Chapter 4

When Fan Jiang returned with his two younger brothers, carrying wild vegetables on their backs, they saw several women from Shanshui Village gathered outside their courtyard fence.

Each woman was earnestly and passionately persuading their grandmother to bring out money for the marriage of their cousins to continue the Fan family’s lineage.

Even their aunt, who usually sided with their grandmother and treated her warmly, only stood aside with a smile, neither speaking up nor defending their grandmother.

Their grandmother’s frown was so deep it could kill a fly.

Seeing the three of them return, Fan’s mother glared at them and scolded sharply, “It took you so long to pick wild vegetables! You must have been slacking off somewhere!

The whole family is waiting for you to have lunch. Get inside, get inside, or you’ll have nothing to eat.”

Sun Jinhua and her four sons didn’t move.

Her youngest daughter, Fan Zhaodi, craned her neck to peek into the kitchen. Seeing that her mother and brothers weren’t moving, she gulped and didn’t dare move either.

Fan Jiang looked at his two sisters with tears in their eyes and then at his mother, who was protecting them with one hand each.

Something seemed different.

The younger brothers, Fan He and Fan Hu, didn’t understand what was happening. But upon hearing there was food, they immediately put down their baskets of wild vegetables and headed towards the main room.

Seeing that their mother and siblings weren’t moving, they looked at them blankly.

Then they shared the same confusion as their eldest brother.

Fan’s mother, seeing no one was moving, turned to the women who were watching the scene with great interest and shouted, “Alright, alright, everyone go home and take care of your own kids!”

The women laughed and said, “Alright, we’ll go. Fan Aunt, take good care of your family.”

Tsk, showing blatant favoritism; no wonder their days are getting worse.

As the onlookers dispersed, Sun Jinhua glanced at her mother-in-law, her expression unclear, and went inside first.

Sanzhu and Sizhu exchanged a look, then went forward to support their grandmother, smiling and saying, “Grandma, we’ll help you inside!”

Dazhu and Erzhu glanced at their grandmother, then at their mother, and followed inside with a sullen expression.

The surprised Daya and Erya were left with their mouths slightly open.

Erya whispered incredulously, “Mom, how did you do it?”

How did their aunt, who was always so close to their grandmother, closer than a mother and daughter, show her the cold shoulder?

How could their eldest and second-eldest cousins, who always obeyed their aunt, not listen to her now?

Even their once simple-minded third and fourth cousins were now scheming.

Daya understood that her mother had gradually broken them down.

But understanding it was one thing; achieving it was another!

Shuiqing held her two daughters’ skinny hands and quietly taught them, “People interact for benefits; once the benefits are gone, they part ways.

You two need to see what people are after.”

Fan Daya and Erya nodded heavily.

They used to think their aunt and grandmother were inseparable. They never imagined that even if they were tied together, they could still fight each other!

“And remember, we resolve issues with words, not fists. We should be civilized people, understand?” Shuiqing continued teaching.

Daya and Erya nodded without hesitation.

They knew!

In the morning, their mother had been pushed to the ground by their aunt and grandmother.

They claimed it was their cousin Sanzhu who accidentally bumped into her and said they couldn’t hold a child accountable.

But Sanzhu was clearly older than them. How could it be an accident?

“Here, Dazhu, Erzhu, Sanzhu, and Sizhu, take your whole black buns.”

“Da Jiang, Da He, and Da Hu, take your half-black buns.”

“Shuiqing, your half-black bun was eaten earlier, so there’s none left for you now.”

Daya, Erya, and Sun Jinhua’s youngest daughter Zhaodi didn’t have any black buns, only thin porridge.

The remaining five black buns in the basket were obviously for Fan’s mother, Sun Jinhua, and Fan’s eldest son, Fan Qian, who hadn’t returned yet.

As for Hu Shuiqing’s husband, Fan’s second son, Fan Jin, he was copying books in the city and only came home every three or five days due to the long distance.

