Chapter 34
At midnight, the lights were still on in the main hall of the Zheng family villa. Zheng Dongfang sat dejectedly in a corner of the sofa, watching a wisp of smoke rising from a small tin box on the side table. It was the butt of his last cigarette, which he had just put out.
In order to maintain his health and take care of his son's bronchitis, Zheng Dongfang quit smoking many years ago. Tonight, he finally found this half-pack of old cigarettes in the dark corner under the TV cabinet. It tasted bitter and astringent.
A strong beam of light shone in from outside the courtyard, followed by the sound of the door being gently pushed open and locked. The son was back.
"Dad, cough cough! What's that smell in the house? Have you been smoking again?! Didn't we agree that you can only choose between smoking and drinking? If you choose drinking, you have to quit smoking. How can you go back on your word?" As soon as the son came in, he started scolding him. He is really getting too arrogant.
Zheng Juyong opened the two windows on the balcony and fluttered to ventilate the room. He glanced at the old cigarette box on the side table and said anxiously, "Dad, these cigarettes have been expired for many years. Don't you know they are poisonous? How many did you smoke?"
"Poison me if you want. Kill your father as soon as possible, and then it will be your turn to be the boss of the Zheng family!" Zheng Dongfang said with a dark face.
"Ahem, ahem..." Zheng Juyong knew what he was angry about. He covered the tin box with his hands and threw it into the trash can. "Even if you have something against me, you shouldn't be so mean to yourself."
"Oh, how dare I have any opinion about you? I'm old and useless. If I live much longer, I'll be a nuisance to you. I'd rather die early and live in peace!" Zheng Dongfang said angrily.
Zheng Juyong took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Dad...it's the middle of the night, don't say such things. It's not necessary. Anyway, things have come to this. You have to accept it even if you don't want to."
Zheng Dongfang turned around to grab another cigarette, but missed. He said anxiously, "Not really? I can talk to your dad, but what about your mom? Aren't you afraid of making your mom so angry that she'll go to the hospital again?"
"Last time it was because Guan Ying passed away early. This time with her here, my mother will be fine." Zheng Juyong looked up at the second floor. The house was peaceful and quiet. He had nothing to worry about. He lifted the pillow on the sofa and sat down steadily.
"Hey!" Zheng Dongfang saw that he couldn't discipline his son anymore, "Aren't you bullying me?!"
"Dad, I've told you so many times that Guan Ying doesn't like me... Think about it, she's had so many relationships, but which one was younger than her? She doesn't like men younger than her. You're forcing her to marry me, you're bullying her!"
There was a squeaking sound of footsteps on the wooden floor from the second floor. Guan Ying stood on the stairs and looked down, lowering her voice: "Are you back? Did you call me?" She was worried that he would not be able to deal with his parents tonight, so she paid special attention to the movements downstairs.
Uncle Zheng felt embarrassed and whispered softly, "Guan Guan, did we wake you up?"
Zheng Juyong waved his hand without hesitation: "Yes! I'm calling you!"
"Auntie has fallen asleep, let's keep the noise down." Guan Ying tiptoed down the stairs, not forgetting to ask the father and son to lower their voices as well, in fact, to prevent them from quarreling.
Zheng Juyong approached to greet her: "Guan Ying, let me ask you, do you like pink?"
"Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"
"Just tell the truth."
"Uh... I prefer blue, what's wrong?"
Zheng Juyong ran to the shoe rack at the door, took out the blue slippers and handed them to her: "Change them."
Guan Ying lowered her head to look at the pink bubble slippers on her feet, stretched out her big toe awkwardly, and realized that she might have said the wrong thing: "Haha, they are just a pair of slippers, so the color doesn't matter."
"I'll change it if you ask me to!"
"Oh..." Guan Ying didn't understand why a pair of slippers suddenly became the focus at this time?
Zheng Dongfang watched from the opposite side and sighed helplessly: "Alas, Guan Guan, our Zheng family is sorry for you."
