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Chapter 276: Chapter 276: Old Stories from the Past
That’s just the way Tong Yao is; if it doesn’t concern their little family, she prefers to keep out of it rather than burden herself with matters she doesn’t need to be involved in.
A wise woman minds her own business rather than meddling in her husband’s family affairs. It’d be better to spend that time thinking about what to eat that night.
Tong Yaohui furrowed his brows. Si Chen wasn’t an impolite child, but the way he handled his relationship with Si Weimin left him baffled. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Talk to Xiaochen tonight, see how this matter should be handled. It can’t stay unresolved forever. He encountered his uncle half a year ago and still hasn’t told the family. It wouldn’t be right if the family found out from others later."
Elders always seemed to think more than the younger ones. To him, finding Si Chen’s uncle was great news; their family had been worried about Si Weimin for a long time. If they kept it a secret, they’d be blamed for not being thoughtful when the family eventually found out.
Though Tong Yao understood all these reasons, had she not noticed the odd relationship between Si Weimin and Si Chen, she would have sent the news back home long ago.
However, her father was right. It wasn’t an option to leave things unresolved indefinitely.
Tong Yao’s eyes sparkled as she pulled a stool over and sat down in front of Tong Yaohui. She asked curiously, "Dad, do you know much about Ahchen’s uncle? What kind of person is he? What actually happened back then? Why does Ahchen say that his father’s death had nothing to do with our family, but the rest of his family thinks we’re indirectly involved?"
Wen Yun, sitting next to them, furrowed her eyebrows in concern, "Did they give you a hard time because of this?"
The Si family actually believed they had indirectly caused their father’s death. If this were true, how would they treat her daughter?
Tong Yaohui, too, thought of this point and looked at Tong Yao with a worried expression.
"Don’t worry you two, they didn’t give me a hard time. Only Si Xiaohui occasionally brings it up." Though no one confronted her about it directly, lots of comments were made behind her back. Tong Yao had her sources; she knew nearly all the words Si Xiaohui said about her.
Upon hearing this, Tong Yaohui sighed in relief, and said sternly, "When I met Si Weimin for the first time, he was just in his early twenties. He was a decent and honest lad, very similar to Boyi in character."
"Your father-in-law had been working in the factory for many years, and it was Si Weimin who helped take care of the family back at his hometown. And when Si Chen’s father had an accident, it was still him who rushed about taking care of everything. He was a great guy."
Back then, Si Chen’s father specifically introduced Si Weimin to him, as if hinting that he should help Weimin get a job in the same factory. Owing to Si Chen’s father’s good grace and Boyi’s sound character, Tong Yaohui indeed had such an intention for a while.
But later events didn’t occur as they’d imagined.
Tong Yao blinked her eyes. According to her father, Si Weimin seemed to be a man of character who took great care of his older brother’s family. This didn’t greatly deviate from what Si Xiaohui said. Could it be that she is overthinking this? Was Si Chen only blaming Si Weimin for leaving them behind, and that’s why he didn’t want to acknowledge Si Weimin?
No... that was unlike Si Chen’s character.
"It would have been better if Si Chen’s father hadn’t fallen from the second floor of the hospital," Wen Yun suddenly sighed.
"Mom, what did you just say?" Tong Yao looked at Wen Yun in surprise, asking, "Wasn’t it said that he was injured at the factory?"
Why did they bring up the hospital now?
Tong Yao had a hunch that Si Chen’s father’s death was strongly linked to this incident. 𝚗ov𝚙𝚞𝚋.c𝚘m
"Si Chen never told you about this?" Wen Yun thought that Tong Yao had known this all along, "Let your father tell this. He knows it better."
Tong Yaohui let out a deep sigh as he thought back, "It’s a long story."
"Si Chen’s father broke his lower leg because of me. His mother, Si Chen and Weimin came here to visit him. Later, Si Chen’s father fell from the second floor of the hospital. Though his life was not in danger, his tailbone broke. Even after recovery, he could only lie in bed paralyzed. He asked to be discharged and returned to his hometown after some time."
As for Si Chen’s father falling from the second floor of the hospital, Tong Yaohui found it strange too, but Si Chen’s father didn’t want to discuss it further. Tong Yaohui didn’t want to push it. Not until a few years later, when he made time to visit, did he find out that Si Chen’s father had passed away.
He was greatly saddened by this news.
Because Si Chen’s father fell while recuperating in the hospital, it didn’t count as a workplace injury; the compensation for the fractured leg was also minimal, leaving the Si family in very straitened circumstances. Out of consideration to their old relationships, and not wanting to see a promising young man like Si Chen waste his potential, Tong Yaohui decided to assist Si’s family.
The decision to wed his daughter to Si Chen came only after Si Chen was admitted to Kyoto Medical University, and the more promising he proved himself to be, the more assured Tong Yaohui felt about the decision.
His daughter was beautiful, and all other suitors paled in comparison to her. He didn’t want to wrong her by marrying her to one of them. Apart from his humble background, Si Chen was almost flawless. Tong Yaohui felt assured entrusting his daughter to him.
Tong Yao asked in confusion, "Si Chen’s father was recuperating at the hospital, how could he fall from the second floor?" She felt this incident was incredibly suspicious, the cause of Si Chen’s father’s death seemed to have a large connection to the fall.
If he hadn’t fallen from the second floor, after some recuperation, he would have been able to continue working in the factory and he wouldn’t have died.
"Your mother-in-law said he was sleepwalking," Tong Yaohui said, furrowing his eyebrows in disbelief at her explanation.
"Sleepwalking?" Tong Yao raised her eyebrows, "Shouldn’t my mother-in-law and uncle have been there taking care of him in the ward? How could they have just watched him sleepwalk and fall from the building?"
"That’s enough." Tong Yaohui’s attitude suddenly changed, his face serious, preventing Tong Yao from questioning further, "It’s been so many years since this happened. Why dig up those old matters? Si Chen was young then, but he remembers. Since he said his father’s death has nothing to do with our family, it means he knows what went on. Let’s not bring this up again, especially in front of Si Chen. It might make him sad to think of his father."
Tong Yaohui was a savvy man! He could see through her daughter’s probing questions. If she could perceive something, then how could he not?
But these were the Si family’s past affairs. Unveiling them now wouldn’t benefit anyone, it would only make those who lived through it feel more uncomfortable. Sometimes, it could be a kind of blessing to be kept in the dark.
Knowing her father’s stance, if Tong Yao still couldn’t understand, then she would be no different from a dunce. Letting out a silly laugh, she accepted her father’s words.
"Dad, you really know how to live a worry-free life. I have a lot to learn from you."
"Just starting your business and you’ve already learned the slick talk of a businessman," Tong Yaohui feigned disgust, but the hint of a smile gave away his actual feelings.
As he aged, he found himself more and more susceptible to flattery.
Seeing the tacit understanding between her husband and daughter, Wen Yun censured with a playful scold, "You father-daughter duo have learned to talk in riddles."
