Era: Starting with the struggle to refuse being taken advantage of

Chapter 317 Mid-Autumn Moon Viewing
Who can argue with that?

“When Wang Tieshan’s family first proposed dividing the family property, I thought he was being ungrateful and would affect unity.”

"Looking back now, they were forced into this situation; it was a last resort."

"Life has improved noticeably since we separated from the family."

"Oh my, it's true, I'm so envious of their life."

"Especially Wang Chengpeng, who is tinkering with something and making a lot of money. I heard from his parents that he earned this huge family fortune."

"Thinking about it, his parents only worked for a few months, how much money could they have?"

“When the family divided the property, the Wang family didn’t give them anything. I heard that in the beginning, they even begged the brigade to give them an advance on their food rations.”

"What kind of business can make so much money? How can there be such a way in our rural area? Could he be making money through shady means?"

"It's said that Wang Chengpeng hired two swindlers to get Zhao Yuju to tell the truth this time. Could he be one of those swindlers?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Could Wang Chengpeng be that kind of person?"

"Our village's Dapeng Sugar Factory was established under his leadership. How could someone who cares so much about the people be a bad person?"

"You have to understand, they have their own ways of making money, there's no need for them to do something so thankless."

"Don't be fooled by the fact that Dapeng Sugar Factory is making money now. You know how many problems they encountered along the way."

"In the beginning, when we couldn't sell a single bag of Dapeng white sugar, everyone was extremely worried."

"Besides, Wang Chengpeng is a good comrade who has received a banner from the police station and been praised in front of everyone. How could he be a liar?"

"By the way, speaking of Dapeng Sugar Factory, I know a little-known fact."

"Rumors? What rumors? Tell me about them."

"Rumors can't be guaranteed to be true."

"I'll tell you this in secret, but don't tell anyone else."

"Isn't there a rumor that there's a master who's been giving guidance to Factory Director Wang? I think that person might be Wang Chengpeng!"

"No way, how old is Wang Chengpeng? How could that expert be him?"

"I also think it's unlikely, but my husband mentioned when he came back last time that he saw Director Wang returning happily from Wang Chengpeng's house."

"The timing was perfect, right when Dapeng white sugar couldn't sell. If it weren't for that idea, how could Factory Director Wang be smiling?"

Although there was no telescopic system in this era, there were still clues to follow in people's actions.
In addition, Wang Chengpeng's home was right next to the Dapeng Sugar Factory, so the factory manager's whereabouts were seen by the workers who returned late.

"Oh my, now that you mention it, it's actually quite possible."

"But I still don't believe it. I guess Wang Chengpeng must have met some important people when he went to the city before, so he helped Director Wang make some connections."

"Didn't a car drive into our village last time? I think it ended up at Wang Chengpeng's house. Could it be that he got lucky and helped someone out?"

"That's quite possible. Wang Chengpeng is only a few years old; he couldn't possibly be a master."

"He's really lucky. He met such a big shot and his career skyrocketed."

"Sigh, why am I not so lucky?"

"Don't be envious, there aren't that many good things in this world."

"He can help us set up the Dapeng Sugar Factory, so that everyone can enjoy the benefits. That's the real deal, and it's a blessing that the whole Wangjia Village can enjoy."

"That seems to make sense; it's still more reliable to earn money this way."

"I've heard that those big shots in the city are not easy to deal with; you could get yourself into trouble if you're not careful."

“When I went to the city a while ago, I heard that a big shot had been executed. If we were even remotely involved, our whole family would be finished.”

: 'Okay, we've gone too far off topic. Let's get back to Zhao Yuju's matter.'

"Wang Degong is really pitiful. He raised someone's child for so long, only to find out when he was almost at the age of death."

"The most ridiculous thing is his favoritism, favoring the son of his lover while bullying his own son and adopted son."

"Zhao Yuju's actions had some justification, but his actions made absolutely no sense."

"He was probably just deceived by Zhao Yuju and didn't realize what was going on, which is why he acted this way, right?"

"You're oversimplifying things. In the end, isn't this all caused by Wang Degong's favoritism?"

"He's the head of the family. If he could treat every child fairly, would things have turned out this way?"

"He always acted like a moral exemplar, saying that he had done a great deed before, but he wouldn't tell you when asked. I suppose it was about adopting Wang Tieshan."

