Chapter 17 The Educated Youth Who Abandoned Their Wives and Children
"We gave you your life."
The word "filial piety" alone could overwhelm him.
"Second son, no wonder you didn't come back for the New Year. You treat the country folk as your parents because you resent us for sending you to the countryside. But think about it, we have three children, and one of us has to go to the countryside eventually," said Mother Ji, wiping away her tears.
"I know, but I thought I would still be your son after I went to the countryside. What happened?"
Ji Huaizhi didn't make a scene; he simply stated the facts calmly: "You just gave up on me, acting as if I were no son, thinking I wouldn't come back. But I never expected to get into university and come back."
“I remember when I came back, you weren’t happy at all. You thought I had run away from home.”
"My sister-in-law seemed to want to report me to the neighborhood committee, right? She wanted them to send me back to the countryside."
Ji Huaizhi's sarcastic remarks made Wang Cui uncomfortable: "It's been so long."
"Isn't this because we're worried about potential repercussions?"
For a moment, no one responded; only Ji's mother's sobs could be heard.
Chen Chunya had no idea that he was suffering so much at home, so she held his hand and gave him strength.
Ji Xiaotian nestled in his father's arms and whispered, "Dad."
"In the end, you're still blaming us." Father Ji also felt ashamed: "But you can't just ignore your brother over such a small matter, can you?"
"Have you forgotten that you were the one who took care of the third child when he was little!"
"Are you just going to ignore him like this?"
Ji Huaizhi: "I'm not his father, why should I care about him?"
"You bastard!" Upon hearing his words, Ji's father threw a teacup at him, but Ji Huaizhi did not dodge.
Chen Chunya screamed, "Huaizhi, how are you?"
"Dad! Dad!" Ji Xiaotian cried out angrily, "You wicked grandpa!"
"It's alright," Ji Huaizhi told them not to worry.
"Dad, why did you have to resort to violence when we could talk this out?" Ji Huai-ren felt that since things had gotten so ugly, why would his second son help him?
"Enough!" Ji Huaiyi stood up, glaring at his second brother with resentment. "Why did you come back? We're brothers, and you won't even help me with this little thing?"
"Are you still my brother?"
Ji Huaizhi: "My own father just attacked me, so I won't fight back. But if you keep yelling at me, I'll break your legs."
Ji Huaiyi was so frightened that he took a step back.
His gaze just now was terrifying.
"That's enough. The whole family is begging you. What's wrong with just tutoring the third son?" Father Ji said earnestly.
"Yeah, second brother, have you really forgotten your mother after getting married?"
Ji Huaizhi looked at his elder brother: "You've been trying to say something to Dad just now, why don't you say it together?"
At this point, how could Ji Huai-ren possibly still speak: "It's nothing, my brother was just thinking..."
"If you're too embarrassed to say it, I'll say it." Wang Cui thought that since the man was so uncooperative, she might as well let her do it herself.
“Second brother, we know you’ve been wronged at home, but if there’s anything you need in the future, your older brother will definitely help you if he can.” Wang Cui pushed away the man’s hands that were trying to pry her off.
“But your older brother needs your help now. As you can see, your two nephews are so grown up, and the house is so small that there’s simply no room for them.” Wang Cui put the good point first.
Chen Chunya felt heartbroken for Huaizhi.
“Your brother’s workplace might be allocating housing in the first half of the year, but there are only so many units, and many people are waiting. They need some money to smooth things over,” Wang Cui said matter-of-factly. “The Ji family hasn’t divided their assets yet, so…”
"So you want me to pay for it?" Ji Huaizhi looked at her flippantly.
Wang Cui was so embarrassed by his gaze.
“Isn’t this just brothers helping each other? You’re a college student now, and you’ll be assigned a good job in the future. Your child is so young and doesn’t have much of a burden right now, so I can definitely help with this little bit of work.”
“Wang Cui, we’re talking about the third son right now.” Mother Ji thought she was being tactless.
They brought up other things before even resolving this issue.
"Why is the third son's matter a serious matter, but our family's matter isn't?" Wang Cui disliked the way the old couple talked.
That's enough.
The clear, crisp female voice was especially noticeable inside the room.
Ji Huaizhi looked at her in surprise.
Chen Chunya sat in her seat, staring intently at Ji's parents: "Huaizhi has suffered a lot of injustices in the countryside, but you parents don't seem to care about your child at all."
"You've been thinking about the youngest of the family, but who's thinking about Huaizhi?"
"You suggested that Huaizhi tutor him, but did you ever consider that Huaizhi has a heavy academic workload and has to tutor others to support us, mother and son?" Chen Chunya questioned, pointing at Ji Huaiyi.
She continued to berate Ji Huaiyi: "From the moment you came in, you've been giving your second brother the cold shoulder. You won't even call him 'second brother,' yet you have the nerve to ask him for help?"
What did that look you gave me just now mean?
Chen Chunya kept asking questions, leaving them speechless.
"Weren't Mom and Dad just talking about brotherhood? Why do you look like you want to kill your second brother?"
"What's it to you?" Ji Huaiyi's expression darkened. "You bitch..."
"Bang!"
Ji Huaizhi's sudden attack caught everyone off guard: "Watch your mouth, or I'll tear it apart."
Mother Ji held her youngest son and cried, "My life is so miserable."
“Criticizing elders and humiliating brothers.” Mother Ji looked at the family with disappointment.
Chen Chunya hugged her son and covered his ears.
Ji Huaiyi broke free from his mother and pushed her, causing her to stumble.
"Ji Huaizhi, why did you come back? I wouldn't have cared if you hadn't come back." Ji Huaiyi cried.
"But now that you're back, I'm the most useless person in this tenement building."
“They all say that you went through so much hardship in the countryside and still got into university, while I couldn’t even get in at home. They all say I’m useless, a good-for-nothing, and that I should have been the one sent to the countryside.”
Ji Huaiyi cried and blamed him, feeling that it was all his fault.
"I even stopped going to class to prepare for the college entrance exam. If I don't get into college, how am I supposed to survive in this area?"
"That's because you're useless." Ji Huaizhi's indifferent attitude left them with nowhere to vent their frustration.
Ji Huai Ren felt a pang of sadness when he met his second brother's gaze. How did the three brothers end up like this?
"I can't help you with anything, I got myself up on my own, so you definitely can too."
Ji's father stared blankly at Ji Huaizhi after hearing his words: "Do you really have to do this?"
“They are not my responsibility, I have no obligation,” Ji Huaizhi said calmly. “As for you and Mom, the three of us brothers will discuss it after you retire.”
"I have classes tomorrow, so I'm leaving with my wife and kids."
After saying that, he left the place.
The Ji family made quite a fuss because of the argument that just happened.
As they left, people outside were still listening to the commotion: "Huaizhi's leaving already?"
Ji Huaizhi nodded politely.
After they went outside, Chen Chunya pulled Ji Huaizhi aside.
"What's wrong?"
"Let me see your head?" Chen Chunya looked at his swollen forehead with concern.
"Does it hurt?" Chun Ya gently touched it.
"It doesn't hurt. I call this a self-inflicted injury." Ji Huaizhi smiled and patted her head. "From now on, everyone around here will know that I was chased away by them."
"Aren't you stupid?"
"Mom and Dad, I can't breathe," Ji Xiaotian said between them.
He felt that his parents always forgot about him.
"Come on, Dad will take you and your mother to have some mutton soup! I'll also buy your mother a couple of outfits while I'm at it!" Ji Huaizhi picked him up and carried him home.
Chun Ya was still saying that she didn't need to buy clothes, as she already had clothes to wear.
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