Chapter 28: I Didn’t Know You Were Like This

Hu Meili loved watching the show, and the others in the courtyard weren’t far behind, they all came out with their bowls.

Those who were too lazy to stand even brought out a stool and sat at the door, eating and watching.

Liu Laohei was also furious, he forgot to lower his voice. Everyone heard him scolding, “White-eyed wolf, unfilial son, beast…”

“You favor your elder brother, and you don’t let me speak?” Liu Honghe retorted loudly, “Why do you buy a job for my elder brother, and I have to go to the countryside, am I not your son?”

The people outside the courtyard looked at each other and understood, they were arguing about going to the countryside again.

Before Hu Meili got divorced, the family would fight every now and then, now that she’s divorced, the Liu family hasn’t calmed down.

Lin Xiangnan listened and couldn’t help but shake her head and sigh, “I kind of feel sorry for that silly boy, Liu Honghe.”

“Why feel sorry for him? When Mom got divorced, he was still standing up for Liu Hongying. Now it’s his turn to go to the countryside, it’s only right.” Lin Xiangxi said with a gloating expression.

“I just feel sorry for him because he’s so silly. He still can’t see the situation.”

When Hu Meili proposed divorce, Liu Laohei didn’t try hard to keep her, because he understood Hu Meili’s plan.

If Lin Xiangnan could find a good partner to marry before graduation and stay in the city, Hu Meili’s divorce plan could be delayed, but Liu Hongying ruined Lin Xiangnan’s date, there was no room for reconciliation.

Liu Laohei understood this, but Liu Honghe didn’t think about it at all, he thought that he had lost Lin Xiangnan as a competitor and Hu Meili as a hindrance.

With no outsiders to oppose him, Liu Honghe’s going to the countryside was finally settled.

“Whoever wants to go to the countryside can go, I’m not going.” Liu Honghe cried loudly, “If you force me, I’ll go to my mom’s grave and kill myself.”

Liu Laohei slapped the table, “If you have the guts, go. Go now! I raised you for so many years, and you’re threatening me?”

It was impossible to go now. Liu Honghe’s crying paused for a moment, he said viciously, “I won’t die in vain, if I die, we’ll all die together. I’ll buy a bottle of rat poison, let’s all die together.”

“You heartless thing.” Liu Laohei was so angry that he smashed another bowl.

Their father and son were arguing. Liu Hongying and Liu Hongshan, the two siblings, didn’t dare to breathe, they just watched silently.

When Liu Hongying returned to the city, she was not only malnourished, but she was also mentally traumatized. When she first came back, she poured out a lot of grievances in order to gain sympathy and pretend to be pitiful.

Not having enough to eat or wear was the least of it. During the busy farming season in summer, she could lose a layer of skin from the sun. In winter, her hands would get large, cracked, and festering chilblains, her hands would swell up like buns, even so, she still had to get her hands wet, because she was alone outside, no one would take care of her.

She made herself sound miserable, so her family felt more pity for her. But this also had a drawback, that is, her younger siblings were all scared, none of them dared to go to the countryside.

Actually, going to the countryside now, you could go to the countryside in the same city, you didn’t have to go to remote and poor areas anymore, the conditions were much better.

But Liu Honghe was scared out of his wits, even if it was the countryside in the same city, he didn’t want to go, he just wanted to stay in the city.

Even if he didn’t have a job, he could secretly be an unemployed youth in the city.

In this family, except for Liu Laohei, only Liu Hongshan had a job, this job was bought with family money, so he didn’t dare to speak when the family argued about work and going to the countryside.

Before, there were six children in the family, only Liu Hongshan got something good.

He was also smart, whenever the family fought, he would be invisible, afraid that the fire would spread to him.

But now that there were no outsiders, no matter how much he hid, Liu Honghe still pointed the finger at his own brother.

“Since the family doesn’t have money to buy a new job, why don’t you let my elder brother give me his job? Let my elder brother go to the countryside? Why does it have to be me?” Liu Honghe disagreed.