"But the truth... tsk tsk tsk, he's such a good person..."

"I heard that he seems to have abandoned his own family and gone to find his biological son, Wang Yinshan."

"But Wang Yinshan didn't make things easy for him either, and kept him locked out for several hours before letting him in."

"In the end, I said I would live with him, but only if we could drive Wang Jinshan and his family back home and take back what belongs to him."

"Even an upright official finds it hard to settle family disputes; this matter is likely to become a long and complicated mess."

"After all, Wang Yinshan is Wang Degong's real son, and he hasn't bought out the support relationship, so he can't escape."

"But asking him to make Wang Degong feel uncomfortable would probably make him feel uneasy, and he wouldn't give him a pleasant look."

"In the end, Wang Degong doesn't deserve any sympathy. If it weren't for the awful things he did, how could he have ruined Wang Chengpeng's family so badly?"

"Okay, okay, that's enough. I need to go home and cook."

"Let's talk again if anything interesting happens in the village next time."

……

There were too many people present at the time, so it was impossible and unnecessary to hide the matter, which immediately caused a huge uproar in Wangjia Village.

Fortunately, thanks to the good reputation Wang Chengpeng has built up over the years, the matter was resolved smoothly without any major issues.

Given Wang Tieshan's tragic fate and Zhao Yuju's heinous acts, no one can say anything bad about their family.

Looking at the full moon on the horizon, Wang Chengpeng thought to himself, this might be the best gift for this Mid-Autumn Festival.

"Brother, brother, brother!"

"Can we eat those mooncakes now? I've been waiting for days!"

The world of children is much simpler. Apart from feeling gratified, Wang Meiyan was not affected by this incident.

Just after dinner, as the family sat in the courtyard admiring the moon, Wang Meiyan started clamoring for mooncakes.

Her eyes sparkled, as if they held stars, and a playful smile played on her lips.

"Brother, where are the mooncakes? Hurry up and bring them out!"

Wang Meiyan's voice was as clear and crisp as a wind chime, with a hint of coquettishness.
"If even hard mooncakes taste so good, wouldn't this soft mooncake make me feel like I'm in heaven?" Looking at Wang Meiyan's expression, Wang Chengpeng felt helpless and picked up a mooncake wrapped tightly in oil paper from the table.

He carefully unwrapped the oil paper, revealing the golden and soft mooncake inside.

The mooncakes glistened with oil and emitted a rich aroma, a blend of peanut, melon seed, and sesame fragrance, making one's mouth water.

"It's ready to eat. Try it and see if it tastes better than last time. Was the long wait worth it?"

Wang Meiyan took the mooncake, her eyes narrowing into slits with a smile.

She gently broke the mooncake open with her fingers, and the flaky crust peeled away layer by layer, revealing the generous filling inside.

The peanuts, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds are mixed together, emitting an enticing aroma.

She licked her fingers, which were stained with a little filling, and a satisfied smile spread across her face.

"It's so fragrant!"

She broke off a small piece of mooncake, put it in her mouth, and chewed it carefully.

The flaky pastry melts in your mouth, the filling is sweet and delicious, and the rich aroma of peanuts, the crunch of melon seeds, and the rich flavor of sesame seeds blend together perfectly, making you want to eat more.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and a happy smile appeared on her face, as if she had tasted the most delicious food in the world.

He kept breaking the mooncake in his fingers, putting small pieces into his mouth, and eating with great relish.

"Brother, these mooncakes are delicious! They smell even better than the last ones!" Wang Meiyan's voice was filled with excitement and satisfaction. "It was definitely worth the wait!"

Looking at her satisfied expression, Wang Chengpeng felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

He knew that the mooncake was not only a delicacy, but also a symbol of his family's reunion.

He smiled and nodded, his tone full of affection: "Eat more if you like it, but be careful not to choke."

Upon hearing this, Wang Meiyan smiled even more brightly.

She looked at her shiny, oily fingers, smiled mischievously, and then jumped up and smeared the oil on Wang Chengpeng's face, bursting into laughter.

"Brother, what happened to you? You look like a big tabby cat!"

Before Wang Chengpeng got angry, she offered him a mooncake in a conciliatory manner, saying:
"Brother, you should try it too, it's really delicious!"

