Chapter 340: Liu Guangtian, Liu Haizhong—Who Hit Whom?

Seeing his mother accidentally let slip, Liu Guangtian unintentionally learned the truth behind Liu Haizhong's anger; at that moment he grinned, his smile tinged with obvious ridicule.

That father of his.

He has no ability at all.

He still can't let go of his desire to become an official.

Just because Shazhu treated Yan Fugui to a meal and didn't invite this steward uncle to drink, he was seething inside and lost his temper at home.

He deliberately gave a cold snort.

"It's just this reason; I thought something huge had happened, like the sky falling and the earth cracking. It's just a drink. If you think Shazhu didn't invite you, you could just go yourself; I don't believe Shazhu would push you out of his home."

Liu Haizhong glared at Liu Guangtian fiercely.

He turned his head to the side.

He put on an 'out of sight, out of mind' attitude.

Liu Guangtian guessed Liu Haizhong's meaning.

He simply felt that going to Shazhu's place to drink would be like losing face for this steward second uncle, making him look bad.

Inside the siheyuan.

About twenty-seven or twenty-eight households.

Not mentioning the deceased Yi Zhonghai and the deaf old lady.

Just talking about the living people.

The Jia family in the central courtyard and the Liu family in the rear courtyard are the two most shameless families.

The Jia family, thanks to Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi's fine conduct, has had its reputation dragged through the mud. The Liu family, because Liu Haizhong cannot treat everyone equally with his rod-like discipline, has had its reputation ruined in the mud.

Just because of Liu Haizhong's vicious beating of Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu.

Many people privately mutter, could it be that Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu are not Liu Haizhong's biological sons? Only after learning he himself had been cuckolded would Liu Haizhong vent his anger at being cuckolded onto his two sons.

But it's not only outsiders who think that.

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu also think that way; otherwise Liu Haizhong couldn't, after the eldest's mistake, beat the second and third, calling it education.

In the past.

They were young.

They still had to rely on Liu Haizhong to support them.

Now.

They have grown up.

They have jobs and can earn money to support themselves.

So when facing Liu Haizhong's attitude toward them, without the previous tolerance, they retaliated sharply.

"You turned your head away—what does that mean? Do you think I'm wrong, or do you despise me as your son for coming back?"

"Guangtian, say a few less words; your father is in a bad mood."

Second Aunt anxiously tried to smooth things over.

Liu Guangtian before her eyes.

Suddenly it made her a bit puzzled.

Liu Guangtian, who usually submits to adversity, today is all fired up; facing Liu Haizhong's reproach, he not only didn't retreat but retorted.

Worried that Liu Haizhong would hit Liu Guangtian again.

The son is this big.

He's grown so sturdy.

In case he fights back.

It's basically a father-son fight, and Liu Haizhong happens to be the biggest steward in the siheyuan; if it gets out, it will affect his future official career.

"If you anger your father, your father will whip you again."

Liu Haizhong provoked Liu Guangtian with a look.

That's what he meant.

You dare to talk back to your father.

I really will whip you, you little bastard.

He then took off his belt and placed it on the table within reach.

"What's wrong with whipping me? I'd like to whip him too."

"Guangtian, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"Nonsense? I tell you, I'm speaking from the heart. I just don't understand: from childhood on, we're all kids raised by our parents, so why can the eldest eat well, drink well, dress well? As for clothing, I don't pick and choose; it's the same in every household: the eldest's hand-me-downs go to the second, the second's to the third, and the third's to the fourth."

Liu Guangtian had pent-up frustration for over ten years.

He let it all out at once.

"The eldest can eat scrambled eggs, while I and the third can only eat steamed cornbread; I accept that, because we're the younger ones. When the eldest makes a mistake, you let him off and instead beat me and the third to a pulp, even in front of the elders."

Liu Guangtian pointed at the picture on the wall.

"Let's talk properly: I and the third haven't done anything wrong, so why do you let the trouble-making eldest off and beat me and the third? Comrade Liu Haizhong, can you tell me the specific reason?"

Liu Haizhong kept silent.

What to say.

Say I'm biased.

Just favor the eldest.

The key is what the eldest did.

Making it impossible for Liu Haizhong to bring up.

It became a thorn in his heart.

He poured all his heart and blood into Liu Haizhong, whom the eldest had cultivated; after marrying off the eldest, he never expected that the eldest would actually move out all the things prepared for him in the house, leaving nothing behind, and lived year-round at his father-in-law's home.

Those who know understand that Liu Haizhong's eldest son moved out with his wife.

Those who don't know mistakenly think that Liu Haizhong's eldest son became a live-in son-in-law.

"What do you mean? Do you feel embarrassed? Do you feel ashamed? I tell you, your face is already completely lost; sometimes I privately wonder, am I, Liu Guangtian, really your biological son?"

Er Da Ma slapped Liu Guangtian.

Dead child.

The more he spoke, the more nonsensical it became.

"I already knew you would treat me this way; I already knew the eldest made a mistake but couldn't bring himself to strike, taking out his anger on me and the third; I wish you had just killed me back then, so I wouldn't be alive and worse off than dead."

"Guangtian, you're trying to anger me."

"Mom, anger you? I really wouldn't dare; I just feel hopeless, hoping to grow up quickly, have the ability and a job to support myself, so I won't have to endure my father's occasional beatings; finally, I'll tell you two elders: for your future old-age support, go to the eldest, don't count on me and the third—this is also what the third wants."

Er Da Ma's body.

He sat awkwardly on the stool.

He kept pressing his right hand against his chest.

Liu Haizhong saw his spouse being made into this state by the unfilial son; the anger from not being treated to a meal by Shazhu plus the stifling frustration from Liu Guangtian's lack of filial piety that inflamed their chests piled up, and finally erupted like a volcano.

"Liu Guangtian, are you giving me face?"

"Liu Haizhong, you're giving me face—I really didn't know that; all I know is I want to beat you today."

"Father of the child, Guangtian, what are you two doing, fighting for no reason? If outsiders find out, the Liu family's reputation will be completely ruined."

"If we lose face, we lose face; I'm not afraid."

Bastard.

"I'm a bastard; what are you? You're an old bastard. No wonder you don't hit the eldest but hit me and the third—it turns out you're a bastard, you're already a bastard, yet you still want to be an official? You don't even bother to look at yourself."

Shut your mouth, old man.

Liu Haizhong let out a violent roar.

He grabbed the belt in his hand.

Heedlessly, he lashed out at Liu Guangtian.

Liu Guangtian took the satchel in his hand and used it like a meteor hammer to smash toward Liu Haizhong.

The Liu family father-son civil war.

Thus they silently approached the neighbors; when the neighbors, hearing the commotion, all crowded into the back courtyard, Liu Guangtian and Liu Haizhong had already fought from inside the house into the courtyard.