Chapter 158: Family Reunion, Zhang Chao’s Counterattack!
Zhang Chao’s parents rarely called him.
Every time they called, it was definitely for a reason.
And, without exception, it was always about money!
Looking at his constantly ringing mobile phone, Zhang Chao held a tiny bit of hope.
He hoped his mother wasn’t calling to ask him for money this time!
“Hello, Mom.”
Swiping to answer the phone, Zhang Chao politely greeted his mother.
Although there had been some unpleasantness at home during the Spring Festival, they were family after all, and he didn’t want to strain their relationship too much.
Now that his mother had called him proactively, he also wanted to take the opportunity to ease the tension between them.
“Eldest son, your younger brother’s girlfriend is settled, and they can get married this May 1st.”
“That’s great. It’s really not easy to find a wife these days.”
Hearing his mother’s words, Zhang Chao forced a smile; it would be a lie to say he wasn’t envious.
If his parents treated him even half as well as they treated his younger brother, he would wake up smiling in his dreams.
“Your father and I borrowed some money from your uncles, aunts, and cousins, and we’ve already bought him a house.”
“We’re still short 80,000 yuan for the betrothal gift. We have nowhere else to borrow from. Eldest son, please help your younger brother again.”
“Mom guarantees this is the last time, and we will definitely pay you back this money.”
Listening to his mother on the phone, Zhang Chao’s expression was filled with bitterness as the conversation turned to “money” again.
He shouldn’t have had too many expectations of his mother!
The scene of his mother yelling at him during the Spring Festival replayed in his mind, making Zhang Chao feel increasingly cold and disheartened.
“Mom, I really don’t have any money. I lost money in business the year before last, and I just finished paying off my external debt last year. Forget 80,000, I can’t even come up with 8,000 right now.”
Zhang Chao took a deep breath, trying to maintain a calm tone as he stated a fact to his mother.
Of course, losing money in business was a lie; the truth was he spent money lavishly on foot massages and didn’t save much.
“Mom believes you. Mom knows you really don’t have money. Don’t you have a rich friend? The one named Jiang… Jiang what’s-his-name?”
“I heard from people in the village that he’s driving a Mercedes-Benz now and has invested millions in raising cattle. He’s very capable!”
“You have a good relationship with him, right? Ask him to lend 80,000… no, lend 100,000, to make it a round number. It shouldn’t be difficult, should it?”
Hearing his mother so casually ask him to borrow 100,000 yuan for his younger brother, Zhang Chao was so angered he laughed, refusing:
“Mom, my relationship with Brother Jiang isn’t good enough to borrow that much money. I can’t bring myself to ask.”
Knowing his parents and younger brother, if he borrowed this money, he would never expect them to repay it; he would end up repaying it himself!
“Why can’t you ask! It’s like I’m asking you to risk your life to borrow money! As an elder brother, can’t you help your younger brother!”
“Your father and I raised you for nothing. When we need you to contribute, you won’t lift a finger!”
“You’ve been working for so many years, how much money have you ever sent home?”
“No matter what you say, I won’t believe you don’t have 80,000 or 100,000 in deposits!”
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re plotting!”
“You just don’t want your younger brother to get married! You’re selfish!”
“I can’t be bothered to argue with you anymore! Give me a straight answer, are you going to get this money or not?”
“If not, don’t come back home ever again! You can die outside and no one will care about you!”
On the other end of the phone, Zhang Chao’s mother, seeing that he was neither yielding nor willing to provide the money, lost her patience.
The old lady’s true nature emerged, and she went into berserk mode.
Listening to his mother’s shrew-like shouting, Zhang Chao’s heart grew colder.
This was his mother!
“I’ll say it one last time, I really don’t have money, and I won’t borrow money. It’s useless for you to pressure me.”
Zhang Chao held his ground.
If he had money himself, even reluctantly, he would have given some to his parents.
But since he didn’t have money, he absolutely would not borrow money for his parents.
“Fine, fine! You rebellious brat, your wings have hardened, right! If you have the guts, don’t ever come back!”
