Chapter 162: Persuasion

A single meal left both Chen Rong and little Chen Hong with their lips glistening with oil. They had polished off two entire catties of tender, braised meat without leaving a single scrap behind.

People in this era were always starved for a bit of fat and grease. Two catties of meat were honestly barely enough to satisfy a half-grown child like little Chen Hong and an adult like Chen Rong!

With her little belly bulging out in satisfaction, Chen Hong hopped down from her young aunt Chen Rong's lap, eager to share the joy of having eaten meat with the other children in the courtyard.

Damn it, building her own happiness on the suffering of others—Chen Rong, I really didn't misjudge you. In another ten years, you'll definitely be a top-tier player!

As she passed by Chen Liang, little Chen Hong let out a cold huff through her nose. This was the manifestation of a grudge; for the rest of her life, she would never forget the pain of being backstabbed by her most trusted second uncle precisely when she was at her most helpless!

Once Chen Hong had run outside to play, Mother Chen moved to clear the table, but Chen Liang stopped her. "Mom, wait a minute before you clean up. And Dad, you wait a bit before going out to play chess too. I have something to say!"

"Big brother, why don't you, sister-in-law, and Xiaoyu go outside to catch some cool air for a moment? Little sister, don't you leave; this matter concerns you directly!"

In the Chen family, Chen Liang was currently the one with the brightest prospects. Therefore, when he put on such a serious expression, even Father and Mother Chen paused.

Once only the parents and the younger sister remained in the room, Chen Liang slowly began, "Mom, Dad, I don't intend to let our little sister attend the Normal University!"

As soon as these words dropped, Father Chen, Mother Chen, and the younger sister were all baffled. What did Chen Liang mean by this? If she wasn't going to the Normal University, did he mean to help Chen Rong switch to a different school instead?

"Second son, what do you mean by that? If she doesn't go to the Capital Normal University, could she possibly go to some other school?"

Chen Dahuan voiced the confusion shared by everyone sitting in the room.

"No, Dad. I mean, I want our little sister to skip college entirely and arrange for her to go straight into a factory job!" Chen Liang's words landed like a thunderclap, shocking the three people in the room beyond measure.

Upon hearing this, Chen Dahuan slammed his hand angrily onto the table. "Second son, what kind of nonsense are you spouting? Your little sister barely managed to get accepted into university through sheer effort, and you're going to stop her from attending? What on earth are you trying to pull?"

Chen Liang found himself unable to articulate his hidden difficulties. How was he supposed to explain this properly?

"Dad, you don't understand! Going to university right now is not a good thing..."

Before Chen Liang could finish the rest of his sentence, he was rudely cut off by Chen Dahuan. "I don't understand? I've eaten more salt than you've eaten meals! You're telling me I don't understand? Then I suppose you're the one who understands?!"

With all that salt you've eaten, why haven't I ever seen you get salted to death! Chen Liang rolled his eyes inwardly.

"That's right, Dad! I think Second Brother is just jealous of me. I'm not listening to him! I am going to go to university! Dad!" Little sister Chen Rong immediately began fanning the flames.

Impatiently, Chen Liang waved a hand at Chen Rong. "Little sister, stop making trouble!"

Then, turning his head back, he locked a firm gaze on his father. "Dad, you're right, you don't understand. But I do!"

Chen Liang spoke with such an unshakeable, ironclad tone that it forced the curses back down Chen Dahuan's throat before he could utter them!

*Suck, suck.* Irritatedly, Chen Dahuan lit a cigarette and took a fierce drag. "Then tell me, just what is it that you understand?"

There was a lot he understood, but it really wasn't easy to discuss with his father. "Dad, just don't ask. My exposure to society is much wider than yours. You just need to know one thing: I would never harm anyone in this family. That should be enough!"

Seeing the defiant look on Chen Dahuan's face, as if he were about to start arguing again, Mother Chen hurried over to smooth things over. She turned to Chen Liang and asked, "My dear son, why don't you tell Mom the reason?"

