Chapter 224: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 224: Excessive Showing Off Attracts Envious Jealousy

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Wang Zhanggen returned from town, and it was already past five in the afternoon.

Li Xiulan was cooking congee, mixing in rice bran, to feed the chickens.

"Right, this time you went to town, did you happen to notify Niu Chunsheng?"

Li Xiulan suddenly asked Wang Zhanggen this one sentence.

She actually didn't have any other thoughts; she just thought that since they were making this banquet so big, they should notify Niu Chunsheng and Lin Xiaofang, the couple, after all, the two of them had helped them quite a lot in the past.

When they were at their most difficult, most in need of money, Niu Chunsheng had given them timely help on multiple occasions.

This kindness absolutely could not be forgotten.

However, Wang Zhanggen put on a stern face and said coldly:

"When I went to town, you didn't tell me in advance."

Li Xiulan said:

"Then fine, I'll find time another day to go tell them."

Wang Zhanggen became even more displeased:

"We're holding our banquet, why would you notify them!"

Li Xiulan couldn't help but be stunned, then also said in a bad tone:

"Wang Zhanggen, do you have to be so narrow-minded? Niu Chunsheng helped us a lot. Back when the family was short on money, I asked you to go borrow from your brother, you felt it was shameful and unwilling to go, it was me who went to Niu Chunsheng to borrow, and he lent it very readily!"

Wang Zhanggen, however, said coldly:

"Wasn't that because at the time he still had lingering feelings for you!"

Li Xiulan was angered to the point of feeling a stabbing pain in her breasts.

"You... how can you be so unreasonable! I can't be bothered to talk to you!"

Li Xiulan stopped talking to Wang Zhanggen.

She planned to personally go to town tomorrow and tell Niu Chunsheng.

Anyway, no matter what, since they've set up such a big banquet, they absolutely must tell them; that's the most basic courtesy!

Wang Zhanggen also stopped paying attention to Li Xiulan.

Seeing Li Xiulan's reaction, he felt he had hit the mark.

But he didn't care much anymore; even if Li Xiulan still hasn't let go of Niu Chunsheng now, Niu Chunsheng wouldn't look at her!

Niu Chunsheng is already a successful person; heard that in recent years he even went to the county town to develop, and opened a shop there too.

While she, Li Xiulan, is old and ugly, her figure already severely out of shape, who would still fancy her?

Compared to notifying Niu Chunsheng, Wang Zhanggen felt he should notify his eldest brother instead.

So he went to sit in the living room, lit a cigarette for himself, then called his eldest brother Wang Zhangtian.

"Hello, Big Brother, how have you been lately?"

"Not bad, you..."

The two brothers actually hadn't been in contact for a long time.

Ever since Wang Zhangtian established himself in the city, Wang Zhangtian rarely returned to the rural hometown.

The two might only see each other once a year at Qingming Festival and Spring Festival; other times they didn't meet, didn't contact.

Brothers who once had endless things to say as children, now both busy with their own livelihoods, have become like strangers; even speaking and communicating is polite and distant.

"I'm fine too. Big Brother, are you coming home for Spring Festival?"

Wang Zhanggen asked casually.

"Not going back. That old house of mine back home is already leaking; reckon it's unlivable."

Ever since a few years ago when Wang Zhangtian bought a house in the county town, he went from originally returning home for both Spring Festival and Qingming, to now only returning to the hometown side on Qingming Festival itself.

"Oh, oh, I see..."

Wang Zhanggen hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping; originally he thought if Big Brother was coming home for Spring Festival, he'd have him come back a few days early; after all, Lunar New Year's Eve is only ten days away from Spring Festival.

But his Big Brother directly told him he's not returning to the hometown this year, leaving him with no way to bring it up.

"Anything else?"

Wang Zhangtian asked politely.

He and this younger brother of his also didn't have many topics to chat about anymore.

"Actually nothing else. It's just that on Lunar New Year's Eve, my family is holding a banquet. Thinking if you have time, Big Brother, come back for a trip, we can all gather..."

"Is your son getting married?" Wang Zhangtian's first reaction was that Wang Zhanggen's son was getting married.

Actually, it's not just Wang Zhangtian with this reaction; other relatives and friends, and villagers, when they hear Wang Zhanggen's notice, their first reaction is also that his son is getting married.

Wang Zhanggen laughed dryly, hurriedly saying:

"Not yet. But there's a happy event too, this happy event is no less than a marriage! My youngest son, this time in the final exam, scored first place in the whole county! I just thought, set up a few tables to celebrate. Our Wang Family Ancestral Grave is practically rising green smoke; didn't expect my youngest son to be so promising!"

Wang Zhanggen laughed heartily, very proud and pleased with himself.

