Chapter 193

Fantuan and Zhuzi did not shy away and calmly controlled the “battlefield.”

Fantuan said to the old man, “Grandpa, what difficulties do you have for you to refuse to move? However, they aren’t caused by our family. You can’t just occupy our house and create problems for us, can you?”

Zhuzi added, “Grandpa, everyone has difficulties these days. But if everyone pushed their problems onto others, then who would we push our problems onto? Don’t you think that’s reasonable?”

The bystanders started pointing and talking to the old man.

“Yes, he’s right! At their age, they understand what’s wrong and what’s right. No matter what the reason, he shouldn’t be occupying someone else’s house.”

“Exactly, why is he the one who is living in that yard? The kids’ family bought the house with their own money; what right does he have to occupy it?”

Fan Chiguang’s mom happened to be there. Usually, at home, Fan Chiguang always talked about Fantuan and Xiao Doubao, so she had a very good impression of Fantuan. Seeing Fantuan’s house being occupied, she naturally felt a shared sense of outrage. “Han Jing, why are you reasoning with such people? Auntie will help you call the police to kick them out!”

“Yes, call the police to kick them out!”

Fan Chiguang struck a gong and shouted, “Call the police!”

The children responded in unison, beating gongs and shouting, “Call the police! Call the police…”

Old Wu’s face turned blue and red. He didn’t dare to lift his head. He wasn’t afraid of one or two people, or even ten or eight people, and he dared to argue back if they pushed him. If anyone dared to touch him, he would fall to the ground and pretend to be hurt to extort them. But now, there were two young kids and so many people watching. All the kids did was block the door; they didn’t do anything wrong. Even if he argued all day, he wouldn’t be in the right. Thinking of his wife, who cried every day, and his half-dead son lying in bed, Old Wu’s usually straight back bent down, and he covered his face with his hands, crying bitterly.

Fantuan and Zhuzi exchanged a glance and raised their hands to signal the children beating the “gongs” to stop.

Others started mocking:

“Aren’t you embarrassed to cry first? The owner of the house who can’t live in their own home hasn’t cried yet.” 

“Yeah, it’s not about who looks weaker, Grandpa; you look about fifty or sixty. If crying could get you someone else’s house, I’d have my eighty-year-old great-grandfather cry for a house. Why would it be your turn?”

Fantuan said, “Grandpa, please return the courtyard to us. Our family also has a seventy-year-old grandpa waiting for a house to live in.” Fantuan wasn’t lying; Zhuzi’s grandpa had been longing to live with his grandson for a long time.

However, Old Wu continued to hug his knees and cry, not saying another word. He looked truly pitiful as if he were the one being bullied.

When Han Cheng and Su Xiaoxiao arrived, this was the scene they saw.

Even though Su Xiaoxiao had prepared herself mentally, seeing the crowd around the house made her feel a bit speechless.

Su Xiaoxiao called out, “Fantuan, Zhuzi.”

When two big cubs saw Su Xiaoxiao, who had been acting all grown up, they immediately turned into little kids upon seeing Su Xiaoxiao. If they had tails, they would have been wagging them as they ran over.

Fantuan, who was as tall as Su Xiaoxiao, spread his hands innocently and said, “Mom, we didn’t do anything. We didn’t hit him. He’s crying on his own.”

After all, he was just a teenager. Though he was angry about the old man occupying the house, he couldn’t help but feel pity when he saw the elderly man crying.

Su Xiaoxiao looked around and said with a smile, “Sorry for disturbing everyone with some personal matters. Please, let’s all disperse.”

The kids turned their eyes toward Fantuan and Zhuzi in unison.

The two boys waved them off like little lords.

Fan Chiguang ran over, banging a gong. “Auntie, where’s Kangkang? Why didn’t he come?”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “He’s napping at home. You all should go back. It’s too disturbing for the people.”

Fan Chiguang shook his head. “If Kangkang isn’t here, we need to protect Brother Jing for him!”

Brother Jing?

Su Xiaoxiao was speechless as she looked at her eldest son. Her big fantuan was really Brother Jing.

Fantuan puffed out his chest. “Do I look like I need your protection? Hmm?”

Fan Chiguang took a half-step back, swallowed, and shook his head. “No.”

Fantuan patted Little Fatty’s head. “I’ll bring you some candy tomorrow. Take them back for now, and tell them to follow my orders.” 

This time, Fan Chiguang didn’t hesitate. He agreed and ran back to dismiss his “pots and pans army.”

Zhuzi’s classmate also walked over and said, “Zhang Xiuyuan, we’ll stay and help you.”

