landbeastnovel Chapter 94 This can't go on.
Chapter 94 This can't go on.
"Sister-in-law! Something terrible has happened! Ah Zheng is getting involved with that illegitimate daughter again!"
Zhang Mei entered the room, sat down on the sofa, gulped down a mouthful of water that Gao Jie had poured for her, swallowed it, and then dropped a bombshell on Gao Jie.
"What did you say?! How could this be? Who told you that?"
Zhang Mei repeated what Zhou Liya's mother had told Gao Jie.
Then she worriedly said, "What are we going to do? Ah Zheng is so outstanding. If outsiders find out that he has a boyfriend with an illegitimate daughter, and that they even have the same father, oh my god, it'll be complete chaos!"
"Sister-in-law, you have to intervene quickly! Don't wait until they've already had the baby, then there won't be any turning back! Besides, children born from consanguineous marriages often have problems—some are missing limbs, some have facial paralysis, and the worst case is having a mentally challenged child. You can't raise that, but abandoning it is illegal. Having a child like that is a lifelong burden!"
Gao Jie, after being talked to by Zhang Mei, panicked and collapsed against the back of the sofa, clutching her chest. "Oh my god, this brat is going to drive me crazy!"
I clearly told him Shen Qing's identity that day, but the brat still wouldn't listen to advice and insisted on jumping into the fire pit. Really!
However, there was something she needed to correct Zhang Mei: "Sister-in-law, Shen Qing is not Hua Zhang's illegitimate daughter. I misunderstood before."
Zhang Mei's eyes widened: "Misunderstanding? Really, sister-in-law? How do you explain those letters Shen Qing's mother wrote to my brother? The words in them were so explicit, like 'I miss you so much,' 'I'll see you again,' 'I'm waiting for you,' etc. Just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach..."
"Tsk..." Zhang Mei clicked her tongue in disdain, rubbing her arm. "How could it be fake? Sister-in-law, don't fool yourself."
Gao Jie knew those letters by heart, so she naturally knew how explicit they were. Otherwise, she wouldn't have misunderstood them or had such a big fight with her husband. But when she thought that those letters were written to her brother-in-law, she looked at Zhang Mei with some sympathy, but she couldn't tell the truth.
"Hey, it's really a misunderstanding," Gao Jie waved her hand helplessly, "Those letters were kept by Hua Zhang for someone else."
"Who are you helping?" Zhang Mei immediately asked, full of gossip.
Fearing that she might say too much and make a mistake, and that she might expose the truth, Gao Jie simply made up a story: "You don't know him. He passed away a long time ago. He was one of Hua Zhang's comrades-in-arms."
Zhang Mei's intelligence in this matter rivals that of Sherlock Holmes: "Don't people have relatives after they die? Shen Qing is, after all, the only bloodline left behind by the deceased. Don't they care about their grandparents, uncles, aunts, and other relatives? It's not up to your brother, his comrade-in-arms, to take care of them!"
Gao Jie knew Zhang Mei wouldn't be easily fooled, so she continued to fabricate: "There are very few people in the family, and some have even gone abroad. Anyway, no one takes care of them."
Zhang Mei nodded, and Gao Jie thought the topic was about to end, but Zhang Mei continued, "If that's the case, why didn't your brother tell you the truth before? Even after you drank pesticide, he still wouldn't tell you..."
Gao Jie laughed awkwardly, her mind racing. "Hehe, he actually said from the beginning that she was the daughter of an old friend, not an illegitimate child. I didn't believe it..."
"That doesn't make sense," Zhang Mei clicked her tongue, her eyes darting around, "Shen Qing isn't an illegitimate child, so it seems like she and A-Zheng could date..."
"That won't do!" Gao Jie immediately stated, "Although the two of them aren't related, didn't you say that Shen Qing doesn't seem like the type to settle down? Just for that reason alone, I'm not satisfied. I don't want to marry a demanding daughter-in-law that I'll have to serve..."
"That's true," Zhang Mei nodded, then said with a hint of disdain, "Ah Zheng hasn't even married her yet, and one date has already cost him almost half a month's salary. What will it be like after they're married? I'm afraid even a month's salary wouldn't be enough for her to spend. We should find someone else. I'll go back to my workplace and ask around to see if there's anyone suitable..."
"Let me tell you, it's actually not easy for your Zheng to find a partner at his age. He's outstanding, handsome, and from a good family, but his personality is terrible. He's always cold and aloof, scaring girls away. If you're looking for someone from a similar family background, who isn't a pampered princess at home? Why should they put up with his bad temper? You can only look for someone from a less well-off family. If they're less well-off, they'll naturally be more willing to compromise..."
"That won't do," Gao Jie was about to reply when footsteps suddenly came from the entrance hall, followed by Cheng Zheng walking in. Gao Jie immediately shut up.
Cheng Zheng glanced at his mother, then his gaze fell on Zhang Mei, and he said rather rudely, "Auntie, you don't need to worry about me finding a partner. Don't try to arrange anything for me in the future."
"You brat, how dare you talk like that! Your aunt is just worried about you!" Gao Jie quickly scolded her son.