It's over! It's not just these slippers; the pillowcases, sheets, and duvet covers in the bedroom are all pink, specially prepared by Aunt Zheng! She just said she doesn't like it today, so isn't that a slap in the face of the elders? She hasn't complained about it in years. Even though it's not her favorite color, she doesn't mind using it occasionally! Especially in winter, pink looks quite warm...
She had already changed into blue slippers, so it was too late to make amends: "Uncle, no, nothing, hehe."
With Guan Ying around, Zheng Dongfang felt a little embarrassed. He stood up and gave his son an ultimatum: "Don't think that everything will be fine just because you have a child outside. Your mother and I are not that easy to deal with! In this matter, you have let Guan Guan down first. We don't have the face to see your uncle Guan and aunt Guan again, but we can't let you do whatever you want! The steel plant is going to buy two sets of blast furnace gas desulfurization equipment recently. Engineer Li has selected a technology company in Shenzhen, but they have been dragging their feet and haven't given us any news. If you can do this job well, we can discuss it. If you can't, pack up and move to the Qiao family to marry into the family. After all, that red-haired girl can make money and she can support you!"
The words were decisive, but they also pointed out a clear path for Zheng Juyong.
"It's just a trip to Shenzhen. I don't believe that I can't buy anything even if I give you the money sincerely. Dad, I will definitely solve this matter for you before next weekend, but you have to keep your word about the engagement party! Guan Ying is here to witness it." Zheng Juyong's self-confidence has increased a lot since he negotiated the Saudi Arabia order worth 300,000 US dollars.
Not only was the son not scared off, he even decided to take a gamble, even risking his ancestors.
"Okay! Good boy, if you fail in this, you don't have to go back to Jingxi, just go directly to Guangdong from Shenzhen! From now on, your name is Qiao Juyong! No matter how many children you have outside, it has nothing to do with our Zheng family!" Zheng Dongfang went upstairs angrily, and when he reached the bedroom door, he calmed down, gently pushed the door open and went in, and there was no movement anymore.
Downstairs in the living room, a midnight breeze blew in from the balcony, and Guan Ying, thinly dressed, sneezed. Zheng Juyong was awakened by the sneeze and silently walked over to close the window.
"Is your bronchitis healed?" Guan Ying asked him from behind. "Auntie Lin specially left you some pear soup, saying you didn't eat much for dinner, so don't go to bed hungry."
"Never mind. It'll be time for breakfast in a few hours."
Although they were in a familiar home, the two of them felt inexplicably distant.
"Too..."
Guan Ying was just trying to find something to say at this time. He must have some questions but was too embarrassed to ask them.
Zheng Juyong turned around, walked to her side, and stopped: "Hey! What do you want to ask?"
"Oh... that child... is, is it yours?"
What kind of question is this, Guan Ying? Zheng Juyong coughed even more urgently: "Cough cough cough! What?!"
"Hey, why isn't your cough healed yet... I, I'm not doubting your ability, I just think..." Guan Ying patted him on the back kindly.
He broke away with a look of dissatisfaction: "In your eyes, only Xiao Weiyan has this ability? I am also a normal man, okay!"
"Oh oh oh, you are, you are~ you are~" Seeing that he was coughing anxiously, Guan Ying coaxed him in the same tone as when she was a child.
"Good night!" Zheng Juyong turned and walked towards the stairs.
Guan Ying muttered as she followed him. "Hey, why are you still so anxious? I mean, there's no need to bring this up now. Why are you pushing yourself to this point? Wouldn't it be better if we all just worked together as we agreed beforehand?"
Zheng Juyong had already climbed the stairs and replied to her coldly before turning the corner: "Are you Lei Feng..."
He had to solve his own problems, so why bother involving Guan Ying? Xiao Weiyan could "sacrifice" her with peace of mind, but he couldn't.
"Huh? What did you say?" Guan Ying chased him up a few steps, but watched him turn around and go back to his room. She wondered to herself, "Did he just say I was Lei Feng? Oh, fine, it would be best if he didn't need me. I'm too lazy to care..."
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