After distributing the solid food, Fan’s mother began to distribute the thin porridge.

She used a large wooden ladle to scoop the wild vegetable porridge, but when she reached Daya and Erya, the ladle lifted significantly.

The already thin wild vegetable porridge, when scooped into their bowls, was just broth with a few grains of coarse rice and vegetable leaves.

When it was Zhaodi’s turn, the ladle visibly sank, and the porridge was much thicker.

“Finish your food; don’t waste any. You need to understand how precious food is and how hard it is to get a full meal!”

“We have a large family, and it’s not easy to feed everyone. You must be content, understand?”

After her speech, Fan’s mother glanced lightly at her bewildered daughter-in-law and waved her hand. “Alright, go eat.”

Shuiqing, who had just been advising her daughters to resolve issues with words and be civilized, couldn’t hold back when she saw how Fan’s mother was serving the food.

She raised her head and saw her two daughters holding their rough pottery bowls, heading towards the threshold. She asked, puzzled, “Daya, Erya, where are you going?”

“Auntie, you forgot? Girls can’t sit at the table. Only we sons can sit at the table to eat!” Dazhu puffed out his chest proudly.

He knew his aunt had been accidentally pushed down by his mother and grandmother in the morning and might have forgotten, so he reminded her, “I am the eldest son and grandson, the most important. I will inherit the Fan family; remember that, Auntie.”

Shuiqing: … I’ll remember you, big head!

She asked calmly, “What will you inherit from the Fan family, those few acres of thin land or these three old houses? What will your mother, grandmother, and several brothers eat and live on?”

Fan Dazhu:…

Sun Jinhua, Fan’s mother, and the second, third, and fourth sons:.

Shuiqing beckoned to Daya and Erya, “Come here; don’t go anywhere. If your cousins and brothers can sit, so can you!”

Daya and Erya stopped and obediently walked back.

Fan’s mother’s face darkened, and she scolded, “Second daughter-in-law, don’t be ridiculous!

Since ancient times, daughters haven’t been allowed at the table. We’re already lenient; otherwise, you wouldn’t be allowed at the table either!”

Fan Dazhu stood up and pointed at Fan Zhaodi, who was squatting in the corner with her bowl, saying, “Auntie, look, even my sister isn’t allowed at the table. It’s fair.”

“Fair, my foot! Your sister can’t even sit by the table to eat, and you’re proud of that?

Sorry, I disagree with my daughters being treated like that!”Shuiqing retorted coldly.

“Hu, don’t think just because everyone sided with you earlier, you can act high and mighty! Let me tell you, as long as this old woman is alive, this family is not yours to control!” Fan’s mother slammed the table hard, causing a loud bang.

Then, while worrying about the old table, she hid her hurting hand behind her back and rubbed it vigorously.

Shuiqing stood up abruptly and walked out without saying a word.

Fan’s mother, her face darkening, glared fiercely at Daya and Erya, issuing a stern order: “If she doesn’t eat, don’t bring her any food. Let’s see how long she can hold out!”

Daya and Erya ignored her and turned with their bowls.

Fan Jiang, Fan He, and Fan Hu, who had been sitting by the table, stood up and followed them out.

Their mother was right. Their sisters couldn’t even sit by the table to eat and always squatted under the eaves or in the corners. There was nothing to be proud of.

Fan’s mother’s face changed several times in anger.

Fan Dazhu and the others were secretly pleased.

Their three cousins were ungrateful. Daya and Erya were girls and would eventually marry out. There was no need to offend their grandmother for two outsiders.

After all, offending their grandmother meant they wouldn’t inherit anything.

But it was also good that their cousins had offended their grandmother. With their grandfather gone, the money was surely in their grandmother’s hands, and how much they got would depend on her mood.

“Eat! Hu making a fuss just saves dinner for tonight. I don’t believe…”

“Ah!” Sun Jinhua screamed.

Fan’s mother, who was scolding, was startled and squinted her eyes at the door.