aircannonsinc Chapter 51 If a man doesn't look out for himself, he'll be punished by heaven and earth.
Chapter 51 If a man doesn't look out for himself, he'll be punished by heaven and earth.
In this world, everyone is trying to make themselves comfortable, including his father.
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When Wang Haowen tiptoed into the house, crouching low, he found Wang Yuelai already asleep. He could only quietly wash his face with cold water and then tiptoe onto the bed. He didn't even dare to pull the blanket too hard, afraid of waking his father.
Wang Yuelai was a light sleeper, but he was already awake. He opened his eyes and saw his son. He wanted to scold him, "Where have you been running off to again?" But he swallowed the words back. It would be a waste of breath to argue with this brat. So he gave up.
But fate has a way of punishing those who refuse to give up. Just when Wang Haowen thought he could finally get a good night's sleep, his phone, which was lying next to his pillow, suddenly went off with a loud buzzing sound, making the bed tremble slightly. Startled, he grabbed the phone in a fluster and squinted to see that it was Song Yaxuan.
He instinctively tried to cut it off, but the more anxious he became, the less his fingers obeyed him, and with a "click," the connection was made again.
Song Yaxuan's affected voice rang out, "Wang Haowen, are you home yet? You didn't even send me a message when you got home, do you even want to get back to your old self...?"
Wang Haowen was terrified and hung up in a panic. But as soon as he turned around, he was confronted by Wang Yuelai. Wang Yuelai was already sitting up in bed, his hair a mess, his eyes wide like saucers, looking like he wanted to devour him alive.
Wang Haowen panicked and quickly threw off the covers and got out of bed. "Dad, don't be angry. I'll go out and get him. You can go back to sleep for a bit. I won't disturb your sleep." He was afraid that if he was even a second late, he would get a scolding.
"What the hell are you talking about!" Wang Yuelai still wouldn't let him off the hook. "So you broke up with that girl Xiaojia just to hook up with this kind of trash? I fucking want to slap you!"
Since his last illness, Wang Yue's body had become as weak as paper, so thin that he was just skin and bones, and even his voice sounded weak. But now, as soon as he got angry, he immediately started coughing, coughing so hard it was heartbreaking. Wang Haowen's heart tightened when he saw this, and he was really afraid that Wang Yue would faint on the spot.
"Oh dear, it's not what you think!" Wang Haowen hurriedly leaned over to explain, his voice almost cracking with anxiety. "This is a relative of one of our company's shareholders. It's just work-related, nothing else. I'll explain in detail later." He was furious, both anxious and annoyed. Why did Song Yaxuan have to call now of all times to cause trouble? This was just asking for trouble!
Wang Yue shoved his hand away, snorted, and said, "Relatives? I don't believe you for a second! There are so many employees in the company, why do you have to be the only one serving them? I'm telling you right now, if you dare to try and climb this high branch, I'm not recognizing you, you little brat! I've lived most of my life, there's no reason for me to be someone's grandson with you! If your mother knew how spineless you were, she'd jump out of her grave and scratch your face, you believe me?!"
"Why are you saying this in the middle of the night..." Wang Haowen was full of resentment. Zeng Jia scolded him, and now his own father was joining in. Did he think he was the only bastard in the whole world?!
"I told you, I'm going to tell you this: you better hurry up and coax Xiaojia back to me. She's the only daughter-in-law I'll ever have. Don't bring any other Tom, Dick, or Harry home. I don't recognize them." Wang Yuelai pulled the blanket tighter around himself, rolled his eyes, and said, "You've got some nerve after a couple of good meals. You don't even know who you are anymore. What a piece of trash!"
Hearing this, Wang Haowen felt even more aggrieved. A cold sneer curled at the corner of his mouth. "Fine, Zeng Jia has really got you hooked! Anyone who didn't know better would think she's your own daughter and I'm an adopted child!"
"She saved my life! Do you think she can take care of me? Can she even bring me a glass of water or a pill when I'm sick? The day I collapse, she'll be the first one to pull the plug, you believe me!" Wang Yuelai took a breath, his eyes darkening further. "I'm telling you this one last time, if you don't bring Xiaojia back to me, you can get the hell out of here. I finally managed to get some sleep, and you ruined it all. What bad luck!"
Wang Haowen was thoroughly humiliated by the old man's scolding. He could only hang his head and slink outside the door, where he took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.
He didn't usually smoke, but after staying with Wang Yue for a few days and being surrounded by smoke every day, he ended up becoming a half-smoker. The nicotine burning his lungs made him cough, but even that couldn't suppress his frustration and resentment.
In this world, it truly is a case of "if you don't look out for yourself, you'll be doomed." Everyone is looking out for their own comfort, including his father. The old man protects Zeng Jia not out of gratitude for saving his life, but because he wants someone to serve him in the future; Zeng Jia broke up with him because she thought he was incompetent and couldn't give her the house and residency she wanted; Song Yaxuan clings to him only because she sees him as someone she can still use. Even he himself, isn't he forcing himself to serve Song Yaxuan in order to climb the social ladder?
Wang Haowen took two deep drags on his cigarette, only realizing it when the butt burned his fingertips. He stubbed the cigarette butt out hard on a brick in the corner and stomped on it.
