Chapter 13: The Truth

Dahu was munching on a chicken leg, his little mouth greasy, mumbling, “Mom, this is so delicious! Can we eat your cooking every day from now on?”

“You little glutton~” Chen Manman looked at her eldest son’s eating style and affectionately scraped his nose with her finger. “That depends on whether you guys behave!”

“Mom! I’ll definitely behave! I’ll face any danger for you!” Dahu said, repeating something he’d heard somewhere.

“Mom, I’ll behave too!” Erhu lifted his little head firmly.

The adults at the table all laughed heartily.

“Oh, and there’s wine! I’ll go get it!” Chen Manman suddenly remembered. When the whole family was gathered, they had to have a drink!

She was about to get up when Lin Shuhe said, “I’ll go! You sit and eat.”

Chen Manman hurriedly refused, “No need, no need. I bought two new bottles today. Don’t you know where they are?” Without giving him a chance to respond, she rushed into their room and closed the door behind her.

No way she’d let Lin Shuhe fetch the wine—that would risk revealing things.

Chen Manman took two bottles of Maotai from the space warehouse, tore off the outer stickers, and came out of the room.

“Try this wine, I bought it in the county today,” she said, pouring some into the bowls of Grandpa Chen, Dad Chen, and Big Brother Chen.

Old Grandpa Chen loved this kind of drink. He lifted his bowl, sipped lightly, and found the wine rich and smooth with a long aftertaste. “Good wine!”

The others all raised their bowls to taste.

Chen Dad said, “Indeed, good wine! It’s been a long time since I’ve tasted something this good!”

Lin Shuhe saw Chen Manman poured wine for everyone but didn’t pour him any. His eyes looked a bit lonely.

Chen Dad noticed and said, “Son-in-law, have a bowl!” handing the bottle to Lin Shuhe.

Lin Shuhe took a small sip—the wine was spicy yet sweet, fragrant and full-bodied. It truly was good wine. But… this wine was no ordinary stuff! His gaze toward Chen Manman deepened mysteriously.

Sensing his look, Chen Manman casually glanced at him with bright eyes, feeling oddly nervous.

Could it be that he saw through her?

Hmph! So what if he did? She would never admit it!

Chen Manman puffed her cheeks and glared fiercely at Lin Shuhe.

“What are you looking at? Hmph!”

Lin Shuhe was instantly charmed by the series of expressions, recalling last night when she was nestled in his arms. His thoughts drifted far away.

After the meal, Chen Dad, Grandpa Chen, and Grandma Chen chatted in the main hall while Chen Mom and Big Sister-in-law got up to clean the kitchen.

Chen Manman was still thinking about what happened at Uncle’s house that evening.

“Dad, come out here!” She didn’t go directly to the main hall but called Chen Dad out.

Chen Dad was happily chatting with Grandpa Chen. “What’s the matter?” Though puzzled, he left the hall.

“Dad, when I went to Uncle’s today, I saw…” Chen Manman recounted everything from the afternoon in detail, including her suspicions.

Chen Dad’s expression instantly darkened. Angry, he stormed back into the hall, Chen Manman following closely.

Guided by Chen Dad’s questioning, Grandma Chen finally revealed the truth: last year at Uncle’s house, Old Grandpa Chen had fallen and broken a bone.

The two elders hadn’t worked since then. Of course, Uncle’s wife didn’t want to support two people who weren’t contributing work points, so she secretly let the elderly couple eat only one meal a day. Grandma Chen was mild-tempered and didn’t say anything even though she was bullied by her eldest daughter-in-law.

Since moving back to Uncle’s place in the second half of this year, the eldest daughter-in-law’s cruelty worsened, even bullying the grandchildren. Grandma Chen cooked all three meals daily, washed everyone’s clothes, and Grandpa Chen, unable to bear seeing his wife work so hard, confronted their eldest son.

But their eldest son sided with his wife and not only ignored the elders but even helped his wife scold them: “If you don’t work, you don’t eat! If you don’t want to stay here, go find someone willing to take you in! This house doesn’t feed freeloaders!”

Grandpa Chen now had to fetch water, chop firewood, go up the mountain for more wood, and cut grass to feed the chickens daily. They could eat at most once a day. The two elders suffered terribly.

Grandpa Chen and Grandma Chen ended up wiping tears. Chen Dad flew into a rage: “Those beasts!” He tried to rush out.

But a thin, rough, scarred hand stopped him.

“Jianguo, you always said we favored your eldest brother when you were young. Now that we’re old and in this state, it’s what we deserve,” Grandpa Chen said resignedly, his thin frame full of lifelessness.

“Jianguo, your eldest brother has his reasons. Your eldest sister-in-law said if Jianjun spoke up for us, she’d divorce him. You know your brother is soft-hearted and can’t do without his wife!” Grandma Chen wiped her tears and sobbed.

“He’s not soft-hearted! He’s damned!” Chen Dad was furious, never expecting his brother to allow his wife to mistreat their parents.

“Dad, Mom, you’re confused!” Chen Dad strongly disagreed. As the production team leader, how could he tolerate the elders being bullied right under his nose? “Dad, Mom, I won’t stand for it! If they won’t care for you, I will!”

Outside, Chen Mom overheard everything clearly. She was brought to Chenjia Village by Chen Dad from a distant town. Grandma Chen never liked her as a daughter-in-law, and she suffered many grievances when young. But seeing the elders’ suffering now, her heart was full of complex emotions.

Chen Manman finally understood the situation, her previous guesses almost completely right.

“Grandpa, Grandma, I’m going to Uncle’s house now to move your things back. From now on, I’ll take care of you!”

Seeing their determined granddaughter, Grandma Chen couldn’t hold back and hugged Chen Manman, sobbing with guilt and grievance.

The crying drew attention. Big Brother, Big Sister-in-law, and Lin Shuhe came over one after another. Upon hearing the truth, Big Brother was furious.

“Dad, we can’t just let this go! Let’s get justice!” He grabbed a hoe and charged into the yard.

Chen Mom came in and said, “Dad, Mom, let the past be past. You’ll move here, and I’ll take care of you and support you in your old age!”

Chen Mom’s words brought tears to Grandpa and Grandma Chen’s eyes. This young daughter-in-law was good—they felt ashamed and foolish for what happened before.

Chen Dad put his arm around his wife’s shoulder, “Wife, sorry you’ve suffered!”

“Do you really think I’m so unreasonable and tactless?” Chen Mom teased with a smile.

Chen Dad hurried to reassure her, “No, no, you’re the best in my heart!”

Everyone else was speechless.

Chen Manman cleared her throat, “Ahem! Dad, Mom! We should go to Uncle’s house now!”

Chen Mom blushed instantly—such behavior in front of elders and younger generations!

Chen Dad chuckled and then turned serious, “Let’s go!”

The group marched loudly toward Uncle Chen’s house. Big Sister-in-law Yao Chunzhi stayed home to look after Dahu and Erhu.