Chapter 127: Tang Xue’s Confession

Zhu Shun Yao nodded, his heart reeling from the shock. He had never imagined that he was not Zhu Guifu’s son, but rather Zhu Shenfu’s. He was the descendant of the Third Branch, not the eldest son of the Fourth Branch. Suddenly, everything made sense. No wonder Zhu Guifu and Gan Juhua had only oppressed him, ignoring his needs. No wonder they had forbidden him from attending school or joining the army. They simply did not want him to succeed.

For a moment, Zhu Shun Yao seemed trapped in a spiral of negative thoughts.

Seeing his father’s expression, Zhu Yanyi felt a pang of worry. "Daddy, it’s okay," she said softly. "We have our real grandpa now. That’s good. I will also make offerings for him."

Hearing Zhu Yanyi’s words, Zhu Shun Yao shook his head, clearing the fog from his mind. Yes, he still had roots. Besides, Zhu Guifu had never been kind to his family. Breaking away from them was truly a blessing. Having thought it through, Zhu Shun Yao smiled gently at Zhu Yanyi. "Ani, don’t worry. Daddy is fine."

Zhu Shun Yao looked up at Zhu Enfu. "Uncle, have there been no news about my father?"

Zhu Enfu nodded slightly. "No detailed news has come, so I did not tell you. I originally thought that if your adoptive family were decent, it would be better for you to stay with them than to be alone. But now, I must step forward." He turned to Zhu Shun Yao. "Shun Yao, choose a date. I will notify everyone, and you will return to the Third Branch."

"Thank you, Uncle," Zhu Shun Yao said, not refusing. "I will let you know once I pick a date. However, Uncle, no matter what, my father—no, my Fourth Uncle—raised me. When the family divided, he gave us some things, though not many. I cannot pretend I received nothing. Here is my plan: I have one thousand bricks. I cannot stop building my house now, so I will use five hundred for myself. The other five hundred bricks will go to Fourth Uncle. I believe that will be enough for Xiang Yao. I will start building now and contact Qingshan Brick Kiln in the next couple of days to buy more. Since he raised me, this is my final repayment to Fourth Uncle."

Five hundred bricks to repay the debt of upbringing. By any calculation, it was not a loss. Therefore, no one present objected. In fact, they would likely praise Zhu Shun Yao for being sensible and knowing how to handle relationships.

The news that Zhu Shun Yao was not Zhu Guifu’s son spread through Gǎn'ēn Village. People learned that Zhu Shun Yao was the son of Zhu Shenfu of the Third Branch, not Zhu Guifu of the Fourth Branch. Upon hearing this, everyone familiar with Zhu Shun Yao’s family situation suddenly understood. So that was the truth! No wonder Zhu Guifu had tormented his eldest son so much. It was because the boy was not his own, so he did not care. Some people felt a mix of emotions. Although the boy was not his son, he was still his eldest nephew, a close relative. To treat him so poorly showed that Zhu Guifu was not a good person at all.

On the contrary, the villagers approved of Zhu Shun Yao’s decision to give the bricks. Although Zhu Shun Yao had a stubborn personality, his character was good. At least he considered his adoptive father’s face and gave the bricks to the lower slope.

In any case, both Zhu Guifu and Zhu Shun Yao became famous in Gǎn'ēn Village. However, their reputations were at opposite extremes. Zhu Guifu’s name was completely blackened, while Zhu Shun Yao’s reputation shone brightly.