"Cui Lanzhi has a job and an income, so she can make ends meet by living frugally. Minzhi is unemployed now and has no source of income. She has two children to pay for school, and the living expenses of the three of them are quite high. She can't always rely on Qiqi to help out at home. She has no other options until she considers other options."
Old Mrs. Cui has completely different attitudes towards her two daughters. She is partial to and dotes on Cui Minzhi, but she wants to kill Cui Lanzhi.
Seeing his cold and expressionless face, Old Lady Cui couldn't guess what he was thinking, so she started playing the emotional card again. "You five brothers and sisters used to have a deep and close relationship, but since you all got married and started your own families, your feelings have gradually faded."
"Now both of your brothers..."
"Especially your eldest brother. You will probably be gone soon. I don't know how many times you will see him in your lifetime."
"When you left home for Country M, the third generation only had Wen Hao. You had never seen the others."
"You've been gone for twenty years. When you came back, you already had little great-grandchildren. I don't know when you'll be back next time."
"Since you're back, why don't you get together and talk and have a meal together? There may have been misunderstandings before, and talking in person can always clear things up."
Cui Zhiyuan listened quietly, waiting for her to finish before speaking. "There wasn't any misunderstanding before, it was just that we each pursued different things. They have their own ideas and aspirations, and I have my own ideals, ambitions, and principles. Although I don't agree with their pursuits, I respect them. Even if I could go back in time, my decision and attitude would remain the same as they did twenty years ago. We can't work together if we don't share the same ideals."
He had strongly opposed their pursuit of a career in politics back then, and the two elders of the Cui family knew this, and had quarreled with him over this matter. Furthermore, because Gong Wantang refused to help and refused to allow the Gong family to lend a hand, coupled with many family matters, the conflict grew deeper and deeper.
"Second brother, now that things have come to this, there's no point in talking about the past."
Old Man Cui spoke with a weary and decadent look on his face, sighing, "Judging from the current situation, your choice may be right, but it only applies to your development abroad. If you had stayed in China these years, following the path you chose, given all the policy restrictions, you wouldn't have been able to survive these past ten years, and you wouldn't have the foundation you have today."
What he said made sense and was true. Cui Zhiyuan agreed. "Dad, the system and policies are a big factor. Going against the wind will hinder you, while going with the wind will help you soar. But anyone's success is not just due to these things. It's more about hard work, persistence, and following your heart."
"My eldest brother and his friends have had smooth sailing over the years, but their starting point wasn't earned through their own hard work. Instead, they built their foundation on my pain. Every subsequent promotion they received was based on the pain, tears, and even the blood and lives of countless intellectuals."
His words touched Old Man Cui's heart, and his expression changed instantly. "Enough."
He didn't want to mention it, which meant he didn't want to admit it. Cui Zhiyuan leaned back with a cold expression: "I am willing to support my younger sister because I feel sorry for her and caused her to suffer for ten years."
"I'm willing to give money to Wendong and Pan'er because they haven't been taught the wrong way. They've experienced family turmoil and haven't become depressed or devastated. Instead, they're working hard to live."
"I think they have good character. As long as they don't go astray, they won't have a bad life. I'm trying to help them now to make their lives a little easier."
"As for Minzhi, as far as I can remember, she's always been a pushover, and your favorite daughter. Since she's having a hard time right now, and you're still well off, why don't you give her some financial support? Once the two children grow up, her life will improve."
Seeing that he was still unwilling to help, Old Lady Cui's face darkened, her eyes spitting fire. "Zhiyuan, why are you so cold-hearted now?"
"Mom, whether it's the eldest brother, the third child, or the eldest sister, they are all adults. It doesn't matter if they take the wrong path, but if they do something wrong, they must take responsibility for it themselves and set an example for the younger generations."
"It's been two years since the incident. Wendong and his sister have moved on, put the past behind them, and are trying to find new ways out and support themselves. But what is Minzhi doing? What are she and her children doing?"
"There's a saying that goes, 'A mother is strong.' Minzhi is a mother, but she doesn't reflect on herself or take the right path. She continues on the wrong path with her two children."
"Not only did you not try to dissuade her, but now you're defending her and even want me to help her. If I don't help her, I'd be heartless."
"Mom, do you know what's the biggest reason our siblings' relationship has come to this point? It's because you're unfair, you're overly partial to the three of them, and you're the one who's completely heartbroken me and my younger sister."
Being accused like this, Old Lady Cui felt very unhappy. "We are not biased. You are the ones who misunderstood."
"Oh, if you think we misunderstood, then let's just assume it's our misunderstanding."
Cui Zhiyuan was too lazy to argue with her. He knew her temper well. No matter how much he tried to explain to her, it would be useless because she would not realize her mistake.
He didn't want to say anything more and reiterated his attitude: "Cui Minzhi is already married and is someone else's daughter-in-law. I have no right to interfere in her affairs, and I don't want to interfere."
"Big Brother, the third brother, and Wenhao's surname is Cui. Considering our common bloodline, I gave the financial support to Wendong yesterday."
"The third brother and Wenhao will be out soon. They are both adults, grown men with sound hands, feet, and brains. After they are released, they will find a job to earn money to support their families. The remaining money will be left to the eldest brother to improve his life. It should be enough for him to live worry-free in prison for many years."
Seeing that he didn't care about his daughter or his children and grandchildren, Old Lady Cui was furious and anxious, her voice rising. "Their paths are blocked. What kind of jobs are you asking them to find to earn money? They've never done manual labor before, and Mingyuan's health isn't good. Now the uncle and nephew are divorced and have children to support. The whole family depends on them for food. You're obviously doing well out there, so why can't you help them?"
"They are just my brothers, sisters and nephews. They are not my responsibility."
Cui Zhiyuan didn't realize this before. Whenever there were family conflicts, he always tried to smooth things over and persuade Gong Wantang to take a step back. After doing this countless times, she became disappointed and heartbroken with him.
Later he finally realized that he did not put his wife first, and his attitude had invisibly hurt her heart.
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