Tian Jing returned with shattered pieces and warned Zeng Jingchu:
"You're not allowed to tell Zeng Jingrong, otherwise... Hmph! Clearly you've fallen in love, yet you keep making excuses to escape. Are you even a man?"
"You want me to take over the Han family lineage? Is that even possible?"
Zeng Jingchu asked cautiously, "Didn't you say that if he also fell in love with a woman who didn't care about his status, you would take over the Han family lineage?"
Tian Jing was surprised, "Zeng Jingchu, has the Zeng family business declined since it fell into your hands?"
"No?" Zeng Jingchu shook his head, "It's actually increased. I'm even considering letting it decline a bit, shut down a few businesses, so I can have less work."
Tian Jing: "..." It was like talking to a brick wall.
"I mean, you're not stupid, how can you not understand what I mean?"
Zeng Jingchu still didn't understand, "What do you mean?"
Tian Jing was truly exasperated by the Zeng family's minds. Could they only do business?
"Didn't I also say I'd wait until I found a suitable candidate later to hand over the Han family lineage?"
Zeng Jingchu nodded, "That's right, I told my cousin all of this."
Tian Jing wanted to lean against the wall, "I've already found a candidate, and that's Zeng Jingrong's child."
Zeng Jingchu took a long time to react before he understood, "No wonder your prerequisite was that cousin would also fall in love with the woman who fell for him. My cousin and I both fell into your trap."
"Hmph!" Tian Jing snorted, "Go ask Zeng Jingliang if he fell into the trap?"
Zeng Jingchu actually went to the Hot Spring Valley to ask.
Zeng Jingliang, who was chopping vegetables while carrying his daughter on his back, swung his knife with such speed it left afterimages.
"What man doesn't want to marry the woman he loves? What woman doesn't want to have a child for the man she loves?"
"I understood what you meant back then, but I just didn't tell you."
"Now your cousin is already sinking in the mire of love, and you're the only one left."
Zeng Jingchu shivered, "I... I quit."
"Impossible," Zeng Jingliang shook his head.
"Tiantiantian won't let you off the hook. You could still back out of this game before you misled Ji Shiyi. But now that you've caused her trouble, she'll cause you trouble too."
"Listen to my advice, find her yourself, and you might achieve mutual love. Otherwise, she'll find someone for you."
"No way?" Zeng Jingchu was skeptical.
"Definitely," Zeng Jingliang said, his knife speed still not slowing down.
"Otherwise, would she have you come ask me? She's acting with confidence, and she's threatening you."
After his brother left, Zeng Jingliang took advantage of a free moment to call Tian Jing.
Tian Jing didn't hesitate to praise Zeng Jingliang for doing a good job, calling him the brother who best understood his sister's intentions.
This made Zeng Jingliang beam all day.
...
Li Weili's computer and phone were foreign brands. Li Weiyu and Chen An didn't want them; they wanted domestic products.
The four siblings, along with Chen Suozhu, drove to the city and returned loaded with goods only after dark.
Ouyang Meihua then realized that her youngest son had obtained some good items from his aunt again.
She tapped her youngest son, calling him thick-skinned.
Li Weiyu retorted to his mother, "If I asked you for these two items, would you give them to me?"
Ouyang Meihua nodded, "Yes."
Li Weiyu played with his new phone, "But you would have asked me to buy the cheapest ones. I'm going to college, you know. If I showed up with a knock-off phone, my classmates would laugh at me."
Just then, Li Liguo returned and overheard his youngest son's words. He agreed,
"People from our Ku Mountain shouldn't appear too shabby when we go out."
As a happy smile spread across Li Weiyu's face, he heard his father continue,
"Yan Yan started earning money at fourteen. Xiao Fu was separated to work at Hot Spring Valley by Min Min at eighteen."
"As for Hao Hao and the others, we won't compare them. Just compare them to Yan Yan and Xiao Fu."
"In September, Xiao Yu will turn eighteen. After he turns eighteen, we will cover the expenses for his wedding arrangements."
"All other expenses will be recorded as debt. When he starts earning money, he will repay them one by one."
"You said you want to study until you're thirty. Never mind thirty, I'll let you study until you're fifty, as long as you remember to repay the money."
"During this period, if he wants to buy any luxury goods, buy them for him and record it as debt."
"I wonder, when I'm ready to divide the family assets, will he receive a portion of the family fortune? Or will he have to pay me?"
Li Weiyu: "..." There's no cruelest mother, only a crueler father.
"Hahahaha."
Seeing her youngest son's indescribable expression, Ouyang Meihua burst into laughter.
Her husband was indeed formidable. He usually didn't say anything, but when he did, he hit the nail on the head.
Li Liguo added, "I will also tell your uncle and aunt not to let them spend your money recklessly in the future."
"If you want to compete or show off, do it with your own abilities."
Li Weiyu: "..." His new phone wasn't fun anymore, and his new computer held no appeal.
"Dad, if my acceptance letter arrives, can my college matriculation banquet be compared to my cousin's?"
"Yes! Absolutely," Li Liguo nodded. "Lili used her own money to advertise Ku Mountain. I'll use my youngest son's achievements to advertise Ku Mountain once."
That was a stab to the heart!
Li Weiyu secretly thought that his father must know his New Year's money had all been spent.
...
At the Chen family's home, Chen An showed his mother everything he had received.
"Mom, Sister Lili said we all get something, it's a coming-of-age gift from Auntie."
Li Min nodded, "Your aunt isn't short of money. If she gives it to you, take it. She'll be unhappy if you refuse."
Chen An didn't have his mother's confidence, "Isn't it too valuable? Sister Lili also said not to buy cheap ones, calling them knock-offs."
Li Min shook her head, "No, your aunt's way of spoiling her children is to let them do as they please. Take it with peace of mind."
Only then did Chen An happily open the computer and phone, "Sister Lili said the computer needs a network card, and the consumption might be a bit high."
"Don't worry, Mom will give you money to buy that network card."
Li Min was about to go into the house to get money when Chen Suozhu took out a bank card.
"An'an, here's twenty thousand yuan. Take it first. If you get accepted, your dad will deposit your living expenses into this card from now on."
"If... then this will be your startup capital. Your elder brother also received this much money."
"Thank you, Dad."
Having finished his exams and shed his stress, Chen An's perspective changed.
His mother might be a bit rough, but compared to other women in Ku Mountain, she was much better.
"Thank you, Mom, too."
Chen Suozhu smiled with satisfaction. His youngest son had grown up, but he and his wife were getting old.
He pulled his wife towards the kitchen, "Didn't you say the meal was ready? I'll help serve."
...
The day for Li Weili's college matriculation banquet arrived.
She, along with her three younger brothers, waited at the entrance of the village early on.
Every time a classmate arrived, she would ask her brothers to help guide them to the courtyard house.
They would have watermelon and tea in the courtyard house while waiting for the slower classmates and teachers.
It wasn't until past ten o'clock that the teachers and classmates finally arrived.
The teachers all came with their families, as per Li Weili's request.
She couldn't expect the teachers to leave their families and go out alone for two or three days during their summer vacation.
If they all came together, there would be no misunderstandings, and it would also strengthen their relationships.
Once everyone had arrived, they set off.
Li Weiyu and the other two followed.
Li Weiyu wanted to see how his capable cousin handled entertaining teachers and classmates.
When it was his turn, he wouldn't be caught off guard.