Zhuo Dad is Xiao Shu's benefactor and also her benefactor. When dealing with a benefactor, one cannot gouge out his heart, otherwise wouldn't he be an ungrateful person?
Moreover, it will make Xiao Shu uncomfortable.
Looking at Xiao Shu's somewhat collapsed and uneasy appearance, Shopkeeper Hua felt a little distressed.
The brother who was finally found must be held in the palm of your hand and not allowed to suffer any grievance or hardship.
"Xiao Shu, I'm going to talk to your father. You stay with your brother-in-law." said the shopkeeper Hua.
Zhuo Shu nodded.
When Shopkeeper Hua went out, he saw Zhuo's father sitting on the steps at the door, weaving a bamboo basket silently.
Shopkeeper Hua half-knelt opposite Zhuo's father, watching him weave bamboo baskets.
Zhuo's father looked unhappy. He threw the bamboo basket aside, picked up the hatchet leaning against the wall, and prepared to chop wood.
Shopkeeper Hua walked over to him again.
"Stay away from me. If I hit you, I can't afford to compensate you!" Zhuo's father said angrily.
Shopkeeper Hua smiled slightly, without getting angry, and stood aside.
When Father Zhuo was chopping wood, Shopkeeper Hua spoke:
"Father Zhuo, Zhuo Shu got third place in the county exam this time. There are so many students in Hedong County, and yet Zhuo Shu got third place. He's really impressive! He's currently in the county school, doing very well, and the teachers are all full of praise for him. This child will definitely have a bright future. You've taught him well."
"I've been with him for the past two days, and he's been talking about you all day long, saying how good you are. I came here today because I wanted to meet the father that Zhuo Shu always talks about," said Shopkeeper Hua.
When Mr. Zhuo heard this, the anger in his heart dissipated a little.
Yes, this child has always been very good and sensible.
However, he was even more reluctant to part with such a good child...
Dad Zhuo was no longer in the mood to chop wood, so he threw the hatchet aside and sat on the wood.
"As for words of thanks, I have no right to say them. Zhuo Shu is my brother and your son. If you're good to him, he should repay you and be filial to you."
"Zhuo Shu and I were born by a father, but he didn't raise us. Our biological father didn't care about us at all. When we were little, Xiao Shu often asked me why our biological father didn't like him. Was it because he did something wrong? The child actually longed for his father's love. There was nothing wrong with him, it was his biological father's problem. People are born partial. He has so many sons and daughters, but Zhuo Shu and I are actually not in his heart at all."
"So, before you, Xiao Shu had never felt fatherly love. You are his only father, and you are the one who gave him fatherly love. From now on, you are also his only father."
Zhuo's father still had a stern face and said in a bad tone: "I am a useless person and cannot bear what you said."
"No matter what, you gave him the best. Dad Zhuo, I didn't come here to take him away. You raised this child, and you raised him very well. Zhuo Shu and I recognize each other, in fact, so that Zhuo Shu will have another person to love him."
Zhuo's father snorted: "That's a nice thing to say!"
Shopkeeper Hua didn't care at all, with a sincere smile on his face: "Because of Xiao Shu, we will be a family from now on. Father Zhuo, if you need any help, just come to me and Cao Ji, you're welcome."
"You're welcome. Why don't you rebuild my house? And spread the fertilizer on a few acres of land?" said Zhuo's father.
He said this not because he really wanted them to do it, but because he was deliberately making things difficult for them.
He didn't believe a single word of the nice things she said.
These rich people just talk big but it's impossible for them to do it.
It's easy to talk about being a family, but it's hard to do it.
Shopkeeper Hua looked at the house. It was in a dilapidated state and could hardly provide shelter from the wind and rain. It really needed to be rebuilt.
However, rebuilding it obviously won't be done in a day or two...
While Shopkeeper Hua was lost in thought, there was a sudden knock on the door from another room.
"Shu'er! Shu'er! My Shu'er!"
The door was not very sturdy to begin with, and after being slammed twice, it cracked open and a woman with disheveled hair ran out.
Zhuo Shu heard the sound and hurried out.
"mother!"
When the woman saw Zhuo Shu, she rushed over and hugged Zhuo Shu!
"Shu'er, I miss you so much, you can't leave." The woman's expression became fierce, and she pulled Zhuo Shu and wanted to walk into the room.
Zhuo's father hurried over and grabbed the woman.
"Xiao Shu." Shopkeeper Hua walked up to Zhuo Shu with concern.
The woman glared at the shopkeeper Hua, thinking that she was trying to snatch her son away. Her eyes suddenly turned red and she rushed forward to tear the shopkeeper Hua apart.
Zhuo's father hugged her tightly.
"Sister, brother-in-law, you two go out first." Zhuo Shu said.
Shopkeeper Hua and Cao Ji hurried out.
It took Zhuo's father a long time to comfort Zhuo's mother before she felt a little better.
Zhuo's father coaxed her into the room, closed the door, and used some wood to prop up the shaky door.
Only then did Manager Hua and Cao Ji walk in.
Zhuo's father still ignored them and said to Zhuo Shu, "Shu'er, do you have classes at the county school tomorrow?"
Zhuo Shu nodded.
"Then hurry back to the county before it's too late." He turned and went into the room, took out a package, and said, "These are the clothes your mother made for you. Change into them."
Zhuo Shu held the clothes and nodded.
"Dad Zhuo, we'll leave first." said the shopkeeper Hua.
Old Man Zhuo ignored her.
Shopkeeper Hua and Cao Ji took Zhuo Shu away.
After they left for a while, Zhuo's father suddenly stood up, walked to the door, and stared in the direction they left, with a look of sadness and reluctance.
With a creaky sound, the door of the next room suddenly opened.
"Are those two your Zhuo Shu's biological sister and brother-in-law? What's going on? If your biological son shows up, he must be taking the child back home." The neighbor said sarcastically, "Old Zhuo, you've worked so hard for nothing. You finally raised your child and sent him to the county school. Your son will have a bright future. I thought good days were coming for you, but in the end, you're just helping others raise their own son. Tsk, how pitiful."
The neighbors were already jealous of Zhuo Shu for getting into the county school, which brought honor to Old Zhuo. Now that they saw his sister coming to their house, they naturally felt gloating.
Zhuo's father couldn't stand his expression and said with a sullen face, "What do you mean by helping others? My son is my son, he's filial. So what if he's his biological sister? I'm his father, once a father, always a father! My son's sister also said that we're a family from now on, and she even said she'd come and fix up my house."
"Repair the house? She's just trying to coax you. Once you coax Zhuo Shu back, she'll still care about you." The neighbor laughed.
"Why don't you wish others well? My son's sister will definitely keep her word. Just wait and see!" Zhuo's father retorted harshly, "You spend all day watching others have fun, and don't care about your son who's doing dirty things outside. Be careful that he gets his legs broken one day!"
Feeling touched in the sore spot, the neighbor closed the door awkwardly.
After Mr. Zhuo finished his argument, he turned around, went into the house and closed the door.
What he just said was totally directed at his neighbor.
He didn't even believe what he said. What kind of family was this? Shu'er would be filial and willing to acknowledge him as a father, but his sister definitely wouldn't. After all, Shu'er and his sister were of the same blood. Over time, Shu'er would definitely be closer to his sister.
There was a mournful cry coming from next door, the child's mother was sick again.
Father Zhuo couldn't help but cover his face, revealing deep sadness and despair. What kind of life was he living? There was no hope at all.
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