Rebirth: He Decides to Lie Flat

Chapter 58: Chapter 055: Beating Around the Bush (Second Update) Chapter 58: Chapter 055: Beating Around the Bush (Second Update)

“This idea is just great!”

“There’s a saying that old ginger is hotter than new, it’s just…”

Uncle Jiang hesitated as he thought about seeing his eldest brother soon, “Should I tell Brother? Would he disagree?”

“What does he have to disagree with?”

Jiang Lao Tai was unconcerned, “If he can provide the money, I guarantee his son will be well taken care of.”

With no money and no help, and still being picky—what right does he have to choose?

The visitation area wasn’t far from Jianghai Town, located in the suburbs of Yunzhou, right next to the border with Yunfeng County.

Uncle Jiang arrived at his destination before noon, signed in, and went through the procedure; he quickly found himself outside an iron-barred window.

“Big brother.”

When Uncle Jiang saw Jiang Lao Da emerge, he got up hurriedly to greet him. He kept a straight face, but inside he was slightly surprised—how had his brother gotten fatter in just a month’s time?

Could the prison food be that good?

Jiang Lao Da wasn’t particularly thin before he went in, but he had committed a crime, after all. Even though he wasn’t constantly on edge like a startled bird, he hadn’t been very comfortable either.

At the very least, the top of his head had been barren for years.

But now, hair had actually grown there.

Uncle Jiang found it unbelievable and felt a twinge of sadness in his heart. His eldest brother had always been smarter than him and their second brother— he was the first one from the village who had gone to college.

While he and his second brother toiled under the sun and wind in the fields, his big brother sat in a spacious and bright classroom enjoying the luxury of education. Later, as he and his second brother still struggled in the countryside, his big brother thrived in an office after graduation.

He and his second brother married plain rural women, while his brother married a trendy, beautiful college professor from the city. Even though they divorced later, he had still slept with her, hadn’t he?

Compared to his eldest brother, his and his second brother’s lives were worth nothing.

But Uncle Jiang had forgotten that when they were children, all three brothers had the same opportunities; it was he and his second brother who hated the brainwork of schooling and didn’t want to attend.

The eldest chose education, while they chose farming.

And during that era, university did not cost money; not only was it free, but students also received subsidies.

Jiang Lao Da was frugal, often keeping half of the subsidy for himself and giving the rest to the family. Once he graduated and got a job, he continued the practice, sending half of his salary home.

This habit didn’t change even after many years of marriage. One of the main reasons Shu Wan insisted on divorcing him was this.

Being a nobody from a humble background, he consistently thought of his brothers and parents. Even the dowries for his brothers’ marriages and the money to build their new houses came from him, yet he neglected the expenses of his own family and the needs of his wife and child. Who could stand that?

So Shu Wan insisted on a divorce, not even wanting the house.

But Uncle Jiang had either forgotten all this, or he chose to forget, or maybe deep down, he truly believed it was his eldest brother’s duty to look after and support their whole family.

After all, who was the one who went to college? Who was the one with a steady job and capable of providing?

The only regret was that his son hadn’t yet grown up, but he went to prison first.

How could he have been so careless?

Others said that Jiang Lao Da was incarcerated for embezzlement, but the Jiang Family didn’t quite believe it.

“Didn’t see him bring much money home, so how could he have embezzled?”

“Or are you suggesting that the money he embezzled never made it home and that he’s stashed it somewhere else?”

Ever since his divorce, Eldest Uncle Jiang hadn’t remarried, and he wasn’t lecherous either. It’s certain he didn’t have any mistresses outside—the only way he would involve himself in such spendthrift matters is if the women were paying him instead.

Old Lady Jiang and the others had also tried to wheedle information out of Jiang Yan multiple times, but every attempt was in vain. That kid just played dumb, and there was even one time he cried while defending his dad, insisting his father was innocent and hadn’t done such things.

“But if he hadn’t done it, how could he have ended up inside?”

“Uncle.”

Eldest Uncle Jiang’s voice brought Uncle Jiang’s wandering thoughts back to the present. He straightened his expression and greeted warmly into the receiver, “Big brother, how’ve you been lately?”

“Not bad.”

Eldest Uncle Jiang ran his hands through the short hair that had grown on top of his head, managing a rare sincere smile, “Early to bed, early to rise. Work when it’s time to work, rest when it’s time to rest, very relaxing.”

This was a heartfelt statement, but to Uncle Jiang, it sounded somewhat unsettling.

What does that mean?

Show off that you’re living the good life inside without a care in the world, not having to look after the elderly? One is full and the whole family isn’t hungry? So, you’ve grown plump and pale, and even your hair has gotten thicker?

Feeling a knot of discomfort inside, Uncle Jiang wanted to jab at Eldest Uncle Jiang with a remark, “Little Yan still refuses to see you, ashamed of you… Cough, kids care about face, you know. Ever since you got in trouble, he transferred schools because of a fight and got kicked out in Yunzhou. Now in the countryside, at first it was okay, but later somehow the other students found out about your troubles and then…”

“He got into a fight again?”

The smile on Eldest Uncle Jiang’s face immediately vanished, and he looked at Uncle Jiang with a grave expression, “Next month bring him to see me, just tell him I want to meet him.”

That’s exactly what I’ve been waiting for.

A look of difficulty appeared on Uncle Jiang’s face, “I’m afraid that won’t be possible, big brother.”

“Why not?”

“I didn’t tell you before to keep you at ease inside but, Little Yan, accustomed to spending money lavishly in the city, got comfortable. We had to sell two of the family’s sheep to pay for his school fees after he came back. You know our parents are getting old and can’t work the fields anymore, they barely have any labor capacity. It was manageable when you contributed, but now… My second brother and I intended to give them some money every month for their old age, but they refused, saying our families’ burdens with little kids are too heavy. But with Little Yan here, demanding a hundred a week for living expenses, well, that’s four or five hundred a month—our parents don’t have that kind of money. Mom couldn’t help but scold him twice for it, and I don’t know if he got angry, perhaps he called his mother, and then, without any warning, Shu Wan transferred and took him away.”

“What? You’re saying Shu Wan took him away?”

Eldest Uncle Jiang looked at his younger brother in surprise, hardly able to believe it.

No wonder he doubted it—back when they divorced, Shu Wan had been the one who insisted on not taking Jiang Yan. She had left decisively, without even looking back.

Several years had passed, and she was now showing concern for this son?

Hadn’t she already given birth to another son?

Seeing the elder brother’s focus shift to his ex-wife, and seemingly ignoring the rest, Uncle Jiang cleared his throat to steer the conversation back, “Big brother, no matter what, Little Yan is still our family’s firstborn and grandson. We can’t just let your ex-wife take him away like this, right? What do you think, should I go bring him back?”

Your kid spends money freely, and if you want to take him back, you need money. Do you understand that?

And what about our elderly parents? Even though you’re locked up, their care can’t be pushed aside.

Uncle Jiang was desperately trying to extract money from Eldest Uncle Jiang. That way, he wouldn’t have to keep traveling here every month. This wasn’t a pleasant place to visit, and he felt unlucky every time he came.

Once he got the money, he promised himself he’d never return.