"Mingde is now the deputy section chief of the Metallurgical Bureau, in charge of production safety."

She emphasized the words "deputy section chief".

"That's why the bureau sent a car to take us back for a visit today."

Su Jianguo slowly put down the hammer and wiped his palm on his trouser leg.

"What's up?"

Su Jianguo's voice was very calm.

Su Mingde's smile froze for a moment, then he burst into exaggerated laughter.

He walked straight to the stone bench under the grape trellis, wiped himself repeatedly with a tissue before sitting down.

"I heard you sold your job, Dad, and went back to the countryside to farm? They say you're doing something like...vegetable greenhouses?"

He took out a gold-plated lighter and slowly lit a cigarette, without offering one to Su Jianguo.

"What? Are you getting worse with age? So pathetic."

Seeing that Su Jianguo remained silent and showed no intention of paying him any attention.

Su Mingde suddenly slammed the cigarette to the ground and stomped on it with his leather shoes.

"Old man!"

He suddenly stood up, knocking the stone bench away.

"When you kicked me out of the house, did you ever imagine this day would come?"

The curtain in the west wing moved slightly.

Su Yufen stood in the shadows, clutching the half-repaired clothes, her face deathly pale.

Su Yuzhen peeked out from behind her and was somewhat frightened when she saw her second brother like this.

Look at me now!

Su Mingde loosened his tie, revealing bloodshot eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses.

"I get a private car, everyone in the bureau treats me with utmost respect. Director Liu—oh, now I should call him father-in-law—is arranging for me to join the Party Committee next week!"

Liu Meijuan covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

"Mingde is the youngest deputy section-level cadre in the metallurgical system."

Su Jianguo gave a disdainful smile.

Because Liu Meijuan's father had lost his official position, she still expected people to treat her sincerely.

Su Jianguo was certain that the Liu family had some scheme against his second son.

However, he no longer cared; they had already separated and severed their father-son relationship.

Even if Su Mingde died outside, Su Jianguo wouldn't care.

This disdainful smile completely enraged Su Mingde.

"Old man!"

He overturned the tools on the stone table.

"Kneel down and beg me now, and maybe I'll acknowledge you as my father!"

Da Mao suddenly burst into tears, and Er Mao followed suit, sobbing.

Su Yufen rushed out and hugged the two children, but her eyes were fixed on the younger brother.

"Mingde! Have you gone mad?"

"Big sister, you have no right to speak here."

Liu Meijuan stood in front of Su Mingde.

"Besides, once Mingde becomes the bureau chief, a little bit of money slipping through his fingers will be enough for you to live on for a lifetime."

Upon hearing this, Su Mingde revealed a venomous smile.

"If you ask me, Dad, you shouldn't go back to the village to farm. Our bureau's logistics department happens to need someone to clean the toilets..."

"That's enough!"

Su Yuzhen rushed out of the side room, her braid half undone.

"Second brother, do you have any conscience? Have you forgotten who beat you so badly back then...?"

"Shut up!"

When Su Mingde was reminded of his painful past, he immediately slapped the hand, but it was intercepted in mid-air by a hand as strong as an iron clamp.

Su Jianguo had somehow appeared among them.

The father and son faced off.

Su Jianguo suppressed his anger, unable to lay a hand on anyone; the situation was different now than before.

Previously, when the father hit his son, it was to educate him. Even if things escalated, no matter where the commotion went, it was fine.

Things are different now; the family has separated, and the father-son relationship has been severed.

If Su Mingde were to be beaten up, Su Jianguo was certain that Liu Meijuan's family would use all their connections to get him imprisoned.

Liu Meijuan came here for the same purpose; she wanted to repay Fu Jianguo's family.

Fortunately, at that moment, a dull thud came from outside the door as a schoolbag hit the ground.

The third son, Su Mingfu, came home from school.

"Su Mingde!"

Su Mingfu stood at the door, his chest heaving violently.

"Try touching my dad again!"

The air froze.

Su Mingfu rushed forward and picked up the hammer that Su Jianguo had just used to repair farm tools.

Then, he stared intently at Su Mingde.

He seemed ready to strike at the slightest provocation.

Seeing this, Su Mingde felt somewhat afraid.

He broke free from Su Jianguo's hand and suddenly burst into a nervous laugh.

He took two steps back and pulled out a red-headed document from his briefcase, unfolding it.

"Third brother, you've come at the perfect time."

"Next month I'll be in charge of employee housing allocations, and I was originally planning to reserve a two-bedroom apartment for my family..."

He paused deliberately, observing the expressions on his family's faces.

"Now... I won't even feed you to the dogs!"

Liu Meijuan promptly took her husband's arm.

"Let's go, Mingde. What's the point of talking to these bumpkins?"

She dismissed Su Jianguo's family with disdain.

"A bunch of peasants, there will come a time when they kneel down and beg you..."

"roll."

Su Jianguo finally couldn't help but speak up.

Su Mingde straightened his tie and suddenly turned back before leaving.

"By the way, although we've severed our father-son relationship, I still want to remind you that from now on, when you're out and about, don't use my name. If I find out, you'll tarnish my reputation..."

He deliberately dragged out the tone.

"Don't blame me for being ruthless..."

The black sedan kicked up a cloud of dust.

The courtyard was eerily quiet, save for the sobs of Da Mao and Er Mao.

Loud laughter echoed from inside a black sedan outside the courtyard wall.

The hammer in Su Mingfu's hand clattered to the ground, and his eyes were bloodshot.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!