“Your father and I will consider you dead! Don’t come back to bother us!”
“Beep beep beep…”
The call ended. Zhang Chao, feeling agitated, took another cigarette from the case and lit it, exhaling smoke quickly.
Every phone call home was about money, and every call ended in a bitter argument.
Money, money, money!
Even family affection was fragile and couldn’t withstand money!
Ever since he was young, no matter what, he had to let his younger brother have his way.
Anything delicious, tasty, or fun, he had to let his younger brother have it!
Even if they both liked the same girl, he had to let his younger brother have her!
Zhang Chao felt he had been a good elder brother.
But he had never received a word of praise from his parents!
They always thought it was expected, and not enough; they wanted him to help his younger brother more!
Both sons, why was there such a big difference!
Zhang Chao had more than once suspected he wasn’t their biological child.
Suddenly, Zhang Chao remembered something Jiang Tao had mentioned when they were drinking more than half a month ago.
A tycoon in the Capital City had offered a million yuan reward for his missing son.
If only he were that child!
What a pity…
So much time had passed without any response, it was clearly a lost cause.
Ring ring ring—
The phone rang again. Zhang Chao thought it was his father or younger brother calling to blame him.
Every time he argued with his mother, his father or younger brother would always jump out and point fingers, criticizing him for upsetting his mother.
Seeing the caller ID on the phone screen was “Brother Jiang.”
Zhang Chao’s tense mood immediately relaxed a little.
“Hello, Brother Jiang.”
“I’m at the market in Shahe, having a big market day.”
“Ah? You’re going back now?”
“Okay, alright, I’ll pack up and head back.”
“Okay, see you later.”
After answering Jiang Tao’s call, the two brothers had a brief chat and hung up.
Zhang Chao didn’t ask for details. Since Jiang Tao told him to pack up and go home, he did so immediately after hanging up.
Closing the truck bed cover, he got into the truck, started the engine, turned around, and sped towards Xiao Shahe.
It took 39 minutes.
When Zhang Chao drove back to the Xiao Shahe Village Entrance, he saw Jiang Tao’s imposing and magnificent Mercedes-Benz GLS from afar!
Most of the people renting in Xiao Shahe Village were migrant workers from other places. Even those who owned cars had commuter cars costing tens or hundreds of thousands.
Very few cars exceeded 200,000 yuan.
Jiang Tao’s Mercedes-Benz GLS was parked in the open space at the village entrance, making it particularly conspicuous compared to the ordinary sedans around it!
Rumble rumble~
Zhang Chao drove his truck directly next to Jiang Tao’s Mercedes-Benz.
He sharply turned the steering wheel to back into the parking spot, engaged the handbrake, all in one smooth motion.
After parking the truck, Zhang Chao jumped out, walked with a smile to Jiang Tao’s car, and greeted him through the glass.
“Brother Jiang! Not busy today? Why did you come to see me?”
Jiang Tao rolled down the car window and smiled, beckoning Zhang Chao, “Get in first, go to the back seat.”
“You got it!”
Zhang Chao nodded with a smile, directly opened the rear door, and sat in the back seat.
“Chaozi, I have something to tell you. You’d better be mentally prepared.”
Turning around to look at Zhang Chao, who had just settled into the back seat, he said meaningfully.
“What is it, Brother Jiang?”
Hearing Jiang Tao’s serious tone, Zhang Chao’s expression became a little nervous.
“Don’t be nervous, it’s good news. Do you remember what I told you about a while ago? The test results are out.”
“Test results?”
Hearing Jiang Tao’s words, Zhang Chao immediately thought of something, and his heart leaped into his throat!
This result was extremely important to him!
Whether he would continue to struggle miserably at the bottom or return to his roots and soar depended on this moment!
Jiang Tao spoke the truth directly:
“Yes, the test results show a DNA similarity of up to 99.99% between you and that Manager Wang, which can be medically identified as a father-son relationship.”
“This…”
Although he had longed for it, when the anticipation became reality, Zhang Chao felt a sense of unreality!
Could he really be the son of the tycoon who posted the sky-high reward for his missing son???
