1994: Starting with unpaid leave

Upon hearing this, the eldest brother, Dong Baoguo, blushed and was unsure whether to sit or stand.

"Um... um... Jianguo, I..."

Before he could finish speaking, Liang Qiuyue grabbed his arm and turned to look at Zhang Guifen and Dong Xuewen, the elderly couple sitting at the table:

"Dad, Mom, say something! Look at Jianguo, he's still making a scene. We're all family, does it have to get to this point? Aren't we just making a fool of ourselves?"

"Am I being unreasonable?"

Dong Jianguo pointed to his nose, almost laughing in exasperation:

"Some people didn't even pay out a single coin, yet they reaped substantial benefits, and now they're pointing their fingers at me and yelling, accusing me of being unreasonable!"

"Didn't the person who said that consider that we're all family?!"

Preparing a meal is already tiring and troublesome, and now that he's been turned on, Dong Jianguo's anger has been completely ignited.

Liang Qiuyue was not to be outdone. Although she was not in the right in this matter, she had the advantage of being the woman!

So he glared at Dong Jianguo and yelled:

"Hey, what are you yelling about?!"

"You think you're so great just because you have a little money?! Don't forget how your brother and I helped you when you got married!"

Dong Jianguo sneered:

"For example... giving Xiuyun and me a broken color TV? Sister-in-law, you've really gone to great lengths. I'll never forget your kindness. Tomorrow I'll go to the recycling center and collect ten broken TVs to return to you!"

"If you think that's not enough, I'll give you 20 more!"

Dong Jianguo's few words turned Liang Qiuyue's face pale with embarrassment.

"That's enough!"

Dong Xuewen, who had been silent until now, slammed his chopsticks on the table, making the cups and bowls on the table rattle loudly.

"Do you still want to eat?!"

"If you want to argue, wait until you've made me so angry I'm going to die!"

His words finally quieted down the Dong family members at the dinner table.

That wasn't all. Dong Xuewen turned to look at Dong Jianguo, about to say something, when his older brother Dong Xuefeng nudged his arm.

"Today is the National Day, a joyous occasion for your new home! Why are you so angry?!"

Dong Xuewen snorted, "Hmph, they'll drive me crazy sooner or later!"

Uncle Erda smiled:

"Why get angry at the kids? You have so many kids, how can you possibly get angry at them all!"

After saying that, he pointed to the food on the table and said to the younger generation:

"Don't just stand there! Jianguo has been busy all day and cooked a whole table of food for everyone, so hurry up and eat!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Let's eat!"

When the second uncle spoke, all the younger generation readily agreed.

But when Liang Qiuyue saw that her father-in-law had only stopped the argument between the two sides and had not spoken up for her, the great contributor to the Dong family, she immediately became as frightened as Changbai Mountain.

Seeing her husband act as if nothing had happened and reach for the braised pork knuckle with his chopsticks again, she became even angrier and shoved Dong Baoguo.

"Eat, eat, eat until you die!"

The older brother was taken aback: "Grandma, what else do you want to do?! Can't we even eat our food?"

"I'm so angry I'm full, why would I want to eat!"

As Liang Qiuyue spoke, she threw her chopsticks on the table, got up, and went to the bedroom to call her son:

"Xiaojun, come with Mom, let's go home!"

From the bedroom came Dong Xiaojun's mournful cry: "Ah? Can't I stay? I want to watch Sailor Moon!"

"You look like a Sailor Moon to me, get out of here!"

After a roar, the bedroom became much quieter.

Soon, Liang Qiuyue, the eldest sister-in-law, led the sobbing Dong Xiaojun out of the bedroom.

The mother and daughter stood in front of their elder brother, Dong Baoguo: "Are you leaving or not?"

Zhang Guifen looked at her furious daughter-in-law and asked, "Qiuyue, what are you doing?"

Liang Qiuyue showed no respect for her mother-in-law, nudging Dong Baoguo's arm with her hand:

"Stop eating! I'm just asking if you're leaving or not!"

Seeing his wife's eyes widen in surprise, Dong Baoguo felt a chill run down his spine and quickly stuffed the sea cucumber from the bowl into his mouth, looking ashamed.

"Let's go, let's go... I can't even stand listening to this for a meal."

After finally managing to swallow the food in his mouth, Dong Baoguo said goodbye to his parents and his second uncle's family, and then left with his wife.

Seeing this, Zhang Guifen frowned and gave her youngest son a meaningful look:

"Jianguo, hurry and see your elder brother and sister-in-law off!"

"I don't need him to take me!"

After Liang Qiuyue finished speaking, she slammed the door shut and left.

Dong Baoguo, who was changing his shoes at the door, almost got his shoes caught in the door. He looked at his wife, who was glaring at him and his son from the corner of the hallway, then turned back to look at the Dong family members at the table. He opened his mouth, but the apology he should have said to his younger brother remained unspoken.

After a long pause, he finally turned to Xiuyun and said in a low voice:

"Sister-in-law, I'm so sorry. I'll make it up to you next time..."

"Big brother..." Xiuyun was a little embarrassed. She got up to see him off, but Dong Jianguo pulled her back to her seat, making her unable to move.

Seeing this, Dong Baoguo sighed, said nothing more, and led his son out the door.

Although the door was closed, those in the living room could still hear Liang Qiuyue's complaints:

"You just stand there and criticize me, looking at your brother! Don't you even know how to help?!"

"Marrying you is the worst thing that ever happened to me; I'd be much luckier than marrying a nice old woman!"

……

Dong Jianguo was still somewhat puzzled after his rebirth.

Why was it that his older brother's career initially went smoothly, and he became a section chief early on, but after that, he was never able to take another step forward?

Only today did he realize that his older brother's perspective and way of handling things were vastly different.

Even when they make mistakes, they are too embarrassed to admit them. How can such a person gain the appreciation of any leader?

As for having such a petty and narrow-minded wife... all I can say is to respect other people's fate.

Zhang Guifen looked at Dong Jianguo, who remained silent on the table, and sighed.

"Jianguo, your sister-in-law, she..."

Dong Jianguo waved his hand, stopping his mother from speaking:

"Oh, right, Mom."

"Xiuyun and I discussed it. We haven't been able to properly show our respect to you and Dad over the years, but now that we have a little more money, we'll give you both a red envelope."

Upon hearing this, Xiuyun hurriedly took out two red envelopes that she had prepared beforehand from her pocket and handed them over.

Zhang Guifen was taken aback:

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Dong Jianguo replied:

"I didn't mean anything by it, I just thought that you two could buy whatever you want to eat at your older brother's place from now on, instead of waiting for your sister-in-law to bring it to you..."

"He who eats another's food is bound to him; he who takes another's gift is bound to him. I don't feel it now, but who knows what will happen in the future!"

As Dong Jianguo spoke, the image of his father stealing glances at his daughter-in-law's expression as he picked up a crab that night involuntarily came to mind.

As a son, it's hard not to feel heartache.

He was considering bringing his elderly parents over when he had more money, or buying them a separate house to live in.

He knew without a doubt that the two elders were worried about their eldest grandson...

It really does prove that saying true:

Every family has its own troubles...