novellhall Chapter 53: Is Raising Someone a Kindness?
Chapter 53: Is Raising Someone a Kindness?
Fang Zhaodi was stunned, overwhelmed with mixed feelings.
Although she had never dealt with real estate agents before, she had always been thinking about buying a house, so she often lurked in the real estate section of the "Upstairs Downstairs" forum to keep an eye on things.
Besides the listings, the forum is mostly filled with posts from users sharing their experiences and exposing wrongdoings, which also deconstruct and analyze many of the behaviors of real estate agents.
A significant portion of them believe the industry is chaotic, and the term "broker" is almost synonymous with fraud...
That's why she asked about all sorts of details and requested a discount on the service fee when she first met Chen Yuanzhou yesterday—it all stemmed from these preconceived notions.
As for the so-called "service quality," there are only two words to it: Heh~
However, at this very moment, Chen Yuanzhou had to step in and help her deal with a troublesome matter that most people would avoid at all costs.
This made Fang Zhaodi suddenly realize that her perception might have been biased.
"Tell me about it~" Chen Yuanzhou's smile was so bright that her carefully guarded psychological defenses gradually crumbled, and she finally began to speak...
Fang Zhaodi was born in a rural area in northern China. She was the first child in her family, and she only gradually learned the meaning of her name "Zhaodi" after she started school.
However, her younger brother had not yet been born at that time, and she lived a relatively peaceful life. Although her parents did not spoil her, they did not mistreat her either.
It all started when the mother became pregnant again…
It seemed like only a moment had passed when her parents' love vanished from her young and innocent world, and the whole family was now focused on her mother's belly.
When her younger brother was finally born, and the family gained a male heir, Fang Zhaodi, who had just turned 10, suddenly realized that her parents' love for her brother was the only thing they could call "care," while for her, it was merely "providing for survival," like the neighbor's yellow dog, which they would tease and play with when they were happy, and beat and scolded without reason when they were angry...
At such a young age, she had to take on the task of changing and washing her younger brother's diapers. In the bitter cold of the north, her tender hands were immersed in the icy well water, covered in filth.
After entering junior high school, Fang Zhaodi tried to fight back, argued with her parents, and asked her grandparents to uphold justice, but all her efforts were in vain.
She didn't understand why the girl's situation was so simple, since they were all children of the same parents.
They're all girls, so why do the parents of those female students at school spoil them so much?
The stark contrast repeatedly challenged her still-developing worldview...
Later, she grew up and went to high school.
By then, Fang Zhaodi had realized that her parents were simply "preferring sons to daughters".
So she chose to run away!
After being admitted to university in the south, she almost completely cut off contact with her family, because her parents neither gave her any emotional care nor any financial assistance.
She thought life would continue like this, that she didn't need her parents' help, and that she was capable of living well on her own.
However, after she finally started working, she happened to reconnect with an old friend, and her parents discovered that she had actually found a job in Jiangcheng City with a decent income...
Fang Zhaodi's real nightmare was just beginning!
"Endless Demand"
This is the description she used when she told the story!
Blood ties, kinship, procreation...
Her parents used the so-called "filial piety" to hold her hostage for a long time.
Fang Zhaodi could only work harder and desperately increase her income. It took her more than ten years to finally save up the 15 yuan she needed to buy a house…
……
"I didn't originally plan to tell them about buying the house," Fang Zhaodi said with a bitter smile. "I only told my best friend from high school, but she couldn't keep my secret."
"I don't even know what day my mom arrived..."
"The farthest she's ever been in her life was to take a minibus to the city. Before today, I didn't even know she would buy a plane ticket..."
"She's really gone to a lot of trouble for me for such a small amount of money!"
"She called me last night when I was looking at apartments. She said that her family had arranged a marriage for her younger brother, but the woman was a swindler who ran off with the 20 yuan they had scraped together by selling their belongings and even borrowing money."
"She wants me to send the money I saved for the house home to cover this shortfall, and she also wants me to continue sending more money home every month so that my younger brother can get married..."
"I didn't agree. The house has already been bought, and the paperwork is already being processed..."
As she spoke, she couldn't help but wipe her reddened eyes, and just looked at Chen Yuanzhou.
"Do you really have a way to help me?"
Chen Yuanzhou listened with a furrowed brow, stroking his chin as he pondered the matter.
After a long pause, he replied, "Ms. Fang, my method might be a bit extreme. Can you handle it?"
Then, he explained his thoughts to Fang Zhaodi.
After listening, Fang Zhaodi nodded to Chen Yuanzhou without hesitation for even a second.
Seeing this, Chen Yuanzhou sighed and led Fang Zhaodi into the conference room.
"Hey~ you little brat, you dare show your face?"
As soon as Zhang Caijuan saw her daughter, she sneered, "Let me tell you, you have to add your brother's name to the deed when you buy the house, otherwise..."
She slammed her hand on the table: "Hmph! Anyway, I have the household registration book. I've already inquired. Without the household registration book, let's see how you buy a house!"
Upon hearing her speak, Fang Zhaodi's veins throbbed twice, her lips trembled, and she was extremely agitated!
