bestfiction Chapter 251 Li Jia, Live for Yourself
Chapter 251 Li Jia, Live for Yourself
Upon hearing this, the beautiful wife immediately became displeased. She felt that Zhuang Chaoying was deliberately belittling her children. "Brother, what do you mean by that? Our Zhendong and Zhenbei aren't stupid kids."
Zhuang Chaoying shrugged, looking helpless.
"There's nothing I can do. Your older brother is lucky to have such a good child. What can I do? She's just so studious and self-disciplined. Besides, you don't know how big our house is. Xiaoting is still a girl. Where would you send two grown men to live? Tu Nan is sleeping in the yard right now."
Grandpa Zhuang, still unwilling to give up, waved his hand again. "Chaoying, you didn't understand what I meant. If Zhendong and Zhenbei can't go, let Tunan make a few more trips to give them some extra lessons. That should be fine, right?"
Zhuang Chaoying couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Are we begging to get Zhendong and Zhenbei tutored? You've got it backwards, Dad. What do you think, my beautiful wife?"
Grandpa Zhuang explained, “Tu Nan is bigger and healthier than Zhen Dong and Zhen Bei, so what’s the harm in making two trips?”
The beautiful wife pursed her lips. If it weren't for the fact that her two sons' grades were really bad, she wouldn't have to beg her elder brother and Tu Nan so humbly.
She gritted her teeth and spoke again. "Big brother, why don't we let Zhendong and Zhenbei go there every day? They won't stay at your place, so they can catch up on their studies. It won't take up much of their time."
Grandpa Zhuang chimed in, his tone suggesting that it was only natural for Tu Nan to tutor his younger brothers. "It's so hot. What if Zhen Dong and Zhen Bei get heatstroke? Tu Nan, you're the eldest brother, you have to help your younger brothers. They're not doing well in their studies."
Zhuang Tunan felt annoyed upon hearing these words. He thought back to his childhood, wondering why he hadn't noticed his parents' and grandparents' favoritism towards his uncle's family.
At that moment, he finally understood why his parents were always reluctant to come back, and didn't even want to come back for the Chinese New Year.
This is not a case of parents being unfilial; it is clearly a case of parents being unkind. How can children blindly obey their parents?
If I were in his father's position, I would probably be disappointed in such parents as well.
“Grandpa, I’ll be starting school in a few days. Xiaoting is busy with school and doesn’t have time. Studying is mainly about self-discipline. Xiaoting and I have achieved our current results entirely through our own efforts. No matter how much help others give, it’s useless if you don’t take it seriously.”
Zhuang Chaoying nodded. "Mom and Dad, Tu Nan is right, believe it or not. Tu Nan, Xiao Ting has also seen Grandpa and Grandma. Let's go home. Tu Nan has lost a lot of weight lately, and A Ling is heartbroken. Your own child should be cared for by your own family. Your dad is just a child that no one cares about."
Xiaoting quickly grabbed Zhuang Chaoying's arm, her eyes slightly red. "Dad, I still have Mom and brother. The three of us will love you."
Zhuang Chaoying smiled and glanced at her parents' long faces. "Mom and Dad, let's go back then. Please take good care of yourselves. My dear daughter-in-law, we're going back now. Tell Zhendong and Zhenbei to be self-disciplined in their studies. I believe they can do it."
After saying that, he picked up the two children and left the farmhouse without looking back.
After they disappeared outside the door, Grandpa Zhuang was so angry that his face turned red. He pointed outside, wanting to shout and curse, but he was afraid that the neighbors would hear and laugh at him, so he lowered his voice and muttered angrily.
“Look at their family, what kind of behavior is this! It’s outrageous! All they want is for Tu Nan to tutor Zhen Dong and Zhen Bei. What’s wrong with making a few trips back and forth? Why can’t they come? I think it’s because Chao Ying has spoiled them! But Chao Ying said one thing that’s quite right: my Zhen Dong and Zhen Bei will definitely do well on the exam.”
Grandma Zhuang rolled her eyes. She and her daughter-in-law, Ganmei, had already discussed it. They figured that since the eldest son's family was well-off, they would start by asking for a notebook to gradually ease the tension.
Now look what happened! Not only did we not get the notes, but we've also made things even more strained.
That old geezer has no brains at all, what a fool! He's ruined everything.
Zhuang Tunan and Xiao Ting each held one of his arms, their intimate manner reminiscent of their childhood.
