Unexpected Gains

Tang Xiuju kept asking questions over dinner.

First, she asked about Tang Mao De, Tang Zhi Chu's father, and then about the restaurant.

Tang Zhi Chu wasn't about to be stumped by a relative. He answered every question and even poured out some of his troubles.

The more they talked, the more Tang Xiuju felt for Tang Zhi Chu. She asked about things, and he knew all the details. He'd made every arrangement properly, proving how much effort he'd put in and that he hadn't brought shame on the Tang family. Yet he was only about a year older than her son, Tao Bo. They had both graduated from college not long ago.

The more they talked, the more Tang Xiuju felt that her son, Tao Bo, was immature.

"Aunt, you know what my dad's like. Honestly, I make money from the things I do, and I've been paying his medical bills with my own money. Of course, there's no keeping score between a father and son. It's just... I feel a little wronged, too. He always thinks I'm not doing anything worthwhile. Even now, every time I visit him at the hospital, he chews me out. Sometimes I don't even know what else I haven't done right."

Tang Zhi Chu sat beside Tang Xiuju, his eyes welling with tears as he spoke.

Tang Xiuju's eyes welled up, too. "You've had such a hard time, Zhi Chu."

Tang Zhi Chu waved a hand. "It's nothing, it's nothing. Things are usually fine. It's just that now that you're here, Aunt, talking about all this makes me feel a little choked up."

Tang Xiuju nodded again and again. She understood that feeling.

People could endure even the greatest hardship, but a little kindness from someone else could make them break down in an instant.

"It's my fault, too. My own second brother got into such serious trouble, and I only came to see him now. And your dad's to blame, too. Every time we talk on the phone, he says he's fine. When I say I want to visit, he just yells at me."

Tang Zhi Chu picked up the thread. "That's how my dad is. He was like that even when I was little."

At the mention of his childhood, Tang Xiuju's face grew sorrowful again.

When she really thought about it, her nephew had had a miserable life.

Not only had he ended up with a short-tempered father who drank and gambled, but his mother had abandoned him, too.

From Tang Xiuju's perspective, Tang Zhi Chu's mother had left him and started a new family.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt she'd failed as his aunt, hardly ever showing him any concern.

Perhaps people who had it harder learned to be considerate sooner. Whatever the reason, Tang Xiuju liked Tang Zhi Chu more and more.

If only he were her son. What good deed had that useless second brother done in a past life to deserve such a wonderful son?

Seeing tears in his aunt's eyes, Tang Zhi Chu quickly handed her a tissue. "All right, let's not talk about it anymore. Let's eat. I shouldn't have brought it up and gotten everyone down. Uncle, Tao Bo, help yourselves. These are some of the restaurant's signature dishes."

Tang Xiuju glared at him. "You silly boy, if you can't tell us, who can you tell? I'm your aunt. We're family!"

Tang Zhi Chu nodded quickly, then stood and used the serving chopsticks to put a rib on Tang Xiuju's plate. "Aunt, eat up. It's getting cold."

He didn't forget Tao Jianshe and Tao Bo, either. He made a point of moving the best dishes closer to them so they could try them.

Tang Xiuju and Tao Jianshe exchanged a glance, both of them feeling sorry for him. He'd been busy looking after their whole family, and hadn't eaten a single bite himself.

He was completely different from the nephew they'd always thought they knew, the one who didn't understand how the world worked.

Tang Xiuju guessed her useless second brother must have been saying nonsense. To be dissatisfied with such a good kid was just asking for trouble.

"Zhi Chu, you eat, too."

Tang Zhi Chu nodded. "Mm-hmm, let's all eat. Um, Aunt..."

Tang Xiuju put down her chopsticks. "If you've got something to say, just say it. Why are you being so hesitant with me?"

"It's like this. I might not be able to stay with you this afternoon. My dad insisted I go to a matchmaking show. He said he wouldn't take his medicine if I didn't. I have to go over there every afternoon."

Tang Zhi Chu admitted that he'd taken a long time to work up to saying that.

He'd considered ignoring what all his aunts and uncles thought and felt, and just doing whatever he wanted.

But after seeing his elderly father lying in the hospital, Tang Zhi Chu had changed his mind.

It wasn't that much trouble. Why make a whole drama out of it like Chen Si Yang had?

Your father's in the hospital with cancer, and you go off to a matchmaking show? Wouldn't that make you seem unfilial?

That was how he'd come up with today's arrangement.

Sure enough, the moment Tang Zhi Chu said it, Tang Xiuju asked, "Matchmaking? A matchmaking show?"

Tang Zhi Chu nodded. "You can ask Tao Bo about it. He should know."

