Chapter 1389: Partiality

There are many elderly people in the countryside, and through daily chats and interactions, they have forged deep friendships.

During holidays and festivals, some elderly people have children working away who return home for the New Year, while others have children settled elsewhere who bring their parents to their own homes to celebrate.

The Gu Family's neighbor is surnamed Huang; the elderly couple are warm-hearted people and get along well with the neighbors.

They have a son and a daughter, both of whom work in the city.

During holidays and festivals, the children from the city return to visit the old couple; the daughter gives her parents a little money every month, and the son buys them delicious food, clothes, and daily necessities.

Although they are not wealthy, they have enough to eat and wear, and they live in harmony.

But the conflict occurred this summer.

In the summer, the son and daughter-in-law returned and asked their parents if they had one hundred thousand on hand.

Their child was about to enter elementary school, and the couple wanted to buy a school district house, but they were short by one hundred thousand.

The old couple had one hundred thousand, which was their retirement money saved up over the years by scratching a living from the soil—their coffin money.

After discussing it, the old couple felt their children were both filial, so they thought it wouldn't matter if they gave this money away; without telling their daughter, they gave the money to their son.

Not long after the money was given away, the daughter returned in a rage.

As soon as she returned, she questioned her parents about whether they had given her younger brother one hundred thousand.

The old woman originally wanted to deny it, but the old man admitted it and righteously stated, "I gave it, so what?"

This stirred up a hornet's nest; the daughter immediately made a scene at home, crying and shouting that her parents were biased, giving money to the son but not the daughter—they were both their children, so why the different treatment?

She also said her husband was threatening divorce over this matter because her own child was also preparing for elementary school, and their family also needed to switch to a school district house, and they were also short one hundred thousand...

Whether the daughter's family was actually short of that one hundred thousand, the old couple didn't know, but they understood one thing: the daughter wanted money too!

The old couple's attitude was surprisingly consistent; they both believed the daughter shouldn't have come back to make a scene, and even less should she have asked for this money.

Not to mention they didn't have it, even if they did, they couldn't give it to the daughter.

The reason was simple and crude—the son is their own family, and the grandson is too.

A daughter is like spilled water once married off, and a grandson-in-law is of a different surname; if the daughter has no money, she should ask her own parents-in-law, not come back to her maiden home to throw a tantrum!

The daughter came back crying, and she left crying!

Before leaving, the daughter left a harsh ultimatum: from now on, she would never step foot in this door again, she had no parents, and their future illness and retirement care would be the son's responsibility—they should look to their own family and not count on someone of a different surname.

The old couple were in a fit of anger at the time and were also very stubborn: if they didn't count on her, they wouldn't; if they couldn't count on the daughter, they still had the son.

The daughter kept her word; the following month, she stopped sending the filial money to the old couple, and what they didn't expect was—the son stopped caring for them too!

The monthly meat, eggs, and fruit were gone, and the clothes and daily necessities were gone as well.

Not only were these gone, but the son also subtly suggested that they sponsor him a bit more each month.

After switching to the school district house, although the down payment was covered, the monthly mortgage increased, and with the child starting elementary school—unlike kindergarten—they had to participate in various interest classes, which was a significant monthly expense!

The old couple had no money left, so naturally, they couldn't provide it.

When they couldn't provide money, the daughter-in-law's expression changed, and the son and his wife stopped visiting.

And so, as the year-end approached, every household was lively, except for their home, which was cold and desolate; there was nothing in the house, and no atmosphere of the New Year.

Gu Zhihao discussed with his wife whether they should invite the neighborly old couple over to spend the New Year together; it would be livelier with more people, and it wouldn't hurt to have two extra pairs of chopsticks at home.

His wife, Shi Yuke, readily agreed; she had no objections.

Then the young couple discussed it with Sheng Jiang and his wife, saying that the two elders shouldn't go home either; since the New Year is all about warmth and liveliness, what difference does it make where they spend it as long as it's lively?

Sheng Jiang discussed it with his wife, and the matter was decided.

When Shi Youxuan heard that her parents-in-law were staying in the countryside for the New Year, she had Zhang Ma add a full double portion to the items being sent to the countryside and had it delivered.

A whole truckload.

It wasn't the small pickup truck used for buying groceries, but a large truck used by the company for hauling goods, and it was sent over filled to the brim!

Shi Yuke's large storeroom at home was filled, and quite a bit was even piled up in the courtyard.

This earned the vain Gu Zhihao plenty of face; everywhere he went, he was met with envious gazes, and Gu Zhihao held his head high in the village, walking with a spring in his step.

The twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Sheng Family.

This afternoon, most of the servants in the house were going on holiday to return home for the New Year.

Following the custom of previous years, Shi Youxuan gave each person a generous red envelope to thank everyone for their hard work over the past year and to look forward to a pleasant cooperation in the new year.

People took their red envelopes and left.

Only Zhang Ma and Fang Jie remained in the house.

Zhang Ma had been in the Sheng Family for many years and had long since treated this place as her own home.

Fang Jie's husband had passed away from an incurable disease a few years ago, and she didn't want to go home during the New Year to avoid being reminded of the past!

New Year's Eve.

Sheng Hanyu was not at work today; he had been in the Study since early morning writing Spring Festival couplets.

In previous years, writing the couplets was Sheng Jiang's job, but this year Sheng Jiang was not at home, so Sheng Hanyu was doing it!

What a mess he was writing.

Crooked and ugly.

The wastepaper basket was already full, and there still wasn't a single couplet on the table that was presentable; when Shi Youxuan entered, what she saw was her husband's gloomy face and couplets with festive content but ugly handwriting.

"Oh my, these things you're writing won't do; they're too ugly."

Her husband's merciless evaluation made Sheng Hanyu's expression even more displeased; he handed the wolf-hair brush, soaked in ink, to his wife: "You write it, if you write so well, then you write it!"

Shi Youxuan took the brush but gestured toward her husband's face: "It's the New Year, who are you pulling that long face for? You should be happy during the New Year; don't hang your face like that, it's not festive. I'll draw a smiley face for you."

She did as she said; as soon as she finished speaking, her husband's mouth corners were pulled to the left and right, each with an arc—a big smiley face was completed.

"Alright, you're not writing properly, and you're actually teasing me?"

Sheng Hanyu picked up another brush, dipped it in ink, and prepared to retaliate.

"Stop messing around, how would I know how to write with a brush? I've never practiced before..." Shi Youxuan reacted quickly and ran away.

"Come back, you are not allowed to run!"

"I'm not stupid, why would I wait to be drawn on? I don't need a smiley face drawn on me, I have one, I have one!" Shi Youxuan laughed as she ran, her smile bright and radiant.

The Study was very spacious, but chasing someone down was not a difficult task.

She was quickly caught by her husband, and while a few lines were drawn on her face, her husband's face had even more drawn on it.

Not just their faces, but their clothes were also covered in ink spots; after playing and laughing, they still had to wash their faces and change their clothes.

In the end, the spring couplets pasted in the house were bought from outside.

Once the spring couplets were up, the atmosphere of the New Year was in full swing; Fang Jie had been busy in the kitchen all morning, stir-frying, deep-frying, and braising, preparing a table full of delicacies and home-cooked dishes.