Zhuang Tunan said earnestly, “Dad, don’t worry, you have me and Xiaoting. Grandpa and Grandma may not love you, but we two will.”
Xiaoting chimed in, "That's right, brother is right. Besides, Mom already loves you enough."
Looking at the two sensible children in front of her, Zhuang Chaoying couldn't help but open her arms and hug them, then kissed each of them on the cheek.
"oops!"
Both of them gasped in surprise, their faces showing disgust, and they quickly let go of each other's arms.
Zhuang Tunan feigned seriousness. "Dad, Dad, we're not children anymore! We need to be mindful of our behavior!"
Xiaoting nodded in agreement. "That's right, that's right, it's so embarrassing."
Zhuang Chaoying laughed as she watched the children's reactions. "Even if you're seventy or eighty years old, you're still children to your parents."
Meanwhile, in the alleyways of Shanghai, chaos reigned.
In a fit of rage, Li Jia's father kicked the mirror in the wardrobe hard in a fit of emotion while trying to get his son, Awen, registered as a resident.
With a crash, the mirror shattered, and sharp shards of glass pierced his leg, instantly drawing blood that stained his trousers. Li Jia's mother watched this scene, tears welling in her eyes, but she could only weep silently.
After receiving a call from her mother, Li Jia was extremely anxious and immediately rushed back from school.
Upon entering the house, she witnessed this heartbreaking scene: her father's leg was bleeding, while her younger brother, Awen, was huddled in a corner, his face filled with terror.
Li Jia's father roared, his voice filled with anger and resentment, as years of pent-up grievances erupted at this moment.
"Let Wenwen register her household registration! Why did you hide the household registration book? If I hadn't gone to the countryside, my second child would have been able to stay in Shanghai!"
He then called out to Grandpa Li, who was sitting to the side, "Dad, the household registration booklet! I just need the household registration booklet so Wenwen can get registered!"
Grandpa Li looked at his eldest son, who had gone mad, and felt a pang of pain in his heart. "Are you trying to force us to our deaths? What a terrible thing to do!" After saying that, he seemed to have all his strength drained away and stopped talking. He knew in his heart that his eldest son was right; in the end, they owed their eldest son a debt.
Li Jia looked at the blood seeping from her father's leg, then glanced at Awen in the corner.
Li Jia took a deep breath and said calmly, "Uncle, let Awen register his household there. I promise I won't take the house."
Upon hearing this, Uncle Li Jia's face flashed with embarrassment, and he didn't know what to say for a moment.
He opened his mouth, then closed it again, feeling utterly ashamed that someone had seen through his thoughts. "Jiajia, that's not what I meant..." he tried to explain, but the words he uttered sounded so weak and powerless.
Li Jia looked at him and sneered inwardly. If it didn't mean that, what did it mean?
She had long seen through the thoughts of these people, including her parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts, and her younger brother, Awen.
Awen was already sixteen years old, but he was still like a little child, squatting in the corner without daring to utter a sound. She sighed inwardly.
Her classmates were in the same situation as her. The reason they wouldn't let her register her household was simply because of the house. They were afraid that if she registered her household and came back, she would compete with them for the house, which wasn't very big to begin with!
Li Jia emphasized again, without the slightest hesitation in her tone, "Uncle, I can write a guarantee. As long as we can get Awen registered, we don't need the house."
With the household registration process finally settled, Li Jia and her family of four sat on a park bench.
Li Jia listened silently to her parents' complaints about her grandparents' stubbornness and her uncle's family's selfishness; she watched her younger brother's incompetence, who didn't even have the courage to fight for his own residency.
She sat there quietly, her thoughts drifting away. What could she do?
Must we continue to make selfless sacrifices without any bottom line?
It's fine as it is now, letting Awen experience what it's like to live under someone else's roof.
Since Mom and Dad want Awen to attend high school in Shanghai, then so be it. I'm just his older sister, not his parents.
Watching people come and go in the park, each with their own life and story, Li Jia gradually made a decision.
She wanted to stay in Shanghai, that so-called home in Heilongjiang Province, which seemed warm but was actually a cage that imprisoned her in disguise.
The parents seemed to treat the siblings fairly, but in the end they still favored Awen.
If I go with the flow and return to Heilongjiang Province after graduation, what will await me?
No! She wants to live for herself. She wants to stay in Shanghai. She will still take care of her parents, but she herself comes first.
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