Chapter 616 It really is Mom...

Grandma Su glanced at him, hummed in agreement, and said, "I know you're taking care of me in my old age because of our blood relation. I didn't help your mother or take care of you when you were little. You don't say it out loud, but you all resent me. I'm not stupid, but I'm easygoing. As long as I have food, drink, and company, that's enough. I don't need you to come to me until I'm lying in a hospital bed..."

That was a very eloquent way of putting it.

The siblings all glanced at the old lady, and Su Lao Er let out a soft snort.

Su Laosan exclaimed in amazement, "Grandma, if you had been so enlightened a few years ago, and helped my mother out and looked after us, we... would have treated you like an ancestor, and come to pay our respects to you three times a day."

Grandma Su's face immediately darkened.

"Alright, you can leave now that you've dropped them off. Remember to bring me something during holidays and festivals, so people know you're taking care of me. Also, remember to pay the helper, I don't have any money for her. And the rent for this yard, and..."

Grandma Su licked her lips, a little embarrassed, and glanced at her three sons, Su the eldest, Su the second, and Su the third. "Your father is gone, so I can't get his pension anymore. Could you... give me a hundred or two hundred yuan a month? I'm thinking that when I'm chatting with people, it's not appropriate to keep eating other people's sunflower seeds..."

Towards the end, she felt ashamed and waved her hand, "Forget it, forget it. I took your dad's retirement money for several years. If I'm careful with it, it'll be enough for me until I die."

The three brothers exchanged a glance, watched as Grandma Su hobbled into the yard with her bound feet, waved to them, and slammed the yard gate shut with a bang as if chasing them away.

Su Laosan shrugged and looked at Su Hongmei, "Where are you going? I'll see you off."

Su Hongmei shook her head.

“I’m going to the auto parts factory area. The factory paid for my books and tuition in high school and college. I saved up some money and talked to the factory manager’s secretary to pay it back in the next few days. I just happened to be here today, so I’m going to pay it back.”

"Huh?"

Su Laosan was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Su Laoda and asked him, "Brother, I remember that you gave the factory the money for those books and tuition, and then the factory transferred it to her, right?"

"It wasn't me."

Boss Su shook his head and denied it, "When I went to find the factory manager, his secretary told me that someone had already paid for it. I thought it was you, and I was about to ask you again, but wasn't it you?"

The two brothers looked at each other in bewilderment.

"It's neither you nor me, then..."

Su Laosan turned his head to look at Su Laoer.

Su Lao Er crossed his arms, glanced at the two of them, and shook his head. "Don't look at me, it wasn't me. I didn't lift a finger from beginning to end."

The three of them looked at Su Hongmei together.

Su Hongmei was dumbfounded.

He asked blankly, "Isn't it at the factory?"

"no."

Old Master Su said, "I remember it very clearly. The factory director's secretary conveyed the message that someone had already covered your tuition and books. As long as you could pass the exams, they would cover your high school tuition and books, and if you passed university, they would cover your university tuition and books. I would check in advance every year to make sure that they had covered the money. They also left a message for the factory saying that as long as you were willing to continue taking the exams, they would support you until you stopped studying..."

Su Hongmei opened her mouth, looked at the three brothers, and murmured, "Then who could it be?"

Her lips trembled, as if an answer was about to emerge from the depths of her heart.

Su Laosan and Su Laoda exchanged a glance.

If it wasn't them, if it wasn't the second brother/second son, who else in the family would have quietly paid this money?

Moreover, he did not expect anything in return and kept Su Hongmei from knowing.

"Big brother, third brother..."

Su Hongmei's eyes were a little red, and her lips trembled a few times before she continued, "Could it be..."

"Let's go ask them together."

Su Laosan swallowed hard, then turned and strode toward the car.

"Okay, let's go together." Boss Su turned around, walked over, and got into the car.

Su Lao Er glanced at Su Hongmei, "Aren't you coming?"

Su Hongmei sniffed, hummed twice, and followed Su Lao Er into the car.

The car left the residential area and soon arrived at the auto parts factory area.

After registering as visitors at the factory gate, the security guard called the secretary's office. When the four siblings arrived at the office building, the factory manager's secretary was already waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs.

The factory director's secretary has been replaced, but he is still a factory worker and lives in the family quarters. He knows a few of the siblings.

It was also clear that he had received instructions from his previous secretary.

Seeing the siblings come together, and hearing Su Hongmei talk about the cost of her books and tuition in high school and university, he immediately smiled.

"You've come at the perfect time. I received your call a few days ago saying you were coming to the factory to pay back the money. The factory manager and I have been keeping an eye out for you every day before and after get off work. I just received a call from the security guard. I've already spoken to the factory manager, and he said he wants you to come to his office so he can explain things to you. It would be even better if you came together. Let's go."

"Thank you, you've gone to so much trouble," Su Hongmei said.

The factory manager's secretary smiled and waved his hand, "It's just passing through our hands. It's a good deed of helping others, how can it be considered troublesome?"

"...You know who paid for it, right?"

Su Laosan wanted to inquire beforehand, but the factory director's secretary glanced at him, smiled, and pointed to the door of the factory director's office, saying, "I'm only responsible for taking people there. The answers you want are all with the factory director."

'knock knock'

Upon reaching the office door, the factory manager's secretary raised his hand and knocked. Hearing a "come in" from inside, he opened the door and went in.

"Factory manager, the people have been brought in. They were just asking me who the person who paid them is..."

He stepped aside, revealing the four siblings behind him.

The factory manager smiled and waved, "Come in! It's truly remarkable that you all have achieved what you have. I heard from the secretary that Hongmei, you got into the National Library. Congratulations! It's all worth it for those who have paid for your books and tuition these past few years and encouraged you to study hard!"

"Uncle Factory Manager, is it true that the factory didn't pay for my school books and tuition?"

Su Hongmei pursed her slightly dry lips, "That is..."

The factory manager shook his head. "No, someone sent money to the factory, asking us to subsidize you in the factory's name, but actually..."

He smiled, opened the drawer, took out a thick envelope, placed it on the table, and pushed it over.

"Here are the receipts the factory kept from each time they collected money. Take a look."

Su Hongmei picked at her fingers, feeling a mix of trepidation and reluctance to approach.

"I'll do it."

Upon seeing this, Su Laosan frowned, took three steps in two, walked over, opened the envelope, and pulled out a stack of receipts.

The receipts clearly record every book and tuition fee from junior high school to high school and university. They bear the signature of the previous factory manager's secretary and the factory's stamp.

There is also Li Banxia's signature.

Looking at the blurred name "Li Banxia" due to the passage of time, Su Laosan turned to Su Laoda and said, "Big brother, it really is Mom..."