The kids all laughed, too.
It was true. One of them was a district leader, and the other was an elder from the alley. Shao Xingchi's dad might actually listen to them.
Shao Xingchi knew that going to Chen Rui's mother would be like tattling on his dad. His dad would beat him to a pulp.
He knew he had only one option left, so he gave a wry smile and said, "All right. I'll go talk to Grandpa Zhou and see how it goes. I'm just worried I won't be able to persuade him. This is my dad's private business, and it's a little awkward to bring up."
Seeing that Shao Xingchi seemed to be backing out, Zhou Haikuo immediately encouraged him. "My grandpa will be easy to convince. Have you forgotten about Future Freight, which we just set up? My grandpa accepted the huge change from river transport to sea transport. Surely he can be persuaded to get your dad to change his writing style."
Encouraged by Zhou Haikuo, Shao Xingchi smiled and said, "All right. I'll go with you to see Grandpa Zhou in a bit! Now, you should tell us what's going on with you. Your family shouldn't have anything to worry about, right? Your dad's business is doing so well."
Zhou Haikuo sighed when Shao Xingchi asked about the very thing he'd rather not discuss. He said helplessly, "There's nothing wrong with my dad. The problem is my mom—or rather, the problem is between the two of them. They want different things.
"My mom dreams of becoming a star. She thinks our family got in the way of her career. Lately, she's been arguing that she wants to go to Hengdian to make films.
"But my dad doesn't agree, so the two of them have