Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Father and Son’s Heart-to-Heart Talk

Hearing Mrs. Lu say that, Su Tang turned her head, a little surprised.

“Mom, you went to my house?”

Mrs. Lu nodded and took a bite of food. “We were afraid we’d be late, so we arrived in Shanghai a few days early. We wanted to see your parents.”

After all, Professor Su had been very good to their family. Since they were coming to visit Lu Xiao and Su Tang, it was only natural to visit Mr. and Mrs. Su first.

They just hadn’t expected to miss them.

“My parents went to an island to stay with my aunt.”

Su Tang explained, and Mrs. Lu instantly understood why.

The world was chaotic right now. An island, far from the turmoil, was actually a good place to be.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law didn’t say anything more, just eating quietly.

But Su Tang felt a little strange.

’No wonder Jinbao said he’d heard all that from someone else.’

’So that’s where he heard it. When they went to see my parents in Shanghai… it seems my neighbors really are a problem.’

「…」

The cafeteria wasn’t crowded. At a table in the corner sat Lu Xiao and his father.

On the table were two dishes—a plate of shredded potatoes and a plate of stir-fried cabbage—along with a bottle of Laobaigan.

Lu Xiao filled a small cup for his father and poured a little for himself. The smell of the alcohol was sharp.

“Dad, have a drink.”

Lu Xiao raised his cup, toasting Mr. Lu first.

Mr. Lu didn’t move. He stared at the liquid sloshing in the cup and let out a heavy sigh.

“Sigh… I’ve completely lost face today. To let that animal Jinbao cause a scene in front of your wife and say such vile things! I’ve failed you both!”

As Mr. Lu spoke, he felt his old face burn with shame.

Coming to see his son should have been a happy occasion, but Jinbao had turned it into this mess.

It was utterly disgraceful.

“Dad, this isn’t your fault.”

Lu Xiao put down his cup. His voice was quiet but steady, devoid of any resentment.

Today was for talking business, not for dwelling on pointless matters.

“We all know what kind of person Jinbao is. He’s a shameless good-for-nothing who can’t stand to see others do well.”

“You and Mom came all this way to see us, which should be a happy thing. Having it ruined by someone like him is what really upsets me.”

Mr. Lu picked up his cup and downed a large gulp, the burn making him grimace. “Blame me for being too soft-hearted. I always feel that since we’re relatives, I should help when I can. And what’s the result? I helped raise an ungrateful bastard! I really wanted to beat him to death right then and there!”

As he spoke, Mr. Lu’s hands trembled with anger.

“Dad, I know you value family ties.”

Lu Xiao put a piece of food on his father’s plate, his tone calm but serious.

“But think about it. Among our relatives, are there others like Jinbao? Jinbao can come all the way to the Northwest to throw a fit and act shamelessly. Tomorrow, will some other ’Bao’ or ’Gen’ think I’m doing alright here in the Northwest and decide to copy him, showing up right at my doorstep?”

Mr. Lu’s hand, holding his chopsticks, froze. His brow furrowed into a tight knot.

His son’s words made perfect sense, piercing his heart like a thorn.

This incident with Jinbao had set a terrible precedent.

“Today he dared to curse at Tangtang and spread vicious rumors. Tomorrow, will someone else do something even worse?”

Lu Xiao looked into his father’s eyes and sighed. “Dad, my work here is sensitive. I can’t afford any mistakes.”

“If we have dramas like this popping up from back home every other week, how are we supposed to live? If it causes real trouble, the consequences… our family can’t bear them.”

Lu Xiao didn’t state it too harshly, but the meaning was all there.

Mr. Lu was a reasonable man. He understood.

“I understand.”

Mr. Lu’s voice was a bit hoarse. He choked down another mouthful of liquor, the wrinkles on his face deepening.

“I used to think that since we share a family name, blood is thicker than water. But what kind of trash am I connected to? All they do is drag us down and cause trouble! Jinbao’s behavior today… it has truly chilled me to the bone!”

He remembered the sight of Jinbao being dragged away like a dead dog and felt an extreme sense of shame.

“Dad, I’m not telling you to disown our relatives.”

Lu Xiao softened his tone and poured Mr. Lu another cup of liquor.

“We should help those who need it. For instance, if someone is truly in trouble, needs money for medical bills, or really can’t afford to send their kids to school, we should lend a hand. Helping them out back home is fine.”

“But people like Jinbao—who are just lazy, greedy, and looking for a handout, all while harboring ill intentions—we absolutely cannot let them think they can just copy him. We can’t let them think they can show up in the Northwest and treat me like a piece of meat for the taking.”

As the old saying goes, when one person succeeds, their whole clan expects to rise with them.

No one from Lu Xiao’s hometown had ever been particularly successful. He was the first one in generations.

When people see a shortcut, everyone wants to take it. Naturally, they all wanted to curry favor with him.

Lu Xiao paused, his tone growing firmer. “And we especially can’t let them think that all they have to do is make a scene and cry to get our help.”

Mr. Lu fell silent. They were all from the same village; he certainly knew how those people thought.

After a long moment, Mr. Lu let out a long breath, as if expelling all the frustration pent up inside him.

He picked up the liquor bottle, poured himself another small cup, but didn’t drink. He just stared at it.

“Son, you’re right.”

Mr. Lu’s voice was tinged with exhaustion, but also a sense of relief.

“I was wrong before, Dad was. I was always too concerned about saving face. But relatives are relatives, and life is life. I can’t let your lives be thrown into chaos because of those unreliable people.”

He looked up at Lu Xiao. “Don’t worry. When I get back, I’ll write to your First Uncle and Second Uncle and tell them exactly what happened with Jinbao.”

“I’ll tell them that my son, Lu Zhenfeng’s son, is in the Northwest earning a living by his own merit, not running a charity.”

“If anyone else dares to copy Jinbao and come to the Northwest to cause trouble, they shouldn’t blame me for turning my back on them. If they can’t control their own children, then they shouldn’t blame an elder like me for being harsh!”

Mr. Lu’s tone was decisive. This time, he had truly seen this bunch of leeches for what they were.

From now on, he wouldn’t allow these leeches to come and torment his son again.

He raised his cup to Lu Xiao. “This drink is for you, son. On behalf of that animal Jinbao, I apologize to you and your wife.”

“And I’ll give you my word. From now on, I’ll handle things back home. There won’t be any more troublesome pests like Jinbao showing up to aggravate you.”

With that, Mr. Lu tilted his head back and drained the cup.

The liquor burned as it went down, but it also seemed to burn away the last of his hesitation.

Lu Xiao looked at his father’s graying temples and determined gaze, and the weight in his heart finally lifted.

He knew his father was a man of his word; once he said something, he would do it.

He also raised his own cup. Without a word, he solemnly gestured to his father and then downed it in one go.

The matter was finally settled.

His and Tangtang’s little home would be peaceful from now on.

The father and son looked at each other, said nothing more, and quietly picked up their chopsticks to eat the now slightly cold food.

Some things, once spoken plainly, are more effective than any amount of alcohol.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep