The heavens set sail from the courtyard

Wang Gang brought Zhuang Xiaoting to a restaurant. Zhuang Chaoying booked a table and invited his family to dinner.

Originally, Zhuang Xiaoting didn't want to come. She really didn't want to see her father and grandmother. The trauma of her childhood had a big impact on her. Fortunately, they moved to Shanghai later and Zhuang Xiaoting didn't have to see her father and grandmother again.

This time, Zhuang Chaoying remarried and was transferred back to Suzhou High School to teach. He specially invited the whole family to dinner and introduced his new wife to him. Zhuang Xiaoting had no way to refuse.

Wang Gang led Zhuang Xiaoting into the hotel and immediately saw Zhuang Chaoying standing at the door.

As soon as Zhuang Chaoying saw his children coming over, he smiled broadly.

"Tunan, Xiaoting, you're here! Everyone else has arrived and we're waiting for you."

Wang Gang said: "The road in front of this restaurant is a bit narrow, and the car can't drive in. Xiaoting parked the car on the next street, which delayed us a bit."

Zhuang Chaoying smiled and said, "You are not late, we came early. Xiaoting can drive now?"

Zhuang Xiaoting replied: "During the summer vacation after I graduated from high school, Uncle Chang asked someone to help me find a coach."

When Zhuang Chaoying heard Zhuang Xiaoting mention Chang Yin, his smile began to become a little unnatural.

"Is that person treating you well?"

"Uncle Chang is a very nice person and he is very good to my mother," said Wang Gang.

Zhuang Chaoying was stunned for a moment, then said: "Let's go in quickly! Don't stand here."

Wang Gang knew that Zhuang Chaoying was trying to change the subject, so he didn't expose it and took Zhuang Xiaoting into the private room.

Zhuang Chaoying found a small restaurant with cheap prices but average environment. There was only one small private room in the restaurant that could seat ten people.

In the private room, besides Zhuang's father and mother, Zhuang Ganmei, and Zhuang Hualin's family, there was also a woman in her thirties, who should be Zhuang Chaoying's new wife.

"The table is a little small, please squeeze in." Zhuang Chaoying asked Wang Gang and Zhuang Xiaoting to sit down, and then introduced the woman:
"Tunan, Xiaoting, this is Du Juan, you can just call her Aunt Du."

The woman stood up and said with a smile: "You must be Tunan and Xiaoting! You are indeed very good-looking."

Although Zhuang Chaoying's wife looks a bit rustic, she is very warm and outgoing, and is not shy.

Wang Gang and Zhuang Xiaoting politely called her "Auntie Du" as a greeting.

Zhuang Hualin felt embarrassed, so he asked Zhuang Ganmei: "Ganmei, why didn't Zhendong and Zhenbei come today?"

Zhuang Ganmei was a little dull, staring straight at the cup in front of her, without saying a word.

Zhuang's mother said, "Zhendong and Zhenbei have to go to work and don't have time to come."

Zhuang Hualin asked: "What kind of work do Zhendong and Zhenbei do? Why do they have to work on weekends?"

Zhuang's mother said: "They work in a small private factory. Because they have to work in the morning and evening shifts, their rest days are not fixed."

Zhuang Hualin understood and asked, "Why is Gan Mei still the same? Didn't she go to the hospital for a follow-up checkup?"

Wang Gang discovered that Zhuang Ganmei seemed to have some mental problems. He had been sitting there without saying a word and his eyes looked dull.

"Your brother's illness is sometimes better and sometimes worse, and the doctor can't tell the reason." Zhuang's mother glanced at Wang Gang, with a hint of resentment in her eyes.

Ever since Zhuang Ganmei was admitted to a mental hospital a few years ago, he has been suffering from a chronic illness and is always in a trance, and no amount of doctor treatment has helped him get better.

Zhuang Ganmei's mental state made it impossible for her to work, so she could only stay at home and be taken care of by her father and mother.

In the past few years, Mr. and Mrs. Zhuang have had to take care of their youngest son, and they have spent all their retirement savings.

The instigator of all this was Wang Gang. It would be strange if Zhuang's father and mother didn't blame him, but they dared not provoke Wang Gang again and could only keep their anger in their hearts.

