Chapter 2, We Cannot Afford to Offend

To understand that in order to rescue Fang Shutong, the Fang family had to sell off almost all their valuable possessions, even Zhou Mingluo's savings from these past few years were completely exhausted, and Aunt Xiu naturally lost her job. Whenever he thought of these things, no matter how excited he was, he could only hold his nose and accept it.

Of course, there are many reasons why Zhou Mingluo is very much to his liking

He always feels as if there is something extra in his chest, even a slight warmth, flowing from the pocket of his shirt towards his heart

There are many reasons for this, primarily related to Fang Shutong himself. He has inherent deficiencies in terms of fertility, which has resulted in him remaining childless even at the age of over forty.

At this moment, he was indeed anxious.

By the time Zhou Mingluo discovered it today, Aunt Xiu had already developed a high fever

"Ming Luo, listen to me," Fang Shu said urgently, a rare sternness appearing in his eyes. "That person, although I do not know who he is, I can be certain that he has a vengeful nature and acts without restraint. I merely refused him once, and it might not even have been him directly that I rejected, yet he not only sent me to prison, but even after entering prison, I still... So you must never provoke him; we cannot afford to. I have already gotten into trouble, and if you get into trouble again, how can I face our elder brother and sister-in-law in the future? So you must never provoke him; we cannot afford to. I have already gotten into trouble, and if you get into trouble again, how can I face our elder brother and sister-in-law in the future?"

With this statement, Uncle Fang, who had originally appeared serious and anxious, suddenly smiled, revealing a long-lost genuine smile of joy

Indeed, he has no idea who the other party is, but what Uncle Fang Tong said about the other party's character is absolutely correct

He paused to confirm that there was indeed an object on his chest emitting a flow of heat. As it flowed into his skin, Zhou Mingluo was suddenly taken aback, no longer able to care about anything else, and reached out to touch his chest.

If something were to happen to him at this moment, it would truly be a significant matter

It was only after encountering Zhou Mingluo that Fang Shutong's paternal love had the opportunity for complete expression

Although under prolonged hopes and disappointments, coupled with his passion for antique collecting as a means of solace, Fang Shutang appeared no different from ordinary people in his daily life, it must be said that many times during the quiet of the night, he felt a strong impulse to shed tears when reflecting on this.

Compared to Zhou Mingluo's respectful admiration for him, treating him like a beloved uncle, whose status is only second to that of his own parents, Fang Shutong also regards Zhou Mingluo with the mindset of a loving son.

"Do not act impulsively." Upon hearing Zhou Mingluo's nearly hoarse whisper, Uncle Fang's expression changed drastically. He lowered his voice and urgently said, "Mingluo, listen to me, you must not act rashly. My matter has already been settled, so please do not overthink it."

The oppressive Zhou Ming felt his heart turn as cold as ice, heavy as a mountain

"Uncle, rest assured, I will take good care of Aunt Xiu for you." Gritting his teeth and clenching his fists tightly, until the tender flesh of his palms was painfully pinched by his shallow nails, Zhou Mingluo finally spoke in a low voice.

When he first met Zhou Ming, he merely lent him a hand, ensuring that he had enough to eat and wear for the time being

... ...

Over the course of more than three years of interaction, the relationship between the two has evolved from that of strangers, employer and employee, master and apprentice, to the point where Fang Shu has long regarded Zhou Mingluo as a family member in his heart and in the depths of his books

Such matters Uncle Fang has undoubtedly encountered more than once or twice over the years, but the key lies in the conversations with Zhou Mingluo, which revealed to him the other party's simplicity and innocence

He slightly shook his palm, which was still aching from being pinched. Zhou Mingluo stepped forward, managing to force a smile at the corner of his mouth. In fact, during the recent visit, he had deceived Uncle Fang with one statement: that Aunt Xiu was not doing well at all.

At this moment, he cannot possibly be calm

With a faint dry smile, Zhou Ming shook his head vigorously, striving to regain a semblance of clarity. As he walked the short distance from the prison gate to the nearby bus stop, a more natural smile gradually appeared on his face, and his eyes became clearer and cleaner.

Moreover, everything he said was the truth. Even if Zhou Mingluo respected the other party's uncle deeply, admired him greatly, and had profound feelings, he still had his own parents to support. Likewise, he also needed to take care of Aunt Xiu

To have such a disciple and nephew, he is truly satisfied

Furthermore, you also need to take care of your Aunt Xiu while you are outside! Let's leave this matter as it is; after all, it will be good enough that I can still go out in five years.

The true progress in the relationship between the two individuals stemmed from Zhou Mingluo's entry into the store, where he began to diligently supplement his knowledge. His earnest attitude towards learning and his seriousness towards work greatly impressed Uncle Fang, who felt reassured that he had not made a wrong choice. Subsequently, he would occasionally offer guidance, which motivated Zhou Mingluo to study even harder, and before long, it transformed into Uncle Fang imparting his knowledge generously.

Perhaps this matter is indeed a tremendous ordeal for him, yet at this moment he is genuinely very happy. Through this incident, he has further confirmed the goodness of Zhou Mingluo.

Uncle, you made a mistake this time. Aunt Xiu is not a fool either. Your intention in refusing her visit was to prevent her from worrying about your current state, but can't she figure it out? The more you refuse, the more she will likely think about how difficult your days are inside!

Not worth provoking

Half an hour later

This has become a significant issue. Over the years, Uncle Fang has not only frequently traveled to various places in search of different collectibles but has also been tirelessly addressing his own problems, yet to this day, he has achieved nothing.

This is life and reality

Outside the Plain Prison, standing at the wide prison gate, Zhou Mingluo turned back for one last glance before suddenly letting out a long sigh

With Uncle Fang's stern reprimand, Zhou Mingluo's spirits instantly sank again.

During that time, the store also needed to hire staff, so I conveniently brought Zhou Ming on board.

There is no doubt that suddenly facing such a great change, having to rush every day to save Fang Shutang, and even sometimes encountering malicious difficulties, the suffering for a woman like Aunt Xiu is absolutely unimaginable. Zhou Mingluo does not even know how she, a frail woman, has managed to endure it.

He first took Aunt Xiu to the hospital before hurrying to meet Uncle Fang.

After truly suppressing all negative emotions and becoming completely clear-headed, Zhou Mingluo, who was walking, suddenly paused, a hint of confusion appearing on his face

A few days ago, they finally received the notification that they could visit Uncle Fang. At the same time, Zhou Mingluo clearly remembered how Aunt Xiu had laughed joyfully for a long time, which was a rare occurrence. Who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, the request for Aunt Xiu to visit Uncle Fang was rejected? As a result, the previously cheerful Aunt Xiu cried uncontrollably that very night and, unbeknownst to Zhou Mingluo, got drunk alone at home.