“Teacher Mao, Madam Song, please come this way.”
The apartment Xia Xiaolan gifted to Mao Kangshan was in the courtyard with the best view.
A 90-square-meter ground floor unit, convenient for Mao Kangshan and Auntie Song to access.
While ground floor units were easier for elderly residents to access, they did tend to have more insects and rodents, plus humidity issues.
Xia Xiaolan had specifically addressed these concerns in the decoration: using the best moisture-proof materials, installing fine-mesh screens on every window, and ensuring all furniture had rounded corners for safety. Mao Kangshan could tell great care had been taken in the decoration.
The style was similar to the Hangcheng Provincial Construction Institute’s staff housing, not extravagant but focused on living comfort.
“Old Mao, this apartment is just too nice.”
Indeed, it was excellent.
The layout was even more practical than the Provincial Construction Institute’s staff housing.
You’d never see impractical designs like having the bathroom door directly facing the kitchen door.
Auntie Song touched everything, finding everything perfect.
Behind the elderly couple stood the wide-eyed Mao Guosheng and Zheng Shuqin.
Mao Guosheng worked in Yangcheng, and Zheng Shuqin had come to visit. Unusually, Mao Kangshan had asked them both to come for the apartment handover.
Entering the Jin Sha Chi complex, they were both speechless.
This complex was too high-end!
Zheng Shuqin couldn’t figure out why her father-in-law had asked her and Mao Guosheng to come.
Could they be buying them an apartment?
The thought emerged briefly before Zheng Shuqin suppressed it.
Impossible – the old man was too stingy. Suddenly buying them a house… Maybe before, but ever since that “apartment exchange” incident with Xia Xiaolan at the Hangcheng Provincial Construction Institute’s staff housing, Zheng Shuqin knew her in-laws had grown distant from her and Mao Guosheng.
The staff housing residents constantly gossiped, praising Xia Xiaolan’s filial piety. Zheng Shuqin was sick of Xia Xiaolan because whenever people praised her filial piety, they always compared her unfavorably to Zheng Shuqin as a daughter-in-law.
Zheng Shuqin tiptoed around, clearly intimidated by Jin Sha Chi’s upscale environment.
Her father-in-law couldn’t possibly be buying them an apartment. She’d heard from Mao Guosheng that Jin Sha Chi units sold for over 2,000 yuan per square meter at launch. Manager Ge had mentioned this unit was 90 square meters – that would be 200,000 yuan without decoration, plus several tens of thousands more for such finishing.
Mao Guosheng had some suspicions but dared not believe them.
The couple’s expressions kept changing as they harbored their thoughts.
After touring the apartment under Ge Jian’s guidance, Mao Kangshan suddenly asked his son and daughter-in-law:
“What do you think of this apartment?”
Zheng Shuqin answered honestly, “I’d give up ten years of my life to live in a place like this.”
Mao Guosheng tugged at her sleeve, but Zheng Shuqin smiled playfully, “Why are you pulling me? Father asked me first.”
Mao Kangshan nodded, “Yes, I asked you first. This will be your mother’s and my home in Pengcheng. I brought you here today to familiarize yourselves with it.”
Zheng Shuqin stared in disbelief, stuttering:
“…This, this is your apartment?”
“Correct, this is my apartment, given to us by Xiaolan. I see you and Guosheng always doubting Xiaolan’s intentions toward me, so I specially brought you to see!”
Who says his disciple isn’t filial?
Mao Kangshan had held back mentioning this Jin Sha Chi apartment for so long, waiting for this moment of handover!
They were mistaken if they thought he was suddenly getting closer to Mao Guosheng and Zheng Shuqin. Mao Kangshan wanted to show these two that Xia Xiaolan was more filial than they imagined. Some people loved viewing everything through worldly eyes, believing material things and money best-proved feelings… Well, even by that standard, this proof was powerful enough!
“Given… as a gift?”
This was insane!
Was this just throwing money around?
