Chapter 22

Old Mr. Chang woke up and, seeing the younger generation getting along so well, felt very pleased. He temporarily conscripted Zhong Qi to take the two girls out for a tour of the city. Zhong Qi readily agreed, but tried to conscript Wu Di as well. Wu Di had just climbed ashore and was not willing to get involved in this mess again, so he tried to wriggle out of it. This provoked Yang Yanzi to pout in front of the old man, which gave the two elders a delightful experience of doting on their grandchildren. The only regret was that these grandchildren were a bit too old, but the sentiment was even more touching.

Chang Linlin decided to stay with her grandfather for a few more days before returning to her home in Beijing, and they agreed to meet up on the weekend. Zhong Qi took Wu Di and Oudoudou and left. In the car, Oudoudou whispered to Wu Di:

"Uncle Xiao, Sister Yang is so scary."

Wu Di picked up Oudoudou and rubbed his chubby little face, smiling:

"Then you can chase after Sister Chang; she's gentle."

As soon as he said this, he immediately drew criticism from two people.

Wu Di sighed, it was Wednesday today, and he had missed another day of working on the project. If he continued to be so lazy, what would become of him? But then he thought of the glass-type stone at home, and his spirits lifted. He couldn't wait to fly back to the city and open the stone. However, reason told him it would be best to wait until the weekend, as more people would be selecting stones then, and there would be more bidders, which should fetch a good price. He should also ask Brother Wen if he wanted it; if so, he could sell it directly to him.

In the car, Zhong Qi handed Wu Di a check for thirty million, and Wu Di, without a word, put it away.

They entered the main urban area and, unfortunately, hit rush hour. Although Zhong Qi wished he could give the car wings, the aviation restrictions were clearly more powerful, so they obediently got stuck in traffic and returned to his sister's house. Since Minister Ou was treating them, but he lived in the western second ring during working hours.

The meal was simple, with only four dishes and a soup, but Minister Ou had cooked it himself, and it tasted great. After the meal, the three remaining people played rock-paper-scissors to decide who would do the dishes. Unfortunately, Zhong Qi won, and he successfully convinced Oudoudou to help him in the kitchen. Minister Ou returned to his room to attend to some official business, and Wu Di took the opportunity to say to Zhong Qing:

"Sister Qing, I want to hold a family meeting. When do you think it would be convenient?"

Zhong Qing clearly didn't understand the situation and didn't know what Wu Di was talking about. After Wu Di repeated himself, Zhong Qing blinked her beautiful big eyes and smiled:

"Include the old man?"

Wu Di nodded.

Zhong Qing gave a thumbs up, thought for a moment, and said:

"Better to act now than to choose a day. Let me call Mom first."

After the call, she asked Wu Di to wait while she went to get Minister Ou. Wu Di reached out to stop her but thought better of it.

Soon, Minister Ou appeared in the living room, smiling. Zhong Qing grabbed Zhong Qi, who was sprawled on the sofa watching TV, and said:

"Go start the car, let's go home."

"Are you kidding? We haven't even had fun yet! Oh, I get it, Doudou, Wu Di, let's go out and play for a bit, give the old sister some space."

Zhong Qi, who had misunderstood, was hit on the head by his sister and grumbled as he drove away. Minister Ou patted Wu Di's shoulder and said nothing, but his eyes told Wu Di:

"You're a tough guy, even bossing around the old man."

The family gathered in the living room, with a total of seven people: the old man's family, Zhong Qing's family, and the two bachelors, Zhong Qi and Wu Di.

Under everyone's gaze, Wu Di was clearly nervous. He drank several large sips of water to steady himself and said:

"My father and mother were both workers at a third-line factory. Before our factory moved out, we lived in the mountains. I never saw my grandmother, so I spent most of my childhood at my maternal grandmother's house, which was a bit better than Kao Mountain Village..."

Zhong Qi didn't understand and was about to speak, but the old man's glare silenced him.

Wu Di was clearly in the zone, his eyes a bit misty, and his voice softer:

"When I was in college, the factory's performance was very poor, and it went bankrupt. My mother had already retired early, so I was very frugal. I remember I only spent 2,400 yuan in my first year, including buying a red cotton guitar... After working for two years, I saved 100,000 yuan, and I was very satisfied. Then there were these recent events.

I am very grateful, really. When I first saw Doudou, I thought my chance had come, and the Construction Department project was a sure thing. Really, my appetite is very small. But when I met Principal Lu and Aunt Song, I realized there were more important things to do. Money can be earned, but once a person is missed, there might never be another chance.

If it were an ordinary family, I would happily recognize a godmother. If it were a rich woman, I might even throw myself at her. But with you, I have many concerns. The facts over this period show that you haven't truly treated me as part of the family."

Zhong Qi couldn't help but jump up but was glared back by the old man.

Wu Di calmly drank some water and continued:

"From the time Third Brother gave me the project, to when Sister Qing offered me a house and a car, to today when Fourth Brother gave me thirty million, I know you mean well, wanting to repay me and let me live a good life. But you've ignored my feelings. I'm still fundamentally a bit cunning and poor. By doing this, you're clearly not treating me as part of the family! Think about it, would you offer Fourth Brother a house and a car without him asking? Would you give him money for a painting, even though it's expensive? But you did this for me. I don't dare to compare myself to Fourth Brother, but seeing this warm and happy family, I want to join in, but I always feel like an outsider, and I am an outsider..."

The old lady's tears came, and she hugged Wu Di, crying:

"It's Mom's fault, it's Mom's fault, I didn't realize our Little Five was so strong..."

The old man waved his hand and said:

"Kid, you keep saying we don't treat you as part of the family. Have you thought about whether you consider yourself as our Little Five? Ask Little Four, when his sister offers him a house and a car, and his brother-in-law offers him a project, he happily accepts everything. When his father uses his things as gifts, he would go to great lengths to get benefits from his father, even if it's just three cents. If it were your real father and mother, would you do the same? Humph, holding a family meeting, what nonsense! If you don't put yourself in the right place, I'll deal with you! And you made the old lady cry? Clean up your own mess! If you don't, I'll beat you! Meeting adjourned!"

Wu Di was stunned, vaguely hearing Zhong Qi chasing after the old man for benefits. He had given away thirty million, and the old man waved his cane, scaring him like a rabbit. He then sidled up to Wu Di and laughed:

"Little Five, if you don't like the money, why come? I'm a bit short on cash these days."

Wu Di glared at him:

"No way!"

Then he moved to Zhong Qing, who was glaring at him, and tried to flatter her:

"Sister, where is your apartment? Can you take me to see it tomorrow?"

Zhong Qing's eyes narrowed, and her hand reached for Wu Di's ear:

"Now you want it, too late! You little brat, you dare to call me old and tell your brother-in-law I have a house? Do you want to die?"

Wu Di fled, shouting:

"Doudou, let's go, sleep with Uncle!"

That night, the old lady and the old man chatted in bed. The old lady smiled:

"I was overthinking it, testing him again."

"This time you can rest assured. This kid is just a bit slick from doing business and deliberately trying to please us, which made you suspicious. His character is fine. I, the wise fox, haven't lost my touch!"

"Just you being smug! Humph, tomorrow I'll take the money from this kid. He's not married and has no career, what does he need so much idle money for? Let me calculate: Zhong Qi gave him thirty million, the Second Machine Factory earned him 700,000, his original savings were 100,000, and the Construction Department gave him 100,000... Wow, he's a little tycoon! I'll take this money and invest it in the stock market! It will count as his filial piety to his mother!"