Chapter 714: Brothers Turning Against Each Other

On the Yan family side, Yan Jiecheng and Yan Bugui sat on the kang, clutching that ten thousand yuan, looking at it over and over again, the smiles on their faces never ceasing.

Yan Jiecheng was grinning from ear to ear: "I was so furious yesterday; that grandson He Yuzhu opened a shop right across from mine and snatched up all my business. Who would have thought, after fumbling around with televisions, I'd actually make this much money?"

Yan Bugui pushed up his glasses and said: "Loss in the east, gain in the west. But honestly, if you compete with He Yuzhu in running a restaurant, you can't beat him in either connections or taste. At worst, you just close this shop and open another one somewhere else."

Yan Jiekuang, listening from the side, rolled his eyes, leaned in, and said: "Dad, Big Brother, I've been running around helping out; even though I didn't buy a share, shouldn't I get a cut too?"

Yan Bugui thought for a moment and nodded: "Eldest, would it be alright to give your third brother three hundred yuan? He's been running errands, and it hasn't been easy for him."

Yan Jiecheng was displeased the moment he heard this, his face dropping: "You should go ask Li Huaide for money. You helped him investigate He Yuzhu; that was helping Li Huaide and Xu Damao, not helping me."

Yan Jiekuang's expression darkened, and a cold sneer tugged at the corner of his mouth: "Big Brother, if that's how you're going to be, then I'll go report you for smuggling!"

"You dare!"

"What's there not to dare? If you do the first day, don't blame me for doing the fifteenth," Yan Jiekuang said.

Yan Jiecheng retorted sharply: "We put up the capital! We scraped together thirty-five thousand yuan; if we lost it, every cent would be gone. We made money this time, but if we lose next time, will you refund my money?"

Seeing the brothers about to fight, Yan Bugui hurriedly tried to smooth things over: "Eldest, I'll take five hundred from my share for the third one, that's fine, right?"

"Give it if you want, no need to consult me." Yan Jiecheng picked up his money and, without looking back, ducked into the small room that had been added on.

Yan Jiekuang took the money, but there wasn't a hint of a smile on his face; he walked out of the house looking completely unhappy.

Just as he stepped out, he happened to see Xu Damao walking over, carrying a large leather bag and looking full of high spirits.

Yan Jiekuang immediately put on a smiling face and went up to him: "Brother Damao, is the bag full of money? How about it, shouldn't you treat us to a meal today?"

Xu Damao rolled his eyes and said irritably: "Get lost! Your family made plenty of money too, why should I treat you to a meal? If it weren't for me, could your family have made this money?"

Yan Jiekuang was choked speechless, his chest feeling as if it were stuffed with cotton, suffocatingly uncomfortable. He walked back to his room with his head down.

His wife, Wang Fang, was on the kang mending pants for their child. Seeing him enter, her eyes lit up, and she hurriedly asked: "Yan Jiekuang, how much money did Dad give you? Give it to me quickly; I need to buy the child some summer clothes, and his shoes are worn out too."

Yan Jiekuang took four hundred yuan out of his pocket and handed it over.

Wang Fang took the money, counted it, and her face immediately fell: "I heard the business made over ten thousand yuan, and they only gave you this little bit? This is bullying people too much! The work was brought in by you in the first place; didn't your big brother just put up some capital?"

Yan Jiekuang sighed and sat on the edge of the kang: "Big Brother's intention was not to give me a cent and told me to go ask Xu Damao for it. It was Dad who pitied me and took this little bit out of his own share for me."

"Too infuriating! This is burning bridges!" Wang Fang was so angry she threw the pants in her hand onto the kang. "Yan Jiekuang, we can't take this lying down! Next time they do this business, we... we'll report them!"

Yan Jiekuang shook his head: "That wouldn't be good... After all, Dad and Big Brother invested all the money they've saved over so many years. If they lose their nest egg, how will they live in the future?"

Hearing this, Wang Fang became even more furious, pointing at Yan Jiekuang's nose and scolding: "You're still worried about how others will live? Think about how we're going to live first! Neither of us has a job, and we still have to raise a child; we have to pay for food and housing. Your family is obsessed with money; if this keeps up, we'll starve to death sooner or later! Instead of us starving to death, we might as well drag them down with us!"

Wang Fang's face was full of malice, and her voice had changed pitch.

