The couple was stunned.
Fang Jianguo spoke up: "Dad... we didn’t know you were coming... And that old woman, I know her—she has no children or family, she’s really pitiful..."
"Hmph, it’s not like I don’t have children, but it seems like I might as well not." Fang Zhiyi picked up a wilted vegetable leaf, his eyes fixed sharply on Fang Jianguo.
Fang Jianguo’s ears turned red. After a moment, he said, "Dad, I’ll go buy you some ready-made dishes." With that, he stood up and left.
Chen Meihua wanted to say something, but seeing Fang Zhiyi’s expression, she kept quiet and lowered her head to eat plain rice. She glanced at the three children: "Eat up."
Fang Zhiyi coughed. "No rush. Wait till your father comes back with meat."
At the mention of meat, the three children exchanged glances.
"Dad, we do eat meat normally..." Chen Meihua said with an awkward smile.
Fang Zhiyi picked up his chopsticks and stirred the vegetable soup. "Listening to you, I’d think I’d been reborn back into my childhood. Do you even know what year it is now? Huh? Eating like this every day?"
Chen Meihua didn’t dare argue with her father-in-law, silently praying he’d leave after just one day.
Fang Jianguo returned with some braised dishes, though they were mostly vegetables with little meat. Fang Zhiyi’s expression remained sour, but seeing the eager looks in the children’s eyes, he didn’t press further.
"Go ahead and eat."
When Fang Jianguo saw his son’s chopsticks reaching toward his grandfather’s plate, he quickly stopped him: "Fang Xiao, can’t you just eat what’s in front of you?"
But Fang Zhiyi pushed the entire plate of braised dishes toward the children. "I’ve been traveling all day—my appetite isn’t great. You eat it."
The youngest, Fang Yue, took a bite first, then her two brothers followed. Fang Jianguo was about to say something when another slap landed on his head.
"Dad? Why’d you hit me?" He clutched his head in shock.
Fang Zhiyi flicked his hand. "Don’t talk while eating. Didn’t I teach you that?"
Fang Jianguo had no choice but to lower his head and eat.
With flavor finally in his mouth, Fang Xiao suddenly thought this grumpy grandfather’s visit might not be so bad after all.
The next morning, Fang Xiao was woken by voices in the living room.
"What? Dad, you’re not going back?" Chen Meihua’s voice rang out.
Fang Zhiyi nodded. "I’m old. Can’t work anymore. Go back and starve?"
Fang Jianguo looked at him, recalling the strength in his slap yesterday—hardly the frailty of someone who "couldn’t work."
"Dad, Meihua and I are busy with work, and we don’t earn much... If you stay here..." He hesitated. Their frequent charitable acts had left them with almost no savings, and life was already tight.
Fang Zhiyi didn’t respond. Instead, he stood up, opened the door, and coughed twice.
"Heartless! Your mother died young, and I raised you single-handedly! Now you’ve got a wife and won’t take care of your own father? Everyone, come see this!"
This tactic was something Fang Zhiyi had learned from a particularly nasty old woman.
Fang Jianguo broke into a cold sweat. He hurriedly shut the door—if the neighbors found out he was mistreating his father, his reputation would be ruined. What would be the point of all his good deeds then?
"Dad!"
Fang Zhiyi paused, then raised his voice even louder. "Oh, so now you’re going to hit your own father too?"
Fang Jianguo panicked. "Stay! Stay as long as you want!" Chen Meihua even rushed to close the windows.
Only then did Fang Zhiyi sit back down, satisfied, leisurely sipping water. Honestly, playing the entitled old man felt pretty good sometimes.
Defeated, the couple sent the children off to school and prepared to leave for work.
Then Fang Zhiyi spoke again: "I want braised pork ribs for dinner."
"Ribs?" Chen Meihuai froze. "That’s so expensive..."
"Give me the money, and I’ll buy them myself." Without waiting for her reply, Fang Zhiyi planted one hand on his hip and held out the other, embodying pure entitlement.
"Um... Dad, I have some money on me, but it’s meant for Uncle Chen. He fell off his bike, and his children aren’t around. I wanted to buy him some groceries..." Chen Meihua decided honesty was best.
Fang Zhiyi nodded as if enlightened, then took a deep breath. "So you’ll help some random old man but not your own father? Heartless! Everyone, come—"
Terrified of being overheard, Chen Meihua hastily pulled out the cash and handed it over to the living nightmare.
Pocketing the money, Fang Zhiyi nodded in approval. "Good. You’re dismissed."
The couple left the house with their heads down, praying the neighbors hadn’t heard the old man’s outburst. Only once they were out of the neighborhood did Chen Meihua complain, "What’s Dad doing? Trying to ruin our reputation?"
Fang Jianguo could only sigh.
"I promised to give Uncle Chen money today, but now Dad took it. What do we do?" Chen Meihua fretted.
Fang Jianguo was at a loss. "I don’t have any either. Aren’t you getting paid in a couple of days? Can’t it wait?"
Chen Meihua bit her lip. "No. I’ll borrow some from a coworker first."
As she hurried off, Fang Jianguo shook his head and headed to work.
Fang Xiao always took his siblings to school. Breakfast was usually thin porridge. He brought a bowl to Fang Zhiyi, who waved it off. "What is this? One piss and you’re hungry again."
The children stayed silent, having witnessed their grandfather’s theatrics earlier.
"I’m going out for breakfast." Fang Zhiyi pulled out the money he’d taken from Chen Meihua. At the door, he turned back. "Well? Come on!"
Fang Xiao, being the eldest, quickly urged his siblings to grab their backpacks—their faded, worn-out backpacks. Fang Zhiyi’s expression darkened at the sight.
For the first time, Fang Xiao knew what it felt like to be full after breakfast. He ate three fried dough sticks, two bowls of soy milk, and a steamed bun—not because he’d asked, but because his grandfather had ordered them, then claimed his "old stomach" couldn’t handle it. The children devoured the food.
Fang Xiao and Fang Yang were growing boys with bottomless stomachs.
Only after they finished did Fang Zhiyi watch them head to school.
Lunch was provided at school, so at least that was covered. Fang Zhiyi sighed. Who’d have thought he’d be worrying about making money in his old age?
After some scouting, he decided: a breakfast stall by the neighborhood gate! Low skill requirement, just needed early hours. Best of all, it’d ensure the kids ate well every day.
That evening, Fang Xiao and his siblings gnawed on the ribs their grandfather had stewed, sucking every last shred of meat from the bones. Fang Zhiyi watched them, then glanced at his silent son and daughter-in-law. He cleared his throat.
"I won’t be freeloading. I’ve decided to lighten your burden."
Chen Meihua and Fang Jianguo were stunned. Their father’s attitude had shifted fast. They’d been dreading the extra expenses, wondering how many good deeds they’d have to cut back on.
"I’m opening a breakfast shop," Fang Zhiyi said leisurely. "But since you’re so broke you can’t afford startup costs, I’ll settle for a stall." He spoke as if granting them a great favor.