Zhang Mei waved her hand: "Oh, it's nothing. As long as it can help A-Zheng, I don't mind suffering a little."
"Heh." Cheng Zheng silently tugged at his lips.
"What kind of attitude is that? Is it wrong for an elder to help you with arrangements? Why doesn't your aunt help others but only you? Isn't it because we're family!" Gao Jie glared at her son and continued to scold him.
Zhang Mei looked aggrieved and stood up, saying, "Sister-in-law, don't be angry with me and the child. Let's talk things out. I just got off work and haven't had time to buy groceries yet. I'll head back now; the market will be closing soon."
"Ah Zheng, talk to your mother nicely. She's just concerned about you," Zhang Mei said to Cheng Zheng before walking towards the door.
The sound of the door closing rang out.
Gao Jie looked at her son: "Look at what you just said! You made your aunt leave! You really need to change your bad temper! Luckily, your aunt is kind and doesn't hold it against you!"
With Zhang Mei absent, Cheng Zheng became less reserved: "Mom, do you know what kind of person my aunt introduced me to? That Zhou Liya, she ate with me twice and then made me compensate her with a silver bracelet. Have you ever seen anyone who tries to extort money from a potential partner after a failed match? With character like that, she still introduced me to her, haha…!"
"How could that be!" Gao Jie didn't believe it at all. "Liya is a primary school teacher, how could she be like what you're saying! Besides, her family is quite well-off. Her parents both work in reputable companies, and she's an only child. She's been pampered by her family since she was little. How could she be so short-sighted as to ask you for things?"
"Fine, don't believe me then." Cheng Zheng was too lazy to explain. He lifted his leg to walk upstairs, his hand unbuttoning his coat, his face ashen.
Seeing that her son didn't seem to be lying, Gao Jie asked, "Did Zhou Liya really ask you for something?"
"Um."
"Well, you can't blame your aunt. Who would have thought she was like this before you met her? Anyway, if you didn't like her, that's fine. I'll help you pick someone else another day. I'll personally oversee the selection."
"No."
"What do you mean by 'not needing'? Don't tell me you insist on dating Shen Qing!"
Cheng Zheng remained silent.
When Gao Jie saw her son's cold, stubborn, and arrogant expression, she knew he was her own flesh and blood, so how could she not understand what was going on?
"Cheng Zheng! I don't approve of you dating Shen Qing! Absolutely not! Don't even think about it!"
Gao Jie stood on a step, hands on her hips, blocking her son's way, and expressed her anger and agitation.
Cheng Zheng's jaw tightened, and after a moment of silence, he finally spoke, "It's my freedom to like whomever I want."
"You can like whoever you want, I don't care, but it can't be Shen Qing. Don't you know her background? If you insist on dating her, what about your uncle and aunt? If Grandpa finds out, do you want to kill your grandfather with anger?"
"You can just keep her identity a secret."
"That won't do! She's a ticking time bomb, she could explode any day now. Just imagine how painful it would be for your aunt to find out who she is. Your uncle's family would be in chaos. Why can't you try to see things from their perspective? Your aunt has been so good to us!"
"Mom, open your eyes. If Auntie really cared about our family, why did she encourage you to fake your death by drinking pesticide? Why did she let you cause trouble at Dad's workplace? And why did she introduce someone like Zhou Liya to me?"
"...Your aunt was just trying to help me. I confided in her, and she gave me advice. What's wrong with that?" Gao Jie was confused by her son's question, her mind unable to process it for a while. "Oh dear, when I talk about you and Shen Qing, don't bring your aunt into it. In short, keep your distance from that Shen Qing! If I find out you two are seeing each other again, I'll have your dad send Shen Qing away!"
Unable to reason with his own mother, Cheng Zheng gave up and turned to leave.
"Hey, where are you going?! You brat, stop right there!" Gao Jie yelled from behind.
Cheng Zheng walked to the entrance without looking back, opened the door, and went out.
……
Zhang Mei returned home.
She hadn't even bought groceries. When she came in and saw that her husband had already come home from get off work, she finally had someone to vent her anger to. While changing into her slippers, she complained, "My sister-in-law is so naive. My brother said that Shen Qing isn't his daughter, and she actually believed him. The son she raised is no better. What's with all the arrogance? He's just a factory representative, but he's so disdainful of everyone. He even complains that I'm meddling. He's nowhere near as good as my Chenghao."
"Hey, don't meddle in your brother's family affairs," Cheng Huaiguo, wearing glasses and looking scholarly, was sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper. When he heard Shen Qing's name, a hint of guilt flashed in his eyes, but Zhang Mei didn't see it because the newspaper was blocking her view. She was still muttering to herself.
"Was I wrong to help? If you hadn't stopped me, I would have already told the old man about the illegitimate daughter, let him see what his self-proclaimed excellent son had done, and how his most beloved grandson was engaging in incestuous relationships with his sister!"
"Don't meddle!" Cheng Huaiguo's hand holding the newspaper trembled, and he put it down with a clatter. "Don't disturb the old man's peace and quiet. He's enjoying his retirement in the sanatorium. Don't bother him with these troublesome things."
