nucmednet Chapter 999 The Wrong Method
Chapter 999 The Wrong Method
As Yu Qianqian listened to her father's heartbroken and resentful words on the phone, her hand holding the phone trembled uncontrollably.
She slowly raised her eyes, her gaze falling on Deng Zhouyi, her eyes filled with disappointment, as if she had been doused with cold water.
Deng Zhouyi's face was deathly pale, his lips moved, but he couldn't utter a single word.
I felt all my strength drained away, and I stood there helplessly.
"Why did you give your second uncle and aunt so much money?" Yu Qianqian's voice was choked with sobs, and every word seemed to be soaked in ice.
"Qian...Qianqian, I..." Deng Zhouyi was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead. He wanted to explain, but he didn't know where to begin.
"You think you're so great just because you're rich, huh?" Yu Qianqian finally couldn't hold back her tears and they rolled down her cheeks.
He slammed his hand down his cheek onto the tablecloth, leaving a small wet patch, his question filled with grievance and disappointment.
Deng Zhouyi panicked and quickly said, "Qianqian, don't be angry, let me explain, okay? That's not what I meant..."
Before she could finish speaking, Yu Qianqian suddenly stood up and was about to leave. Deng Zhouyi reacted quickly, grabbing her arm.
Her voice was pleading: "Qianqian, I know I was wrong. Please let me explain, just for one minute..."
"Let go of me, I don't want to hear it!" Yu Qianqian tried to shake off his hand, her mind in turmoil.
The questions raised by her parents, the chaotic situation before her eyes...
Like a tangled mess, she was struggling to breathe, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
“Qianqian…” Deng Zhouyi gripped her arm tightly, refusing to let go, his eyes filled with anxiety.
I told you to let go!
Yu Qianqian was in a state of utter confusion. She struggled to break free from Deng Zhouyi's gripping hands, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
Just then, Deng Min stood up from her seat and quickly walked behind the two of them.
Her voice trembled, almost pleading, "Qianqian... Auntie begs you, please give Ayi a chance to explain."
Auntie believes in A-Yi; there must be some misunderstanding. He's not that kind of person…
As she spoke, her eyes reddened, and she raised her hand to wipe away Yu Qianqian's tears, but then hesitated, afraid of being impolite, and her hand stopped in mid-air, looking completely lost.
Deng Zhouyi hurriedly grabbed a few tissues from the table and awkwardly wiped away Yu Qianqian's tears.
Her voice was filled with panic and apology: "I'm sorry, Qianqian, I was confused."
My second aunt came to me then, saying that her family was having difficulties. I thought that since they were all my relatives, I couldn't just sit idly by and do nothing..."
Yu Qianqian raised her bloodshot eyes and glared at him, tears still streaming down her face.
"When exactly did this happen? Why did you give them so much money without ever consulting me?"
Deng Zhouyi pursed his dry lips, lowered his eyes, and his voice grew softer and softer:
"It was half a year ago... Your cousin passed the teacher qualification exam, but all the universities refused to hire him because he was too young and lacked teaching experience."
I used some connections to find him a school in the city and arranged for him to do a post-graduation internship with a base salary of three thousand.
When he first started working, he lived far from the school, and the rent for school district housing was ridiculously expensive.
My aunt kept telling me that instead of using the money from the annual rent, we should just buy a house for our child near the school district.
"We can use it after we get married, saving us the trouble of going back and forth and wasting money."
At this point, his voice was almost inaudible, and his head drooped even lower.
"My second uncle and aunt are farmers; they've never left the town their whole lives!" Yu Qianqian's voice suddenly rose, filled with barely suppressed grievance.
"My cousin studied hard while working, so where would they get the money to buy a house in a good school district in the city?"
Have you considered my feelings when you take on so much responsibility? Have you thought about how my parents will view you?
They'll just think you're trying to buy people off with money, and that you don't respect our family at all!
She abruptly shook off his hand, tears streaming down her face as she blurted out, "Do you think this is helping them?"
You're ruining me! You're making my whole family lose face in front of our relatives!
Deng Zhouyi's face turned pale and then red after hearing what she said. He opened his mouth to defend himself, but found that any words he uttered seemed inadequate.
He really didn't think that much about it, only that he would help if he could, but he forgot that this "help" might be seen as an glaring "charity" in the eyes of the elders.
She only wanted to use her second uncle and aunt's eloquence to put in a good word for her in front of Mr. and Mrs. Yu and help them get together.
Unexpectedly, things turned out this way, backfiring completely.
Deng Min, standing to the side, wrung her hands anxiously, choking back tears as she said, "Qianqian, Ayi really didn't mean to belittle your family."
He's just... just too honest, thinking we're all family... he'd help out however little he can.
Ling Ya stood up and walked closer to Yu Qianqian, gently patting her back and softly advising her:
"Qianqian, calm down. Ayi is a straightforward kid who doesn't think things through, but he has a good heart."
Now that we've cleared up all the misunderstandings, let's stop arguing and sit down to talk it over, okay?
Silence fell over the restaurant again, broken only by Yu Qianqian's suppressed sobs, which struck a chord in everyone's hearts.
Deng Zhouyi stood there, like a child who had done something wrong, his fingertips clutching the crumpled tissue, his knuckles turning white—
He then realized that some good intentions, when used in the wrong way, can become a weapon that hurts others.
The next morning, as soon as the first rays of sunlight shone over the walls of the Yu family's courtyard, Yu's mother picked up a broom and began sweeping the yard, the broom making a rustling sound as it swept across the ground.
She made a plan in her mind and called into the house, "Qianqian's dad, hurry up and tidy up;
I'll go to town to buy some fresh vegetables and fruits, and also get a few pounds of pork belly.
