Chapter 23 Transmigrated as a Little Bitter Gourd 23
Ji Yun caught a glimpse of the chubby boy preparing to grab another chicken leg.
I knew Huai Zhi was up to no good.
Although she had already prepared the offerings for the grave-sweeping ceremony, she would still go along with her eldest nephew:
"Okay, I'll pack this up. This is for your grandma."
Ji Huaizhi raised an eyebrow, a smile in his eyes.
Ji Xianli instantly became unhappy. He glanced at his parents and realized they weren't speaking up for him, so he started to sulk.
“Huai Zhi is in junior high now, not high school. He skipped two grades, which is impressive, but he’ll be in high school soon.” Ji Dong tried to interject.
Tang Juan glanced at Ji Huaizhi, who didn't even look up, and put a piece of chicken on her son's plate: "Eat up, weren't you saying you were hungry in the car?"
"I want to eat chicken drumsticks," Ji Xianli muttered.
At home, they spoil him, but whenever Ji Huaizhi is around, he seems particularly clumsy.
Tang Juan glanced at Ji Huaizhi, who was enjoying his meal, and whispered something in her son's ear. The mother and son seemed to have a very good relationship.
Ji Yun chuckled at Ji Dong's words but said nothing.
Seeing Tang Juan's pretentious manner, he pursed his lips and picked up a piece of fish belly meat for Ji Huaizhi: "Eating more fish makes you smarter."
"Thank you, Auntie."
Grandpa Ji took a sip of baijiu and watched Huaizhi eat meat with doting eyes.
The little boy is growing and has a good appetite right now.
The old man was happier watching him eat than when he was eating himself.
Ji Dong felt a surge of anger rise within him as he realized he was being ignored.
But today is Chinese New Year, so no matter what, we can't get angry or upset, including arguing.
Seeing the awkward atmosphere, the uncle took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Ji Dong: "Huaizhi is in high school now. When he entered junior high school last year, he skipped two grades."
"He went straight into the top high school in your area through the high school entrance exam."
Tang Juan was stunned.
Ji Dong was dumbfounded.
Ji Xianli knew he was doomed again.
"High school? Him?" Ji Dong asked incredulously, "How could that be?"
Tang Juan also spoke up: "Are top high schools really that easy to get into now?"
He looked at Ji Huaizhi and asked, "Can you keep up?"
After a long silence, Old Master Ji spoke up: "How can you not keep up? Huaizhi is still performing steadily."
“He is now a key student at their school, and they even asked him if he wanted to skip a grade. But Huaizhi is not skipping grades now. He will just spend his three years of high school like this.”
The old man spoke with pride.
Tang Juan was speechless after hearing this.
She had originally wanted to mention that Xianli's grades had improved significantly, but now she was too embarrassed to say it.
My gaze fell on the top of his head. How did it grow like that?
"You didn't even tell your parents about something this big. We were the last to find out." Ji Dong glanced at Xianli.
This glance made Ji Xianli's heart skip a beat.
Ji Huaizhi is terrifying. He didn't even finish elementary school, and he's already in high school.
The look his father gave him told him he was in trouble again.
"Isn't this something you should be reflecting on? Leaving your child and father outside, and being the last to know about something so important, proves that you don't care about them at all."
After Ji Yun finished speaking, her husband nudged her arm and gestured to her with his eyes that it was New Year's Day and she should try not to argue.
Otherwise, this year will be bad.
"We've taken them, but Dad and Huaizhi don't want to come back," Tang Juan said, putting down her chopsticks.
“Huaizhi, it’s been so long, you should have calmed down by now, right? Besides, we came back this time to ask Dad for forgiveness.”
This time, Tang Juan completely abandoned her pride. Before Ji Dong could even speak, she took the initiative to apologize.
Today is an auspicious day; the two of them have calculated that they won't get angry today.
"Yes, Dad, Tang Juan and I know we were wrong. We also overlooked Huai Zhi, and you too, we've made you suffer over there." Ji Dong's apology came easily.
"We were both in a bad mood before because of the incident, but we will change that."
The two men looked at the father and son expectantly.
Ji Yun remained expressionless and did not speak.
Ji Xianli's arm was touched, and he slowly said, "Brother, I'm sorry."
"I was wrong. I was afraid that my parents would be taken away, so I did a lot of things that made you sad."
"Grandpa, I know I was wrong."
Ji Xianli looked at his grandfather with a wronged expression.
Grandpa brought the cup to his lips, took a small sip, and sighed, "It's good that you know you were wrong."