Wang Chengpeng shook his head helplessly, wiped the oil off his face, his eyes filled with a mixture of doting and resignation.

This mischievous little sister always warms his heart.

Break off a piece of mooncake and chew it slowly, letting the delicious flavor spread in your mouth and leaving a lingering fragrance.

Looking up, Wang Chengpeng saw Wang Tieshan sitting opposite him, staring blankly with empty eyes, as if he was being weighed down by something and couldn't breathe.

He held a small piece of mooncake in his hand, but hesitated to put it in his mouth. He just stared blankly at the oil paper on the table, as if it contained some unsolvable riddle.

Too many things have happened recently, and they've been so chaotic that Wang Tieshan was caught completely off guard.

The heavy truth, in particular, weighed on his heart like a boulder, making it impossible for him to let go.

Although he knew that telling the truth would also be harmful to the person involved, Wang Chengpeng knew that if these old ailments were not completely cured, they would eventually fester and ooze pus, causing even more terrible consequences.

Only by eradicating the root cause can fresh flesh and blood grow back, leading to a complete cure.

Seeing Wang Tieshan's preoccupied appearance, Wang Chengpeng felt a complex mix of emotions.

He knew that his father needed a complete release, and that someone was there to face his unspeakable pain with him.

He got up and went back to his room, and soon returned with two bottles of wine in his hand.

The wine bottle is made of celadon and has a red paper sticker on it with the words "Osmanthus Wine" written on it. Wang Chengpeng specially went to the market to buy it.

With its rich aroma, mellow taste, and low alcohol content, it's perfect for enjoying while admiring the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Wang Tieshan snapped out of his daze, looked up at Wang Chengpeng, then at the wine in his hand, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

His fingers unconsciously traced the rim of the wine glass, as if hesitating or struggling.

Finally, he picked up the glass in front of him, his voice low and hoarse: "Okay... have a little."

He raised his glass and clinked it against Wang Chengpeng's; the glasses struck together with a crisp sound.

“Dad, let bygones be bygones.” Wang Chengpeng’s voice was gentle yet firm, as if carrying a strong force. “Let’s live our lives as a family and not be held back by those old things anymore.”

Upon hearing this, a hint of gratitude and guilt flashed in Wang Tieshan's eyes.

He knew that Wang Chengpeng was helping him relieve his inner pressure in his own way.

He looked at his wife sitting beside him, her eyes full of concern, then at his obedient and sensible daughter, and then at Wang Chengpeng, who had gotten up early to shoulder the family's burdens. In the end, he finally unloaded the heavy burden on his heart.

Yes, let bygones be bygones.

Thinking this, Wang Tieshan took a deep breath, picked up his wine glass, and drank it all in one gulp.

The aroma of osmanthus wine melted on his tongue, carrying a sweet and warm feeling that seemed to reach all the way to his heart.

After figuring it out, Wang Tieshan's voice was filled with relief:

“Cheng Peng, I was wrong to do this. I made you, a child, worry so much about me.”

"Don't worry, I've come to terms with it and I won't be upset about these trivial things anymore."

"As long as our family lives well now, that is the happiest thing."

In the courtyard, the moonlight spilled onto the ground, like a layer of silver frost.

The fragrance of osmanthus blossoms mingled with the aroma of wine, filling the night air.

After resolving their differences, the family chatted and laughed, their laughter echoing in the courtyard, creating a particularly warm atmosphere.

……

The next day, Wang Chengpeng got up very early.

After practicing his boxing in the courtyard for a while, he saw Wang Hai rushing over here.

He had barely sat down when he said indignantly:
"That Zhao Yuju is really shameless. In front of so many people, she actually dared to say that she didn't say or do anything."

"Plus, she's getting old, so she's really started clinging to me."

"But I know you would never fight a battle you're not sure you can win, and you must still have something up your sleeve, so I came here specifically to ask."

Zhao Yuju's behavior perfectly illustrates what it means to be shameless and invincible.
If someone had any sense of shame, they would have been too ashamed to continue living after something like this happened, and suicide would have been a perfectly normal thing to do.

However, she not only refused to plead guilty, but also accused those who testified against her of committing perjury, which infuriated the police officers who were interrogating her.

Left with no other choice, the police officers had to question Wang Hai about the situation again, since Zhao Yuju had been sent there by her.

(End of this chapter)