Chapter 69: Chu Jinhui’s Family Troubles
While chatting, Chu Feng suddenly remembered something.
“Did you tell Grandpa about the 3 million?” he asked.
Lin Zhihao nodded. “Yeah, but as soon as I mentioned it, he was so shocked he wouldn’t believe me. He kept insisting I bring you over. Since I couldn’t find you, I had to show him the house purchase documents.”
Chu Feng nodded. “And what did he say?”
Lin Zhihao shrugged. “He said, if you won 3 million, why didn’t you buy a bigger place? Girls these days all prefer spacious apartments.”
Chu Feng: … Grandpa sure changed his attitude fast. He accepted the windfall really quickly. “He’s always thinking about that kind of stuff…”
Lin Zhihao shrugged. “That’s just how old folks are.”
Chu Feng glanced at him. “Grandpa just wants to see someone in the family get married. He doesn’t care who. Why don’t you get married first and make him happy?”
Lin Zhihao quickly waved his hands. “No, no. I think you’re right, cousin—men should build a career before starting a family. Once you have that, finding the right person won’t be hard.”
Chu Feng: … Looks like I led my cousin into a trap. Guess I have no one to blame but myself.
“Oh right, Grandpa’s been complaining about bone pain lately,” Lin Zhihao said with concern.
“Arthritis?” Chu Feng frowned.
“Yeah.”
Chu Feng shook his head. He worked too hard when he was young and damaged his body. Now that he’s old, the pain is catching up to him.
“Did he get medicine?”
“Yeah, but it didn’t help.”
Chu Feng thought to himself: Doctors around here might not be able to help. I wonder if the shaman from Qiu Luo has a remedy. Grandpa’s been through a lot… but there’s no quick fix for this.
Lin Zhihao stayed at the villa for a while before leaving. Chu Feng played with the new bank card in his hand and thought, Now that the wood carving shop is doing well, there’s no need to worry about money. From here on, I just need to figure out how to spend it.
He toyed with the card dreamily, a little troubled. How should I even spend all this money? What a headache.
Just as he was daydreaming, his phone rang.
Chu Feng answered, “Anzhi? What’s up?”
“Cousin, are you free the day after tomorrow?”
Chu Feng glanced at the lightning bolt icon on his bracelet and said, “Why, what’s going on?”
After a pause, Chu Anzhi said, “I’m heading to university in the capital. My flight’s the day after tomorrow. Can you take me to the airport?”
Chu Feng frowned. “Morning flight?”
“Yeah.”
He calculated the time. It should be doable. “Alright, I’ll take you. Once you’re at university, study hard, make us proud.”
“Got it,” Anzhi replied with an eye-roll.
Chu Feng thought, Finally, this brat is going off to school. With his own life to handle, he won’t be bothering me anymore. “Since you’re leaving soon, let’s have a meal tomorrow to see you off.”
“Sounds good!” Anzhi replied cheerfully.
Chu Feng put down the phone, thinking: Since even Lin Zhihao heard about Chu Jinhui’s marriage troubles, Anzhi must know even more. I’ll ask him at dinner.
They met at a buffet restaurant.
“Cousin, you’re really living large now,” Anzhi couldn’t help but say.
Chu Feng waved modestly. “Not bad, not bad.”
These days, buffets are everywhere. The cheap ones go for ¥50 or ¥70, fancier ones for ¥120. Chu Feng picked a ¥188 one.
“Eat as much as you want,” Chu Feng said. The more you eat, the better deal I get.
Anzhi rested his chin on his hand and sighed. “Time flies. Break’s already over.”
“Don’t worry, college is usually more relaxed than high school.”
“True,” Anzhi nodded.
Chu Feng then asked, “I heard our eldest cousin and his wife had a fight. Is that true?”
“Yeah,” Anzhi confirmed.
“They just got married! Why already fighting?”
“These days, matchmakers only report the good, not the bad. Once people are married, the truth comes out.”
Chu Feng asked, puzzled, “Is there something wrong with the bride’s family?”
Anzhi sighed. “Our aunt spent a lot on the wedding, and now that everything’s done, she wants to recoup the bride price. But the bride’s family already spent the money and can’t return it anytime soon. That caused major friction.”
So it really was about the bride price, Chu Feng thought. It’s always a thorny issue.
“Our aunt probably trusted the bride’s family because she’s an only daughter from a supposedly wealthy background,” he mused, “but clearly that was a miscalculation.”
