Chapter 13

Causing Trouble but Being Persuaded

Shen Zhou didn’t care much about anything else. He quickly caught an old hen, stretched out the knife, and blood splattered everywhere.

When Zhao Chunlan saw that one of the hens had been killed, her face turned red with anger. Unable to do anything to Shen Zhou, she turned her fury on Shen Yuebai. “You jinx! If it weren’t for you, Zhou wouldn’t be so distant from me. It’s all your fault! Why don’t you just go and die!”

Before Shen Yuebai could respond, Shen Zhou slammed the knife onto the ground with a clang, holding the nearly dead chicken as he rushed toward Zhao Chunlan. “Don’t insult my brother! My brother is a soldier protecting our country.

If it weren’t for soldiers like him fighting on the front lines, how would you have the peaceful life you’re living now?

He defends the country, and I protect him. No one is allowed to bully him!”

Seeing Shen Zhou looking as if he was ready to devour someone, Zhao Chunlan wailed and burst into tears. “Why is my life so miserable? Oh, heavens, I don’t want to live anymore…”

Shen Zhou had no patience for her dramatics. “Crying and wailing—aren’t you ashamed?”

Hoping for some sympathy from Shen Zhou, Zhao Chunlan was left speechless by his remark.

Drying her tears, she spoke coldly, “I want to see how much your brother will actually help you.”

Shen Zhou stood firmly on Shen Yuebai’s side, not for any benefit but because he believed soldiers deserved respect. “Once I get my high school diploma, I’ll take the factory entrance exam. If I don’t pass the first time, I’ll keep trying until I do.”

Zhao Chunlan scoffed at his naivety. “Without relatives working in the factory, you won’t even get a chance to apply. How will you take the exam?”

At 15, Shen Zhou was attending high school in town, having barely passed the entrance exam.

But he had shown strong potential since then, maintaining excellent grades in high school and earning his teachers’ favor.

His teacher had promised to keep an eye on factory recruitment opportunities for him once he graduated.

“That’s none of your concern.”

Even if Zhao Chunlan wanted to interfere, she couldn’t. Frustrated, she went to lie down in her room, choosing to avoid the sight of it all.

As soon as Zhao Chunlan left, Shen Yuebai spoke up, “Provoking your mother like that isn’t good, is it?”

Shen Zhou dismissed it casually, “What’s so bad about it? Brother, don’t hate my mother too much. She’s just not that smart.”

Shen Yuebai: “…”

That Zhao Chunlan hadn’t been driven mad by her son was truly a testament to her resilience!

Shen Zhou waved the chicken he was holding. “Brother, go sit inside. I’ll pluck the feathers and stew it.”

Though Shen Zhou could be unreliable at times, he was a decent cook.

The stewed chicken he made was tender, juicy, and incredibly flavorful, leaving anyone who ate it wanting more.

Shen Zhou brought out a bowl of chicken. “This bowl is for Sister-in-law. You take it to her.”

For the first time, Shen Yuebai found Shen Zhou pleasant to look at. “Alright. On her behalf, thank you!”

Shen Zhou grinned sheepishly. “No need to thank me, Brother. A sister-in-law is like a mother, after all!”

Shen Yuebai: “…”

But you don’t treat your actual mother this way!

The enticing aroma of the chicken woke Zhao Chunlan. She rushed to the main hall, but seeing no chicken on the table, she ran to the kitchen.

There, she found a small bowl of chicken left on the stove.

It contained nothing but chicken heads, necks, and the tail.

Fuming, Zhao Chunlan’s chest heaved with anger. “Shen Zhou, where’s the rest of the chicken?”

Shen Zhou walked out from another room. “I saved some for Sanmao. The rest—well, we ate it.”

Zhao Chunlan was furious. “Are you pigs? A chicken that big, and this is all that’s left? Did you hide it somewhere?”

Shen Zhou shook his head. “Nope. My brother and I each had a bowl, and I sent a bowl to Sister-in-law. Mom, I left plenty for you. Don’t complain about it being too little!”

