Chapter 17: An Jianping's Shame

By the end of the conversation, Yuan Qionghua's mood grew even more complicated.

It was because their daughter had already married and moved out.

Otherwise, following the way her two younger brothers operated, their daughter really would have grown distant from the family.

Furthermore, their youngest son had already married and built a house last year.

This year, he wouldn't need to join his two younger brothers in the construction work.

Even so...

Thinking of how her husband had followed his two younger brothers without hesitation, contributing almost all the family's savings and even purchasing an entire orchard, Yuan Qionghua lost the heart to continue speaking.

An Songyu didn't quite understand why her aunt's mood had suddenly plummeted, and she herself was momentarily lost in thought.

The two of them simply stopped talking.

In truth, An Jianping's recent busyness in the village wasn't primarily about these few houses currently under construction.

But at this moment, An Songyu missed her chance to find out.

In the evening, after returning home, An Songyu watched her busy mother and hesitated several times before deciding not to ask.

She always felt that the matter of applying for residential land and building houses for the two sisters probably wasn't her mother's idea.

However, recently, whenever any member of the Jiang family had time off, they would go to Jiang Village.

Even if her mother didn't know about it now, she would likely discover it the next time she went.

She wondered what her mother's reaction would be then.

In this state of mind, An Songyu couldn't even wait for her father to return.

Seeing that dinner was almost ready, she couldn't help herself and rushed out the door.

"Mom, I'm going downstairs to see if Dad and the others are back!"

"This child..." Bi Lizhu poked her head out to look at the closed front door and shook her head helplessly.

She tasted the last dish one more time before satisfiedly turning off the stove.

Checking the time, it was indeed around the time her husband and daughter finished work.

Bi Lizhu hurried to set the prepared dishes on the table.

Only after the food was on the table did she realize that since the second son was on leave today, he should have gone to Jiang Village.

And looking at her expression just now...

It seemed she would have to make a trip there herself during her next day off.

Last week, when Bi Lizhu was off, she hadn't gone to Jiang Village because of matters involving her maiden family.

She wondered how Jianping's business in Jiang Village was actually progressing.

An Songyu had no idea that her unusual behavior had prompted Bi Lizhu to decide to check on the situation in Jiang Village even sooner.

At this moment, she was still like a happy little bird, rushing downstairs.

Just then, she saw An Jianping slowly returning on his bicycle.

Even though they lived in the residential area of the Silk Weaving Factory and An Jianping worked there, the Shuncheng First Silk Weaving Factory was a place that would remain standing even twenty years later due to its heritage of intangible cultural craftsmanship, producing precious silk textiles.

The entire factory area combined with the residential quarters was larger than some large communities of the future.

"Dad!" An Songyu greeted him obediently, taking the briefcase from An Jianping's hand to make it easier for him to lock his bike.

"Back from the village?" An Jianping asked calmly.

He could tell what she was thinking just by looking at her expression.

However, this place was clearly not suitable for such discussions.

After locking the bike, An Jianping took the bag from his daughter. While greeting acquaintances who were finishing work, he signaled for his daughter to head home quickly.

An Songyu, who had run over all excited and eager but had nothing to say, could only follow her father home with a sense of dissatisfaction.

But before the two could head upstairs, An Songxiang also returned on her bicycle.

The father and daughter simply stood downstairs and waited for a while.

Once An Songxiang had also locked her bike, the three of them went upstairs together.

Upstairs, Bi Lizhu had served the rice and ladled a bowl of soup for everyone just as the three of them pushed the door open and entered.

She glanced at the expressions of her second daughter and the others, but noticed nothing unusual.

Thus, she temporarily set aside the strange feeling in her heart.

After dinner, the Songyu sisters helped Bi Lizhu clean the kitchen.

Looking at the fruit in the house, Bi Lizhu asked aloud

"A-Yu, A-Xiang, we're almost out of fruit. Do you want to go out and buy some together later?"

An Songyu's eyes brightened slightly, but she quickly declined

"Mom, no need. You can just go out and buy some yourself."

Bi Lizhu's cleaning motion paused, and she couldn't help but look up at the kitchen again.

In the past, if she had asked this, her two daughters would almost always agree.

Firstly, they could choose the fruit they liked.

Secondly, they would accompany her and help carry things.

But Bi Lizhu didn't press the issue; instead, she instructed

"Then wash and slice the fruit we have left. Let's finish the remaining apples and pears tonight."

"I got it, Mom. Don't worry, just go ahead!"

Once the sound of the door closing outside echoed, An Songxiang immediately dropped the dishcloth in her hand and looked at her sister.

Her expression clearly said, *If you have something to say, say it now.*

An Songyu didn't answer immediately; instead, she urged An Songxiang

"A-Xiang, hurry up! Once we finish cleaning the kitchen, let's go find Dad!"

An Songxiang became even more confused, but she resumed her work.

Soon, the sisters had finished cleaning the kitchen.

An Songyu didn't even have time to clean up the kitchen trash before she pulled her sister and rushed outside.

In An Jianping and his wife's room, An Jianping was seriously recording something in a notebook.

Without waiting for a response after knocking, the two sisters burst in.

An Jianping helplessly took off the glasses from the bridge of his nose and looked at them.

"Dad..." An Songyu had only just started to speak before she found herself unsure of how to begin.

After a long pause, she lowered her voice and continued

"Dad, did you apply for residential land for me and A-Xiang in the village too?"

"And, are we building four houses at once this time?"

"What?" An Songxiang cried out in shock.

She looked at her sister and then at her father, feeling as though what she had just heard was a dream.

An Jianping looked at his two daughters with a sense of helplessness.

It seemed that when he had asked these two to go to the bank to sign documents a few days ago, they hadn't even bothered to read them clearly.

Although he indeed had no intention of making his two daughters bear those loans.

But that wasn't how things were supposed to be handled!

Before An Jianping could speak, An Songxiang struggled to lower her voice and suppress her emotions, asking with a trembling voice

"Dad, is what Sis said true? Did you... did you really apply for residential land for us sisters in the village too?"

Seeing his youngest daughter's reaction, An Jianping found himself unable to scold them.

He nodded helplessly, which served as an answer to his daughter's question.

But in the next moment, An Songxiang suddenly burst into tears.

Then, she threw herself directly into An Jianping's arms.

It had been many years since he had seen his daughter act this way.

An Jianping fumbled to comfort his youngest daughter for a long while, but to no avail.

He quickly looked up at his second daughter, hoping she would help.

But he saw that even in the eyes of his usually strong second daughter, tears were shimmering.

For a moment, An Jianping fell silent.

For a long time, regarding his wife's firm belief that they should provide more to their son because he would care for them in their old age, An Jianping felt a sense of shame for the first time.

(End of Chapter)