Chapter 135: Chapter 134 For Anitaqing Immortal Flower Fate + Update 1
Zhao Dazhuang sighed deeply, his voice tinged with a bit of choking emotion, "I am so unfilial, I am!"
Shi Yang could understand Zhao Dazhuang’s feelings, but understanding didn’t mean support. After hesitating several times, he couldn’t help but ask, "Uncle, what are your plans next?"
Zhao Dazhuang pursed his lips tightly, "This time back, I plan to sell the house, transfer the convenience store, and take your aunt and Meimei back to the south to live, to serve my old lady well."
Shi Yang knew about this, but hearing it in person still made him tense. He asked, "Isn’t the house allocated by the factory? Can it be privately traded?"
Zhao Dazhuang had also considered this issue. He sighed, "The factory issued a document. After this buyout is completed, the house can be attributed to individuals based on years of service. I calculated that if I pay less than thirty thousand more, I can get the house deed."
Shi Yang reached out to wipe the sweat dripping down his hair, "It will probably take a few days to complete the procedures and sell the house."
Zhao Dazhuang was also troubled by this, "If it doesn’t work out, I’ll handle it step by step. I’ll strive to settle the house deed first and talk about buying a house later."
Through the thick steam, Shi Yang squinted his handsome eyes, "If all the money is invested in the house, what about the expenses for grandma’s hospitalization?"
Zhao Dazhuang: "Your aunt and I have over twenty thousand, we can use it first. My sister and my sister can pitch in as well. If it’s really not enough, we’ll find a way. If I don’t settle the house now, I’m afraid when the factory closes, we won’t find anyone to do the procedures. And if the medical bills aren’t enough, I can sell the house to make up for it."
Upon hearing Zhao Dazhuang’s tone, Shi Yang knew he was determined to go back south to take care of his old lady.
Shi Yang was worried to death. With Zhao Dazhuang’s reason for filial piety, no matter what else was said, it became insignificant and trivial.
Shi Yang’s face fell, turning his head to look at Zhao Dazhuang’s blurred facial outline, "Then, what about Meimei?"
Zhao Dazhuang: "I plan to transfer Meimei’s school registration there and continue her high school studies in our hometown. I used to consider work and your aunt’s small business, but now that my job has been bought out and the factory’s not doing well, your aunt’s business is difficult too. We might as well go back home and start over."
Shi Yang was anxious, "Meimei is starting sophomore year. She just chose between science and liberal arts. Her grades can get her into the best science class. Without connections in the south, how can she get into a top high school?"
Zhao Dazhuang rubbed his face with his hand, "Our relatives back home know someone in the education bureau, they said they could help."
Shi Yang: "......"
Zhao Dazhuang sighed deeply, "I really regret it now. If I had known, I would have moved back several years ago. I could have spent more time with my old lady, and Meimei would have adjusted quicker. Now I have no choice. I can’t just watch the old lady worry about me without peace of mind. I can only let Meimei bear with it. She’s a smart kid, her studies shouldn’t be a problem. If it really doesn’t work, I’ll grit my teeth and hire a tutor for her, her grades won’t suffer."
Shi Yang frowned immediately, "You all have to go to the hospital to care for the elderly. What about Meimei? Who will take care of her?"
Zhao Dazhuang: "She’s grown up now, she can take care of herself, and when the time comes, there will naturally be a solution."
Zhao Dazhuang had been feeling heavily burdened, but after saying it all, he felt somewhat relieved and didn’t notice Shi Yang’s swiftly changing expression.
Zhao Dazhuang was fully focused on how to serve his old lady well, to accompany her through her last journey.
Zhao Dazhuang, a kind and emotional person, had spent years away from home, not serving by the elderly’s side, constantly feeling indebted, always feeling like a son wanting to care for his parents when it’s too late, guilty, feeling particularly unfilial.
Now that the old lady suddenly fell ill, with not much time left, the guilt and self-blame accumulated in his heart suddenly exploded, leaving only filial piety in his eyes and heart, unable to consider anything else.
Shi Yang bent his back, elbows propped on his thighs, hands plunged into his wet hair, his mind in chaos.
Zhao Dazhuang’s heartfelt words, he couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable hearing them.
Why does your filial duty have to hold back my Meimei’s future?
Zhao Meimei mentioned in her message that she’s unfamiliar with the relatives at grandma’s place, not able to play together, and the difference between north and south is too great. Be it climate or food, it’s impossible to adjust in less than two years.
Since coming back this time, Zhao Meimei, who had been nourished to a plump face by Liu Xiue, had visibly reverted back to a slender face within a few days. If she stayed longer, who knows what she might become.
Zhao Meimei had a picky taste from childhood, pampered by him and Liu Xiue, never having done any work, treated like a treasure. Yet at Zhao Dazhuang’s place, she wasn’t valued at all.
Shi Yang was particularly displeased, wrinkling his brow in frustration, his head spinning rapidly on what to do about this.
While Shi Yang was talking to Zhao Dazhuang, Zhao Meimei was being scrubbed by her mom, crying out in pain.
"Oh, be gentle! It’s rubbing the skin off!"
Liu Xiue wouldn’t let go, "Look at all this dirt, you could make a whole box of pills out of it!"
Zhao Meimei let out a couple of giggles, then suddenly asked, "Mom, I don’t want to move, I’m reluctant to leave here, can’t we not go?"
Liu Xiue paused in her scrubbing, also annoyed, replied absentmindedly, "I don’t want to move either, but the problem is, your dad is indeed indispensable to your grandma."
Zhao Meimei pouted, thinking, I’m indispensable to my Brother Yangyang too.
Zhao Meimei’s mood was low, and when she got scrubbed painfully, she just sucked in some air without shouting again.
Liu Xiue looked at her like this, her heart ached, having no good solution for the moment, her eyes welled up, reddened by the steam.
After the bath, changing into clean clothes, Zhao Dazhuang and family of three carried the gifts prepared for Shi Yang’s family and followed him home.
In front of her parents, Zhao Meimei sat obediently in the front passenger seat, stealing glances at her Brother Yangyang with her peripheral vision.
It felt like half a month without seeing him was longer than a year, and now glancing at Shi Yang’s handsome profile, she wished she could immediately throw her arms around his neck and kiss him, pouring her heart out.
When getting in the car, Shi Yang secretly held Zhao Meimei’s hand for a moment. The rest of the time, he focused on the road while racking his brain on how to keep Zhao Meimei here.
He had completely given up the thought of wanting to persuade Zhao Dazhuang to stay.
As the car pulled up below the apartment building, Shi Yang helped carry the stuff, and as the group climbed the stairs, Liu Xiue praised, "New complexes are better, even the stairways are so spacious."
Looking at the backs of Zhao Meimei and her family of three, Shi Yang’s eyes suddenly lit up.