Free Web NovelChapter 721: Chapter 691: Self-Awareness
After Xu Chunliang saw off all the guests, it was already three-thirty in the afternoon. Mei Ru Xue called again to tell him that his grandfather had arrived home and asked when he would return, offering to come and pick him up.
Xu Chunliang said he was leaving right away and told Mei Ru Xue not to bother coming to pick him up. She had been busy these past few days and should take a break.
Lu Qi hadn’t left yet, so it was just right for him to give Xu Chunliang a ride.
Lu Qi looked at Xu Chunliang, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. Xu Chunliang guessed what he wanted to ask and smiled, "How’s the wedding preparation going?"
Lu Qi smiled, a bit embarrassed, "I didn’t feel right bringing it up since you were busy." Today, the Xu Family was holding a funeral, and it wasn’t the right time to discuss this matter.
Xu Chunliang said, "The event is over now. Don’t worry, I will surely arrange everything properly with Su Qing."
Lu Qi said, "There’s nothing to worry about; Su Qing agreed very readily."
Xu Chunliang nodded, "I need your help with something. This morning, the Jizhou police took Zhou Yi Wu away. Can you find out why he was taken?"
Lu Qi said, "No problem, I’ll take care of it later." Then he lowered his voice and asked, "Could it be related to Mr. Zhou’s case?"
Xu Chunliang sighed, and Lu Qi immediately understood and angrily said, "If it really is related to him, this guy is simply heartless."
Xu Chunliang said, "My great-uncle wanted to sever ties with the two brothers before he passed. I suspect that my great-uncle recognized him but out of father-son sentiment, didn’t expose him."
Lu Qi silently thought to himself that although this was a Xu Family affair, Zhou Yi Wu might have broken the law, which is absolutely intolerable.
Lu Qi took Xu Chunliang to the gate of Hidden Lake Villa, where Xu Chunliang told him not to drive inside. He got out of the car and saw his aunt’s family dragging their luggage, ready to leave. His cousins were pressured to come to the funeral and their reluctance was clear from their expressions.
Xu Chunliang greeted them and wondered why no car was arranged to take them to the train station.
Xu Jia’an said, "I didn’t ask for one. It’s easy to get a taxi, and there’s a subway station just a few steps away. We didn’t bring much stuff."
His cousin Liang Linan said, "Everyone’s tired; we’ll go by ourselves."
His cousin Liang Lixin impatiently urged, "Hurry up. I have work tomorrow and have already wasted a lot of time."
Xu Chunliang wasn’t fond of hearing that, "Oh, cousin, I forgot that your time is precious. Actually, I didn’t intend to inform you about this. I planned for the Xu Family to handle it quietly, but Grandpa insisted."
Listening to the tone, Xu Jia’an already sensed his nephew’s displeasure, so she quickly tried to smooth things over, "Even if I’m busy, I have to come. This is my maternal home."
Liang Lixin said crossly, "Next time, go by yourself."
Xu Jia’an’s face turned red; her daughter’s words were like undermining her in public.
Xu Chunliang said, "Aunt, I won’t see you off then. Have a safe trip." He had long been disenchanted with his aunt’s family and couldn’t be bothered to hide it anymore.
Liang Linan hailed a taxi. Xu Jia’an was the last to get in. She looked at her nephew, wanting to say something, but after hesitating for a long time, all she said was, "Take good care of your grandpa."
Xu Chunliang smiled, "No need to trouble yourself, Aunt."
Xu Jia’an felt her face burning. She sensed her nephew’s displeasure, and even her father’s attitude towards her this time wasn’t good; she quickly got into the car.
After the car drove away, Liang Lixin complained, "Look at him, as if he’s some big shot, just because he got a minor official position, he’s acting all high and mighty."
Liang Linan said, "I’ve noticed too, the kid’s getting a bit full of himself..."
Suddenly, Xu Jia’an exploded, "What kind of talk is that? Look at yourselves, are you behaving like elder siblings? It’s my uncle who passed away, and Chunliang has been attending to everything for the funeral. Yes, I’m part of the Liang Family now, but do you ever respect me as your mother? Whenever something happens in my maternal family, you act as if it’s none of your business. Do you even have any family affection left in you?"
Liang Linan and Liang Lixin exchanged glances, puzzled about why their mother was suddenly angry.
Liang Lixin said, "Mom, don’t be mad; we never even met this uncle of yours..."
"Have you met your grandfather? Do you still think of him?" Xu Jia’an’s grievances and heartache flooded out as she suddenly screamed, "Stop the car! Stop the car!"
The driver was startled and slammed on the brakes, pulling the car over. Xu Jia’an pushed open the car door and got out.
Her two children hurriedly followed her out. Liang Linan said, "Mom, what are you doing?"
Xu Jia’an’s emotions were still high. "You go; don’t let me hold you back from your work and careers. From now on, I won’t trouble you Liang’s for anything related to my maternal family."
Liang Lixin said, "Mom, you’re being unreasonable. What did we say?"
Liang Linan said, "Exactly, we came all the way here. What are you unsatisfied with?"
Xu Jia’an said, "He’s getting full of himself? Acting all high and mighty? Why don’t you look at yourselves? The two of you together can’t even compare to my nephew."