Even after the fire had completely died down, he picked up his phone and dialed Song Yaxuan's number. No matter how unhappy he was, he had to call back. For Yu Li's sake, or for his own, no matter how frustrated he felt, he could only endure it for the time being.
Zeng Jia's eyes widened in disbelief. She stared intently at her phone screen, her fingers flying across the keys as she tried to buy her mother, Zhang Yuhua, a train ticket for her return journey.
The words "in queue" on the screen made her dizzy, but she said in a sweet voice, "You came to Beijing without saying a word. It would have been better if I had come back earlier to keep you company. Look at the train tickets for tomorrow, they're so hard to get. If it's really impossible, why don't you stay another day? I'll make time to show you around."
"What are you waiting for? I'm worried about leaving your dad at home alone. New Year's Eve is just around the corner. Why don't you take a few days off from work and come back with me?" Zhang Yuhua folded the washed clothes, her eyes glued to her daughter. Ever since Zeng Jia said that "in-laws don't see each other during the New Year," she had guessed that she and Wang Haowen had broken up.
Moreover, there has been no news from Zeng Jia for the past two days. She and her husband have been unable to sleep at night. After much discussion, they decided that they had to come to Beijing to see for themselves how their daughter was doing.
Zeng Jia's nose tingled when she saw Zhang Yuhua, but she forced back her tears while she was busy buying tickets. No matter how tough she is on the outside, she's still her mother's little darling.
"I'm so busy I can't go home. My two bosses are getting a divorce, and there are so many trivial things to deal with at the company." She really wants to go home with her mother for the Chinese New Year, but she's afraid she won't be able to have a peaceful holiday with Zhang Zhishan.
Zhang Yuhua put down what she was doing, grabbed Zeng Jia's hand, and said, "I think it's too tiring for you to be here all by yourself. You're busy like a spinning top every day. Come home, your parents will take care of you. We don't need to suffer like this anymore."
Zeng Jia couldn't hold back any longer and snuggled into her mother's arms, acting like a child, "I want to try harder. I broke up with Wenzi, but I stayed in Beijing not just for him, I stayed for myself. I have a good job now, I'll give it my all."
"It's good that you broke up, you should have broken up a long time ago! He can't even give you a stable future, what are you after? Your dad and I both support you. If you break up, we can find someone reliable, isn't that better than him? You shouldn't have introduced him to your company in the first place, but it's no use saying anything now. Be more careful in the future, don't be so easygoing, or you'll end up being sold out and still helping them count the money." Zhang Yuhua got angry when she mentioned this.
Zeng Jia couldn't say whether she regretted it or not. The years she spent with Wang Haowen had both sweet and bitter moments, but in the end, the two of them went their separate ways.
"Mom, don't worry, your daughter is quite outstanding too. The men who pursue me could line up from the alley to Tiananmen Square, I don't need one more!" Zeng Jia teased deliberately.
Zhang Yuhua chuckled, tapped her forehead, and said earnestly, "You silly girl, always so stubborn. I don't expect you to find someone rich or glamorous, I just hope you find someone who cares for you. No matter who you live with, you two have to have the same goals. Life is about comfort and ease. If you're miserable, no amount of money matters. It's better to be alone in peace."
Zeng Jia was stunned. Aspirations? Her and Wang Haowen's aspirations were different from the start. She wanted to save money to buy a house and live a stable life, while he always longed for freedom and didn't seem to have a strong sense of responsibility. What about her and Shi Jun? Shi Jun was rich and powerful, but could their aspirations be the same? Zhang Zhishan and Yu Li, didn't they initially have the same aspirations? They started a business together, struggled together, but in the end, they still broke up and became enemies. Rather than relying on others, she should rely on herself; she only needed to pursue her own future.
"Mom, don't worry, I know what I'm doing." She snapped out of her reverie, tapped her phone again, and her tone instantly brightened. "I got it! It's for tomorrow morning. You've had a long day, don't bother yourself, just rest." In that brief moment of distraction, she had actually managed to snag a return ticket for her mother, and her worries finally subsided.
The mother and daughter tidied themselves up and snuggled into a bed, chatting idly like when they were children. Zhang Yuhua rambled on about family matters: the family restaurant was doing well, with more southerners flocking to the Northeast in winter, and many people coming to eat sauerkraut hot pot and stewed goose; her aunt had been sick and hospitalized recently, and her older brother had been taking care of her every day at the hospital. He used to be 180cm tall, but now he was only 150cm, which was heartbreaking to see; and their hometown had changed a lot, now blooming with flowers in the spring, much more impressive than before.
Zeng Jia leaned against her mother's chest and fell asleep sometime during the night. She slept as soundly as a baby, all her scheming, grievances, and pressure temporarily sealed away by the familiar smell of cooking oil on her mother and the warm comfort of the quilt.
The next morning, Zeng Jia opened her eyes. It was just getting light, and the faint aroma of porridge filled the room. Her mother had already packed her bags and left, transferring 20,000 yuan to her Alipay account so she wouldn't have to be stingy with it.
Zeng Jia hugged the blanket that still held her mother's warmth, savoring the comfort. She was determined to prove herself again, work hard, and never go home in such a dejected manner!