"I'm not getting any younger, and I feel really bored."
Ji Dong nodded: "Dad, I'm sorry to disappoint you."
The old man did not answer this question.
Because he was genuinely disappointed.
Seeing that they were silent again, Tang Juan said, "Then this time, Dad, you and Huaizhi should move back."
The old man shook his head without hesitation: "There's no need. Huaizhi is in a critical situation right now; he needs peace and quiet."
"That's fine. We're not used to living together, but I'm used to it now. I actually feel uncomfortable living with you guys."
Tang Juan: "So you haven't forgiven us yet?"
Grandpa Ji looked at Ji Dong: "I already said it's meaningless. Can't we just live like this?"
“Dad, I want to fulfill my filial duty,” Ji Dong said.
"No!" The old man shook his head.
He had long known that the couple was unreliable and that they would probably not even have a bowl of porridge to drink in the future: "I have my eldest grandson to take care of me."
Ji Dong and Tang Juan wanted to say something, but Ji Yun and his wife interrupted them.
Ji Huaizhi ignored them completely.
They were all at a loss for words.
After dinner, the neighbors started visiting each other and chatting. These few days of leisure are the only time they get to relax after a year of hard work.
People flatter each other, and they don't talk about their dirty secrets openly.
Tang Juan took advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention to come to Ji Huaizhi's side. He was playing video games with Ji Yun's two sons, and the three of them seemed to have a good relationship.
However, Ji Xianli looked quite awkward on the side.
Ji Yun's two children were not familiar with him; in fact, they didn't know him very well.
Ji Huaizhi and Ji Xianli didn't get along, so her son was directly excluded.
Seeing her son like this, Tang Juan felt sorry for him: "Why don't you take Xianli with you and play together? He likes playing games too."
Upon hearing this, the two brothers looked at Ji Huaizhi and, seeing that he had no reaction, knew that he was unwilling.
The leader touched his nose and said, "We're playing in a three-person squad; if there's one more person, we can't play."
Tang Juan's smile faded: "Then you guys can play something else."
"The three of you are playing together, leaving Xianli aside. Do you have a problem with him?"
The adults' forced smiles made the children feel flustered and embarrassed.
Ji Huaizhi put down his phone: "Time's up. Auntie said we can't play for too long."
The two brothers breathed a sigh of relief: "Okay, I'll return the phone now, Auntie. We can't play with it anymore. My mom set rules for us."
Ji Xianli looked dejected and fierce: "Who wants to play with you guys? Trash!"
The two brothers were also unhappy: "Isn't it your mother who keeps saying this? It's so annoying!"
"Ji Huaizhi, let's go out and buy cannons."
"Okay." Ji Huaizhi put away his phone.
With no adults around, Tang Juan's face immediately fell: "You guys go ahead, I need to talk to my son for a bit."
The two looked at Ji Huaizhi: "Shall we go later?"
Ji Huaizhi nodded: "You guys go play on your phones first."
"Huaizhi, have you forgotten that Xianli is your own brother?" Tang Juan's voice was cold and hard, trying her best not to lose her temper.
There were people playing cards and chatting outside; it would be embarrassing if someone overheard them.
"You're wrong, I'm an orphan." Ji Huaizhi's voice was cold.
This was the first thing he said to her.
Tang Juan's composure crumbled instantly: "It's Chinese New Year today, I won't argue with you, and we apologized to you during dinner, what more do you want?"
Tang Juan softened her tone: "Mom knows that your parents made mistakes in the past and hurt you."
“But we are still your parents, and Xianli is still your brother.”
Ji Huaizhi watched her performance coldly.
Tang Juan continued, "We were wrong before, which gave others the opportunity to sow discord, but if you keep doing this, you are punishing your parents and your younger brother."
“Those two are the real brothers, Xianli is your real younger brother.”
She reached out to touch his head, but he dodged her hand.
"It doesn't make much difference to me whether I have a younger brother or not, you don't need to tell me these things." Ji Huaizhi's voice hadn't started to change yet.
His voice, though childish, spoke like an adult.
"Isn't this good enough for us? You don't like me, and I won't bother you."
"Why do you insist on making me and Grandpa go back?"
Tang Juan could no longer keep up the act.
Looking down, she said bluntly, "I want you to go back and tutor your younger brother. You skipped four grades, and your brother is so far behind you."
"I want you to come back and teach your younger brother to go to school."
Ji Huaizhi shook his head: "Impossible."
“For me, I have no parents or younger brother, only my grandfather.”