A muffled voice came from inside the house: "Why buy these things? It's not a holiday."
"Qianqian sent a WeChat message last night," Yu's mother straightened up, rubbing her aching lower back, and continued:
"Deng Zhouyi's mother, and his so-called big boss and his wife, are coming today specifically to propose marriage to our family."
We can't just leave them home starving; we can't be rude or lack proper manners.
Yu's father came out of the house with a long face and said irritably, "What marriage proposal? I don't agree to it at all!"
So what if you're from a big city? Does that make you superior? Is there any point in pestering me like this?
"Shut up!" Yu's mother glared at him. "Whether you agree or not, we have to entertain them when they come."
Go quickly and come back soon. While you're at it, ask the factory for a few days off. I don't think this will be resolved so easily; we'll have to prepare for a long haul.
Mr. Yu stamped his foot, full of displeasure, but still turned around and went to push the old bicycle.
He muttered to himself, "I'd like to see what they can say if I disagree!"
Yu's mother shook her head as she watched his retreating figure, then lowered her head to sweep the yard again.
He was sweeping absentmindedly, glancing towards the door every now and then.
At the entrance of the All Seasons Hotel in Q City, a convoy of cars was ready to depart. Teng Junhao gentlemanly opened the car door for Ling Ya, and the two got into the lead car together;
Deng Zhouyi helped Deng Min, with Yu Qianqian following closely behind, and the three of them got into the second car;
Several assistants, carrying the prepared gifts, boarded the third car one by one.
At the end of the procession followed a catering truck arranged by the hotel, which was specifically responsible for providing catering services to ensure that the meals during the meeting were taken care of.
The convoy merged into the morning rush hour traffic, initially surrounded by rows of tall buildings and a constant stream of vehicles.
As you continue forward, the noise gradually fades away, and the street scene is slowly replaced by the rolling mountains.
The asphalt road gradually became rough, occasionally kicking up dust, and the lanes narrowed, completely changing the scenery on both sides—
The fields, stretching as far as the eye can see, appear desolate in winter. The bare ridges are devoid of greenery, with only the cold wind whipping up withered grass, creating a bleak scene.
Inside the carriage, Yu Qianqian gently took Deng Min's arm, a hint of shyness on her face.
He asked in a low voice, "Aunt Deng, the journey was quite bumpy, are you alright?"
Deng Min patted the back of her hand with a gentle smile: "It's fine, Auntie isn't that delicate."
"You young people, aren't you used to these narrow, winding paths?"
She paused, gazing at the passing paddy fields outside the window, and then said softly,
"I wonder how Mr. Teng and his wife are doing? Are they feeling unwell?"
Yu Qianqian shook her head: "They probably won't be used to it. Uncle Teng and Aunt Ling come from wealthy families."
"They came here with a silver spoon in their mouths, they've probably never been to such a poor place before, have they?"
Deng Zhouyi reassured her, "Qianqian, don't overthink it. Uncle Teng and Aunt Ling, under the influence of the old man,..."
He's not that materialistic, and he wouldn't care about this kind of environment; otherwise, Master Jing wouldn't be so outstanding.
Even so, she felt uneasy—her parents' attitude remained unchanged.
Will the journey be as smooth as expected? She secretly glanced at Deng Zhouyi in the passenger seat.
He was looking out the window with a slight frown, as if the unpleasantness of last night was giving him a headache.
Compared to the amount of money he gave his second uncle and aunt, it wasn't entirely out of greed; half of it was out of personal motives, and the other half was out of kindness to help.
Thinking of this, she unconsciously gripped Deng Min's arm, a hint of barely perceptible tension in her eyes.
The car continued along the winding road, and the outline of the village in the distance gradually became clearer. A meeting that concerned the hearts of both families was drawing ever closer.
The car drove steadily into Yujia Village. The old locust tree at the entrance of the village had strong branches, like a silent old man guarding the road into the village.
On the ridges of the fields and beside the millstone at the village entrance, several villagers who were sitting idly stood up straight when they saw a string of luxury cars drive by, their eyes filled with curiosity.
"Wow, what kind of car is this? It looks impressive!" someone smacked their lips and craned their neck to peer through the car window.
Several children with pigtails and wearing floral cotton-padded jackets excitedly ran and played around the car.
A crisp, cheerful voice echoed through the streets and alleys: "Distinguished guests have arrived in the village! So many beautiful cars!"
The doors in front of and behind the house creaked open, and men, women, and children all poked their heads out.
Clutching unfinished shoe soles and unchopped firewood, they gathered in twos and threes by the roadside, pointing and gesturing at the convoy.
At the east end of the village, Yu Qianqian's second aunt was squatting in the yard, using a winnowing basket to shake the corn kernels she had peeled off.
Hearing the commotion outside, she paused for a moment, put down her work, dusted off her trousers, and followed them out.
When she saw the license plate of the lead car in the distance, her heart skipped a beat—
Could it be that Qianqian and Xiao Deng have returned? She clenched the hem of her clothes and quickened her pace, wanting to get closer to see for herself.
The convoy came to a smooth stop under an old locust tree, and the car doors opened one after another.
Teng Junhao and Ling Ya got out of the car with composed smiles, while Deng Zhouyi helped Deng Min.
Yu Qianqian followed closely behind, her face showing a hint of unease and shyness.
The villagers' murmurs gradually subsided, and they all held their breath, watching the group of people.
His eyes held both curiosity and a hint of barely perceptible restraint.
The wind at the village entrance carried the scent of earth and the chill of winter, yet it couldn't dispel the sudden liveliness.
This, in turn, adds a touch of rustic solemnity to the upcoming meeting.