In 1992, a small village owner became the richest man in the village by owning a car.

Chapter 377 Zhang Huaijin

"Dawei, you don't need to stand on ceremony with me when you come to my house. Just let me know if you need anything. My wife knew you were coming, so she specially cleaned up the two rooms on the west side and even put on new quilt covers."

The car stopped at the entrance of the courtyard house. After Professor Zhang got out of the car, he pushed open the two gates of the small courtyard house and took a few words to Yu Dawei as he stepped inside.

"Professor, you're too kind. It's also kind of your aunt to go to so much trouble. If there's any housework to do later, just let my two sisters know." Yu Dawei smiled. On the way, Professor Zhang had already told him that staying at his house wouldn't count as renting a place, so he wouldn't have to pay.

Although Yu Dawei nodded in agreement, he still wanted to give them some money when he left, or at the very least buy them some gifts.

"Brother, look, there's a really big tree in the yard." Er Yan followed everyone into the yard. The yard was directly opposite where Professor Zhang and his wife lived. There were two open doors to the side rooms on the left, which must be those two rooms.

What truly amazed Yu Yan was the large tree in the middle of the courtyard; it seemed that even if her older sister, herself, and A-Gui were to hug it, they might not be able to encircle it.

"This is a locust tree. Judging by its age, it must be at least twenty years old." Yu Dawei only had a rough understanding of the types of trees, but the age of a tree was not easy to tell with the naked eye.

"More than that." Professor Zhang smiled and shook his head.

Just as the group was chatting and laughing in the courtyard, a lazy voice suddenly came from inside the house, and then a young man with a punk hairstyle came out of the house.

"Dad, why are you back so early today? Hey? Who are these people?" The man looked at the group of people with curiosity.

The four people were dressed casually. The man in the lead was very burly and carried two large suitcases in his hands. Next to him was a graceful young woman wearing a red floral dress and red leather shoes. In addition, she was quite good-looking, so the young man couldn't help but take a few more glances at her.

Behind that girl were two little kids, so there wasn't much to see.

Of the four people, the one who was dressed a little better was the pretty girl with short hair.

Da Feng naturally sensed the young man's gaze. Although her expression didn't change, deep down she felt an indescribable disgust for the sleazy young man at the main gate.

Being stared at by someone like that is a waste of the clothes her older brother gave her.

"You brat! You finally know how to come back! You disappeared for two or three months without a word! Are you trying to drive your mother and me crazy?!" When Professor Zhang saw the familiar figure in front of him, the anger that had been buried in his heart was ignited. He wished he could kick the young man in the butt to vent his anger.

"Dad, don't be angry with Huaijin. Don't you know what kind of person he is?" Another man came out of the house. He had a buzz cut, wore a white shirt, and had black-rimmed glasses similar to Professor Zhang's on his nose.

His face shape is also more like Professor Zhang's, except that Professor Zhang has almond-shaped eyes, while this man in the white shirt has phoenix eyes. Although he has a smile on his face, he exudes a mature and steady aura.

After him, several more men and women came out of the house. The last one to come out was wearing a blue and white polka-dot apron, blue arm sleeves, and his black hair with white hair was tied up behind his head.

Yu Dawei guessed that the last person to come out should be the "older wife" that Professor Zhang mentioned.

"Eldest brother, second brother? Why are both of your families back?" Professor Zhang looked at the men and women who came out with some confusion.

“My mom called us at noon and said that our third brother was back, so my second brother and I were thinking that after we finished work this afternoon, we would bring our family back to visit. It had been a while since we’d been home.” Zhang Huaimin habitually adjusted his glasses and nodded to Yu Dawei and the others to show his friendliness.

"Oh..." Professor Zhang suddenly realized, then glanced at his blond-haired youngest son, "I'll arrange accommodations for Dajia first, and then I'll see how I deal with you."

The young man seemed unfazed by his father's threats, his gaze occasionally glancing furtively at Yu Feng.

Yu Dawei simply greeted Professor Zhang's family and then led the children to a place to stay.

Da Feng and Er Yan shared a room, while Yu Dawei and A Gui shared a room, with their luggage left in their respective rooms.

Yu Dawei made a special trip to Er Yan and Da Feng's room to give them some instructions, telling them to tidy up properly before visiting Professor Zhang's family.

The idea behind this was to give the family more space and time to chat, since Professor Zhang had mentioned that he was going to discipline his youngest son.

Yu Feng and Er Yan nodded in agreement, watched Yu Dawei leave, and continued to take clothes out of their suitcases, while also tidying up the washbasin, toothbrush, toothpaste, cups, and so on.

