective instincts, “Dad, I’m fine. Why bother with those people who are not worth it? They are in no position to judge others when they themselves are far from perfect. My grandparents chased them away. By the way, about building a house here, do you both agree? We’ve already discussed with the team leader; the foundation will be on the hillside, and Grandpa thinks it’s a prime location.”
The couple had no objections to the house-building plan, and Zhang Lan had prepared the money upon returning.
“Qianqian, how are your grandparents feeling? This commotion caused by your uncle, sigh, it weighs heavy on Mom’s heart. After all, he was raised by them. Even if he doesn’t support them, he shouldn’t abandon them. There was no wrongdoing on their part; not providing a house shouldn’t lead to such greed. Each brother having their own place is perfectly normal. Why must he be so greedy, demanding everything? It’s just too much,” Zhang Lan expressed her confusion about her brother’s behavior.
Unable to comprehend her brother’s actions, especially after their in-laws had treated them as they did, Zhang Lan couldn’t fathom the idea of neglecting their parents. It was their duty, but her brother was defying logic.
Taking her mother’s hand, Wang Qian gently shook it, “Mom, we can’t read minds. We can’t understand their thoughts. Things have reached this point; there’s not much we can do. Grandpa and Grandma have been through a lot. Let’s not dwell on the lack of care from those who don’t value family ties. Grandpa tried to reason with him, but he wouldn’t listen. Let it go. Don’t worry about it.”
Hearing the voices outside, the elderly couple woke up lightly and stepped outside. Seeing their daughter’s somber face, the elderly woman remained composed.
“Sweetie, don’t worry for your mom. We still have a few years ahead of us. Constantly fretting over this will wear us out. If he doesn’t acknowledge us, so be it. Mom still has you all. Let’s all go inside and sit; it’s quite hot outside,” the elderly woman reassured her daughter.
Seeing the children from the city bringing their parcels, the elderly woman felt joy in her heart. These children seemed to be planning to stay with them, making the elderly woman less lonely with their company.
“Come on, children, put your parcels on the cabinet. Grandma will wash some fruits for you to eat,” the elderly woman offered.
Since Wang Mingshan had made a rare visit, Zhang Lan arranged for a few children to accompany him to the seaside to gather some things, planning to take some to the eldest uncle’s house and the team leader’s home. They had received a willing agreement from the team leader to use the car.
Upon hearing about the trip to the seaside, the children sitting on the heated brick bed eagerly jumped down, excited to go out.
Zhang Lan handed the money brought over to Zhang Wanyou, saying, “Dad, keep this money for building the house. If it’s not enough, let me know. When my sisters and I come back, we’ll have a place for both our families to stay. Don’t dwell on those upsetting matters anymore. Leaving this courtyard might make us more comfortable.”
Feeling at a loss for words to console her parents, Zhang Lan herself felt saddened by the situation, let alone her parents.
As Zhang Wanyou took the money, he glanced at his son-in-law. Wang Zhenhe quickly spoke up, “Dad, I have no objections to building the house. Write the house deed in my wife’s name. This way, it will give the villagers an explanation. You can boldly proceed with building, and in the new house, you can collect seafood without worrying about your eldest brother’s family.”
With the son-in-law’s agreement and the enthusiastic giving out of the money, the father-in-law was pleased. This son-in-law was indeed good to them. In the eyes of the elderly man, having a good son-in-law was much better than their own son. Despite his daughter suffering in the past, it seemed to be a case of enduring hardship for eventual happiness.
The couple sat and chatted with the elderly couple in the house. After returning from the sea, Zhang Lan and Wang Zhenhe also headed back home, leaving their children to accompany the elderly couple.
That evening, the elderly woman prepared a feast of seafood, including Wang Qian’s favorite seaweed soup. The children, including Yang Nuo, enjoyed three large bowls before finally putting down their chopsticks.
“Grandma, it’s so delicious. I don’t want to leave,” Yang Jian said as he reluctantly put down his bowl, casting a longing glance at the pot.
