Chapter 440 A Burden
The Chen family's old house.
Old Mrs. Chen felt so upset that she fell headfirst onto the kang and started crying silently.
In order to support my third son's studies, my eldest son and second son became estranged from me. All the efforts I made over the years now seem like a joke.
Now the eldest and second sons' families are getting better and better, but her most valued youngest son is nothing.
She blamed herself and regretted it. She had an unshirkable responsibility for the current state of the family. If she had not driven out the eldest and second sons' families, the result would not be like this.
If the family hadn't split up, even if all the land had been sold, at least someone would have been there to cover the cost. Now that the third child hadn't passed the imperial examination, and the family was left with no food, she had no idea how she was going to live in the future.
Old man Chen sat listlessly on the edge of the kang, looking at the heartbroken old lady Chen, he couldn't help but wet his eyes.
In order to let the third child go to school, we now have no house, no land, and the rice jar at home is empty.
I wanted to complain to Chen Zhancai, but it was pointless to complain now.
It’s over, everything is over. How will I live in the future? What will I eat and drink? How will I survive this winter? Do I really have to beg for food?
He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and said, "Old woman, don't be sad. Let's think about what to do in the future!"
Old Mrs. Chen didn't say anything and continued to sob.
Ruhua also stood on the ground dejectedly, looking at the wild vegetables in the bamboo basket, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.
The family had long been out of food. If she hadn't gone to the mountains to dig wild vegetables every day to survive, the three of them would probably have starved to death.
What supported her belief was that Chen Zhancai would definitely pass the imperial examination, and that the suffering she had endured would eventually pay off.
For this belief, she would save the food for the two old people even if she didn't eat it herself, so as to live up to the man's trust in her.
In just two months, she turned from a big and strong woman into a skinny woman with a pale face. She was really starving and now she didn't even have the strength to walk.
She looked at Chen Zhancai with resentment, and she didn't even have the courage to speak.
"How could this happen? Didn't you say you were 100% sure you'd pass the exam? How come you didn't pass?"
Old man Chen also stared at Chen Zhancai, listening attentively for his answer.
Old Mrs. Chen stopped sobbing and listened attentively to her son's explanation.
When Chen Zhancai saw their resentful eyes, he felt anxious, but he had to say it.
In order to excuse himself, he shamelessly started to talk nonsense.
"Oh my good Ruhua, I don't know what's going on!
The questions in this year's science exam were really simple. I was confident and filled all the answers effortlessly.
At that time, I was 100% confident that even if I couldn't get first place, I would definitely get second place.
But who knew that things would go against my wishes, and when the results were announced, no one was on the list.
At that time, I wanted to die, so I found a osmanthus tree in full bloom and wanted to hang myself to end my life.
But when I was about to commit suicide, I met a white-haired old scholar who tried to persuade me.
As the saying goes, if you have green mountains, you will never run out of firewood. He is over 60 years old and still hasn't given up. How can you commit suicide at such a young age?
I heard this and thought it made sense. As the saying goes, 'When it rains, the ground becomes slippery. Get up wherever you fall.'
Temporary failure is not scary, what is scary is losing the courage to fight again. I will not give up easily."
Old Man Chen was very angry at Chen Zhancai's words. After glaring at him fiercely, he said unhappily, "Alright, Zhancai, please don't fight anymore. If you continue to fight, your father will die forever."
"Dad, what are you talking about? It's so ugly."
"There's nothing wrong with that. I'm just telling the truth."
Old man Chen could no longer suppress his anger and pointed at Chen Zhancai and scolded him.
"Stop bragging and boasting. I'm tired of hearing it. If you really had the ability, you would have passed the exam long ago. Why did you fail again and again?
Open your eyes and take a good look at what you have done to our family.
If you don't have the skills, don't take on this porcelain job. I think even if you are old and white-haired, you are still a fart.
If you have this spare time, you should think about how our family will live in the future!"
"Dad, what are you doing? You've made me look like a nobody."
Chen Zhancai was so angry that he was panting. He snorted in his heart, "Stop glaring at me. I'll find someone to punish you." He pushed Old Lady Chen who was lying on the kang with his hand and used his usual coquettish tone.
"Mom, don't just lie there in silence. Hurry up and tell my dad. I just didn't pass the imperial examination, so why are you so angry with me?"
Old Mrs. Chen sat up suddenly and slapped her thighs with both hands.
"Your father is right, what else do you want me to say?
What kind of thing are you doing? You keep saying that you can pass the exam by just pinching your fingers.
In the past few months, I have been hanging around the streets, bragging about my achievements to everyone I meet, but in the end, it was all for nothing. How can I face people when I go out?
These are nothing. For you, your mother sold everything that could be sold and couldn’t be sold at home. Now our family has no food and no land. How are we going to eat in the future? Have you ever thought about this?
Your father said a few words to you and you don't like to listen. The days of suffering are still ahead!"
Chen Zhancai had nothing to say. This was indeed the fact and he could not deny it.
Seeing him lower his head, Ruhua couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but she still spoke to Old Lady Chen to comfort her, "Mom, things have come to this, and we still have to live our lives. Don't blame Zhancai anymore."
"Yes, it's too late to say anything now." After saying this, Old Lady Chen took a deep breath, calmed down her emotions, and glanced at Chen Zhancai. "Son, I won't say anything else. I just want to ask you, what are we going to do with our family in the future?"
"Mom, I've never had to worry about the daily necessities of life. You ask me how I make a living, how would I know?"
"Oh my son, your parents will be counting on you in the future. You have to take care of some things!"
"No, mother, what can I do if you ask me to do it?"
Chen Zhancai felt a little regretful. You know, if he had failed the imperial examination, he would have refused to separate from Chen Zhanliang no matter what. Now, both old men have become his business. Isn't this a burden?
Seeing his clueless look, Old Man Chen was furious. "How are you going to handle this? You are the backbone of our family now. You have to shoulder the burden and find a way to make money to support us."
Chen Zhancai rolled his eyes speechlessly, "Dad, you're being a bit too senior. You and my mom have arms and legs and can move around. Why are you asking me to carry the burden? You're just looking for trouble!"
"You, are you talking like a human being?" Old Man Chen was so angry that he was shaking all over. He pointed at Chen Zhancai and said, "I don't want to count on you, but our family has nothing right now. What should I do?"
Old Mrs. Chen was so angry that her ribs ached. "Alright, Zhancai, I know you're still unwilling to give up and are thinking about your future success, but we also have to focus on the present. Right now, we can barely even afford rice bran. Your father and I are at our wit's end. You better think of a solution quickly."
......
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