CHAPTER 525: CHAPTER 357: MISPLACED TRUST_2

Chuxia quickly pulled her teeth off the apple and stared seriously at Old Master Wan, "Grandpa, intense exercise in the morning is dangerous. Please, for my sake, take care of yourself, okay?"

"Alright, alright..." Old Master Wan hurriedly responded and ran into the house.

Seeing the guilty look on the old man’s face made Chuxia smile. As she turned her head, Jing Zhe drove up in his car. She quickly climbed in and shared with him what had just happened, hoping that as a respected doctor, he would find time to give Old Master Wan a proper lesson, so he wouldn’t overexert himself again.

After Jing Zhe agreed, he couldn’t help but laugh, "Do you know how he got himself into this state?"

"Brother, you know?" Chuxia stared at him, puzzled, and couldn’t help but scold, "You saw it and didn’t stop him?"

"I wasn’t there, how could I stop him?" Jing Zhe shook his head with a smile. "When people get old, they don’t like to admit it. My old man came home sweating after running, too. I scolded him. He said that this morning while walking, he met Grandpa Li and Grandpa Sun. The old guys got to talking and none would yield, so they competed to see who could run five laps around the field fastest. In the end, they made Grandpa Li run until he fainted."

"Elderly people can be like children." Not knowing who Grandpa Li was, Chuxia didn’t pursue the matter further. Instead, she talked about how her parents were going back to their hometown tomorrow and asked Jing Zhe if he had time to take them.

...

Dalin Village.

Uncle Zhang and Auntie Zhang looked at their newly acquired house with reluctance in their eyes. They were accustomed to the rural life and only in such a house did they truly feel at ease.

They had moved there with their son’s assistance, but once they stayed, they grew attached. Thinking of moving back and living in those cramped ’pigeon cages’ made the old couple feel choked up inside.

Deputy County Chief Zhang, who came to help pack up, saw how the old couple felt and couldn’t bear it, but this house simply couldn’t be occupied by them any longer.

They had promised to help earlier, and it would be improper to go back on their word now.

"Dongfang, the homeowners said we could stay together, right? Why not talk to them and see if we could pay them rent?" Old Master Zhang suddenly looked to his son to discuss.

Before Zhang Dongfang could respond, his wife Li Xiuling quickly said, "Dad, Mom, if Dongfang were to really suggest that, it could change the nature of this arrangement. They might even think we’re going back on our word and don’t want to give the house back.

Imagine, something that should be remembered kindly could turn sour in the end. That would be counterproductive. If you old folks want to live in the countryside, we can consider buying you a house in a village closer to the city, or we could build a new one. How does that sound?"

"We just want to stay here. Your mom and Old Man Lin got along well. If we had to move again, how could we ever form such a bond? We’ll just throw everything out," protested Old Master Zhang stubbornly as he threw down his bag and sat cross-legged on the kang bed. "You don’t want to negotiate, so I will. You move the stuff, while I talk to them. If they let us stay, your mom and I will live here. If not, we’ll think about moving into that small house. We can make do."

"Dad..." Zhang Dongfang was at a loss, half crying, half laughing, "Why are you acting so petulant? Let me tell you, the owner’s relative is a higher official than the provincial committee secretary. Now, tell me, would it be appropriate for us to stay here?"

"The owner’s relative might be the provincial committee secretary, but that doesn’t mean the owner is. You two don’t care about us at all. When you needed our help, you dragged us here without asking. Now that we’re used to this place and have made friendships, you don’t consider our feelings and want to uproot us again. What do you take your parents for?

We gave birth to you, raised you, educated you, not to be toyed with like this. It seems like your conscience has been eaten by a dog!" Old Master Zhang railed at his son, covering him in a torrent of rebukes.

Zhang Dongfang was bewildered, "Dad, you and mom agreed so easily to move before, why have you changed your minds now?"

"I haven’t changed my mind; it’s just intolerable. Those two are heartless, cozying up to the provincial committee secretary’s relative, forgetting all about their own parents. Old Man Lin and his wife didn’t even get to enjoy their granddaughter’s wedding treats. How could they treat elderly people like that?

We shouldn’t have agreed to occupy this house for such people. Dongfang, if you’ve got any backbone, don’t force me and your mom to move.

We’re reasonable people. We’ll only occupy one room and wait until they return. I want to ask them face-to-face why they treated their own parents that way.

If they have a valid reason, your mom and I will happily vacate the house for them. But if they’ve forgotten their parents in their good fortune, even if it is to support Old Man Lin, I won’t move!"

"Dad, do you even know the full story? Why are you meddling here? They say even an honest judge finds it hard to settle family disputes. You just took Old Man Lin’s word without question. Tell me, do you trust your son or Old Man Lin more?

What I’ve heard is not the same as what you’ve been told. Old Man Lin and his wife wanted to sell their granddaughter to their younger son for his career advancement. It was because they acted that way that they hurt the homeowner’s feelings, and that’s why they weren’t invited to the wedding.

Parents, think about it. Even if the younger generation makes mistakes, who really is at fault here, the elders or the youngsters?"

(To be continued. If you enjoy this story, you’re welcome to vote for it with recommendation tickets or monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)