Chapter 83

“Mom, I’ve already hired workers for this. I don’t need a supervisor.” Fan Jin took a deep breath, his expression unhappy.

Continuing the family line? He never cared about such things.

He only cared about being good to his children while he was alive.

Besides, what does it matter to him whether Dazhu and Erzhu continue the family line? That’s something his older brother and sister-in-law should worry about.

Mother Fan slapped her thigh and raised her voice sharply: “Hey, this is your own nephew, how can you, as his uncle, just stand by and not help?

You have money to build a big house, but no money for your nephew?

You can’t even spare a few dozen coins a day for your dear nephew? And you call yourself a scholar!

All that learning must have gone to the dogs. Let me tell you, today you must give him money! No excuses!”

Fan Jin’s hands, hanging by his sides, clenched into fists. His usually gentle and elegant demeanor was gone, replaced by a cold stare directed at Mother Fan.

Mother Fan felt a chill under his gaze, but seeing the dozens of workers nearby and thinking of her eldest son and four strong grandsons behind her, she straightened her back.

So what if he’s unwilling? Today he must agree!

The money has to come out.

Fan Qian and his four sons stood straight behind Mother Fan, ready to take advantage.

Shuiqing stepped forward, walked to Fan Jin’s side, and patted his long hand hanging by his side to calm him: “Don’t be impulsive, let me handle this.”

Mother Hu pulled her daughter aside and whispered: “You two are the juniors, how can juniors argue with elders? Even if you win the argument, it’s a loss because it ruins your reputation.”

Shuiqing didn’t care about reputation: as long as she didn’t uphold certain morals, her mother-in-law couldn’t use them to manipulate her.

Besides, she had figured out Mother Fan’s nature: selfish, mean, but cowardly. If she didn’t fight back, she would be bullied mercilessly!

Mother Hu looked at her daughter and son-in-law, then at Mother Fan acting high and mighty, and whispered: “I’ll talk, you two cooperate.”

Shuiqing didn’t want her mother to get involved in her in-laws’ mess, especially since her mother-in-law wouldn’t listen to reason anyway!

Fan Jin had the same thought. As they were about to stop Mother Hu, they saw her walk confidently towards Mother Fan, her face beaming with joy, shouting: “In-law, you’re so right, you really reminded me!”

Mother Fan never liked Mother Hu, as she often hit a wall with her and never got any advantage.

Not even verbally.

Suddenly being praised, she first felt happy, then suspicious: “Reminded you of what?”

Mother Hu warmly held Mother Fan’s hand, like an old friend, exaggeratedly smiling: “My Wenhua is getting older, right?

Next year he will be looking for a good girl from the nearby villages, but we’ve been worried about the money!

Hearing you today, it all makes sense now. Look, Fan Jin is the dear uncle of these kids, but he’s also Wenhua’s brother-in-law.

And Wenhua has only this one brother-in-law. He can build such a big house but can’t help Wenhua with marriage expenses? If he doesn’t agree, we won’t stand for it, and neither will my daughter!”

Mother Fan nearly choked!

Why should her son pay for her son-in-law’s wedding?

“My son’s money, why should it go to your son’s wedding? And your daughter won’t stand for it? How dare she?” Mother Fan was displeased, rolling her eyes.

Mother Hu kept smiling: “Isn’t it natural for an older sister to help her younger brother? Don’t you help your own brothers?

Won’t your granddaughter help her brothers when she gets married? I heard you were planning to sell two granddaughters to get Dazhu a wife.”

Mother Fan’s face turned red and white, stammering and unable to reply.

She and her eldest daughter-in-law always supported their own families, while the younger daughter-in-law didn’t need to support hers and often received help instead. So, she couldn’t criticize her on money matters, only calling her lazy.

Mother Fan stammered: “Y-Your family never needs your daughters to support you, right?”

“If she dares to take the money back to her family, I’ll have my son divorce her and make her a cast-off wife!”

“Oh dear, in-law, wasn’t it because you thought your daughter and son-in-law were poor before? Now, thanks to you, I realize that things have changed.

Moreover, if a son-in-law can support his nephew, why can’t a daughter support her own brother? He’s her only brother!

Divorce? Cast-off wife? My dear in-law, you can only scare the younger generation with that. But tell me, on what grounds would you divorce her?” Mother Hu glanced at Mother Fan, challenging her.

Mother Fan racked her brain.

No children?

For farming families, this was the most important. Other things didn’t matter as much since marrying a wife wasn’t easy, and divorcing her would mean no money to marry another.

No one to help with the farm work, and no one to take care of the children.

But the younger daughter-in-law had already given birth to five children, including three sons.

Mother Hu’s fierce look matched her sharp words: “I’ve always heard that a man should never abandon his wife of humble origins. If Fan Jin dares to divorce my daughter, do you think her father and I won’t go to the yamen and sue him?

Then he’ll be branded as unfaithful and heartless. Will that be any good? And you’ll have to take care of these five children yourself.”

Mother Fan felt these words sounded familiar.

Where had she heard them before?

Then she realized that if Mother Hu went to the yamen first, she couldn’t threaten to do the same. Otherwise, it would drive her son to despair.

No, no, if her son were driven to despair, she’d be left to take care of these five brats…

Mother Fan couldn’t figure out what to do. She had come prepared to threaten her son and daughter-in-law with a lawsuit for unfilial behavior if they didn’t agree. Now that Mother Hu had preempted her, what could she do…

Shuiqing didn’t expect her mother to change the script.

This was turning Mother Fan’s own tactics against her, leaving her no way out.

Suddenly, Shuiqing realized that the true master of this drama was her mother. After all, her mother-in-law was just acting naturally, while her own mother’s performance was masterful!

Fan Jin, watching Mother Hu’s arguments, thought of a saying from a doctor: fight poison with poison.

His mother-in-law was truly formidable. No wonder her strong-willed and robust father-in-law was as meek as a lamb in front of her…

Mother Hu gave Shuiqing and Fan Jin a signal.

“Mom, we don’t even know if we have enough money to finish building the house. Mother-in-law wants to fight for the eldest brother’s nephews, and you want to fight for my brother. What if we run out of money?” Shuiqing wiped away a tear, pretending to cry.

Fan Jin stood by, frowning and looking troubled.

Mother Hu was undeterred and loudly argued: “That’s not my concern. Why should only his nephews benefit?

Your brother is still his brother-in-law. Just one, not four like his nephews. He can support four nephews but not one brother-in-law?

We’re not taking the money for free. I’ll go back and get your father right away. Your father and your eldest brother can supervise the bricklayers to make sure they don’t slack off. Your brother can supervise the carpenters like your nephews. They’ll work fast and well, and you two can rest assured!”

Mother Fan was stunned.

Fan Qian and Fan Dazhu, who had thought their plan was foolproof, were also left speechless.