She took a few deep breaths before gritting her teeth and replying, "I can't explain it to you clearly. Let your agent talk to you."
Zhang Caijuan glanced at her daughter sideways, then turned to Chen Yuanzhou: "So? Can you do as I say?"
"Auntie!" Chen Yuanzhou said seriously, "The house your daughter bought is going to be financed with a loan. If you want to add your son's name to the deed, you'll need to provide his employment certificate and income certificate."
Zhang Caijuan was taken aback: "Why is it so complicated? A loan? Doesn't she have 15 yuan?"
"Hehe~ You probably don't know much about housing prices here. The house she wants to buy costs 60."
"What kind of house costs 60? It's inlaid with gold bricks!" Zhang Caijuan exclaimed excitedly, "Then I won't buy it!"
She turned to her daughter: "You little brat, you've really made something of yourself! You dare to buy a house for 60? Money falls from the sky? Looks like you earn quite a bit. Well then, we're not buying the house, and you're giving me my money back!"
"That won't do!" Chen Yuanzhou hurriedly replied, "The agreement has already been signed. If we go back on our word now, we won't get our money back!"
"What???!!!"
Zhang Caijuan was immediately jolted, her eyes flashing rapidly, and then she grabbed the household registration book that was lying on the table and put it back!
"Without a household registration book, how are you going to buy it! Humph!"
Chen Yuanzhou blinked, took out a photocopy from his pocket and showed it to her: "Ms. Fang's household registration has long been transferred to Jiangcheng City and is registered with the talent market. The household registration book you have is completely useless to her."
Zhang Caijuan was stunned again!
What she thought was her trump card turned out to be completely ineffective?
It seems I have no way to stop my daughter from buying a house?
In a moment of panic, she slid to the ground and then started throwing a tantrum…
"Hey! Everyone come and see! You've insulted an old man! You beast..."
She had barely uttered a cry when Chen Yuanzhou suddenly roared!
"Shut up!"
Zhang Caijuan's cries stopped abruptly at this sound, and she looked at Chen Yuanzhou with some fear.
"If you can speak properly, then speak properly. If you can't, well, this is Jiangcheng, not your own backyard. Let's see who comes out on top!"
Chen Yuanzhou said fiercely.
Zhang Caijuan's eyes darted around, a little afraid that this stranger in an unfamiliar place would really get taken advantage of. She had no choice but to sit back down in her chair obediently and said timidly, "I have no other choice! All the money in the family has been swindled away, and now we're almost starving... If she doesn't take care of this, the whole family will just have to wait to starve to death."
"You even spent money to travel all the way to Jiangcheng City?"
Chen Yuanzhou shut her up with one sentence, then snorted and said, "Being deceived is entirely your own fault, so she won't care."
"But..." Zhang Caijuan was about to explain when Chen Yuanzhou interrupted her.
"As your daughter, she will fulfill her obligation to support you."
"She will send you 1000 yuan every month from now on to ensure your basic living needs."
"The premise is that, firstly, you are not allowed to disturb her, nor are you allowed to disturb her colleagues, friends, or relatives. She doesn't want to hear any complaints about her from anyone."
"Secondly, don't worry about things that don't concern you. When she gets married, who she marries, what job she does, and how much income she has are none of your business."
"If you can do that, 1000 yuan will be deposited into your account on time every month. If you can't, the alimony will be suspended for three months."
After hearing this, Zhang Caijuan was stunned for a long time, then looked at her daughter with a bitter face: "Zhaodi~ are you really going to just abandon us like this? Are you going to watch the whole family starve to death?"
Upon hearing this, Fang Zhaodi finally spoke, coldly replying, "Have you ever cared about me?"
Zhang Caijuan sobbed, "No matter what, your father and I raised you all these years. Our kindness in raising you is as great as the heavens!"
Fang Zhaodi was taken aback by her words, a breath caught in her throat, and she hesitated, seemingly somewhat tempted.
Chen Yuanzhou watched from the side and sighed inwardly.
Sure enough, Fang Zhaodi may seem cold, but she is actually very soft-hearted and is a typical person who responds better to gentleness than force.
If this continues, she might actually be persuaded by her mother...
Thinking of this, Chen Yuanzhou said, "Actually, I've always felt that raising someone can't be considered a favor."
"Hmm?" Fang Zhaodi looked at him slowly upon hearing this...
"Having children is the duty of parents! To have children and then not raise them is considered abandonment, which is illegal!"
"Is it possible that the so-called debt of gratitude for raising and nurturing children was merely a pretext used by parents in feudal society to control their children?"
"If we're really talking about favors, hehe~" Chen Yuanzhou grinned, "Only if you paid for this house for your daughter could it be considered a favor, right?"
"To give birth to and raise them is our natural duty; to do our utmost to support and nurture them is true gratitude!"
"Besides, isn't Ms. Fang now willing to give you alimony? How can that not be considered repaying a debt of gratitude?"
Chen Yuanzhou's absurd reasoning, when it reached Fang Zhaodi's ears, suddenly enlightened her...
It was as if the shackles that had plagued her for years had vanished in an instant!