bayedsolid Chapter 57 Old Master Wen's Thoughts
Chapter 57 Old Master Wen's Thoughts
"Second son, Dad regrets it. Let's keep kissing, okay?" Old Master Wen said, lowering his tone.
If he had known his eldest son was a useless piece of trash, he wouldn't have hurt his younger son's feelings for him. Now, he could only gamble on whether his younger son would soften towards him and his wife.
Wen Zhihua was robbed several times during his escape from famine, and he was always the victim. In order to settle down in Xinghua Village, he gave some money to the officials, and the money he spent on building a house and buying land left him with nothing.
Nowadays, Wen Zhihua and his wife's family of three are all supported by their savings for their funerals. Neither Wen Zhihua nor Wen Zicai knows anything about farming.
He was old and frail and didn't want to work in the fields. His only support was his youngest son, and he couldn't sever ties with him. He had to win his son back today.
Grandpa Wen gave Grandma Wen a look, and upon receiving the instruction, Grandma Wen rushed forward and hugged Wen Dashan, sobbing and crying:
"Second son, your wife hasn't come back, and there's no one to take care of you. It breaks my heart. I want to live with you and take care of you!"
Her capable grandson and his wife died on the road during their escape from famine, and her two-year-old great-grandson also died, leaving her to care for three lazy people. How foolish must she be to continue working like a slave in Wen Zhihua's household?
Old Mrs. Wen put on a great show of maternal love, and at the end, she recounted Wen Dashan's childhood bedwetting incident several times.
Grandpa Wen patiently cooperated, advising Grandma Wen and then gently lecturing Wen Dashan.
Only when Wen Dashan could no longer tolerate it and called for a stop did the old man and his wife cease their performance.
"Father, Mother, you should go back first. I'll think about severing ties with your father," Wen Dashan said coldly.
Grandpa Wen was very good at reading people's expressions. He understood the subtle affection for his wife that was hidden beneath Wen Dashan's cold face, so he said with a smile, "Old woman, don't cry. Second son promised to take us in. We'll stay at your home."
He originally intended to say "pick us up," but then, remembering his eldest son's family standing nearby watching the show, he changed "two" to "them."
We must keep the eldest son and his family of three at bay until the two old folks move into a big brick house before we can completely break ties with them.
Grandpa Wen, without changing his expression, gestured for his wife and Wen Zhihua's family to leave.
"Wait," Wen Dashan said coldly, then whispered to Yang to go to the kitchen and get a piece of pork belly and a slaughtered old hen.
Sigh, they are still his own parents. Even though they are no longer related, Wen Dashan still can't bring himself to ignore them.
"Grandpa, are you planning to bring Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma to live with us?" Wen Yuxia wasn't a child at all; she saw through Grandpa Wen's scheming and the filial affection on Wen Dashan's face.
With mixed feelings, Wen Dashan asked, "Would you agree to let me bring them to live with us?"
Having been neglected by his parents since childhood, he longed for their love and care. The moment his elderly mother hugged him, his whole body trembled with excitement, and the words "I agree to let my parents move in with me" almost escaped his lips.
Fortunately, at the crucial moment, he remembered that the owner of this house was Wen Yunhong, and the person who funded the construction and housewarming party was Wen Yuxia. Without their consent, he was not entitled to invite his parents to live at his home.
Wen Yuxia smiled calmly. Although the house was registered under Wen Yunhong's name, neither she nor Wen Yunhong would live in Xinghua Village permanently. Therefore, whoever Wen Dashan let move in wouldn't affect the two siblings.
"Grandpa, don't worry about Hong'er and me. Just follow your heart. Whether Great-Grandpa and the others move in or not is up to you."
Tears streamed down Wen Dashan's face as he choked out, "Grandpa has never enjoyed the love of his parents since he was a child. Grandpa wants them to move in."
"Okay, let Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma move in!" Wen Yuxia said readily.
Wen Zibo hesitated for a moment before saying, "Dad, I don't object to Grandpa and Grandma moving in, but the severance agreement cannot be torn up."
The letter severing ties bears the signatures of Wen Dashan's family, Mr. and Mrs. Wen, Wen Zhihua's family, and witnesses Yang, the village head, and Ding, and is stamped with the official seal of the county government.
If Grandpa Wen and his wife cause trouble, Wen Zibai could kick them out of the house at any time with the letter of severance. Wen Zibai was worried about leaving the letter with Wen Dashan, so he suggested giving it to Wen Yuxia.
"Alright, give the letter of severance to Daya," Wen Dashan got up, went to the room, retrieved the letter, and handed it to Wen Yuxia.
Wen Yuxia said with a smile, "It's settled then that Great-Grandpa and the others are coming to stay. Now let's talk about my eldest cousin's schooling."
"Da Ya, are you really going to send them to school?" Before Wen Yuxia could answer, Madam Yang turned to Wen Yunhai and the others and said, "Hai'er, your Da Ya is going to send you to school. You four brothers must remember this kindness. From now on, if anyone dares to treat Da Ya badly, I will not let them off easily."
After Wen Zisong's death, she had to support her four young sons. If it weren't for Wen Yuxia's financial support and Wen Dashan and his son's labor, the widow and her children wouldn't even have enough to eat, let alone live in a large brick house.
Wen Yuxia had mentioned at the disaster relief site that she would pay for the men in her family to attend school. It was initially thought to be just a casual remark, but unexpectedly, Wen Yuxia brought it up again today.
Mrs. Yang believed this was an opportunity to change her sons' fate, and she was determined to help them seize it, even if it meant swallowing her pride.
Wen Zibo and Wen Zihua were both too shy to ask directly who would pay for their tuition, so they could only look expectantly at Wen Yuxia, waiting for her to answer Yang's question.
Wen Yuxia calmly said, "I asked Uncle Village Chief today, and he said there are two teachers in the village. I will pay their tuition, and Grandpa will decide which teacher I study with."
Tuition fees in the village are cheap. If someone has a talent for studying, they can go to the county town for further education after two years. If they don't have a talent, it shouldn't be difficult for them to find a job in the county town after two years if they can write and calculate.
Apart from the youngest, Wen Yunyang and Wen Yunyu, there are eight children who can go to school. Could it be that Wen Yuxia intends to send them all to school?
Wen Dashan asked uncertainly, "Da Ya, all eight of you are going to school. The tuition for a year is sixteen taels of silver. Are you sure you want to send them all to school?"
“Hong’er is coming back to the county town with me. My eldest cousin and the other seven are going to school. Grandpa, I’m leaving your tuition fees for the next two years here,” Wen Yuxia said, placing twenty-eight taels of silver on the table to put everyone at ease.
"Hong'er isn't going to school?" Wen Dashan asked, somewhat displeased.
"Yes,"
How could the siblings, who lived in the county town, possibly go to Xinghua Village to study? Wen Yunhong's first private school, Wen Yuxia, had already been chosen for him, located in the south of the town.