Tang Juan frowned, not expecting him to be so stubborn; no matter how she tried to coax him, she couldn't get through to him.
"You'll be struck by lightning for saying that."
“No, you’d be fooling yourself with that,” Ji Huaizhi continued. “Besides having me tutor him, you also see benefits in me. I skipped four grades, going straight to high school when I was in elementary school.”
"This is just the beginning. Do you think I will go much further in the future?"
"That's why they're so eager for me to go back now."
"It would be best if we could rebuild our relationship. I will make changes in your family and even become a help to Ji Xianli when he comes of age."
"You only see the value in me."
Tang Juan just stared at him, thinking, "Is this the new brain?"
Even a child can see through human nature.
"You hate...your parents that much?" Tang Juan stammered.
"I don't hate you."
Tang Juan breathed a sigh of relief when she heard him say that.
But his next sentence was: "I don't care about you at all, so I don't hate you."
"But I'm annoyed by you guys."
Tang Juan took a deep breath, looking at the child who was both strange and familiar, whose breathing was unsteady.
"Your grandfather is getting old. How long do you think he can take care of you?" Tang Juan tried to negotiate with him: "How much money can he make from his stall?"
"He will become a burden to you in the future."
"But it's different when you go home..."
“What’s the difference?” Ji Huaizhi sneered: “You will continue to abandon me in the same way, unless you can get something out of me.”
“You were just biased before; you never raised me and had no feelings for me.”
"The reason you hated me so much later was because I tore off your hypocritical mask, and because I didn't listen to you the way you wanted."
"Even if I'm outstanding, you still won't like me."
That insightful look made Tang Juan unable to stay there any longer.
She and Ji Dong felt utterly helpless with this son.
"Don't bother me anymore, or I'll get my revenge on you when I grow up, including Ji Xianli."
Tang Juan and Ji Dong returned to Tang Juan's parents' home the next day.
They didn't go to the graves either.
Ji Yun was so angry that she couldn't help but lose her temper and gave them a good scolding during the Chinese New Year.
Ji Huaizhi was in a good mood.
The old man glanced at Ji Huaizhi, wondering why the family hated each other so much.
There seems to be an insurmountable chasm between the eldest grandson and them.
The original owner's wish was simple: to enjoy a comfortable life with her grandfather, to have no connection with them whatsoever, and to stay far away from them.
There was no intention to retaliate; I simply didn't want to have anything to do with their family.
It's a very simple wish.
~
Tang Juan and Ji Dong talked for a long time on their way back, and finally understood that Ji Huaizhi was completely resentful of them.
Parents may not like their children, but children cannot resent their parents.
Tang Juan: "From now on, let's pretend that this child doesn't exist. We only have Xianli as our only son."
"How could that be? We gave birth to him, and he can never repay that debt in his lifetime. So what if he's good at studying? So what if he's smart? In our country, being unfilial to one's parents is a grave taboo!"
Ji Dong drove with one hand, while the fingers of his other hand were pointing straight ahead.
The veins on his forehead throbbed with his tone of voice.
"He's no good. How old is Ji Huaizhi?" Ji Dong sneered. "I don't believe anyone would say that no one is trying to sow discord."
Tang Juan: "What's the point of saying all this?"
“He doesn’t recognize us at all.”
"How come I never noticed before that this child is so calculating? It all boils down to jealousy of Xianli, jealousy that we treat him well and neglect him."
Ji Dong looked at Ji Xianli in the rearview mirror.
He was also playing games on his phone.
That sight ignited his anger: "Ji Xianli, don't you have any thoughts about your brother?"
"No, I don't have a brother either," Ji Xianli said without looking up.
Ji Dong sneered, looking ahead at Tang Juan and said, "When we get back, continue sending him to tutoring classes, on Saturdays and Sundays."
"All they do is eat and play all day long."
Tang Juan did not speak up for her son.
Compared to Ji Huaizhi.
Xianli is indeed inferior to Ji Huaizhi in every way.
"Ji Xianli, your parents have been so good to you, aren't you ashamed? You've made your parents lose face in public, and people are laughing at you for picking up a sesame seed and losing a watermelon. Don't you feel anything about that?"
Ji Dong said to his son with a dark expression.
Try to motivate him to work harder.
But they were disappointed.
The game sounds continued to play, and Ji Xianli said nonchalantly:
"What am I ashamed of? Aren't I your most beloved son? Why do you insist on comparing me to Ji Huaizhi?"
"What's the point of comparing? I have you all, while he only has an old man by his side. Does studying guarantee a successful future?"
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