Switched Life:I Went Viral on a Family Variety Show
Chapter 171 Standing Up Like a Pig

Chapter 171: Chapter 171 Standing Up Like a Pig

"Dad, your hand is hurt this badly, don’t you care about your life at all?"

Chen Weimin grabbed Grandpa Chen’s left hand, stopping him from removing the gauze.

But Grandpa Chen forcefully shook him off: "A useless son leaves the old man with no choice! Unless you don’t plan to stay in Jiangkou Village anymore!"

Chen Weimin pouted and was nearly in tears—it was true he didn’t want to leave Jiangkou Village, but he also couldn’t stand watching his father self-harm like this!

"Dad, my fault, I admit it. It’s all because I haven’t put in the effort to learn seriously. I made you suffer. Dad, I swear, from now on I’ll work hard and never let you down again!" Chen Weimin cried sincerely, apologizing earnestly.

But Grandpa Chen found his words annoying, gathering strength to smack him again, spitting in agitation: "Only with the knife at your throat do you realize the importance of hard work? Too late!"

Chen Weimin didn’t even bother to count how many slaps he’d received from his father today. He just let out a whimper, tears streaming, a giant bubble of snot forming:

"Dad, can you hold back a little? My face is practically growing calluses from all the smacks."

Grandpa Chen, both furious and amused, almost couldn’t suppress a laugh.

Trying to maintain his stern expression, he raised his hand and slapped Chen Weimin again, scolding firmly: "Get lost!"

"Dad, this time I really have calluses," Chen Weimin raised a hand to cover his burning cheek, looking at Grandpa Chen with a pitiful expression.

Upon meeting his father’s fierce, devouring glare, his lips pressed tightly together as his head slowly bowed lower and lower.

The police officer mediating the conflict stepped forward urgently to dissuade Grandpa Chen, who was teetering on self-masochism.

But Grandpa Chen wouldn’t listen, snapping back: "Officer, I’ve neither committed atrocities nor broken the law. I’m just removing some gauze. What grounds do you have to stop me?"

The officer found himself at a loss—he couldn’t very well abuse his authority and force Grandpa Chen to comply.

Just as the situation grew more difficult, a slim figure appeared, stepping forward to stop Grandpa Chen.

"Young lady, don’t meddle. Today, I’m determined to carve this Dragon Pillar!" His tone softened considerably toward his savior, but he still raised a hand to push Sang Ning aside.

"Grandpa, the Great Doctor said that while my bones have been set properly, full recovery will take some time. These hands were injured saving you—if you shove me like that, aren’t you afraid of breaking them again?"

At her words, Grandpa Chen immediately withdrew his force in fright.

Taking the opportunity, Sang Ning grabbed the gauze that Grandpa Chen had half-removed and carefully wrapped it back around him, layer by layer.

Grandpa Chen didn’t resist, but anxiety filled his gaze.

"Grandpa, I know you’re anxious, but don’t rush," Sang Ning raised her eyes momentarily to glance at Grandpa Chen, then bowed her head again, speaking in a casual tone,

"There’s still plenty of time to build the altar for the ritual. Isn’t there a single woodworker skilled in wood carving here in Jiangkou Village?"

Grandpa Chen paused, then sighed before finally replying:

"There are, but their skills aren’t up to par. Carving a Dragon Pillar is incredibly intricate—it requires techniques like deep carving, relief carving, and shallow carving. In all of Jiangkou Village, only I have fully mastered them all."

Sang Ning finished rewrapping Grandpa Chen’s gauze and tilted her head, signaling Chen Weimin with her eyes.

Chen Weimin froze for a moment before catching on, hastily taking the gauze from Sang Ning’s hands.

Once Chen Weimin tied the gauze around Grandpa Chen’s neck again, Sang Ning finally spoke up: "If there are so many woodworkers, can’t you teach them a thing or two? Or are you saying this is a secret skill that you don’t pass on?"

Sang Ning’s words hit the mark. Grandpa Chen hesitated, lowering his head with embarrassment as he admitted, "This has been a rule passed down from our ancestors. I can’t make decisions on my own. Besides—"

Here, Grandpa Chen suddenly raised his head, "Besides, I’ve already poured my heart and soul into teaching everything I know to my son, but hasn’t he turned out to be just a half-baked craftsman? Even if I teach others, they might not necessarily be able to learn."

Before Grandpa Chen had even finished speaking, Sang Ning immediately responded with two words: "Try it—"

Grandpa Chen’s eyes held doubt, but Sang Ning continued with a determined look: "How will you know others can’t do it without trying?"

As soon as she finished her sentence, Grandpa Chen’s doubt slowly turned into hesitation: "But..."

Sang Ning didn’t give him a chance to hesitate, cutting him off directly: "No buts, Grandpa. Who’s more important—the ancestors who are already dead, or your living son?"

At that moment, Grandpa Chen raised his head to look at Chen Weimin. All he saw was evasion in his eyes and a sneaky, shifty expression.

Grandpa Chen’s chest swelled with anger as he lowered his head with a sigh.

What good is having a living son? Might as well be dead!

Yet thoughts of his late little sister, who had died in childbirth to bring this rascal into the world and urged him on her deathbed to take care of their boy, softened Grandpa Chen’s heart in an instant.

When he lifted his head again, more tenderness shone in his gaze—a deep longing for his departed love.

"Alright then, what else can I do? I must have sinned in my past life and came into this one to repay this wretch!" As soon as his gaze landed back on Chen Weimin, his expression turned frosty once more.

Terrified by that look, Chen Weimin decided to act preemptively. He slapped himself hard across the face: "Dad, I admit I’m a wretch. This slap is from me to you, so you won’t have to lift a finger!"

Seeing Chen Weimin’s red and swollen face, like a bee sting, Grandpa Chen couldn’t hold back a burst of laughter.

Chen Weimin looked puzzled: "Dad, why are you crying one moment and laughing the next?"

Grandpa Chen suppressed his emotions, putting on a serious face: "Nothing... Seeing you just makes me think pigs have learned to stand upright."

Chen Weimin: "..." Definitely his biological dad!

**

The conflict between the villagers and the guests had temporarily come to a close, but wasn’t fully resolved.

Time was tight. Grandpa Chen had to immediately pick out the woodworkers with decent skills so that he could start training them the same day.

Word spread that Grandpa Chen planned to pass on his Dragon Pillar carving techniques, and nearly every woodworker in Jiangkou Village turned up to enroll.

But Grandpa Chen set the rule—his energy was limited, so he would only take on two apprentices.

Of the thirty-five woodworkers who came forward, Grandpa Chen asked each to carve a rough block.

This was the foundation of an entire wood sculpture and the best way to test their basic skills.

Thirty-five people began carving simultaneously, drawing the attention of villagers and guests who gathered to watch.

Among the spectators, Sang Youming watched the closest, craning his neck so far it seemed it might fall off, his gaze darting back and forth between the contestants, as if his eyes couldn’t keep up.

"Dad, why don’t you join in the competition and try your hand at it?"