Chapter 124: Chapter 124

Bai Ruxue walked out just as Wang Xuehua was standing in the courtyard. Judging by her expression, she hadn’t been eavesdropping! She’s really a good child.

Bai Ruxue chatted with Wang Xuehua for a bit before leaving.

Meanwhile, at the Zhang family in Capital City, a massive argument erupted.

"You beast! What have you done?" Zhang Yuan’s father smashed a teacup, shouting angrily and gasping for breath.

"Enough, enough! What’s the use of being so angry now that the matter is done?" His wife soothed him, patting his back with her hand. "But Xiao Yuan, really, how could you say such things during the blind date with the Gao family’s daughter?"

These words inadvertently fueled Zhang Yuan’s father Zhang Haijun’s anger.

"You beast, is it too much to ask that you don’t make life difficult for the Zhang family? Why did your grandpa call you back? Wasn’t it so you could marry Gao Hanhan? The Gao family is at its peak right now; marrying Hanhan could help our family too!" Zhang Haijun pointed at Zhang Yuan, cursing.

The latter, however, sat leisurely on the sofa, sipping tea and reading the newspaper, completely ignoring him.

"I’m talking to you! Put down that newspaper!" Zhang Haijun grew even angrier, his hands starting to tremble.

Originally, his family gained prestige by associating with Mr. Zhang Sr., attracting plenty of flattery and currying favor. But when Mr. Zhang Sr. stepped down, those fair-weather friends changed their tune, avoiding him and even setting traps.

Now he’s lost his job and seldom steps out, fearing ridicule.

The young granddaughter from the Gao family has always liked his eldest son, and Mr. Gao Sr. intended to arrange a marriage. Remarkably, the Gao family didn’t look down on their family after Mr. Zhang Sr.’s downfall; they were still willing to marry into the family. However, this rebellious son went and told them he already had a love interest and would marry no one else!

Not only did this anger the girl and make her leave, but the Gao family also called early in the morning to break off the engagement.

This put the Zhang family in a worse spot, as those who treated them kindly only because of the Gao family’s influence will no longer regard them well.

"If you want to throw tantrums, take them back home!" Just as Zhang Haijun was spitting furiously while cursing Zhang Yuan, a septuagenarian descended the stairs, his voice deep and footsteps steady, not resembling someone in their seventies at all.

This was Zhang Yuan’s grandfather, an officer who had crawled and fought his way through countless wars in the military.

"Dad, look at him... He actually messed up the marriage you arranged for him!" Zhang Haijun dared not act rashly in front of his father but stood up to accuse Zhang Yuan.

"Enough! I’m aware of this matter! Mr. Gao Sr. called me to discuss it! The child doesn’t want it; how can we force him?" Mr. Zhang Sr. spoke in a low voice.

"But Dad, without the marriage alliance, my..."

"Who do you have to blame but yourself?" Before Zhang Haijun could finish, Mr. Zhang Sr. shouted firmly, scaring Zhang Haijun into silence.

He had been about to say that if there wasn’t a marriage alliance, what would happen to his job, but with Mr. Zhang Sr.’s interruption, he sat back on the sofa, too intimidated to speak.

His wife, Lin Cuifen, frantically signaled him, clearly indicating that they must arrange the marriage somehow; otherwise, they would be in trouble.

Mr. Zhang Sr. only had one son, but this son lacked ambition. In this reform movement, he voluntarily retreated, yet his actions cost his son and daughter-in-law their jobs.

Despite having only this one son, after Zhang Yuan’s mother died within a year, his son married the current wife, whom Mr. Zhang Sr. promptly sent out.

He left Zhang Yuan with him, the old couple taking care of him.

The wife Zhang Haijun married after was Lin Cuifen. After entering the family, she bore a daughter within a year and subsequently gave birth to two sons. However, the other three grandchildren don’t have much favor with Mr. Zhang Sr.

The old man harbors some outdated ideas, believing those three are illegitimate and acknowledging only Zhang Yuan as his direct grandson, thus favoring him constantly.

A lifetime dominated by his authority, his wife holds similar views, leading to substantial resentment among the other grandchildren.

"Grandpa..." Zhang Yuan finally showed a hint of guilt upon seeing Mr. Zhang Sr., standing up.

"Xiao Yuan! Sit down! Grandpa understands you! Young people, right? If you don’t like it, Grandpa won’t force you! Everyone has their own destiny! No one can rely on others for life, correct?" Mr. Zhang Sr. became kindly towards Zhang Yuan.

"Thanks, Grandpa, for your understanding!" Zhang Yuan finally let go of his concern.

From the beginning, he had told his grandpa he was interested in a girl and couldn’t participate in any marriage alliance. The old man simply nodded and kept quiet.

Until this morning, Lin Cuifen arbitrarily arranged for him to meet the other girl.

He boldly attended but categorically refused, informing Gao Hanhan that he held someone in his heart, and a relationship with her was impossible.

This led to Zhang Haijun’s explosive anger earlier.

His actions were wholly unreserved; he only feared damaging the relationship between his grandpa and Mr. Gao Sr. Other concerns mattered little to him.

He and Gao Hanhan grew up in the same compound; if he liked her, they would have been together long ago. Instead, he felt a slight dislike for her, so when Lin Cuifen arranged the meeting without his consent, he made no effort to be polite.

"But Dad... I heard from Sister Wang at our neighborhood committee that a new wave of educated youth will be sent to rural areas for development in a few days. What do we do then? Xiao Yu and Xiao Yang are just kids! They can’t handle such hardships!" Seeing her husband’s uselessness, Lin Cuifen had no choice but to speak up.

"Xiao Yu and Xiao Yang are indeed a bit young!" Mr. Zhang Sr. pondered before speaking. "Then let Xiao Ting go! She’s also seventeen, staying at home. Better she goes out for some training!"

"Dad! Xiao Ting is a girl; I can’t feel secure letting her leave home for such a harsh place!" Lin Cuifen cried out sharply upon hearing this.

Two sons aged fifteen and thirteen, and a daughter seventeen years old, but she’s a girl and should stay home ready for marriage, not suffer those hardships—all because of Zhang Yuan’s obstinacy. What’s wrong with marrying a girl from a prestigious family? Yet, he insisted on refusing.

"That’s your problem! From now on, handle your issues independently! Don’t rely on others to play tricks!" Mr. Zhang Sr. finished and stood up. "Xiao Yuan, your grandmother just mentioned wanting to see you! Come upstairs with Grandpa!"

Having spoken, the grandfather and grandson ascended the stairs, paying no heed to Zhang Haijun and his wife.

"Haijun, what do we do now? If the street committee’s plans are true, every family must send someone to build rural areas. What happens to our three kids? Sending Xiao Ting is absolutely impossible, but Xiao Yu and Xiao Yang are so young..." Lin Cuifen began lamenting once Mr. Zhang Sr. was upstairs.

"Stop crying! I’m trying to figure something out! The old man genuinely doesn’t want to help us this time! We must find a solution!" Zhang Haijun brushed away Lin Cuifen’s gripping hand on his arm, saying irritably. This text is hosted at noⅴelfire.net

"Xiao Ting, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Yang are all Dad’s grandchildren; how can he be so biased?" Lin Cuifen couldn’t stand it, tightened her wrap, and hammered her thigh hard.