Chapter 20: Li Junsheng's Scheme to Sow Discord! Li Guojun's Sudden Change of Attitude?

Li Guojun was almost about to ask outright if Li Junsheng intended to leave the money to the second son.

Li Junsheng hadn’t slept much the night before, and now, with Li Guojun’s mindless yelling and questioning, his headache only worsened.

He wasn’t afraid that Li Guojun would find out about the money—such things couldn’t be concealed, and he’d inevitably learn about it sooner or later.

There was no escaping this; the issue had to be confronted and resolved.

If Ma Yulian had brought it up earlier, Li Junsheng would have settled it sooner and wouldn’t have minded.

Thinking of this, Li Junsheng shot Ma Yulian a cold look, startling her.

She couldn’t recall when Li Junsheng had begun to change. His gaze was no longer honest and gentle but carried a chill. One look unsettled Ma Yulian, filling her with unease.

What was he planning?

While Ma Yulian wondered, Li Junsheng addressed Li Guojun and his wife in a deep voice: “Come outside with me. Let’s talk in private.”

Li Guojun exchanged a glance with his wife, unsure what Li Junsheng wanted or what needed to be said away from others.

He was curious to hear what his father wanted to discuss privately.

“Let’s go to our room,” Li Guojun said, turning toward his own bedroom, with his wife following behind. Ma Yulian, too, was curious about what Li Junsheng wanted to say to the eldest son and his wife alone—especially since he was intentionally excluding her. It surely couldn’t be anything good.

With that thought, Ma Yulian dropped the act and quietly trailed after Li Junsheng, eager to overhear his words.

But when they reached the doorway of Li Guojun’s bedroom, Li Junsheng stopped, turned back to Ma Yulian, and said, “I need a word with them alone. You are not allowed in.”

With that, he pushed Ma Yulian out and shut the door in her face, locking it from the inside.

Ma Yulian was left outside, frustrated and angry.

Inside, Li Guojun was unsure what Li Junsheng wanted to say—he was wary but impatient to ask, “Dad, why did you call us here alone? What do you want to say?”

“...You’re not going to slander my mother again, are you?”

“Get out!” Li Junsheng slapped him across the face. “Idiot!”

This ungrateful wretch was closer to his mother—but the one who schemed most in the family was Ma Yulian.

Wang Xiuhua pulled Li Guojun back, “Don’t speak yet. Listen to what Dad has to say.”

Li Guojun rubbed the spot where Li Junsheng had slapped him, his expression dark for a moment, but thinking about the money, he kept quiet.

Li Junsheng smoked, speaking in a low voice. “I sold my job at the factory to Chen Dazhu. Stop making a scene.”

“To be honest with you both, I’ve heard reliable news—the machinery factory will likely restructure and lay off workers. It won’t be a secure job any longer.”

“Rather than being laid off, it’s better to take advantage of Chen Dazhu and his son’s banquet, sell the job to them, and get an extra thousand yuan.”

He paused, then scolded Li Guojun.

“Guojun, honestly, can’t you use your own brain? Do you believe Chen Dazhu is genuinely borrowing my job, or is he scheming? Do you think those two would ever return the job to me?”

“They took me for a fool, thinking they could get a job for free by getting me drunk. Be thankful I wasn’t completely incapacitated that day; otherwise, there wouldn’t even be the extra thousand yuan!”

Li Guojun and Wang Xiuhua exchanged glances, shaken by Li Junsheng’s words, unable to digest them quickly.

First, the news about the factory’s restructuring had been circulating lately—other factories had already started...

They hadn’t expected the machinery factory to face the same fate!

If what his father said was true, selling the job for a high price now was indeed a smart move.

Regarding the character of Chen Dazhu and his son, Wang Xiuhua couldn’t help but agree, “Dad’s right. Chen Dazhu and his son can’t be trusted. Borrowing a job—how could they ever return it?”

“Guojun, think about it. Chen Zhiyuan often borrowed money from you, promising to repay, but he never has.”

Li Guojun nodded emphatically. Whatever else, he disliked Chen Dazhu and his son.

Sometimes he felt Ma Yulian treated him worse than she did Chen Zhiyuan.

Though it was subtle, he had noticed.

“That’s true... If they really borrowed the job, they’d never return it.”

Seeing Li Guojun finally understand, Li Junsheng glanced at the door and snorted coldly. “Chen Dazhu and Chen Zhiyuan never stop taking advantage. You’re old enough to know—how many benefits have they taken from our family since that time Chen Dazhu saved your mother?”

“Your mother has given them money and effort, and now she’s eyeing my job. There’s no need for such repayment. How could I leave my factory job to you or your brother but let Chen Zhiyuan benefit?”

These words struck a chord in Li Guojun.

He’d long been unhappy with Ma Yulian’s favoritism toward Chen Zhiyuan, and for a moment he sympathized with Li Junsheng.

“Dad, you’re right... But is your information about the factory reliable? Could you have been deceived?”

Li Junsheng spoke frankly, “The news is reliable. I’ve considered it for a long time. If I get laid off, what would I do? Then Chen Dazhu showed up at just the right moment.”

“I couldn’t refuse his money—a job about to be lost is better sold for a thousand yuan. Though I’ll lose my factory job, the money can be left for you two.”

Hearing that Li Junsheng intended to leave them the money, Li Guojun and Wang Xiuhua’s anger about selling the job vanished, replaced by delight.

A thousand yuan was no small sum—it could accomplish much.

Otherwise, they’d have to wait years to inherit their father’s job.

Li Guojun thought that if the factory really was about to lay off workers, it was indeed better to enjoy the money now.

His attitude toward Li Junsheng changed instantly.

“But don’t mention the factory restructuring to your mother. No need to complicate things.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t say a word,” Wang Xiuhua immediately replied.

“Dad, you’re good at managing things! If only you’d told us earlier—look at the mess this caused!”

“Did I have time? Didn’t you wake me up with your shouting this morning?”

Li Guojun quickly tried to please Li Junsheng, and Wang Xiuhua nodded in agreement. “Dad, don’t mind Guojun. He really believed you and Mom weren’t treating him well and was upset.”

Li Junsheng didn’t take Wang Xiuhua’s words seriously—upset? Li Guojun was clearly angry about his loss.

Still, he played along.

“How could I not treat him well? It’s your mother...”

He didn’t elaborate, but Li Guojun understood—his mother wasn’t fully on their side.

“Dad, don’t mind what Mom says. I support you selling the factory job. Thanks to your foresight, we got a thousand yuan. Otherwise, where would we get such money?”

“Right, Xiuhua?”

Wang Xiuhua nodded repeatedly, her mind fixed on where Li Junsheng had put the money.

She nudged Li Guojun with her elbow, signaling him to ask for the money directly.

No matter what the father said, only when the money was in their hands would it truly belong to them.

Li Guojun caught his wife’s signal and said to Li Junsheng, “Dad, I heard from Mom that you got the money from Chen Dazhu that same day. Where did you put it? Since it’s meant for me, hand it over now.”

“Our eldest daughter needs money for piano lessons!”