Ungrateful 02

Chen Nian, meanwhile, wrote a lengthy post online, casting herself as the victim. She portrayed herself as having long endured Fang Mingyu's "patronizing humiliation," then turned around and accused Fang Mingyu of "using his financial support to control her, even harboring improper intentions towards her." Her words were dripping with a sense of grievance.

The public, unaware of the truth, sided with Chen Nian's family because they were the underdogs.

Rumors kept spreading. Fang Mingyu was suspended from his job, and Lin Wei, who was already in a fragile mental state, couldn't withstand the blow and jumped from a building.

Chen Nian, however, gained a following from this incident and received donations from many well-meaning people.

At Lin Wei's funeral, the aggressive Chen family showed up. Chen Nian threw a stack of money in front of him, her eyes filled with smugness and contempt: "Don't say you funded me. At most, it was a loan. This money is to pay you back." She paused. "You can't live in such a big house alone now anyway. What's wrong with selling it to our family?"

Fang Mingyu collapsed unconscious and was dead by the time he reached the hospital—acute myocardial infarction.

"That couple is just fake. What do you think they helped you for? Nothing but to satisfy their own sense of superiority."

"Two fools. We'd be fools not to take what's offered."

"Little Hei, does this have anything to do with me?" Fang Zhiyi glanced at the fellow system across from him and asked cautiously.

Little Hei was about to speak.

Lin Wei across from him also spoke: "What role did his father play?"

That little system said: "Fang Mingyu's father is also an old stubborn fool. He often demanded Fang Mingyu subsidize the folks back home. Simply put, they're a bunch of leeches, though compared to this family, they're practically saints."

Lin Wei nodded: "I see..."

Fang Zhiyi lowered his eyes. Neither of them made another sound.

After a good while, Little Hei said: "This half-baked thing, let me tell you, the original host had a reason for demanding his son subsidize the folks back home."

"Oh?"

"This system is truly unprofessional. Only knows how to read the plot, pays no attention to actual operations. Fang Mingyu was raised single-handedly by his old man. His folks back home did help out when times were tough for their family. It's just that later, driven by a mentality of resenting the poor and envying the rich, things did get a bit out of hand."

"Alright, I get it. The current issue is that I can't let this Tasker notice I'm off, right?"

Little Hei licked his lips: "Up to you. We could just eliminate it and make a run for it."

Hearing this, Fang Zhiyi glanced at his cheap son: "Forget it. This kid really has had it rough too."

"Dad!" Fang Mingyu broke the silence. "Weiwei and I have set the date. Just letting you know."

Fang Zhiyi raised an eyebrow: "Oh? Learned to just 'notify' your old man now? Don't forget, if I hadn't pulled you up, would you be where you are today?"

Fang Mingyu lowered his head.

Lin Wei stepped forward, her tone neither submissive nor arrogant: "Uncle, I am set on marrying Mingyu. My parents have already agreed. You can state any requests you have, and I'll do my best to fulfill them."

Upon hearing this, Fang Mingyu looked at Lin Wei in surprise. Since knowing her, this was the first time he felt Lin Wei speak with such assertiveness.

Fang Zhiyi suppressed a laugh. This kid is really pitiful—his dad isn't the original, and his wife isn't either.

"Hmph." He stood up. "I heard you bought a house?"

"Yes, we've paid the down payment." Seeing his father softening, Fang Mingyu quickly replied.

"I'll be staying at your place for a while."

"Ah?" Fang Mingyu was stunned, looking hesitantly at Lin Wei. Only after seeing Lin Wei nod did he agree.

Lin Wei also experienced Fang Zhiyi's unreasonableness firsthand—complaining the food was too bland, then too salty, or fussing about the air conditioner wasting electricity. If not for the fact that he was the victim's father, she'd have been tempted to just finish him off. She regretted speaking up about wanting to meet Fang Zhiyi.

Fang Mingyu also felt he was putting his wife in a difficult position, but could only play the punching bag caught in the middle.

Finally, on the wedding day, just like in the original plot, the Chen family arrived, travel-worn. Fang Mingyu specifically drove to pick them up. Upon arriving at the wedding venue, the Chen family couldn't help but look around, their expressions—envy, astonishment, and undisguised jealousy—all clearly seen by Lin Wei.

The most obvious was the jealousy in Chen Nian's eyes as she looked at her.

The original host was really thick-skinned, not even noticing it.

The Chen family said the usual things, alternating between gratitude and calling them benefactors. They also showed off the "local specialties" they brought—a bag of roasted peanuts, a bag of sunflower seeds, and some dried fruits of poor quality.

Lin Wei narrowed her eyes and walked over.

Suddenly, commotion at the entrance drew everyone's attention. Fang Mingyu turned around, his face changing.

"Why are they here?"

No sooner had he spoken than he saw his father, beaming, going to greet them.

"Little Erzi! Xiao Yan! Oh, Second Aunt!"

Seeing the relatives from his hometown, Fang Mingyu felt a mix of emotions. He remembered how things he bought for his father after starting work were quickly begged off by these people. They'd also make snide remarks about him forgetting his relatives once he made something of himself. He just never expected they'd come all this way.

No need to guess—dad invited them.

However, Fang Mingyu didn't think too much of it. He had helped these relatives before. But there was a period when he was genuinely struggling. His dad called demanding money, and he couldn't provide it, so his dad threatened to cut ties. Knowing his dad's temper, he hadn't contacted these relatives since, because whenever he called Fang Zhiyi, Fang Zhiyi wouldn't answer.

It was only this time, because Weiwei suggested meeting the parents, that Fang Zhiyi agreed to see them.

Fang Mingyu smiled at the Chen family and, holding Lin Wei's hand, walked towards his relatives.

"Oh, hasn't it been years? Struck it rich?" someone teased.

"The bride is quite pretty. You, boy, tsk tsk tsk."

"If your dad hadn't called us, we'd have thought you forgot us poor relatives!"

The words still carried a hint of sarcasm, but Fang Mingyu didn't mind. He smiled and invited them in, handing out cigarettes as if they were free, stuffing them into their arms. The relatives were grinning from ear to ear.

Fang Mingyu sighed. Lin Wei frowned. She now felt that meeting Fang Zhiyi early was indeed not a good thing. The course of events seemed to be going off track.

Fang Zhiyi led the relatives to the table where the Chen family was seated and directed them to sit down, giving the Chen family members a meaningful look.

The Chen family had never met Fang Zhiyi before; even Lin Wei and the others were meeting him for the first time today.

Just seeing these noisy people sitting down, dressed even worse than themselves, immediately put them in a bad mood.

"Sis, what's the meaning of this? We came specially for the wedding, and they seat us with these people?" Chen Nian's younger brother asked.

The child's voice was loud. The Fang family relatives heard it, and immediately Second Brother Fang turned his head: "What the hell do you mean 'these people'? Which people?"