Chapter 454 - 250: Lu Fan: Jiang Guoqiang Was Moved?! He’s Relenting

Chapter 454: Chapter 250: Lu Fan: Jiang Guoqiang Was Moved?! He’s Relenting

Lu Fan sent another message.

Lu Fan: [Let her run with it for a while. She has a sense of accomplishment right now, so don’t discourage her. She must be ecstatic about that five yuan.]

Jiali: [Understood. Xiaoya has a few small jobs, all simple pocket garden designs and posters. They’re perfect for practice, and the amounts are small, so the young miss won’t get suspicious.]

Lu Fan placed his phone on the table and took a sip of his tea.

He imagined his daughter getting her first job. She must have been ecstatic.

The girl had always been strong-willed, never willing to ask for money. Earning five yuan on her own probably made her happier than if he’d given her fifty thousand.

...

Meanwhile.

「Qingshan Village.」

Jiang Guoqiang had been sitting in the courtyard for several days.

He sat from morning till night, and from night till dawn.

He sat motionless in that old wicker chair, staring at the osmanthus tree by the courtyard gate.

When food was brought to him, he would take a few bites and set it down.

When water was handed to him, he would take one sip and leave it aside.

When Pan Lanfang spoke to him, he wouldn’t answer.

When Pan Lanfang tried to pull him inside, he wouldn’t go.

Pan Lanfang stood at the kitchen door, her eyes turning red as she watched his back.

She wiped her eyes, picked up her phone, found Jiang Ming’s number, and dialed.

The phone rang twice before it was answered.

"Mom? What’s wrong?" Jiang Ming’s voice came from the other end of the line.

Pan Lanfang lowered her voice, afraid Jiang Guoqiang would hear her. "Xiaoming, you need to come back for a visit. Your dad can’t go on like this. It’s been days, he’s barely eating or drinking. Come back and try to talk some sense into him."

Jiang Ming was silent for a moment before replying, "I know. I’ll head back this afternoon."

At three in the afternoon, Jiang Ming’s car pulled up to the courtyard gate.

It was a black Mercedes-Benz, gleaming in the sunlight.

He got out of the car and walked into the courtyard.

Jiang Guoqiang was still in the old wicker chair. He didn’t even look up.

"Dad," Jiang Ming called out.

Jiang Guoqiang didn’t respond.

Jiang Ming walked over and squatted down beside him, looking at his father.

Jiang Guoqiang’s face had thinned, his eye bags were deep, and his lips were dry and peeling.

His eyes were fixed on the osmanthus tree at the gate, as if he expected something to emerge from it.

"Dad, let me take you for a walk," Jiang Ming said, standing up and tugging his father’s arm.

Jiang Guoqiang shook his hand off, his voice hoarse. "Not going."

Jiang Ming sighed. "Then what do you want to do? Just sit here? You’ve been sitting here for days. Mom’s worried about you."

Jiang Guoqiang said nothing.

Jiang Ming glanced at the Mercedes at the gate and suggested, "How about I take you for a drive? You’ve never been in this car before, have you? I can take you for a spin, we can go into town for a meal."

Jiang Guoqiang finally spoke, his voice stiff. "I’m not getting in. That’s his car."

Jiang Ming froze for a second and didn’t mention the car again.

He thought for a moment, then tried again. "Then let’s just go for a walk. No car, just on foot. Didn’t you use to walk through the fields every morning? It’s been a while."

Jiang Guoqiang didn’t say anything, but he stood up.

He walked slowly, step by step, as if each one required a great deal of effort.

Jiang Ming walked beside him, slowing his pace to match his father’s.

The two of them left the courtyard and walked slowly along the village path.

After they had walked for a while, Jiang Guoqiang suddenly spoke. "You knew all along?"

Jiang Ming knew what he was talking about and nodded. "Yeah."

"Since when?" Jiang Guoqiang’s voice was heavy, as if forced from deep within his chest.

"For a while now." Jiang Ming looked down at the path, his voice laced with guilt. "President Lu is good to me, good to Sis, and good to Silu and Sifan. I can tell he’s sincere."

Jiang Guoqiang stopped and turned to face him.

His eyes were red, his lips trembling. "Sincere? After what he did to your sister back then, you’re telling me he’s sincere? When she came back alone with two kids, what did the villagers say about her? Have you forgotten?"

