Lost Money
Zhan Bo sat at home sighing. He smoked a cigarette, feeling that none of his children gave him any peace of mind. His eldest son, Zhan Mingzhao, whom he had not seen for many years after he went to the countryside as an educated youth, had actually found… Gu Xiangyi as his partner.
Gu Xiangyi was his brother-in-law’s own younger sister!
The two were not related by blood, so technically there was nothing wrong with it. In the countryside, there were plenty of such sibling exchange marriages, where neither side asked for a bride price. But that was something poor families did, something backward places did. What was this supposed to be, Zhan Mingzhao dating Gu Xiangyi?
Zhan Bo was not very satisfied with this marriage. First, he was afraid others would laugh at him behind his back. Second, he felt this marriage wasted a networking opportunity.
His younger son, Zhan Mingzhao, had not been much as a child, but he had grown into a presentable young man. Even after becoming an educated youth, he had not stayed quiet. Later, he entered the cultural troupe as an arts soldier and even acted in a film… Recently, after the film was released, many people had come to Zhan Bo wanting to become in-laws with him.
Zhan Bo was delighted. There were plenty of daughters from good families who had taken a fancy to that brat Mingzhao. That brat had no other skills, but he was more than qualified to become the son-in-law of a high-status family.
The Gu family was good, but his daughter Zhan Aiping had already married into the Gu family. The two families were already connected by marriage, and they had even had a son and daughter. They were already inseparable. There was no need to add Zhan Mingzhao too.
Zhan Mingzhao could have married another family’s “good” daughter, giving the Zhan family another “networking resource.”
Now that Zhan Mingzhao was together with Gu Xiangyi, he had lost a son for nothing.
Zhan Bo smoked several cigarettes in a row. Even if he wanted to break up this marriage, it was not something he could decide. He was afraid this marriage had been pushed along single-handedly by his daughter Zhan Aiping. With Pingping’s personality, even he, her own father, could not twist her around.
“Why are you sighing all day? What kind of daughter-in-law did Mingzhao find for you?” Zhu Jiaorong hovered around Zhan Bo, trying to pry information from him. Her stepson, whom she had not seen for many years, was coming back with a partner. Zhu Jiaorong raised her alertness to the highest level and entered an active state of preparation for battle.
The Zhan family belonged to her son, Zhan Mingkang. She could not let Zhan Bo’s heart be coaxed away by Zhan Mingzhao.
Zhan Bo said, “This isn’t something you should be asking about.”
Zhan Bo truly felt too embarrassed to say it aloud.
Zhu Jiaorong advised him, “I’m also Mingzhao’s mother. How can I not know about his affairs? He’s found a partner and is going to marry. Surely he shouldn’t hide that from me?”
Zhan Bo said, “You’ll naturally know when they arrive.”
Zhan Bo kept his mouth shut and stubbornly refused to say who his eldest son’s partner was.
Seeing that she could not get any information, Zhu Jiaorong became suspicious. She went to see Zhan Aijia, and the mother and daughter discussed it quietly.
Zhu Jiaorong said, “Your father still refuses to tell me who it is.”
Zhan Aijia was utterly confused. She and Zhu Jiaorong racked their brains but could not figure out what kind of partner Zhan Mingzhao had found that made Zhan Bo unable to say it aloud.
Their original plan had been to ruin Zhan Mingzhao’s marriage, but what if Zhan Mingzhao’s partner was someone “unpresentable”? If they tried to ruin his marriage then, wouldn’t they actually be helping him?
“Our dad isn’t satisfied with that partner of his?”
Zhu Jiaorong nodded. “Probably.”
Zhan Aijia’s eyes turned. “Mum, we need to change strategy. It would be best to encourage Dad to make this marriage happen!”
“If Zhan Mingzhao finds a bad partner, we’re the ones who should be happy. Mingkang should be happy too!”
Zhu Jiaorong nodded. “You’re right!”
*
After Zhan Aiping and the others got off the train, Gu Sheng and Zhan Mingzhao went to collect the luggage. Guobaorou and Little Tangyuan guarded their mother’s side like two fierce guardian generals. Guobaorou, usually so proud and aloof, became extremely attentive, his little mouth especially sweet.
“Mum, are you tired?”
