Chapter 461: Scheming

Liu Guangqi was simply judging a gentleman's heart with a petty person's mind.

Give Er Da Ma this money.

He merely wanted to use this method to completely shut Er Da Ma's mouth, eliminating any chance for Liu Guangfu and Liu Guangtian to find out about his secret.

People die for wealth, birds die for food.

For money.

Humans, this kind of animal.

Really, they can do anything.

When necessary, they truly don't recognize even their six relatives.

If Er Da Ma tells the second and third brothers about the Liu family's wealth, it will surely be a case of "the clam and the snipe fight, the fisherman benefits," giving Shazhu an easy advantage.

As the time to leave approached.

Liu Guangqi still uneasy, repeatedly reminded Er Da Ma.

"Mom, I'm not just scaremongering; this matter should be known only to us two, and must absolutely not be told to any irrelevant outsiders."

Worried that Er Da Ma didn't grasp the meaning of his words.

He simply gave out the names of Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu.

"Old Two and Old Three must not let them know, given Guangtian's violent temper and Guangfu's blabbermouth; it won't take long before everyone in the Siheyuan neighborhood knows, and you know what kind of people Old Two's wife and Old Three's wife are—by then they'll surely cause trouble for you, will you still have good days?"

The conversation shifted.

He began to threaten Er Da Ma.

"You know why my father was taken in; once people find out that the family still has undeclared items, it's intentional concealment. You've been married to my father for so many years—just based on that relationship, do you think you can get away?"

Er Da Ma's face changed.

Her body trembled slightly.

"Not to mention you, even I as your son, Gui Xiang as your daughter-in-law, your grandson, Guangtian's family, Guangfu's family—each and every one of us would have nowhere to flee; the Old Liu family would truly be wiped out. After more than ten years, how would your grandson marry, find work? Would the Old Liu family's line be cut off?"

"Guangqi, Mom knows what to do; I promise not to tell anyone."

"I'm just worried you'll talk too much and ruin my father's plan; I know how to handle this—first buy back the house, you go back to live there, then later I'll give you a sum of money enough to live comfortably for the rest of your life."

Liu Guangqi, who had been kindly reminding Er Da Ma, as he walked to the courtyard gate, saw many people watching him and hurried to pat himself on the back.

"Mom, if you think the countryside is good, stay a few more days; if you miss Second Sister, have someone send me a message, and I'll come pick you up by bicycle."

"Guangqi, Mom understands; be careful on the road."

"Mom, I'm an adult now—why do you still treat me like a child?" Liu Guangqi said, greeting the surrounding elders: "Auntie, Second Mom, Third Aunt, Fourth Grandma, Fifth Sister, Sixth Granny, Seventh Aunt—I still have work at my unit, I'm heading back first; if you have time to come to the city, definitely come sit at my place."

Donkey dung balls look shiny on the surface.

After saying a few polite words.

In Er Da Ma's reluctant gaze.

Riding a bicycle.

Heading into the city.

He never would have imagined that the two people he constantly kept in mind and wanted to guard against—Old Two Liu Guangtian and Old Three Liu Guangfu—had already met at the Yagangchang, specifically analyzing the matter of Liu Guangqi bringing things back to his rural hometown.

It was Liu Guangfu who came to find Liu Guangtian.

The more they pondered this family matter.

The more they felt something was off.

As members of the Liu family, they are the type who never act without profit; they rarely do anything that brings no benefit.

In Liu Guangfu's view, Er Da Ma currently had nothing to gain, so Liu Guangqi shouldn't be rushing to curry favor with her.

Put yourself in another's shoes.

Consider things from another's perspective.

If Liu Guangfu were in Liu Guangqi's position, he would have long kept his distance from Er Da Ma, since eating, drinking, and even bodily functions require money—could it really be that his filial piety overflows, wanting to serve Er Da Ma's meals for life?

He thought it over.

He felt it impossible.

This brother of theirs has been selfish to the core since childhood; clearly it was his own fault, yet he insists on pinning the blame on Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, then watches indifferently as Liu Haizhong beats his two brothers, being a cold-blooded beast at heart, incapable of doing anything without profit.

The problem is that Liu Guangfu now simply can't figure out the key point.

After much thought, he still couldn't understand.

What benefit could the Liu family still have that would make Liu Guangqi so eager to curry favor?

Could it be the money from selling the house?

Liu Haizhong's family's old house sold for 350 units, equivalent to Liu Guangfu's annual salary.

This sum of money.

Liu Guangfu was also tempted.

