Chapter 232: Chapter 233: Human Greed
“It’s not easy out there,” sighed Eldest Uncle. “Everyone says wages in Shenzhen are high. Dahai and I went to a construction site, where we could earn up to six thousand a month. But after working for two months, they didn’t pay us, so we had to leave. To keep going would have been even worse.”
Xiao Han was taken aback and said, “You didn’t get paid in the end?”
“No!” Eldest Uncle shook his head. “Not only did we not get paid, but we ended up pouring in thousands of our own money. Eating, drinking, using the restroom—does any of it co for free?”
To Xiao Minghua, the second uncle, it didn’t matter; it was just two months of his son’s ti. After all, the travel expenses, the cost of food, drinks, and other necessities were mostly covered by Eldest Uncle—Xiao Minghua didn’t spend a cent. Therefore, Xiao Minghua was indifferent. If it had been his own money invested and his son still hadn’t earned anything, he probably would have been furious. However, Xiao i, Eldest Uncle’s wife, was sowhat furious over this issue. Spending thousands of yuan without earning anything back would make anyone angry.
“It seems the outside world is much more complicated than we imagined,” Xiao Han said with a smile.
“You can say that again!” Eldest Uncle nodded, then added, “It’s tough out there in the world. It’s better to try one’s luck in a small city—you might just carve out a niche for yourself.”
“Hmm,” Xiao Han nodded.
At this mont, Great Aunt seed to grow impatient; after all, she was concerned about the money. And since Xiao Han was leaving tomorrow, if she didn’t speak up now, she might lose a golden opportunity. Therefore, Great Aunt kept signaling Xiao Mingguo with her eyes on the side. But Xiao Mingguo ignored the hints, simply making small talk.
“Xiao Han,” Great Aunt couldn’t hold back any longer and interjected, “We ca to see you this ti because we have sothing very important to discuss with you.”
“What is it?” Xiao Han felt a surge of apprehension, realizing that the main act was about to unfold; the following conversation must be their primary reason for visiting today. Xiao Han’s lips curled into an odd smile, but his mind was clear as day.
“Well… So kids in my family and so children from the neighbors are all in their senior year of high school, you see…” Great Aunt looked embarrassed, then continued, “Could you think of a way to help out?”
“That…” Xiao Han looked troubled and said, “There’s no way.”
“Xiao Han, help out if you can,” Xiao Minghua chid in from the side. “We’re all family here, and then there are the neighbors. We’ve always had good relations. When people co to us for help, it’s hard for us to refuse. Otherwise, it doesn’t look good. You know, we have to face each other eventually. So, do you think you could give a hand?”
“There’s nothing I can do!” Xiao Han spread his hands and said, “I really can’t help with this. If you don’t believe , there’s nothing I can do.”
“What would it take then?” Xiao Minghua asked anxiously.
“They should go to the Hann Training Class office and line up to register,” Xiao Han glanced at the few of them and said. “Hann Training Class enrollnt starts tomorrow—let them go there to sign up.”
“But with so many people in line, they wouldn’t be able to register even if they went,” Xiao Mingguo interjected. “Isn’t that a waste of other people’s ti?”
“But if I just let you cut in line like that, wouldn’t that be unfair to those who are already waiting?” Xiao Han countered. “So people are rushing there now, staying up all night just to secure a spot for their child. If you cut in line, you’re taking a spot right out of their hands. That’s really unfair to them, isn’t it?”
“That…” Xiao Mingguo hesitated.
“Well then, just give us so money to make up for it!” Great Aunt blurted out bluntly.
However, as soon as she spoke, she froze, surprised by her own outspokenness. Right after she finished, Xiao Mingguo and Xiao Minghua both glared at her fiercely, evidently feeling she had spoiled things.
“Don’t mind her nonsense,” Xiao Mingguo said awkwardly with a smile. “She only has money on her mind. Let’s talk about the real issue.”
“I think I’d rather just give you so money,” Xiao Han said with a bitter smile.
Upon hearing this, Great Aunt’s eyes lit up. Xiao Mingguo and Xiao Minghua were also excited, their eyes gleaming. They had been enduring the awkward conversation just for this mont. They had been waiting all this ti for the money. Now that their goal was finally in sight, they couldn’t hide their excitent.
“Yes, yes,” Great Aunt eagerly nodded.
“What’s good?” Xiao Mingguo raised his voice considerably, quickly adding, “Xiao Han, that’s not what we an. Really, we just wanted to give a hand to our neighbors. We hope to maintain a good image in the eyes of our neighbors and also let them know we have a nephew like you, one we can be proud of and boast about.”
“Forget it, I’ll just give you the money,” Xiao Han said, knowing his mother was in a difficult position. Thus, he offered to compensate with money.
Just as Xiao Han was about to get up to fetch the money,
“Wait!” cried Great Aunt urgently.
