Before Chen Jiuyang could speak, Chen Jianmin said, "I won this watch in prison, it's convenient for me to tell time. Dad, this watch is worth tens of thousands? Then I'll have to sell it to get some living expenses for Yating."
"Yating has just started university and needs a lot of money."
Chen Jianmin's actions did make Zhang Xiuzhen and Chen Yating happy for a moment.
"You've wasted all the good things, no wonder you've been useless your whole life," the old man said, his tone filled with disdain.
Chen Jiuyang frowned, "Grandpa, I don't like hearing you say that. How is my dad useless? My dad has raised my family well, and both Xiao Ya and I have grown up healthy. How can you call him useless?"
The old lady said indifferently, "So this is being successful? Not a shred of ambition."
Chen Yating pouted, "Is playing on the phone at home like cousin successful?"
The old lady's face immediately turned ugly.
The atmosphere in the room gradually became stiff.
Chen Jianmin quickly said, "Dad is right, I've only achieved this much in my life, but I'm already content to send my two children to university."
"I can't compare to my younger brother. He's a businessman. Even if Xiao Bo doesn't have to work, he can live a good life. My brother is successful, something I can't match."
Only then did the old man and old lady's expressions improve.
The old man sighed, "Actually, your brother hasn't made money in his business these past few years, he's even lost quite a bit. Otherwise, if Xiuzhen had asked us for twenty thousand yuan two years ago, we wouldn't have refused. We simply had no money to lend."
"Your brother was being chased for debts every day, and had no choice but to send Xiao Bo to us."
Chen Jiuyang sneered, "I don't believe you. Your second uncle's family is living so miserably? Then why isn't Xiao Bo working to earn money and still playing on his phone at home?"
The old lady said, "Absolutely not. Xiao Bo is still a child. What kind of work can he do outside? Earning money is his father's responsibility."
Chen Xiaobo was twenty years old, only two years younger than Chen Jiuyang, so how was he still a child? Chen Jiuyang worked his way through university, helping his good friend Hu Qijie with online game power leveling in his freshman and sophomore years, earning eight hundred yuan a month, plus scholarships, barely getting by.
As for Chen Yating, she dropped out of school six months before the college entrance examination and went to work in the county town to earn money to pay off debts. Zhang Xiuzhen worked in the fields at home and took on odd jobs like cleaning windows to supplement their income, just to survive.
Chen Jiuyang's family had gone through hard times.
Chen Jianmin asked, "How much money did second brother lose in his business?"
The old man said, "Several million. Jianmin, since you're here today, if you have the means, help your brother out."
Chen Jianmin asked, "Dad, how much do you need to borrow?"
The old man and old lady exchanged a look, and after counting on their fingers, the old man said, "At least a million to start."
Chen Jianmin looked hesitant, glancing at Chen Jiuyang. He knew Chen Jiuyang had at least a hundred million in his card, so lending out a million wasn't much.
Looking at this, did Chen Jianmin's family really have so much money?
The old man and old lady's eyes lit up, and they began rubbing their hands in anticipation.
Chen Jiuyang felt sick as if he had eaten a fly and quickly said, "A million yuan! My salary as an intern doctor is only two thousand a month. How long would it take me to earn a million?"
"The family did lose some money, but that money was meant for repairing the house. If we lend the money out, won't our house remain unrepaired?"
"Dad, since we've seen Grandpa and Grandma and they're in good health, we should be heading home. If we're any later, we'll miss the bus back to Ziyang County. Xiaoya also needs to get back to school."
The old lady smiled, "Since you're here, stay for a meal before you go."
Seeing Chen Jiuyang's stance, Chen Jianmin also stood up, "Mom, no need. It's getting late, we have to go. We'll come back for a meal next time."
Seeing that Chen Jiuyang's family insisted on leaving, the old man and old lady couldn't stop them, nor did they see them off. Chen Xiaobo had been playing on his phone and gambling on online mahjong on the sofa the entire time. After Chen Jiuyang's family left, he cursed:
"Damn it, I lost another two thousand yuan! It must be because this bunch of jinxes, my uncle's family, caused me to lose money."
The old lady said dotingly, "Xiaobo, play on your phone less."
Chen Xiaobo was angry about losing money, "What's it to you? Go make dinner!"
As Chen Jiuyang's family walked out of the elevator and a few steps, they ran into a middle-aged man who looked somewhat similar to Chen Jianmin.
Chen Jianmin saw the middle-aged man and called out, "Xuecheng."
"Big brother?!" Chen Xuecheng was surprised to see Chen Jianmin's family, "You're out of prison?"
"Yes, I brought the children to see Mom and Dad today," Chen Jianmin said with a smile, and offered a cigarette. Chen Xuecheng took it, "Are you leaving now?"
"It's getting late, we have to go home, and Xiaoya needs to get back to school."
Chen Xuecheng nodded, "Xiaoya is already in university. Time flies so fast. Then you take care."
"Okay, see you again when we have time." Chen Jianmin nodded, and his family walked out.
Chen Xuecheng frowned and pondered, could his big brother's family have come to his house to borrow money?
He wondered if the old couple at home had agreed to lend them money, but since they were leaving at mealtime, they probably hadn't.
Chen Xuecheng waited for the elevator on the first basement level, watching Chen Jianmin's family leave...
Then, his expression became stunned.
He saw Chen Jianmin's family walk towards a top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz G-wagon, which must have cost over three million.
Chen Jiuyang got into the driver's seat, Chen Yating got into the passenger seat, Chen Jianmin and Zhang Xiuzhen got into the back. He then watched the G-wagon start up and drive away.
Chen Xuecheng's expression went blank, and a storm raged in his heart. His big brother's family was driving a Mercedes-Benz G-wagon!
With a heavy heart, Chen Xuecheng returned home and saw his son Chen Xiaobo still playing games, he was unfazed.
During dinner, the family sat at the table. Chen Xuecheng's expression was still a bit dazed, still processing the fact that Chen Jianmin's family was driving a top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz G-wagon.
At the dinner table, the old lady said, "The jade pendant that girl Chen Yating wore was an imperial green ice jade. If it's real, it should be worth over a million yuan."
"What?" Chen Xuecheng's expression was astonished. After a moment of silence, he said, "It should be real!"
The old man asked, "How do you know?"
Chen Xuecheng replied, "When I came back just now, I ran into the eldest son's family downstairs. They were driving a top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz G-wagon, worth over three million."
The old man and old lady's moods immediately soured. So Chen Jiuyang had been pretending to be poor to fool them?
Chen Xuecheng was a little annoyed, "Why didn't you keep the eldest son's family for a meal when they came to the house just now? They're family after all."
The old man and old lady looked at each other, not daring to speak.
Chen Xuecheng glanced at the slippers by the door, which hadn't been put away, and immediately understood what had happened. Seeing Chen Xiaobo still engrossed in his phone, he slapped him, "Useless piece of trash, all you do is play on your damn phone."