But after consideration, he felt it was a loss; if Er Da Ma lived with him, yearly expenses would be at least twenty to thirty units, and if she fell ill, at least fifty units per year; living together for ten years, Liu Guangfu would have to subsidize 150 units.

He considered himself not stupider than Liu Guangqi.

Such a shrewd calculation.

Surely it's calculated clearly.

Thus, filled with strong confusion, he went to seek Liu Guangtian.

Three clumsy craftsmen beat Zhuge Liang.

Getting together, thinking of solutions, analyzing causes—still possible.

Upon seeing Liu Guangtian, Liu Guangfu deliberately called him affectionately "Second Brother."

Liu Guangtian was somewhat impatient.

What are you calling second brother?

It's not worth the effort to call him second brother; you might as well give him a few bucks.

"Guangfu, what do you need? I'm in the workshop rushing to meet a deadline—am I really coming to see you, or am I just making up an excuse to go to the bathroom?"

"Brother, I ran into the eldest today while at work."

"Why mention him?"

"My good second brother, there's no benefit; I wouldn't have come all this way to see you otherwise. I saw the eldest: he was riding a bicycle, wearing work clothes, carrying a net bag with apples, pears, several boxes of snacks, two cans, heading toward Liu Family Field."

Liu Guangfu actually didn't clearly see what was inside the net bag.

To increase his persuasive power.

He deliberately exaggerated.

Through the value of the gifts, he highlighted the seriousness of the matter.

As expected.

Liu Guangtian's attention was instantly captured.

Again there were cans and snacks, and he headed toward Liu Family Field.

He went to look for something to supplement.

Regarding Liu Guangqi, Liu Guangtian understands him more deeply than Liu Guangfu does, after all, the age difference is there—Liu Guangtian is several years older than Liu Guangfu.

"You didn't see wrong?"

"I swear to the elders, I really saw it; I didn't come to ask the second brother for advice because I couldn't figure it out in my heart, but to see if our good eldest brother has had a change of heart and wants to bring our mother to his home to care for her."

"Does Liu Guangqi have such a good heart?" Liu Guangtian countered Liu Guangfu, "If he meant well, he wouldn't have, on the third day after marriage, taken overnight the things our father bought for him and fled to his in-laws' place, making the neighbors think he'd become a son-in-law living in."

Liu Guangfu felt a bit uneasy.

Resentment.

Precisely because Liu Haizhong and his wife gave the eldest, Liu Guangqi, a lavish wedding, preparing everything down to the last detail, they emptied the Liu family's savings, forcing Liu Guangfu to have no choice.

He gritted his teeth.

He stamped his foot.

He became a live-in son-in-law.

To this day he's been doing the work of an ox and a horse.

"Second brother, just tell us what we should do."

Liu Guangtian stared at Liu Guangfu without blinking.

He slightly furrowed his brows.

He suddenly realized.

He realized that this good younger brother was using him as a killing blade, coming not to ask for advice but to make Liu Guangtian the lightning rod, drawing fire from Liu Guangqi and Er Da Ma, so that Liu Guangfu could hide in the rear and reap secret gains.

"Guangfu, you're really something—you even dare to scheme against me."

Liu Guangtian wore a look of having seen through Liu Guangfu's scheming, and his tone turned grim.

Facing Liu Guangtian's icy expression, Liu Guangfu gave a hollow laugh and began to excuse himself.

"Second brother, at this point, why are you still spouting nonsense? I never schemed against you—I treat you as my real second brother. Isn't there a saying, 'Brothers fight tigers side by side, father and son fight together in battle'? I really can't figure out the eldest's affairs."

At a moment concerning one's own interests.

We cannot let internal strife appear.

Otherwise we'll end up letting Liu Guangqi take advantage.

"Our mother has some spare cash, at most three or four hundred yuan; even if she favors the eldest, she couldn't possibly give away her retirement money. I suspect there's something in our family that we two brothers don't know about, something valuable, or maybe it's just money."

"I know the eldest's character, and you do too; anything that would make him go to such lengths would definitely exceed that amount."

Liu Guangtian held up three fingers.

Liu Guangfu's heart.

Rose to his throat.

He of course knew what Liu Guangtian's three fingers meant—not three hundred, but three thousand.

Could the Liu family really have three thousand?

Simply unbelievable.

The inner imbalance was suppressed to the extreme.

Resent Liu Haizhong.

Resent Er Da Ma.

They're all Liu family children, yet for the reason that the family has three thousand, they only told the eldest, Liu Guangqi, and not the second and third.

