Carrying the little lucky star, leading the villain on the road to exile

Chapter 226. Sympathy
The snow had been falling for several days, and the distance they had to walk each day was getting shorter and shorter. Liu Pingkang and the others were anxious, but there was nothing they could do.

"We've only covered this little distance in a day; I'm afraid we won't make it back for the New Year this year." Ma Zhi looked at the slow pace, his lips even breaking out in blisters from anxiety. "Boss, why is the weather so bad this year?"

“Isn’t it the same every year?” Liu Pingkang said calmly. “That’s because we set off a little earlier and reached the Lingnan border when the heavy snow came. There’s more rain there, but it’s still easier to travel than this kind of road.”

"It seems that's really the case. The snow came exceptionally early this year. I hope we'll have a good harvest next year." Ma Zhi thought of his pregnant wife at home. The snow was good because it meant the family would stay indoors during the winter, so she wouldn't have to work so hard every day.

"What, you also farm at home?" Liu Pingkang had always assumed that Ma Zhi also lived in Beijing.

Ma Zhi said, “My family is large, and I am the only one working. I don’t have the ability to bring my family to the capital. So my family still has a few acres of poor land, which is barely enough to make a living.”

“You’ve had it tough too,” Liu Pingkang finally understood why Ma Zhi had always been so frugal. “What about that little courtyard in Beijing?”

“That was my wife’s dowry,” Ma Zhi said. He didn’t find it hard to say. Anyway, he was relying on his wife’s family, not just himself. Gu Kaiyuan was even better off than him.

“My in-laws run a small business in Beijing. Although they are not as wealthy as the Bai family, they love their daughter and have given my husband and me a place to stay in Beijing.”

“That’s good,” Liu Pingkang said, not thinking it was anything special. Having someone to help is a blessing. “With your father-in-law’s help, we’ll get by eventually.”

Ma Zhi smiled wryly, "Actually, our family situation is not much different from Gu Kaiyuan's, except that my father is not as capable."

Liu Pingkang became interested. "Your family is biased too."

"Pretty much. Anyway, when a large family lives together, it's inevitable that there will be some friction."

My wife's family has some wealth, and I also have an income. The elders in her family want to share the wealth equally. I'm away working most of the year, which isn't a problem, but it's tough on my wife.

Gu Kaiyuan's behavior these days has made him realize many of his own shortcomings. Even with Gu Kaiyuan protecting her, Bai Suihe is still having such a hard time. One can only imagine how difficult it must be for his wife when he is not around.

Liu Pingkang also thought of this and sighed, "Every family has its own problems, but I think Gu Kaiyuan is a real man. He knows how to protect his wife and children. You could learn from him."

No wonder I always felt you seemed to favor Gu Kaiyuan; it turns out we're in the same boat.

Ma Zhi smiled awkwardly, "Although there are some similarities, I am still a bit luckier than him. Although my parents are biased, they dare not go too far because I am the most capable in the family."

Liu Pingkang smiled meaningfully, "As for the specifics, you should go back and ask your wife for her opinion."

Having seen a lot, Liu Pingkang felt that even in small, humble households, there were many intricacies involved, making it very difficult for an outsider to establish herself in her husband's family.

Ma Zhi seemed to be thinking about it. It seemed to be true. Every time he went back, his wife would only report good news and not bad news. But every time she saw him, the light in her eyes was still fresh in his memory.

Yes, when he was away, I suffered a lot, but of course my family wouldn't talk about it. As his daughter-in-law, I naturally wouldn't dare to speak ill of my elders.

Thinking about how cold it was, he actually felt a sweat break out on his back. "Head??"

"Just go back and ask. But as someone who's been there, I have to give you some advice: you'd better be mindful of the income we earn outside."

While Liu Pingkang went out on inspection, Ma Zhi kept thinking about this issue. It seemed that he really needed to make some adjustments. His parents weren't just his parents; he was living on tenterhooks. What if something really happened to him one day? Would his family treat his wife and children well? Thinking about his family's personalities, Ma Zhi suddenly felt that the Gu family was actually better than his own. After all, the Gu family cared about their reputation and wouldn't dare to make things too outrageous.

But it's different in the countryside; sometimes people will fight each other over a bite to eat.

"What is he thinking?" Just then, Gu Kaiyuan and his oxcart passed by. Gu Kaiyuan jumped off the cart and stood with him.

"I was thinking about some things at home. Why did you end up in front of the security escort agency today?" They used to hide in the middle of the agency with their oxcarts, so this was unusual.

Gu Kaiyuan certainly wouldn't say it was to make it easier to get information from the Gu family. "Sigh, always staying away from the group makes things difficult for you. Anyway, we'll be going down the same route no matter which way we go, so it doesn't matter if we're a little ahead or a little behind."

"How are things with my father these days?"

Gu Kaiyuan grabbed another handful of dried meat, which Ma Zhi casually put into the bag. "It's the same old thing, but I'm afraid your family is going to have a new member."

Gu Kaiyuan said, "That shouldn't be the case. We have a family rule that we can't have concubines."

"Your father doesn't need to take a concubine..."

“Oh, you mean remarriage,” Gu Kaiyuan said nonchalantly. “That’s my father’s business. We sons can’t interfere. Besides, I have two older brothers to support me. I’ll just follow in their footsteps.”

Ma Zhi pondered for a moment, "What if my elder brother makes excessive demands?"

Gu Kaiyuan glanced at him and said, "Since it's going too far, it means I'm powerless to help you, so naturally I can't satisfy you."

"But your father favors them. Aren't you afraid of being pressured by the concept of filial piety?"

“What’s there to be afraid of? My father always told me to take my brother as an example, and I always keep that in mind.”

"What if brothers help each other?"

Gu Kaiyuan said, "It's all reciprocal. They helped me, so of course I'll find a way to repay them. Conversely, I can also ignore them."

Ma Zhi thought of his brothers at home; if he really went to that point, he was afraid they would tear him apart alive.

No, his brothers probably wouldn't even need to lift a finger; his parents would probably subdue him.

Why did he feel sorry for Gu Kaiyuan before? Actually, he was the one who was truly pitiful.

“Your wife is very lucky,” Ma Zhi patted him on the shoulder and jogged forward. He had already wasted a lot of time and needed to catch up quickly.

Gu Kaiyuan looked puzzled. What was it all about today? Ma Zhi's attitude was strange today. Had he overheard something again?
It's been a while since I visited my great-grandfather. I should go and say hello. After all, relationships need to be maintained, even though there's no real affection between them, and it's mostly just mutual exploitation.

After greeting Bai Suihe, Gu Kaiyuan quickly caught up with the group ahead and found the Gu clan members.

(End of this chapter)