“Mum, do you want some water?”
“Mum, should we have Little Sister dance for you?”
Little Tangyuan: “Huh?”
Guobaorou looked at his mother with bright, sparkling eyes. Dad had said they had to take good care of Mum and keep her in a good mood. Mum liked watching Little Sister dance. If Little Sister danced, Mum would be happy.
Zhan Aiping said, “Then dance.”
—This treatment was truly not bad!
Clearly, she had only been pregnant for less than two months and was still “strong and healthy,” but the two little brats treated their mother like a fragile vase, handling her with great care.
Not only in their actions, but also in their attitude, the two children were like two diligent little agents, tirelessly bringing tea and pouring water for their mother… If this continued, little Comrade Zhan felt she would be raised into a little invalid.
She would “use her age and seniority to her advantage.”
Little Tangyuan danced on the spot while her brother Guobaorou hummed a few notes as accompaniment. Zhan Aiping encouraged them one by one. “Our Yuanyuan dances so beautifully. Big Brother sings very well too—”
Little Comrade Zhan worked hard to scrape together compliments in her mind.
Gu Sheng and Zhan Mingzhao came over with the luggage. The two children’s singing and dancing had not yet ended. Gu Xiangyi leaned over to Zhan Mingzhao and said, “Look at my sister-in-law. She brought a ceremonial music troupe with her on this trip!”
These two children were far too attentive and considerate!
Guobaorou said, “Mum, speaking must be tiring for you. Have some water.”
Zhan Aiping choked slightly. “Cough—”
Their little Guobaorou was so thoughtful at such a young age. He faintly showed signs of becoming a little warm-hearted gentleman.
But… something was not right. He had clearly been rather sharp-tongued before.
Zhan Aiping accepted the water her son handed her. “Don’t learn from your uncle.”
A little central-air-conditioning heartthrob.
Zhan Mingzhao said, “What do you mean, learn from me?”
Guobaorou looked puzzled. “Mum?”
Zhan Aiping smiled and pinched her son’s little face. “Thank you for the water, Brother Youyou.”
Gu Sheng said from the side, “Do you feel like you’ve become the Empress Dowager of the family?”
Zhan Aiping declared grandly, “More than the Empress Dowager. I’m now the revered ancestor.”
“I’m the Old Matriarch!”
Gu Xiangyi was dumbfounded. “Sister-in-law, are you usually like this at home?”
Was her treatment really this high?
At the hospital, many medical staff complained that their children at home were too noisy and troublesome, each one worrying themselves sick over their kids. Gu Xiangyi had always known that her sister-in-law’s little nephew and niece were fairly obedient, but children were young, so they should still be headache-inducing.
Yet these two were actually so attentive and considerate in taking care of their mother!
Zhan Aiping said, “I’ve always been like this.”
Gu Sheng could not help laughing. “My son said that Mum mustn’t be provoked. Otherwise, in this family, Mum gets to eat well, while those of us surnamed Gu have to eat husks and swallow vegetables.”
Guobaorou: “…”
Little Tangyuan looked worriedly at her aunt Gu Xiangyi. “Auntie, you’re surnamed Gu too. Do you have to eat husks and vegetables?”
Gu Xiangyi: “…?!”
Zhan Aiping said crossly, “Who made you eat husks and vegetables? Stop talking nonsense.”
Gu Xiangyi said to Zhan Mingzhao, “In our future home, let’s strive for those surnamed Zhan to eat husks and vegetables, while those surnamed Gu eat well.”
Zhan Mingzhao said, “Then I’d be far too pitiful.”
Gu Sheng said, “My brother-in-law shouldn’t lack food. There are plenty of people who want to give him things. Remember when we bought boxed meals on the train just now? My brother-in-law bought the large portions—”
Zhan Aiping: “?! No wonder you made him go buy the food. You’re so crafty!”
In daily life, Zhan Mingzhao’s good-popularity halo always brought him some inexplicable benefits.
“Now that we’re going to raise three children, wife, we have to live frugally.”
Zhan Aiping smiled and agreed, “That’s true.”
Gu Xiangyi said, “So it can work like that? I’ll try it next time and have Little Second go to the hospital canteen to get food for me.”
Zhan Mingzhao: “?!!”
