Chapter 39

After breakfast, Xu Xingguang took out the wheelchair, preparing to take Xu Qingnian to Cangshan Town. Seeing this, Xu Zeqing quickly went to the old man’s room, personally carrying Xu Qingnian out and placing him in the car.

Sitting down, Xu Qingnian stared at the suddenly filial Xu Zeqing and mocked, "This is the first time you’ve carried me since I became paralyzed."

Knowing that Xu Qingnian was mocking him, Xu Zeqing remained silent and walked around the car to sit in the driver’s seat.

It was work time, and the neighbors were surprised to see this scene.

Next door, Brother Zhang stood at his yard’s gate, shouting to Xu Zeqing, "Old Xu, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen Principal Xu. What’s going on?"

Xu Qingnian had been paralyzed for many years and rarely came out to sunbathe. Suddenly seeing Xu Zeqing carrying Xu Qingnian into a car as if embarking on a long journey inevitably led people to think of some bad situations.

Old Zhang’s expression slightly changed as he lowered his voice, saying, "Is Principal Xu’s condition worsening?" So, is he going to the hospital? Preparing for the worst?

Xu Zeqing laughed and explained, "Our family’s Xingguang recently woke up, and she decided to return to school. Her mother happens to have a house near the school in Cangshan Town, so she’s planning to move there."

"The old man is old and reluctant to part with his granddaughter, insisting on going to Cangshan Town with Xingguang to recuperate. We, as children, have no choice but to comply with the old man’s wishes. We hired a caregiver to take care of him there. I’m just sending the grandfather and granddaughter duo over."

Everyone living in this neighborhood is aware of the Xu family’s troubles.

After the original Mrs. Xu passed away, You Jingqiu couldn’t wait to move into the Xu Family with her children. Although the neighbors said nothing, in their hearts, they believed that Xu Zeqing had been involved with You Jingqiu before Mrs. Xu’s death.

Since You Jingqiu and her two children moved into the Xu Family, Xu Qingnian rarely came out to sunbathe, clearly suffering disdain and neglect from the new daughter-in-law.

Xu Xingguang, without her biological mother, became the extra daughter of the Xu Family. Moving out was more liberating for her. Similarly neglected by his daughter-in-law, Xu Qingnian would find moving out more soothing.

Although everyone saw through the essence of the matter, no one openly criticized Xu Zeqing and You Jingqiu. After all, You Jingqiu raised a capable daughter, who became the girlfriend of the Chu Family’s heir.

If You Mingyue successfully marries into the Chu Family, the Xu Family would become in-laws with the Chu Family. Under such circumstances, no one wanted to offend Xu Zeqing.

Old Zhang nodded and flattered, "Cangshan Town is a picturesque place. That girl Xingguang is well-behaved and filial. With her company, Principal Xu’s spirits might lift, maybe even making him healthier. You sons have kind hearts."

Xu Zeqing humbly replied, "As children, this is what we should do."

Seeing Xu Zeqing’s performance, Xu Xingguang found it ridiculous and remained silent throughout the journey. Xu Qingnian leaned against the seat, feigning sleep.

The car arrived at the end of the street in Cangshan Town, stopping at the door of Building 219.

Xu Zeqing had just turned off the engine when Xu Qingnian suddenly said, "You’ve married another woman and are willing to raise someone else’s child, but I won’t play the kind saint. I’ve decided to leave all the savings left by your mother and me to Xingguang."

Upon hearing this, both Xu Xingguang and Xu Zeqing turned to look at Xu Qingnian.

Grandpa always talked about wanting a grandson to continue the Xu family line, so Xu Xingguang never expected the old man to leave his money to her.

"Grandpa, I don’t need that money." The money the old man painstakingly saved would give her a guilty conscience to accept.

Xu Zeqing did not care about Xu Qingnian’s small savings, for him, it would not make a significant difference.

However, Xu Qingnian’s decision gave Xu Zeqing a headache.

Even though the old man’s estate wasn’t much, it couldn’t just go to Xingguang alone. You Jiaoyang and You Mingyue might be only the nominal illegitimate children, but they were actually Xu Family blood.

If You Jingqiu found out Xu Qingnian left all his inheritance to Xu Xingguang, without a penny for her children, it would undoubtedly turn the family upside down again.

Xu Zeqing earnestly reasoned with Xu Qingnian, "Dad, Jiaoyang and Mingyue are registered under the Xu Family, which makes them Xu Family children. We are family, by fate. As their grandpa, you should at least give them a portion. Leaving everything to Xingguang would provoke remarks, and affect the Xu Family’s reputation."

