Chapter 584 - Chapter 584: Chapter 582 New Year's Eve Dinner (Part 4)
Chapter 584: Chapter 582 New Year’s Eve Dinner (Part 4)
Hearing Jiang Weiming’s words, Jiang Yong and Jiang Yanlu both got up and followed him into the room, while Jiang Xiaoran just gave them a strange glance and continued eating his meal.
Typical of the belief that eating is the most important thing no matter how big the world is.
Jiang Feng could only be five meters away from Jiang Xiaoran, perhaps Jiang Weiming had chosen the innermost room for the conversation to avoid being overheard by everyone. This also meant Jiang Feng couldn’t enter and was stuck in the wall.
Yes, stuck in the wall.
For the first time, Jiang Feng discovered that not only could one encounter glitches in games, but also in memories.
Stuck inside a wall, Jiang Feng couldn’t see anything, but because of the darkness, the conversation was exceptionally clear:…
Forget it, at least he could listen, being stuck was just that.
“Speak, what is it?” Before Jiang Weiming could speak up, Jiang Yong took the lead with a very cold tone.
“It’s, it’s… Yong, your brother wants to borrow some money to tide things over.”
“How much?”
“150,000…”
“150,000?” Jiang Yong sounded full of surprise, “What do you need 150,000 for?”
“It’s… it’s… it is…” Jiang Yanlu stammered, unable to say a complete sentence.
“It’s Zhe.” Jiang Weiming finally spoke, “Zhe broke the factory’s equipment while working there and needs to pay 200,000 in compensation.”
“Right.” Jiang Yanlu’s voice became smaller and smaller, obviously lacking confidence, “You know my situation, I’ve been getting a fixed salary all these years, just that bit of money, I don’t have any big skills. I’ve scraped together a little over 50,000, so I wanted to ask for 150,000 from you to tide things over.”
Jiang Feng couldn’t see Jiang Yong’s expression, but he felt that Jiang Yong’s expression at this moment wouldn’t be good, and he likely had a mocking look on his face as he stared at Jiang Yanlu, for that tone was filled with mockery.
“Tide over, then when do you plan to repay it?”
Jiang Yanlu hadn’t expected this question from Jiang Yong and stammered without being able to answer.
“Just consider it as me borrowing from you on behalf of Yanlu; your mother and I still have some retirement money, and there’s some land and old stuff at home. If we sell everything, it should cover some of it.” Jiang Weiming suddenly spoke up.
A dead silence.
Not to mention the people in the room, even Jiang Feng, stuck in the wall, was taken aback. He had always heard Jiang Weiming say he had been too indulgent with his eldest son in the past years, being unfair to his younger son, but he hadn’t expected Jiang Weiming to be so unfair to this extent.
This wasn’t just being slightly unfair; it was like turning fairness into a seesaw.
After a long while, Jiang Yong finally asked, “Dad, do you believe it?”
No one answered.
“Do you really believe what big brother said? Do you really believe that Jiang Zhe needs to compensate 200,000 because he broke the equipment in the factory?”
“It’s… it’s true.” Jiang Yanlu defended meekly, “If it’s not paid off by next month, Zhe might… might have to go to jail.”
“Jail?” Jiang Yong sneered, “Do you think I’m a fool, or is Dad a fool? Since it was Jiang Zhe who broke the equipment, where’s the compensation bill?”
“Which factory? What equipment was damaged? When did it happen? If this is true, even if it’s 150,000 or 250,000, I would lend it.”
“It’s… it’s… it is…” Jiang Yanlu stuttered and still couldn’t make sense.
“Dad, tell me, do you believe it? If you do, I’ll wire the money to big brother tomorrow.”
What answered him was another round of silence.
After a while, Jiang Weiming spoke with a hoarse voice, “Yanlu, tell your brother the truth.”
“Dad, what I just said is true…” Jiang Yanlu tried to make a last-ditch effort to struggle.
“Tell the truth!” Jiang Weiming’s voice was incredibly stern.
“It’s… it’s that Zhe owes money to loan sharks.”
“How did he owe it?” Jiang Yong asked.