Was his only use fetching meals?
“If you can get bigger portions… after we get married, it might actually be more cost-effective not to cook at home.” Gu Xiangyi thought back to the boxed meals on the train. There had genuinely been a lot of rice and meat inside. Whether it tasted good was one thing, but there really had been a lot of meat!
As long as there was plenty of meat, who cared whether it tasted good?
Zhan Aiping looked at Gu Sheng. “Our little sister is quite good at getting freebies and living thriftily.”
Gu Sheng said lazily, “As her brother and sister-in-law, we can rest assured.”
The three of them were very happy. Only Zhan Mingzhao was deeply dissatisfied. “I’m not only good for fetching meals!”
Zhan Aiping said, “You can also be used when going to the supply and marketing cooperative or the non-staple food shop—”
These days, the sales clerks at supply and marketing cooperatives, non-staple food shops, and department stores were all very arrogant. They held iron rice bowls and wore expressions that said, “Buy it or don’t, I don’t care.” When they were in a bad mood, their attitude was even worse.
An ordinary person going to buy things really would have to swallow some anger.
It was no wonder people raised in this era all liked pulling connections and going through the back door. If you had a good relationship with people, things really did go more smoothly. A person with good popularity was practically cheating with heaven’s blessing.
At this point, little Comrade Zhan’s eyes lit up. “Then hurry up and leave the army and come back. You can be an army family member.”
Such a well-liked little comrade should not be wasted. He could be used for more than getting meals.
Zhan Mingzhao: “…Sister, you really are my dear sister. I could hear your little abacus clacking all the way from the northeast.”
Their group joked and bantered all the way to the Zhan family home. It was not snowing at the moment. The sky was gloomy, and faint golden light was hidden among the clustered clouds at the horizon, barely visible.
The closer they got to the Zhan home, the worse Zhan Mingzhao’s mood became. The Zhan family held many unpleasant memories for him. “Zhu Jiaorong and Zhan Aijia are all there? Zhan Aijia had a child too?”
Zhan Aiping said, “She should be out of confinement by now.”
Zhan Bo had arranged for Zhu Jiaorong to clean inside and out. As a grown man, he refused to do it himself. Zhan Aijia used the excuse that she had to nurse the baby and refused to get out of bed. As for Zhan Mingkang, there was even less need to mention him. Zhu Jiaorong cursed inwardly while doing the housework.
Zhu Jiaorong no longer had her original diligence. She only wanted to muddle through and cut corners. But Zhan Bo had a bad temper. He was nitpicky and critical. Since he had no great ability outside, he insisted on finding authority at home, picking bones out of eggs and saying she had done this badly and that badly.
“Daughters are all debts! Sons are still useful.” Zhu Jiaorong hoped Zhan Mingkang would hurry up and grow up. As soon as he reached marriageable age, she would immediately arrange a marriage for him. Then the burden on her shoulders could be unloaded.
Didn’t people always say that a long-suffering daughter-in-law eventually becomes a mother-in-law? Zhu Jiaorong dreamed of becoming a mother-in-law.
In Zhu Jiaorong’s eyes, daughters were water poured out of the house, married off to work like oxen and horses for someone else’s family. Only sons were good. Having a son meant he could marry a daughter-in-law who would return to serve like an ox and horse.
Whether her son had great ability was not important. She was not like Zhan Bo, who cared so much about face. If her son was too capable, he would be troublesome instead and might bring back a powerful, shrewd daughter-in-law.
It did not matter if her son had no ability. As long as he had that thing between his legs, that was enough. He could marry her a daughter-in-law to work like an ox and horse, then give birth to grandsons. Once there were grandsons, this son would be like a pig ready for slaughter, not of much use anymore. His only uses were marrying a wife, breeding, and producing children.
Zhu Jiaorong taught this whole theory to her daughter Zhan Aijia. “You didn’t understand before you got married. Now that you’re married, you should understand.”
“It doesn’t matter how naughty those three stepsons are. You have to think of it this way: once children’s wings grow strong, they leave their parents’ side. No matter how capable your child is, people will only praise you a few times. It gives you face and makes you look good, but in reality, you suffer!”
