Chapter 180

Sun Guihua’s home also had meat and vegetables.

But the meat and vegetables at her home were different from those at other people’s homes.

In other homes, they would stew a large pot of vegetables with a piece of pork, or stir-fry several dishes, but either way, the whole family would eat together.

In her home, however, only her mother-in-law ate.

This was sent by her younger uncle, saying it was a filial gift for his mother.

Indeed, it was just filial piety towards his mother, and only enough for that!

He sent three bowls: one bowl contained several pork ribs and a large portion of rib soup, another bowl contained pig intestines and other offal, and the third bowl contained two pig trotters.

There were not few varieties, but the portions were all small. Well, her mother-in-law could almost finish these portions by herself!

Even her four grandsons only got a few pieces of offal each.

“Mother, what does Uncle Er’s family use to cook their offal? Why does it taste so good that I want more after eating?” Fan Sizhu licked his lips, still unsatisfied.

Sun Jinhua was annoyed.

How would she know? She hadn’t eaten it herself!

“That pig trotter looks so delicious with its glossy red color,” Fan Dazhu stared at the stewed pig trotters in his grandmother’s bowl, swallowing his saliva.

In the past, Fan’s mother would definitely have given it to her eldest grandson.

But this time, her youngest son had only sent two pieces. With four grandsons, it wasn’t fair to give one and not the others, as all four were her pride and joy.

Even if she gave them all away, it wouldn’t be enough, and she really wanted to eat some herself, so she pretended she hadn’t heard.

In one go, she finished off the two pig trotters, ribs, and the remaining offal, not even wasting the soup, using it to dip the bread and eat it.

Sun Jinhua looked on with envy.

Fan Dazhu’s face darkened.

Grandma hadn’t given him any to eat!

After he hinted at it, he didn’t even take the initiative to serve him!

Aunt Fan on the other side of the room was about to breathe fire from her eyes.

Last time she had incited trouble, thinking that Mother Fan would go to her youngest son’s wife’s home to cause trouble. In that case, Hu Shuiqing would also show filial piety by giving them all a piece of meat out of courtesy.

Unexpectedly, they did show filial piety, but it was Fan Jin who came over and brought three and a half bowls of meat dishes. Not only did they not get any, even Fan’s large family didn’t!

There was no way to argue about it.

If you were to say something, when someone gives their own mother food, as fellow sons, his filial piety has been fulfilled, and Fan Jin, as the eldest son, should have fulfilled his filial piety.

And we couldn’t say anything either. Fan Jin’s own eldest brother’s family didn’t even have any. Why should they give it to us?

Meat isn’t cheap. In the village, when has any family slaughtered a pig just to give it away for nothing?

Moreover, who in Shanshui Village doesn’t say that Fan Jin and Hu Shuiqing get along well?

Fan Qian and Sun Jinhua also realized this problem.

They didn’t get to eat the meat dishes either.

Mother seemed as if she hadn’t eaten meat before, giving each of her four grandsons two pieces of pig offal, with the remaining piece eaten by one.

Her younger brother and his wife were too dishonest. As his own older brother, what’s wrong with him having a piece of pork? He can’t even bear to!

They were so calculating.

But now everyone in the village supports the second son’s family. They all think that the second son’s family is generous and straightforward, making them live good lives, greatly admired.

Even if he shouted loudly that the second son was not good, no one would believe it or care.

“Or should we ask your uncles to come over?” Sun Jinhua couldn’t help but shudder after saying this.

The head of the family’s maternal uncles.

They were truly worse than the mother-in-law’s family, or even worse than locusts!

When the mother-in-law first married into the Fan family, the Fan family’s life was extremely good at that time. Who knows how much benefit the maternal family gained by relying on the mother-in-law.

Later, the Fan family’s life got worse day by day. Even if the mother-in-law’s life wasn’t good, she still had to support her maternal family every year. Despite this, it didn’t end well, only being ridiculed by her uncles.

Even those like them often faced strange and malicious criticism.

In the past, she would rather die than have anything to do with her mother-in-law’s family. But now… if she could use them to counteract her younger brother-in-law and Hu Shuiqing…

Sun Jinhua’s mouth curved into a smile.

Fan Qian initially frowned tightly, pondered for a while, and gradually relaxed his brows, until he smiled too.

Since the family’s days became difficult, her uncles hadn’t visited for two or three years, so they must not know that the second son’s family was now living a good life.

If the second son, who now had a good life, didn’t let his mother suffer with him, wouldn’t that be unfilial?

“After the flood recedes, I’ll go to the wild boar’s den to bring my eldest and second uncles over.

The second son is supposed to be filial to his mother, right? Then let him take his mother over to be filial every day!”

Sun Jinhua heard the meaning in Fan Qian’s words. He wanted to send his mother-in-law to the second son’s house.

Suddenly she couldn’t contain her joy.

Just thinking that in the future she could truly be the mistress of the house and wouldn’t have to serve her mother-in-law anymore, she felt hopeful for the days to come.

People in the village were spreading rumors. They said that after Hu Shuiqing split from the family, she had been oppressed by them. If she said it was none of her business, it was definitely because she was oppressed by her mother-in-law!

And if their own lives weren’t good, it must also be because they were oppressed by their mother-in-law. How could they live well?

Once they sent away the mother-in-law, their lives would surely become prosperous too!

She nodded repeatedly in a hurry, her voice hoarse as she insisted, “Mother can live with my younger brother, and we’ll have more to eat. Plus, we can save on food ourselves.”

Fan Qian looked out towards the courtyard where the floodwaters on the road had not yet fully receded, let alone in the fields. There was no hope for a good harvest this year.

The second son’s family never worried about food and drink. Mother would definitely prefer staying with them to eat well. When the uncles came over, they could use filial piety to pressure the second son’s family. He wasn’t worried that they would refuse.

However, it would be best to ask for something more.

What else should we ask for?

I heard mushrooms can be exchanged for eggs. The second son’s family has many eggs. Eggs are needed, or it’s better to get several dozen mother hens. With these mother hens, we can have eggs every day to fill our stomachs.

From time to time, we can also slaughter a chicken for a feast.

Fattened rabbits and sheep are also good; they’re all meat and will keep us full without lacking in fat and juices.

Grain is definitely needed… If Zhaodi continues to refuse to come back, Mother will go again. With just the six of them at home, how many catties of grain will be enough to eat…

After dinner, the dishes were handed over to the younger ones.

Looking at Jiang, He, Hu, who was tidying up the dishes, and Ling Ran, Hu Wenhua, who had rolled up his sleeves to prepare to wash the dishes, Qin Yilin felt everything was good and satisfactory.

She sighed repeatedly, “Shuiqing, your stewardship skills are really amazing. I must learn from you.”

Fan Jin spoke warmly, “You accompany Aunt Ding to the tea house. We’ll take a walk outside.”

Qin Yilin had originally wanted to ask about Shuiqing’s matters and was just thinking of finding a pretext to speak with her alone. Upon hearing Fan Jin’s suggestion, she agreed in response.

Shuiqing also sensed something; it seemed that the discussion about stewardship was a pretext, and there was something else to discuss that was real.

However, what could it be?

Cooking has always been done in the kitchen, explaining and learning while practicing. It shouldn’t be about cooking.

Is it about Jiajia?

But the Ding family couple doesn’t seem interested in Wenhua.