Was he dreaming!
Although Zhang Chao had also suspected countless times whether he was truly his parents’ biological child,
that was only a thought born out of anger during arguments with his parents.
“We’ll need to collect some more blood on-site for testing to confirm it finally, but I feel like it’s solid.”
“I knew your face looked very similar to Manager Wang’s, and I was right!”
Jiang Tao said with a smile, looking at Zhang Chao, feeling very pleased.
If Zhang Chao’s identity could be confirmed, it would not only be beneficial to Zhang Chao.
He himself would also receive the 1 million reward offered by Wang Minglong!
One million!
In his hometown of Ping County, that amount could buy a spacious three-bedroom apartment of over 120 square meters outright!
“Brother Jiang, is this matter reliable…”
Zhang Chao had lived for more than twenty years and had never been as nervous as he was at this moment!
In recent years, there had been many news reports online about tycoons successfully finding their lost children.
Like the Xie family’s father and son, the Xie family’s father and son, and so on, countless others.
Children who were abducted and reunited with their biological parents also received substantial benefits.
During this period, Zhang Chao had also quietly and carefully researched information about Wang Minglong.
He knew he was the Chairman of Xia Hua Liang Zi.
He knew he was worth billions!
Having such a powerful biological father, even a small portion of whose wealth would greatly improve his own situation!
“Don’t be nervous, this matter is likely true, very reliable.”
“Back then, Manager Wang called and asked me to bring you over. What’s your decision? Are you going?”
Jiang Tao looked at Zhang Chao. He respected Zhang Chao’s opinion on this matter and didn’t force him.
“Yes! I’m going!”
Without any hesitation, Zhang Chao agreed to go!
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with a high probability of changing his destiny.
He naturally wouldn’t let it slip away and would hold onto it tightly!
“Then let’s set off now!”
Jiang Tao started the car and drove towards the location he and Wang Minglong had agreed upon.
Along the way, the two brothers chatted casually, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.
Around 11:30 AM.
The Mercedes-Benz GLS arrived at the office headquarters building of Xia Hua Liang Zi in Chaoyang District.
Parking the car in a visitor’s parking space, just as Jiang Tao was about to open the door and get out, he suddenly heard a loud roar.
A red Ferrari sped in from the main entrance like lightning and executed a beautiful drift, parking right next to his car.
“Damn! That was pretty cool!”
Seeing the way the Ferrari parked, Jiang Tao couldn’t help but be impressed and praised it sincerely.
Zhang Chao, sitting in the back seat, also saw the Ferrari’s dazzling maneuver and was equally stunned.
“Let’s go, Chaozi, time to get out.”
Jiang Tao called to Zhang Chao in the back seat, opened the door, and stepped out onto the ground.
At the same time.
The Ferrari’s door also opened.
A man wearing a black suit, a white shirt, with sharp, forward-styled hair and a pair of large sunglasses, got out of the car.
After getting out of the car, the man subconsciously glanced in Jiang Tao’s direction.
Upon seeing Jiang Tao’s appearance, Wang Fei froze.
Affected by his girlfriend’s infidelity, Wang Fei had a deep impression of Jiang Tao’s appearance!
He also remembered the night at the Huilongguan bar when he paid 80,000 yuan to punch Jiang Tao to vent his anger.
In the end, he spent the money, didn’t vent his anger, and suffered himself.
Wang Fei, with his actions, demonstrated what it means to spend money to suffer!
“What are you doing here?”
Wang Fei pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at Jiang Tao with a confused expression, asking the question.
“Oh, look, it’s that guy, what’s-his-name, Young Master!”
The moment Jiang Tao saw Wang Fei, he recognized him.
But for a moment, he couldn’t recall his name.
Back when he was filling up at the gas station, the intelligence related to Wang Fei that was triggered had mentioned his name.
But since it was so long ago, Jiang Tao had long forgotten his name.
“Oh…”
Seeing Zhang Chao, who closely followed him out of the car.
Wang Fei’s face showed an expression of immense surprise once again!
These two are biological brothers, born to the same father and mother, and resemble each other by six or seven parts.
