Chapter 22 of Volume 1: Old Man Zhang

  Cheng Li downstairs was whispering to Zhang Yun, "When Dad left the house today, he asked me to tell you something. Isn't summer vacation here now? Zi Peng is not young anymore, do you think we should send him to a training camp for a few days?"

  Zhang Yun's eyebrows immediately furrowed, the training camp that Cheng Li mentioned was set up by these red aristocratic families for their own children, similar to a summer camp, but much more rigorous than a summer camp, with quasi-militarized management. These young masters lived a completely military life inside, although she had never been there herself, she had seen her own nephews come out of it looking like they had shed a layer of skin, becoming dark and thin, it was clear that it was unbearably bitter. Several sisters-in-law didn't dare say anything on the surface, but behind their backs, they were also heartbroken to tears.

  As soon as she heard Cheng Li's proposal, she subconsciously wanted to object. After all, Fang Zikai was still young and she couldn't bear to send him to suffer like that. Just as she was about to open her mouth to refuse, she seemed to remember something and swallowed her words instead.

  Cheng Li saw that she was deep in thought and tactfully didn't disturb her, this young woman indeed had a hard time, her husband was useless, leaving her to work hard as both father and mother. Making such decisions is indeed difficult for a woman, at the time when their son Congwen went to boot camp, she still quarreled with her husband in the room, after all, he was her own flesh and blood, her only child, how could a mother bear to send him off to suffer? Moreover, Zhang Yun had always been doting on her son, never willing to let him suffer even a little.

  Zhang Yun's heart was indeed struggling, the training camp was a tempting suggestion, and the children who entered the training camp were bound to be from powerful families, mostly from red aristocratic families, with a strong military background. Although Fang's family was wealthy, they were still a merchant family after all, and Fang's children didn't even have the qualifications to enter the training camp. If Fang Zipeng could get in, not only could he grind off his spoiled habits, but more importantly, he could make connections with other aristocratic children, which would be a force to be reckoned with for him in the future. The kids who came out of the training camp wouldn't turn out too bad either.

  Her face changed color, and Cheng Li just sat quietly drinking tea, the large living room suddenly became very quiet.

  "Alright, then let Zi Peng go." Zhang Yun had obviously made up his mind, unable to discipline his own son and could only have others do it for him.

  "Have you really made up your mind? You should know that Zi Peng entered the training camp this year, and he'll have to go every summer from now on until he's 18. Can you really bear to be apart?" Cheng Li reminded her kindly.

  Tears welled up in Zhang Yun's eyes again, she couldn't bear to part with him, but there was really no other way.

  Cheng Li patted her shoulder and said softly, "In the past few years, the training camp has also accepted girls. Do you want to let Zi Xuan go too? The siblings can take care of each other."

  Although Fang Zixuan is a girl, she has been acting like a spoiled brat in recent years. Old Master Zhang may have indulged her as a girl, but he can no longer tolerate her increasingly arrogant behavior, especially after hearing about her drunk driving incident, which almost gave him a heart attack. Even her aunt felt that she could not continue to indulge her. While it's okay for girls to be a bit spoiled and willful, self-destruction is absolutely not allowed.

  Mr. Zhang's intention was to send both of his grandchildren there, let them suffer a bit and teach them a lesson, but after all, they were the flesh of his daughter's heart, so he didn't dare to take too much initiative, and everything should be based on his daughter's wishes.

  Zhang Yun shook her head resolutely. The Zhang family's philosophy had always been to spoil their daughter, and although she was more biased towards Fang Zikai, she also felt that this family had to rely on Fang Zikai to support it, while Fang Zixuan was just a girl. In the future, they didn't expect her to do anything great, as long as she didn't cause any big trouble, she would naturally be able to live a life of wealth and luxury. Why send her to that kind of place to suffer?

  "Elder sister, although Zixuan's temperament is a bit spoiled and willful, after all, she's just a girl. Moreover, Master Fang has already punished her," Zhang Yun's face showed a few hints of concern. "She was only recently discharged from the hospital and was locked up for two weeks, forced to copy out large characters every day, and wasn't allowed to sleep if she didn't finish writing them. She's grown up and become more sensible, unlike in the past when she would have made a fuss. This time, she endured it all the way through. I think she's lost a lot of weight, and the training camp is indeed too harsh. Can you please help me beg Father to show some mercy? If he must punish her, then just make her stay at home and read books."

  What kind of child is Fang Zi Xuan, who would obediently stay at home and study? In her heart, Cheng Li felt that Zhang Yun was too indulgent with her daughter. If she had been stricter in her daily life, she wouldn't have caused so much trouble. However, it's a matter for the younger sister's family, and she didn't want to say anything more. After all, which of the Zhang family's daughters wasn't spoiled and willful? She could only pray that Fang Zi Xuan had truly learned her lesson and wouldn't do such outrageous things again in the future.

  Fang Zikong learned that he was going to be sent to a training camp and wanted to throw a tantrum, but this was at the Zhang's house. The whip hung clearly on the wall in front of Old Master Zhang, and he didn't have the guts to act out in front of him. He didn't even have the courage to look his grandfather straight in the eye, let alone cry or make a scene. All he could do was pale-faced, trembling lips, unable to utter a word, with tears welling up in his eyes but not falling.

  He wasn't quite sure what the training camp was like, but he hated all collective activities. A young master like him should live a carefree life, why did he have to go and be controlled by others?

  "Fang Zi Xuan, my intention is to let you go too. Take a look at what you've been doing these years, which family's daughter is as reckless as you? But your mother spoils you and doesn't let you go..." Old Master Zhang looked at Fang Zi Xuan with piercing eyes.

  "Mom is so biased!" Fang Zipeng's face was full of resentment, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself. He was glared at by Old Man Zhang, and had no choice but to swallow his complaints.

  Fang Zi Xuan's eyes stared blankly ahead, her nose twitching slightly as she sniffed the air, but otherwise remained still and unresponsive, like a wooden stake driven into the ground.

  "Fang Zixuan, lift your head and speak! Drunken driving... do you have the guts to do it but not to face up to it? At such a young age, you've already done something so ridiculous! What should be done with you?" Zhang Lao Ye slapped the table heavily, before Fang Zixuan could react, Fang Zipeng's small face turned pale with fear. "If you were a boy, I'd beat you to death!"

  "If you've done something wrong, you should accept the punishment." Fang Zi Xuan lifted her head and calmly looked back at Old Man Zhang.

  Old Master Zhang was taken aback, as he had rarely seen a younger generation dare to look him straight in the eye when he was furious. Her face no longer showed the usual arrogance and fear, but only a calmness, with a clear and transparent bottom of her eyes, and a subtle sense of dignity on her face, which made Old Master Zhang, who had been a straightforward person all his life, feel a good impression, but more doubts arose in his heart.