"Hey, you called last time and said you'd bring someone back for us to meet, even promised a surprise, guaranteed we'd be satisfied... Did you forget? Or did the girl not want to be with you anymore?"

Did I mention that? Evan Ford tried hard to recall, and it did seem like something he had said. At the time, the real purpose was to lay the groundwork in case he really went to teach in the countryside.

After all, if he went for two years with his wife, it would make sense, and it would be easier to get his parents' approval.

Who could have known things would suddenly turn out like that.

Thinking about the stubbornness of his past life, insisting on his own way, and then those seven years away from his parents—even though the later Evan Ford tried hard to be filial, in the end, he still caused his parents so much worry, so much loneliness, so many regrets!

"Let me use this life to make it up to them... It's just that, for now, I still have to trick you both one more time." Evan Ford thought helplessly.

……

……

Sitting at the dining table, eating steaming hot egg noodles, being watched from both sides by his "young" mom and dad, Evan Ford once again couldn't help but feel his eyes well up.

"Too much chili," he said, raising his hand to wipe his eyes with the back of his hand, taking the initiative to speak and cover it up.

"School isn't on break yet, right?" Mr. Ford asked calmly.

Evan Ford nodded. "No, not yet."

"Did something happen?" Mr. Ford looked down at his son's reddened eyes and the expression of holding back tears, and said gently, "Don't be afraid. If something really happened, tell Dad. I'll help you figure it out."

Evan Ford hesitated for a moment. This is really rotten, but now is the perfect chance to go along with it... I can't miss this opportunity.

Finding another way to slowly build up my first pot of gold isn't impossible, but it would take at least three to five times longer... because I'd be starting from scratch.

Thinking this, Evan Ford lowered his head and mumbled:

"I got into trouble at school. The other side is asking for six thousand yuan, or else they'll make a big deal out of it... I might get expelled."

Chapter 7: Mom and Dad's Misunderstanding

Mr. Ford and Mrs. Ford are the most typical people of this era: diligent, honest, unpretentious, and so frugal that they try to save every cent.

So for Evan Ford to take all their savings, there could only be one reason—if it concerned his future and fate.

Otherwise, even if he dragged his dad to Shenghai, he wouldn't be able to make up his mind.

"So, Che'er, what exactly happened? How did it get so serious... Did you hurt someone at school?" Mrs. Ford's face was full of worry and confusion. In her eyes, her son had always been well-behaved.

Seeing this made Evan Ford feel awful. He quickly got up to support his mom and shook his head. "Mom, don't worry, I didn't get into a fight."

"Then what exactly happened?"

"...I, it's hard to say." Actually, he hadn't made up a story yet, and seeing his mom so worried she was about to cry, Evan Ford didn't know how to keep making things up.

Forget it, better just say it directly, even though there's a ninety-nine percent chance it won't work.

Just as Evan Ford made up his mind, on the other side, Mr. Ford suddenly stood up, pulled Mrs. Ford over, and said:

"Come on, let's talk in the bedroom."

……

……

What's going on? Evan Ford was a bit confused, sitting alone in the kitchen, not even eating his noodles.

In the bedroom, Mrs. Ford was looking at Mr. Ford in shock. "Are you serious?"

"Well, what else could it be?" Mr. Ford sighed. "Che'er said he was going to bring a girl home, but didn't, right? And just now when you asked him, his expression was off."

Mrs. Ford thought for a moment and nodded. "Seems like it."

"Then he said he got into trouble, the other side hasn't made a fuss yet, but wants compensation, right? He didn't hurt anyone, but can't say what happened... At his age, he's been dating that girl for almost two years. What else could it be?"

Mr. Ford took the keys from his waist, opened a drawer, and said, "No doubt about it, that rascal must have gotten the girl pregnant, and her family found out."

"That brat..." Mrs. Ford cursed, then suddenly grabbed Mr. Ford's sleeve. "So what do we do now?"

"What else can we do? Tomorrow morning I'll go withdraw all the money from the bankbook and give it to him," Mr. Ford said helplessly. "We have to give the money. First, we're in the wrong, so we have to admit it. Second, what if we don't? You think the girl's parents will let him off? If this really blows up, Che'er's future will be ruined."

Mrs. Ford said, "I know that. I mean, if we admit it and give the money, can we keep the grandchild? Or should we just ask where the girl's family lives, find a matchmaker, and go propose marriage?"

Mr. Ford looked at Mrs. Ford in astonishment. His previously dejected expression suddenly broke, and he shook his head with a wry smile.

"Che'er's mom, what are you thinking?! Even if you're eager to be a grandma, the girl still has half a year of school left, and she's only eighteen. She's about to get a secure government job, a state employee—you think her family would agree?"

Mrs. Ford thought for a moment, then nodded helplessly, sighed, and slumped onto the bed. "Oh, my precious grandchild..."