When the two of them stand together, anyone would think they are brothers!
“You are, you are my elder brother who was lost for many years!”
After seeing Zhang Chao’s face clearly, Wang Fei excitedly stepped forward to greet him.
“Hello, I…”
This was Zhang Chao’s first time interacting with a wealthy young master like Wang Fei.
Suddenly, he was somewhat overwhelmed by the sharp aura that Wang Fei, a super rich second generation, exuded.
He even began to speak hesitantly.
Jiang Tao was also taken aback by Wang Fei’s words.
What a coincidence!
This guy is Zhang Chao’s biological brother?
“You look alike! So alike! You look even more like Dad than I do!”
“There’s no need for further verification! I’d say it’s completely unnecessary!”
Wang Fei stared intently at Zhang Chao, his face beaming with excitement!
“Let’s go, let’s go! I’ll take you to Dad’s office!”
With that said, Wang Fei turned and led the way, with Jiang Tao and Zhang Chao following closely behind.
“Do you two know each other?”
Wang Fei looked at Jiang Tao, asking curiously.
Although he didn’t know Jiang Tao’s name, he had a deep impression of him and still wanted to punch him a couple more times.
“We are fellow villagers, and also good buddies.”
Jiang Tao had a feeling that Wang Fei’s gaze towards him was a bit off.
It seemed like this guy hadn’t gotten over the shadow of his girlfriend cheating on him.
“Oh.”
Wang Fei replied nonchalantly and then stopped paying attention to Jiang Tao, turning his gaze to Zhang Chao and asking about his daily life.
Such as what kind of work he did, where he lived, whether he was married with children, and so on…
Along the way, the three chatted casually.
They soon entered the lobby of the office building on the first floor.
Wang Fei led the two to the elevator room and took it directly to the fifth floor, outside the Chairman’s office.
“Please come in.”
Hearing Wang Minglong’s voice from inside, Wang Fei pushed open the room door and entered with Jiang Tao and Zhang Chao.
“Dad! They’re here!”
After entering, Wang Fei excitedly greeted his father, Wang Minglong.
He and Zhang Chao were biological brothers, and he had always longed to meet his elder brother over the years.
Now that his wish had been granted, he was naturally happy.
As for the idea that having one more person would mean one more person to share the inheritance, Wang Fei was indifferent.
Besides him and Zhang Chao, Wang Minglong had two other sons and four daughters; Zhang Chao was not the only one missing.
“Manager Wang, good morning. I’ve brought the person for you.”
Jiang Tao smiled and greeted Wang Minglong respectfully, then gestured towards Zhang Chao beside him.
“Manager, Manager Wang, hello.”
Zhang Chao suppressed his excitement and greeted Wang Minglong before lowering his head, not daring to make eye contact.
Even though he knew that the man sitting behind the desk might be his father whom he had never met.
However, the sharp aura of someone who had long held a position of power that Wang Minglong exuded.
Still made him feel incredibly nervous, his heart pounding rapidly.
Wang Minglong sat in his seat, making no move to greet them and remaining silent.
Yet his gaze was as if welded onto Zhang Chao, not leaving for a moment.
So alike!
This kid looks so much like me!
He’s definitely my offspring!
Among all of Wang Minglong’s children, Zhang Chao was undoubtedly the one who most resembled him!
Nose, ears, mouth, eyebrows, eyes, build – he was a living image of a younger Wang Minglong!
Upon seeing this, Wang Minglong basically didn’t need any further tests; he was largely convinced that Zhang Chao was his long-lost eldest son!
However, for the sake of caution, Wang Minglong still arranged for personnel from the hospital laboratory to come and collect blood samples from himself and Zhang Chao.
To re-verify the DNA match.
This time, the process was much faster. After the blood was collected, the results came out in less than half an hour.
DNA similarity: 99.999%, confirming a parent-child relationship!
Not long after the test results were released, a lady in her late fifties or early sixties, dressed luxuriously, arrived at the company.