“He was… Zhe was deceived by others, he didn’t expect it, he was really used by someone. He’s not usually like this, he wouldn’t normally do such a thing.” Jiang Yanlu still tried to defend Jiang Zhe.
“How did he owe it?” Jiang Yong repeated.
“Zhe said he lost too much money playing cards, he must have been cheated, he didn’t know what happened, and just in one night, he lost over 200,000; he must have been cheated!”
“Heh.”
Jiang Yong gave a cold laugh and did not speak.
“Brother,” Jiang Yanlu’s voice was full of pleading, “we have no other choice. The loan sharks came to our door before the end of the year, they said if Zhe doesn’t pay back the money next month, they are going to break his arms and legs. They can do these kinds of things, last month they made Zhe stand barefoot on ice blocks, not allowing him to move until the ice melted.”
“Brother, please, just this one time, it’s the last time I’ll ask you to lend money. Zhe was just temporarily bewitched, and he was deceived. He swore to me he will never borrow from loan sharks again. Brother, if you don’t lend us the money we’ll have to sell the house; if we do, our whole family will have no place to live. Zhe isn’t married yet, if he doesn’t even have a house, how will he find a wife in the future!”
“You believe his oath? Look at his behavior today, is there any sign of repentance?” Jiang Feng suspected Jiang Yong wanted to slam the door and leave, “Have you beaten him?”
“He… he’s already grown up, how can I still hit him?”
“He’s grown up, you know full well he’s grown up, yet you’re still wiping his ass for him!” Jiang Yong said sharply, “You should sell the house.”
“Brother!”
“I’m doing this for your own good, if you don’t sell the house, he won’t learn his lesson at all. If you sell the house, at least you’ll still have money. I’ve heard of people dying from hunger, never heard of anyone dying from not having a house.” Jiang Yong said.
Jiang Yanlu was left speechless by Jiang Yong’s rebuttal and could only turn to Jiang Weiming for help, “Dad.”
Jiang Weiming sighed, “Yong, just help your brother out one last time.”
“After all this, you still want me to help him?” Jiang Feng felt a suppressed fury in Jiang Yong’s words.
“He has no choice but you; only you can help him now,” Jiang Weiming’s voice was so low it was almost inaudible.
Jiang Yong laughed in frustration. “Dad, our family only has savings of just over a hundred thousand now, and Ranran’s English grade is poor; his mom still wants to enroll him in tutoring classes.”
Another silence followed.
“You lend your brother 100,000 for now. Your mom and I can cobble together some retirement funds to make up enough,” Jiang Weiming said weakly.
“No need.”
“Don’t worry, even if I have to borrow it, I’ll get the 150,000 for my brother. Dad, this is the last time, the very last time. Since you have never truly regarded me as your son in your heart, this will be the last time I call you ‘Dad’.”
“I hope he can take care of you in your old age.”
Jiang Yong pushed the door open and left. Jiang Feng also hurried out from where he was hidden and saw Jiang Yong striding towards the living room with a grim face.
Dozens of seconds later, the door opened again, and out came an aged Jiang Weiming and a joyful Jiang Yanlu, whose face was alight with barely contained happiness.
“Dad, don’t take to heart what my brother just said in anger,” Jiang Yanlu said.
“The last time,” Jiang Weiming said.
“The last time? Rest assured, this is absolutely the last time. Zhe will improve; he won’t do such foolish things anymore. He’s been so good lately, not going out to play cards or anything,” boasted Jiang Yanlu while gleefully walking toward the living room.
Jiang Weiming looked at his eldest son, his eyes filled with disappointment and chill.
He didn’t move, just stood there, standing in a daze as still as a statue.
Having returned to the living room, Jiang Yong said to his wife and child with a cold face, “Get dressed, we’re going back.”
“So early?” Jiang Xiaoran’s grandmother stood up; seeing Jiang Yong’s expression, she could guess what had happened in the room and felt a bit reluctant to part.
“Xiaoyong, please, sit down and chat a bit. I haven’t seen you for so long,” begged Jiang Xiaoran’s grandmother as she looked at Jiang Yong.