Zhuzi: “No need, thank you. I’ll call you if I need help.”

After this incident, Zhuzi felt a bit more affection for his classmates. It seemed this class was better than he had thought.

The kids gathered quickly and dispersed just as fast, retreating like a swarm of fish into the sea. A few nosy adults stayed behind to watch the excitement.

After such a commotion, even Wu Tong couldn’t pretend to be dead. He weakly walked to his grieving father and said feebly, “Dad, stop crying. Let them come in and talk.”

Four people entered the courtyard, and Han Cheng closed the door, shutting out the gossiping onlookers.

The courtyard was fairly clean, unlike other courtyards rented out to several families, which were often messy. It can be seen that the families living here had a certain level of decency.

The furnishings inside the house were old, and there wasn’t much furniture, but it was still relatively clean. Despite their son’s downfall, the elderly couple kept their home tidy. Wu’s wife was not home, maybe because she went out to buy groceries.

Old Wu turned around and helped his son sit down, and he himself sat down beside him. After a long silence, he spoke in a hoarse voice, “Give us a few more days. We will move out. Even if we pull a cart to live under the bridge, we will still move out. Don’t worry.”

Su Xiaoxiao and Han Cheng exchanged a glance, realizing that the power of the masses was still strong. After the commotion caused by Zhuzi and Fantuan’s classmates, no one in the alley who still had a shred of dignity could stay there.

After learning about the situation of this family of three, Su Xiaoxiao discussed it with Han Cheng before coming. Mu Xiaocao has been coming to the store frequently recently, and seeing the booming business of “Three Meals and Four Seasons,” she had the idea of partnering with Su Xiaoxiao to open a Halal noodle shop. This family was hardworking, and since they needed to hire staff anyway if their son was willing, they could hire him to help in the shop.

“I’m planning to open a restaurant. If you currently don’t have a job, would you be willing to help in my restaurant?”

As Su Xiaoxiao finished speaking, not only Father Wu and Wu Tong were shocked, but even Fantuan and Zhuzi were also shocked.

Fantuan asked in confusion, “Mom, don’t we have enough staff in our shop? Why do we need to hire more people?”

Su Xiaoxiao replied, “Your sister Xiaocao wants to open a noodle shop and needs manpower.”

Zhuzi asked Wu Tong, “Brother, are you willing? You have hands and feet; working and earning money to pay rent is more dignified than squatting in someone else’s yard and refusing to leave.”

Father Wu wiped away his tears and looked incredulous. “You… are you really willing to hire my son?”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “It’s just a small shop that’s not suitable for the climate. The work will be tough, but with meals provided and wages to pay rent and have enough to eat, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Han Cheng looked at the stunned Wu Tong and pointed to Zhuzi: “Our son is only twelve years old, yet he was more enlightened than you, a man in your twenties. He understands what dignity is. You are your family’s only pillar. Do you think what you’re doing is appropriate?”

Wu Tong nodded, barely audible. “Dad, could you make me a bowl of noodles? I’ll talk to them.”

In the past month, Wu Tong has been barely surviving on eating congee. When Father Wu heard him ask for noodles, he burst into tears. “Alright, alright, Dad will make you noodles. Dad will make you noodles.”

After Father Wu left, Wu Tong said, “Thank you. We are already very grateful that you didn’t blame us, but we don’t need it anymore. I don’t have the face to live in this alley anymore. I will take my parents back to the countryside to prepare for next year’s college entrance examination.”

What outsiders didn’t know was that what had hit Wu Tong the hardest wasn’t breaking up with his girlfriend or losing his job; it was failing to pass the college entrance examination. When he participated in the college entrance examination, his partner passed the exam, but he did not. In fact, he had already mentally prepared himself. However, when his partner agreed to give him a year to take the exam again and reneged on her words, saying that her family didn’t agree, he couldn’t understand what went wrong. He tried to ask his superiors, but it only resulted in him losing his job as well.

In fact, upon reflection, their backgrounds were incompatible from the start. She got into university, so she had a bright future ahead of her. Could a university student, with so many better options at school, still be willing to endure hardship with this low-wage worker who hasn’t even finished high school? He couldn’t bear to let her suffer with him. Looking back, he could understand and let go. Such matters couldn’t be resolved by outsiders, but as long as he understood, that was enough. So now, work wasn’t the most important thing for him. He studied hard to get into university and change his fate.

Su Xiaoxiao thought for a moment and said, “Well, I just finished taking the college entrance examination and saved some college entrance examination materials that may be helpful to you. The college entrance examination is coming soon. You don’t have time to mourn. You need to hurry up and prepare for it.”

