Chapter 1908: Another Life Full of Frustration

"Since you have time, let me tell you."

Zhou Andong never expected Deng Changli to be so idle.

"This matter still needs to be mentioned from the time of the Japanese invasion of China. My grandfather had an older brother above him and a younger brother below him. Back then..."

Zhou Andong spoke for over ten minutes—not in detail, but starting from how his great-grandfather secretly sold the family property deed and fled, his grandfather joining the anti-Japanese alliance, his third great-grandfather escaping to the south, how they coincidentally met, and finally recognizing each other as third great-grandfather, he told the whole story.

After listening, Deng Changli sighed emotionally: "A separation of over a century, and they met so coincidentally—fate truly is wonderful."

"That's right," Zhou Andong said with a smile: "If fate is exhausted, you can't find it even if you search; if fate is not exhausted, you can't escape it even if you try. In the unseen, heaven has already arranged everything."

For example, our first meeting was at the Beijing Hualian supermarket, and then we became partners. Later, we met again at the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Entrepreneurs Forum in Yangcheng, and only then did we discover that he was actually my grandfather's long-lost younger brother—they had also been searching for us all along.

"Alright!"

Deng Changli never expected that Zhou Andong, Zhou Xianyong, and Zhou Wanyu were related in this way.

"The story is done—let's leave it at that."

Zhou Andong hung up the phone, and immediately the door was knocked on—outside came Zhou Xianyong's voice.

"Up yet?"

"I'm up." Zhou Andong grabbed his coat and went out.

Zhou Xianyong, Zhou Wanyu, and Zhou Yu stood outside waiting for him to go have breakfast.

"Nothing to do today—where do you want to go play?" Zhou Xianyong asked.

Several people arrived at the elevator, and Zhou Andong pressed the button: "I don't even have time to take you guys out to play."

Zhou Xianyong asked: "You busy?"

"Ding!"

The elevator arrived, and Zhou Andong walked in: "I'm going to check on the Bridgesouth construction site."

Zhou Wanyu said: "We don't know where to go play either—let's just go with you to take a look."

"Sure!" Zhou Andong said with a smile: "We can buy two sets of apartments and be neighbors."

"Sounds good." Zhou Wanyu said excitedly: "If we acquire the textile mill, I'll definitely be around here often."

"Then I'll buy one too." Zhou Xianyong said: "After all, I'm also a shareholder of the textile mill."

"I think so too." Zhou Andong curled the corner of his mouth in a barely noticeable smile: "You guys should also buy one for my third great-grandfather."

"My grandfather has long wanted to go home, but the house is still under renovation. Once it's fixed up, he'll definitely return to Jiangzhou. So let's buy the unit opposite my grandfather's—if my third great-grandfather misses his second brother, he can come stay for a while."

"That's a good idea." Zhou Xianyong nodded in agreement: "Then it's settled—let's get this done today."

Zhou Andong suddenly asked: "Aunt, did you notify Qianyi?"

At that moment, the elevator arrived, everyone stepped out, and walked toward the hotel restaurant.

"Notified." Zhou Wanyu walked beside Zhou Andong: "She's made arrangements—she should be able to bring people over in about three days."

"Let Qianyi also buy a set." Zhou Andong said: "No matter whether we're in Beijing or Jiangzhou in the future, the whole family can be together."

Zhou Xianyong looked at Zhou Andong suspiciously: "I feel like you're just trying to unload your house on us by pretending it's a good deal."

"Impossible." Zhou Andong's face showed "righteous integrity": "My grandfather and third great-grandfather were separated for half a century. To say something unpleasant—at their age, how many more days of reunion can they really have?"

"I'm doing this so that these two old men can spend more time together in their later years. And if that day truly comes, they won't have regrets."

"Uncle!" Zhou Yu, the invisible one, suddenly spoke: "You're being petty, so I support the eldest brother."

Zhou Andong's eye twitched—Zhou Yu actually speaking up for him? This kid definitely isn't holding back a good fart.

"Zhou Yu said something fair."

"Right?"

Zhou Yu felt proud, opened his mouth to continue, but Zhou Andong forcibly cut him off.

"Zhou Yu, if you also want to buy a house in Jiangzhou, I can give you a discount."

Zhou Yu opened his mouth but couldn't close it—they had already entered the restaurant, and this kid finally managed to spit out his words.

"I support you this much, and you're only giving me a discount?"

"What's wrong with that?" Zhou Andong glanced at Zhou Yu: "You said one sentence and now you want me to give you a free apartment? Do you think your face is that big?"

Zhou Yu really did think that—just moments ago he was about to keep flattering, but Zhou Andong forcibly interrupted him.

Now being scolded by Zhou Andong, even if this guy's skin is thick, he still feels a bit embarrassed.

Just having him spend his own money to buy a set in Jiangzhou—he could still afford it, but after buying it, his yearly pocket money would be gone.

By then, he'd only be able to stand in an empty concrete apartment, open the window, and drink the northwest wind. Just thinking about it makes Zhou Yu feel a deep sorrow rising from within.

The esteemed eldest young master of the Zhou family, currently the sole heir, with such tight finances that spending is strictly controlled—no one to reason with, no one to listen—this life is truly suffocating.

Several people arrived at the breakfast stall. Zhou Andong ordered four buns, a bowl of porridge, two tea eggs, and a small dish of pickled vegetables.

"Uncle, eat more tea eggs—ordinary people can't afford these; only high-end hotels like this sell them."

"Pfft!" Zhou Wanyu couldn't help but laugh, and also ordered two tea eggs: "Some people twist things around—they're so foolish it's despairing, yet strangely, people still believe what they say."

Zhou Xianyong snorted: "Those who believe them are even more foolish."

Several people bought food and returned. Zhou Andong noticed Zhou Yu looking gloomy—this is really rare.

"Kid, why are you suddenly depressed?"

Zhou Yu didn't respond to Zhou Andong, just lowered his head and took a sip of porridge.

Zhou Wanyu knows this nephew very well—after all, she's watched him grow up.

"He's sad because he doesn't have enough money to spend."

Zhou Andong suddenly understood, patted Zhou Yu's shoulder: "Brother, do you feel like you were born great, but live a frustrating life?"

"Huh?" Zhou Yu thought carefully, then nodded in agreement: "Yeah, yeah, yeah—I'm the sole heir of Jinwan Group, yet I still have spending restrictions—this is so unfair. You say I shouldn't feel frustrated living like this?"

"Sigh..." Zhou Andong sighed: "I sympathize with you, but I can't help—just keep living your frustrating life."

「……」

Zhou Yu thought Zhou Andong could give him some benefits, at the very least comfort him.

But this guy is simply not human; he actually kicked him when he was down, even rubbing salt into his wound.

They were eating and chatting here, while Gu Qing was inspecting the bridge south construction site, with dozens of people busy as bees, digging tree pits.

A week ago, the purchased cherry blossom trees were delivered, and today they could all be planted and finished, so Gu Qing came over to take a look.