Liu Hongshan’s heart tightened, he immediately explained, “I’m dating someone, I promised her that I would marry her after I paid off the debt and saved enough money. She’s a good girl, I can’t let her down.”

“You can’t let down that woman outside, but you can let down your own brother?” Liu Honghe retorted.

Liu Hongying glanced at her younger brother, she guessed that was an excuse he made up. They lived together, she knew whether her brother had a girlfriend or not.

Besides, Liu Hongshan’s monthly salary was used to pay off debts, where would he get pocket money to date?

Liu Hongying was meticulous, she could guess that something was wrong, but Liu Laohei was only happy.

Seeing Liu Honghe still entangled with his brother’s job, Liu Laohei scolded, “He’s your brother! You want him to go to the countryside for you, and you stay in the city to enjoy yourself, are you ashamed?”

Liu Honghe stubbornly retorted, “Why should I be ashamed? You’re all ashamed of bullying me.”

“Your elder brother was lucky, he got a job. It’s your turn now, you’re unlucky, you should go to the countryside, what can I do? It’s fate.”

Liu Honghe didn’t believe in fate, but he couldn’t argue with the three of them, he ran out crying angrily.

The Liu family’s commotion ended, but the onlookers in the courtyard didn’t disperse, instead, they held their bowls and chatted in groups of three or four.

“As soon as Sister Xu from the neighborhood committee came today, I knew the Liu family would have a fight.”

“This kid Honghe is reckless, if he really goes to the countryside, he’ll suffer a lot.”

“Did Sister Xu go to your house today? Did your family decide on the child going to the countryside?”

“It’s decided. My daughter is honest, she won’t make a fuss like Liu Honghe.”

Hearing this, Hu Meili secretly pouted, she said sarcastically, “She’s not honest. You, as her biological mother, don’t even help your own daughter, how can she make a fuss?”

Although they were both stepmothers, they had different ideas, “You’re taking care of your own children. In the end, you even got a divorce.”

Seeing the two of them bickering, the others quickly smoothed things over.

“Oh, I’m finished with my meal, I have to go wash the dishes, let’s go, let’s go back.”

Hu Meili snorted and went back to her room with her bowl.

After dinner, Hu Meili was packing her things, Lin Xiangxi pulled Lin Xiangnan’s arm and winked, “Sis, do you want to watch Liu Honghe’s funny side?”

“Didn’t you run out?”

Lin Xiangxi smiled triumphantly, “I guessed he would go to the river to cry secretly. Whenever he’s wronged, he goes there to cry, do you want to go see?”

As brothers who grew up together and fought every now and then, Lin Xiangxi knew Liu Honghe too well.

As soon as they got to the river, Lin Xiangnan saw Liu Honghe crying his heart out.

Lin Xiangxi saw him crying with snot and tears all over his face, he laughed uncontrollably, and immediately startled Liu Honghe.

Seeing that he wanted to leave, Lin Xiangnan asked curiously, “You said you wanted to buy rat poison to poison your sister and the others, is that true?”

“Of course it’s true.” Liu Honghe was stubborn, but his tone betrayed his nervousness.

Lin Xiangnan rolled her eyes, pretending to be enlightened, “I understand. You must have said that on purpose, to negotiate with your family. I’ve read Lu Xun’s article about tearing down the roof.”

Hearing this, Liu Honghe didn’t say anything, Lin Xiangxi asked, “What article?”

“It’s about if you want to open a skylight, you can’t just directly propose it, everyone won’t agree. But if you advocate tearing down the roof, everyone will take a step back and agree to open a skylight. It’s basically like that.”

“Honghe wants a job, but his family won’t give him one. But if he directly says he wants everyone’s lives, his family will definitely take a step back and be willing to find him a job.”

“Oh~~” Lin Xiangxi suddenly understood, she looked at Liu Honghe in disbelief, “I didn’t know you were like this.”

Liu Honghe was stunned, “I didn’t expect…”