novelraw Chapter 552: Kindness Taken as Donkey Liver and Lungs
Chapter 552: Kindness Taken as Donkey Liver and Lungs
Gong Zhuang looked at Zhang Lan, Gong Qiang, Gong Zheng, and Gong Xiaoyu appearing all at once at his house and couldn’t help but feel unlucky.
"What are you all doing here?"
"Can’t we come?" Zhang Lan had forgotten the reason for her last visit to Gong Zhuang’s house, but this time she was startled.
In truth, the life of her youngest son’s family was going well. The floor was no longer bare concrete; they even painted it.
The furniture looked brand new, like it was made for a new house. Just looking at the place, it was clear this son was doing well financially.
Gong Qiang and Gong Zheng were unimpressed. If they hadn’t seen the scene, they could still entertain thoughts of how little prospect Gong Zhuang had, but look at the setup of this house.
Had it been anyone else hearing Zhang Lan say that, whether for good reputation or whatever, they would have at least humored the old lady, but not Gong Zhuang.
It wasn’t that Gong Zhuang didn’t want to play along, but he knew that once he did, his wallet would take a hit. "You said you wouldn’t come here."
Of course, Zhang Lan remembered she said that, but would she ever admit it now?
"Old Three, what do you mean by that? Aren’t you worried about upsetting our mom?" Gong Qiang, looking at the house’s arrangement, was busy calculating. This lifestyle was beyond ordinary.
Back when he became a section chief, he didn’t flaunt this much. "Old Three, you just got a leadership position; this isn’t good for your image."
He must have taken plenty of bribes after entering the procurement department. How come no one reported him? People like him shouldn’t be in such important positions.
Jealous, eyes full of envy, you really think everyone is blind. "I used to be the same when I was in the workshop, and all my colleagues knew it."
Not that idiot like you, Gong Zhuang gave Gong Qiang a scornful look. Some people, once they climb a little, start reaching for things without real skill, and of course, they get kicked out.
"All these things are thanks to my father-in-law. I’ve also been eating at their place all these years. Without their help, where would I find such a good life?" Gong Zhuang may be a rogue, but he’s not ungrateful; he remembers the help from his father-in-law and his second brother-in-law.
"You should know well about this, Old Four, as your father-in-law has supported you too." Gong Zhuang truly admired Gong Zheng. Though he hasn’t been literally cuckolded yet, it won’t be long.
But that Old Wu Family is vicious. They haven’t even divorced yet and already started spreading rumors about the young couple’s bad marriage.
"Gong Zheng, you should check on your wife when you have time." Gong Zhuang didn’t like Gong Zheng, but he didn’t want Gong Zheng and Wu Rui to divorce either. A man without family burdens might do unthinkable things.
Check on my wife? Gong Zheng’s face slightly changed. "Third Brother, what do you mean by that?"
Some things you shouldn’t say in public; saying it in front of their mother and elder brother, wasn’t that enough misery, and you still wanted to see him humiliated?
Want to see a joke? It’s too early; also, the Wu Family is overreacting. Just because she didn’t pass the university exam last year, they’re so dismissive. It’s truly the success of little people.
Kindly reminding them only to receive attitude in return, Gong Zhuang immediately disliked it. If not for considering he is a brother, he wouldn’t have bothered to remind him.
Since he didn’t appreciate it, one could pretend not to know. Anyway, how Gong Zheng’s brat lived has nothing to do with him, right?
"I mean nothing by that." Gong Zhuang stared at Zhang Lan and the others. Unless they spoke first, he wouldn’t speak up.
For a moment, the whole room was so quiet. Gong Qiang waited a long time for Gong Zhuang to speak but to no avail, so he could only signal Zhang Lan with his eyes to speak.
In the past, Zhang Lan would have dared to speak up, but now, she dared not, especially after the unresolved issues during the Spring Festival, Gong Zhuang hadn’t visited since. Especially now seeing this son’s success, she felt all kinds of uneasy.
She didn’t want to speak, but Gong Qiang kept signaling her, urging her. Zhang Lan said helplessly, "Old Three, I heard you’re about to build a house."
"No such thing." Gong Zhuang was surprised how Zhang Lan knew about it. But glancing at Gong Xiaoyu next to him, he understood. Besides this one who roams outside all day, how would the Gong Family know about this?
No such thing? Due to Gong Zhuang’s prompt refusal, Zhang Lan wasn’t sure and looked to Gong Xiaoyu, the one who brought back this news.
Gong Xiaoyu was used to hiding in the back and taking advantages. If possible, he wouldn’t want to step forward. But his grandmother, this useless old hag, couldn’t even handle such a simple thing, truly an old fool.
Gong Xiaoyu used to think he was the king of the world, but after rolling around outside for years, if nothing else, he learned to read people well. He knew that besides Zhang Lan treating him better, no one else in the Gong family cared about him. "Third Uncle, don’t say there’s none; isn’t Third Aunt’s family rebuilding their house?"
"Third Aunt’s family rebuilding their house means I’m building a house; what kind of logic is that? I could also say your mother is moving into a new house." Dong Li is quite a character. After divorcing Gong Qiang, she found a man in good condition. The only one who knows how she’s living now is herself.
"The stepfather your mother found for you has gotten another promotion, Xiaoyu. You’re just my nephew; I have sons. No matter how well I’m doing, watching me won’t help you."
"Besides relying on your grandparents, you’d depend on your parents, but your grandparents were angered to death by your parents, and your dad is useless either."
Gong Xiaoyu is indeed a child of the Gong family, but he’s also Dong Li’s son. There’s no reason why the good life Dong Li’s husband enjoys shouldn’t manage her previous marriage’s leftover.
Why mention that thing, Dong Li, Zhang Lan now doesn’t want to hear Dong Li’s name in any form. This former daughter-in-law left in the Gong family is a disruptive presence, popping up now and then after the divorce.
If Dong Li was living poorly, it would be fine, but she happens to be doing well and married to a man who keeps getting promoted, highlighting Gong Qiang’s downfall by contrast.
Never mind Gong Qiang, everyone could see this son was in a foul mood. "Old Three, your words..."
"Is there anything wrong with what I said? Not even mentioning whether I have the ability to build a house; even if I built one, why should my nephew calculate over it?"
"He is the son of Gong Qiang and Dong Li. If he can’t depend on his dad, he should go find his mother. Should I manage the pride of the Gong family?"
Pride my foot—not to mention comparing to Second Brother’s Gong Ruini and Gong Ruwen, he doesn’t even compare to his own son.
If they were in better conditions, they’d be at the marriageable age by now. But this kid never earned a cent for himself, whereas kids from the second brother’s family started earning their tuition by gathering medicinal herbs.
If the Gong family had promising children, it should be the kids from the second brother’s family.
Since Gong Xiaoyu turned out to be such a mess, let Dong Li worry about him. "Your mother cares about the Gong family, especially about you and your father. Xiaoyu, not to lecture you, even though your parents are divorced, you’re still her son."
Gong Xiaoyu certainly understood Gong Zhuang’s intentions, but he couldn’t not follow them. Gong Zhuang doesn’t heed his grandmother’s words, but could he count on finding success with his mother?