Chapter 197: Who Dares to Go

Li Cuihua continued, “What if Jianwa decides to completely sever ties with the family?”

Cheng Shuanzhu replied, “So what? Do you think we’ll starve? Other families don’t have someone sending money home every month, and they manage just fine. We have our hands, our feet, fields, and land. We won’t starve.”

Li Cuihua said, “I was hoping that when Damao and Ermao grow up, they could help out too, so they can also enjoy a better life.”

Cheng Shuanzhu was silent for a moment before saying, “Jianwa is a reasonable person. If we ever need his help in the future, he’ll help if he can.”

Li Cuihua nodded in agreement, “If he argues with Mother tomorrow, we should mediate and smooth things over. That way, it’ll be easier to ask for his help in the future.”

In another room, Zhang Hongli asked Cheng Shuansuo with curiosity, “What kind of bracelet is it? It must be beautiful.”

Cheng Shuansuo had seen the bracelet when he was very young but hadn’t seen Mu Huanzhen take it out in years. He was annoyed and didn’t want to talk to Zhang Hongli.

Zhang Hongli added, “He’s probably insisting on taking it back to give to his wife.”

Cheng Shuansuo impatiently turned over, facing away from Zhang Hongli.

Zhang Hongli pinched him, “You always get upset when it comes to his wife! No matter how upset you are, she’s someone else’s wife, not yours!”

Cheng Shuansuo turned over abruptly, “I warn you, if you keep talking nonsense, I’ll hit you! Big sister-in-law is right. If it weren’t for you causing trouble, Jianwa wouldn’t be acting this way!”

“Oh! The whole family is blaming me now!” Zhang Hongli retorted sarcastically. “How did your parents treat him before? If they had treated him even a little better, it wouldn’t have come to this!”

Cheng Shuansuo was silent.

Zhang Hongli continued, “Not giving him food or clothes is one thing, but throwing a seven-year-old child into the mountains in the middle of winter? That was practically a death sentence. And then selling him? How could he not hold a grudge?”

“He wants his mother’s bracelet back, and you’re not willing to give it to him. Now that he wants to sever ties, you’re not willing either because you’re all thinking about the money he sends every month.”

Cheng Shuansuo angrily said, “You haven’t used the money he sent? You’re not thinking about it?”

“I’ve used maybe a yuan or two, not like you who spends over two hundred at once. Mother often secretly gives you money behind everyone’s back. Do you think I don’t know? Where did you spend all that money?”

Cheng Shuansuo turned over again and pulled the blanket over his head, not wanting to deal with Zhang Hongli.

The next day at noon.

After finishing their work and eating lunch, Cheng Jingmo asked, “Dad, can you give me the bracelet now?”

Cheng Huazi lit a dry tobacco pipe and took a couple of slow puffs before saying, “Of course, we’ll give you the bracelet. But about what you said yesterday, I don’t agree.”

Cheng Jingmo nodded, “Okay.”

This response left Cheng Huazi at a loss. He expected Cheng Jingmo to ask what he didn’t agree with, giving him a chance to explain.

But Cheng Jingmo’s attitude was clear: whether you agree or not is your business; it doesn’t concern me.

Cheng Huazi had to press on, “Jianwa, your mother and I might not have taken good care of you before, but that was the situation at home. So many years have passed. If you still hold a grudge, it’s meaningless.”

“You’re living a great life now. If it weren’t for me braving the snow and rescuing you from the wolves’ mouths back then, you wouldn’t have the life you have today. You blame us for not treating you well, but remember who gave you this life.”

Cheng Jingmo listened expressionlessly.

Yu Xiangnian was also listening and thought to herself, here he goes with the moral blackmail again!

Cheng Huazi took a couple more puffs from his pipe and said, “If you want to take back your mother’s belongings, we will give them to you. But raising you wasn’t easy, and you can’t just abandon this family.”

Cheng Jingmo replied calmly, “Dad, I said everything I needed to say last night.”

Although neither of them said it explicitly, everyone understood. Cheng Huazi wanted the monthly money to continue being sent home, while Cheng Jingmo intended to stop sending money starting next month.

Cheng Huazi added, “You come back in such a grand manner, then completely ignore this family afterward. How do you think the villagers will see us and you?”

Cheng Jingmo replied, “I don’t care about others’ opinions.”

Seeing that Cheng Jingmo was unmoved, Cheng Huazi gave Mu Huanzhen a look.

Mu Huanzhen picked up the conversation, “Jianwa, we returned the gold bracelet to you. That’s enough. If you feel we’ve disrespected your wife, we can apologize to her. But if you abandon us because of this, it would be heartless.”

Cheng Jingmo turned to Mu Huanzhen, “Where is the bracelet?”

Mu Huanzhen took out a handkerchief from her pocket, “It’s inside! But you must promise to take care of this family!”

“No,” Cheng Jingmo said. “With so many people working in the family, there’s no problem supporting everyone. The money I sent before must have been saved up, so there should be no issues in emergencies.”

Mu Huanzhen got anxious, “Jianwa, if you’re so heartless, don’t think about getting this bracelet back!”

“Ah…,” Cheng Huazi faked a cough, “Wife, give Jianwa the bracelet. We owe him. If he doesn’t want to acknowledge us, so be it.”

Mu Huanzhen opened her mouth several times but couldn’t say anything. She tightly clutched the handkerchief, unmoving.

Cheng Jingmo walked up to Mu Huanzhen and forcibly took the handkerchief from her grasp.

He opened it, looked at it carefully for a moment, then folded it back and put it in his pocket.

He walked to the middle of the main hall, outside the courtyard, and bowed to Cheng Huazi and Mu Huanzhen.

“Dad, Mom, thank you for raising me. I’m leaving now. Take care of yourselves.”

Cheng Jingmo had already packed his luggage that morning.

After staying there for more than twenty days, the temperature had risen a few degrees. Yu Xiangnian had also changed into the clothes she brought, ready to leave.

As for the three cotton-padded jackets and the newly made quilts, they left those behind.

They still had the same luggage they brought: two suitcases and a backpack, all carried by Cheng Jingmo.

Cheng Jingmo said again to Cheng Huazi and Mu Huanzhen, “Dad, Mom, take care.”

No one responded. One was smoking, and the other stood dumbfounded.

Cheng Jingmo, Yu Xiangnian, and Xiao Jie said their goodbyes to everyone else.

Xiao Jie and Laoliu had grown close, and both had red eyes, reluctant to part.

Cheng Jingmo turned around first, “Let’s go.”

The three of them had just taken a few steps when Cheng Shuansuo rushed out of the kitchen with a kitchen knife, blocking their way, “I dare you to leave!”