Great Benefactor 04

"How much will it cost?" Fang Jianguo asked cautiously.

Fang Zhiyi counted on his fingers: "Not much, just ten thousand yuan."

"Ten thousand!" Chen Meihua nearly jumped out of her seat. "Dad, maybe we should forget it. Running a breakfast stall is hard work, and besides..."

Fang Zhiyi's expression darkened. "What? I heard you two had money to donate to strangers but none to help your own father start a business?"

"Dad, that's different. Those people were in desperate need—"

"Coincidentally, I ran into some elderly folks while strolling today. We got along well, and when they found out I was your father, they praised you both." Fang Zhiyi smiled.

The couple's faces lit up with pride—this was exactly the feeling they craved!

Then Fang Zhiyi abruptly changed his tone. "What do you think they’d say if I told them you neglect your own father, leaving him uncared for, unfilial and disloyal... well, you get the idea?"

Fang Jianguo’s brows furrowed, while Chen Meihua’s eyes widened in alarm.

This couldn’t happen—absolutely not! Their reputation couldn’t be ruined like this!

Fang Jianguo slammed the table, startling the three children who had been quietly eating. The next moment, Fang Zhiyi’s palm smacked the back of his head. "What’s wrong with you? Yelling at your old man?"

Fang Jianguo muttered defensively, "No, Dad, I meant... I support your idea."

Chen Meihua opened her mouth to speak, but Fang Jianguo shot her a warning glance, and she lowered her head, silently returning to her meal.

"Ten thousand—where are we supposed to get that? Don’t forget, next month we still have donations for those children."

"Don’t worry, I’ve got an idea."

"What?"

"Let Dad do this. Once he starts making money, he won’t have much use for it, right? It’ll come back to us eventually. Then we can help even more people in need."

Chen Meihua hesitated. "But what if he loses money?"

"If he fails, we’ll send him back to the countryside. No big deal." Fang Jianguo sounded resolute. "I’ll just send him five hundred a month for living expenses!"

Honestly, what had gotten into the old man? Why did he suddenly show up in the city? He was just getting in the way of their charitable work!

"But... ten thousand is a lot." Chen Meihua winced. To her, that money could help several people.

"It’s fine. I’ll borrow it." Fang Jianguo made up his mind.

The next day, Fang Zhiyi gleefully counted the cash Chen Meihua had withdrawn for him early in the morning, grinning from ear to ear. His current persona was that of a stubborn old man obsessed with money.

Fang Jianguo said nothing, silently heading out to work. Chen Meihua hesitated, her gaze lingering on the stack of bills before she finally left too.

Fang Zhiyi glanced at the children and pulled out a note. "Here."

Fang Xiao looked stunned. "For me?"

"Who else? You’re the eldest. This is your allowance from your grandpa, but you’re responsible for buying snacks for your siblings, got it?"

Fang Xiao accepted the money with both hands, nodding eagerly. To him, his grandfather now seemed to glow with kindness.

As the three prepared to leave, Fang Zhiyi frowned. "Wait." He pulled out a few more bills. "Take this too."

"Grandpa..."

Fang Zhiyi raised a hand to cut him off. "After school, take them to buy new backpacks. Walking around with those tattered things is an embarrassment to the Fang family!"

Fang Yang and Fang Yue beamed at the mention of new backpacks, but Fang Xiao frowned.

"What? My words don’t count?"

Fang Xiao whispered, "No... but if Mom and Dad see us, they’ll say we’re wasting money."

"They wouldn’t dare!" Fang Zhiyi raised his voice. "From now on, you three listen to me. Understood?"

The children exchanged glances before nodding in unison.

One thing was certain—since their unreasonable grandfather arrived, they’d been eating meat every day.

While the kids went to school, Fang Zhiyi wandered into the market, commissioning a pushcart, buying steamers, a stove, two pots, and boxes of disposable bowls. The vendors, seeing his age, offered to deliver everything for him.

Fang Zhiyi was delighted.

"Being an old man isn’t so bad."

Little Hei clicked his tongue.

"What do you want from this world?" Fang Zhiyi knew he wouldn’t be here without a reason.

"Too early. I’m waiting." Little Hei didn’t elaborate, and Fang Zhiyi didn’t press further.

That evening, the children returned to find the dining table commandeered—Grandpa was kneading dough.

Fang Xiao set down his bag and rushed to help. Somehow, he sensed Grandpa’s business venture would be good for the family.

Fang Zhiyi glanced at them. "Where are the new backpacks I told you to buy?"

Fang Xiao froze. "We didn’t. I kept the money."

"Why?" Fang Zhiyi continued working the dough.

Fang Yang blurted, "If we got new ones, Mom might just give them away to some ‘poor’ kid again. Better to spend it on food—at least that stays in our stomachs."

Fang Yue, the youngest, simply watched curiously as her grandfather shaped the dough.

Fang Zhiyi nodded. "Fine. I’ll take you shopping another time. Wait a bit—I’ll make steamed buns and baozi. You’ll be my first customers today."

Just then, Fang Jianguo and Chen Meihua returned. Chen Meihua froze at the sight of Fang Zhiyi’s setup, then quickly washed her hands and offered to help.

Fang Zhiyi watched her bustling around, hands on his hips. Experience told him his daughter-in-law was up to no good.

But if she wasn’t saying anything, neither would he.

Sure enough, when the first batch of steamed buns came out, the children’s eyes sparkled with excitement. The fluffy white buns and juicy baozi made their empty stomachs growl.

But Chen Meihua snatched a plastic bag and, ignoring the heat, piled several baozi into it.

"Dad, I’ll take some to the Wang family. Just a single mom and her kid—they’re so pitiful."

Fang Xiao’s expression dimmed. Every time there was something good to eat at home, his mother would give it away to neighbors, always citing someone’s hardship.

Fang Zhiyi said nothing, watching as she filled the bag. Encouraged by his silence, Chen Meihua waved Fang Jianguo over. Together, they packed nearly the entire batch, murmuring about this or that family in need. Only a few plain buns remained. At first, they glanced nervously at Fang Zhiyi, but when he showed no reaction, they grew bolder.

Just as they turned to leave—

Smack! Fang Jianguo nearly dropped the plate. "Dad! Why’d you hit me?"

Fang Zhiyi clasped his hands behind his back. "Why? You think you can just take my goods without paying?"

"Paying?" The couple gaped. "But Dad, these are yours—"

"Mine? These are for sale!" Fang Zhiyi had anticipated this—they planned to use his stall’s products for their own charity.

He pointed at the bag. "Lost count. Call it two hundred."

"Two hundred?!" Chen Meihua shrieked.