“But even if you raise the child badly, that’s not a serious matter. What matters is keeping the boy close to you. The closer, the better… Why do women busy themselves finding wives for their sons? Who do you think that wife is being married for? I’ll tell you the truth: marrying a daughter-in-law means bringing back a slave for you, the mother-in-law.”
“If that slave becomes useless, just throw her away and replace her.”
“You suffer first, then enjoy sweetness later. You now have four sons. One of them will surely marry you a good slave. When the time comes, all the housework will be hers, and she’ll have to serve you too. Then you can enjoy life.”
From Zhu Jiaorong’s way of thinking, it had been like this since ancient times. No matter how high someone’s position was, someone still had to do the housework. Hire a nanny? Hiring a nanny could get you thrown into a cowshed.
Zhan Aijia opened her mouth, paused, then said, “…What if the daughter-in-law they marry is someone like Zhan Aiping?”
Zhu Jiaorong: “…”
“You have four sons. One of them will surely marry someone virtuous and obedient.”
Zhan Aijia said, “Mum, but you only have one biological son. What if he marries someone formidable—”
“Then you’ll have to serve them for the rest of your life.”
Zhu Jiaorong glared at her. “Don’t say such unlucky things!”
Zhan Aijia fell silent.
Seizing the chance, Zhu Jiaorong quickly advised her again, “The main thing in raising boys isn’t urging them to be ambitious. The important thing is making sure they stand on your side. Look, doesn’t your younger brother listen to everything I say?”
Although Zhu Jiaorong was looking after Zhan Aijia during confinement, she had selfish motives. She did not want her daughter’s life to be better than hers. Instead, she hoped her daughter would become the same as her.
Zhan Mingkang already had no prospects, and Zhu Jiaorong did not hope for Zhan Aijia’s child to have any prospects either.
Zhu Jiaorong said, “Raise your son the same way I raised your younger brother.”
Zhan Aijia’s emotions churned. She did not believe Zhu Jiaorong’s words. Even though she was now forced to rely on Zhu Jiaorong, deep in her heart, she still looked down on her own younger brother, Zhan Mingkang.
“Mum, stop talking. Zhan Aiping and Zhan Mingzhao are coming back today. Let’s first see what kind of partner Zhan Mingzhao brought.”
Zhu Jiaorong pressed her lips together. Not only did she not want her biological daughter to live well, she was even less willing to see her stepson Zhan Mingzhao live better than her biological son Zhan Mingkang.
Zhan Aiping’s group arrived at the Zhan family home. Zhan Bo had put on a new outfit to welcome them today. When Zhan Bo saw the good son-in-law he cherished most—Gu Sheng—his heart began thumping wildly, and his whole complexion became rosy. All his ailments seemed to vanish.
Gu Sheng had been promoted to regiment commander last year!
Whenever he thought of this, Zhan Bo felt as if he were floating on auspicious clouds. It felt more satisfying than smoking ten cigarettes.
This was his ideal good son-in-law, his ideal good son. None of the others—Lin Gang, Zhan Mingkang, or Zhan Mingzhao—could compare to even one of Gu Sheng’s fingers.
The smile on Zhan Bo’s face was sweeter than anyone else’s. His kindly expression seemed to drip like water as he said gently, “Little Gu, you brought Pingping back…”
He poured out a long string of caring words, asking after him with more warmth than if he had seen his own son.
Zhan Bo’s attentive manner left Gu Xiangyi and Zhan Mingzhao, who came in behind them, dumbfounded. “?!”
Gu Xiangyi was shocked. In her understanding, when a son-in-law returned to his wife’s family, he was supposed to be made difficult for. But when her youngest brother returned to his in-laws’ home, this was practically the treatment of “an emperor returning to the palace.” Her brother was the emperor, and Zhan Bo was the diligent old eunuch circling around the emperor.
Zhan Mingzhao had not returned to the Zhan family for several years. In his impression, Zhan Bo was an incapable, unsuccessful, moody old thing who only favoured Zhu Jiaorong and her children. He was an idiot, completely coaxed into confusion by Zhu Jiaorong.
Zhan Mingzhao still remembered what had happened when Zhan Aiping was in confinement last time. Zhu Jiaorong’s relationship with the siblings was not good, right? Zhu Jiaorong was with Zhan Bo every day, so why was Zhan Bo so enthusiastic toward his son-in-law? This kind of heartfelt liking could not be faked, could it?
