Chapter 282: Malicious Relatives

Next are Zhang Chuqiang's parents.

They, like many over-quota families, made the most painful choice.

In that era, to avoid investigations from above, newborns could only be given to relatives to raise, or adopted by childless relatives.

But Zhang Chuqiang's parents asked around, yet no one was willing to adopt the child; they were even reported by village neighbors, and with no other option they had to send the child to the orphanage overnight.

Zhang Chuqiang listened to the whole story, his expression remained consistently calm.

He had come fully prepared, ready to accept any outcome.

"Son, come home with me; your several sisters and brothers-in-law are waiting for you at home!"

Zhang Chuqiang's father spoke up to advise.

"Later the policy relaxed; why didn't you come find me?"

Faced with this unavoidable question, the man sorrowfully shook his head and explained: "We went to look for you, but by then the orphanage had shut down; nearby people said many children had died. We left contact information, telling them to call us if they found any clue about the child. Later we met you in a small mountain hollow."

"What?"

Zhang Chuqiang asked suspiciously.

The man hurriedly said: "No, no, no, that's not you; it was a little boy wearing our family's jade pendant. To reunite with you, we hung a jade pendant around your neck. Seeing that child, we thought it was you, took him home and raised him for a few days, but he died of illness. Only later did your elder brother tell us you were still alive, and I realized I had mistaken the child for my son all these years."

"Oh... so that's how it was!"

Zhang Chuqiang nodded, his tone indifferent.

As the man hesitated, Zhang Chuqiang voluntarily said: "Then I'll go back with you."

"Great, really great!"

The man wept with joy.

Zhang Chuqiang suddenly shifted tone: "I'm just going back to have a look; it doesn't mean I'll live with you from now on. After all, I was raised by my elder brother, and he now needs someone by his side, so I must take on this responsibility."

"Your mother and I think the same way; your elder brother is a good person, and whatever he needs, your several sisters and brothers-in-law will treat as their own and help together."

The man's words brought a smile to Zhang Chuqiang's face.

Only one person remains.

That person is Zhao Chen.

Zhao Chen's family is the most special.

His father was paralyzed in a car accident and confined to bed, and after he became paralyzed, his mother ran off with someone else.

The ones coming to recognize kin this time are Zhao Chen's elder brother and his wife.

"Little brother, it was all my fault back then; I was momentarily muddle-headed, listened to relatives, thought your arrival would steal our parents' love, and secretly sent you to the orphanage!"

"Afterward I lied that you had fallen into the water; our father painfully searched for you three days and three nights, eventually falling ill from anger, and not long after our grandfather also died because of this."

"These years I've lived in regret, but lacked the courage to seek you out; seeing our father's time running short, your elder brother suddenly came to my home and told me your whereabouts, and I could no longer hold back—I must bring you back!"

"You may not forgive me, but our father is innocent; he washes his face with tears every day and constantly murmurs your nickname at night—I feel as if my heart is being cut by a knife!"

"Just go back and take a look at our father, just one look, so he knows you're still alive!"

"My brother's crime, my brother will turn himself in at the police bureau and spend the rest of his life making amends to you!"

Zhao Chen's elder brother finished speaking, then fell to his knees with a thud.

His wife likewise, without a word, also knelt down.

Zhao Chen had imagined countless possibilities.

Perhaps he cried and acted out as a child, so the family disliked him.

Perhaps the family was poor, lacking even that one mouthful of food for him, so they had to send him away.

Perhaps he was someone's illegitimate child, unable to see the light, and thus fell into a wild fate.

But never did I imagine that all these years of his suffering were merely because relatives, in front of his elder brother, said a few divisive words, causing his elder brother to abandon him at the orphanage.

Zhao Chen clenched his fists tightly and asked: "Do you really regret it?"

"I regret it, I regret it every day, but I'm afraid—I dare not look for you, fearing you'll remember that I abandoned you, fearing our father will learn that grandfather's death was my doing… I… am too afraid!"

Zhao Chen's elder brother lowered his head deeply, weeping as he spoke.

Hearing this, Zhao Chen asked again: "Are those relatives who sowed discord still alive?"

"They're all alive, living well!"

"Heh, they ruined my family like this yet received no retribution—is that right?"

"You… what do you mean?"

Zhao Chen's elder brother lifted his head, face full of surprise.

"Of course it's to turn this household upside down, so those who spout nonsense get their comeuppance!"

Zhao Chen gave a cold snort.

In other words, he had already agreed to go home.

The elder brother's wife wiped away tears, rose, and said: "Younger uncle, whatever you want to do, your sister-in-law supports you. Those people have bullied our poor family; while our father was bedridden these years, they kept coming to disgust us, even trying to seize our land and house. If you go back, our family will have hope!"

"Isn't that just making trouble?"

Zhao Chen's elder brother intervened.

His wife gave him a cold stare, and the next second he fell silent.

Zhao Chen chuckled lightly: "Henpecked husband!"

"What did you say?"

"I said you're a henpecked husband, afraid of your wife!"

"This is our family tradition, passed down from our grandfather's generation!"

"I won't be like you in the future!"

"Who knows!"

Just wait and see!

……

The two brothers didn't know why they had started arguing.

The elder brother's wife grabbed Zhao Chen's hand, tears in her eyes, and said: "Your elder brother made a mistake; he will turn himself in, but I hope you can give him a little more time, at least let him settle our father's affairs!"

"Turning himself in is too lenient for him; at the very least he should become my lackey, bring me tea and water, and call me elder brother!"

Zhao Chen replied unhappily with a few sentences.

The elder brother's wife blinked, then suddenly realized and burst into laughter through tears.

"Thank you, younger brother-in-law!"

"Calling you elder brother isn't a generation off? Besides, once I go in there, how can I bring you tea and water? I might be middle-aged by the time I come out..."

Zhao Chen's elder brother kept talking to himself.

Yet he didn't notice that the people around were looking at him and laughing.

Zhao Chen clicked his tongue twice and retorted: "No wonder those relatives could successfully incite you; your brain is really quite sharp!"

"Are you praising me or insulting me?"

Zhao Chen's elder brother scratched his head.

His wife sighed, looking helpless, and said: "Younger brother-in-law, hurry back; the family can't do without you!"

"That's right; if I don't go back, my elder brother will just give away the house and land to others!"

"Hahaha!"

Amidst a harmonious atmosphere.

Liu Jiang left silently.