Zheng Shuqin had never heard of anyone being this filial to their teacher.
If someone had too much money to spend… Zheng Shuqin’s shock turned to growing excitement. Given gifts couldn’t be taken back, so this apartment was really her in-laws’?
Her father-in-law had specifically called her and Guosheng to see it, could that mean-
“Father, Young Sister Xia is truly filial. I was thoughtless to speak badly before, please don’t take it to heart! When I see Young Sister Xia, I must praise her properly. She takes such careful care of you and Mother. I’m not just saying this, but I knew she was a filial girl from our first meeting…”
Zheng Shuqin’s cheeks quivered with excitement as she poured out endless praise.
Mao Guosheng, his suspicions confirmed, felt deeply embarrassed, especially hearing his wife’s excessive praise of Xia Xiaolan.
After years of marriage, how could Mao Guosheng not understand Zheng Shuqin? She wanted to gain something!
The incident at the New Year’s Eve dinner before the Spring Festival still made Mao Guosheng feel ashamed. He later learned that because Xia Xiaolan arranged the apartment exchange and renovation for his parents, each sibling’s family had contributed 5,000 yuan, totaling 20,000 yuan, as compensation for Xia Xiaolan’s expenses on their parents.
By the time Mao Guosheng heard about it, the money had already been sent.
When he wanted to add his share, not only did Mao Kangshan refuse, but Zheng Shuqin nearly fought with him, refusing to pay the 5,000 yuan.
Zheng Shuqin had even mocked the other Mao family members for being foolish, saying Xia Xiaolan was a big boss who wouldn’t care about their small contribution, calling their gesture stupid and insincere!
Now Mao Guosheng finally understood – this was what his father had been waiting for when he ignored Zheng Shuqin back then.
Bringing them directly to Jin Sha Chi to show them what Xia Xiaolan could do.
She truly didn’t care about that 20,000 yuan.
Just this apartment was worth over 200,000…
Mao Guosheng felt extremely embarrassed and awkward, while Zheng Shuqin seemed oblivious, still shamelessly flattering. No, Zheng Shuqin probably understood but was holding onto hope in the face of such massive benefit-
Auntie Song didn’t understand what her husband was planning.
Calling their third son and his wife over just to hear Zheng Shuqin’s flattery?
Now that they knew about Xiaolan’s gift of an apartment, Zheng Shuqin would surely pester them endlessly!
Ge Jian stood silently watching. Though it was a busy moving day, his task was to prioritize Mr. and Mrs. Mao. It didn’t matter why Old Mao was doing this – if someone wanted to flatter Old Mao and praise Director Xia, he’d just listen.
If Zheng Shuqin had criticized Director Xia, Ge Jian would have intervened.
Zheng Shuqin praised exaggeratedly for a full half hour, almost running out of words.
Finally satisfied, Mao Kangshan interrupted her:
“Indeed, I also think Xiaolan is excellent in every way. However, I Mao Kangshan never take advantage of others, especially not my disciple. I can’t pay Xiaolan for this apartment, but after your mother and I pass away, the apartment will return to Xiaolan. Shuqin, what do you think about that?”
What?!
It has to be returned?
Zheng Shuqin didn’t think well of this at all – she felt like vomiting blood!
Such a nice apartment, given to the Mao family, should be the Mao family’s property. After Mao Kangshan and Auntie Song passed away, their inheritance should be divided among their children. Zheng Shuqin thought her family should get at least a third… She had already excluded Mao Kangshan’s two daughters, believing married daughters couldn’t inherit from their natal family.
Her thoughts were beautiful, but Mao Kangshan let her rejoice in vain. Seemingly feeling the shock wasn’t enough for Zheng Shuqin, Mao Kangshan added:
“At our age, one might not wake up any morning. To make it easier for Xiaolan to reclaim the apartment later, I’ve already written the will!”
Thud!
All the blood rushed to Zheng Shuqin’s head, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the spot.