Chapter 278: You still calling it bitter?

The man couldn't help but feel a little annoyed.

He stood up and questioned Li Jiaci: "What are you blocking me for? That's my own son!"

"He's still my brother!"

"I raised him from infancy!"

Li Jiaci shut the door and replied bluntly.

Since the brothers feel repulsed by this, he can't act unilaterally, lest he harm the harmony among them.

Family happiness is important, but he values brotherhood even more.

"First calm down; you all saw how my brothers acted just now!"

"Because of your mistaken decision back then, they lost even the most basic human rights—they never went to school, barely know a few characters, and are looked down on wherever they go!"

"These are the retribution you should bear; don't act as if I'm forbidding you to recognize kin!"

Li Jiaci sat on the sofa, lit a cigarette, and spoke slowly.

Wang Lan's father immediately denied: "If not forced by circumstance, who would abandon their own flesh and blood to an orphanage? We've suffered terribly these years!"

"How much have you suffered?"

"Have you ever tried rummaging through street trash cans for food?"

"Have you ever tried wearing only a single shirt in the freezing winter months, barefoot outside, enduring the cold?"

"Have you ever tried being mistaken for a thief and sent to the police station?"

"Have you ever tried, just to make ends meet, being forced into a criminal gang, spending every day fighting on the edge of a blade?"

"Have you ever tried, during holidays, only being able to watch others' happy families while you sit alone by the road begging?"

"You've tried none of these; what right do you have to say you've suffered?"

"How could your suffering compare to ours?"

After Li Jiaci's words,

They left everyone present speechless.

Li Jiaci continued: "That orphanage closed when we were only a few years old; back then we were like headless flies buzzing everywhere, with no place to call home, drifting through the city's corners, going three days with nine meals being normal, reduced to skin and bones, fighting stray dogs for food!"

"You at least have a shelter, family by your side; even if life is hard you can still eat bran soup. Do you know what bran soup means to us? It's like a New Year's feast!"

"Every family has difficulties; because of those difficulties you had to send the children away—no matter how pitiful you claim to be, it's worth nothing compared to what we've endured!"

"We survived not because of your repentance, but because heaven took pity on us!"

Li Jiaci exhaled a puff of smoke.

Thinking of the hardships and sins the brothers have endured together over the years, he couldn't help but redden his eyes.

The room fell silent.

After finishing his cigarette, Li Jiaci stood and said: "Don't rush things; let me talk to them—maybe there'll be a turn for the better!"

"Thank you!"

The woman in the wheelchair clasped her hands, tears of gratitude streaming down.

Li Jiaci waved his hand, turned, and left the room.

Shiqiang Mu Cai Chang

The van returned.

Wang Yingna could tell at a glance that something was off with the brothers—their faces were as red as Guan Gong's, flushed with anger.

She put the marriage proposal aside for now; she needed to find out what had happened.

"Hey, little Lan, come here!"

Wang Yingna waved at Wang Lan, who had just gotten out of the car.

Wang Lan listlessly lowered his head and approached Wang Yingna.

"Sister-in-law."

"What's wrong with you guys?"

Wang Yingna ruffled his head.

"Not much, just..."

Wang Lan wanted to speak but held back.

Seeing this, Wang Yingna smiled: "Why hide things from your sister-in-law? Just tell me straight—if your brother's in the wrong, I'll help you beat him!"

"Brother means well; he just wants to help us find our relatives, but it came so suddenly we can't accept it!"

Wang Lan, still young, spilled everything after Wang Yingna coaxed him a bit.

No wonder Li Jiaci suddenly dropped his work.

For half a month he's been leaving early and returning late, nowhere to be seen.

Turns out he's been busy helping the brothers look for kin.

Wang Yingna sighed.

"Then have you seen your parents?"

"Did they apologize and repent for their mistakes?"

Upon hearing, Wang Lan nodded: "I saw them; my father even knelt before me, saying back then it was because my sister fell ill and my mother lost both legs in a car accident, leaving the family in dire straits, so they had no choice but to leave me at the orphanage's door."

"So that's how it was..."

Wang Yingna's feelings were complicated.

"Sister-in-law, I'm going back to rest!"

"Okay."

After Wang Lan left,

Wang Yingna immediately called Li Jiaci.

Upon learning he was on his way back, Wang Yingna had already prepared tea and waited for his return.

A moment later.

Li Jiaci hurried back to the lumber mill, travel-worn.

Wang Yingna poured him a cup of tea and said, "I know everything. You've been looking for relatives for the brothers lately, right? You should have discussed this with me first instead of catching them off guard!"

"Xiao Na, I think our days are getting better and better, and we're earning more and more money!"

"But my younger brothers are still young; when they marry, they'll have no parents in the audience, only me, their non‑blood‑related older brother — if this gets out, people will laugh!"

"I just want to help them find their families, see each of them settle down happily, and then I can relax a lot."

"I thought this would be a surprise for them… sigh…"

Li Jiaci picked up his teacup, and a feeling of self‑blame quickly spread.

"Jiaci bro, you often say, let the bullets fly for a while!"

"Let's put this on hold for now, give them time to accept it — maybe the outcome will be different!"

"Don't blame yourself — I can see you've exhausted yourself for them, let alone them!"

Wang Yingna patted Li Jiaci's shoulder and comforted him gently.

She feels sorry for her man, never thinks of herself, always thinking of others.

Meanwhile, in the dormitory.

The brothers were also discussing this matter.

Zhang Chuqiang asked, "What do you all think?"

"What's there to think? I've long considered my parents dead."

Liu Jiang let out a cold snort and spoke unhappily.

"Let's not say angry things; calm down, think it through, give the older brother an explanation, and don't let him work for nothing!"

Zhang Chuqiang patiently persuaded them a few times.

Only then did Liu Jiang's expression ease a little.

"In my view, they're just after the money!"

"During this time, we've often been on TV with the older brother, and our names have spread!"

"Otherwise, how could the older brother have found them so easily?"

As soon as that was said.

Zhao Chen immediately agreed: "Exactly — if it weren't for the money, they'd probably never remember, and they even have a son they abandoned in the orphanage!"

"These suspicions are baseless — don't talk nonsense!"

Zhang Chuqiang shook his head.

Liu Jiang asked, "Then dare you make a bet with me?"

"What are we betting on?"