The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Yang Zhigang No Longer Wants This Son

Wu Cuicui was dumbfounded. ”This... this is so much? No wonder you and Second Uncle went with her. It would have been dangerous if you’d run into robbers.”

Yang Jianguo sighed with emotion. ”Xiao Rui is so lucky. I finally understand why the villagers always reminisce about Grandma Chen San. When she was young, there wasn’t a fish she couldn’t catch or a treasure she couldn’t find.”

Wu Cuicui nodded repeatedly. ”I heard from my parents that Grandma Chen San was the only person in our village who ever found ambergris, and she sold it for a lot of money. Our village started becoming wealthier than the others back in her day.”

After calming down a bit, Yang Jianguo whispered a warning, ”Second Uncle just said it was only a couple of pounds and sold for tens of thousands of yuan. Don’t you let it slip when you’re out and about.”

Wu Cuicui nodded. ”Don’t worry, I know the stakes. I won’t even tell my own parents the truth. After all, this much money could easily attract unwanted attention.”

Yang Jianguo couldn’t agree more. ”We’re worried about that too. Plus, Xiao Rui is planning to buy a big boat. Village Chief Liu and I are keeping an eye on Wu Guangfu from the next village, waiting for his business to go under so we can help Xiao Rui take it over.”

Wu Cuicui exclaimed, ”My goodness, Xiao Rui is amazing. No wonder Second Uncle likes her so much as a daughter-in-law. I like her too! She’s always bringing us good fish.”

”By the way, Second Aunt called me before it got dark. She was spewing all sorts of filth, telling me to get you under control. She said you and Second Uncle were shameless, boarding Xiao Rui’s boat in front of everyone and running your mouths. It made me so mad.”

Yang Jianguo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ”What sins did my Second Uncle commit in a past life to end up with a wife like Second Aunt!”

Wu Cuicui chimed in, ”Heh, and don’t forget their son, Yang Jianming! It’s a real tragedy. I heard Zhang Lili was throwing a fit at home, saying Jianming wasn’t coming back for the weekend because he must be flirting with girls at school. She insisted on going to the school.”

”Second Aunt had no choice but to call for Song Sixth’s car to take Zhang Lili to the school. Who knows how big of a fight it’ll turn into?”

Yang Jianguo felt sorry for his uncle. ”Didn’t they already get their marriage certificate? Weren’t they about to have the wedding banquet?”

”She’s too far along in her pregnancy. Second Aunt was worried about Lili’s health, so they’re putting it off for now,” Wu Cuicui replied. ”The Zhang family will probably come and make a scene again. You should keep a close eye on Second Uncle these next few days, make sure he doesn’t get taken advantage of by the Zhang family.”

Just as she said that, Yang Zhigang rushed over and handed his nephew the keys to the seafood wholesale shop. ”Jianguo, your Second Aunt and I have to go to the city. You keep an eye on things at the wholesale market for me.”

”Why are you and Second Aunt going to the city this late at night?” Yang Jianguo asked, concerned.

Yang Zhigang’s face was ashen with anger, and he looked like he was about to cry. ”Jianguo, we just got a call from the Zhang family. Jianming and Lili had a fight. It affected her pregnancy, and now she’s in the hospital.”

’Second Uncle works so hard, and he still has to clean up all the bullshit Yang Jianming stirs up,’ Yang Jianguo fumed internally.

”Second Uncle, you go. I’ll head to the seafood market right now. And don’t get too angry. If you ruin your health, this family will fall apart!”

Hearing his nephew’s comforting words, Yang Zhigang felt a little better. He forced a smile that looked worse than a sob. ”Okay!”

Watching his uncle leave, he saw his tall figure look increasingly gaunt, as if his very spirit had been drained away. His back was slowly starting to hunch.

Yang Jianguo felt a sting in his nose, and his eyes grew moist.

Wu Cuicui’s heart ached as well. ’Why can’t Yang Jianming just stay out of trouble for once?’

’Can’t he see how much Second Uncle has aged these past two years?’

’If Second Uncle were gone, that arrogant bastard Yang Jianming is so useless he couldn’t fight his way out of a wet paper bag.’

Dinner was already cooked at home, so Wu Cuicui quickly packed it into a meal container for Yang Jianguo to take to the seafood wholesale market.

Yang Zhigang and Zhang Xiufang took Song Sixth’s car to the hospital.

They didn’t see Yang Jianming at the hospital, only a tearful Zhang Lili lying in the hospital bed and the Zhang family, who were cursing nonstop.

