RPAGF Chapter 128 Advancing as a Form of Retreat
Chapter 128 Advancing as a Form of Retreat
Lu Tao sneered inwardly. Her mother had made arrangements for her family, and her father had settled everything perfectly, but he hadn't asked for her opinion.
If they had let her in on the second day of the Lunar New Year, perhaps she could have gotten her brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews to come and help. But now!
impossible! !
"Father, Mother." Lu Tao looked at the two elderly people in front of her, her heart filled with emotion.
On the one hand, as a daughter, now that she has money, she wants her parents to live a better life.
On the other hand, as a daughter, she was ignored by her parents and disliked by her brother and sister-in-law, and she was really unwilling to give them money.
“My daughter is married. In recent years, her parents have had no contact with her husband's family, and they have never informed me about her own family either. Since that's the case, my daughter has already severed ties with her own family…”
“From now on, apart from the annual gifts that should be given each year, my daughter and her family will not have any other contact.”
Lu Hai stared in astonishment, and Lu Jiangshi was equally surprised.
"Peach!" Madam Lu Jiang grabbed Lu Tao. "What do you mean by this?"
"I'm your mother!"
"When your mother gave birth to you... she was in pain for three days and three nights..."
"mother..."
Looking at Lu Tao's calm expression, Lady Lu Jiang suddenly couldn't continue speaking.
When she gave birth to Lu Tao...it went incredibly smoothly.
From a young age, Lu Tao was always sensible and capable. She could help with household chores at a young age and even embroider handkerchiefs to exchange for copper coins.
The villagers were very envious and often told her that Lu Tao had come to repay a debt of gratitude.
Later, in order to pay the dowry, Lu Tao was married off to the Tian family, and the villagers even felt sorry for Lu Tao.
"Father, Mother, please go back," Lu Tao said softly, though her heart ached.
This was the first time Lu Tao had resolutely resisted Lu Jiangshi. She instinctively raised her hand to slap her, "Lu Tao, you!"
Lu Tao raised her face, looking sharply at Lu Jiangshi, "Mother, if you slap me today, I will no longer recognize you as my mother."
"From now on, let's skip all the New Year's gifts. Anyway, over the years... Zhiyuan and I have never been satisfied with the New Year's gifts we sent."
Lady Lu Jiang held her hand up, hesitating to bring it down... "Those things from before..."
Too little!
Things are different now; it's almost a whole carriage full!
Five hundred catties of rice and flour is enough to feed their family for a whole year.
Half a pig, if sold, can fetch three or four taels of silver.
They exchanged all the other items for silver, more than their entire family had earned from working.
With that much of the carriage's contents, the family could have lived comfortably without having to work and still have plenty to eat and wear.
“Those things were too little before!” Lu Tao continued, helping Lu Jiangshi finish her sentence. “But Mother, do you know?”
“Those things...we spent all the copper coins we had to buy for you.”
"No matter how difficult things were for Zhiyuan and me, we never forgot our parents."
In recent years, she and Tian Zhiyuan have been too busy to visit her parents' home, but they still ask someone to send them last year's gifts.
Lu Tao took a deep breath. "Father, Mother, please go back."
Lady Lu looked at Lu Hai...
The contents of most of the carriage... are indeed quite a lot more than before.
However, compared to the entire Baishi Teahouse...
"peach!"
It was Lu Hai's turn to play the emotional card: "Your parents are getting old, and their biggest worry is you and your older brother."
“Now that you have the ability, I am happy for you. I have no other intentions but to hope that you can help your older brother.”
“He has three sons and one daughter, and life is not easy for him.”
"For the sake of your parents' advanced age and limited time left, please have your eldest brother and two nephews come and help out at the shop."
At this point, Lu Hai immediately waved his hand and said, "The wages don't need to be high, just the same as the servants in the shop."
"Dad will instruct them to help you properly."
"I will never covet anything else."
Tian Tian, who was hiding in the shadows, heard everything clearly and marveled at how clever Lu Hai's strategy of retreating to advance was.
If they continue to press the issue aggressively, Lu Tao may continue to stand firm.
But if they back down like this and say that their days are numbered, Lu Tao will definitely soften her heart.
Sure enough, upon hearing Lu Hai's words, Lu Tao's sharp gaze softened, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Father..."
Tian Tian took a step forward and said, "If that's what Grandfather says, then let Uncle, Cousin, and Younger Cousin work for Xiao Si."
Lu Hai: "Who is Xiao Si?"
"Xiao Si is our front-of-house waiter. He's efficient and I was planning to promote him to supervisor of the front-of-house waiters in the next couple of days."
"When my uncle and cousins come, they will take his place as waiters in the front yard, at Xiao Si's beck and call."
Tian Tian looked at Lu Hai with a smile.
“How can that be?!” Lu Hai immediately objected.
“Those are your uncle and cousins, how can they work under a lowly servant?”
"If word gets out, people will laugh at you."
Tian Tian raised an eyebrow. "I see. Then, Grandfather, what do you think should be done?"
Lu Hai said, "Since you want to promote the waiter manager, then let your uncle be the manager."
"As for your cousin, he can be the head of the kitchen."
“Your cousin is young, but he’s smart. He can follow the manager in front to collect money and learn bookkeeping.”
Tian Tian snorted coldly.
Alright, the front hall, the back courtyard, and the accounting office are all arranged.
Is this... without any other thoughts?
Tian Tian looked at Lu Tao, who turned her head away in shame.
“Grandpa’s arrangements are excellent!” Tian Tian turned around, her smile playful. “Given time, my uncle, cousins and other relatives will be able to take control of the shop.”
Lu Hai's thoughts were exposed, and his face flushed red. He immediately explained awkwardly, "No, how could that be?"
“Peach.” He looked at Lu Tao, “Don’t listen to Tian Tian. Your older brother wouldn’t do that.”
"Your father just wants them to help you in every way possible."
Lu Tao turned her back to him, not looking at him, her voice low and hoarse, "Everything is fine in the shop now, we don't need your help, brother, or A-Wang and A-Neng."
"Peach!!!" Lu Hai roared! His voice suddenly rose seven or eight octaves, "I'm talking to you so nicely, and you won't listen?!"
Lu Tao's shoulders trembled with fright, and she instinctively turned to look at him.
Suddenly, Lu Hai picked up a wood-chopping knife from the corner of the wall and held it directly to his neck. "Peach! If you don't listen to your father, then your father will die in front of you."
Lu Tao was terrified. "Father, I..."
She agreed, she agreed, isn't that enough?
Tian Tian hadn't expected Lu Hai to be so radical, and unfortunately, Qin Qingyun, that scoundrel, was with her older sister and wouldn't be back for a while.
Just then, two monkeys suddenly pounced down from the roof.
One pounced on Lu Hai's head, while the other knocked the machete from his hand.
"Ouch!" Lu Hai struggled awkwardly, scratching his head haphazardly with both hands.
The monkey was agile, jumping around on his head. Lu Jiangshi wanted to help drive it away, but she was too flustered to do anything.
The scene was hilarious.