Chapter 48: Chapter 48: We Pay the Rent Chapter 48: Chapter 48: We Pay the Rent Lu Zhenguo actually knew that the Lu Family’s elders were afraid he wouldn’t take care of them anymore, so they wanted to use the house to bind him.
He wanted the house, so he had to take good care of them.
But in reality, whether these things existed or not, Lu Zhenguo would never neglect his parents.
Including the farmland, the Lu Family’s elders held it all in their own hands.
Therefore, when Lu Zhenjia came to ask for money, he had a good case. He was asking for the Lu Family’s elders’ money, not Lu Zhenguo’s money.
Because if one really considered it, the harvest from the farmland indeed still belonged to the Lu Family’s elders.
Lu Zhenguo had always felt that they were one family and there was no need to make such distinctions.
As their parents aged, he did more work, and the money he earned belonged to the whole family.
But now, Lu Zhenguo didn’t care anymore. Who did the work in the fields was not his concern any longer.
“Why are you always meddling in our affairs?” Ge Guifen angrily waved her arms at the people outside the courtyard.
Why were these people even here stirring up excitement?
Every time it looked like they were about to succeed, the group outside would help speak for Lu Zhenguo’s family, completely turning public opinion around.
The village chief nodded and said, “What Lu Zhenguo says is actually true, and there’s no reason to overly exploit one son. Besides, Lu Zhenguo and Liu Yushu are going to accompany their children to study in the city. They won’t live here and really won’t be able to take care of the Lu Family’s elders anymore.”
“Thus, I’ve decided to agree. Starting today, the Lu Family’s elders will live with Lu Zhenjia’s family,” the village chief declared.
Lu Zhenjia wanted to say something, but the village chief spoke up first, “Lu Zhenjia, you wouldn’t refuse to support your parents, would you?”
“It’s not that your elder brother doesn’t want to support them. It’s just that he’s not in a position to, as his family is going to the city with the children for their education. They can’t take care of the elderly. Do you want the Lu Family’s elders to live by themselves at their age?” the village chief countered.
Lu Zhenjia noticed that the expressions on the Lu Family’s elders’ faces were off.
If he opposed further, the Lu Family’s elders might really start to doubt his intentions toward his parents, so he reluctantly agreed.
There was immediately a commotion outside the courtyard, with people even congratulating Liu Yushu and Lu Youxi in front of the Lu family for escaping the torment and finally getting rid of the Lu Family’s elders.
Seeing the inevitable, Ge Guifen knew they had no choice but to take the Lu Family’s elders back home.
But even so, she wouldn’t let Lu Zhenguo’s family get off easily!
Ge Guifen’s eyes spun around, and then she thought of a malicious idea.
She walked over to Old Madam Lu and whispered a few words into her ear.
Old Madam Lu’s face immediately lit up and she burst out loudly, “Lu Zhenguo, you unfilial thing, we raised you, and now you treat us as a burden?”
Lu Zhenguo wiped his face, feeling a profound sense of helplessness.
He didn’t know what to say in his defense anymore.
He felt he had made himself clear enough, but Old Madam Lu still berated him for being unfilial.
And then, Old Madam Lu said, “You want to drive us away, fine! But you’re not allowed to live here either!”
Lu Zhenguo’s face, which had been buried in his palms, lifted in astonishment as he looked disbelievingly towards Old Madam Lu.
“This house is still ours,” Old Madam Lu said with a look of relief. “Thank goodness we didn’t transfer it to you. Otherwise, we, this old couple, wouldn’t even have a place to live!”
After speaking, she tugged at Old Master Lu, “Don’t you agree?”
Old Master Lu had also reacted by now, and hurriedly said, “Right! You want to drive us out? Fine! This house is ours, we’d rather it stay empty than let you, an unfilial son, live in it! You also move out of our house!”
The village chief furrowed his brows— the Lu Family’s elders were really being unreasonable.
Usually, they never said a word when Lu Zhenguo was filial.
A little dissatisfaction, and they wouldn’t even give someone a place to live.
“Are these parent and child or enemies?”
“Yeah, not even giving their child a place to live, wanting to drive him out, what kind of people are they?”
“Lu Zhenguo and his spouse have been filial for twenty years for nothing.”
“It turns out that previously letting Lu Zhenguo’s family live there was because they were willing to take care of them. Isn’t this just like exchanging their labor for a place to live? It’s like paying rent!”
“I’ve really gained insight from these two old members of the Lu family.”
“Not to mention anything else, just that Lu Zhenguo’s family sacrificed so much for the Lu family previously. Now that they can’t take care of the elderly, they want to drive them out—it’s really disheartening.”
“Just look at Lu Zhenjia’s manner, can he be considered filial?”
Lu Zhenguo looked in disbelief towards the Lu Family’s elders, “Dad, Mom, are you really driving us out like this?”
Old Madam Lu’s face tightened, “Didn’t you say you were taking the children to the city for school? Anyway, you won’t be living here anymore.”
“But… but it’s not like we’re leaving immediately! Where are we supposed to live before we leave?” Lu Zhenguo asked incredulously.
“Your eldest daughter is so capable, she has the ability to demand a severance, doesn’t she have the ability to find a place to live?” Old Madam Lu’s eyes glared fiercely, her attitude not at all like speaking to her own son, but rather to an enemy.
Old Master Lu pondered for a few seconds with a grave face and said, “Zhenguo, this house belongs to us old folks. All this time, we’ve let you all live together, but it’s not your house. Have you lived here so long that you’ve forgotten that?”
Lu Zhenguo moved his lips and said, “Zhenjia got married, and we paid for him to build a new house. You said this house would be mine, and our whole family would live with you. Now, you’re saying this. How can you give Zhenjia a house to live in, but not be willing to give us even a place to stay?”
Lu Youxi walked up to Lu Zhenguo’s side, holding his arm and gently pinched it, “Dad.”
Lu Zhenguo looked down at Lu Youxi, seeing her shake her head at him.
Although Lu Youxi didn’t speak, Lu Zhenguo understood her meaning.
These things, as long as he understood, there was no need to discuss them with the Lu Family’s elders.
The Lu Family’s elders weren’t unaware; they just favored Lu Zhenjia more and didn’t really consider Lu Zhenguo as their son.
Whenever they needed something from Lu Zhenguo, they might reluctantly give him a little, but now knowing that they couldn’t rely on Lu Zhenguo, they didn’t leave him anything.
But for Zhenjia?
From the start, there was never anything gained from Lu Zhenjia’s end, yet the Lu Family’s elders could unhesitatingly keep giving to Lu Zhenjia’s side.
Even Lu Zhenguo couldn’t accept this.
But seeing Lu Youxi’s calm reaction, Lu Zhenguo realized that from the beginning, she had never had any expectations.
The attitude of the Lu Family’s elders was even within Lu Youxi’s predictions.
So that’s why Lu Youxi was so composed.
Lu Youxi turned to the Lu Family’s elders and said, “We’ll pay rent.”