Chapter 68: Siblings (Part 1)

  "Over the New Year?" A brief conversation, but what Aunt Hui said was bitter and moved Zhou Ming's expression greatly. It turned out that she had been considering selling her house recently, with the goal of letting Zhou Ming buy some things to take back home for the New Year, so he could return in style?

  It turns out that except for the first year when Zhou Ming Luo came to Xin Chuan, he also met Fang Shu Tong very quickly, but after all, it was just the beginning, and his feelings with the Fang family were not deep. So when he returned home that year, he was quite poor in all aspects, and it was just a matter of returning home. However, in the second and third years when he went back, he had some savings, so each time he returned home, he brought back many things. The price and other things were secondary, and he mainly wanted to let his parents know about his filial piety.

  If he hadn't had the strange occurrence with the yellow book in his hand, and if there hadn't been a series of picking and leaking and gambling incidents, I estimate that he would have returned home this year and really become very embarrassed.

  He didn't think Xiuniang had even considered these things.

  "In the past two years, you've gone back empty-handed. If it's like this again this year, who knows what your brother and sister-in-law will think? They might think you're suffering hardships here. Since you're with us, I won't let them worry. Besides, preparing to sell the house isn't just for show when you go back. You've been following your uncle for three years, gaining experience and skills. Even your uncle often praises you in private, saying you surpass him in antique ceramics. However, this line of work requires not only good eyesight and knowledge but also luck. It's too difficult to achieve something in the remaining one or two months relying on luck alone. You'll need capital even if you restart your old business. I'm also planning to find a new job in the next few days, as we both need to survive. We can't do without money. Moreover, when we were operating for your uncle previously, although we didn't sell the house, we borrowed some money from outside. This debt needs to be repaid, so it's better to sell the house."

  This explanation made Zhou Mingluo somewhat surprised, indeed, if it wasn't for the strange change in the yellow book in his hand, the current situation he and Xiuni were facing would be extremely difficult.

  Even though Fang Shu Tong had been sentenced to a few years less in the previous operation, the two of them did not sell their house at that time, but they still borrowed some money from acquaintances.

  The amount of money is not large, and it's all from Xiuniang's relatives.

  If it weren't for this small amount of money serving as the final funding, barely enough to make ends meet, I estimate that the house would have been sold by now. And at present, Xiuniang has lost her job and has no money on hand; in order to survive, she must have capital. Even if Zhou Ming wanted to start his own business again, running around collecting antiques like Fangshu used to do, he would still need startup funds, and that kind of thing relies even more on luck.

  It's really like that now, you just have the eyesight but not the vision, and you also need to rely on luck, otherwise even if you have the ability, you won't be able to find the real thing or a good deal.

  It is undeniable that in recent years, the collecting craze has been rising for many years, and even among ordinary people, there is a certain awareness of antiques. Even in particularly closed and backward places, the number of second-hand dealers who frequently visit is increasing, making it more difficult to find bargains or encounter good luck.

  That's life, very realistic and helpless.

  The most introspective, Zhou Ming's heart was also very moved. If things hadn't taken a turn for the better, life would have been really tough for a while. But now all this is naturally unimportant, and there's absolutely no need to let Xiuniang sell her property. He had long promised Fang Shu to take good care of Xiuniang, how could he possibly let her sell her last home?

  "Xiu Yi, don't worry, we won't have to sell the house. I'll take care of everything." After a sigh, Zhou Ming's face lit up with joy again, and he was even prepared to hand over the ownership of the jade store to Xiu Yi.

  But just then, a mobile phone ringtone suddenly rang out, and it was from Xiuniang's side.

  "I'll get it." Xiu Yi said, taking out her mobile phone and getting up directly.

  "Okay." Zhou Ming could only hold back the words in his heart and nodded lightly. Then, he saw Xiuniang holding her mobile phone, saying a few words, and suddenly looking out of the window with a surprised expression.

  Zhou Ming Luo turned around and looked out the window, only to find that at this moment, among the crowded people outside the window, there were two figures standing by the window.

  Among them, a woman holding a mobile phone is quite beautiful, dressed in a very fashionable way, and standing out in the crowd. She is a beautiful young woman above average, and next to her stands a sunny and handsome young man with eyebrows and eyes that are somewhat similar to hers, looking like he's just twenty-seven or eight years old.

  "Ling Yu, how come you and Huai Jun are also here? What a coincidence." Just then, when Zhou Ming Luo looked out the window, Xiuniang on the opposite side also let out a low cry.

  The woman holding the phone outside also squeezed out a smile on her face, but no matter how she looked at it, this smile was somewhat forced, and soon hung up the phone and stepped towards the restaurant door. The young man by her side also followed slowly.

  "How did I run into them? If it were just Huai Jun alone, that would be okay. Alas, this meal today is probably going to be unpleasant."

  At the same time, the surprise on Xiuniang's face gradually subsided, and a hint of bitterness emerged.

  Even Zhou Ming Luo slightly furrowed his brow, Xiu Yi's full name was Yang Huai Xiu. The woman who had just been on the phone with her, as well as the young man, were not outsiders. The man was Xiu Yi's younger brother Yang Huai Jun, and the woman was Yang Huai Jun's wife Ling Yu.

  It would be a delightful thing to run into relatives and friends outside at any other time, but that one person was not very welcoming.

  The Fang family's situation is that Uncle Fang has lost his parents and has no brothers or sisters. Xiuniang still has her parents alive, and also has a younger brother.

  When Fang's family was in a tight spot, Xiu Yi was still hesitating about whether to sell the house or not. At that time, Yang's father and mother took out 50,000 yuan without hesitation, and even Yang Huaijun quietly brought over 40,000 yuan, which was the borrowed money.

  The Yang family's condition is not good either. The father and mother have retired, relying on some pension for living, and being able to take out 50,000 is already the limit. As for Yang Hua-jun, he is just a small clerk in an office, and being able to take out 40,000 at once is really generous.

  But the key is that Ling Yu did not agree with the money he took out, and when Yang Hua Jun first mentioned wanting to support his sister, Ling Yu immediately turned against him, saying that he would not let it happen. Later, he secretly sent it over, thinking that after the fact, Ling Yu would have no choice but to accept. However, this person did not give up, causing trouble more than once or twice, and even came alone to ask Xiu Ni for an account several times. Although Yang Hua Jun also made efforts in this regard, that person was clearly somewhat henpecked and could not suppress the beautiful tigress at home. Until now, it is said that the two of them seem to have had some emotional crisis.

  This is also thanks to the good relationship between Yang Huaijun and his sister-in-law, otherwise it would be extremely difficult for someone who is afraid of their wife and not wealthy to privately decide to take out tens of thousands of yuan from home to support others, even if that person is not an outsider.

  What Xiuniang said about settling the account was just that, because she and her brother had a good relationship, she didn't want to cause trouble between the couple over this matter.

  "Sister, so you're eating here, looks like life is good, this Qingxiang restaurant's grade isn't low at all." Just as Xiuniang and Zhou Mingluo both had a bitter smile, the two figures outside also walked in through the restaurant door, Lingyu even directly rushed to their table, opening her mouth was a burst of light laughter, but on her face was a hint of teasing.