Chapter 320: Plotting Against Liu Hai Zhong

Yang Qing's words, with a boom, exploded in Er Da Ye's mind.

"Better to be a chicken's head than a phoenix's tail, better to be a chicken's head than a phoenix's tail..."

He kept muttering it.

Seeing something amiss, Er Dama wondered, "My old man couldn't really have been taken in by Yang Qing, could he?"

She shoved him at once.

"What are you thinking? You're a level-seven worker—how did you become a phoenix's tail?"

"At the very least we're a wing feather, a ground-pecking chicken's head—how can we compare to a phoenix?"

Afterwards she glared at Yang Qing fiercely.

"Yang Qing, what's your angle? You want our Old Liu, a level-seven worker, to go to your little broken factory?"

"I tell you it's impossible."

Saying that, she grabbed Yang Qing and shoved him out.

"Go on, hurry up and leave—we don't welcome you here."

Liu Guangtian was doing homework in his room when he heard the commotion; stepping out, he saw Yang Qing being pushed outside.

He couldn't help but say.

"Mom, what are you doing? Brother Qing, are you here to see me?"

Yang Qing poked his head in and waved at Liu Guangtian.

"Guangtian, it's fine—I came to see Er Da Ye; Er Dama has a misunderstanding."

"You go about your business; I happen to be heading back."

Saying that, he waved and left.

Liu Guangtian, however, didn't go back; instead, he pulled a face and asked Er Dama what had happened.

Seeing Liu Guangtian helping an outsider, Er Dama snapped angrily.

"Do you believe him, Yang Qing, or do you believe your mother?"

"I said he has ill intentions, and that means he has ill intentions."

Liu Guangtian stuck out his neck.

"Believe you guys, and we'd eat poorly every day and get beaten nine times a day? Or believe you guys have no favoritism?"

"Mom, just don't say that—don't you find it funny?"

"I think this is also an opportunity—my father has always dreamed of becoming an official; such a good chance, if not seized, he'll just remain a worker being ordered around for life, just like him."

Liu Hai Zhong, hearing that, became dissatisfied.

"Liu Guangtian, how dare you speak like that—haven't you been beaten in a while? Your skin's itching."

"What do you mean 'like that,' spending a lifetime as a worker?"

Liu Guangtian gave a foolish laugh.

"What are you like, you don't know? Besides putting on airs and beating people, what else can you do?"

"Are you good at networking or handling affairs? Organizing and managing personnel."

"Even if you could network, you wouldn't even be able to become a small group leader."

Seeing Liu Hai Zhong still wanting to retort,

Liu Guangtian directly exposed his lies.

"Don't say they wanted to promote you to group leader, only to be rejected because you only had elementary education."

"Only you would believe that; clearly they just look down on you."

"Look at Brother Qing—he never even went to school, yet he became a factory director."

Seeing Liu Hai Zhong exposed and looking unconvinced, Liu Guangtian continued to strike him.

"Take a look at yourself—you're the second master of a big compound, yet you can't even figure out the affairs of that compound."

"And you're always dreaming of becoming a leader."

"Tell me, in your lifetime, who have you ever convinced?"

"As the second master, do others trust you?"

"Why do people trust Yang Qing, Chen Hong, and Yi Zhonghai so much, yet not you?"

"Your work is a mess, your role as second master is a mess, your parenting is a mess—favoring the eldest son, who ran away, while you abused the younger, causing father and son to become estranged."

"Say, how badly have you failed as a person?"

"Now Brother Qing is giving you a chance, yet you don't even grasp it, just dawdling here—what do you think you could accomplish?"

Liu Guangtian's tirade left the couple both embarrassed and angry, yet speechless.

Liu Hai Zhong's face flushed red, his self-esteem shattered into pieces, his whole body trembling with rage, yet he didn't know what to say.

That's really hitting the nail on the head.

Seeing her old man's eyes red, Er Dama shouted angrily.

"Liu Guangtian, is this how you speak to your father?"

"Get lost, get lost—you ungrateful dog."

Seeing the two unwilling to repent, Liu Guangtian turned and left straight away.

He entered his own door and slammed it shut with a bang.

Er Dama was so angry she felt another bout of rising anger.

"You little bastard, unfilial wretch."

Afterwards she hurried to comfort her old man.

"Old partner, don't listen to his nonsense."

That bastard, you're doing it on purpose to piss me off.

Liu Hai Zhong really wanted to hit someone, really wanted to smash things; he gritted his teeth, veins bulged on his neck, his face looked ferocious, as if he might lose his reason at any moment.

But Liu Guangtian's words kept appearing in his mind over and over, and he couldn't find any words to rebut.

It seemed as if everything that bastard said was true.

Am I a failure as a person?

He began to ask himself, and with that question, his anger gradually lessened.

But shame began to take hold.

His self-esteem made him unable to face people.

He muttered under his breath.

Am I really a failure as a person? It seems so.

He thought of the section chief position that had left him, of his eldest son who had left him, of his two younger sons who had grown estranged from him, and of everyone in the big compound who didn't take him seriously.

It seems, I really am quite a failure.

He was self‑critiquing, self‑PUA‑ing; all his former pride lost its color at this moment.

Second Madam looked at Er Da Ye like this, and grew even more afraid.

He would rather Er Da Ye go mad, smash and loot everything, than see him so decadent.

Liu Hai Zhong, with a sudden plop, went limp from the chair onto the floor.

His eyes were a dull gray.

It seemed as if his spirit had vanished all at once, and he became dazed.

Second Madam hurriedly supported Liu Hai Zhong, anxiously saying.

Old man, what's wrong with you? Don't scare me.

Hearing the noise, Liu Hai Zhong raised his head, saw Second Madam, and gave a bitter smile.

Old wife, maybe Liu Guangtian is right—I really am a failure as a person.

Look at Liu Guangtian—he can lead a group of people and make so many kids convinced.

And me—who would listen to me?

Second Madam pointed at herself.

Me, me, me—I believe you, head of the household, I believe you; our family's current wealth is all earned by you.

How could you have failed? If you had, those brats would have starved to death already.

It's that they lack conscience, don't know gratitude—we provide for their food, drink, and schooling.

Yet we've raised three bastards.

It's my problem—I didn't educate them well.

Second Madam's words let Er Da Ye regain a bit of confidence.

But regarding Liu Guangtian's words, he still dwelled on them, because they were too true.

The truth that stabbed at his heart.

Is he a failure?

How could I be a failure?

I'm clearly keeping up with the times.

Yang Qing's words began to swirl in his mind.

Better to be a chicken's head than a phoenix's tail.

The steel rolling mill is your peak, while the Agricultural Machinery Factory section chief is your starting point.

His heart began to loosen.

He slowly stood up and walked toward the study.

He needed to calm down and think it over.

His mind was in a terrible mess…