abcnovels
Chapter 165
Chapter 165
Chapter 165
This was the first time Yu Shu had seen Chen Yun. She could not be described as "pretty" - despite being only around thirty years old, Chen Yun appeared haggard, looking over forty. Her eyes were lined with wrinkles, yet her gaze was clear and bright.
Yu Shu had never seen such a gaze before, full of determination and conviction.
Two open suitcases sat by the table, filled with neatly stacked renminbi. Yu Shu was also seeing this much cash for the first time, and found the sight quite impressive and stunning.
Yu Fanxing pushed a gift agreement towards Chen Yun, her tone calm and flat. "Sign this agreement, take these five million, and live a good life with my son."
Chen Yun's response was firm and resolute. "I will not take it. I will be with Yuxiao, not for his money."
"Take this money," Yu Fanxing tried to reason, maintaining her composure. "You need not make any sacrifices or pay anything in return. Why not take it?"
"Precisely because of that, I cannot take it. One should not receive unearned rewards. If I take this money, I will lose the equality between Yuxiao and myself."
Yu Shu interjected, "But you are not equal to him even if you don't take the money."
Their knowledge, income, family backgrounds, and social statuses were worlds apart.
Chen Yun looked at her with a hint of disdain. "Our external circumstances may not be equal, but our thoughts and souls stand at the same level."
Yu Shu was taken aback, suddenly feeling shallow and vulgar.
Chen Yun then asked her, "Are your external conditions equal to Youlin's? Why must you impose upon me what you would not wish upon yourself?"
Indeed, few families in the world could match the Shen family's conditions.
"You're right, you're right," Yu Shu admitted. "I was being narrow-minded. But Miss Chen, if you take this money, you can provide the orphans with a better life. The orphanage's operating funds would be secured for a long time to come."
Ever since the Shen family discovered that Shen Yuxiao had been "brainwashed" by Chen Yun, they had limited his large expenditures, leaving him with only 100,000 yuan per month to use.
What could be done with such a small amount?
Yu Shu was startled by her own thought - she had become so accustomed to luxury that she thought 100,000 yuan per month was insufficient. Had she lost herself in the drunkenness of money and extravagance?
Chen Yun stood up, looking at them proudly. "I have my own pursuits and ambitions. I will not change or stop my path for anyone or anything."
Yu Fanxing could no longer maintain her composure, standing up and glaring at Chen Yun. "Your so-called pursuits and ambitions are to take my son to some godforsaken place to plant trees and raise children?!"
"I'm not taking him," Chen Yun turned away. "He wants to go with me. No matter what, you will always be his mother."
Seeing that her words had no effect, Yu Fanxing became increasingly agitated. "How naïve are you? To think you can change your hometown with just your bare hands? If you don't take Yuxiao away, we can easily set up a special poverty alleviation fund to change the poor conditions in your hometown."
"No!" Chen Yun's response was resolute. "I believe in my hometown. It can become prosperous on its own."
Yu Shu suddenly understood how Yu Fanxing and the Shen family felt about Chen Yun. No matter how they threatened, enticed, or schemed, she remained unmoved, unchanging in her determination.
How stubborn can one be?
Yu Fanxing completely lost control of her emotions, smashing a teacup. "Get out! Get out with your empty brain!"
On the way home, Yu Shu and Yu Fanxing sat on either side of the backseat, hands supporting their foreheads, deep in thought - simultaneously questioning life.
The world truly has all kinds of people!
The two women sighed in unison, wondering if they were too vulgar and shallow to understand Chen Yun's lofty life ideals.
They sighed aloud simultaneously.
Shen Yuxiao's call came through, but seeing his name only annoyed Yu Fanxing now. She hung up and turned off her phone without a second thought.
Back at the Shen residence, Yu Fanxing looked weary and exhausted. Without saying much to Yu Shu, she waved her hand, dismissing her to rest.
Yu Shu returned to the villa she shared with Shen Youlin. He was sunbathing in the greenhouse, reading a novel and laughing loudly enough to be heard from afar.
Seeing Yu Shu return, Shen Youlin waved her over. "Come here, come see this bizarre novel."
