This Girl Wins Three Hundred Million Dollars

Chapter 171

For Mr. Shen Yuxiao in the past, money was the root of his suffering.

In the 17th year since he had left the Shen family, I followed my boss, and the boss followed his wife, to inspect the poverty alleviation project site in the northwest.

This poverty alleviation project was directly cooperating with the government, and had been led by Mr. Shen Chaowen when he was still in the group, gradually being transferred to the boss's wife.

Mr. Shen Chaowen had some resentment at the time, as the construction plan bypassed the impoverished county where Mr. Shen Yuxiao lived. He went against the majority and demanded that this county and the neighboring county be merged, and the residential construction area be selected in the neighboring county. He wanted all the residents of this county to be relocated to the neighboring county, he didn't care how much the cost would increase, he wanted this county to be abandoned, he wanted this county to become a ghost town.

Mr. Shen Yuxiao and his current wife Chen Yun were also on the relocation list.

I don't know what Mr. Shen Chaowen was thinking, perhaps he still had a little expectation for him.

But unfortunately, Mr. Shen Yuxiao disappointed him. Not only did he not choose to relocate, but he also encouraged and promoted other residents to stay and build a more beautiful hometown together with his wife.

At that time, they went out on the street every day to distribute flyers, going door-to-door to persuade people. They had already found some local apple trees suitable for planting, and they could definitely help everyone become prosperous through hard work.

All the residents of the county city avoided them as if they were avoiding a plague, looking at them with the same eyes as they would look at a madman.

The neighboring county was already building new rural villas, and after they were built, the residents would move in, and each household would be allocated a small villa of different sizes based on the population.

Moreover, their employment problem would also be solved, with free training available, and as long as they passed the training assessment, they could work in the factory.

Who still wants to farm the land? This barren land, what's the point of farming it? Why not go enjoy the good life instead of staying here in misery? From morning till night, they can't even fill their stomachs!

And so, that county city was left with only Mr. Shen Yuxiao and his wife.

The one who went with us to inspect was also Miss An. She had grown into a beautiful, noble, and strong-willed young lady, but she always looked gloomy and didn't smile much.

She was still working her way up from the bottom in the group.

This time, she specifically applied to come along.

She said that she could never get over it in her heart, and she wanted to see what the person who gave up everything had become.

Well, I think she wanted to see Mr. Shen Yuxiao regret it and break down in tears, which might make her feel better.

She wanted to find Mr. Shen Yuxiao, and the boss's wife was worried about Miss An going alone, so she asked me to bring some bodyguards to accompany her.

When we arrived, what we saw was not a ghost town, but apple trees covering the mountains, the heavy fruits bending the branches, and the farmers bustling around to pick the apples.

They really had grown apple trees.

"Who are you looking for?" an old lady wiped the sweat from her forehead and asked us.

Miss An froze in place, so I spoke up: "We are looking for Mr. Shen Yuxiao."

"Oh, the boss? He's over there sunbathing."

When I saw Mr. Shen Yuxiao, I could hardly believe that the shriveled old man wearing a tattered vest and liberation shoes was once the young master of the Shen family.

His skin was dark and yellow, and his entire body was gaunt and emaciated, with only skin and bones left.

A straw hat covered his eyes, a blade of grass clenched between his teeth, chewing it slowly, his legs propped up high, lying on a sunny slope, a half-basket of fresh apples beside him.

Miss An was eerily quiet, and I called out "Mr. Shen" as I approached.

He took off his hat, slowly opening his eyes, showing no expression when he saw me, but when he saw Miss An behind me, he quickly got up and awkwardly brushed off the grass on his clothes.

"You... are you... An'an?"

Miss An looked up at him: "Who's An'an?"

"She's my daughter."

"Hmph, so you have a daughter, but I don't have a father."

Miss An's words were like sharp needles, but she didn't speak that way to others, always being polite.

Mr. Shen Yuxiao looked embarrassed, and with stiff movements, he rummaged through the basket and pulled out the largest and reddest apple, holding it out to her like a treasure: "Have... have an apple."

Miss An looked at it with disdain: "Such a lowly thing, you dare offer it to me? It's an insult to my eyes."

She turned and left.

Her back was stiff but straight.

