Chapter 291: Shao Le Comes To Find Lu Qiao Ge
Chen Zhi’s mind was in a complete mess.
Her parents’ words lingered in her ears, but it was as if she hadn’t understood them.
Everything had been fine before, so how had the person changed into someone else?
It couldn’t be put that way; it should be said that Shao Le was no longer part of the Shao Family now.
She really couldn’t believe this was true.
Her face turned pale, and she murmured, “Then… then what should I do with Shao Le? Can’t we just not acknowledge them?”
Mother Chen shook her head and said without hesitation, “Although the Zhao Family still has one son, the results of Old Shao’s investigation show that that son was caught for stealing grain and can’t be relied on now. Zhao Yonggang’s father is even more of an old scoundrel, lazy to death, infamous throughout the ten miles around. All the work at home is done by Zhao Yonggang and his adoptive mother, and they can’t be relied on either. He has a younger brother and younger sister at home who aren’t married yet. Little Zhi, this is simply a huge pit of fire.”
Chen Zhi really wanted to just faint and be done with it.
What kind of family was this? It was simply too terrifying.
No wonder Zhao Yonggang, upon just learning the news, immediately rushed to the military factory to reclaim ancestry, but he could be considered to have a conscience, bringing his wife and two children along.
Zhao Yonggang was also quite pitiful, living poorly, with clothes and pants patched upon patches.
In contrast to Shao Le, who was clearly the same age, even born on the same day, yet he seemed more than ten years older.
Father Chen also frowned. His family’s conditions were comparable to the Shao Family’s, and the children could be considered childhood sweethearts—a perfect match for marriage. They had already registered, but now this had happened.
With a serious expression, he said to Mother Chen, “Don’t be so snobbish. No matter what, Shao Le is a good child. His character, abilities—we’ve seen them all firsthand. And the Shao Family raised him; could there really be no feelings at all? He never lived with the Zhao Family; how could there be feelings?”
Mother Chen immediately retorted, “Look at what you’re saying. Zhao Yonggang didn’t live in the Shao Family either, but does that affect him reclaiming ancestry?”
Father Chen felt it was hard to reason with her, but he still warned, “Don’t put on such an influential face. Besides, they just got their marriage certificate. What, do you still want your daughter to divorce? You might be able to afford to lose face, but I can’t. Little Zhi, listen to your father. Right now, Shao Le needs your company the most. Don’t say anything rash; let him make his own decision. Besides, Shao Le has such a good relationship with the Shao Family—how could it just break off like that? It’s not the same as the Zhao Family…”
Chen Zhi finally felt she had some backbone.
She wiped away her tears and put on her outerwear to go to the Shao Family.
It was dinnertime now. Although Zhao Yonggang had brought his wife and children to live there, Shao Le had nowhere to go and was temporarily staying at the Shao Family too.
Thinking this way, Chen Zhi felt Shao Le was so pitiful.
Meanwhile, Shao Le wasn’t at the Shao Family at this time. How could he have the mind to eat? In just one night, he had gone from being the son of the archives section chief and Director Hao’s nephew to being the son of Zhao Lao Laizi from the Wagouzi Brigade.
If the Zhao Family were honest rural folk, he wouldn’t have anything to say.
But they weren’t. That so-called biological father wasn’t exactly virtuous in every way, but close enough.
In such a family, the second son had gone bad, but fortunately there was Zhao Yonggang—no, he should be called Shao Yonggang now. He seemed different from them.
It must be the Shao Family’s inherited strength.
What about himself then? Would he become worthless in the future, just like that biological father?
One could imagine the sense of loss, bewilderment, and anxiety in Shao Le’s heart.
He didn’t want to take the surname Zhao. He didn’t want to acknowledge relatives. Call him snobbish or inhuman if they wanted; in any case, he just didn’t like the Zhao Family.
Shao Le didn’t know how he had ended up at Lu Qiaoge’s main door.
By the time he realized it, he saw Lu Qiaoge holding a basin of water, about to pour it out.
Shao Le gave Lu Qiaoge an awkward smile.
Lu Qiaoge hadn’t expected Shao Le to come here. Whatever the reason, since he was here, she couldn’t pretend not to see him.
She poured the basin of vegetable-washing water under the tree opposite, then said to Shao Le, “Wait for me a moment first.”
Shao Le could only nod awkwardly again. Compared to before, he seemed like a completely different person.
Not many people in this area knew Shao Le, but there were still a few.
Seeing Shao Le, they didn’t react much, just greeted him with cheerful smiles.
And they were all smart enough not to ask probing questions.
Shao Le finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Perhaps in his heart, Lu Qiaoge was an existence more formidable than anyone else. Otherwise, why come to her?
Lu Qiaoge and Shao Le walked and talked.
Shao Le: “…I’m very bewildered right now. I don’t know how to face Shao Yonggang or how to face my… my parents.”
Why not call them parents? Because those are my parents.
“My parents also said last night not to overthink it. If I want to acknowledge them, they will still be my parents.”
Lu Qiaoge interrupted him: “Are you all now one hundred percent sure of each other’s identities?
How was it confirmed so quickly? Just based on appearances and that woman’s words?”
Shao Le smiled bitterly: “Of course, we investigated the hospital where my mother gave birth back then. Fortunately, the records are still there. That day, there were only two women in labor, one was me…”
With the sudden change in identity, Shao Le didn’t know how to refer to it.
Lu Qiaoge said, “No need to agonize over it. Call it what it is.” Then she said straightforwardly, “That day, there were only two women in labor, both giving birth to baby boys. There are solid records, so it’s definitely either you or him.”
The Shao Family wouldn’t acknowledge relatives carelessly; they must have investigated thoroughly.
Shao Le nodded.
After thinking, he simply told Lu Qiaoge about the Zhao Family’s situation.
Shao Le said with difficulty: “…From Shao Yonggang, I can feel that he hates them, unlike me. After learning the truth, there’s not a shred of feeling left. He grew up in the rural area; life was okay when he was little, since he was a boy. But after the Zhao Family’s second son was born, he was no longer special.
As for how they treated them differently, he said he had to work every day and wasn’t allowed to study, but at the time, most kids around did the same. It was normal for the eldest to look after the younger ones. Still, he could feel that Mother Zhao favored the second son. As for Zhao Lao Laizi, he was never home except to eat…”
Such a home—he, Shao Le, didn’t want to go back either.
It had nothing to do with feelings or not, but he didn’t dare say it or show it.
Shao Le irritably scratched his head: “I don’t know what to do. And there’s me and Chen Zhi. I don’t even want to get married anymore. With a family like this, won’t it torment us to death? I don’t want to drag her down…”
Lu Qiaoge patiently listened through it all. As for the matters about the Zhao Family from the Wagouzi Brigade, she had heard them from Xiao Cangcang.
This matter was actually tricky.
That Zhao Lao Laizi was hard to handle. Once entangled, it was like the tree-bark chilies stuck on the big poplar tree—disgusting, nauseating, and hard to shake off.
The Shao Family had looked into it; the Zhao Family was already preparing to wait for Shao Le to reclaim ancestry.
After all, Shao Le had a job in the city and could support the Zhao Family members.
They had probably already figured out how to spend Shao Le’s money by now.
Lu Qiaoge said, “I have a few ideas, though they hardly count as suggestions.”