Yu Shu hugged him from behind, sitting on his lap. "What's it about? Tell me."
"The female lead is a Cinderella figure. Her mother is seriously ill, and they have no money for treatment. Then the male lead is an overbearing CEO who falls for the female lead at first sight. So he offers her money and finds the best doctors to arrange surgery for her mother..." Shen Youlin laughed. "But the female lead thinks that by taking the male lead's money, she would become impure and unequal to him. So she insists on working hard to earn the money for her mother's medical expenses herself..."
"Hahahahaha... Then the female lead's mother dies without treatment. The female lead is devastated for a while, but the male lead stays by her side. Eventually, she ends up with him and lives a life of incredible wealth. Hahahahaha, it's so ridiculous! How could such people exist?"
Yu Shu wearily smirked. "They do exist. Our new sister-in-law is one of them."
"Huh?"
Yu Shu recounted the day's events to Shen Youlin, whose face contorted as if he had swallowed Dou'e's feces.
He sighed in amazement, "There really are such people? The world is truly vast and full of wonders."
"Which is more important," Yu Shu asked, "principles and integrity, or benefiting those around you? If there's an easy path, why not take it?"
"You're overthinking it again," Shen Youlin tossed the book aside and pulled Yu Shu into an embrace. "My brother and that woman just want to build a better future for that poor county with their own hands. They're being selfish, not wanting to take on any responsibilities. These past few days, my brother has been adamant about leaving the family, without any thought for his own children or family duties."
There was a hint of resignation in Shen Youlin's tone. "My brother was raised from birth to be the successor of the family. The shackles were placed on him at birth, shackles made of gold that bound him, while also bestowing unparalleled wealth and status. Before meeting Chen Yun, he only knew of his own suffering, but not what kind of life he wanted."
Yu Shu sighed. "Now he wants to experience the poor and destitute life, facing the sun and tilling the soil, to completely rid himself of money."
"Whether money is clean or not depends on how it is used," Shen Youlin patted her back. "The masses have always pursued money this way, but that doesn't make it right. My brother and Chen Yun have chosen a desolate path."
Yu Shu still didn't understand. "But having money is so much better. It can easily solve most troubles and better protect those you care about."
If she didn't have money, Ou Doudou wouldn't have had the courage and determination to divorce. The Xu family wouldn't have so easily agreed to the divorce, knowing Yu Shu backed Ou Doudou. If she didn't have money, even if she knew about Gu Xiaoxin's tragic background, she wouldn't be able to help her and change her destiny without considering the costs. If she didn't have money, Zhi Yan and Zhi Xia wouldn't have dared to quit their jobs and start Zhabazhahuhu, but would have to work tirelessly to save up for their parents' medical expenses, unable to provide them with better care and living conditions. If she didn't have money, Ye Ping, Yu Feng, and Yu Yang would continue to suffer in poverty...
Her wealth not only changed her own fate, but she also became a powerful dependence for the people she cared about. It gave her and her family and friends the courage to stride forward without worrying about stumbling and being unable to recover.
The life of the poor has such a pitifully low margin for error. One misstep and they can never get back on their feet.
Yu Shu nodded, "You're right. Let them go their own way, and we'll go ours."
"You go your way, I'll go yours."
Yu Shu told a cold joke, "If you go my way, I'll have no way to go."
They both burst into laughter. Yu Shu nuzzled against Shen Youlin's solid chest, feeling the full sense of security from his muscular build.
Her mind wandered, and her hand mischievously slipped under Shen Youlin's shirt to caress his well-toned abs. The feel was exquisite, and she couldn't bring herself to stop.
"You little rascal, what are you doing?" Shen Youlin protested with amusement.
Yu Shu suppressed a naughty grin without answering him as her hand traveled lower...
Shen Youlin was aroused by her touch and was about to take her right there when Yu Shu sprang up like a bunny, putting some distance between them.
With an innocent look, Yu Shu said, "I'm hungry. Let's go have dinner at my sister's place."
"She's out."
"What? My sister actually went out?"
"Shen Yingshuang took her out, said she was taking her to experience a woman's paradise, to find a man to balance out her hormonal imbalance."
"What?!"
This was really going off the rails!