Chapter 81: Has Your Brother Come to His Senses?

TL: Etude

On his way back, Chen Jianghai happened to pass by the post office and, on a whim, stopped his bicycle.

After loitering around the entrance, Chen Jianghai eventually parked his bicycle by the roadside and entered the post office.

Standing before the telephone, Chen Jianghai hesitated for a long while before pressing a few numbers.

But before the call could connect, Chen Jianghai hung up.

At this moment, Chen Jianghai was not yet ready to make contact with his parents.

It should be known that Chen Jianghai’s family was once quite well-off, otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to offer a substantial dowry to marry Lin Wanqiu, his beautiful wife.

However, Chen Jianghai later became obsessed with the idea of making a fortune, and in his relentless pursuits, he nearly squandered the family’s entire fortune.

The final straw that broke his relationship with his parents was when Chen Jianghai sold the ancestral home to invest in business.

The result was as clear as it was devastating: a complete loss.

His parents watched powerlessly as their ancestral home was taken away, their hearts filled with nothing but despair.

It was because of this incident that Chen Jianghai’s elder brother, in a fit of anger, decisively took their parents away, forbidding Chen Jianghai from seeing them again.

According to Chen Jianghai’s brother, it was to prevent the prodigal son from angering their elderly parents to death.

From that moment on, the family had essentially nothing to do with Chen Jianghai.

Chen Jianghai took a deep breath, his mind flooded with the disappointed expressions and the desperate gazes of his parents.

Perhaps they too did not wish to acknowledge him as their son anymore.

Thud!

Chen Jianghai put down the phone, stood up with a heavy heart, and prepared to leave the post office.

Reaching the doorway, Chen Jianghai suddenly stopped, then turned back.

His parents were getting on in years, and he had never fulfilled his filial duties.

Now that he had finally made some money, he decided that, no matter what, he should send some to his parents.

Arriving at the counter, Chen Jianghai filled out a money order form with his elder brother’s name and address, then took out five hundred yuan.

When it came time to write the name of the remitter, Chen Jianghai hesitated and did not write his own name.

If he wrote his name, he feared his brother would not accept the money.

After completing this task, Chen Jianghai breathed a sigh of relief.

He had deeply hurt his parents and brother with his past actions and decided to gradually make amends.

…

Upon his arrival at the warehouse, Zhao Changgui was seated on a stool at the entrance, just as usual.

Seeing Chen Jianghai approaching, he nodded slightly, a form of greeting.

Chen Jianghai had to admit, Zhao Changgui’s introverted disposition never changed.

“Brother Jianghai, you’re here!” Zhao Yuxi, who was studying inside, greeted him cheerfully.

Chen Jianghai smiled and asked, “Yuxi, don’t you have school today?”

“Brother Jianghai, it’s still summer vacation, school hasn’t started yet!” Zhao Yuxi pouted.

Chen Jianghai slapped his forehead: “Haha, I forgot that there’s no school during summer vacation.”

The students these days, having summer vacation, didn’t have to attend many tutoring classes; it was basically just finishing summer homework at home, at most buying some extra exercise books to work on.

Of course, the difficulty of getting into university was not low either, like a throng crossing a single-log bridge.

Thinking of this, Chen Jianghai couldn’t help but say,

“Yuxi, your brother works so hard to provide for your education, you must study well and get into a good university.”

Zhao Yuxi frowned. “Brother Jianghai, why do you sound just like a teacher from school?”

Chen Jianghai waved his hand dismissively: “Alright, I won’t say anymore, you keep studying!”

With that said, Chen Jianghai started busying himself with his work.

There had been too many things to deal with these past two days; he hadn’t yet finished dismantling the batch of old televisions they had brought back.

Earlier, Lin Wanqiu had insisted on cooking dinner, and Chen Jianghai had agreed.

This way, he could also focus on his work with peace of mind.

While Chen Jianghai was busy, Zhao Changgui’s voice suddenly came from outside.

“Is that Changgui speaking outside?”

Chen Jianghai couldn’t help but ask Zhao Yuxi, who was reading beside him.

Zhao Yuxi listened carefully, then replied, “Yes, that’s my brother’s voice.”

“Huh, has your brother come to his senses?” Chen Jianghai expressed slight surprise: “He actually engages in conversation with others? Then why doesn’t he utter a single word to me for half a day?”

Zhao Yuxi looked at Chen Jianghai with a mischievous smile and said, “My brother says you’re too shrewd, talking to you makes his brain work overtime.”

Chen Jianghai was momentarily at a loss for words. What kind of assessment was that…

“I’ll go take a look.”

Chen Jianghai was a bit curious about who exactly Zhao Changgui was chatting with so enthusiastically.

Zhao Yuxi pulled a face at Chen Jianghai and then continued reading her book.

Stepping outside, Chen Jianghai saw a middle-aged man around thirty standing next to Zhao Changgui.

The man wore glasses, his clothes were very tidy, and his hair was combed without a hair out of place.

Especially notable was his posture—sitting ramrod straight, he had the air of a military man.

Upon seeing Chen Jianghai come out, Zhao Changgui introduced him in a muffled voice, “This is Brother Chen, and this is my friend, Liang Haoyang.”

The introduction was succinct, very much in Zhao Changgui’s style of being economical with words.

As Zhao Changgui spoke, the man’s gaze also fell on Chen Jianghai.

Chen Jianghai approached with a warm greeting, “Hello.”

Liang Haoyang also responded with a smile, “Hello, hello.”

“Wanna smoke?”

Chen Jianghai casually offered a cigarette, but the man raised his hand to decline.

“Sorry, I don’t smoke,” Liang Haoyang said, smiling as he refused.

Chen Jianghai didn’t insist and instead handed the cigarette to Zhao Changgui.

Zhao Changgui took the cigarette, placing it behind his ear without any hurry to light it.

Chen Jianghai didn’t think much of it and lit his own, beginning to puff away.

Liang Haoyang’s brows furrowed slightly and he took a couple of steps back.

Seeing this, Chen Jianghai seemed to understand and moved downwind.

Liang Haoyang looked surprised by Chen Jianghai’s action but then quickly returned to normal.

“You guys go on with your chat, I just came out to have a smoke,” Chen Jianghai gestured and said.

Liang Haoyang’s gaze took in Chen Jianghai beside him and he said, “Brother Chen, I’ve heard Changgui mention you many times, but this is the first time I’m meeting you.”

“Didn’t he speak ill of me?” Chen Jianghai said with a teasing tone.

Liang Haoyang hurriedly waved his hands, “Not at all, not at all, he said you are competent and a person of ability!”

“Really competent,” Zhao Changgui added in a gruff voice.

Chen Jianghai exaggerated a sigh, “Ah! It’s not easy to hear such words from your mouth, Zhao Changgui!”

“That’s the truth.”

Zhao Changgui obviously didn’t catch the joking tone in Chen Jianghai’s voice and replied seriously.

Chen Jianghai chuckled and simply changed the topic, “Where does Brother Liang make his fortune?”

At this, Liang Haoyang’s face turned somewhat awkward.