Chapter 241: Moving Problems
Zhang s.h.i.+ smiled, “Xiu’er, your mother has told me the about affair between you and your uncle. Grandma doesn’t blame you. Shangwen, he… he indeed has changed. Do you know what your grandpa hoped the most before dying?”
"What?" Tang Xiu’s smile slowly disappeared as he asked in a low voice.
“He hoped for Shangwen to go bankrupt,” said Zhang s.h.i.+ as she sighed.
Puzzled, Tang Xiu’s brows raised, "Why?”
“His disposition was good, he was gentle and polite to anyone when he had no money back then. But after he got rich, he offended the young and the elderly in the village. Furthermore, he hasn’t visited the village for three years. Your mother and you must have endured a lot of pain all these years in Star City. But he… Ohh!”
Upon hearing it, Tang Xiu’s heart warmed. However, he keenly felt his grandmother’s bitter feelings. After all, Su Shangwen was her biological son, how would she not want her son to be good?
After pondering for a short moment, Tang Xiu slowly said, “Grandma, let him stay in prison for a few years! When he’s been whetted sufficiently, able to turn a new leaf and become more humane, I’ll think of ways to get him out.”
Zhang s.h.i.+’s eyes suffused with excitement and silently nodded.
Tang Xiu spoke again, “Grandma, after I heal your legs, how about you come to Star City to live with us? Our family’s living conditions have gotten a lot better. Mom opened a restaurant and her business is very good. Although I just graduated and finished my CET, I also run some businesses and make a lot of money. You should come with us to enjoy your life in the future.”
Zhang s.h.i.+ laughed, “Xiu’er, Grandma thanks you for your filial piety. But grandma has to decline. My body is already halfway buried in the grave. If I were to go, wouldn’t I become more trouble for you? Let’s forget it! I’ve lived here for a lifetime, I’ll live here till the end of my days. Why should I toss myself blindly?”
Tang Xiu said, “Grandma, you still have me and you can still live quite long. Relax! Just come with us to Star City. You won’t trouble us. I myself have to go to study in Shanghai soon, so Mom will live alone there. If you go with us, you can also accompany her.”
“This…” with a bit of hesitation, Zhang s.h.i.+ looked at Su Lingyun who was full of antic.i.p.ation all over her face.
Su Lingyun quickly said, “Mom, I really don’t feel relieved leaving you here alone. Please listen to Xiu’er! Come with us to Star City. We mother and daughter can live together. Our conditions weren’t good in the past, but now it’s better. We also have a big villa and a big restaurant. Xiu’er also has a big company there.”
Zhang s.h.i.+ took a deep breath. She shook her head, “Little Yun, Xiu’er. Don’t urge me. I’ve been living here for years. I won’t get used to it if I changed the environment all of a sudden. Our village’s neighbors are good to me and they usually take care of the things when I got them. You take care of your life, you don’t need to worry about me.”
Su Lingyun’s expression turned grim. She knew her mother’s disposition very well. Once she made a decision, she probably wouldn’t change her mind even if her argument was solid.
Tang Xiu thought for a moment and said, “Grandma, since you really don’t want to go to Star City, you can stay here, but we should repair this house. I’ll take some money to rebuild the house. Furthermore, I’ll hire two nannies in Star City to stay here to accompany and look after of you.”
Zhang s.h.i.+ waved her hand, “No. I live here, there’s no need to rebuild the house. It will take a lot of money! Besides, I’m just a poor old lady, why would I need nannies to serve me? Although I’m old, my legs are still fast. I don’t need people to take care of me!”
Standing on the side, an astonished expression suffused in Chen Huiying’s eyes as she asked, “Lingyun, was what you said just now true? Your restaurant is flouris.h.i.+ng, you live in a big villa and Tang Xiu also has a company?”
Nodding, Su Lingyun said, “I’m telling the truth. The business has been good for the last two months. As for the villa and the company, it’s Xiu’er’s hard work.”
Chen Huiying’s expression when she looked at Tang Xiu was suddenly different. She recalled the car Tang Xiu used and felt that Su Lingyun didn’t lie to her.
Suddenly, Tang Xiu’s eyes turned bright. He looked at Chen Huiying and asked, “Second Aunt, can we have a chat outside?”
Chen Huiying replied with a confused expression, “Chat outside? Why do want to chat outside? If you want to tell me something, you can speak it here!”
“No.” Tang Xiu shook his head. “I need to tell you something private. I also told Big Brother Ben that I want to buy the herbs he collected. A special kind of gra.s.s was mixed with the gra.s.ses your family feed the sheep; this kind of gra.s.s is actually a very good medicinal herb.”
Chen Huiying hesitated for a moment. She then nodded and said, “Alright, then let’s talk outside.”
The two went to the courtyard. Then, Tang Xiu spoke, “Second Aunt, about that medicinal herb, I have already told Big Brother Ben. The gra.s.s is called Silver Dragon Gra.s.s. It’s 1,000 yuan each. I’ll buy them from you for any amount you sell me. But the reason I want to talk to you here outside is something else.”
