Chapter 1633: Answering Truthfully

After firming up this idea, Zhao Desan set about preparing to act. As soon as he got off work in the afternoon, he couldn't be bothered to stay in the office with Jia Wanli to engage in those pleasurable activities. Making an excuse that he had something to do, he packed his bag and left the unit early, hailed a taxi, and headed straight for Zheng Jie's home.

Although he was heading to Zheng Jie's home with a plan in mind, the self-reproach and guilt he felt because Zheng Jie had been taken advantage of by Zheng Tulu for nothing—and he still hadn't managed to save her job—had not diminished in the slightest. Instead, as he got closer to Zheng Jie's home, these feelings grew increasingly intense.

After getting out of the taxi at the entrance of the residential compound, Zhao Desan, as usual, went to the fruit supermarket and bought a few bags of seasonal fruit before walking into the compound. With a heart full of extreme guilt, he bypassed two dilapidated six-story buildings and arrived at the old building where Zheng Jie lived. As he climbed the stairs, Zhao Desan felt his footsteps becoming heavier and heavier. What he was thinking about now wasn't how to face Zheng Jie, but rather that he didn't know how to face Zhao Da. The reason he had agreed to Zhao Da's seemingly absurd request in the first place was that he felt, with his own intelligence and talent, getting Zheng Jie a job at the Construction Committee shouldn't be a big problem. But the reality now was that Zheng Jie had been dismissed and could no longer continue working at the Construction Committee.

Zhao Desan knew that Zheng Jie, a woman who usually appeared gentle and weak, was incredibly stubborn once she got set in her ways. Therefore, his mood was extremely heavy as he went to Zheng Jie's home this time. Although he was very reluctant to face that awkward scene, he had to do it. Firstly, he was truly anxious to know if Zheng Jie, having been dismissed and having given her body to Zheng Tulu for nothing in return, would be unable to get over it or what she would do. Secondly, he thought that since Zhao Da had sacrificed his own woman, his goal was to exchange it for the peace and stability of his family. Zhao Desan was not the type of person to take advantage of others' misfortune; he had to give Zhao Da an explanation. Furthermore, the reason he didn't stay to spend some time with Jia Wanli in the office doing pleasurable things today was that, although he had already obtained Jia Wanli's charming body, he still couldn't be entirely sure she would serve him wholeheartedly. Perhaps she would still secretly report his every move to He Liping. Therefore, he believed that overly close contact would instead expose more of his weaknesses to her, which often led to counterproductive results.

While climbing the stairs, Zhao Desan worried that Zheng Jie would turn him away at the door. Along the way, he thought of several reasons and excuses in his heart to keep Zheng Jie from turning him away. However, after arriving at Zheng Jie's home, none of those reasons or excuses were needed; he entered Zheng Jie's home smoothly. It turned out that Zheng Jie was not at home; only Zhao Da was there.

After the two men met, they were somewhat uncomfortable. Instead, Zhao Da said without any concealment: "I know Zheng Jie is angry with you because you couldn't help her keep her job, but after all, she did it for this family, for the two of us. So, don't take it to heart. Women, you know, always have their little tempers. Let her throw a tantrum and it will pass."

Hearing Zhao Da's words, Zhao Desan felt both a sense of relief and a sense of pity. He felt that Zhao Da was somewhat pathetic, and he even looked down on the way he groveled and fawned over him for the sake of survival. But after all, he had promised Zhao Da he would do his best to help him and be responsible for this 'equivalent exchange' to the end. More importantly, the unique charm and passion of a young married woman like Zheng Jie made it impossible for him to stand idly by and walk away. Thinking of this, Zhao Desan asked Zhao Da: "You were the one who came to open the door for me just now, right?"

"Yeah, there's no one else at home. If I don't come to open the door for you, how would you get in?" Zhao Da asked Zhao Desan in return.

"Hehe, so that means you aren't completely crippled after all," Zhao Desan said casually, doing as he pleased. It was as if he were offering comfort, yet it also carried a hint of mockery.

"What? Are you making fun of your big brother?" Zhao Da couldn't quite accept this remark from Zhao Desan.

"Oh, no, no, I didn't mean that..." Zhao Desan hurriedly explained: "I meant that although you have difficulty moving, you can still move after all, so you have the opportunity to do something for the family."

"What? Are you saying I'm a freeloader at home?" Zhao Da might have had a pathological mindset, so he tended to interpret everyone's words in a twisted way.

Damn it! Does this even count as a man? This was what Zhao Desan thought in his heart, but he didn't dare say it out loud. He figured that if he said it, Zhao Da would definitely kick him out of the house. Looking at Zhao Da's twisted mindset, Zhao Desan knew that if he explained any more, he wouldn't know what kind of trouble would arise, so he simply got straight to the point: "I originally wanted to discuss this matter with your wife. Since she isn't home, I think the two of us brothers should just handle it."

