Chapter 354: Comparison Breeds Contempt
Chapter 354: Comparison Breeds Contempt
Lu An was displeased, but since Lu Hongjun was an elder, he couldn't bring himself to stop him. Moreover, if they didn't allow her to visit now, she would still come over after they moved in, and keeping her outside would reflect poorly on them in front of the neighbors.
When Tang Sufen entered Lu Jiaguang's house, she was stunned. Not only was the courtyard large, but there were also more rooms than in her own home. Gripping Lu Hongjun's arm, she asked anxiously, "Old Lu, what's the meaning of this?"
She had assumed that Lu Jiaguang's house would be similar to theirs, never expecting it to be so much bigger.
Lu An felt a sense of schadenfreude seeing her expression. He knew she would want to come and take a look after they bought the house, and Wang Xiaojie couldn't refuse, so she had given them the address.
The day before, he had brought his younger brother and sister to see the house. The three siblings had been overjoyed when they first stepped into the courtyard, but when they realized there were two courtyards of almost equal size, Lu An was shocked.
Full of trepidation, he returned home and asked Wang Xiaojie about the price of the house. With their family's financial situation, how could they afford such a large and luxurious home? It was only when he learned that the house was a gift from Lu Jiaxin that he felt relieved.
Lu Hongjun explained in a low voice, "Jiaguang has four children, and my older brother and sister-in-law will also retire and live here. So, Jiaxin helped to choose a larger place."
Lu An was perceptive and noticed his uncle's evasive attitude. He deliberately interrupted, "Grand Uncle, our house has two courtyards. The backyard is almost as big as this one! Yesterday, Ah Zhang and Ah Zhen counted, and there are a total of twelve rooms. All the rooms are spacious and bright, and even after Grandma and Grandpa move in, there will still be many empty rooms! But during the New Year, when Second Uncle and Third Uncle stay at our place, it will be quite crowded."
Tang Sufen's voice changed as she asked, "There's another courtyard in the back?"
"Yes, didn't Grand Uncle tell you?"
As Tang Sufen walked along the covered corridor towards the back, she saw another six rooms in the second courtyard, and her mood plummeted. If that house was also this big, not only now but even when Jianguo and Jianjun got married and had children, they would still have ample space. She could have lived with her children without ever having to be separated. The more she thought about it, the worse she felt.
Lu An, fearing that she might cause trouble, instructed the carpenter a few words before following along.
Seeing her dazed expression, Lu Hongjun called out worriedly, "Sufen! Sufen..."
Tang Sufen snapped out of her reverie and asked, "You said this house was bought by Jiaguang and entrusted to Jiaxin? With their salaries, how could they afford such a large house?"
She had been all smiles on the way here, but now her face was filled with gloom. Lu An, being no fool, understood the reason for her change in mood. He spoke up loudly, "My parents' salaries alone couldn't afford this house, but my aunt is rich! She cares about us and felt sorry seeing the three of us siblings squeezed into such a small room, not even having a proper place to do our homework. So, she bought this house and gave it to us."
Tang Sufen guessed that the house was bought by Lu Jiaxin, and now Lu Ping had confirmed her suspicions. "Old Lu, you're her father. Why is the house she bought for you smaller than the one she gave to Lu Jiaguang?"
By the end of her question, her tone had turned accusatory.
Lu An retorted bluntly, "My mother said that the master bedroom in this house is for Grand Uncle to live in, and the second bedroom is for my aunt to stay in when she visits. The other two rooms are for the nanny and guests."
To provoke Tang Sufen further, he added, "Aunt Tang, you should be envious. Go back and ask your son and daughter to buy you a big house."
Tang Sufen turned and stormed off, with Lu Hongjun hurrying after her.
Seeing his behavior, Lu An felt even more indignant on behalf of Lu Jiaxin. His aunt had put the past behind her and bought such a generous gift for Grand Uncle, yet he still only cared about that woman and her family. He was truly an old fool.
On the way back, Tang Sufen asked, "Old Lu, can we swap houses between our two families?"
Lu Hongjun was startled by Tang Sufen's suggestion to swap houses. How could she even think of such a thing? "Sufen, although there are four rooms, the wood shed is empty. We can repaint the walls and make it livable. Jianjun and his wife can stay in their original place, and with the five rooms here, we'll have enough space."
He could have one room, while each of Huang Jianjun's four siblings could have one each. That would be perfect!
Tang Sufen was well aware that swapping houses was out of the question, and she had only suggested it to make a point. "Jianjun will be marrying soon, and it won't be convenient for them to live with us. Old Lu, I've already asked someone to introduce a potential spouse for Jianjun. After they get married, let's move to Chaoyang, and they can live in the compound's housing."
Lu Hongjun initially disagreed, but when he saw that Tang Sufen was crying and her eyes were red and swollen, he relented. "Alright, they can stay for a while. But once the housing reform policy is implemented and the house is registered under Jiaxin's name, they'll have to move out."
This time, Tang Sufen readily agreed. She knew that the housing reform wouldn't be implemented for at least two to three years, and she was confident that she could change Lu Hongjun's mind by then. As for the agreement, once Lu Hongjun returned, it would be as good as torn up.
Lu An was no fool. As soon as he returned home, he called Lu Jiaguang to inform him about the situation: "Dad, that woman is not simple. I'm worried she has her eyes on our house."
They hadn't even moved in yet, and he couldn't let their new home be snatched away.
Lu Jiaguang laughed it off. "Don't worry, this house is registered under the names of you four siblings. No one can take it away. Also, their old house was bought by your little aunt for your third grandfather to live in, and the ownership is under her name."
Lu An's mouth hung open in surprise. "Dad, what did you say? The house is under our names?"
"Yes, that was your little aunt's idea. Make sure to thank her properly the next time you see her."
"We should kowtow to her to show our gratitude."
When Wang Xiaojie returned and learned about this, she expressed her concern. "The Chaoyang house is under Jiaxin's name, so they won't be able to get their hands on it. But it's hard to say about the compound housing."
Lu Jiaguang had also considered this issue. "The house is already prepared, and we just need to get some furniture. After the weather gets warmer next year, we'll move in, and I'll take a leave to bring your grandparents over. With them here, Third Uncle won't dare to go back on his word."
Wang Xiaojie nodded. "It's good to have your parents here. If Jiajie goes to Yangcheng next year, they can help with picking up the children."
Lu Jiaguang smiled. "Your parents will definitely come if they know about it. Even Old Third and his wife might follow along."
Wang Xiaojie's expression remained unchanged. "It's a good thing if they want to come too. That way, all three sons will be close by, and your parents won't have to worry. However, with such a large family now, it's not suitable for us to live together. They can come, but they'll have to rent a place outside."
Given the nature of Old Third and his wife, they would definitely not contribute to the household expenses if they lived with them. It would be fine if they were just visiting for a short while, but not if they planned to stay permanently. Their wages weren't particularly high, and it was only through her careful management that they had managed to save some money over the years. Supporting her parents was her responsibility and obligation, and she had no complaints about it. But she drew the line at supporting her uncle; she refused to enable him.
Lu Jiaguang smiled. "Of course, they can't stay with us permanently. If Old Third and his wife come, they'll have to find work. Old Second and his wife have only been here for a little over a year, and they've already bought a shop. They may not be as diligent as Old Second, but they should be able to support themselves."
Wang Xiaojie's thoughts turned to Old Third and his wife, who were known for their sly and lazy ways. Wherever they went, they never stayed long.
(End of Chapter)
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