Geng Lianhua found his reluctance amusing, reminiscent of her granddaughter’s behavior in the past. “Little one, don’t eat too much. Later, Grandma will take you to pick some snacks. When you go back, Grandpa will bring you more to enjoy at home. If you ever crave something, just let Grandma know,” she advised.
Upon hearing Geng Lianhua’s words, both Cong Fei and Yang Jian, two avid eaters, lit up. “Grandma, I’ll come to play at your house during my holidays. Don’t be mad at us for being mischievous,” they promised.
Seeing the adorable children, Zhang Wanyou couldn’t help but chuckle. “No problem, feel free to come over. I welcome you with open arms,” he warmly replied.
After dinner, Geng Lianhua and her husband, accompanied by a large group of children, strolled along the seaside. The gentle sea breeze provided relief from the day’s troubles. Watching the children playing and frolicking on the beach, Geng Lianhua couldn’t help but remark, “Old man, despite the rift with our eldest son, look at these grandchildren. With them around, we have hope.”
The elderly man nodded silently. “Old lady, I’m not depending on our eldest son to care for us in our old age. We raised our children from infancy, but now we’re treated poorly. It truly feels disheartening,” he lamented.
After a tiring day, everyone quickly drifted off to sleep after freshening up. Geng Lianhua and her husband also had a rare peaceful night’s sleep, free from worries about waking up to unwelcome surprises in the yard or hearing unpleasant gossip.
The next day, the elderly woman left with Wang Qian. There weren’t many items left in the shop, but fortunately, the little granddaughter had collected plenty of seafood in her space, providing an opportunity for the grandmother and granddaughter to earn some money.
Upon reaching the doorstep at home, they found Zhao Ru and Ge Yun waiting there. “Aunties, we’ve been eagerly awaiting your return. The children’s acceptance letters have arrived,” they announced.
The two mothers couldn’t hide their joy, and Geng Lianhua shared in their happiness. Seeing the children going to university meant they were making progress. “Yang Nuo’s mom, what about our Xuan’er? Has Xuan’er been accepted?” she inquired eagerly.
Observing her grandmother’s eagerness, Wang Qian couldn’t help but smile. It was heartwarming to see how much their grandmother cared for them.
“Aunties, Xuan’er has indeed been accepted, and she did exceptionally well. Here is Xuan’er’s acceptance letter from Peking University. What a prestigious school! It’s great that all our children are in the same place,” they revealed.
Upon hearing about Xuan’er’s acceptance, Wang Qian, who knew her sister was aiming for Grandpa Chen, was surprised. Looking at Yang Nuo and Cong Tao’s acceptance letters, her eyes widened in astonishment. To think Yang Nuo would perform so well, securing a place right next to her eldest sister, while Cong Tao’s achievements were also commendable.
“Aunties, congratulations! You now have a university student in the family. They have set a great example, and soon all your children will be heading off to college,” they congratulated warmly.
Wang Qian’s words were music to the ears of the two mothers. Their children’s success brought a sense of pride to the parents. “Little Qianqian, we’ll take your auspicious words. We should quickly have them come back to prepare,” they agreed.
Geng Lianhua concurred, “You two don’t need to rush. In the afternoon, we’ll have Qianqian go and inform them to return. It’s time to celebrate now that they are heading to university.”
Ge Yun grinned mischievously, “Aunties, I’ll go buy fireworks later. It’s been a long time since we’ve had such a joyous occasion. We’ll set up a proper feast for the children. When we were in the countryside, this child endured a lot for this family.”
After bidding farewell to the two delighted mothers, Geng Lianhua found herself unsure of what to do next. “Grandma, stay calm. We anticipated my sister’s success in getting into university. Let’s carry on as usual. Once you’ve finished selling the goods, come over to our place. I’ll come to yours. We’ll inform both sides to make preparations,” she reassured her grandmother.
In Wang Qian’s mind, if her elder brother hadn’t chosen the military academy route, getting into Tsinghua or Peking University would have been a possibility. However, Mingcheng had a different plan.