Ch 125: The Zhou Family Is Causing Trouble
Bai Jingjing was still kind, feeling that if she hadn’t pleaded for Cao Shuangxi’s forgiveness back then, she might no longer be at the shop.
If she weren’t at the shop, she naturally wouldn’t have stolen money, and wouldn’t have ended up in prison.
Thinking of these things, Bai Jingjing felt even more uncomfortable.
Shen Mingyue patted her shoulder and said earnestly, “Jingjing, your way of thinking is wrong. Reaching this point is her own doing; it has nothing to do with you. Even if she hadn’t committed a mistake at the clothing store, she would have committed a mistake somewhere else. The outcome awaiting her would be the same. You’ve been good to her, and I’ve been good to her. We’ve given her many chances, but she took our kindness as a joke.”
Shen Mingyue wasn’t a very heartless person. Cao Shuangxi, a young girl with a troubled original family, was quite pitiful.
Even if what she did at the shop was excessive, Shen Mingyue only considered dismissing her.
But her audacity was so great; she stole so much money at once.
Bai Jingjing wasn’t stupid; after thinking for a while, she understood. Why punish herself for the mistakes of others?
It was late when Shen Mingyue returned home. She thought Gu Yuanzhou was asleep, but unexpectedly he was still awake. Seeing her return, he got up to pour her a cup of hot water.
After briefly inquiring about what had happened, he told Shen Mingyue to go to bed quickly.
Now, lying together in bed, Gu Yuanzhou always wanted to touch Shen Mingyue’s belly, not with any sexual implications, but simply to enjoy the feeling.
Shen Mingyue was used to it now; if he wanted to touch, he could touch; she would sleep on her own.
Early the next morning, before Shen Mingyue got up, she heard a commotion outside the courtyard, as if someone was banging on the door.
After a short while, the sound of women arguing came from the living room.
Shen Mingyue’s heart sank; she quickly put on her clothes and went out of the living room.
Only after going out did she discover that a middle-aged woman and a young man, apparently mother and son, were standing in the living room.
“You can’t do this. Xiaofei has lived in the Gu family for so many years. How can you send her to school? When you took Xiaofei away, you said you would definitely take good care of her and treat her like your biological daughter. I believed you, but it turned out to be just empty words.”
Zhou Xiaofei’s father was once comrades-in-arms with Gu Jianjun. Later, Gu Jianjun transferred jobs, showing outstanding performance and being transferred to another department.
They had a life-and-death friendship. After Zhou Xiaofei’s father died in an accident, Gu Jianjun took Zhou Xiaofei home to raise.
Because Zhou Xiaofei’s father was worried about his daughter before he died. Zhou Xiaofei was frail and sickly as a child, almost didn’t survive, and later was bullied by her parents who preferred sons.
Gu Jianjun kept his promise to his old comrade and had been diligently raising Zhou Xiaofei all these years.
But she made one mistake after another, and her actions became increasingly excessive.
They are adults; some things don’t need to be explained too clearly; just point it out.
Zhou Xiaofei made a mistake and should naturally be punished.
Even if the family members were disappointed in her, they still had feelings for her, thinking of sending her away to reflect, and letting her move back when she truly realized her mistakes.
But Mother Zhou’s words clearly indicated that Zhou Xiaofei had reported to the family; otherwise, how would Mother Zhou know that Zhou Xiaofei had moved out?
Gu Jianjun was very disappointed in this daughter.
“Since Xiaofei is living with us, the education of the child is up to Shufang and me. She did something wrong, and we have our own ways of educating her. Sister-in-law, don’t worry about this.”
Gu Jianjun didn’t want to be too explicit; he just wanted to reassure Mother Zhou.
Unexpectedly, Mother Zhou didn’t appreciate it, feeling that the Gu family should take care of their child, that the Gu family had so many children, none of them lacked money, why should they deduct money from her daughter?
Because Zhou Xiaofei became penniless, their days were also difficult.
Shen Mingyue listened from the side, only feeling extremely annoyed.
Shen Mingyue knew why Zhou Xiaofei lived in the Gu family; Gu Yuanzhou had talked to her about it before.
It was simply that Gu Jianjun was a righteous person, willing to raise his old comrade’s daughter.
But after raising her, in the eyes of Zhou’s family, he was no longer doing a good deed, but it had become something they took for granted.
So, being a good person isn’t that easy. You can’t feed a dog too much, otherwise, it will bare its teeth at you.
“Xiaofei grew up with you; you must treat her equally. Now that something has happened at home, she is, after all, a young miss of the Gu family, but she can’t even get several hundred yuan. How are we supposed to live in the countryside?!”
Gu Jianjun had given them too much face; Mother Zhou thought the Gu family was easy to bully, and she became increasingly impolite.
Previously, when Gu Jianjun went to their house, she would bow and scrape, wishing to worship him.
Now that she knew Gu Jianjun wouldn’t argue with them, she dared to be presumptuous.
But was Gu Jianjun easy to provoke? If it weren’t for the sake of his old comrade, why would he take care of this mess?
Now, he was not only disappointed in Zhou Xiaofei, but also in Mother Zhou.
“Sister-in-law, I disagree with what you said. When Zhou Laodi died, I promised to take care of Xiaofei, but I didn’t promise to take care of your whole family. I was originally doing you a favor by lightening your burden, so why are you making a fuss now?”
Gu Jianjun’s face was very unpleasant, and Tian Shufang beside him was also furious.
How could this family be so unconscionable to say such things.
They kept talking about several hundred yuan, thinking that money grew on trees?
Mother Zhou said hesitantly, “Your family doesn’t lack money? Do you need this little bit of money? You said it so nicely before; it was all false. I don’t care; you must bring Xiaofei back immediately; her monthly pocket money cannot be cut off.”
Shen Mingyue couldn’t help but admire their courage. Didn’t they think that the Gu family’s tolerance was weakness?
If it weren’t for Gu Jianjun’s remembrance of their past friendship, he would have already driven them away.
Gu Yuanzhou stood beside him, slightly frowning, obviously not expecting things to go this far.
Gu Jianjun would not yield to soft words but his mind was clear. Seeing Mother Zhou being so unreasonable, his attitude gradually hardened.
“Then let’s do this. Since you disagree with our method of educating Xiaofei, then Xiaofei will go back to live with you from now on. We can’t bear this burden.”
Gu Jianjun didn’t have a good temper either. Kindly helping you raise your daughter, you are not satisfied, and now you come here to make trouble and ask for money; it’s too much.
In that case, they wouldn’t care about Zhou Xiaofei anymore and let them take her back.
After all, she’s an adult and can live on her own.
Mother Zhou naturally refused, crying and complaining, looking like she was going to make a big fuss today.
Early in the morning, Gu Jianjun and the others were planning to have breakfast and go to work; now they were all delayed.
Seeing Mother Zhou refusing to leave, Tian Shufang and the others had no choice but to call Zhou Xiaofei back.