She probably wanted to be alone, and I didn't follow her, staying behind with Mr. Shen Yuxiao to bask in the sun.

I said, "Miss An is not usually like this."

"I know, she's angry with me, and she should be." Mr. Shen Yuxiao put the apple aside and placed the half-basket of apples in front of me. "Have some apples."

Am I not worthy of the biggest and reddest one? I was annoyed, taking one apple in each hand and biting into them with a crunch.

You know, they're actually quite sweet.

"How are An'an and Ruirui doing?"

For the sake of the apples, I chose to answer: "They're both doing well. Miss An is the marketing director at the group, and Young Master Ruirui is working on Wall Street in the U.S., and he should be coming back to develop in China next year."

He was not satisfied with my answer and asked in a different way: "Are they... happy?"

"I don't know that, whether they're happy or not, they wouldn't tell me anyway."

How much success a person has achieved can be easily known, but who can know if a person is truly happy or not?

They can easily pretend to be happy or unhappy.

"Oh." He looked a bit sad and said, "I hope they are happy."

I couldn't hold back a laugh. "You never had a mother, and the father you admired the most just abandoned you without a word. Do you think you would be happy?"

Damn, why do I feel like I've suddenly been struck by an arrow, and this arrow has pierced right through my chest.

My parents didn't want me either, and I'm happy now, but that doesn't mean I can forget the unhappiness of the past, as if those days never existed.

He lowered his head and didn't speak anymore.

I asked him bluntly, "Have you regretted it?"

"I regretted it when I couldn't even afford to eat or buy shoes." He gave a wry smile. "I regretted handing over all my assets at the time, not leaving anything for myself."

I believe this, the pain of hunger is something I know, when he left the Shen family, there was only a little over 600 yuan in his account, and it's easy to starve. But that's not what I wanted to ask about.

I wasn't satisfied with his answer, so I asked in a different way: "Abandoning your children, have you regretted that?"

He didn't say anything, but his entire being, from his facial features to his toes, was saying that he regretted it.

"Regret is useless, they won't forgive you." I said.

I won't forgive my parents either. At least An'an and Young Master Ruirui have never lacked money.

But my parents, they gave me neither money nor love.

"Yuxiao - come back for dinner!"

I saw the elderly Chen Yun calling from the foot of the hill, she had become a shriveled and weak old lady, now standing together with Mr. Shen Yuxiao, they actually made a matching pair.

Then Mr. Shen Yuxiao picked up the largest and reddest apple and ran down the hill.

He didn't even say goodbye to me, how rude.

He really knows how to irritate people, and on my way back, I was in a constant state of melancholy.

More melancholic than me was Miss An. After returning to the hotel, she locked herself in her room and wouldn't open the door for anyone.

Finally, it was Young Master Ruirui, who heard the news and came back from the U.S., that made Miss An open the door.

I didn't know what they were talking about inside, but afterwards, Miss An's smile grew more and more, and Young Master Rui also changed his plans and returned home early to develop.

It's nice to have siblings.

I suddenly understood the feelings of my wife who wants to have more children.

I also need to go home and have dinner.

I don't like to carry the house keys with me, because whenever I get home, there will always be someone there, and I enjoy the look of surprise and delight on their faces when they open the door, and the sound of "Mommy, Daddy's home!" or "Darlings, Daddy's back!"

That makes me feel like I'm in spring, amidst the fragrance of flowers.

Today, it was my sweet and soft little daughter who came to open the door, and she happily rushed into my arms, even smearing her saliva on my face: "Daddy, I've missed you so much!"

"Sweetheart, it's me who has missed you so much." I wiped her saliva and gently corrected her pronunciation.

My daughter, she is just too adorable, the most adorable in the world.

"Honey, you're back~"

Oh no, I take that back, my wife is the most adorable in the world, and my daughter is second.

The two rascals also ran out of the study, their enthusiasm much higher than usual.

I understand clearly, they definitely haven't finished their homework, and are using welcoming me home as an excuse to slack off for a while.

I nuzzled my wife's face: "What are we having for dinner today?"

"I've learned how to make baked penne, and I also made a dry-fried chicken, two vegetable dishes, and meatballs. The soup for tonight is tomato oxtail soup."

I couldn't help but salivate: "Ah, the taste of happiness."