Zhao Chunlan’s face turned expressionless. “Where’s the chicken breast? The legs? Why did you only leave me the head, neck, and tail?”

“You used to say that you liked eating these parts, didn’t you?” Shen Zhou asked, his face full of confusion. “Have you forgotten your own words?”

Zhao Chunlan’s long-forgotten memory resurfaced. During previous celebrations, she would give the best chicken cuts to her two sons and only eat the head, neck, and other less desirable parts herself. She had told them that she liked those parts.

She hadn’t expected her son to remember so vividly. Should she be happy, or should she feel bitter?

Swallowing her complicated feelings, Zhao Chunlan said grudgingly, “But you shouldn’t have sent any to Xu Jiajia!”

“Why not?” Shen Zhou countered with a question of his own.

Zhao Chunlan, realizing she couldn’t win an argument with Shen Zhou, said no more. She picked up the bowl, took half of the chicken neck pieces out, and declared, “What’s left is for your father.”

On the Day of the Wedding

The Xu family home was bustling with activity.

Several families close to Grandma Xu came to help. Their hands were busy, and their mouths were even busier.

“I heard Jiajia will continue living at home after the wedding. Is that true?”

Grandma Xu beamed with pride. “Yes, it’s true. Xiao Shen’s military unit doesn’t have housing available right now. He asked Jiajia to stay home for a while until they can arrange for quarters, and then she’ll join him.”

“Wow! This isn’t marrying off a granddaughter; it’s practically bringing in a grandson-in-law!”

Grandma Xu quickly toned down her smile, worried Shen Yuebai might overhear and feel upset. “Don’t say such things! Xiao Shen is marrying her, not the other way around. It’s just that his situation is unique, so he’ll stay with us for now.”

Liu, an older woman from next door, chimed in, “Exactly. Let’s not spread this kind of talk. Young men care about their pride and wouldn’t want to be seen as live-in sons-in-law.”

“Whether he’s a live-in son-in-law or not, Jiajia still got lucky! Xiao Shen is so much better than that Song guy. Lots of girls had their eyes on him, but he turned them all down.”

“Old Lady Xu, your Jiajia really hit the jackpot. If it weren’t for that near-drowning incident, Xiao Shen might never have agreed to this match. It’s fate, in the end.”

Grandma Xu admitted that Shen Yuebai had agreed to the marriage partly out of a sense of responsibility, but she didn’t believe that was the whole story.

People might lie with their mouths, but their eyes wouldn’t.

Whenever Jiajia was around, Xiao Shen’s eyes always sought her out.

Oh, Xiao Shen…

He truly did like Jiajia.

Meanwhile, Shen Dazhu assumed the banquet would be held at the Shen family’s house.

He waited and waited, but no guests arrived.

It was only later that he found out the banquet was being hosted at the Xu family’s house.

Typically, hosting the banquet at the bride’s home was something reserved for live-in sons-in-law.

This realization infuriated him.

How could his perfectly good son become a live-in son-in-law?

Who could tolerate that?

When Zhao Chunlan found out, she gloated, “I told you not to let him marry Xu Jianguo’s daughter, but you didn’t listen. Now look—our son belongs to someone else’s family!”

Shen Dazhu ignored her, storming off to the Xu family’s house. “Shen Yuebai! Get out here!”

Hearing the commotion, Shen Yuebai’s face darkened. He stepped out, his expression cold and indifferent. “If you’re here to offer your blessings, you’re welcome. If you’re here to make trouble, don’t blame me for disowning you as my father.”

Shen Dazhu trembled, pointing a finger at Shen Yuebai. “You… you…”

Shen Zhou, having taken leave to help out at the Xu family, saw Shen Dazhu causing a scene. He immediately pushed him outside. “Dad, today is Brother’s big day. Can you try to act appropriately?”

Shen Dazhu’s eyes reddened with rage. He pointed at himself and exclaimed, “You’re telling me I’m being inappropriate? He’s become a live-in son-in-law, and I’m not allowed to object?

I know I’ve made mistakes in the past. I’ve reflected on them. But surely he can’t keep holding onto the past forever!”