Liang Linan and Liang Lixin, the brother and sister, flushed red with embarrassment. How much shock had their mother received to compare them to Xu Chunliang? Xu Chunliang hadn’t even been to college, how could he be compared to them? Even if Xu Chunliang was doing okay in Dongzhou, Dongzhou is just a third-tier city, how could it compare to Hu Hai?
Liang Linan said, "Mom, stop it, let’s get in the car, or we’ll miss the high-speed train."
Xu Jia’an said, "I’m not going back, you guys go!" As soon as she turned around, tears started flowing. These children used to be her pride, but now her pride and joy were shattered and trampled repeatedly by reality. What good is a high education? A higher degree doesn’t equate to higher morals, and the more educated a child is, the colder and more selfish they become. Especially in the past couple of years, all she felt from them was indifference and selfishness.
Raising them with all the hardships wasn’t for them to become like this. Xu Jia’an thought of her father. Wouldn’t her father be just as disappointed with her actions? She had devoted all her efforts to her family but neglected her father’s feelings. Retribution, perhaps this was retribution.
Liang Linan gave a look, signaling his sister to chase after her, but Liang Lixin indicated for him to go. The siblings watched their mother’s figure walk further away, and Liang Lixin said, "It’s too late, maybe let mom stay here a few more days to calm down."
Liang Linan said, "Is mom going through menopause recently?"
Liang Lixin actually thought the same, sighing, "She should try to see things from our perspective."
"Forget it, mom has it tough enough, let’s not fuss with her."
Just after Xu Chunliang returned home, Xu Jia’an arrived. Her eyes were red, clearly just having cried, and she went upstairs without saying much. Coincidentally, Xu Jiawen and their daughter weren’t home, only Mei Ru Xue was there, so Xu Chunliang asked her to follow upstairs to check.
Xu Jiaxuan had just put the old man to sleep and came out to see the empty living room, and asked in surprise, "Where is everyone?"
Xu Chunliang said, "Little aunt took Zhen Chun shopping, big aunt just went upstairs, Xiaoxue went with her."
Xu Jiaxuan instinctively took out a pack of cigarettes but hesitated under his son’s sharp gaze and put it back sheepishly, coughing, "I’ll go out for a smoke." Deep down, he was somewhat afraid of his son. There aren’t many fathers who fear their sons, but he was one of them.
Xu Jiaxuan went to the yard and lit a cigarette, and just after the first puff, Xu Chunliang appeared, prompting Xu Jiaxuan to quickly say, "I’m not smoking inside."
Xu Chunliang said, "You bought the house; you certainly have the right to smoke inside."
Xu Jiaxuan chuckled, realizing he had forgotten this fact.
Xu Chunliang asked, "Where did you take Grandpa today?"
Xu Jiaxuan shared with Xu Chunliang what happened that day. Xu Chunliang had already guessed that Zhou Renhe had told Grandpa some things before passing.
Xu Jiaxuan asked, "Did you already know, you brat?"
Xu Chunliang sighed, "That Huang Youlong is no good. The mastermind behind framing and incriminating Grandpa might just be him."
Xu Jiaxuan asked, "Why does he have such a grudge against our Xu Family?"
Only then did Xu Chunliang recount everything from the start. Xu Jiaxuan’s expression grew graver as he listened. If his son hadn’t told him, he wouldn’t have figured out the enmity between the families. He had always thought his aunt had died for love, but now he knew she was murdered. After hearing it all, Xu Jiaxuan complained, "Why didn’t you tell me sooner?"
Xu Chunliang said, "I haven’t known about it for long either. Great Uncle didn’t want to make it public. Since Aunt has been gone for so long, he doesn’t want her name to be sullied again."
Xu Jiaxuan frowned, thinking to himself that this might just become a cold case.
Xu Chunliang didn’t tell him that Zhou Renhe had poisoned and wiped out the entire Huang Family in revenge.
Xu Jiaxuan said, "If Huang Youlong has decided that our Xu Family is his enemy, he’ll surely look to retaliate."
Xu Chunliang said, "I won’t give him the chance."
"What are you planning? Don’t do anything rash, you brat," Xu Jiaxuan expressed his concern genuinely. After all, it’s his own son.
Xu Chunliang said, "You don’t need to worry about it; just leave things to me. You can’t manage it."
Xu Jiaxuan said, "Do you look down on people? I’m your father."
Xu Chunliang said, "So what? In this world, there’s no shortage of fathers who deceive their sons."
Xu Jiaxuan refused to back down, "There are more sons who deceive their fathers."
Xu Chunliang nodded at him with a smile, "Right, at least you’re self-aware."
Only then did Xu Jiaxuan realize he had trapped himself in his own words, getting somewhat indignant, "Can’t you show me more respect? I’m just trying to help solve the problem."
Xu Chunliang said, "What can you help with? I know you have some money, but there are many things in this world that money can’t solve. Stop worrying; I can handle the Xu Family’s issues."
Xu Jiaxuan said, "I’m just trying to help."
Life has been dizzy recently, and only realized today is the first. Posting a new Chapter, shamelessly asking for some guaranteed monthly votes. By the 3rd, my son’s application process will be completed, and I’ll focus on writing!