If Zhuang Chaoying hadn't wanted to introduce his new daughter-in-law to today's dinner, Zhuang's father and mother would have said they would not want to come at all.

"I'll find a psychiatrist in the hospital and ask him to take a look at Gan Mei later," Zhuang Hualin said to his mother.

"Hua Lin, we really have no money to see a doctor. Gan Mei has been unemployed for so many years and we rely on our pension to support him." Zhuang's mother was crying poor, and her purpose was very clear, which was to get Zhuang Chaoying and Zhuang Hualin to give some money.

Zhuang Hualin didn't fall for it at all and said, "Ganmei needs to take medicine continuously. Once you stop taking the medicine, it will have no effect."

Wang Gang discovered that Zhuang Hualin only talked about treating the disease and did not mention a word about money.

Zhuang Chaoying was somewhat tempted. He still had feelings for his parents and younger brother. When he was about to take out the money, he was held back by Du Juan.

"Chaoying, let's order! Everyone is hungry!"

Zhuang Chaoying was stunned, and said without thinking: "Oh, OK."

Du Juan called the waiter and asked Zhuang Chaoying to order some home-cooked dishes. He only ordered two meat dishes, and the rest were cheap dishes.

Mother Zhuang tried to ask Zhuang Chaoying for money several times, but was interrupted by Du Juan.

"Chaoying has just been transferred back to the city's high school, and we haven't found a house yet. Mom, can we stay at your house for two days?"

"The place at home is not big and can't accommodate so many people." Seeing that she would not only not make any money but also lose her house, Zhuang's mother of course refused to do it.

"Is it not possible to just stay here for two days? Chaoying and I are already looking for a house." Dujuan asked.

"How long will you be staying here? You can't just stay here forever if you can't find a house one day," asked Zhuang's father.

"It will take at most a week. I will rent a house and move out as soon as possible," said Zhuang Chaoying.

"Then how do you calculate the food expenses here?" Zhuang's mother wanted Zhuang Chaoying to pay.

"We usually eat in the school cafeteria and go home to sleep at night." Du Juan said: "The street has found a job for me to wash dishes."

"Ah, you're going to the restaurant to wash dishes?" Father Zhuang said with a hint of disdain.

"I'm from the countryside and I don't know how to do anything except farming. I also have a ten-year-old son to support. Chaoying's salary alone is definitely not enough." Du Juan said generously.

Zhuang's father and mother frowned and asked, "Where is your son now?"

"The child is still in his hometown in the countryside. I will help him complete the transfer procedures and then bring him to the city," said Zhuang Chaoying.

When Zhuang's father and mother heard that their eldest son had to raise someone else's son, they felt even more uncomfortable and looked at Dujuan with unfriendly eyes.

"Daughter-in-law, is there no one around the child's biological father?"

Zhuang's mother meant that Dujuan should leave the child to his biological father and not bring harm to the Zhuang family.

"The child doesn't have many relatives on his biological father's side, so he has no choice but to follow me. Before Chaoying and I got married, we agreed to raise the child together." Du Juan said calmly.

Zhuang Chaoying nodded and said, "Du Juan's child is very sensible and has been excellent in both character and study since childhood. You will definitely like him when you bring him to the city."

Mr. and Mrs. Zhuang looked disapproving but said nothing more.

The meal ended in a very strange atmosphere, and Wang Gang discovered some very interesting things.

First of all, Zhuang Chaoying's new daughter-in-law is very capable. Although she is from the countryside, she speaks neither humbly nor arrogantly and is very capable. Father and mother-in-law can't get any advantage from her.

Secondly, Wang Gang discovered that Zhuang Ganmei was pretending to be crazy and stupid, he was not sick at all!

It was Wang Gang's idea to send Zhuang Ganmei to a mental hospital. He certainly wouldn't kill his own uncle, he just wanted to teach him a lesson.

Zhuang Ganmei was frightened and would have recovered quickly after returning home, but he chose to pretend to be sick, obviously wanting to be a giant baby and live off his parents.

No need to work, someone to support you every day, food and clothes provided for you, it sounds really good, but it's hard for Zhuang's father and mother, who are already old, to be played around by their son.

Wang Gang saw the problem, but he didn't point it out, so let Dad and Grandma continue to suffer! (End of this chapter)