"Oh." Zhang Mei glanced at the man sideways. "So you've finally remembered the old man's feelings? Have you forgotten how he favored your eldest brother's family back then?"
"What favoritism? That's not true at all..."
"No?" Zhang Mei perked up, plopped down next to her husband, and began to recount, "Why didn't Grandpa assign you to your older brother's unit when jobs were being assigned? If it weren't for that, would you still be just a minor section chief?! You would have been promoted there long ago!"
Zhang Mei pointed to the ceiling.
"I originally wanted to join the General Hospital of the Army and become an internal medicine doctor, treating colds and such. It doesn't require any real skills. In a few years, I could be promoted to a department head or something. The salary would be high, it would be prestigious, and my retirement would be comfortable. It's just a matter of my father asking someone to put in a good word for me. But he just won't agree. Other fathers-in-law are eager to get their daughters-in-law good jobs, but he deliberately doesn't help. What do you think his mentality is?"
"It's just that he dislikes you because you're not his biological son, and he extends that to him not considering me, his daughter-in-law, as family!"
Cheng Huaiguo denied it: "Don't talk nonsense. Those doctors are all graduates of proper medical schools. You can't just become a doctor whenever you want. Also, his older brother didn't ask his father for help when he got the job; it was assigned by the organization."
"Heh, you actually believed what I told you? Are you stupid? Anyway, our son Hao Hao is coming back from studying in the Soviet Union soon. When he does, I have to arrange a promising job for him, preferably in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as an advisor or something... Otherwise, I won't listen!"
"Alright, we'll talk about it later. When our son comes back from studying abroad, will he have trouble finding a good job? Every company will be vying for him."
Zhang Mei liked hearing this, and the corners of her mouth curled up as she smiled.
Anyway, if the old man doesn't help her son get a good job, she'll just have to break off all ties and expose that her older brother has an illegitimate daughter. Then we'll see who has the bigger headache!
Zhang Mei thought smugly.
……
Since having dinner at the Red House, Lin Shuyao and Cheng Zheng seem to have grown closer.
In the morning, Cheng Zheng secretly brought her breakfast, and the two met on a secluded tree-lined path, like spies making contact.
"Today's chive boxes are from an old brand store near Deshengmen. Their chive boxes are the most authentic. They opened there before the founding of the People's Republic of China."
Cheng Zheng carefully took the lunchbox out of his pocket, wrapping it in his coat to keep it warm.
"Eat it while it's hot."
He opened the lunchbox and handed the chopsticks to Lin Shuyao.
When Lin Shuyao heard that there were chives, her face clearly showed her refusal: "This will leave a bad taste in my mouth."
Cheng Zheng: "Just rinse your mouth after eating."
Lin Shuyao pouted coquettishly: "I didn't rinse it clean enough, I have to go back to the dorm to use toothpaste... I'll be late for work later..."
Cheng Zheng patiently advised, "You can't skip breakfast. Just one, just one. Try it, it's really delicious."
Lin Shuyao couldn't help but laugh at his patient expression. She never expected him to be like this when he was in a relationship. Where was his aloofness? Oh no, they weren't even dating yet, just in a flirtatious relationship.
Yes, the ambiguous stage.
It started after we returned from the Red House; we began an unspoken, ambiguous relationship.
"No, I don't want to eat this, you eat it yourself..." Lin Shuyao wasn't afraid to act coquettishly and started to whine.
Cheng Zheng continued to coax, "You can take it and eat it. I have a new toothbrush and toothpaste in my office. Can you brush your teeth in my office?"
"Okay." Lin Shuyao reluctantly picked up a bite with her chopsticks, opened her red lips, and took a bite. Cheng Zheng stared intently at her delicate way of eating. Seeing her eat, the corners of his lips unconsciously curled up, and he quickly asked, "Is it good?"
"Mmm." Lin Shuyao nodded, her eyes sparkling. She took another bite, her cheeks bulging as she chewed. Cheng Zheng stared at her, thinking about what breakfast to bring her tomorrow. He wanted her to try all the famous old-established breakfast shops in Jinghua.
Lin Shuyao ate two chive dumplings, handed the chopsticks to Cheng Zheng, and pointed to the remaining three. Cheng Zheng quickly understood, "Not eating anymore?"
Lin Shuyao nodded.
Cheng Zheng took the lunchbox and finished it in a few bites.
After breakfast, Lin Shuyao remained silent, afraid of the smell in her mouth. It wasn't until she followed Cheng Zheng to his office, where he found her toothpaste and a toothbrush, and she brushed her teeth in the washroom, that Lin Shuyao finally spoke.
"Thank you. The chive pancakes are delicious."
Cheng Zheng smiled and said, "I'll bring you sweet fried dough sticks and soy milk tomorrow."
"Okay. I'm going to work now." Lin Shuyao waved to him and pushed open the door to leave.
The department office and the leader's office were not on the same floor. Lin Shuyao had just come downstairs when someone called her back.
"Comrade Shen."