Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei's Bullet Screen Wish Machine

"...I know, I understand."

Lu Gucheng stammered out a few words.

"You know? You know, so what? You watched your wife treat your nephew like a beast of burden, and you didn't utter a sound? You watched your son disrespect his elder brother and act arrogantly, and you didn't utter a sound? You watched your wife squander his living expenses at the mahjong table, and you didn't utter a sound again?"

Lu Gucheng's body began to tremble. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but he thought he saw a golden light flash in Zhou Zhangfang's eyes for a moment.

"You did nothing."

Accountant Zhou answered for him, his voice icy:

"Lu Gucheng, you don't even dare to fart!"

You've been hiding behind your shrewish wife, pretending to be dead for five years!

He switched the oil-paper umbrella to his other hand, the tip of the umbrella pointing at Lu Gucheng's nose from a distance. Even though they were several meters apart, Lu Gucheng felt as if the tip of the umbrella had already pierced his throat.

"Lu Gucheng, let me ask you, how old are you this year?"

"Zhou the accountant said in a deep voice."

Lu Gucheng was taken aback, not expecting Zhou the accountant to ask about this.

He opened his mouth, his voice hoarse:

"Four...forty-one."

"Forty-one."

Accountant Zhou repeated it and nodded:

As the ancients said, "At thirty, one stands firm; at forty, one is free from doubt."

You're forty-one this year, so I have to ask you this: have you ever stood up straight in your life?

"I, I..."

"You don't need to look at your wife."

Accountant Zhou had anticipated this, and said in a deep voice:

"If your wife makes a mistake, that's her business, I'll handle it myself."

"Now you are you, and she is she. I won't ask whether you helped her do evil... I just want to know, is this Lu family your Lu Gucheng family, or your wife's Lu family?"

Lu Gucheng forced out an awkward smile:

"It doesn't matter who's in charge, it's all the same..."

"Deceiving oneself and others, avoiding trouble and seeking only comfort!"

Accountant Zhou interrupted him abruptly, "You're closing your eyes and ears, deceiving yourself!"

The shout was like a thunderclap, or like Prime Minister Bao striking the gavel. Lu Gucheng's body trembled, and he subconsciously shook.

Ling stood beside Lu Mingfei and calmly explained:

"Uncle is a turtle."

Lu Gucheng's face flushed red instantly. Being scolded by an old man like Zhou the accountant was nothing, but being called a turtle by a teenage girl in public was something even the thickest skin couldn't bear.

Uncle wasn't the only one who couldn't save face.

"And where did you come from?!"

—That was the question asked by my aunt.

"Your Highness, come closer and examine him closely!"

—This is what Old Bao sang in the gatehouse.

"I am a daughter-in-law of the Lu family."

—This is Zero's answer.

Lu Mingfei, Accountant Zhou, Uncle, and Aunt: "?"

The sound of rain suddenly intensified, and the television in the gatehouse seemed to fall silent for a moment.

Auntie's eyes widened. This answer really made her anxious. Back when Jovie was around, she always had the upper hand. When others talked about the Lu family's daughter-in-law, they would always mention how great the eldest son was. It took her many years to outlast the radiant Jovie and become the imposing matriarch of the Lu family. How could a foreign girl with an air of nobility suddenly appear and try to take her place?

"You little vixen! Who do you think you are!"

The aunt immediately flew into a rage:

"Lu Mingfei is my family's! I've raised him for so many years, and you, some foreign devil from who-knows-where, think you can just—"

Before he could finish speaking, Accountant Zhou made a move.

"Snapped!"

A solid slap landed on my aunt's face.

"presumptuous!"

Accountant Zhou roared, "You gossipy, wicked woman! If you dare to offend Madam again, I'll cut out your tongue!"

Lu Mingfei, standing to the side, couldn't help but twitch his face. What are you talking about?!

Why am I being featured in a palace intrigue drama?!

Lu Mingfei felt slightly embarrassed, but what he didn't know was that Accountant Zhou wasn't joking.