"Hehe, what's wrong with you today? You've been picking on me since you walked in. Zheng Jie is having a spat with you, but I've been trying to persuade her all along. I haven't said anything else, let alone said a single bad word about you." Zhao Da was already red-faced. He looked at Zhao Desan and then questioned him: "You haven't become fickle, have you?"

Zhao Desan was simply caught between laughter and tears. He stood up, paced back and forth in the room twice, and then suddenly turned around and shouted at Zhao Da: "Do I look like that kind of person? Fickle? Hmph, I don't get tired of either the new or the old, you know?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Zhao Desan felt he had made a slip of the tongue and hurriedly explained to salvage the situation.

At this moment, Zhao Da waved his hand at him, cutting off his words: "If you can really manage to not get tired of the old while having the new, I'll be satisfied. After all, you're still young, and I won't make you stay with your sister-in-law for a lifetime. It's nothing for you to have your own woman outside. The key is not to sleep with someone else's wife and then turn around and refuse to acknowledge it!"

Damn it! How did Zhao Desan hear Zhao Da's words as if they were both a bit of a threat and a bit of a rogue's attitude? Thinking of this, his blood surged, and his anger flared up. He pointed at Zhao Da and shouted: "Fine, Brother Zhao, since you put it that way, don't blame me. Believe it or not, I'll take your wife and Nini away tomorrow and leave you alone at home to overthink and fend for yourself!"

Zhao Da's eyes went blank, and he was stunned on the spot. He hadn't expected this grandson to have more tricks up his sleeve than he did when he was chasing Zheng Jie back then. Looking at his wide-eyed, angry expression, it wasn't impossible that he could really say it and do it!

Zhao Desan looked at Zhao Da's foolish, shriveled appearance and really didn't want to say anything more to him. He turned and walked toward the door...

"Wait!" Zhao Da let out a roar, making Zhao Desan, who had already stepped one foot over the threshold, stop in his tracks.

Zhao Da looked at Zhao Desan, who was standing at the door and slowly turning around. His Adam's apple bobbed a few times, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.

Zhao Desan pulled back the leg that had already stepped over the threshold, turned around, looked at Zhao Da, and walked back step by step, saying: "Don't you dare say these useless things to me again, otherwise, I really can say it and do it!"

"Fine! I'll give it to you, you little brat, you're ruthless. I won't lower myself to your level!" Zhao Da wasn't the type to die rather than yield. Seeing that Zhao Desan was truly angry, he compromised and gave himself a way out.

Zhao Desan also knew when to stop. He didn't bother to haggle over trifles with Zhao Da's twisted mindset; he just wanted to suppress his momentum and ideas. So, he sat back down and said to Zhao Da in a softened tone: "Tell me, can you do something a man should do for this family?"

"You think I don't want to? I've thought about it long ago, but what can I do in my current state? I originally wanted to try to do something, but not only did I not help your sister-in-law, I ended up adding a lot of trouble for her." Zhao Da let out all the bitterness in his heart in one breath.

"That's because you didn't tell me. If you had told me, you would have been fine long ago!" Zhao Desan said half-jokingly.

"Stop bragging. You couldn't even save your sister-in-law's temporary job, letting people bully her, and... and..." Having learned his lesson, Zhao Da spoke much more cautiously and didn't dare to speak too harshly.

Zhao Desan naturally understood the meaning of the half-sentence he left unsaid. He smiled awkwardly and said: "Let's not mention the past. Let's hurry up and handle the matter at hand!"

"Alright then, you tell me, I'll listen to you." Seeing that Zhao Desan wasn't making excuses for himself, Zhao Da stopped being unforgiving. Before Zhao Desan could speak, he hurriedly added: "But there's one thing: you can't let your sister-in-law feel unhappy or wronged."

Zhao Desan felt a jolt in his heart. Now he felt relieved for Zheng Jie; after all, there were two men caring for her now, and regardless of their abilities, it was an emotion that came from the bottom of their hearts.

Zhao Desan felt a bit sour in his heart at this moment. He pursed his lips and asked Zhao Da: "Has your disability certificate been processed?"

"Of course it has!" Zhao Da answered truthfully.

"What grade?" Zhao Desan continued to ask.

"Of course it's Grade One, otherwise... otherwise how could I let you take such a big advantage!" Zhao Da also tried to be humorous.

Zhao Desan smiled silently and said lightly: "Alright then, where is the disability certificate? Find it and come with me!"

"What for?" Zhao Da asked blankly.

"Didn't you say you'd listen to everything I say?" Zhao Desan didn't allow Zhao Da to waver any further.

"Then you have to let me die knowing why!" Zhao Da wasn't the type to go back on his word, but he had to ask for a clear explanation.

"It's not as evil as you say; it's to let you live knowing why, not die!" Zhao Desan corrected Zhao Da's words and continued: "I want to use your disability certificate to apply for a business license for the disabled. This way, we can get policy benefits and then do some small business."