“Hmm?” Xiao Han looked at Great Aunt, puzzled.
Great Aunt bead as she pulled out a docunt from her bag, then said cheerfully, “Look, there are fifty nas on this list. Relatives from my side of the family, neighbors, and also my friends’ and neighbors’ children. Fifty in total… Just see what you can do for them.”
“I… I… I have so too!” Xiao Minghua urgently shouted. While speaking, he hastily took out a list with fifty nas on it and hurriedly said, “Like my older brother’s wife, I have a list of fifty children. Look…”
After he finished speaking, he handed the list to Xiao Han.
Xiao Han was sowhat stunned, then a look of disappointnt appeared in his eyes as he said, “I get it. The Hann Training Class has a total of one hundred enrollnt spots, and my eldest uncle, my second uncle, and my aunt have taken up one hundred and one spots for . Not bad, not bad… really great!”
A group of people could see the displeasure and disappointnt in Xiao Han’s eyes.
“Actually…” The Great Aunt felt it was a bit too much, she hurriedly said, “Actually, so people aren’t that important, I just included their nas for the sake of it.”
“Is that so?” Xiao Han gave a wry smile.
“Yes, yes, yes!” Second Uncle Xiao Minghua nodded eagerly.
“Alright then!” Xiao Han nodded and said, “I’ll go get your money.”
After saying that, Xiao Han turned and went indoors.
The Great Aunt, however, awkwardly said to Mother Xiao, “Look at the child, actually… we didn’t an that. Why does he always bring up money? It makes us feel so embarrassed.”
“If Xiao Han wants to give you money, then just take it,” Mother Xiao chid in, “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Right? Besides, it’s only right for him to give you money, as a nephew honoring his eldest uncle and uncles.”
“Hehe…” The Great Aunt chuckled.
But her eyes were fixed on Xiao Han’s room, as if eagerly awaiting for Xiao Han to co out quickly, so they could find out how much money he would give them. The re few minutes seed as long as hours for the Great Aunt and the others; an agonizingly long wait. They couldn’t wait to see Xiao Han co out. They also hoped that Xiao Han would co out soon.
A few minutes later, Xiao Han erged from the room.
The group of people all stood up.
It was as if they were greeting a particularly important leader. The Great Aunt seed a little excited, not knowing where to put her hands, feeling unnatural no matter how she positioned them. She took a deep breath and then said, “This… Xiao Han, you… you’re really giving us money?”
“Mhm!” Xiao Han nodded and said, “It’s the right thing to do.”
“That… that’s so embarrassing, isn’t it?” The Great Aunt said, her face flushed with embarrassnt.
Xiao Han was holding two kraft paper envelopes in his hands. The envelopes were not thick, there couldn’t have been five thousand yuan inside, let alone fifty thousand.
“This minor amount is a small gesture from !” Xiao Han looked at the families of his eldest uncle and second uncle, then said, “I am deeply grateful that my eldest uncle and second uncle have co to see and brought gifts. Therefore, these two red envelopes are tokens of my gratitude. I hope the two elders will be satisfied!”
After he spoke, Xiao Han passed the money over.
Xiao Mingguo was embarrassed to take it. But the Great Aunt couldn’t wait any longer and snatched it up, then smiled and said, “Good, good, good, Xiao Han is really nice.”
After saying that, she couldn’t wait to open the envelope. She counted a stack of cash in front of everyone. There were only ten bills, totaling a thousand yuan.
The Great Aunt was dumbfounded: “Only… just a thousand yuan?”
“Oh.” Xiao Han nodded and said, “I’ve just bought a house and paid a decoration fee of five hundred thousand. I don’t have much money on hand right now. My savings are completely drained. The house is being decorated, and I plan to move my mother into the new house after the decoration is finished.”
“This…” The Great Aunt didn’t know how to rebut, her face, which was just recently gleeful and excited, suddenly beca particularly downcast.
“This…” The second uncle was also disappointed, not to ntion getting fifty thousand, at least ten thousand as a consolation would have been better, but they only got a re thousand yuan. Still, he pocketed it as sothing was better than nothing.
However, the Great Aunt didn’t see it that way; feeling it was unfair that Xiao Xiaoi could get twenty-three thousand yuan while she only got a thousand. Clearly, to her, this was unequal. So, the Great Aunt was very disgruntled.
“Then why did your aunt give so much?” the Great Aunt asked coldly, “Why do we only get a thousand? Even giving us ten thousand each would be alright.”
The shrewish behavior, unsatisfied by greed, she outright wanted to tear off any pretense.
That was her thought and her way of acting. So, she was very annoyed. She felt if Xiao Xiaoi could get that much money, then she deserved that much too. Otherwise, it was a sign of disrespect. Little did she know, being given sothing was a courtesy, but not being given it was only proper.
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