“Child, my child! My unfortunate child~”
The moment the woman saw Zhang Chao, her eyes immediately turned red. She opened her arms and rushed to Zhang Chao, embracing him tightly.
She continuously called out “child, child,” and “my child”…
Zhang Chao realized that this woman was likely his biological mother.
At first, he didn’t feel much.
After all, they hadn’t seen each other for decades; where could there be any family affection left?
However, listening to the woman’s heart-wrenching sobs, listening to her repeated calls of “child, child”…
Zhang Chao’s heart of stone slowly softened, his eyes gradually reddened, and tears flowed silently.
His hands, which had been awkwardly clasped behind his back, gradually rested on the woman’s shoulders.
“Brother, welcome home!”
“Dad, Mom, and I have been waiting for over twenty years, and we’ve finally welcomed you home!”
Looking at his mother and his long-lost elder brother embracing and weeping, Wang Fei, standing beside them.
He was also moved, his eyes slightly reddening.
Wang Minglong appeared calm, with an expressionless face.
But his inner joy was no less than that of his wife, Kang Huijun.
He had finally found the son he had been searching for for over twenty years.
How could he, as a father, not be happy?
Zhang Chao was his first child, his eldest son, so to speak.
People have a special affection for their first child, and Wang Minglong was no exception.
Even though he already had both sons and daughters, a large brood of children, he had still offered a substantial reward for clues about his eldest son.
This alone showed his regard for Zhang Chao.
“Son, you’ve suffered all these years. It’s our fault, Mom and Dad’s fault.”
“It was our carelessness that led to losing you. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
“Son, can you forgive your parents? I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
Kang Huijun held Zhang Chao tightly, as if afraid of losing him again if she let go.
Feeling his mother’s warm embrace, Zhang Chao’s heart, which had grown cold from his adoptive parents, gradually warmed.
“It’s, it’s okay, I’ve been fine all these years, really fine…”
As Zhang Chao spoke, it seemed as if he recalled the grievances he had suffered at his adoptive parents’ home over the years.
The insincere words slipped out, and suddenly, as if his defenses broke, he burst into tears!
He understood.
He understood why there was such a big difference in how his adoptive parents treated him and his younger brother!
So, he really wasn’t their biological child!
Past events flashed through his mind like a slideshow.
From the time he could remember, his adoptive parents had always seemed stern and fierce to him.
For even a minor mistake, he would be beaten by both parents!
When playing with his younger brother, if the younger brother cried, his parents wouldn’t ask any questions and would immediately start beating him.
Growing up, Zhang Chao couldn’t remember how many times he had been beaten.
He hadn’t felt the warmth of home or his parents’ care for a very, very long time.
Now, being held in his biological mother’s arms.
That feeling of hearts connecting sent a tremor through Zhang Chao’s heart.
All the grievances he had silently endured over the years transformed into cries and tears.
“…”
Jiang Tao watched the mother and son cry their hearts out, and he was deeply moved.
He suddenly felt that helping Zhang Chao reunite with his biological parents was more meaningful than the 1 million bonus.
Jiang Tao’s gaze swept over the people in the room, and he suddenly felt that his presence there was somewhat redundant.
A family of four reuniting after more than twenty years, emotions running high.
For an outsider like him to be there was truly awkward.
Seizing the moment when everyone was distracted, Jiang Tao quietly withdrew from the office and turned towards the elevator, taking it down to the ground floor.
The matter of helping Zhang Chao reunite with his biological parents had been successfully and perfectly completed.
Next, he just needed to wait for Wang Minglong to contact him to claim the promised bonus.
He believed that with Wang Minglong’s net worth and status, he wouldn’t ruin his reputation over such a small amount of money.
Moreover, if this matter were handled properly, it could be excellent publicity for Wang Minglong’s enterprise.
The benefit he might gain could far, far exceed the 1 million bonus he was paying!
After going downstairs, Jiang Tao strode back to where he had parked his car.
Once in the car, he first sent Zhang Chao a message on WeChat, telling him that he was leaving first and that Zhang Chao should take his time catching up with his family.
After sending the message, Jiang Tao finally started his car and left.
