bookrandom Chapter 467 Helping you is a favor, not helping is my right.
Chapter 467 Helping you is a favor, not helping is my right.
After Xiaojun and Shanshan left the courtyard one after the other, Zhang Amei couldn't help but roll her eyes at Lao Wu. "You want to please Shanshan now? I think you're wasting your time. Shanshan is very shrewd."
Old Wu looked at her dismissively. "No, after all, I'm her father. Shanshan won't do that."
Xiao Jun silently followed his sister out of the courtyard.
When Aunt Li saw Shan Shan, her eyes lit up immediately, and she greeted her excitedly.
"Shanshan, I heard from your dad that you're going abroad to study! Congratulations! You're the first student from our alley, no, the whole factory, to study abroad!"
"Aunt Li, is Brother Yiming alright?"
"Okay, okay! He went to Shanghai to buy goods. You wait here, Aunt Li will get you two popsicles, it's terribly hot outside!" Aunt Li said as she turned and went into the house to get the popsicles.
"Thank you, Aunt Li."
A moment later, Xiao Jun took the two popsicles from Aunt Li, put two cents next to the phone, and quickly ran out.
"Little Jun, why are you being so formal?" Aunt Li said this, but still smiled and put away the two cents.
The siblings arrived at the alley entrance, sat on the stone benches, and ate popsicles just like when they were children.
As Xiao Jun ate, he looked up at his sister. "Sis, have you packed everything for the trip abroad? Let's go to the photo studio and take some pictures tomorrow."
Shan Shan's heart stirred. Yes, being far away in a foreign land, it would be nice to see her brother's photo.
"Okay, I'll go in a bit."
Old Wu went all out to celebrate Shanshan's departure to study abroad, hosting a three-table banquet at the famous Songhelou restaurant in Suzhou, inviting old neighbors and colleagues.
Old Wu and Zhang Amei stood at the entrance of the restaurant, welcoming the arriving guests.
Old Wu greeted them warmly.
"Teacher Zhuang, Huang Ling, Engineer Lin, Song Ying, it's been a long time! Thank you all for coming today. Please come in." Song Ying couldn't help but roll her eyes at him; she was thoroughly disgusted by Old Wu's demeanor.
They neglect their children when they need care and support, only to show up and pretend to care when the children have grown up and become successful.
Song Ying said irritably, "Shanshan is someone I've watched grow up, so of course I have to come."
“Old Wu, you didn’t want Shanshan to go to high school back then, but Shanshan is so determined. Not only did she get into Fudan University, but she’s also going abroad now. You regret it now, don’t you? You regret stopping her from going to high school. You wouldn’t support her education, so she had to help Yiming set up a street stall to earn her high school tuition. Shanshan is successful, and that’s all thanks to herself. She has no one else to rely on but herself.”
Song Ying relentlessly berated Lao Wu.
Old Wu stood awkwardly at the door, forcing a smile and saying repeatedly, "I regret it, I regret it. The child is capable, but I'm not good with words, so please don't mind."
At this moment, Huang Ling stepped forward, took Song Ying's arm, and continued the conversation. "Shanshan has overcome all the difficult roads, from now on, it will all be good days, right, Song Ying?"
“Yes, Sister Ling!” Song Ying responded, and when she looked up, she saw Shan Shan greeting guests inside. She immediately pulled Sister Ling inside.
Song Ying called out from afar, "Shanshan, your Aunt Huang and I are here!"
In fact, Song Ying and Huang Ling had already discussed it beforehand: the gift money would not be given to Lao Wu, but directly to Shan Shan.
They knew in their hearts that Old Wu might keep it for himself and not give it to Shanshan.
They weren't really keen on dealing with the Wu family, but this time they came purely out of respect for Shanshan. The girl had come to their house yesterday and said that her dad was inviting them to dinner, so they figured they might as well accept. Otherwise, they really wouldn't want to bother with the couple.
Lin Wufeng and Teacher Zhuang followed behind the two female colleagues, suppressing their laughter as they watched Lao Wu's embarrassed expression.
"Old Wu, congratulations! We'll go in first."
After Lin Wufeng finished speaking, he followed him inside.
Song Ying and Huang Ling each held one of Shan Shan's hands and stuffed the prepared red envelopes into her hands. The two hundred yuan red envelopes were already the biggest gift.
"Take good care of yourself while you're abroad, Shanshan. You're really something!"
Shanshan looked at Aunt Huang and Aunt Song, her eyes slightly red.
Over the years, no matter how far she went, Aunt Huang and Aunt Song always cared for her; they were like her mothers.
When she was little, she wondered why Teacher Zhuang's family, which was so rich, was unwilling to pay her high school tuition directly.
For a period of time, she also felt that her mentality was abnormal.
But as she entered university, she encountered all sorts of people and things, her horizons broadened, and her mind matured.
Only then did she realize what had happened.
In this world, if even your own biological father doesn't care about you, how can you expect others to care for you?
It is a rare kindness to receive help from others, and it is reasonable not to help, after all, they have their own lives to live.
I have received so much care and help from Aunt Huang, Aunt Song, and Teacher Zhuang's family over the years, and I can only repay these kindnesses slowly when I return after completing my studies.
Wu Shanshan clutched the red envelope tightly, her eyes slightly red. "Thank you, Aunt Song, Aunt Huang, Uncle Zhuang, Uncle Lin, I will come back."
Zhang Amei was busy greeting guests when she inadvertently glanced at the red envelopes that Song Ying and Huang Ling had given to Shanshan. The red envelopes were bulging, clearly not the twenty or fifty yuan that others would give. She was immediately filled with resentment.
Song Ying and Huang Ling really don't understand etiquette. They were the ones who hosted the dinner with Lao Wu, so there's no reason for them to give the gift money directly to the child.
She quickly went to Old Wu's side and lowered her voice. "Look, Song Ying and Huang Ling didn't give us the money, but they gave it to Shanshan. And their family of four even came. I'm so angry!"
"Alright, giving it to Shanshan is better than not giving it to her. We won't give it to her then."
Zhang Amei kept nagging and instructing her.
"That's more like it. Let me tell you, if you secretly give me money, don't blame me for getting angry with you."
Soon, it was time for Shan Shan to return to Shanghai.
Early this morning, Xiaojun went to the photo studio to pick up the photos.
They took two photos this time, one for him and one for his sister.
Xiao Jun ran up to Shan Shan and handed her the photo. "Sister, take this."
Shanshan took the photo, carefully put it into her wallet, and then reached out to touch Xiaojun's hair.
“You’ve grown so tall. When Mom passed away, you were only up to my waist. Time really flies. Xiaojun, if you don’t find a good job after graduating from vocational school, go find Uncle Lin. I’ve already spoken to him. You must take good care of yourself while I’m not around.”
Xiao Jun nodded understandingly, forcing himself not to cry. "Sister, I'm fine. You're going abroad, what could possibly happen to me in China? Don't worry."