Chapter 772 - 266: Mom, I’m Afraid Dad Will Resent Me (2)

"You told me to get lost." Jie Jingchen was forced to stop. He didn’t even glance at his father, his gaze falling on Qin Mei, who was busy in the courtyard.

Mr. Xie took a deep breath, suppressing his anger and looking at Jie Jingchen with a gentle expression. "Jing Si, you were in Xiangjiang for so long. Now that you’re back, can’t we, as father and son, just have a proper talk?"

"I’ve been speaking to you perfectly fine. You’re the one who flies off the handle at the slightest disagreement." Jie Jingchen looked at Mr. Xie with an innocent expression and added, "Am I wrong?"

Mr. Xie was at a loss for words. He both loved and hated this son of his.

"Jing Si, your salary for two months only adds up to a little over a hundred," Mr. Xie said.

"Is a little over a hundred so little?" Jie Jingchen asked.

Mr. Xie was taken aback. A hundred-plus wasn’t a small sum. Some workers didn’t even make a hundred in two months, and in the countryside, people couldn’t earn that much in an entire year.

"Jing Si, you have money. Can’t you give your Granny a bit more to make her happy?" Mr. Xie tried to guilt-trip his own son.

"I don’t have any money." Jie Jingchen was adamant. "I haven’t even been paid for the last two months. Where would I get money from?"

"Do you really want me to spell it out?" Mr. Xie said through gritted teeth.

"Even if you spell it out, I still don’t have any money." Jie Jingchen had completely stopped playing along.

Mr. Xie took a breath. "Your maternal grandparents..."

"Thanks to you," Jie Jingchen cut his father off. "Since they can’t stand you, their son-in-law, I get caught in the crossfire as your son. They won’t give me a single cent."

Mr. Xie’s eyes widened. He didn’t believe a single word Jie Jingchen said.

No, that wasn’t quite right. It wasn’t that he disbelieved all of it.

It was true that his parents-in-law couldn’t stand him, but they doted on their grandchildren, especially their granddaughters.

"Jing Si," Mr. Xie called out in resignation.

"Dad, have you sent money to Eldest Sister?" Jie Jingchen asked.

Mr. Xie paused for a moment, then answered honestly. "I have."

"Have you given money to Second Brother?" Jie Jingchen asked again.

"I have," Mr. Xie replied.

"Given money to Third Brother?" Jie Jingchen continued.

"I have," Mr. Xie nodded.

"And Jing Wu?" Jie Jingchen pressed on.

The mention of Jing Wu made Mr. Xie feel a pang of disappointment. Jing Wu was constantly asking him for spending money.

"Yes," Mr. Xie answered through clenched teeth.

"And Jing Qi?" Jie Jingchen didn’t even spare Jing Qi.

"I have," Mr. Xie answered. He’d have to be a fool not to understand what Jie Jingchen was getting at by now.

"And me?" Jie Jingchen asked, his voice calm.

Mr. Xie fell silent. The truth was, he had never given Jie Jingchen any spending money. Jie Jingchen had been born in Xiangjiang and raised by his maternal grandparents until he was ten, only then returning to Shijiu City. In fact, he had barely even seen this son of his before the boy turned ten.

"I’ve given your wife money," Mr. Xie added hastily.

Jie Jingchen said nothing, just stared at his father until the older man grew uneasy.

’So, Jing Si is settling old scores with me,’ Mr. Xie thought, gritting his teeth. "Fine, I’ll give you money now. How much do you want?"

"Whether you give a lot or a little, it’s the thought that counts. As long as the sentiment is there, that’s all that matters," Jie Jingchen said softly. "Deep affection means you give more. Shallow affection means you give less."

Mr. Xie had the distinct feeling that he had just lifted a rock only to drop it on his own foot. "One thousand. Is that enough?"

"Enough." Jie Jingchen knew when to quit while he was ahead.

Mr. Xie slowly let out a long breath. "I’ll write you an IOU for it."

"Am I really your son?" Jie Jingchen asked.

Mr. Xie shot him a glare. As if to prove Jing Si was indeed his biological son, Mr. Xie went inside the house, took out the one thousand yuan he had prepared for his mother, and gave it to Jie Jingchen.

Jie Jingchen was satisfied; Mr. Xie was fuming. He’d tried to steal a chicken, only to lose the rice he’d used as bait.

Jie Jingchen took the money and gave it to Qin Mei.

Qin Mei refused to take it. "I don’t want it."

"Why?" Jie Jingchen asked, confused. When it came to money, Qin Mei usually accepted anything offered.

"It’s too hot to handle," Qin Mei said.

"PFFT!" Mrs. Xie couldn’t help but burst out laughing. She took the money from Jie Jingchen’s hand and pressed it into Qin Mei’s. "Xiao Mei, take it. It’s not too hot to handle."

"Ma, I’m afraid Dad will hold it against me," Qin Mei said seriously. "Jie Jingchen just humiliated him, so he’ll take his anger out on me."

’Her father-in-law gave him that money begrudgingly, and Jie Jingchen immediately handed it over to her. If her father-in-law wasn’t going to hold a grudge against her, who else would he hold it against?’

"He wouldn’t dare," Mrs. Xie assured her.

Qin Mei was easily persuaded. She accepted the money with a clear conscience, then got up to put it away in their room, bringing a mesh bag out for Mrs. Xie on her way back.

Qin Mei didn’t try to take credit. She explained that her grandmother and the others had prepared everything, and she was just bringing it out for everyone to share.

Qin Mei waited until dark, but Jie Jinghun and Shen Qing never came home.

「The next day.」

At the Jie Family’s courtyard in the machinery factory compound, everyone was gathered together. Granny was smiling from ear to ear.

It wasn’t a milestone birthday, so only those who could make it came. Those who couldn’t, didn’t.