—Had Zhu Jiaorong’s pillow talk stopped working?
She whispered in his ear every day, so why did Zhan Bo still like Gu Sheng?
Zhan Mingzhao and Gu Xiangyi glanced at each other. The shock in their eyes was exactly the same.
Zhan Aiping, however, was long used to the scene before her.
Zhan Bo was simply lacking something in the head. He liked Gu Sheng the most because Gu Sheng brought him face.
“Little Gu, is your health alright? You’ve become a regiment commander…”
After Zhan Bo poured out a large pile of greetings and concern like beans spilling from a bamboo tube, he finally turned his gaze to Zhan Mingzhao. He was startled. How had his biological son become so pale and thin?
“Eldest, you—” He blinked. “You look like a completely different person.”
Zhan Mingzhao nodded. He was too lazy to speak to Zhan Bo.
“I just brought my partner back for you to see.”
Gu Xiangyi smiled slightly. “Uncle Zhan, I’m Gu Xiangyi.”
Zhan Bo smiled. “Little Gu Xiangyi.”, quickly come in and sit. Come in, come in. I haven’t seen you in so long.”
Gu Xiangyi was extremely satisfied. This was the attitude Zhan Bo should have. How could she lose to her younger brother?
But after Zhan Bo finished speaking to her, he immediately devoted himself wholeheartedly to taking care of Gu Sheng, trying every possible way to steer the conversation back to him.
Gu Xiangyi: “?!!”
They were born from the same parents, so why did Zhan Bo favour her brother?
Inside the house, Zhu Jiaorong’s expression was not very good. But under Zhan Bo’s eye, she still diligently brought tea and water for all the guests.
Zhan Bo’s attentiveness toward Gu Sheng made Zhu Jiaorong extremely uncomfortable. This man surnamed Zhan clearly had something wrong with his brain!
“Grandpa!” Guobaorou and Little Tangyuan sat on the sofa eating milk candies.
Zhan Aiping pushed Gu Sheng toward Zhan Bo, while she took the two children and relaxed. She did not want to look at Zhan Bo’s annoying old face at all. It was simply disgusting.
“Mum, sit!” Guobaorou and Little Tangyuan continued to take very considerate care of their mother.
They surrounded Zhan Aiping and likewise asked after her warmly.
“Mum, do you want tea?”
“Mum, do you want peanuts?”
“Mum, do you want milk candy?”
Zhan Aiping ate the White Rabbit milk candy her son had unwrapped for her, thinking that the two children really were being a little overly attentive.
Zhan Aijia came out holding her child. Like Zhu Jiaorong, her eyelids twitched as she looked at the scene before her.
Zhan Bo was attentively entertaining Gu Sheng, while Guobaorou and Little Tangyuan were attentively caring for their mother. These five people had formed two little circles in the living room, making it impossible for anyone to pretend not to see.
—Had this couple returned to her maiden home to be worshipped like ancestors?!!!
Zhu Jiaorong was so angry her teeth itched, but on the surface, she remained silent. In her heart, Zhan Aijia was jealous that Zhan Aiping’s two children were so obedient. She imagined that these two children must be pretending, and that they were definitely noisy and troublesome at home!
There was no such thing as an obedient child.
Zhu Jiaorong turned her gaze to Zhan Mingzhao. When she saw her stepson’s face, her heart surged violently, as if a basketball had smashed through a glass window and hit her on the head.
That frail, weak boy from back then had actually grown into a handsome man with red lips and white teeth. How had he become so good-looking? Yes, he must take after their mother, Ai Feihong.
Zhu Jiaorong cursed inwardly, but still squeezed out a loving-mother smile. “Mingzhao brought his partner back.”
Gu Xiangyi said, “Hello, Auntie Zhu. I’m Mingzhao’s partner.”
Zhu Jiaorong was utterly shocked. This girl in front of her was Gu Xiangyi, the Gu family’s youngest sister, Gu Sheng’s biological younger sister. She, she, she—she was also Zhan Mingzhao’s partner?!!
Zhan Mingzhao was just a useless, poor educated youth. How could he climb up to Gu Xiangyi?!
