1RomanceEB Chapter 1086 - 959: This Really Puts My Dad in a Tough Spot
Chapter 1086 - 959: This Really Puts My Dad in a Tough Spot
"You’re finally back. They’re all waiting for you to come back and eat together. From the commotion just now, was it that Dai Family girl at the end again making a scene at home?"As soon as She stepped into the yard, hearing Aunt Chen say that, She realized the woman hadn’t gone out at all, and asked in surprise, "Auntie, how did you know?"
"Her aunt was talking about it while lining up at the supply and marketing cooperative. That girl doesn’t dare openly say she won’t go to the countryside, so she picks fights every day—either the food’s too salty, or the clothes aren’t washed clean."
"Two days ago she even cut her cousin’s clothes into shreds, and the two sisters got into a fight. From the noise just now, I’d say she’s stirring up trouble again."
"I figure it’s useless no matter how much she makes a scene. The Dai Family boys about her age are either in the army or in the Production Corps. How can she, a girl, expect special treatment?"
So that was it. Zhou Jiao nodded thoughtfully. Every family has its hard-to-read scripture; who’s right or wrong—how can outsiders really know clearly?
After dinner, the couple were in no hurry to read the letters from home. Instead, together with their three sons, they carefully went over everything that had happened today at the Dai Family. Naturally, her focus was on what the Dai Family’s eldest granddaughter had done.
"What an idiot!"
"Yeah, she’s stupid beyond saving."
Ping’an’s eyes flickered; he glanced at Zhou Jiao with concern. "Mom, you like Mr. Dai a lot, don’t you?" The implication being: otherwise why risk yourself?
Zhou Jiao gave him a reassuring smile. "Don’t worry."
Ping’an looked at his dad and saw that his expression was perfectly calm; he couldn’t help letting out a breath of relief. "Tomorrow I’ll go see how the Dai Family handles their family affairs."
Liu Yi discreetly nudged his younger brother.
May 1st immediately beamed and said, "Bro, you just go to school. Liu Yi and I can get the news the moment something happens."
Ping’an pondered for a moment. "Maybe... pay more attention to what ends up happening to Dai Meihong in the end."
May 1st frowned slightly. "Brother’s worried the Dai Family won’t drive her out?"
"It’s not impossible. Her mother’s the unreasonable sort who’s always quarreling with people in the courtyard. Didn’t you hear Mom say just now that except for Mr. Dai, no one from the Dai Family has come back?"
Hearing Liu Yi say this, May 1st responded, "That’s not right. They already made it clear they cut ties with that bunch."
Ping’an looked at his two younger brothers. "Don’t concern yourselves too much. Mr. Dai isn’t a fool, he knows how to choose. You just keep a general eye on what’s going on over there."
Zhou Jiao watched the children with satisfaction and smiled at Zhang Guoqing beside her. She had originally planned to talk and guide the kids first; now it seemed unnecessary.
"Have you discussed it enough? Isn’t it time to read the letters now?" Zhang Guoqing picked out Mr. Zhang’s big envelope from the stack of letters and put it on the coffee table. "Here, see what your grandparents wrote?"
Ping’an motioned for his brothers to come over while he himself got up to pour tea, then handed one of the cups to Zhou Jiao. "Mom, did my dad tell you about Wen Yu?"
Zhou Jiao looked him over curiously. "He did. Why?"
"After the commotion at the Dai Family today, will it affect my grandma?" Ping’an hesitated for a moment. "Maybe we should just let him go to the scrap station like he wants?"
Zhou Jiao looked at him and said meaningfully, "Before dealing with anything, you first have to consider all the consequences. How could our family not have made preparations in advance?"
Ping’an nodded.
"Yu got to you? Baby, you need to understand that once you’ve weighed the interests and figured out the best decision, if you waver afterward, it’s the same as overturning all the effort you’ve already put in. At that point you have to be even more rational."
Leaning against the sofa, Ping’an said sullenly, "But my rational side is telling me to just let him do what he wants. That way my grandma doesn’t have to worry, and he’s happy too."
Zhou Jiao patted his hand. "Let me put it this way. The reason we’re helping Wen Yu—one is because of your great‑grandmother, and the second is your grandaunt. They’re the key. Since Yu didn’t resist before, what weight does his opinion hold now?"
"Is it like that? He usually takes good care of the three of us."
"All the better. For his own good, we need to press him and let him temper his temperament properly, teach him what it means to keep his word. His nature is too lazy and slack. If he hides in an easy post again, this life of his will basically be ruined."
Ping’an nodded helplessly. He’d already said every good word he could think of for his good buddy; he couldn’t be blamed for not being loyal enough.
After a brief silence, Zhou Jiao looked at him. "Truly smart people never meddle in other people’s lives. It’s the ones who think they’re clever that like to play the nosy dog catching rats."
At the side, May 1st immediately burst into happy giggles, pointing at the letter. "Mom, quick, look—what you just said is really putting Dad in a tough spot."
Zhou Jiao’s gaze swept over and landed on Zhang Guoqing, who looked both amused and exasperated. She tapped her own forehead in mild headache—she really hadn’t meant it as a double‑edged warning to her man.
Liu Yi secretly rolled his eyes at his "silly little brother," then turned to Zhou Jiao to remind her, "Mom, my grandpa says our two cousins in the army back home have reached demobilization age and is asking Dad what to do."
May 1st immediately followed up, clapping his hands. "Isn’t that exactly making it hard on my dad? If they stay, they’ll have to ask my second great‑grandfather to take care of them, but if there’s a war someday and something happens..."
"If they demobilize, well, that’s even worse. Dad will have to ask Grandpa Zhao Dashan to pull strings and get them ’two good work units.’" May 1st’s tone put extra stress on "two good work units."
As he spoke, he shook his head and sighed at Zhang Guoqing. "So in the end it still comes down to my dad stepping in. Poor Dad, tell us, what are you going to do?"
Zhang Guoqing watched his youngest son put on such a performance and gave his eldest a light smack on the head, laughing. "You and your smart mouth. Your old man is the one who’s truly smart."
May 1st gave him a thumbs‑up. "Attaboy!"
Liu Yi, watching him closely, heard Zhang Guoqing’s words and immediately took out pen and paper and handed them over. "Dad, why don’t you hold off on replying and give yourself one night to think it over?"
Zhang Guoqing smiled playfully. "Sure, that’s a good idea."
"Huh?" Liu Yi’s mouth dropped open in surprise as he stared at him. Grown‑ups could play it like this?
Looking at his two incredulous sons, Zhang Guoqing cheerfully patted both their behinds. "Just this bit of goading? Your old man had it down to an art at five years old."
Liu Yi hurriedly covered his backside and tried to run. "Dad, see through it, but don’t call it out."
"You’ve picked up the saying pretty well too, and you even know how to work in tandem with your brother to dig pits." The more Zhang Guoqing spoke, the broader his smile grew. He grabbed a son with each hand, pulled them into his arms, and ruthlessly tickled them.
"Mom, come quick..."
"Brother—haha—Dad, that tickles..."
Zhou Jiao watched from beginning to end. Seeing the father and three sons horsing around together at this moment, she silently shook her head, chuckling, and then picked up the letters on the table.
In her heart, Mr. Zhang was not the sort of father who liked to make things hard for his son. Maybe he wanted to ask his younger boy for advice, but he absolutely wouldn’t scheme against the younger son he’d always doted on for the sake of grandsons or grandchildren.
Not to mention anything else—just speaking of her mother‑in‑law... If anyone ever made things difficult for her younger son, she would fight them to the death. That old mother’s partiality toward him was truly extreme.