Zhang Xiufang, worried about the baby in Zhang Lili’s belly, rushed to ask, ”Lili, are you okay?”

Zhang Lili, blaming Zhang Xiufang for Yang Jianming’s actions, ignored her and just kept crying.

When Mrs. Zhang saw Zhang Xiufang, she shoved her angrily. ”Zhang Xiufang, you share my family name! I trusted you, that’s why I let my daughter marry into your family. But look at this now! The wedding is off, and your son claims he’s busy with work all the time and never comes home.”

”My daughter comes to the school to visit him, and what does she find? Him, laughing and joking with some female student! Yang Jianming already ruined one Han Xiaorui, now he’s ruining my daughter, and he’s still out there messing with other young girls! Aren’t you Old Yang Family afraid of being struck by lightning and dying a horrible death?”

Zhang Xiufang might be domineering in the village, but in front of her own relatives, she lost all her nerve.

Even though she and Zhang Lili’s family were only distant relatives, she didn’t dare talk back.

’She knew her own son’s character; he was probably fooling around at school again.’

Zhang Xiufang shrank back and quickly apologized, ”Lili’s mother, please don’t be angry. It’s not that we’re canceling the banquet. It’s just that Lili is far along in her pregnancy, and I was worried it would be too much for her body. We’ll hold it after she gives birth and finishes her confinement period. They’re already legally married, she’s my daughter-in-law, and I won’t acknowledge anyone else!”

Hearing this, Mrs. Zhang grew even angrier. ”You think I don’t know what you’re plotting? If my daughter gives birth to a girl, she’ll never be truly accepted into your Yang Family’s home.”

”It’s not like that, it’s really not.” Zhang Xiufang was on the verge of tears from anxiety. This time, she honestly hadn’t been thinking that. ”I treat Lili like my own daughter! If Lili’s body can handle it, fine! I’ll go back and have someone pick an auspicious date, and we’ll throw a grand and splendid banquet.”

Mr. Zhang glanced at Yang Zhigang. ”Brother Yang, it’s not good for the young couple to be fighting like this. Lili is about to give birth, and he’s nowhere to be seen.”

Yang Zhigang narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a low voice, ”I’ll go to the school and find him.”

With that, he turned and left.

When he arrived at the school, Yang Jianming was indeed laughing and chatting with a female student.

Anger flared in Yang Zhigang. He walked up and kicked him. ”Lili had a pregnancy scare and is in the hospital trying to save the baby, and you’re here laughing it up? Do you even have a heart?”

Yang Jianming was knocked to the ground by the kick. When he saw it was his own father, he immediately lost his nerve. ”What are you kicking me for? I’ll go over right now.”

”Then get a move on!” Yang Zhigang snapped.

”I’m going, I’m going.” Yang Jianming took out his wallet and slapped 20 yuan on the table.

’Yang Jianming’s monthly salary is only 90 yuan. Where did he get so much money to fool around?’

’Zhang Xiufang must have given it to him secretly.’ Yang Zhigang was so furious he gritted his teeth.

When they got to the hospital, Yang Jianming brought some snacks and managed to coax Zhang Lili into a better mood with just a few words.

Mrs. Zhang privately fumed at her daughter for being so easily swayed, feeling she had to do something to ensure her daughter didn’t lose out. ”My daughter and Jianming living apart all the time is not a solution,” she declared. ”The apartment in the city is too small. You need to buy them a bigger house, and Xiufang can come over to take care of Lili during her confinement.”

”I agree! We’ll buy a bigger house, and I’ll come to the city to take care of Lili,” Zhang Xiufang quickly consented, terrified that Zhang Lili would cause another scene.

”The bride price will be ’one in ten thousand,’ 10,001 yuan,” Mrs. Zhang continued. ”My daughter doesn’t know how to operate a boat, so just buy my Lili a car. A Santana will do.”

”Fine, fine, we’ll buy it!” Zhang Xiufang agreed without thinking.

Yang Zhigang was not happy. ”Zhang Xiufang, do you have any idea how much a car costs? 240,000 yuan! Where are you going to get the money to buy a car?”

His gaze shifted to the Zhang family. ”I, Yang Zhigang, am a blunt man. Buying a house for Lili and Jianming, the bride price—I’ve agreed to all that, and it’s within my means. But a car, I can’t afford.”

”If she’s willing to marry into our family, so be it. If not, let Yang Jianming marry into the Zhang family. I won’t ask you for a single cent.”

’Whoever wants this fucking bastard can have him. In any case, he didn’t want a son like this anymore!’