Chen Huiying knew nothing about medicinal herbs, so she didn’t ask. Then, she replied, “OK. Tell me!”
“Second Aunt, you too know about grandma’s disposition. Since she doesn’t want to come with us to Star City, would you please look after her later?” said Tang Xiu.
Chen Huiying involuntary laughed, saying, “What are you talking about, kid? If we didn’t care about her, would we even take her to the county hospital? Don’t worry, kiddo! With us here, your grandma won’t have any trouble.”
Tang Xiu shook his head, “I didn’t mean it like that, Second Aunt. So to speak, how much money do you make from farming annually?”
“Huh?” Chen Huiying was puzzled, “Why are you asking about this?”
Tang Xiu said, “You’ll know it later, please answer me first.”
Chen Huiying hesitated for a moment. She silently calculated it. Then, she stretched out a finger and said, “Should be around 10,000 yuan? I have a lot of sheep and my family also have some fruit trees.”
Tang Xiu laughed, “What if I hire you to take care of grandma and give you 20,000 yuan annually? Are you willing?”
Chen Huiying knitted her brows, “Tang Xiu, why are you speaking such nonsense? Even if you don’t give me a dime, I’ll still take care of Auntie! Alright. I know what you meant. I a.s.sure you that as long as I can walk and stay healthy, I won’t let your grandma suffer hards.h.i.+ps.”
Tang Xiu raised his thumb up, saying, “Auntie, you’re a good person. If you don’t want to ask for money, I won’t insist. But firstly, I’ll still have to thank you.”
Chen Huiying patted Tang Xiu’s underarm as she smiled and cursed, “Little b.a.s.t.a.r.d, you’re like seeing me as an outsider.”
“Second Aunt, could you give me your bank account number?” asked Tang Xiu.
Chen Huiying stared blankly. Then, her face immediately turned cold and angrily said, “Tang Xiu, what’s the matter with you? Do you see your Second Aunt as someone greedy for money? If you do this again, I won’t care about your grandmother later.”
Tang Xiu quickly said, “Second Aunt, that’s not what I meant. Asking your bank account number, is indeed that I want to send you money. But it’s not for you, it’s for grandma. Please think! Wouldn’t you have to spend money for either her clothes, food and some other matters when you take care of her? I want to transfer 100,000 yuan to you to buy more clothes for grandma and for the food she wants to eat. When the money has been spent, you can call me and I’ll send more money.”
100,000 yuan?
Chen Huiying’s heartbeat accelerated. But after several seconds, she shook her head and said, “Tang Xiu, I really don’t want this money. Otherwise, everyone in our village will point at my back and scold me. As for her welfare, you don’t need to worry. Our family won’t let your grandma suffer hunger and cold. I give you my word, your Second Aunt will take care of your grandma’s welfare.”
Tang Xiu forced out a smile. After hesitating for a moment, he then said with a helpless expression, “Since Second Aunt really doesn’t want the money, then let’s forget it. But you have to let Big Brother Ben go with me!”
“Go with you? Didn’t you say you’ll go study in Shanghai soon? Little Ben only knows how to farm and build houses. What would he do there?” Puzzled, Chen Huiying asked.
Tang Xiu said, “I’ll arrange a decent work and good salary for him. If he works diligently and earnestly, I a.s.sure you that he will have the money to buy a house in Star City within several years. I think you also hope for Big Brother Ben to be successful and get out of our small village, don’t you?”
Chen Huiying’s eyes turned bright.
Tang Xiu’s words truly represented what was inside her heart. Her family didn’t have much money and her son was unskilled. It was the reason for him not marrying, since they couldn’t afford to build a new house. When she saw the other youngsters of the same age, they all live in new houses, are married, and even had children several years old. This was also the cause of her unceasing worries.
“Tang Xiu, you really… can you really arrange a job for Little Ben that has decent income?” asked Chen Huiying. She was somewhat unconvinced.
“Don’t worry, Second Auntie! As long as he works hard, he will certainly make a lot of money in the future. But I’ll take him to work in my company. It won’t be a problem to give him a wage of nearly 10,000 yuan a month.”
Chen Huiying clapped and said with excitement, “Alright then. I’ll have to thank you for it. And I… I’ll certainly take a good care of your grandmother. I’ll regard her as my mother-in-law and take care of her.”
Tang Xiu finally felt relieved upon hearing Chen Huiying’s promise. He then said with a smile, “Second Aunt, you must never tell others about our conversation, including Big Brother Ben.”
Chen Huiying nodded heavily, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll keep it rotten in my stomach.”
“Tang Xiu, I got them!”
As they finished chatting, Su Ben rushed in a hurry toward them. He also raised a small box in his hand as he shouted. Behind him, the village chief, carrying his over 70 years old body, Su Changhe slightly ran to follow him.