Chapter 5: The Boss Speaks Out of Turn? Li Junsheng Responds with a Slap!
Once it was clear that Li Junsheng had pulled a large sum of money from his pocket, Li Guojun could no longer contain himself, his eyes reddened instantly with jealousy.
He and Wang Xiuhua began to question Li Junsheng.
“Come on, Dad, where did you get so much money? Don’t you know your eldest granddaughter wants to learn piano, but there’s no money to buy a piano, no money for lessons?”
“Both are your grandchildren—why won’t you spend money for your eldest granddaughter to learn piano? Why do you give it all to your second son?”
Wang Xiuhua quickly chimed in, echoing Li Guojun, “Exactly! We ask you for some money to send your granddaughter to piano lessons, you say you don’t have any. But your second son asks, and you have it. Isn’t that favoritism?”
“What kind of father treats his children like this!”
Li Guojun and Wang Xiuhua pulled at Li Junsheng, their dissatisfaction plain to see.
Li Jianjun wasn’t old enough yet to be toppled by their pushing, but give him another ten or twenty years and they’d certainly knock him down.
Li Junsheng found it all ridiculous.
Favoritism toward his second son? In his last life, his greatest favoritism had been toward his eldest. But what was the outcome?
That couple squeezed every bit of use out of him, and when he grew old and ill, they didn’t care about looking after him or fulfilling their filial duty. Instead, they pushed him onto the second son, or simply mistreated him, forcing him to leave.
They were pure ingrates!
Even the eldest’s children were the same, inheriting the mercenary traits of their parents. They complained about the smell of old age on their grandfather and threatened to send him to sleep with the dogs in the kennel!
That was the child he favored most!
By contrast, it was the second son who, upon seeing Li Junsheng being shoved by his elder brother and sister-in-law, hurried forward to support him, afraid he might fall.
Li Junsheng’s two sons—his eldest was the spitting image of Ma Yulian and always enjoyed her favor. The second son, however, resembled Li Junsheng himself, honest and hardworking, and perhaps because Ma Yulian disliked him, she extended that dislike to the second son as well, treating him harshly.
Now, seeing Li Junsheng lend money to him and provoke the displeasure of his brother and sister-in-law, the second son hesitated, words stuck in his throat.
He wanted his father to take the money back, to avoid the endless trouble from his elder brother and sister-in-law.
But his own son urgently needed the money for hospital care.
On one side was his father, on the other his son—the second son was caught between the two.
Li Junsheng turned and noticed the conflicted expression on his second son’s face.
He was no longer the meek Li Junsheng of the past. Now, with his grandson’s life at stake, he would never let the second son return the money.
Li Junsheng twisted his head and sternly rebuked his eldest.
“Eldest, you’ve lived all these years for nothing! Is your daughter’s piano more important, or Xiao Wei’s life? If I favored your brother, would I let him move out?”
“Spare me your nonsense! It’s my money—I’ll give it to whomever I please!”
His eldest son visibly bristled at the rebuke, unwilling to accept it.
Even the onlookers, who had gathered to watch the drama, began murmuring.
“This Guojun is really heartless, only thinking of his daughter. But Xiao Wei is his nephew.”
“I watched Guojun and Guohua grow up. If Junsheng favored anyone, I’d know. When the eldest married, Junsheng handled everything. He’s nearly thirty and still asks his father for spending money, and yet he dares say Junsheng favors the second son!”
Li Junsheng ignored what the neighbors said about his eldest—every word was true. Turning to the second son, he urged, “You fool, what are you standing there for? You’ve got the money, hurry and take Xiao Wei to the hospital!”
Saying this, he gave him a push.
“You don’t need to worry about things here!”
The second son’s wife realized how much pressure her father-in-law had faced to hand over that money. Tears welled in her eyes, uncertain what to say to Li Junsheng.
She’d once resented him for favoring the eldest, but now, every trace of resentment vanished.
The second son dropped to his knees and bowed twice.
“Dad, thank you for lending the money so Xiao Wei can be hospitalized. I know how hard it was for you to save it. Don’t worry, I promise I’ll pay it back!”
With those words, he got up and hurried with his wife and child to the hospital.
Li Junsheng watched his second son’s retreating figure, his heart filled with complex guilt.
In his past life, he’d been blind to the second son’s goodness. How could he have favored the eldest when the second son was so considerate?
Two hundred yuan—the second son treasured it, solemnly promising to repay. Yet how many times had he given his eldest the same amount, only for it to be taken as a matter of course, with the eldest never satisfied, always thinking it wasn’t enough?
Truly, the child least favored often turns out to be the most filial.
Perhaps the second son also hoped for his father’s approval and affection.
He recalled a phrase he’d once overheard: abuse breeds loyalty.
The eldest was simply spoiled, and now, nearing thirty, could he ever change?
Lost in thought, Li Junsheng saw his eldest, infuriated by the second son taking the money, continue to angrily confront him.
“Dad, how can you hand such a sum to your second son? You really are muddled, never recognizing who’s good to you! You live with us, we serve you every day—your money and everything else should be left to me!”
“What has he done for you? You’re cunning, accepting our care while secretly favoring the second son and hiding money for him. Today we caught you at it.”
“Who knows how much you give him when we’re not home? I always wondered why there’s never enough money—it’s because you give it to him!”
Listening to his eldest, Li Junsheng’s face darkened.
This wretched child! What care? He was only fifty, healthy and independent, working long hours and still cooking and cleaning for his eldest’s family.
When had his eldest ever served him? He’d never even brought him a basin of water for washing his feet!
His eldest couldn’t even hold a steady job, forever coveting a position at the machinery factory and relying on his father’s wages.
How could he speak so shamelessly, twisting the truth?
Li Junsheng could bear it no longer.
With a resounding slap, he struck his eldest son across the face.
The sharp sound echoed, leaving everyone stunned and silent.
His eldest was utterly bewildered, his head ringing. Li Junsheng had always treated him best, never once raised a hand against him.
Even Wang Xiuhua was startled, frozen by the slap.
Just then, Ma Yulian returned from Chen Dazhu’s house, radiant, only to witness Li Junsheng’s blow to the eldest.
Ma Yulian, who adored her eldest, was instantly enraged.
“Li Junsheng! How dare you hit Jun’er?”