Free Web NovelChapter 430: Chapter 426: With a Condition
Li Zhi had a very good impression of Feng Ling, mainly because he admired her as a person. It wasn’t entirely because of her looks. As for appearances, Feng Ling wasn’t the most beautiful; that girl, Lili, from before was prettier than her. But Lili’s character was no match for Feng Ling’s. He felt he admired Feng Ling in the same way he had once admired Gu’er, even though Gu’er and Feng Ling were two completely different types of people.
"Feng Ling, hear me out. You and Grandpa Guan won’t be staying at my place for free. I have one condition."
The moment Li Zhi spoke, everyone in the room turned to him—everyone except Gu’er. She had been watching Feng Ling the whole time and saw the color drain from her face. Feng Ling’s hands clenched into tight fists, and a frighteningly intense mixture of fear, hatred, and disgust flashed in her eyes.
’This Feng Ling has definitely been through something,’ Gu’er thought. ’Something that left a deep impression on her, something she fears and detests. What on earth could it be?’
"Don’t get me wrong, don’t get me wrong! That’s not what I meant," Li Zhi said hastily. "I’m a single guy, and you know I hate cleaning. My house is huge, and when I’m living there by myself, I just clean up whenever I feel like it, so a bit of a mess is no big deal. What I was thinking is, if Grandpa Guan and Feng Ling move in, maybe Feng Ling could help tidy up in her spare time? You wouldn’t have to cook, since we usually eat here. But the house is big, and cleaning it is a lot of work. It’s pretty exhausting. So, how about Feng Ling helps with the chores as rent? Would that work?"
Li Zhi rushed to explain his condition, afraid they would mistake him for a pervert.
Gu’er watched as Feng Ling’s expression softened. Her fists slowly unclenched, and the look of fear and hatred in her eyes faded away, returning to normal.
"The chores are no problem. Our Feng Ling is very capable," Guan Yicai said. "But your house is so nice. Even with us helping out, it wouldn’t be enough to cover the rent."
Guan Yicai had stayed at Li Zhi’s place the night before, so he knew how big and well-furnished it was. Like the Sun Family’s home, it was full of things he’d never even seen before. ’How much would rent for a house like that cost? Just cleaning up could never be enough.’
"Grandpa, listen to you," Li Zhi said sincerely. "If Feng Ling is willing, she’ll be doing me a huge favor. You have no idea what a pain it is for me to clean that place. It’s not a man’s job. I’ve thought about hiring help, but I can’t find the right person. Besides, I’m not comfortable letting a stranger into my home, you know? If you two agree, you’ll be saving me a world of trouble. Please, just think of it as doing me a favor."
Li Zhi sounded very sincere.
Gu’er smiled to herself. Li Zhi’s words were half-truth, half-fib. It was true that he hated cleaning. Back when his sister, Li Ting, was living with him, she was lazy too, so Aunt Zhao would often go over to help tidy up. In return, Li Zhi always made sure to treat Aunt Zhao well, frequently giving her little gifts and buying things for the Zhao family’s children. The real reason he was phrasing it this way was simply to convince Grandpa Guan and Guan Fengling to stay.
"Well... Feng Ling, what do you think?" Guan Yicai asked his granddaughter.
A flicker of conflict crossed Guan Fengling’s eyes. ’Honestly, I don’t want to live here,’ she thought, ’in a strange man’s house. He seems nice, but... but whenever I remember... my heart just trembles.’ She shivered. ’If we leave and go to that employee dormitory... I just heard there are several men living there. Even with Grandpa around, I’d be terrified. It would be just like when we were renting before. Every night, I’d have to barricade the door and sleep with a kitchen knife by my bed. We were lucky nothing happened then, but who can guarantee our luck will hold out? Compared to the dorm, this place is safer. At least there are more people, and everyone seems decent.’
’Besides,’ she continued to herself, ’I can tell Grandpa doesn’t want to leave. He and Grandma Sun seem to have so much to talk about. So, should we stay?’
"Grandpa, let’s accept Brother Li’s offer," Feng Ling said, her decision made. "I know he’s just trying to help us. In the future, when I’m able, I’ll repay the kindness of Brother Li, Grandma Sun, and Big Brother and Sister-in-law."
"Good, good. Thank you, young Li."
Guan Yicai felt a deep sense of relief. He could stay here, chat with Jinxiu when he had time, and no longer had to worry about his granddaughter being homeless or hungry. He was overjoyed.
And so, the matter of where Guan Yicai and Feng Ling would live was settled. As for a job, Feng Ling insisted on finding one on her own, and the others didn’t press the issue.
After lunch, Guan Fengling left, saying she was going to look for work.
No one tried to stop her. They figured that in her position, she was eager to find a job and start earning money right away. After all, no one wants to be a freeloader. Some people feel entitled to help, but for others, being indebted to someone is an immense psychological burden. So, they let her have her freedom and do what she felt she needed to do.
Li Zhi offered to give her a ride, but she refused, and he didn’t push it. Instead, Gu’er sent him to the mall with Guan Yicai to buy some new clothes and shoes for both the grandfather and granddaughter. Li Zhi was more than happy to go.
Marina and Dingzi went out as well, leaving Grandma Sun, Grandma Dingzi, and Guan Yicai to chat in the room.
Gu’er listened in silence as they reminisced about the old days.
"Grandpa Guan," Gu’er began, "could you tell us a bit about your family? Feng Ling seems like such a good girl. You said that you brought ruin upon your family with your opium addiction and that they cast you out. When Feng Ling left with you, didn’t her parents miss her? Have they never looked for you?"
Gu’er asked Guan Yicai this because she was incredibly curious about Feng Ling. The night before, she hadn’t felt the need to pry, thinking their lives wouldn’t intersect much. She generally avoided digging into other people’s stories. But now that Feng Ling was going to be living nearby and Li Zhi was clearly developing feelings for her, Gu’er felt she had to understand the girl’s background.
"Sigh... That girl, Feng Ling, has had a bitter life," Guan Yicai lamented.
With a heavy sigh, Guan Yicai began his tale.
As Guan Yicai spoke, Gu’er began to understand. The Guan Family’s history was indeed very complicated. In his youth, Guan Yicai had taken a wife, with whom he had one son. But he had other women besides his wife. He also had two maids from his household who served as his concubines.
After his wife passed away, he never remarried. As for his two concubines, one was eventually married off to someone else, while the other remained by his side, bearing him two more sons and a daughter.
Feng Ling’s father was one of the sons born to that maid. He was a quiet, simple man and held no status within the family. Feng Ling’s mother was a woman from a brothel. She had been very beautiful, but as she aged, she could no longer earn much money and was eventually sold.
Feng Ling’s father happened to come across her and brought her home. Because she was beautiful and didn’t seem to be a cunning person, he decided to marry her. The Guan Family raised a huge uproar about it at the time, but Feng Ling’s father stood his ground, and Guan Yicai eventually let him have his way.
Feng Ling’s mother had died of an illness when Feng Ling was five, and her father passed away when she was twelve, leaving her effectively an orphan. As for her paternal grandmother—the maid—she had also died long ago. The remaining sons in the family were Feng Ling’s uncles, and they did not treat her well. That was why, when she and Guan Yicai left, no one from the family came looking for them.
