Chapter 16 Big Brother, Don't Come Back
Pei Gaosheng lightly tapped the table. "What, is it so hard to get you back for a meal?"
Upon hearing this, Pei Wu turned to leave.
Zhang Wenxiu quickly stopped them, "Alright, alright, what are you two doing? It's a perfectly good family dinner."
“Exactly,” Pei Ming hummed from the side.
Pei Wu's eyes darkened, as if an invisible rope was tightening around his neck. This was a common experience for him when he came to this house, like a plant whose nutrients had been drained, only able to survive if he left this place.
The skin under Zhang Wenxiu's hands felt strong and bony, and she realized more than once that the thin, small child had grown up.
Knowing that Pei Wu didn't want to stay, and besides, she didn't want to face Pei Wu. With such a large family to take care of, if she were to be consumed by "guilt" again, she would truly have no way out.
“Your younger brother will be repeating a year of high school next year…” Zhang Wenxiu began, “but he needs money.”
"How much is missing?"
"Because it's a private high school, we pulled a lot of strings, but they said there weren't many spots available. Of course, they still wanted 100,000 yuan because Xiaoming is an Alpha."
Pei Wu: "How many tens of thousands are you short?"
Zhang Wenxiu lowered her head: "Where do we have any money left?"
Pei Wu asked, "Do you remember how much money I've given you over the years?"
A flicker of panic crossed Zhang Wenxiu's eyes: "I'm your mother, do you have to be so calculating with me?"
“We need to calculate,” Pei Wu said. “We need to calculate exactly how much you spent on my treatment and how much I gave you back.”
"Count it, count it, you ungrateful wretch, can you even do the math?!" Pei Gaosheng suddenly stood up, slamming his hand on the table with a loud bang. "You really want to sever ties with us? Fine, give me and your mother two million yuan in one lump sum, and I'll immediately sign a paternity dissolution agreement. How about that?"
Pei Wu finally laughed in anger. He turned to look at Pei Gaosheng from a very gloomy and cold angle. "Do you think you can just ask for this money? Besides, the law doesn't recognize a paternity severance certificate. When I was in my second year of high school, you threw a bill in my face, saying it was 130,000. Over the years, you've taken nearly 400,000 from me. You don't have the bills, but I have every single penny."
Pei Gaosheng felt uneasy under Pei Wu's gaze, and for a moment, his face twitched with anger, but he dared not say anything. Pei Ming, on the other hand, jumped three feet high: "What are you pretending for?! This family can't function without you? Pei Wu, stop looking down on people!"
"What do you have that makes me respect you? The qualifications of a useless Alpha?" Pei Wu said coldly. "If you're so tough, why do you accept the money your parents ask me for every time they ask for it?"
Upon hearing this, Pei Ming's expression grew even more resentful, and he simply stopped pretending: "Pei Wu, your parents gave you life, so you have to accept it."
“Exactly,” Pei Gaosheng added, “If you dare not show us respect, we’ll cause trouble at your company.”
"Go ahead," Pei Wu said calmly. "The company has quotas for overseas assignments to Country B. If you dare to cause trouble even once, I'll leave the country immediately and never come back."
"Xiao Wu! Xiao Wu, you can't do this!" Zhang Wenxiu grabbed Pei Wu's arm tightly.
Pei Wu forcefully broke free. "Pei Ming has been a bastard for so long without paying the price, so I don't mind being one too. You want to use me as a blood donation bag? No way. You'll have to figure out how to get the 100,000 yuan yourselves. I will only pay for Xiao Zhen's school fees from now on. Once everyone in this family reaches adulthood, don't even think about squeezing money out of me. If you want alimony, then do it according to the law."
Zhang Wenxiu stared blankly at Pei Wu, feeling utterly unfamiliar with her. "How did you become like this?"
“I’m fine,” Pei Wu said. “The problem lies with you.”
In this dull, mundane home, Pei Wu cast aside all distractions and strived to grow upwards. He finally stepped out and would never look back because of so-called "family ties."
And then there's his mother...
Pei Wu ignored the insults behind her and stormed out the door.
As she came out of the building, Pei Zhen jogged after her, calling out, "Big Brother!"
Pei Wu turned around and looked back.
Pei Zhen held up an old piece of clothing, which might be a little small for Pei Wu. She handed it to him, saying, "It's cold outside, put this on."
Pei Wu felt her frozen heart being warmed by the steam, and her eyes stung slightly.
"Big brother, they have money." Pei Zhen whispered, "Dad's compensation money has come through, and Mom is planning to move to a bigger house. You really shouldn't come back."
Pei Wu's palm landed on her head.
"Brother, you're so cold."
Pei Wu said in a hoarse voice, "Just call me if you need anything."
Pei Zhen shook her head: "Brother, I don't need anything. Just take care of yourself, okay?"
Pei Ming was not a good older brother. As the only Alpha in the family, he was entitled to all the resources and even tried to take them from them. Pei Zhen remembered being made to cry by him many times. Her parents did not care. At that time, the older brother could not speak up, so he carried Pei Zhen on his back and walked down the old street. If he had two or three cents on him, he would buy her candy.
Pei Zhen truly cares for Pei Wu.
"Okay," Pei Wu said, "I've got it."
The car started, and Pei Zhen watched the taillights disappear around the street corner.
When Pei Zhen returned home, Zhang Wenxiu rushed forward and asked, "Your brother is really gone?"
"They're gone."
"You too, try to stop them!"
Pei Ming leaned against the window and asked, "Mom, is that my brother's new car? It's pretty nice."
Pei Zhen couldn't hold back; "You just can't stand seeing your older brother doing well, you want everything from him!"
Pei Ming turned around and smiled in a disgusting way: "There's no way around it, everything in this house will be mine from now on."
Pei Zhen angrily went back to her room.
Pei Wu drove aimlessly for three traffic lights before he felt cold and turned on the air conditioning.
The neon lights outside shone in, casting distinct shadows on his face. His eyes, though peaceful, were weary. He had only said he was going to Country B to scare them, but the moment he said it, Pei Wu was truly moved.
Pei Wu parked his car on the side of the park road, took out a pack of cigarettes from the glove box, the smoke blending into the night, the scarlet glowing between his lips. He was being swallowed by some terrible emotion, and as usual, he was trying to pull himself out of it.
Pei Wu answered her phone without even looking at it, "Hello?"
After a few seconds of silence, Lu Xiwen's voice rang out: "You lost money?"
Pei Wu is a money-grubber; this was discovered a long time ago.
“President Lu.” Pei Wu sat up subconsciously, and in an instant, her body and mind were cleansed by a refreshing aura.
Yes, with a boss like Lu Xiwen, there's never a time for melancholy or sentimentality.
The chill dissipated, and Pei Wu shivered. Unbeknownst to him, a smile appeared on his lips, and his eyes softened as he asked, "What can I do for you, Mr. Lu?"
Lu Xiwen said, "Come visit me if you have time."
His tone was cold and hard, and others might not have understood what he meant, but Pei Wu quickly realized, "Okay, about forty minutes."
Lu Xi urged, "Yes, hurry up."
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