Old Chen pointed at Chen Xiangbei, trembling. "Third brother, were you instigated by someone? I'm your father, not your enemy. You always bring up your second brother. He already has a job. Do I have to force another job on him? When he was a temporary worker, I also found him a job, but there was nothing suitable. Why do you always think I'm an irresponsible father?"
Chen Xiangbei: "What about me? I have to work too. When have you ever thought about me?"
Old Chen said: "You still have time. You are still a student. When you graduate, I will find it for you."
Chen Xiangbei: "What if there's no more suitable jobs by then? So many people are graduating early now, why can't you just give this job to me instead of giving it to someone else?"
Old Chen: "Wang Ming is more anxious than you. If he can't find a job, he will have to go to the countryside."
Chen Xiangbei: "What if I can't find a job after graduation and you can't find a suitable opportunity for me? What should I do? Why do you always like to leave good things to outsiders? Why should Wang Ming use your favor to get a full-time job? Can't you give him a temporary job to solve his current difficulties? Wouldn't it be better for you to give me the full-time job?"
Old Chen said: "Don't be too selfish. Wang Ming will still be your brother in the future."
Chen Xiangbei pointed at himself, "Am I selfish? Are you selfless? Think about it with your own conscience. Are you selfless to outsiders, but clear-minded to your own family? When you gave the money to Widow Huang, did you calculate that half of your salary and all of my mother's salary could be used for household expenses, just enough for us children to eat and wear? My mother's hands were cracked in the winter, but she was reluctant to buy herself some snake ointment.
But you gave that money to Widow Huang, and she wears a different outfit every day. And yet, you still think you didn't give enough, constantly accusing my mom of being a spendthrift. What's she saying about wasting money? She spent all her money on us kids—not just money, but energy as well.
Whenever we were sick as kids, you'd always be distressed at first, then start blaming my mom for not being able to take care of the kids. When she asked you to help, you'd hide away, saying things like something happened at the factory or a friend. I might be young, but I have a good memory. I remember every detail of your story, even the scar on my second brother's hand. You burned him on purpose to avoid doing chores, right?
Old Chen was caught off guard and yelled, "Third Brother, stop spitting insults at me. I'm your father, how could I possibly do such a thing?"
Chen Xiangbei: "You know it yourself. You are always nice to outsiders, but turn a blind eye to the suffering of your own family. Have you ever thought about the fact that my sister didn't have her own room before she got married? Will my brother-in-law look down on her when he knows about it? Will he think that she doesn't even have a room at home and is therefore someone without the support of her family? What if he brings up this matter to slander her during a quarrel in the future?
My second brother lives at my second sister-in-law's home every day. My second sister-in-law is pregnant. Why don't they come back? It's because home doesn't feel like home anymore. If they could go back to their own home, they would have come back a long time ago. How could they, such smart people, not know how many people would say behind their backs if they stayed at my second sister-in-law's home every day?
You didn't even think about me. When you were saying bad things about me in the machinery factory, did you ever think that I would have a family in the future? I also wanted to get a job in the factory. If my reputation was ruined by you, my future would be ruined.
You only care about saving face for yourself, pleasing your spouse, and caring about your family. You don't care about anyone else, right?"
Chen Xiangbei wanted to say, how can someone like you be worthy of being a father? But his reason stopped him from saying this.
Old Chen's emotions fluctuated after hearing these words. He felt that he was just getting married for the second time, and it was not illegal. Why didn't the children he raised with so much effort understand him?
He is not in his seventies or eighties and about to die. He is only in his fifties. Isn't it normal for him to get divorced and remarry? Why do they make it seem like I am so selfish that I don't care about them?
He had already said he would find a job for the third child, but the child didn't listen to a word he said and instead complained to him about Xiang Hong being looked down upon by Xiao Yu, the second child and his wife not coming home, and even the story of the widow Huang who had passed away a long time ago.
He already knew that he was wrong about the Widow Huang incident. He had been beaten so many times by that dead old woman Xia Yue'e. He had also gotten the money back. Why did she still talk about it? Did she have to talk about it until he was buried before she would forget about it?
After living for so many years, it's inevitable that people will make mistakes. Does that mean they should be blamed all the time just for making a mistake? He is still the elder of the third child, but listening to these words, there is not a single word of respect for him.
They acted as if they owed him something, and he hadn't done anything murderous or arsonous. "Third brother, stop bringing up the past. We're talking about the current situation. You stole the money, and that's wrong. Don't try to dig up my past and get past this one."
Chen Xiangbei: "I didn't mean to cross the line. If I were more ruthless and just took the money for myself, you wouldn't even know where to find it. I came to you today to talk to you about dividing the money. If you agree, let's set a time to call my brothers and sisters over and divide it amicably. If you don't agree, forget it. You won't see any of this money in the future.
What's wrong with bringing up old issues? You won't listen anyway. Don't you tell us every day that we don't communicate with you and don't know what we're thinking? Don't you want to be a kind father? Now I've given you a chance, but you're useless. I've been so aggrieved and angry, but you only care about money. You only care about taking money from me to support Yang Su's family. How dare you say that we ignore you?
Old Chen cursed: "You ungrateful bastard, do you think your mother can support all of you without me working so hard outside to make money? Don't make it sound like what I said is useless. When you start working, you'll know that life is tiring for men too."
Chen Xiangbei: "Besides working and being kind, what else do you do? My mother not only works, but also takes care of us, doing laundry, cooking, making clothes, sewing soles, taking care of the children, and serving the whole family. How dare you say you're tired? Sometimes I really want to ask the director of the machinery factory, can someone with a mental disorder be a technician?"
Old Chen: "Your mother told you to come and piss me off, right? Will she be happy if I get pissed off to death?"
Chen Xiangbei: "My mother is not as boring as you. She thinks this person is an ungrateful person and that person is an unfilial son every day. She is so busy that she can't even think about you. Don't think too much of yourself. You are just an old man. Who would think of you except some people with bad intentions?"
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