Scolded by his wife, Yan Jiekuang also lost his temper and gritted his teeth: "I'll go ask Big Brother to borrow a thousand yuan right now, saying we want to do a little business. If he gives it, then that's the end of it; if he doesn't... then we won't let them have an easy life either!"

Wang Fang bit her lip tightly, a flash of ruthlessness in her eyes: "Be sharp, and keep your ears open for news."

At the Street Office, Wang Xia had just finished tidying up and was preparing to get off work.

He Yuzhu walked in, leading a thin, small girl.

Wang Xia looked up, saw the girl with He Yuzhu, and asked curiously: "Zhuzi, who is this little girl? She's quite pretty."

He Yuzhu chuckled, looking smug: "Sister, this is my newly adopted little sister."

Wang Xia laughed: "How old are you, and you're still adopting little sisters?"

He Yuzhu smiled: "My mental age is young; I still feel like I'm eighteen!"

"You really are improper!" Wang Xia scolded.

He Yuzhu pulled Wang Xia out to the hallway and said with a grin: "Sister, do you want to raise a daughter?"

Wang Xia frowned: "What do you mean?"

"This girl is someone I rescued from the great earthquake; she's so pitiful. Her mother has a hard time raising her and favors boys over girls. Don't worry, I had Ershuan make a special trip to her home, and her mother is willing to let her be adopted by a good family..."

"You little brat!" Wang Xia understood as soon as she heard this and slapped He Yuzhu on the arm. "You're running to me to dump your burden! I'm busy; I don't have time to take care of her!"

He Yuzhu leaned in with a cheeky smile: "Sister, you're about to retire, what are you busy with? If Xueru wasn't too busy and unable to look after her properly, I'd definitely keep her myself. This girl is very sensitive, and I have some trouble communicating with her. If you adopt her as a daughter and give her more emotional care, when she grows up, she can take care of you in your old age, right?"

Wang Xia glared at him: "So if I don't raise a child, you can't take care of me?"

"That's not the same, after all," He Yuzhu said earnestly. "I can't be by your side every day. Isn't it nice to have a child like this to keep you company?"

Wang Xia had never thought about such a thing in all these years, but hearing He Yuzhu put it this way, she was truly moved.

She looked through the glass inside; the little girl's eyes were large and bright, revealing a sense of cleverness. She suddenly felt her heart stir. "This is a way, I suppose." The more Wang Xia looked, the more she liked her. "This little girl, I quite like her; she's very clever."

He Yuzhu struck while the iron was hot: "Sister, I know your salary isn't high, but don't worry, I'll cover all her expenses. She'll live at my place usually. She can go keep you company on Saturdays and Sundays."

"You little brat, do you really think I'm that poor?" Wang Xia scolded, but her eyes held a smile.

He Yuzhu chuckled: "Even if you have some savings, you've always been generous with your money anyway. Don't worry, I've also collected some paintings for you; they'll be worth a lot of money when sold in the future."

Wang Xia was amused by him: "At least you still have a conscience. I still remember, you took away several crates of paintings from Yi Xiansheng! If I run out of money, you'll have to share some with me."

"Your courage is getting bigger and bigger; you even dare to mention such things," He Yuzhu said.

"At my age, what is there to be afraid of!" Wang Xia was indeed feeling secure now.

The two laughed for a while, and He Yuzhu said: "Then I'll go ask Fang Deng if she's willing."

He turned to the door, squatted down, and looked the little girl in the eye: "Fang Deng, what do you think of that auntie?"

Fang Deng blinked, looked at Wang Xia, and whispered: "Grandma is quite pretty."

He Yuzhu almost laughed out loud: "What are you saying, child? That's an auntie, not a grandma. Let me tell you something: I want you to acknowledge her as your mother so she can take good care of you. Look at me, I'm busy running around all day and don't have time to look after you."

When the little girl heard this, her eyes turned red, and tears began to fall: "Uncle He, I want to stay with you."

He Yuzhu's heart softened, and he hurriedly reached out to wipe her tears: "You didn't understand what I meant. I meant that your life won't change at all; you'll just have one more person who likes you. Understand? You'll still live at our house usually. You'll just come to see this 'grandma' on Saturdays and Sundays!"

Fang Deng suddenly smiled and was very happy. Because she knew in her heart that Uncle He was truly very good to her.