This shows that Liu Haizhong and his wife never truly regarded Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu as their children; otherwise they wouldn't be biased to this extent.

Damn it!

Liu Guangfu, shaking with anger, simply went straight to the point with Liu Guangtian.

"Second brother, just tell us what to do! Rather than let the eldest benefit, it'd be better for us two brothers to split it!"

Liu Guangtian fell into contemplation.

What exactly is it?

Is it really savings?

Liu Guangtian didn't dare give a definite answer.

But he knows.

There must be a secret in there that he doesn't know.

As for what the secret is, although he can't figure it out right away, he can roughly imagine that it would make the profit‑seeking Liu Guangqi bustle about with cans and snacks—it must be something valuable.

"Hiss!"

Suddenly, a sound of sucking in cold air came from his mouth.

Just then, in that instant.

Liu Guangtian suddenly recalled the scenes from when Liu Haizhong was the assault team captain of Yagangchang; he vaguely remembered that back then, Liu Guangtian, as a low-ranking soldier under Liu Haizhong, had participated in a few deeds that could also be considered despicable.

"Treasure!"

This is the only thing that can set Liu Guangtian's mind at ease.

Back then, he had privately suggested to Liu Haizhong, urging Liu Haizhong to rely on his position as team captain to skim off a bit of these things—a matter known only to heaven and earth, you and me—why not do that?

Afterward, Liu Haizhong and Liu Guangtian turned over everything.

Liu Guangtian, who hadn't given it much thought.

He actually believed Liu Haizhong's lies.

Now, combining the facts stated by Liu Guangfu and thinking about Liu Guangqi's abnormal behavior, an answer that could not be clearer surfaced in Liu Guangtian's mind.

Liu Haizhong didn't tell him the truth.

He clearly had skimmed off part of the treasure, yet he deceived Liu Guangtian with lies.

As a matter of fact, it was Liu Guangtian who first suggested skimming off the treasure.

Damned Liu Haizhong.

You bastard, you won't die a good death.

Liu Guangtian hated Liu Haizhong to death; clearly it was his own achievement, yet he insisted on being biased and telling these things to the big boss—otherwise, why would the big boss rush to curry favor with Er Da Ma?

Looking at Liu Guangfu before him, he rolled his eyes.

This bastard needs to be sent away.

Liu Guangtian, driven by selfish motives, suddenly had the thought of embezzling the treasure.

"Liu Guangfu, this matter must not be told to your wife; just the two of us brothers need to know. My factory's tasks are busy these days; I can't free up time. Tomorrow go to the countryside to see our mother, sound her out. Remember, don't let Mother catch on to what this means."

"When seeing Mother, you can't go empty-handed, you know—I'm a son-in-law living in my wife's family, and I don't have the final say on some things."

Liu Guangfu raised his right hand in front of Liu Guangtian.

He vigorously rubbed his thumb, index, and middle finger together a few times.

"You!" Liu Guangtian said in an exasperated tone, "Can't you save up some private money?"

While speaking,

He pulled out a five-yuan bill from his upper coat pocket.

He handed it to Liu Guangfu.

"Buy canned food, snacks, and biscuits; five yuan is enough. Also, you must say this is something I, Liu Guangtian, bought especially for Mother."

"Second Brother, can I still blackmail you for money? After buying the stuff, when I leave, I won't leave any money for Mother, will I?"

"Liu Guangfu, have you had donkey urine poured into your head? Even if you give her money, she'll think the big boss who doesn't give her money is more filial than we are, so take the opportunity of not giving her money to cry poor properly. Besides, you must ask whether the big boss has come; if Mother says the big boss hasn't come, then there's something fishy, and if she says he has come, then there's even more suspicion."

"I understand."

Liu Guangfu waved his hand in reply.

In the instant he turned his body, the smile on his face instantly turned solemn.

Liu family children.

Each and every one of them is talented.

Nobody trusts anyone.

In other words,

They are all guarding against each other.

……

Siheyuan.

Shazhu, who had returned from work in the evening.

After eating a few bites of rice and vegetables, he was about to tell Yu Li about opening a restaurant when the sound of the courtyard meeting came from his ears.

"Neighbors, those who have eaten come out; the courtyard meeting is starting. Those who haven't eaten, hurry up and eat."

The couple exchanged a glance.

Each carrying a stool, they appeared in the courtyard.

Don't even mention it.

It's been many years since the last courtyard meeting.

It really filled everyone with anticipation.

There were people even more eager than Shazhu and his wife; by the time they came out, the courtyard was already filled with most of the neighbors.