Jiang Ming looked up at him and said earnestly, "Dad, I know you hate him. I hated him at first, too. I hated him for abandoning Sis, for letting her suffer all alone. But later, I slowly realized that he’s truly trying to change."

Jiang Guoqiang didn’t speak.

Jiang Ming continued, his voice low but every word clear, "He helped me find a job, bought me a car, and helped me resolve the situation with Ma Xiaofei."

"When Sis’s flower shop ran into trouble, he helped without a second thought. When Sifan had difficulties starting his business, you have no idea how much he helped behind the scenes."

"When Silu was in a competition, he was more dedicated than anyone, finding her tutors and materials. When Mom was in the hospital, he was even more attentive than I was, her own son. The hospital director personally came to see her, and doctors and nurses all fussed over her."

"Dad, you’ve seen all these things with your own eyes. You can’t just ignore all the good he’s done just because of who he is."

Tears fell from Jiang Guoqiang’s eyes.

He didn’t wipe them away. He just stood there as the tears streamed down the wrinkles on his face.

"I know you’re hurting," Jiang Ming said helplessly. "I’m hurting too. I hated him for so many years, hated him so much I didn’t want to acknowledge him. But Dad, he’s really changed a lot. He’s sincere with Sis, and he’s sincere with Silu and Sifan. He’s paying back the debt he owes us."

Jiang Guoqiang wiped his tears, his voice still stubborn. "Pay it back? How? How can he possibly repay all the suffering your sister went through? All those years she was alone with two children, she didn’t even dare come back to the village for the New Year, afraid people would laugh at her."

"All those years she worked until the middle of the night while the two kids waited with empty stomachs for her to come home and cook. All those years she was sick with no one to even bring her a glass of water. How can he ever repay that?"

Jiang Ming was silent for a moment, then finally said, "With the rest of his life."

Jiang Guoqiang didn’t say anything.

He turned and continued walking forward.

Jiang Ming caught up and walked beside him.

Neither of them spoke.

After walking a bit further, Jiang Ming spoke again. "Dad, do you remember when the irrigation ditches needed fixing a while back? No one in the village would handle it, but then President Lu came, said a few words to the village chief, and they started work the very next day."

"And do you remember the fish harvest? The buyers were lowballing us, but he made one phone call to a friend, and they bought everything at a price higher than the market rate."

Jiang Guoqiang didn’t reply, but his pace slowed.

Jiang Ming continued, "Dad, I’m not just trying to speak up for him. I just think... everyone makes mistakes. But admitting you’re wrong and trying to change is better than stubbornly refusing to. He was a bastard before, but he’s changing now. If you give him a chance, you’re also giving Sis a chance. She’s been alone for so many years... don’t you feel for her?"

Jiang Guoqiang stopped and stared into the distance.

At the edge of the fields were mountains, and above them, a hazy gray sky.

He stood there for a long time before he finally spoke, his voice soft. "What about your sister... what does she say?"

"Sis hasn’t said anything definitive, but she’s willing to let him visit, willing to talk to him, and willing to let him help Silu and Sifan. That shows she doesn’t hate him as much anymore. Dad, Sis is almost ready to let it go. Can’t you let it go, too?" Jiang Ming pleaded.

Jiang Guoqiang didn’t say anything.

He turned and started walking back toward home.

Jiang Ming followed. They walked one after the other, neither of them speaking.

When they arrived back at the courtyard gate, Jiang Guoqiang stopped and looked at the Mercedes.

The black paint gleamed in the sun, the three-pointed star on the hood shining so brightly it was almost blinding.

He stared at it for a long while before suddenly asking, "This car... he really bought it for you?"

Jiang Ming nodded. "Yeah."

Jiang Guoqiang looked at it for another moment, then turned and walked into the courtyard.

He went back to the old wicker chair and sat down, staring at the osmanthus tree by the gate.

Jiang Ming stood beside him, not knowing what to say.

After a moment, Jiang Guoqiang spoke, his voice so soft it was as if he were talking to himself. "If he ever dares to hurt your sister again, I won’t let him get away with it."

Jiang Ming’s eyes turned red.

He nodded, not saying a word.

He knew his dad’s words weren’t a sign of forgiveness.

But at least, he was willing to look in that direction.

And that was enough.