As a legitimate member of the Zhou family, Zhou Zhangfang is over seventy years old and has received a very traditional education since childhood.

As a typical feudalist fighter, Confucius's sharpest sword, Mr. Zhou felt an immediate urge to strike hard upon seeing the wicked woman and the cuckolded man.

Thanks to the enhancement of the dragon blood in his body, even though he was very old, Zhou Zhangfang's physique was much stronger than that of ordinary people.

With that slap, the aunt was immediately surrounded by flowers and lay back down in her beloved flower bed.

"Wife, wife!"

Lu Gucheng stumbled over, and Zhou the accountant slapped him on the back of the knee with an umbrella, causing him to fall to the ground as well.

"cat."

Zhou the accountant stood in front of his aunt and said coldly:

"You just asked, 'You've supported your employer for seventeen years, and you haven't lacked anything in terms of food, clothing, or other necessities.'"

Then I'd like to ask, what did he eat, and what did your son eat? What did he wear, and what did your son wear? Do you dare say that in front of so many people?!

Confusing the truth and twisting the facts—is this what you mean by "not a single thing is missing"?!

Who borrowed your tongue from? You'd better watch out for your tongue being nailed to your coffin lid if you say such things!

"You...you're talking nonsense!"

Her aunt's lips trembled, her voice rising eight octaves, "I'll tear your mouth off, you old bastard!"

She lunged at him, baring her teeth and claws.

Zhou the accountant did not hide.

He simply swung his arm and slapped her across the face again.

"Snapped!"

This time, she used a lot of force, and her eyes were filled with stars. She was once again surrounded by flowers and returned to her loyal flower bed.

"That slap earlier was on behalf of Madam."

Zhou the accountant said calmly, "This slap was delivered on behalf of the master."

He turned around and said loudly:

"With all the neighbors here, I'll ask you a question in public today—among you all here, is there anyone who has raised a nephew, received millions of dollars from his parents, yet treated his nephew so harshly?"

If anyone thinks this is more than enough, please step forward and say something. I apologize in return and respect you as a true hero!

If not, then I ask you all to bear witness: it's not that the owner is ungrateful, but that this wicked woman has gone too far!

The aunt lay on the ground, feeling incomprehensible gazes from all directions. Neighbors pointed and whispered, and although she couldn't hear what they were saying, she felt as if a knife was stabbing her.

Zhou the accountant was too lazy to argue with her anymore. He turned around and looked at Lu Gucheng.

"Lugu City, I've dealt with people like you before."

Zhou the accountant said slowly:

"You may not be a bad person, but you are definitely not innocent!"

Your wife withheld your nephew's allowance; you didn't participate, but you never stopped her either.

Your son bullied your nephew, and you didn't help him, but you never disciplined him either;

Your nephew lived in your house for several years, making your wife work like a beast of burden. You didn't do these things yourself, but you saw it all.

You saw it all, yet you didn't say a word... Why?!

Lu Gucheng's body began to tremble. Lu Mingfei looked at him and inexplicably thought of himself on the day he conducted self-analysis.

Many people cover their eyes when they look in the mirror because they are afraid to look at the person in the mirror.

By covering a fragile heart with a thin layer of paper, one pretends not to see or hear, thus numbing oneself.

Only a minority dare to self-criticize and dissect themselves; most people actually need external forces to break down their defenses before they have the opportunity to awaken.

"Lugu City, let me tell you."

Zhou the accountant's voice was low and deep:

"Because you are naturally soft-hearted, you feel that you can turn a blind eye to everything;

Because you feel that it's better to avoid trouble than to cause it.

Because you feel that as long as you don't take the lead, it won't be your turn to take responsibility;

Because you're afraid your wife will throw a tantrum, you're afraid the neighbors will gossip, and you're afraid things will get out of hand!

He stared into Lu Gucheng's eyes and said, word by word:

"You've been afraid for forty years, afraid your whole life!"

"All your fears, what have you become in the end?!"

The old man's voice suddenly rose in pitch:

"I'm afraid of becoming a useless person! I'm afraid of becoming a useless person who wouldn't even dare to protect his own nephew!"