Yes, Zhan Mingzhao had acted in a film, but how much money could acting in a film earn? He was not an official or a cadre.
Zhu Jiaorong asked sincerely, “Xiangyi, how did you take a fancy to our Mingzhao?”
At that moment, Zhu Jiaorong made up her mind. She had to break up this marriage. She absolutely could not allow Zhan Mingzhao to marry a woman from such a good family as Gu Xiangyi.
If Zhan Mingzhao married Gu Xiangyi, what place would there still be in the Zhan family for her and her son?
Zhan Bo was a crazed, brainless fool. Gu Xiangyi had five capable older brothers, all cadres. If Zhan Mingzhao married Gu Xiangyi, that brainless Zhan Bo would probably wholeheartedly favour Zhan Aiping and her brother.
Gu Xiangyi answered honestly, “He has a good-looking face and a likeable personality.”
The smile on Zhu Jiaorong’s face stiffened. “Is… is that so?”
When Zhan Bo heard Gu Xiangyi say this, he felt very upset. He turned his head and looked at Zhan Mingzhao’s face, thinking that this face and that mouth of his really were likeable.
It was rare for a man to be born this good-looking…
Zhan Bo swallowed. If Gu Sheng had not been sitting beside him, he would have wanted to open his mouth and stop Gu Xiangyi and Zhan Mingzhao from dating.
Their Zhan family no longer needed to become even closer in-laws with the Gu family. Since Zhan Mingzhao had been born with such a pleasing pretty-boy face, their family could clearly still arrange another good marriage. He could show off again.
The Zhan family’s guests drank tea and chatted outside. Zhan Bo went back to his room to look for something, and Zhu Jiaorong followed him in. They closed the door and exchanged a few private words between husband and wife.
After being married for over ten years, Zhan Bo and Zhu Jiaorong still had some tacit understanding.
Zhu Jiaorong quickly whispered, “I don’t think Mingzhao and Little Sister Gu should work out. We can’t let them.”
“One is the older brother-in-law, the other is the younger sister-in-law. If they get together, people will definitely laugh at and tease our family. Where would we put our face?”
Zhu Jiaorong attacked from the angle Zhan Bo cared about most: face.
Zhan Bo did not care about this at all. A little teasing was not important. He already had a stepdaughter who had gone off to become stepmother to three children. What did Zhan Mingzhao and Little Sister Gu count as? No one would dare tease them much.
Zhan Bo only felt that he had lost out!
Zhan Bo said, “I also think it won’t do. Why don’t you work on Little Sister Gu?”
Zhan Bo hoped Zhu Jiaorong could ruin Zhan Mingzhao and Gu Xiangyi’s marriage. This villain had to be played by Zhu Jiaorong; it was not suitable for him to step forward.
Zhu Jiaorong froze. “W-what?”
Zhu Jiaorong had never expected Zhan Bo to be persuaded so easily.
Zhan Bo said, “Didn’t Mingzhao appear in a film? Quite a few families have taken a fancy to him. There’s the Lu family, the Zhang family…”
Zhan Bo listed several families with good backgrounds in one breath—some from the army, some from departments, bureaus, and offices… He recited them as if counting family treasures.
If Zhan Mingzhao could become the son-in-law of one of those families, the Zhan family would gain another good in-law connection. He would make an absolute killing!
Aiyo, this was truly “one son in the family, and a hundred families come seeking.”
Hearing Zhan Bo list those names as casually as naming dishes from a menu, Zhu Jiaorong’s head buzzed… She sucked in a cold breath. No. This was even worse than letting Zhan Mingzhao marry Gu Xiangyi.
If this pretty boy Zhan Mingzhao got connected to those families too, he would practically soar into the sky. Wouldn’t Zhan Bo completely tilt his heart toward him then? Where would that leave her and her son, Zhan Mingkang?
Zhan Bo secretly rejoiced. “This eldest son of mine has no other ability. He’s just good-looking.”
This kind of pretty boy was very popular with girls.
Clearly, he had two daughters, and both daughters were pretty too. But he had never experienced “one daughter in the family, and a hundred families come seeking.” He had only experienced “one son in the family, and a hundred families come seeking.”
This inconspicuous son of his was a hot commodity!
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