Chen Wei completely shed the honesty he pretended to show in front of ordinary people, becoming aggressive and shameless. Seeing Guan Lian speechless, he felt a surge of pleasure. He wanted to see what choice she would make this time.

"You don't care about them at all. There aren't enough egg tickets for the two kids. When have you ever given them any? They're growing and need to eat meat. Their clothes are getting smaller every year. When have you ever taken care of that?"

You're a hands-off manager at home, handing all the money over to your mother. She takes the money and gambles with it, preferring to buy snacks for her card-playing friends rather than share a single penny with your two grandsons.

When I was a kid, I drooled when I saw this, and your mom saw me and scolded me for being shameless, saying I'd never seen anything good before. You don't even know these things?

You know Chen Wei better than anyone else, so what did you say?

Guan Lian felt sorry for her children. Although she didn't have enough money, she still gritted her teeth and went to the supply and marketing station to buy them snacks. Her mother-in-law saw this and made sarcastic remarks.

"I was wondering why my grandson is so stingy. It's all because of you, his mother, who spoils him. He just stares at a few snacks with longing eyes. People who don't know better would think we're starving or depriving them of food and drink. It's shameful!"

She controlled her son's salary and always pretended to be generous in public. When there were no games to play, she would secretly go out and have private meals.

For several years, the grain rations were so low that the individual supply was simply not enough to eat, let alone with two children to support. Guan Lian had no choice but to use the money to buy expensive grain on the black market, but even that wasn't enough.

But she noticed that her mother-in-law often had crumbs of cookies in her pockets.

She wanted Chen Wei to give her his salary so she could have more money to spend each month, but her mother-in-law immediately flew into a rage, saying that she was eyeing her son's money.

Chen Wei kept trying to smooth things over, so what could she do? She could only grit her teeth and save every penny she could, keeping all the food she earned at her parents' house, and only cooking for herself and her two children at home.

The mother and son argued with her many times, and in the end, they had no choice but to give her ten yuan a month, euphemistically called a food allowance.

Guan Lian took the child outside, wiped away her tears, went home, closed the door, and had a big argument with her.

If the neighbors hadn't heard the noise and come out, Guan Lian might have even fought with him that day. When Chen Wei returned home, his own mother complained to him, and he felt ashamed with a dark face.

"Why make a fuss over something so trivial? It'll only make us a laughingstock among the neighbors!"

"Look at this joke! We've been a joke for a long time! You have to use your salary to support your child."

"Don't we give you money every month? How much do you want? How much can the two of them eat? Your salary alone is more than enough!"

"They just can't stand seeing me have money!"

When Chen Wei heard her bring up past grievances again, he stubbornly refused to answer.

Guan Lian felt like she wanted to pounce on him and bite him when she saw him like that; she always did.

"In ancient times, during famines, people were willing to kill their sons to feed their mothers so they wouldn't go hungry. What's wrong with me being filial to my mother?"

She was completely disappointed in Chen Wei because of those words.

But I never expected him to be so shameless. He clearly doesn't care about the two children, but he insists on keeping them by his side just to blackmail her.

"Alright, I can't explain the past to you. Anyway, I'll take care of one child each, and I'll need someone to take care of me in my old age!"

Aunt Tian and Song Qing stood aside, looking at Guan Lian with heartache, but they didn't know what to do about this matter involving the child.

"No, you don't care about them at all. It's best if they stay with me!"

"That's not fair. If you won't let me take one with me, I'm not leaving. Your factory has to take responsibility."

Director Zhang rushed over from his office after hearing the news. After understanding the situation, he patiently tried to persuade Chen Wei, but Chen Wei had finally found a breakthrough and was not about to leave.

"Boss, we originally agreed that each of us would take one child. She took the younger son away and I will raise the older one. But then she tricked the older son into coming here. Why should both of our sons belong to her?"

"I'm too old to remarry now. If I don't have a son to live with, won't I starve to death alone?"

Director Zhang looked at Guan Lian with a troubled expression. As a mother herself, she naturally knew that mothers couldn't bear to part with their children.

But the distribution of the two children was agreed upon when they divorced. If he didn't know the address and couldn't find the person, it would be easy to handle. But now the other party has come knocking on the door.

Those of them who are in charge don't even know how to persuade them.

"Comrade Chen, this matter can't be rushed. You two are both workers and can definitely afford to raise the children, but this can't be based solely on conditions. We also need to consider the children's thoughts. What can you do if they want to stay with their mother?"

"Exactly," Aunt Tian rolled her eyes, "If it's good for the kids, they're not stupid, they'll know who to side with."

Song Qing: "Sister Guan can take care of them perfectly now. Xiao Sheng came with her before, and Jun Liang came to her on his own later, which shows that they are willing to stay by their mother's side."

“Yes, even if you force him to go back, the child is grown up now. He can still leave next time he wants to. Are you going to come looking for him again?”

Director Zhang earnestly advised, "As for retirement, that's a matter for the future. They certainly won't abandon you. You're still in school, so it's naturally better for you to stay here."

Chen Wei was naturally unwilling, but he also felt that what they said made sense. If they took Junliang back, he would only care about his mother. He had legs, so he could run away whenever he wanted.

Moreover, Chen Wei also knew that his eldest son didn't like him, and it was uncertain whether he could rely on him in the future.

Why don't we take the youngest son with us?

But he was unwilling; his youngest son was only in second grade this year, how much money would it cost to raise him?

My eldest son will be able to earn money in a few days.

Is he really going to go back like this? No, he went through all this trouble to find me so he could remarry Guan Lian. He has to take them with him, or if all else fails, he can move here.

After running out of the house, Chen Junsheng did not go to school. There was snow everywhere outside. He cried for a while downstairs in the dormitory, carrying his schoolbag, not knowing where to go.

He wasn't familiar with the village; the only places he knew were the factory area and the staff quarters. He was covering his face as he headed to the school when he suddenly heard a familiar voice as he passed the security guard's room at the entrance of the textile factory.

It's Dad!

He really came! My brother didn't lie to him!