Chapter 137

Chapter 137

Zhai Hongyi's attitude was clear, so Tang Qingqing didn't greet the girl and instead supported Old Liu as they walked past the three girls and left directly.

As they passed by the three girls, Zhai Sining wanted to say something but was interrupted by Zhai Hongyi's cold voice:

"Tang Shaocheng is coming back tomorrow."

After saying this, Zhai Hongyi gave Zhai Sining a cold look and then turned to leave without showing any emotion.

The words that were about to come out of Zhai Sining's throat were instantly forced back. It took him a while to react, but by then, Zhai Hongyi had already gone downstairs.

"Sining, what did your brother mean just now? Why does it feel like a threat?"

"Who is Tang Shaocheng? Why does the name sound so familiar?"

Zhai Sining's face turned slightly unpleasant, but he quickly recovered and smiled at his two friends:

"Weren't you guys saying you were very hungry? Let's find a seat quickly; there are too many people here to talk."

Zhai Sining's attempt to cover up only made the two girls even more curious, but they didn't say anything further and took their seats, pushing and shoving each other.

Noticing that Zhai Sining didn't want to talk about the previous topic, one of the girls said, "There was a very pretty girl in that group just now. Who was she? Could she be your brother's girlfriend?"

Zhai Hongyi was very famous in their circle; he was the kind of child others' parents often mentioned.

When he initially responded to the policy and went to work in the countryside, everyone said that someone from a big family like him, who grew up in luxury with a mother from a wealthy background, would not be able to handle the hardship.

Unexpectedly, he dove into the work and reportedly did quite well. Even when his father tried to transfer him back, he refused.

If not for his severe injury later, he would have stayed until he went to college.

Despite being young when he went to the countryside, he never fell behind in his studies and returned to the city the second year to excel in his exams and enter one of the best universities.

Rumors that he had secretly run back from the countryside due to illness were quickly dispelled.

At that time, university entrance exams had already resumed, and with his grades, he didn't need such tricks. He could have gotten in on his own merit.

His injury was serious; if he hadn't survived, he might not have lived. There was no reason for him to do such a thing.

Moreover, he got along very well with the locals, so there was no issue of not being able to survive there.

After entering university, Zhai Hongyi continued to excel academically and engaged in various activities outside school, including training programs and ventures in the south involving electronics.

He brought back many new gadgets from the south and 'recruited' several talented students and experts, silencing those who thought he was fooling around.

Now that he has graduated, he is at an age where he can start a family and build a career. Despite having many admirers, he has never shown interest in any girl, always keeping professional relationships without any hint of romance.

Although Zhai's father was unhappy with his business ventures, considering them a distraction, Zhai Hongyi is still recognized as the most outstanding among the young people in their circle.

Many families have set their sights on him, seeing him as a promising prospect.

With the current economic reforms, things are different from before. Their fathers, who dedicated their lives to revolution, are more sensitive to these changes, knowing that times have changed.

Zhai Hongyi, though seemingly rebellious, may achieve great things in the future, all through his own efforts without relying on his family's legacy.

In addition, Zhai Hongyi is handsome and charismatic, making him even more desirable. Many people are interested in his personal life.

Zhai Sining glared at the girl disapprovingly: "What nonsense are you talking about? How could my brother choose someone from a rural background? She looks so petty; how could someone like her fit into our family!"

"Yeah, Xiao Hong, what are you thinking? That girl looked so unsophisticated. If Brother Zhai chose her, he'd be laughed at."

Fang Hong chuckled in agreement, but felt a bit uneasy inside.

Her grandfather was a genuine farmer, and many in the big family also had peasant backgrounds. This used to be a source of pride, but now it was being talked about differently.

However, the feeling was fleeting. She agreed with Zhai Sining; she wouldn't marry someone from a rural background, no matter how excellent they were, because of the complications with relatives.

Tang Qingqing hadn't even sat down in the car when Zhai Hongyi joined her.

No one asked any questions and they returned directly to their residence.

After days of travel, even the strongest person would be tired, so they didn't rush to explore the city despite it still being early.

Upon returning to their lodging, Old Liu went straight to bed.

Given his age and past injuries, going out for roast duck was already his limit.

Tang Qingqing wasn't particularly tired; although she still felt a bit unsteady on her feet, she felt refreshed after eating.

Wang Heizi was even more energetic. Back home, he had fewer inhibitions and asked about the earlier incident.

