Chapter 302: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 302: Not Wanting to Owe a Favor, Then It's a Condition Exchange

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

"Brother, your family is getting better and better, unlike mine. I was fired not long ago and switched to a job with worse treatment. Most importantly, my son Yaohua has no talent and is useless; he can only go to a factory to work for others."

Wang Zhangtian couldn't help but sigh.

He truly envied Wang Zhanggen's family's current situation.

As the saying goes, without comparison there is no harm.

Wang Zhanggen's family was getting better and better, while his own was getting worse and worse, leaving him feeling sour inside.

"Big Brother, what are you saying? Don't be pessimistic. Life will keep getting better. I even envy you—you bought a house in County Town long ago. Houses were so cheap back then; now prices are too high. I can't afford one even if I wanted to, so I can only build a new house in my hometown."

Wang Zhanggen comforted Wang Zhangtian like this.

Zhao Lifen said at this time:

"All three of your sons are promising. Dashan and Erhai run a company together, and Xiao Hua is so good at studying—nothing is impossible for him. Unlike my son Yaohua, who can't do anything right!"

Speaking of this, Zhao Lifen suddenly changed her tone:

"By the way, are Dashan and Erhai's companies still hiring? Why not recruit Yaohua? He's our own relative, and it would be convenient. As for salary, give whatever you can."

Li Xiulan immediately showed an embarrassed expression.

This was clearly not something these parents could decide, after all, they didn't know how to run a company.

Wang Zhanggen readily agreed:

"What's the big deal? When Dashan and Erhai come back tomorrow, I'll just tell them."

Li Xiulan immediately pinched Wang Zhanggen's arm hard in secret.

Wang Zhanggen remained indifferent.

He looked back at Li Xiulan with an expressionless face:

"Didn't you just say you had something to tell Big Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law? If you have something to say, say it quickly. If not, hurry up and brew a pot of tea!"

Li Xiulan could only smile dryly at Wang Zhangtian and Zhao Lifen:

"Big Brother, Eldest Sister-in-law, we were planning to build a new house, weren't we? But to build a new house, we must tear down this old one, because we don't have that much homestead land—just this one plot. Changgen and I were thinking, could we stay at your old house for a while then?"

Wang Zhangtian readily agreed:

"No problem at all. Anyway, my old house is empty. It's better to have someone living in it. A house with people in it won't rot so quickly; an empty house will rot fast."

Zhao Lifen echoed:

"Right, right, right. Anyway, it's empty. You can move in anytime!"

Hearing this, Li Xiulan breathed a sigh of relief and immediately expressed her gratitude:

"Thank you so much!"

Zhao Lifen smiled and replied:

"Why be so polite? We should be thanking you! You're arranging a job for our Yaohua! Whether Yaohua will be promising in the future depends entirely on you!"

Li Xiulan could only smile dryly, not knowing how to respond.

Wang Zhanggen talked boastfully:

"Don't worry. Dashan and Erhai are both personable. As long as they can make money, they'll definitely bring Yaohua along to make money too!"

Wang Zhangtian said to Zhao Lifen at this time:

"Didn't we buy a bottle of wine? Go get it! Tonight we'll have a few drinks with Brother and Sister-in-law!"

Zhao Lifen was stunned:

"Didn't you say you wanted to give that wine to Party Secretary Zhang?"

Wang Zhangtian said:

"Just go get it. I'll buy another bottle to give Party Secretary Zhang later!"

Zhao Lifen had no choice but to comply. She hurried back to the dilapidated old house and brought the wine over.

That night, the two brothers drank quite a lot.

They were all happy.

At least they seemed happy on the surface.

Wang Zhanggen's vanity was greatly satisfied.

And Wang Zhangtian got the result he wanted.

The wine finished and the people scattered.

After Wang Zhangtian and Zhao Lifen, the couple, left.

Wang Zhanggen sat on the sofa with a flushed face.

Li Xiulan was clearing the leftovers on the dining table.

She couldn't help muttering a few words:

"You want to stuff people into Dashan and Erhai's companies. At least say hello to them first. You agreed without saying a word. What if Dashan and Erhai's companies aren't hiring? Wouldn't that make things difficult for them?"

Wang Zhanggen said coldly:

"What does a woman like you know? If I hadn't agreed to them, would they have readily agreed to let us live in their old house?"

Li Xiulan said: "Their house is empty anyway. Having someone live there and help with repairs means it won't rot so quickly. Why wouldn't they be willing?"

Wang Zhanggen said: "Even if they're willing, I don't want to owe them a favor. This is an exchange. Understand?"

Li Xiulan said nothing and had to admit that Wang Zhanggen's words made some sense.

Actually, she didn't want to owe Wang Zhangtian and Zhao Lifen favors either; debts of gratitude are the hardest to repay.

Now exchanging conditions mutually, that doesn't count as owing favors; it's good for both sides.

"At least you should greet Dashan and Erhai first; that's the bare minimum of respect..." Li Xiulan finally muttered this one sentence.

Wang Zhanggen, however, said:

"I'm their father; do I still need to give them respect? If there's respect to be given, it's them respecting me!"

Li Xiulan finished cleaning up the bowls and chopsticks, took them to the kitchen to wash, and no longer paid attention to Wang Zhanggen.

Wang Xiaohua still hadn't come out to eat by now; Li Xiulan specially left some rice and dishes for him.

After washing the bowls and chopsticks, she went and knocked on the door again:

"Xiao Hua, take it easy with your studies too; don't forget to eat."

"Got it, Mom; I'll come out to eat in a bit."

After a while, Wang Xiaohua finally came out from the room.

Eating the rice and dishes, which were already nearly cold, all alone.

The drunken Wang Zhanggen, looking at his own youngest son, truly found him an eyesore no matter how he looked.

"From now on, when guests come to the house, you must come out; don't think that just because your academic performance is good, you can have zero manners!"

Borrowing the courage of wine, Wang Zhanggen harshly scolded Wang Xiaohua.

Wang Xiaohua, however, ate with focus, without any reaction, pretending not to have heard his words.

"Did you hear what I said!"

Seeing Wang Xiaohua's attitude, Wang Zhanggen got even more angry.

Wang Xiaohua finished eating, took the bowls and chopsticks to the kitchen to wash them himself.

Seeing him like this, Wang Zhanggen was about to explode right then.

He stood up, pointing at Wang Xiaohua's back:

"What kind of attitude is this; are you deaf!"

Seeing the situation about to spiral out of control, Li Xiulan hurried over to stop Wang Zhanggen:

"What are you shouting for; did you drink a little wine and lose your nerves? You must not affect Xiao Hua's studies; if his grades drop, all those words you've been boasting about outside, about how you teach your children well, will become other people's laughing stock!"

Wang Zhanggen couldn't help but freeze; his momentum instantly weakened by more than half.

Indeed, he cannot affect Wang Xiaohua's studies; if Wang Xiaohua's grades drop, then those previous boasts of his everywhere about how he teaches his children well would really become a joke.

He doesn't want to become other people's laughing stock; he's been looked down on his whole life, and still wants to rely on Wang Xiaohua's college entrance exam to hold his head high once.

But he still said with a hard mouth:

"How am I affecting his studies? Him having today's grades is all due to my strict discipline of him!"