"Mom, I can't tell you too much. I can only give you four words: politics and the prevailing wind!"

Seeing the thoroughly bewildered look on Mother Chen's face, Chen Liang had no choice but to offer a brief explanation. "Mom, universities right now are just like powder kegs. If you're not careful for even a second, it can blow people to smithereens. I'm truly doing this for our little sister's own good!"

From the side, Chen Rong chimed in, "Second Brother, if you really have my best interests at heart, you should be supporting me to go to university even more! There's no way a brother acts like you. I don't care, I'm going to university! I refuse to go work in a factory."

Hearing the words "politics" and "prevailing wind" from Chen Liang, Chen Dahuan fell into a deep contemplation. Meanwhile, upon hearing Chen Liang use "powder keg" to describe a university, Mother Chen also fell silent. Now, the only one left chattering incessantly in the room was Chen Rong.

Chen Liang had no choice but to try and placate Chen Rong first. "Little sister, what is it that you're hoping to get out of going to university?"

Without even stopping to think, Chen Rong immediately replied, "To land a good assigned job, of course! I've already asked around—the moment you graduate from the Normal University, you step right out with the status of a teacher and a state cadre!"

Chen Liang coaxed her step by step. "Then what if I help you find a leisurely, good job right now? Furthermore, your second brother promises you that after you've worked there for a couple of years, I'll help get your status converted to a formal cadre position. How does that sound?"

"This..." For a moment, Chen Rong was torn. It was true, wasn't the whole point of testing into university just to secure a bright future? If her second brother could take care of that for her right now, why on earth would she still need to go to university?

"I'd still want to go, though. College students get an eighteen-yuan-and-fifty-cent subsidy every month!" After thinking it over, Chen Rong still couldn't bear to let go of that monthly subsidy—she was a thorough little money-grubber.

Seeing the wavering in Chen Rong's heart, Chen Liang struck while the iron was hot. "How about this: Second Brother will subsidize your pocket money with twenty yuan every month, and I promise that whatever you earn from your job will be entirely yours to spend all by yourself! How about that?"

"Well... but Mom and Dad definitely won't agree, right, Dad? Mom!" Swayed by the lavish conditions Chen Liang had thrown on the table, Chen Rong's mind was thrown into utter chaos, leaving her with no choice but to hand the final decision over to her parents.

"Second son, is everything you just said true?" Chen Dahuan pointed a finger upward.

"True, truer than pure gold!" Chen Liang nodded.

"Well... daughter, I suppose we won't go to this university then." After pondering over it for a long while, Chen Dahuan gritted his teeth and made what would turn out to be the most sensible decision of his life.

"Fine... alright then. But Second Brother, the conditions you promised me can't change! Otherwise, I'll... I'll... I'll go tell Second Sister-in-law!"

Chen Rong wracked her brain for a long time trying to figure out how to threaten her second brother, and finally resorted to pulling out his ultimate soft spot: Xiaoyu.

"Alright, alright, isn't it just twenty yuan a month? Here, this is for the first month." With that, Chen Liang fished two large ten-yuan bills out of his pocket and handed them to Chen Rong.

Mother Chen, who hated nothing more than seeing her children spend money so casually, snapped back to reality. "What are you doing! Just give the little girl two yuan to make an appearance, that's more than enough."

Clutching the money tight in her fist, Chen Rong ducked behind Chen Liang's back. "Second Brother, you promised me! Mom and Dad aren't allowed to take this money from me!"

With the serious business settled, Chen Liang reverted to his usual cheeky self. "Mom, what are you up to? This is little sister's pocket money. If you're going to take it, at least wait until after I leave!"

"Ah, Second Brother, how could you do that?!" Chen Rong had been over the moon when she heard the first part of Chen Liang's sentence, but upon hearing the end, she cried out in discontent.