“I thought her family was wealthy. Isn’t her dad in a high position?”
Anzhi gave a dry laugh. “The title sounds impressive, but he holds a token role—no real power. His salary’s fixed, not high. Plus, he lost over a million yuan trading stocks a few years ago and only just finished paying off the debt.”
Chu Feng rolled his eyes. So she’s a fake rich girl? But didn’t she have bags worth tens of thousands?
“Could be a case of saving face—or just fake designer goods,” Anzhi said. “Actually, I think that one was real. A lot of people with no money still go into debt to buy name brands.”
Food may be optional, but face is a must, Chu Feng thought. But really, what’s the point?
Anzhi sighed. “Our aunt has been fuming for days. Always at home cursing. Even my mom avoids her.”
Chu Feng recalled how their aunt used to boast nonstop about how desirable her son was, how rich girls were chasing after him, and he couldn’t shake the feeling she’d been exaggerating. Now… it seemed she’d finally met her match.
Always scheming to take advantage of others, and in the end, got burned herself.
“They won’t get divorced, right?” Chu Feng asked.
“I doubt it,” Anzhi said. “Too soon, and it would ruin their reputations.”
Chu Feng nodded. “Yeah. I just went to their wedding not long ago. They were talking about their legendary romance… and now this?”
“Has the news gotten out?” he asked.
Anzhi took a deep breath. “Our aunt was so angry she got into a huge fight with the bride. But I don’t think the news about her dad’s failed stock trading has spread. It would be embarrassing.”
Chu Feng agreed. Family scandals shouldn’t be publicized. If word got out, people would laugh.
Our aunt has always been the type who can’t stand losing. After this disaster, she might end up with internal injuries from holding in her frustration.
“Life’s going to be tough for that cousin’s wife now.”
Anzhi shrugged. “Not my problem.”
Chu Feng nodded and said, “That’s true. Even an honest judge can’t resolve family disputes.” After all, the girl married Chu Jinhui—how their life turns out is his own responsibility. Her father was also Chu Jinhui’s superior. Even if he holds no real power, being in the company for so many years, he probably still carries weight. Offending him wouldn’t do any good.
Chu Anzhi shook his head, grinding his teeth. “My mom’s had a headache these days.”
“What happened?” Chu Feng asked.
Chu Anzhi took a deep breath and said, “Aunt borrowed money from my mom.”
Chu Feng frowned. “And your mom actually lent it?”
“She brought it up several times. It wouldn’t look good to not lend at all. Aunt even promised to repay it right after the wedding—but then our cousin-in-law went back on her word.” Originally, their aunt probably thought she could benefit from marrying into the bride’s family. But now? That hope was dashed.
Chu Feng rubbed his forehead. His uncle’s family already had a mortgage and a car loan. In this situation, repaying his third uncle’s family would likely take a long time.
Good thing he hadn’t moved back, he thought. “How much did your mom lend?”
Anzhi looked up, frustrated. “50,000 yuan.”
Chu Feng: “…” Not much for him, but for his third uncle, that was a lot.
“Oh right, Brother Feng, are you the manager of the Crescent Wood Carving Shop?” Anzhi asked.
Chu Feng nodded. “How’d you know?”
“You were in a Douyin video. You kicked a few customers out of the shop.”
Chu Feng thought back. That did happen. Someone had been filming, and it actually went viral?
“Your wood carving shop’s business is really good,” said Anzhi.
Chu Feng nodded. “Yeah, it’s not bad.” They’d already made tens of millions. The investment was recouped.
“But you’re the manager and barely show your face. Isn’t that a problem?”
Chu Feng chuckled. “It is. That’s why I’ve been fired.”
Anzhi: “…” He looked at Chu Feng, frowning. “You got fired—why are you so happy about it?”
Chu Feng smiled. “The most important thing in life is to be happy. Besides, your cousin has money now. Losing a job doesn’t matter.”
“You didn’t just win a million, did you?” Anzhi asked.
Chu Feng nodded. “Right. Actually, I won ten million. I left off a zero earlier.”
Anzhi: “…” How do you casually forget a zero?
He looked at Chu Feng helplessly. “Brother Feng, you’re all over the place. I can’t even tell what’s true or false anymore.”
Chu Feng: “…” All over the place? Maybe a little.
“Ten million? Are you joking?” Anzhi asked.
Chu Feng nodded. “Yeah, just messing with you. How could I casually win ten million?”
Anzhi nodded. “That’s what I thought.”
Chu Feng: “…”