Your wife looks down on you, your boss doesn't think much of you, and even your son thinks you're not as good as other people's fathers!

Lu Gucheng looked as if he had been pierced by something. He suddenly raised his head, his eyes red as if they were about to bleed.

"Lugu City".

Zhou the accountant's voice fell silent:

"Your wife is domineering, your son is disobedient, you are bossed around at work, and when you get home you have to watch your wife's face."

You feel like you're pleasing neither side, caught in the middle, and that's just how your life is going to be. You've resigned yourself to your fate in a daze, haven't you?

Lu Gucheng, his eyes red, stared at Zhou the accountant for a while, wanting to say something, but in the end he said nothing.

His head slowly drooped down, and he squatted on the ground, tucking his head into his shoulders.

"But what kind of fate do you accept?!"

Zhou the accountant's tone suddenly hardened again. He strode forward, grabbed Lu Gucheng by the collar, and lifted him off the ground:

When your nephew was entrusted to your family, he was still in elementary school and was only that young.

He has no blood relation with his aunt, he has never met that cousin, and the only person he can rely on is you, his uncle!

But did you protect your wife from laying a single finger on your nephew? Did you protect your son from bullying his cousin? Did you protect your home, allowing your nephew to eat a meal and sleep peacefully?!

You failed at everything! You've become such a pathetic uncle in front of your nephew! What do you expect that child to think?!

His biological parents weren't around, so he was staying with his uncle, but his uncle... wouldn't even dare to look at him!

Lu Gucheng finally burst into tears. This middle-aged man, who had been a coward for half his life, cried like a child in front of more than a dozen neighbors.

"Why are you crying?!"

Accountant Zhou's tone was stern:

"What's the use of crying? After you're done crying, stand up straight and straighten your back!"

You're only forty-one, not eighty-two! You still have most of your life to live, a wife to take care of, and a son to raise. Are you planning to just live a pathetic life until you die?

When you finally stand before the King of Hell, he'll ask you, "Have you ever done anything with any backbone in your life?" What will you answer? Will you say, "You fucking bastard, you've been a coward your whole life?!"

The old man, holding an umbrella, tapped Lu Gucheng on the shoulder:

"The landlord is kind-hearted. Even though you have such a good-for-nothing uncle, he has never complained about you."

Even that little bit of money is no longer of interest to the employer; he's just... very disappointed in you.

Now I only want to ask you one question: do you feel any remorse in your heart?

"I...I...I'm so sorry, Mingfei...I...I squandered all the family's money!"

Lu Gucheng, whose defenses had been breached, wept bitterly.

"The money my older brother and sister-in-law sent... I used it all to pay off my debts!"

Upon hearing this, the others watching looked puzzled, but Lu Mingfei suddenly understood.

During the years he lived at Lao Lu's house, he always felt that his uncle's life was very strange, that is... both poor and rich.

If we say they're poor, my uncle can drive a BMW, Lu Mingze can attend a prestigious school, and my aunt still has money to play mahjong.

To be honest, apart from Lu Mingze, everyone else in the family was dressed in off-brand clothes. His uncle and aunt bought high-quality replicas to show off, and they could spend the whole day at a five-star hotel just by ordering a pot of tea.

Logically speaking, this family shouldn't be living like this.

Not to mention that Lu Lincheng and Qiao Weini sent a lot of money to Lu Gucheng, the Lu family is a typical dual-income family. Uncle receives meal allowances, oil allowances, and heating allowances at his workplace. He also receives oil, rice, and bonuses during holidays, which saves a lot of money on household expenses.

The reason is that my uncle used to be a stock investor.

As the Wolf of Wall Street, his best achievement was losing half of his family's house through speculation.

If Lu Gucheng hadn't lost everything in the stock market, the Lu family's house would at least have three bedrooms and a living room, his aunt wouldn't have been so resentful, Lu Mingfei wouldn't have had to share a bedroom with his cousin, he could have had a happier middle school life, and he wouldn't have had so many conflicts with Lu Mingze.

