Chapter 747

Father Jiang and Mother Jiang had lived in Shenzhen for many years, where things were cheaper. They didn’t lack new clothes, but gifts from their son were still special. As she looked at the sweater and her eldest son, her eyes couldn’t help but keep watching him, trying to see if he had gained or lost weight.

She couldn’t bring herself to say that he had lost weight.

When Jiang Song left home years ago, although his family always made sure he ate first, resources were scarce. He was tall and thin then, only slightly better than a bamboo pole.9-meter tall frame supporting him, his physique had bulked up—tall and strong.

Mother Jiang couldn’t help but tear up. “Where have you been all these years? Why didn’t you ever write home? Do you know how worried your dad and I were?”

Jiang Song wasn’t even thirty yet and didn’t fully understand Mother Jiang’s worries. He said, “I’m a grown man. How could I just disappear?” Then he added, “I forgot the home phone number.”

In truth, he’d just been having too much fun outside and forgot to write.

But he couldn’t say that.”

Jiang Song got up and looked around Jiang Bai’s big house, suitcase in hand.

“Mom, which room is mine? I’ll take my suitcase to the room.”

Jiang Song naturally wouldn’t bring up the topic of money in front of so many people. He had done pretty well for himself over the years out in the world—with the way he dressed and carried himself, he looked every bit the successful boss. Though he was now neck-deep in debt, he didn’t doubt himself one bit. As long as he could find the boss who ran off, he was sure he’d get the money back—and once that happened, it’d easily be several million, if not tens of millions.

That night, dinner was held up on the barren hill. The whole family gathered together, and once again, it felt like Jiang Song’s stage. He was a lively, outgoing person. With just a few words, he had the atmosphere buzzing, as if he had never been away from home all these years. He hugged his mom with affection, slung an arm around his dad, drank and laughed with everyone, resting his arm on their shoulders, leaning in close like they were sharing secrets.

Even a few of his sisters-in-law couldn’t help but privately remark, “How did Second Uncle and Aunt give birth to such good-looking kids?”

His wife, seeing his face tanned and sun-darkened from working construction outside every day, couldn’t help but chuckle softly, which only made Jiang Hongbing grumble in embarrassment. The couple ended up teasing and bickering with each other.

They had a baby girl last year, and Jiang Hongbing was over the moon. Just like how Grandpa Jiang had carried Ning around on his shoulders when she was little, he now showed off his daughter everywhere he went.”—no one said a word.

Even Uncle Jiang didn’t say anything anymore. He carried his own granddaughter around like that too.

Still, Uncle Jiang was hoping for a grandson. His eldest and second daughters-in-law had both given him granddaughters, so now he pinned his hopes on the third daughter-in-law.

If not, in another year, his eldest daughter-in-law could try for a second child.

So there he was, carrying his eldest granddaughter around while muttering about wanting a grandson. The two daughters-in-law, now emboldened by the village’s more progressive atmosphere, didn’t even bother responding. Uncle Jiang just laughed it off cheerfully.

That night, Uncle Jiang whispered to his wife, “Ah, with Songzi back, my brother and his wife can finally breathe a little easier.”

His wife sighed, “Isn’t that the truth…”

No matter how nicely Jiang Song put things, those with sense still knew what was what. No matter how deep into a pyramid scheme he was, there had to have been time to write a letter home, right? He’d been gone for years, not a word, and now comes back with two kids—didn’t even say a thing about being married or what the situation was.

Only Father Jiang and Mother Jiang were just beside themselves with joy.

That evening, the family sat together, and Father Jiang held his little granddaughter while Mother Jiang listened to Jiang Song talk about his years away.

To outsiders, he told a version full of ups and downs, almost legendary tales. But in front of his parents, he spoke of the hardships.

It moved Mother Jiang to tears. Even Father Jiang, cradling the baby, sighed deeply.

Finally, Jiang Song got to the real reason he’d brought it all up, “Dad, Mom, the payment for my last project got swindled. But once I find that guy, I’ll definitely get it all back.”

He sighed. “But right now, I’ve got this crew of laborers with me—I can’t not pay them.”

The point was, this crew had stuck with him even after his own brother betrayed him—they didn’t jump ship, because they believed in him. He couldn’t let them down. He could borrow for other things, but their wages—he had to pay, no matter what.

And in this, it could be admitted that after all the ups and downs over the years, Jiang Song did have a few good traits.

When it came to loyalty, he really was loyal.

But his words only made Father Jiang hang his head in a long, heavy sigh.

“If only you’d come back six months earlier, I would’ve given you the money,” Father Jiang said, voice full of helplessness. “But now…” He felt useless, unable to help his son. “All these years you never came back. Your mom and I searched for you all over Shenzhen. This house of yours has been standing for seven or eight years already. Jiang Bai’s house hadn’t even been started. We were watching the time go by—if we didn’t build his house soon, how was he going to get married without one?”

After the millennium, prices shot up year after year. Before 2000, a two-story house could be built for just twenty thousand yuan. But after 2000, that was no longer the case.

And Jiang Bai’s house—Father Jiang had it built even bigger than Jiang Ning’s, because unlike Jiang Ning’s house, which didn’t need a waterproof base on the first floor, Jiang Bai’s did. The ground level couldn’t be used as living space, so even though it was technically four stories, only three were usable—so they had to compensate by making the house bigger.

That four-story villa didn’t come cheap.

Having spent many years in Shenzhen, Father Jiang had a sharp eye for construction. He knew that if he built something ordinary, it’d be outdated in the countryside in a few years. If he were going to build, might as well build it right the first time. And Jiang Bai was his son—he held back nothing in building him a good house.

Even Mother Jiang hadn’t objected.

In the past, she might have fussed about the size difference between the two sons’ houses. But after years of silence from the eldest, and the younger two children becoming so capable, she had grown quieter at home. Even though much of the money for Jiang Bai’s house had come from her own hard-earned savings over the years, she agreed silently.

In her heart, she’d already thought: if the eldest son never came back, she’d grow old following the younger one’s family. Wanting to repair her relationship with him, she said nothing when Father Jiang put all that money into the villa.

Jiang Song hadn’t expected the timing to be so unlucky. He frowned and asked, “Bai didn’t put in a cent himself?”

Father Jiang sighed. “Your brother doesn’t even know I’m building the house. He got accepted into some kind of confidential research unit with his advisor. Who knows what he’s working on now…”

Though he sounded like he was complaining, his lips curled up and his whole face glowed with pride. There was a hint of humble-bragging in his voice, bright with joy.

He waved his hand. “You won’t be able to reach Jiang Bai.”

Jiang Song hadn’t expected that either—his little brother, now a graduate student in a top-secret job? He was a bit speechless.

Then he thought about the luxury villa up on the barren hill, the one that had become a landmark of the Linhe Brigade. “What about my little sister?”

He’d already heard she got into Peking University—she was the pride of the whole village.