Tang Xiuju frowned. This sounded exactly like something her useless second brother would do. She glanced at Tang Zhi Chu, then said, "Zhi Chu, you can't really blame your dad for this. In his condition, he's probably worried about you, so he wants you to go on a matchmaking show. But... is any of this even reliable?"

Tang Zhi Chu shook his head. "Aunt, of course it isn't reliable, but I don't have a choice. My dad won't take his medicine."

After saying that, Tang Zhi Chu thought, You can't blame me, old man. You don't want your son to be called unfilial by his relatives and friends, do you?

Tang Xiuju opened her mouth, then hesitated. It seemed she couldn't decide this for him. She knew her useless second brother. Once he made up his mind, not even their eldest brother could change it, let alone her.

Tang Xiuju could only comfort him. "Then just treat it as gaining experience. Don't worry, I'll help you find a girlfriend. How about this? I haven't used my annual leave yet, and I can put together about half a month. I'll move in and stay for those two weeks. You can go to your matchmaking show without worrying. I'll look after your dad."

Tang Zhi Chu put down his chopsticks, too. "You can't do that, Aunt. There's no need. Brother Jun—I mean Wang Jun, from Great-Grandfather's family—is helping me, and Dad gets along well with him."

"No. Look at the situation you're in. How can you manage without a woman around? That's settled. Besides, only a few relatives know about your dad's condition. Otherwise, people would keep coming by, and you wouldn't be able to handle it all. Don't you think so, Tao Bo's dad?" Tang Xiuju looked at Tao Jianshe as she spoke.

Tao Jianshe quickly nodded. "Right. Listen to your aunt. Something this serious has happened to your family, and we haven't been able to help. It's settled."

Tang Zhi Chu had no choice but to get up and serve the others more food.

This really was an unexpected bonus.

Of the Tang siblings, if you judged them by how dependable they were, the eldest aunt's family really was the most reliable.

His eldest uncle was the best off. It wasn't that his family couldn't be relied on, but he was simply too busy. Tang Zhi Chu only saw him at New Year.

If his eldest aunt was willing to help, Tang Zhi Chu wouldn't have to go through all this every time a relative came to visit.

That afternoon, the group went to the hospital.

As soon as they arrived, his eldest aunt planted her hands on her hips and gave Tang Mao De a scolding.

She told him off for always making decisions on his own and even lying about how serious his illness was.

Tang Mao De hadn't exactly hidden his illness from them. He'd just made it sound less serious, saying it was treatable so his relatives wouldn't worry.

Perhaps because he was ill, Tang Mao De only snapped back a couple of times before letting Tang Xiuju scold him.

Seeing that, Tang Xiuju softened again.

Her once fearless second brother had grown so thin he was hardly recognizable, and he wasn't nearly as hot-tempered anymore.

Tao Jianshe put the fruit and supplements on the table, then patted Tang Mao De on the shoulder before taking Tao Bo outside.

Tang Zhi Chu also tugged at Wang Jun, and the two of them left the hospital room.

Only after Tang Xiuju and Tang Mao De were left in the room did she wipe her nose with a tissue.

"You need to change your temper. Earlier, Zhi Chu called you, and you didn't even answer him."

Tang Mao De glanced at the doorway and said irritably, "You don't know what happened last time. He dared to yell back at me. I'm still angry about it."

Tang Xiuju took an apple out of the bag and peeled it as she spoke. "And you don't think you deserved it? Have you even thought about it? You're lying in the hospital, nice and comfortable, but what about Zhi Chu? Doesn't he have a restaurant to run? And now you're making him go to a matchmaking show. Is that even reliable? Does he know anything about the person? You're just pushing your own son into a pit!"

Tang Mao De glared and struggled to sit up. "What did I do? How am I pushing him into a pit? You don't know what he's like. Day after day, he won't even go out the front door. He won't even leave his bedroom. He'd probably pee in a basin in his room if he could. I'm worried!"

Tang Xiuju shot him a look. "You're worried? You think he isn't?"

Tang Mao De could clearly feel his own sister taking his son's side, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. "I'm your brother. I've got cancer, and I'm lying right in front of you."

"So what if you're my brother? You think you're the only one who's worried, or the only one suffering? Have you even thought about your son? Like you said, he used to be a mess, but what about now? He invited us to dinner earlier and took care of us the whole time. He didn't neglect Tao Bo, either. You couldn't have done that. If he's changed so much, who do you think he's doing it for?" Tang Xiuju's voice was stern, but she handed Tang Mao De the apple.

Tang Mao De turned his head away to show he didn't want it, sulking.

"Fine. Don't eat it, then."

Tang Xiuju glared at him, too, and set the apple on the table.