Lu Gucheng incurred a large debt due to stock speculation, and has been gradually repaying it over the years.

If it weren't for the financial support from his elder brother and sister-in-law, Lu Gucheng would probably never have been able to turn his life around.

Uncle wasn't always controlled by Aunt, but after his stock market losses, he was stripped of his financial power. He had to hand over his salary card, and even his allowance needed his wife's approval. Gradually, he lost all say in the family.

In front of his wife, Lu Gucheng didn't dare to mention Lu Mingfei's living expenses. After all, his aunt could shut him down with just one sentence: "Didn't you use all the money to pay off your debts?"

Lu Gucheng spoke haltingly about the truth that had been buried for many years, and breathed a sigh of relief.

He wiped away his tears and lowered his head:

"Mingfei... no, I, I am not worthy to call your name."

There's some money left at home, you can take it all, and the house too... I'll find a way to pay back the rest.

"Lu Gucheng, have you gone mad!"

Upon hearing this, her aunt rushed over, "If you give him all the money, what will we eat and drink..."

"Snapped!"

Lu Gucheng slapped her.

The aunt was stunned.

This was the first time Lu Gucheng had hit her in their many years of marriage.

But it wasn't over yet. Lu Gucheng grabbed her hair and slapped her harder and harder, making her cheeks swell up.

"Let's get a divorce."

Faced with his aunt, whose face was swollen and who rushed at him like a madwoman, Lu Gucheng simply used one light sentence to freeze her in place.

"Lu, Lu Gucheng, what did you say?!"

The aunt was stunned; she could hardly believe her ears.

Lu Gucheng didn't answer, but instead straightened his back, took a deep breath, and looked at Lu Mingfei:

"It is only right to pay back debts. I know it is too late to apologize now, but the money is what I owe, and it has nothing to do with my wife and son."

She's been beaten and humiliated... I'll pay her back the money; come at me for anything else."

"Mr. Lu is decisive. Now that you have beaten that wicked woman and cleaned up the mess, it is not appropriate for us brothers to take action as well."

Accountant Zhou chuckled. Lu Gucheng was starting to act like a man who dared to take responsibility, and he seemed to have become much smarter. When he hit the wicked woman, he was actually saving her.

However, that's not important.

Zhou, the accountant, and Lu, the city magistrate, were not related, so of course Zhou was not there to punish past mistakes to prevent future ones or to cure the disease and save the patient.

He said those words only because he was instructed by his master to pry open the tortoise shell of Lugu City.

Now that the mission is accomplished, it's time to arrange a "good place" for the couple.

"Mr. Lu, anyone can talk big. How are you going to repay the money?"

Zhou the accountant spoke in a somber tone.

Lu Gucheng lowered his head upon hearing this:

"I'll borrow some money to run a small business. Even if it's hard work, I'll be able to pay off the debts."

"Hey, with your stock trading skills, you think you can run a business?"

Zhou the accountant gave a half-smile.

Lu Gucheng's expression froze instantly.

"However..."

Accountant Zhou changed the subject:

"To be honest, the money should be returned, but considering that you two are not capable, and the landlord is kind-hearted, he can't bear to dismantle you into parts and sell you... When we discussed this matter yesterday, we also had some difficulties."

Just then, a wise man came up with a perfect solution.

A while ago, my boss made a deal and acquired a mining company worth nearly 300 million US dollars.

The company is in Africa, and many of its employees are Chinese. They are not used to the local food, so the project manager applied to the company to set up an employee canteen. They are currently short of two cooks.

The employer said your wife is quite skilled. If you and your husband go abroad to work for the company, you can repay the employer's kindness and settle things evenly.

Besides, the company never deducts wages. If you two work diligently and conscientiously, you can not only pay off your debts, but you might even save some money to leave a modest fortune for your descendants.

"However, conditions in Africa are not as good as in China. The mines are still in their early stages of development and the infrastructure is not yet fully developed. You two will probably have to endure some hardship for a few years."

Accountant Zhou then offered a timely reminder, "As for how to decide, you can discuss it yourselves."