Chapter 11: If You Want Me to Take Care of You in Your Old Age, Then I Deserve a Third of the Compensation Money

“They want to keep the compensation money all to themselves and expect me to take care of them in their old age. Isn’t that just trying to take advantage of me? The martyr’s compensation is supposed to go to the martyr’s wife and parents. I’m entitled to a portion of that money. But they won’t give me a single cent, yet still want me to care for them?”

“They’re reaping all the benefits—what about me?! I’m supposed to slave away earning money outside, then come home and do housework too? While they sit around doing nothing and enjoying life?”

Gu Qiangwei burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.

There’s a saying: evil people meet their match.

Wasn’t Wang Shufen the type who loved sitting on the floor, wailing and slapping her thighs? Just like the shrews on the street. Fine—she’d try that tactic too!

Let’s see who people think has it worse!

“I was a young maiden, and on the very day I got married, my husband went off to the battlefield. To this day—we never even consummated the marriage!”

“And if that wasn’t enough, I’ve gone from a young bride to a war widow! They won’t give me money but still want me to take care of them—why? What right do they have?”

“Aunties, you tell me, does that sound fair?”

“They’ve wronged me so much, and now they’re trying to spin the story to the aunties here, acting like they’re the victims!”

“I’m the one who’s suffering the most here!”

Gu Qiangwei cried even harder, louder. Wang Shufen stared at her in shock, speechless.

The neighbors, after hearing her words, looked at Wang Shufen and Zhao Minghua with scorn.

“She’s right! If a soldier dies in service, isn’t the money supposed to go to his wife, kids, and parents? At the very least, Qiangwei should get a portion!”

“I agree. The old couple really is in the wrong here.”

“If it were me, I wouldn’t want to stay either!”

“Come to think of it, it’s true—they held a wedding banquet, and the very next day, he left for the army. They didn’t even consummate the marriage!”

“That younger son of theirs really had it tough. Off to war before even sharing a wedding night. Poor Qiangwei, such a beautiful young woman—what now?”

“But that’s not the main point! The real issue is that the old couple is clutching the compensation money but still expects their daughter-in-law to take care of them!”

“That’s just trying to have it both ways, and then some!”

…

The neighbors looked on with contempt.

Wang Shufen shouted in response, “Why shouldn’t she care for us in our old age? We spent a lot of money marrying her to our son!”

“That money’s already spent! And they weren’t married long! My son might be dead, but she should still fulfill her duties!”

“She has no right to just walk away—she’s unfilial!”

Wang Shufen spat angrily as she yelled, making the neighbors increasingly disgusted by her behavior.

One finally spoke up: “Old sis, if you want your daughter-in-law to care for you in your old age, then you’ve got to give her money too.”

“If you say she’s your daughter-in-law, then she’s entitled to part of the compensation money. The rules clearly state that the widow of a martyr gets a share! If you’re not willing to give her anything, then you’re basically denying her status as your daughter-in-law—and in that case, why should she care for you?”

“Your house was already looted clean, and your younger son is gone. Use the money to buy some new furniture or something.”

“Live like a family, stop making a scene!”

Hearing this neighbor trying to mediate, Gu Qiangwei sneered inwardly.

The old couple were greedy to the core. They’ve always believed that this money—earned through their son’s death—belonged to them alone. How could they possibly give it to her?

Sure enough, the moment that neighbor finished speaking, Wang Shufen exploded, “What do you know? This is money my son died for! No one gets to touch it but us!”

“We raised him, and he died serving the country. Of course we should get the money!”

“Gu Qiangwei has to take care of us!”

Just moments ago, Wang Shufen had been playing the pitiful victim. Now, her true face was revealed—she wanted to use public pressure to force Gu Qiangwei to stay and serve them in their old age.

But Gu Qiangwei had tasted this bitter life in her past life—there was no way she’d fall for it again.

“I already said, if you want me to care for you in your old age, then I must get at least a third of the compensation money!”

“Since all the neighbors are here today,” she wiped her tears and declared forcefully, “then let me ask you, Dad, Mom—are you going to give me a share of the compensation or not?”

“If not, then I have no obligation to care for you. Everyone here heard it—if anyone asks in the future, tell them the truth: it’s not that I was disloyal, it’s that you two were too greedy!”

Her words were righteous and bold. The neighbors all nodded—she made a fair point. The old couple really were behaving terribly.

Upon hearing this, Wang Shufen and Zhao Minghua shook their heads—they had no intention of giving her a single coin.

Their house had already been robbed clean. If they gave Gu Qiangwei the money, how would they survive?

One-third of the money would be 166 yuan. But Qiangwei herself had said that even working outside, she only earned 20 yuan a month. After living expenses, she could only send back 10 yuan. That meant it would take over a year before they “recouped” what they gave her—only after that would they benefit from her labor.

That’s a loss!

Especially since Qiangwei looked like she was about to leave. If they gave her 166 yuan, she might just take the money and buy a train ticket to disappear into another city. And how could two old people chase her down all over the country?

This Gu Qiangwei—what a schemer!

Why didn’t they notice her true colors when she married into the family?

“We’re not giving it! That’s money our son died for!”

Wang Shufen stubbornly refused.

Gu Qiangwei let out a cold laugh. The neighbors, watching Wang Shufen and Zhao Minghua’s reaction, began to think they deserved everything they got.

Not a single cent for Gu Qiangwei, yet they expected her to serve them in old age?

Seriously—why should she?

“You two are being unreasonable. The widow of a martyr is supposed to get a share—you’re basically robbing Qiangwei.”

“And you still talk like that? Don’t you feel even a little ashamed?”

“What’s it to you?!” Wang Shufen snapped, yelling at the neighbor. “Why are you so nosy? Why don’t you mind Qiangwei instead?!”

“That girl’s shameless! My son’s barely cold in the grave and she’s already packing up to go back to her maiden home—I bet she just married in to scam us!”

As Wang Shufen hurled insult after insult, Gu Qiangwei had already reached the door.

“Aunties,” she said clearly, “please be my witnesses. If my mother-in-law badmouths me in the future, help me set the record straight. It’s not that I refused to care for them—it’s them who…”

Here, she paused and sighed dramatically, feigning grief.

Then, without another word, she picked up her things and left.

The neighbors parted to let her pass, all silently agreeing that the old couple really were out of line.

Why were they so determined to clutch that money?

If they gave it to Qiangwei, she surely would have supported them in their old age!

As the neighbors stepped aside, Wang Shufen erupted again behind her.

“Gu Qiangwei! You lying snake! You came to our family to scam us—for marriage and for money!”

She screamed with reddened eyes, but the neighbors, too disgusted to watch, simply turned and left.

Even after they were gone, Wang Shufen kept shouting. Then she turned to Zhao Minghua and said, “That Gu Qiangwei is such a thankless brat. Fine—she wants to go back to her maiden home? Let her! We’ll never speak to her again. We’ve got this money. We’ll just wait for Qingming to come back!”

“When Qingming returns, we’ll have him find a new wife. The two of them can work together and support us.”

Wang Shufen’s thoughts were clear now. After all, their eldest son had never been their favorite.

If he brought back a new daughter-in-law who would work with him to support them in old age, they’d still get to enjoy life in comfort. Nothing wrong with that.