"Not appropriate?" Xu Qingnian widened his eyes and scolded, "Ridiculous, you chose to be a stepfather, but I have no interest in being a step-grandfather! My Xu Family’s money is only for the Xu Family’s own! Worried about gossip, you should have thought twice before taking a new wife so soon after your first wife’s passing!"

Although Xu Qingnian was physically paralyzed, his mind remained sharp, as did his eloquence.

"You lose face first, so don’t blame me for not caring about appearances." The Xu Family’s reputation had already been ruined by Xu Zeqing and You Jingqiu, yet he dared mention the Xu Family’s reputation to him.

When You Jingqiu first married into the Xu Family, she tried to gain her father-in-law’s approval by personally serving tea and water to Xu Qingnian for a few days.

However, Xu Qingnian never approved of You Jingqiu’s character, knowing she had eagerly moved in just months after Xu Zeqing’s loss of his spouse. As a woman, such actions were unethical.

Hence, Xu Qingnian never greeted You Jingqiu, who tried to please him, with kindness. Each time, he made her enter smiling forcibly and leave with tears.

Eventually, You Jingqiu gave up, refusing to appear before Xu Qingnian anymore.

Therefore, even if Xu Zeqing tried breaking his tongue with words today, Xu Qingnian would not agree to give those two children even a penny of inheritance.

Seeing that Xu Qingnian had made up his mind and wouldn’t change, Xu Zeqing felt suffocated and short of breath, but to no avail. He sighed in resignation, "Dad, like this, I can’t explain it to Jingqiu."

Xu Qingnian replied, "And I see you’ll have trouble explaining it to Xingguang’s mom when you die."

Xu Zeqing’s face turned livid.

With Xu Xingguang sitting beside him, Xu Zeqing couldn’t go too far; he could only grip the steering wheel, trying to suppress his anger.

Watching Xu Zeqing’s troubled expression, Xu Xingguang was thinking about something else.

A few days ago, she sent strands of hair from Xu Zeqing and You Mingyue’s siblings to a paternity testing agency. Calculating the time, the results were due tomorrow.

She was eagerly anticipating the paternity test results.

"Get off."

After helping Xu Qingnian and his belongings into the house, Xu Zeqing left impatiently.

He got in the car, just started it, and looked up to see the bachelor next door, surnamed Huo, carrying a bag of grocery items, walking towards his home.

Seeing that Huo Wen’an hadn’t noticed him, Xu Zeqing deliberately rolled down the window and gave Huo Wen’an a fake smile. "I heard from neighbors that Mr. Huo recently returned to Cangshan Town?"

Xu Zeqing’s subtext was telling Huo Wen’an: I know you’ve been in prison and that you just came back. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Huo Wen’an couldn’t be bothered to talk to Xu Zeqing; he took out his keys to open the gate.

Having just accumulated a bellyful of anger with the old man, Xu Zeqing, now ignored by a petty hustler, finally found someone to vent his anger on. He shouted at Huo Wen’an’s back with an unfriendly tone, "Kid, my daughter is a teenage author. Stay away from her, people like you."

Xu Xingguang was beautiful, and Xu Zeqing worried that Huo Wen’an might develop inappropriate ideas about her.

The Xu Family had spent more than a decade of effort and money to cultivate Xu Xingguang into a teenage author, not to marry her off to someone like that.

Staring at the keys in his hand, Huo Wen’an suddenly asked softly, "What kind of person am I?" He was genuinely curious.

Without needing to think, Xu Zeqing replied, "A good-for-nothing who’s done time in jail! You’re the kind that struggles at the bottom for a lifetime, never hoping to walk upright." Since he was bad from the very beginning.

"Is that so?" Huo Wen’an slowly turned around, and in his hand was a gun, the muzzle pointed directly at Xu Zeqing’s face.

He said, "Has anyone ever told you not to provoke folks like us who scrape by at the bottom?"

Seeing the gun, Xu Zeqing’s pupils contracted into pinpoints, his body hair standing on end.

When he saw the composed, restrained murderous intent in Huo Wen’an’s eyes, cold sweat appeared on Xu Zeqing’s forehead.

Huo Wen’an suddenly pulled the trigger, and Xu Zeqing instinctively covered his head, letting out a scream like a wailing banshee at death’s door—

"Ah!"

Hiss!

A stream of cold liquid hit Xu Zeqing on the temple.

Xu Zeqing shuddered.

A water gun?

Leaning against the steering wheel, Xu Zeqing gasped for air, hearing the scoundrel outside politely say, "It’s just a child’s toy. Are you even scared of that, sir?"

Of course, Xu Zeqing wasn’t afraid of a child’s toy gun, but he was afraid of a killer’s toy gun!