"Hey sis, I feel like Professor Zhang's youngest son keeps staring at you. I saw him secretly watching you the moment you walked in." Er Yan chatted as she tidied the bedding, "Sis, you look so beautiful today, do you think he's fallen for you?"

"Don't talk nonsense. If Professor Zhang's family hears this, they might think we're trying to climb the social ladder." Da Feng glanced coldly at her second sister, then earnestly advised, "I don't think that third brother is a good person. Don't get involved with him unless it's absolutely necessary, you hear me?" "Oh, I think he's alright, just a bit ugly." Er Yan seemed only concerned with the other person's appearance.

Da Feng rolled her eyes. Anyway, she had already given her instructions, and it was up to Er Yan to decide what to do.

In short, she didn't have a good impression of that young man; no, it should be said that it was very bad.

She was leering at him. If she weren't Professor Zhang's son, she probably would have gone to her older brother to complain and tell him to watch his eyes.

----

The main room of a courtyard house.

Professor Zhang took a belt and gave Zhang Huaijin, the third son, a couple of slaps on the buttocks, which relieved him of the frustration he had been holding in for days.

He taught his children through encouragement from childhood to adulthood, but his third son, Zhang Huaijin, made it impossible for this old professor to go against his conscience and encourage them.

He would magnify any merit he might have tenfold or a hundredfold, but look at how he sits there lounging around in his chair, there's nothing admirable about him inside or out!

"Tell me! Where have you been for the past two months! Why haven't you even called home! And you've got this yellowish hair, you better dye it back to normal by tomorrow!" Professor Zhang's anger surged again after only a few words.

Zhang Huaijin picked his nose, indicating that he didn't want to talk. He touched his butt, which had just been slapped, with his right hand, and seemed to still be thinking about the girl from earlier.

Seeing that their father was about to pull out his belt again, the eldest brother, Zhang Huaimin, quickly put down his teacup and spoke up for his younger brother: "Dad, I called Huaijin a few days ago and asked him to come back."

The second son, Zhang Huaiyi, who had been sitting silently next to his father, smiled and said, "My eldest brother and I have already covered up the hole that our third son was in with his loan sharks. Although he still has a lot of debts, it doesn't affect his current life, so we let him come back."

Professor Zhang glanced at his two sons, then turned his head to look out the window at the kitchen in the yard. He then earnestly admonished the two children: "You are now adults with your own families and careers. You are no longer children who could break a cookie into three pieces to eat."

“You two brothers are loyal and helped your younger brother pay off his loan sharks, but what do your wives think? What do their in-laws think of the Zhang family? You're both heads of households now; you have to consider your wives and children in everything you do!”

Professor Zhang looked at his eldest and second sons, his brows furrowed deeply. He knew all too well how much the loan sharks had borrowed; it was no small sum. Now that his two sons had paid it all off, how tight their finances would be from now on.

"It's all your fault, you good-for-nothing!" Professor Zhang finally vented his anger on his youngest son. "Didn't I tell you before that you should do things steadily and surely, and never be impatient for quick success? Did you listen?"

Zhang Huaijin remained silent, raising his right foot and placing it on the chair, as if to say, "I can't hear you no matter what you say."

The reason he didn't want to come back was twofold: firstly, the debt collectors might do something if they saw him; secondly, his father would definitely put him under mental pressure the moment he stepped into the house.

He lived like this for the first half of his life, simply because he was not as good as his older brothers in his studies and in his actions. No matter how he was compared to them, he was utterly useless.

It doesn't matter, he's used to it.

Say whatever you want!

“Dad, calm down. It won’t look good if Yu Da and the others come over and see you like this.” Zhang Huaimin continued to comfort his father. Seeing that his father’s anger had not subsided, he looked at Zhang Huaijin and said, “Third son, quickly apologize to Dad.”

"Dad, I was wrong." Zhang Huaijin knew that his older brother was helping him, so he turned his head and forced a smile at his father.

Professor Zhang sighed helplessly. He really had no good way to deal with having such a son.

"Keep an eye on the money you owe your older brothers, and pay it back as soon as you have the money. As for that unfinished property, don't touch it anymore, and don't get involved with those shady friends anymore." Professor Zhang finally softened, and after his anger subsided, he felt a little sorry for his youngest son.

His gaze lingered on Zhang Huaijin's dark and thin face: "Where have you been all this time? Your mother has been crying her eyes out ever since you left."

Although Zhang Huaijin is stubborn, he listens to his mother the most, and his relationship with his mother is the best in the family.

Hearing his father say this, Zhang Huaijin couldn't help but say, "I went to Shenzhen recently. I have a friend there, but he's not doing so well. He went back to Beijing not long after. I was just hesitating about whether to come back when I got a call from my older brother, so I decided to come back with him."

(End of this chapter)