Shen Hongjian was busy in the kitchen. Shen Pan walked to the kitchen and said, "Dad, let me help you."
"No need," Shen Hongjian said and nothing more.
Chen Pan stood at the kitchen door, neither going in nor going back.
She and Shen Hongjian have always been like this, and there is no awkwardness in their relationship.
Shen Hongjian is not a talkative person and he doesn't express many opinions on family matters. Most of the family matters are decided by Yang Ying.
Including Shen Pan's living expenses when he was in school, he asked Yang Ying for all of them.
Shen Hongjian is silent most of the time at home, and Shen Pan doesn't know how to get along with him.
Because his family runs a restaurant, Shen Pan rarely eats at the same table with Shen Hongjian.
When she was in school, she came to the restaurant for lunch, but Shen Hongjian and Yang Ying were busy greeting people in the restaurant and had no time to accompany her for lunch.
During the Chinese New Year and other holidays, Shen Hongjian was always the one busy in the kitchen, and he would only come to the table after they had finished eating.
What Shen Pan always saw was Shen Hongjian's back, either he was busy or he was sitting with his back to her, so that Shen Pan had the illusion that Shen Hongjian was deliberately avoiding her.
"Let your dad be busy. He works in the kitchen. If you help him, you will delay him," Yang Ying came over and took Shen Pan, who was at a loss at the door, away.
She made tea for Chen Pan and Lu Zhishu, and then slowly brought up the matter of their marriage.
"Zhuzhu, have you thought it through?" Yang Ying asked.
"Well," Chen Pan said, "I have known him for quite some time, and we even went to the capital to meet his parents."
"Did you go to see Xiao Lu's parents? What did they mean?" Yang Ying asked.
"I agree," Lu Zhishu said, "My parents don't interfere much in my marriage."
"Is that so..." Yang Ying thought for a moment and asked again, "Xiao Lu, although Chen Pan has mentioned you to us, we really don't know much about you. Can I ask, what do your parents do?"
"My family is engaged in civil aviation-related careers. My father works in the Civil Aviation Administration, and my mother is an administrative personnel specialist in a subordinate unit."
"Oh, you are all big shots, you are in charge of flying planes, right? My wife and I have never even been on a plane before."
Lu Zhishu knew that no matter how he explained, he would not be able to explain it clearly to the layman, so he simply gave up and just dealt with it with a smile.
"Your family is well-off, so why do you like our Zhuzhu?"
"Is there anything wrong with Zhuzhu?" Lu Zhishu asked back.
Yang Ying was stunned for a moment, then immediately smiled and said, "Okay, how can it be bad? My own girl, of course she is the best."
"If you think it's good, then of course I think it's good too," said Lu Zhishu.
"But..." Yang Ying asked, "You've seen our family's conditions... Don't you think it's not a good match?"
"If I marry Zhuzhu, I will accept her completely, no matter who she is or what her family background is like," Lu Zhishu said. "Also—I don't think you need to worry too much about money. My company is doing very well and recently received another investment, so we should be able to continue expanding."
"Really? That's great." Yang Ying hesitated for a moment, but finally couldn't help but said, "Look, Xiao Lu, our family is not well off, and it's not easy to raise Zhuzhu to this age. You can get married as you please, and we don't have anything to prepare..."
"You don't need to prepare anything," Lu Zhishu said, "I will prepare everything that needs to be prepared."
"You have a house now?"
"No," Lu Zhishu said, "but I'll buy it after I get the certificate, and I have to write Zhuzhu's name on it."
"Then...what about the other stuff? If you're getting married, you need to have some cash or something, right?"
When these words were spoken, although not asked directly, the meaning behind them was revealed.
The fox's tail was exposed.
Lu Zhishu smiled and said, "Of course, I have prepared one million."
Yang Ying's eyes widened instantly.
Without waiting for Yang Ying to say anything, Shen Pan asked directly: "How much do you plan to give me as a betrothal gift?"
Lu Zhishu: "The down payment and renovations for the apartment I like will cost at least 800,000 yuan. I can leave 200,000 yuan as a betrothal gift. How about that?"
Shen Pan: “Not enough.”
Lu Zhishu: "How much?"
"I'm not sure," She Pan turned to Yang Ying and asked, "Mom, how much do you think it is?"
"Me? How can I say it?"
"Didn't you say that I would receive a large betrothal gift when I got married?"
"What nonsense are you talking about, kid?" Yang Ying glared at her. "Our family isn't the kind of people who are greedy for money. I think... 200,000 yuan is enough."
"I don't think it's enough," Shen Pan said. "You worked so hard to raise me, and now you're just being sent away for 200,000 yuan? I won't do it!"
She turned to look at Lu Zhishu: "I don't care, two hundred thousand is definitely not enough. Think about it again. If you can't come up with an answer, I won't get married."
"No, Zhuzhu, I'll think of a solution," Lu Zhishu pretended to be anxious, "How about not buying a house for now?"
"No, I have to buy a house. If I don't, where will I live in the future?"
"But that's all I have..."
"I don't care," Shen Pan said, her voice deliberately raised high, and she would occasionally glance at Yang Ying beside her. She said, "The house must be bought, and the dowry must not be less. My brother is not grown up yet. He will graduate and get a job and marry a wife. Without my betrothal gift, how can he buy a house?"
With just one word, he deliberately exposed the deepest conspiracy in the family.
Yang Ying couldn't stand such blatant words that exposed her thoughts. She quickly grabbed Shen Pan and said, "You girl, stop talking nonsense. Who wants your betrothal gift to buy a house for your brother? What kind of society is this now? Why talk about such things?"
Shen Pan sneered.
Fortunately, Yang Ying still had some dignity to look upon, was afraid of being criticized, and knew that she would be criticized for using the money earned from "selling her sister" to buy a house for her brother. Otherwise, it would be difficult to continue this drama.
"Hasn't this always been your idea?"
“Who has this idea?”
The mother and daughter were at a stalemate. Lu Zhishu, who was watching the show from the side, stepped in to persuade them. He said, "Isn't Aunt Yang's idea wrong? I think it's normal. He's just your brother. Just tell me how much it costs and I'll pay for it."
"Forget it," Chen Pan said, "You embezzled the entire million from other investors. It's a relief if the tax authorities don't come after you. If they do, be careful and go to jail."
"Woman, why do you say everything?"
"I was wrong?" Chen Pan tried to act aggrieved, pulling Yang Ying aside and complaining, "Mom, what do you think we should do? He's never made any money in his business, only losses. I told him you should at least give me the betrothal gift if you want to marry me, but he went and embezzled the company's money. If he gets caught, what do you think, should I get married or not?"
"Love or not!" Lu Zhishu got angry and just waved his hands, pretending to leave.
Yang Ying quickly stopped him: "Xiao Lu, don't be angry, let's talk slowly if you have something to say."
"Auntie, am I sincere enough? I've prepared the money you need for the wedding and bought you a lot of things, yet you're still arguing with me? I'm a big boss, don't I have to save face when I go out?"
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