Jiang Yong glanced at Jiang Yanlu’s family and then toward his own mother. Afraid that he might lose control of his anger if he stayed any longer, he forced a smile, “Mom, I really have something tonight. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Dad, can’t we just not go back? I’m so tired; I don’t want to go back. Let’s stay at Grandpa’s house tonight!” Jiang Xiaoran tried to persuade him.
He could obviously see that Jiang Yong was unhappy, but since Jiang Yong was always in a bad mood when he came home for the New Year, he was used to it.
“Get dressed.”
“Dad!”
Unaware that he had stumbled into the line of fire, Jiang Xiaoran received a fierce slap from an angry Jiang Yong who lost his temper.
The slap left everyone stunned, including Jiang Xiaoran.
As a rebellious teenager in his early teens, Jiang Xiaoran could not tolerate such an unexpected slap, which led to an immediate outburst and a heated quarrel with Jiang Yong right there in the living room.
Nobody knew which thoughtless word from Jiang Xiaoran had hit Jiang Yong’s raw nerve, perhaps it was “You just don’t want to go back home because you don’t get along with Grandpa, but why can’t I stay at Grandpa’s house,” which made Jiang Yong explode in anger and kick Jiang Xiaoran from the center of the living room against the wall.
Suddenly, the whole Jiang Family was thrown into chaos. Lin Juan hurried to check if Jiang Xiaoran was hurt, while his grandmother couldn’t care less about restraint and scolded Jiang Yong profusely.
The scolding and noise woke Jiang Weiming, who had been standing at the door in a daze. When he came out, he saw Jiang Xiaoran sitting on the floor, his tears just drying up, angrily cursing his own father.
Jiang Feng had to admire it, Xiaoran, even in such a situation, didn’t forget to fight back.
“What’s going on? Ranran, what happened to you?” Jiang Weiming asked with concern.
“Grandpa, Dad just went crazy, he kicked me!” After telling on him, Jiang Xiaoran resumed his swearing at his father.
Jiang Feng: …
Nothing more to say, awesome!
Jiang Xiaoran was swearing at his father, his grandmother was scolding him in his face, and Jiang Yong was caught between the crossfire of his mother and son, not daring to even utter a word.
Mainly, he was also aware that he had lost his composure; the slap and kick Jiang Xiaoran endured were indeed somewhat undeserved. Otherwise, if Jiang Xiaoran dared to yell at him like that on any other day, he would have been beaten up long ago.
After a few minutes, their shouting almost ceased at the same time, the grandmother from sheer exhaustion and Xiaoran from thirst.
Compared to his grandmother, Xiaoran’s shouting was more of a one-sided, all-out verbal assault featuring outraged remarks like “What right do you have to kick me?”
The consequence was that Xiaoran had shouted himself hoarse.
“Lin Juan, there’s still the broth I made from chicken soup in the kitchen. I’ll bottle two for you; remember to make Ranran some chicken soup noodles tomorrow morning,” Jiang Weiming said.
“Thank you, Dad,” said Lin Juan, stirring the boiling water in the cup, waiting for it to cool down.
Xiaoran had been shouting for so long and hadn’t even had a sip of water.
“Ahem, Grandpa, I want to have some chicken soup,” Jiang Xiaoran knew he definitely couldn’t stay at his grandfather’s house tonight; after taking a beating and causing a scene, he thought it would be a huge loss to leave without eating more.
“Then Grandpa will get you a bowl. By the way, Ranran, do you want the fried stuff, too? Should I pack it for you?” asked Jiang Weiming.
“Yes,” nodded Xiaoran.
Soon enough, Jiang Weiming brought out a warm bowl of chicken soup. Xiaoran took it and guzzled it down, the phrase “like a cow chewing peony” would not be an exaggeration.
Jiang Feng was still relishing Xiaoran’s dramatic antics when suddenly he was surrounded by mist, only able to hear the sound of Xiaoran guzzling down the chicken soup.
Jiang Feng: …
“Glug, glug.”
Why is it so delicious? He wanted to have some chicken soup too.