"Brother, I'm not trying to pry, but since Qingqing will stay here and might interact with your family, it's better to know some details."

Wang Heizi originally thought Tang Qingqing and Zhai Hongyi were a perfect match, but today's situation made him worry that the complexity of Zhai Hongyi's family might affect Tang Qingqing.

It wasn't that he doubted Zhai Hongyi's abilities, but family matters are different from external affairs.

External issues can be sorted out logically, but family matters are more complicated. He knew this from his own experience.

At Wang Heizi's age, many people in the countryside were already married. He wasn't immune to the idea of having a beautiful wife.

But given his family's situation, he believed that for a stable future, he needed to be careful in choosing a partner.

Being too soft or too hard won't work; she needs to have her own ideas and opinions and be able to speak well. After all, they're family, and you can't truly offend everyone. This person also has to like her.

But such women are rare. Those who are decent don't catch his eye, so he remains single, no matter how much the family urges him.

We know a bit about Zhai Hongyi's family situation.

Zhai Hongyi's parents didn't have a good relationship. They got together hastily, as Zhai's father originally had someone else in mind. Due to the strong influence of Zhai's grandfather, he compromised and married Zhai Hongyi's mother.

Their personalities were too different, leading to frequent conflicts and misunderstandings. After Zhai Hongyi was born, their separate work schedules led them to live mostly apart.

Later, rumors spread, and Zhai Hongyi's uncle moved abroad, leaving Zhai Hongyi's mother even more vulnerable domestically, making things unclear.

They eventually divorced under these circumstances, which was quite common at the time. However, Zhai Hongyi found it hard to accept, especially since his mother's health had already started deteriorating. Divorcing at that time seemed heartless.

Moreover, shortly after the divorce, Zhai Hongyi's father remarried and had children, which made it seem like their separation wasn't out of necessity.

Zhai Hongyi's mother fell seriously ill and passed away soon after.

Although she explained to him that their divorce was due to incompatibility, and her illness was unexpected, Zhai Hongyi still harbored resentment.

Especially towards his stepmother, whom he disliked but everyone praised, considering him too stubborn.

This made the rebellious Zhai Hongyi even more uncontrollable, causing more trouble at home until he ran off to the countryside.

Over the years, Zhai Hongyi gradually shared these details with Tang Qingqing and Wang Heizi, particularly his feelings about his stepmother. Apart from these two friends, he had no one else to confide in.

Everyone thought highly of her, making his dislike seem immature.

"Does being a child mean I can't have my own preferences? I don't demand that she likes me, so why should I be forced to like her?"

No one understood him, thinking him selfish and only concerned with his own thoughts, disregarding his father's feelings.

Zhai Hongyi simply disliked his stepmother, and he was unprepared for his parents' sudden divorce. He only learned about it when his mother moved out.

Then, without warning, he suddenly had a stepmother and younger siblings thrust upon him, with no prior discussion. They expected him to immediately accept these strangers as his new family.

He was old enough to understand, but not to handle everything swiftly.

He felt like an outsider in his own home, watching them act like a happy family while demanding he call a stranger "Mom." Not doing so meant disobedience.

He wasn't motherless!

The so-called younger siblings became his responsibility, turning him into an older brother overnight.

Everyone took it for granted that he should care for them and do it well.

Whenever something went wrong, his father would blame him for not being a good older brother.

Zhai Hongyi couldn't tolerate this and fought back, further proving his selfishness and lack of love for his siblings.

Though his grandparents cared for him and often invited him over, knowing his awkward position, it didn't solve the fundamental problem.

Zhai Hongyi, confused by many issues, volunteered to go to the countryside, escaping the suffocating environment.

Now, Zhai Hongyi is no longer the helpless youth he once was. Meeting Tang Qingqing brought him peace.

He realized more deeply that not everyone deserves to be called a parent.

Parents' mistakes shouldn't bind him or be blamed on him.

It's they who need to reflect, not him.

Before Zhai Hongyi could speak, Tang Qingqing said indifferently, "I don't know them, nor will I interact with them. It's not a big deal."

Tang Qingqing understands Zhai Hongyi's situation. Since he dislikes those people, there's no need for her to meet them. At most, she might visit his grandparents.

If Zhai Hongyi doesn't even talk to them, it has nothing to do with her.

Wang Heizi looked at her speechlessly, wondering why these two were so oblivious!