Wu Tong closed his eyes and nodded repeatedly. “Thank you, thank you so much. I’m really grateful to you.”

…

Wu Tong asked for a week to recover his health, pack his things, and move out as soon as he was better.

This was already a very satisfactory outcome, and Zhuzi’s family could afford to wait for that one week.

Su Xiaoxiao returned home and brought out the study materials, notebooks, etc., she had brought from Qingfeng Town before and had her two sons deliver them to Wu Tong.

Fantuan looked at the two large boxes, feeling reluctant. “Mom, aren’t you worried he won’t return them to you after using them?”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “It doesn’t matter if he returns it or not. These things will only be useful for a year or two. By the time you take the college entrance examination, the textbooks might have been updated. Keeping them is just for sentimental value. If they can help a troubled youth get into university, that’s when they’ll truly be valuable.”

Both boys reluctantly carried the boxes to Wu Tong’s house.

Fantuan hesitated to hand over his mother’s notebook to Wu Tong, and Zhuzi felt the same way. Su Xiaoxiao was their mentor, who guided them with her own actions to become who they are today.

Fantuan said, “Brother, my mom was the top scorer in the city’s college entrance examination. These things are no longer useful to her, but they hold sentimental value. Although Mom said helping you get into university will be the greatest value of these materials, we still hope you will return them to us after using them.”

Wu Tong’s spirit was shaken. “Top scorer in the city’s college entrance examination? Is she a student at Peking University now?”

Fantuan nodded. “Exactly! Why would we buy this courtyard here? We will also aim for Peking University in the future. So, brother, you have to work hard too. Don’t let my mom’s good things go to waste.”

Wu Tong took the two boxes as if they were treasures, nodding solemnly, “Rest assured, I will take good care of them. After the college entrance examination, I will definitely return everything intact.”

Zhuzi encouraged him, “Brother, you can do it! Keep it up!”

……………..

After leaving Wu Tong’s house, Fantuan found a twig and held it in his mouth, hands in his pockets, walking backward as he spoke to Zhuzi, “Zhuzi, I’ve always felt since I was a child that my mom is like a fairy. Even when I was too young to understand, I felt this way, and now that I’m older, I feel it even more. I’ve never seen anyone better than her. Unless the person is a wicked villain, she’s always willing to help. I’ve never even seen her get angry. I really envy my dad sometimes.

What kind of luck did my dad have to marry my biological mother, who is so smart, and he even had me and Xiao Doubao as his son? He also took a series of good luck and married my mother (Su Xiaoxiao), who is so perfect and gave birth to beautiful and smart Xiao Roubao and Xiao Tangyuan. I really envy my dad sometimes.”

Zhuzi chuckled and said, “The person you should envy is me. My life was supposed to be miserable, but it changed because I met your family. I think I’m the luckiest one.”

Fantuan shook his head in disagreement and said, “Actually, even if you haven’t met us, wait a few more years until Aunt Yali and Uncle Zhang have reconciled, and you will still live your current life. You are still a happy child.”

Zhuzi said, “It’s not the same. I would have become a bad person after being bullied so much, with a completely crooked personality. My grandpa and my parents wouldn’t want to have that kind of son or grandson. Honestly, Fantuan, if it weren’t for you, a study genius always leading the way with a dangling carrot to bait me, making me give my all to catch up, my studies wouldn’t be this good.”

Studying is actually a skill. Once good study habits are formed, they will benefit their lives. In this regard, Fantuan was his best mentor.

Fantuan sighed. “Come on, your courage is barely bigger than a cat’s, and you still think about going astray? You should ask our Xiao Roubao if he agrees.”

Speaking of twins, Zhuzi softened, “So, we still have to continue walking in front with carrots to bait them and strive to be good role models worth chasing after.” 

Fantuan turned around and hugged Zhuzi’s shoulder as he walked forward. Fantuan turned around, clasping Zhuzi’s shoulder, and walked forward. “Let’s go; let’s go. While the little rabbits haven’t caught up yet, let’s go find some classmates to play basketball with today.”

Zhuzi said, “We should go back and report to Aunt Su first.”

Fantuan sighed. “My mom said that her big boy has grown up and can have his own private space. Zhuzi, if you keep acting like an old man, I won’t be able to tell if you’re from my dad’s generation or mine.”

Zhuzi: “…………”

Fantuan: “Oh, by the way, we should go to the public market first to buy some candy to reward the little ones. They really gave me a big face today!”

Zhuzi: “…………”