Chapter Forty-Four: Things are looking up regarding the job.
When Zhong Chengfa saw the crumpled bills in his hand, his face immediately fell.
"That's all?" He curled his lip in disdain.
His eyes darted around, and taking advantage of Zhong Chengyi's momentary lapse in attention, he snatched the remaining small stack of money from his hand!
"Hey! Brother, what are you doing!" Zhong Chengyi exclaimed anxiously, trying to snatch it back.
Zhong Chengfa wasn't about to give him a chance. He snatched the money, didn't even count it, and just stuffed it haphazardly into his pocket.
He patted his pocket and said perfunctorily to Zhong Chengyi, "Alright, consider this money a loan from me. I'll definitely pay you back when I have the money!"
After saying that, ignoring Zhong Chengyi's ashen face, she picked up Zhong Hongqing and swaggered out.
Zhong Chengyi stood there, watching Zhong Chengfa's smug back, grinding his teeth in anger, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
Meanwhile, Zhong Chengren, the second son of the Zhong family, has been living a much more comfortable life than his eldest brother, Zhong Chengfa, these past few days.
He was never home; he was always hanging out with his friends.
Every day, besides eating and drinking, he would gather a few shady characters around a table to play dominoes, cards, and dice, having a great time.
He and his cronies were old partners, specializing in setting up schemes to swindle unsuspecting victims.
So, he's not short of money; in fact, he's quite well-off.
With more money, one's mind starts to wander.
These past few days, he's been going to Meng Wanshu's place all the time.
He was spouting sweet words, constantly thinking about rekindling his relationship with Meng Wanshu, and ideally, moving in together.
But since her divorce, Meng Wanshu has moved back to her parents' home and is living with them.
How could we dare to let Zhong Chengren, that adulterer, into our home?
Besides, after Zhang Chunxue made such a scene at her grain and oil station last time, she could hardly hold her head up at work anymore. The gossip and whispers behind her back could drown a person.
She now wishes Zhong Chengren would stay away from her to avoid getting into trouble again.
Zhong Chengren was shameless; the more Meng Wanshu avoided him, the more eager he became to pursue her.
As for the house where Zhong Chengren lived with his cronies, everything else was fine, except for his mother's cooking skills, which were really not worth praising.
It's either so salty it hurts your throat, or so bland it's tasteless, and sometimes the rice is even undercooked.
In his opinion, it was no different from pig swill!
No food tastes as good as his mother Zhang Chunxue's cooking. Although his mother has a bad temper, her cooking skills are truly unparalleled.
Zhong Chengren had been eating 'pig swill' for several days in a row, and he really couldn't take it anymore; his stomach started to protest.
So that afternoon, figuring out that dinner was probably ready at home, he sneaked back to the Zhong family's house.
He was also apprehensive, knowing his mother's fiery temper, and was afraid of getting into trouble.
So, at his doorstep, he peeked into the yard like a thief.
Just then, his younger sister, Zhong Xiaoxiao, came out of the house.
Zhong Chengren's eyes lit up, and he quickly lowered his voice and called out, "Xiaoxiao!"
When Zhong Xiaoxiao saw that the person was her second brother, her little face didn't show a good expression.
She didn't even bother to reply, turning her head and yelling towards the kitchen, "Mom! Second Brother's back!"
Upon hearing this, Zhong Chengren felt secretly pleased, thinking that his mother might come out to greet him.
To everyone's surprise, there was a loud bang in the kitchen, and then his mother, Zhang Chunxue, rushed out with a dark face and in her hand... she was actually holding a blackened fire poker!
That posture looked just like they were about to beat a dog!
Zhong Chengren's smug smile froze instantly, and his legs began to tremble!
"Oh my god!" he cried out, not daring to linger any longer, and ran out of the village as he ran, muttering to himself, "Good heavens! How many days has it been? Why is Mom still so angry!"
He ran all the way to the edge of the village before he dared to catch his breath.
Just as he was leaning against the wall, panting heavily, he bumped into Zhong Chengyi, who was returning from outside.
Zhong Chengren quickly grabbed him: "Third brother, third brother! I'm so glad to see you! Has Mom... has she mentioned me these past few days? How's she feeling?"
When Zhong Chengyi saw it was him, his eyes flickered with a complicated expression, and he subconsciously tucked the things he was carrying into his clothes.
"Second Brother? Why are you back?" Zhong Chengyi asked, frowning, then sighed, "You'd better leave quickly and don't come back for the next few days. Yesterday, Eldest Brother really angered Mom; she almost ripped the roof off! If you come back now, aren't you just asking for a beating?"
Upon hearing this, Zhong Chengren was immediately enraged: "It's that good-for-nothing Zhong Chengfa again! He's more trouble than he's worth!"
He muttered curses and noticed Zhong Chengyi's unnatural movements.
"Hey, third brother," he glanced at him sideways, "what are you carrying in your arms? You're being so mysterious."
Zhong Chengyi's expression visibly tensed up for a moment, and he quickly shook his head: "No...it's nothing."
He quickly changed the subject: "Second brother, you only ask Mom, you...you don't even ask Second Sister-in-law and Yuanyuan?"
Upon hearing this, Zhong Chengren's face showed a look of disdain, and he waved his hand impatiently: "Why ask them? Isn't Mom treating them quite well now? Do I need to worry about them?"
Zhong Chengren forced a fawning expression onto his usually harsh face and clung to Zhong Chengyi's sleeve.
"Third brother, I know you're the most sensible and the one Mom loves the most."
"When you're with Mom later, you'd better say a few nice things about my second brother."
He lowered his voice and added furtively, "I know I was wrong, so please tell her not to upset herself. Once she calms down, I promise I'll take good care of her!"
Zhong Chengyi subtly withdrew his sleeve, a hint of detachment in his eyes.
"Understood, Second Brother."
He agreed verbally, but in his heart he was preoccupied with the troublesome matter of his eldest brother, Zhong Chengfa, and had no time to really help his idle second brother.
"You'd better leave quickly. With things in such a tense situation, you don't want to run into trouble again."
Zhong Chengren wanted to say something more, but seeing that Zhong Chengyi seemed unwilling to talk more, he could only sullenly purse his lips.
"Fine, fine, I'll leave, I'll leave, okay?"
He muttered to himself, glancing back every few steps as he moved out of the village, plotting how he could go back home and freeload once things calmed down.
Meanwhile, Zhang Chunxue had vented half of her anger after driving Zhong Chengren away.
He had just thrown the fire poker that had almost beaten someone back into the corner of the kitchen, and hadn't even caught his breath yet.
A figure walked in through the courtyard gate.
Zhang Chunxue looked up and saw that it was Song Xingzhi.
The anger that had just subsided on her face was immediately replaced by embarrassment and awkwardness.
"Xingzhi... cough, it's Clerk Song!" Zhang Chunxue quickly wiped her hands on her apron, forcing an unnatural smile. "What brings you here?"
Could it be that this kid couldn't hold back any longer and came knocking on our door?
Mingli is still at home!
Song Xingzhi didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "I came here today because I have something to discuss. It's mainly about finding a job for Mingli, which I mentioned before. There's some progress."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com