Wealthy Beauty in the 60s
Chapter 52 - 51 Begging on Knees

Chapter 52: Chapter 51 Begging on Knees

Zheng Xianghong didn’t respond to Gao Yongfang’s words, simply saying, "I still have things to do, I need to mend your father’s and your two brothers’ worn clothes before it gets dark, so your father and brothers have clothes to wear."

Zheng Xianghong was not foolish. Taking Wang Xiumei around the production team was tantamount to telling everyone that she approved of her as a daughter-in-law. Thus, Zheng Xianghong really wanted to give her daughter a cold shoulder, but she restrained herself.

"Mom, who’s here?" Gao Jiaxing entered from the doorway with a backpack on his back.

"Jiaxing," called out Gao Yongfang, telling Wang Xiumei, "This is my youngest brother."

Wang Xiumei’s eyes lit up. She felt that Gao Jiaxing was even taller and more handsome than Gao Jiazhi and asked, "How old is your brother? He’s still studying, right? Which school?"

"He’s seventeen, studying in Gao Er at Guangming Middle School," said Gao Yongfang.

Disappointment flashed in Wang Xiumei’s eyes. She hadn’t realized Gao Jiaxing was so young. She was three years older than Gao Jiazhi and five years older than Gao Jiaxing, who was still studying and quite young.

"What are you doing here? Why don’t you hurry up and go?" Gao Jiaxing put on an unwelcoming face as soon as he saw Gao Yongfang.

"Jiaxing, how can you talk like that? I’m your sister, this is my parents’ house. Can’t I come back?" Gao Yongfang said discontentedly.

"We have guests, and you didn’t even say a word. Where are your manners? This is Teacher Wang. Aren’t you going to greet her?" Gao Yongfang added.

Gao Jiaxing had spotted the unfamiliar woman as soon as he entered, and seeing Gao Yongfang, he understood the situation, so he felt an immediate rejection in his heart and retorted with a sneer, "She’s not my teacher."

"Such rudeness," scolded Gao Yongfang.

Zheng Xianghong became unhappy, "Alright, is that how you speak to your brother? As soon as you come back, you clash with your brother. No wonder Jiaxing doesn’t like you. Is this how a sister should act?"

"Mom, you always take his side," Gao Yongfang was very aggrieved.

Before Gao Jiaxing was born, she had been the most pampered child in the family, favored even more than her older brother, Gao Jiazhi. Of all the children, their father loved her the most. If there were any good things, she got them first, then Jiazhi.

But ever since Gao Jiaxing was born, Gao Yongfang had been sidelined. Gao Jiaxing had become the family’s precious child, and not just the two sisters, including Jiazhi, doted on him, the parents always gave him everything first. Gao Yongfang had been dissatisfied since she was a child.

Moreover, Gao Yongfang had always competed with Gao Jiaxing for affection, and their sibling relationship had worsened. As a child, Gao Yongfang had once stolen candy from Gao Jiaxing’s mouth, scratching his face, and was beaten by their father. Since then, her father was no longer as kind to her as before.

Gao Yongfang could not let go of this grudge, which was why she was close to Gao Jiazhi and disliked Gao Jiaxing. Seeing the robust Gao Jiaxing only increased her animosity; she believed that Gao Jiaxing only grew so tall because he consumed the best food in the house.

Zheng Xianghong no longer paid Gao Yongfang any attention and, to avoid further embarrassing themselves in front of others, promptly told Gao Jiaxing, "Jiaxing, go see if your father and brother are back yet. We have guests at home."

Wang Xiumei felt embarrassed by now and thought that Gao Yongfang really didn’t handle things well, bringing her here only to argue with her own mother and brother, and gently tugged at Gao Yongfang’s sleeve.

Gao Yongfang smiled at Wang Xiumei but said nothing.

On the other side, Gao Jiaxing had already left, but he soon returned, "My dad and my brother went to the Red Star Production Team."

"You’re not lying to us, are you?" Gao Yongfang eyed Gao Jiaxing suspiciously, feeling he was lying.

"Believe it or not." Gao Jiaxing grabbed his backpack from aside and walked into his room.

Zheng Xianghong said, "Alright, you should hurry back with Teacher Wang. It’s getting late, and the roads will be difficult to travel soon."

"Mom, Teacher Wang and I made a special trip here, we should at least see Jiazhi." Gao Yongfang didn’t want to leave, her goal was not yet achieved. If she brought Wang Xiumei back without allowing her to meet Jiazhi, Wang Xiumei would surely blame her later.

Moreover, it was Gao Yongfang who had initially asked Wang Xiumei to come over, so now Gao Yongfang looked at Zheng Xianghong with pleading eyes.

Seeing Gao Yongfang’s look, Zheng Xianghong glared fiercely. She headed toward the kitchen while Gao Yongfang quickly ushered Wang Xiumei to sit and followed her mother, pleading before Zheng Xianghong could speak:

"Mom, if I don’t let Teacher Wang meet Jiazhi and bring her back, if Zhiguang’s job is affected, how could I survive at my in-laws’? If Zhiguang divorces me and I return to my parental home for life, I’ll also be a burden to you. I’m already married to Zhiguang, if he’s not well, I can’t be well either. Mom, please help me this time. Mom, I’m your daughter, just because I married someone you dislike, would you stop loving me? If I’m mistreated by my in-laws, could you bear it?"

"Mom, I’m kneeling for you." Gao Yongfang knelt directly before Zheng Xianghong.

Zheng Xianghong was shocked, "What are you doing, get up." It wasn’t that she couldn’t stand her daughter kneeling, but seeing Gao Yongfang like this, how could Zheng Xianghong not feel heartache?

"Mom, you don’t know that household; I’m not living well there, but I dare not tell you. Although they don’t hit or scold me, they make me miserable. Now Zhiguang also blames my incompetence; I have neither borne him a son, nor been able to help him. If I could curry favor with the deputy director, maybe I could even start working at the factory and wouldn’t have to endure my mother-in-law’s temper."

Zheng Xianghong’s heart ached and felt sorry. She repeatedly hit Gao Yongfang a few times and said, "You’re inviting misery."

"Mom, if you really don’t want me to continue with Zhiguang, I will go back tonight and divorce him and bring Xiao Mei back to our parental home," Gao Yongfang said.

Zheng Xianghong looked at Gao Yongfang with irritation, "You’re just threatening me. I gave birth to you only to owe debts, and someday you’ll be the death of me."

Wang Xiumei was already getting impatient, regretting impulsively coming with Gao Yongfang. She had thought that the Gao family would eagerly seek to pair her up with Gao Jiazhi, given her own conditions despite a previous marriage and their being merely leaders of a production team in a rural area.

Unexpectedly, the Gao family didn’t seem to be as prompt as Gao Yongfang, and Wang Xiumei started to have a negative opinion of Gao Yongfang, considering going back. But Gao Yongfang persuaded her to stay.

Seeing her daughter’s plight, Zheng Xianghong also stepped outside to boil water, genuinely not wanting to see her daughter like this.

Meanwhile, Gao Jiaxing took his homework into the courtyard to write, as Gao Yongfang and Wang Xiumei came up to him, causing him to frown.

Wang Xiumei was a teacher at County No. 1 Middle School, teaching freshman Chinese, which was the best school in the entire county, unlike the Guangming Middle School where Gao Jiaxingstudied.