Actually, Wang Xiaohua scored first place in the whole school, not the whole county!

The neighboring Erzhong has a fierce competitor; that person scored 668 in this final exam, ten points higher than Wang Xiaohua; that is the true county first place. Wang Xiaohua is actually only second in the county.

Rural news spreads like this; unknowingly, as it passes along, it gets distorted.

"That indeed calls for celebration. First place in the whole county, that's truly amazing! But I have to work on Lunar New Year's Eve. You know, working in the city, eating someone else's food, listening to someone else's orders; at that time I probably won't be able to return. How about this: I'll come back for Spring Festival and give you a supplementary red envelope..."

Wang Zhangtian answered like this.

In his heart, he actually felt a bit sour.

He really couldn't understand how his younger brother's youngest son could have scored first place in the whole county.

While his own children were simply stupid to death, not a single one of them was good at studying!

Actually, it's not their fault either; after all, he himself, as their father, couldn't get any good grades when he studied back then either.

It's probably still the effect of Feng Shui fortune!

Wang Zhangtian suddenly thought that many years ago, Wang Zhanggen had once listened to a Feng Shui Master's suggestion and relocated their old grandfather's grave once; could it be that that grave relocation took effect?

Speaking of which, in recent years his migrant work hasn't been going too smoothly; never mind that his salary hasn't increased, he's even been laid off several times; could that also be related to that grave relocation……

Wang Zhangtian's mind was in chaos, and Wang Zhanggen's dejected voice came from the phone:

"Is that so? Then you be busy, work is important; as for red envelopes and such, there's no need, we two are blood brothers, don't bother with these polite formalities……"

Wang Zhanggen smiled bitterly, thinking in his heart that even if it's work, taking a day off to come back would be fine; blood brothers, and they won't even come back to help out? But these words he was too embarrassed to say directly, afraid that once spoken, they wouldn't even be brothers anymore.

Finally, he hurriedly hung up the phone, and Wang Zhanggen felt indescribably depressed inside.

He then hurriedly called his eldest son Wang Dashan; he thought, his big brother wasn't willing to give him face, but his son should give him face, right?

"Dashan, your little brother scored first place in the whole county!"

The phone had just connected when Wang Zhanggen reported the good news to Wang Dashan.

"Little brother is this awesome? That's great, truly worth celebrating!"

Wang Dashan's first reaction upon hearing this news was to immediately feel happy for his own little brother from the bottom of his heart.

"I plan to hold a banquet on Lunar New Year's Eve to celebrate; you and Erhai come back for a day!"

Wang Dashan couldn't help but freeze for a moment, a trace of surprise appearing on his face.

He had heard of university entrance celebrations, but had never heard of holding a banquet for a final exam too.

But thinking it over carefully, his little brother hadn't achieved such good grades in many years; this time he could score first in the whole county, so his father wanting to hold a banquet to celebrate is also understandable.

So Wang Dashan immediately nodded in agreement:

"Okay, then I'll tell Second Brother later, and we'll ask for leave and go back together when the time comes!"

Hearing this, the depression in Wang Zhanggen's heart finally dissipated by more than half.

It's still one's own son who's better; as long as you say the word, they'll ask for leave and come back.

Although blood brothers also have blood ties, once they each start their own families, they ultimately still go their separate ways.

Wang Zhanggen didn't know that at this time, Wang Zhangtian, who had just hung up the phone not long ago, was even more depressed in his heart than him.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you wearing a stinky face?"

Wang Zhangtian's wife Zhao Lifen, as soon as she entered the door and saw Wang Zhangtian's expression, couldn't help but ask.

"My little brother just called to tell me his youngest son scored first place in the whole county; this is simply too amazing!"

Zhao Lifen responded indifferently:

"This is a good thing! You should be happy; after all, that's your nephew, it brings honor to your face too!"

But Wang Zhangtian said:

"What use is it being my nephew? He's not my son! Thinking of my son's sorry state, over twenty years old and still no proper job, idling away all day, I get angry just thinking about it; people compared to people really angers one to death! And my work has been very unlucky these past few years; ever since my little brother moved the old man's grave elsewhere, everything changed; it brings prosperity to his family but not mine!"

Zhao Lifen froze, thought it over carefully, and also felt Wang Zhangtian's words had a bit of reason.

So she suggested:

"Why don't we find a time to ask a Geography Master to take a look; if it really only brings prosperity to his family and not ours, or even absorbs our family's Qi Luck, then we'll move the grave again!"

Wang Zhangtian smoked one cigarette after another, ambiguous, noncommittal:

"Let's talk about this after spring starts next year……"

But it could be seen that he was still relatively inclined to move the old man's grave again.