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For Wang Deshan, it was rare to have a peaceful day. After dinner, he chatted with Old Chen and the others. Everyone knew that the elder of the Wang family was a decent person and not on the same page as the old lady, so there were no negative feelings towards Wang Deshan.
However, hearing the voices of the grandchildren next door reading still surprised Wang Deshan. He hadn’t expected his son to have such intentions in bringing these people into the house. But hearing the clear and melodious sound of his grandchildren reading brought him great comfort. The Wang family was going to have scholars in the future, and the family’s ancestral graves would be blessed.
“Dad, have some hot water. Are you getting used to staying here?” Wang Zhenhe poured a cup of hot water for his father and sat with him on the kang. However, as they sat down, they realized that they didn’t have much to talk about with each other.
The elder was never much of a talker, and Wang Zhenhe had been busy with his siblings in recent years. It seemed that they rarely had the opportunity to sit together like this.
“Dad, what are you planning? Are you really considering divorcing Mom?” Wang Zhenhe had to say something, so he asked his father.
He took a puff of his cigarette and squinted as he looked at the smoke rings in the air, his eyes distant.
After a long silence, he finally spoke, “Zhenhe, if you were in my position, what would you do?”
This question from the elder really put Wang Zhenhe in a difficult spot. What would he do if he were in his father’s shoes? In his heart, he couldn’t deny the hatred he felt towards those people. He wished they would disappear forever. But they couldn’t switch places, and even if he didn’t want to admit it, they were still his mother and siblings. He couldn’t make a choice for his father.
“Dad, I don’t know what to do either. I still can’t understand why our families have come to this. After all, I am your son, and they are my siblings. How could they do such heartless things? Dad, to be honest, I wish I could get rid of them. Look at your grandchildren. They have lost their innocence. They have grown up under the shadow of our family’s troubles. It’s my fault as a father that they have suffered. I feel so powerless,” Wang Zhenhe said.
His son’s words struck a chord with the elder. They looked at each other for a long time before sighing. “Zhenhe, none of this is your fault. Your mother has always been biased. She doesn’t like my personality, and you’ve followed my lead. You’ve always been overshadowed. The softer you are in front of your mother, the more dominant she becomes. She doesn’t give anyone any room to maneuver. That’s why we are increasingly being overlooked. Even you can’t find your place. Can your mother value you? Not to mention your wife, who is even softer and in poor health. If our family hadn’t been poor, your mother wouldn’t have agreed to let you marry her. But Zhang Lan is indeed a good daughter-in-law. She has worked hard in our family for all these years, but she still hasn’t won your mother’s heart,” Wang Deshan said.
Wang Deshan had never been one to compete with others, and his personality didn’t sit well in the rural setting. He knew it was his fault over the years, but old habits die hard. Even though his life was nearing its end, his son’s life was just beginning, and he didn’t want Wang Zhenhe to follow in his footsteps.
Wang Zhenhe glanced at his father and said in a sullen tone, “Dad, do you think I have no temper? Even a clay figure has its limits. I’ve been holding back all this time. I haven’t said a word, but sometimes I can barely contain my anger. I wish I could get rid of them, but they are still my mother and my siblings. Our family hasn’t had an easy time over the years, and I’ve always wanted to compensate as much as I could as a son, especially since you’re getting older. But my good intentions have gone unrewarded. I’ve come to realize that blood ties are not as strong as paper. At least paper has some resilience, but my family ties have hurt me the most. If you want to go back, I won’t stop you. But don’t expect me to get close to them.”
This rare heart-to-heart conversation between father and son made Wang Deshan realize that it was impossible for his son to accept those people again. There were some things he didn’t want to force, and he couldn’t force them. He had already treated his son unfairly, and he didn’t want to continue doing so. His son was his own, and he decided to let things take their natural course. At his age, he didn’t want to burden himself with the debts of his children. He would let them be, and he was grateful to have a son to take care of him in his old age.
At noon, old Zuo and the others brought back news that Wang Mei and her husband, who had been detained overnight, were finally released in the morning. Upon inquiring, it was revealed that Huang Youcai’s sworn brother was just a small-time figure and couldn’t cause much trouble, so they dared to detain him. After giving the ignorant couple a good lesson, they were released. Additionally, Ma Fenkai, the elder brother of Ma Fenqing, had come to intercede for them. This person was brought over by Wang Zhenhe’s brother, Wang Zhenguo. Ultimately, no major incident occurred, and Yu Wanying was happy to do a favor.
Finally, Zhu Qiyu managed to get her daughter and son-in-law released. Despite being detained overnight, Wang Mei showed no signs of remorse. On the way back, she complained to her mother, “Mom, what have you done? This isn’t what you told us. How did it end up like this? Zhang Lan wasn’t affected, but we ended up in trouble. What have you done? You’ve caused us harm!”
Wang Mei and her husband had gone hungry all day. They hadn’t been given any food since yesterday, and they were so hungry that they could barely walk. However, their complaints didn’t stop.
Seeing her daughter in this state, Zhu Qiyu felt sorry for her, but she also felt displeased with her complaints. “Just stop complaining. I was the one who stopped you at first, waiting to clarify things before taking action. But you didn’t listen and went to arrest people without thinking. Who can you blame? You need to remember this in the future. Don’t act impulsively. You’re all grown up, yet you still make me, an old lady, worry about you. Have you learned your lesson? I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday, and your father is waiting for me to recover so he can settle the score with me. He can’t escape forever. Hurry up and walk a few steps. I’ve prepared a meal for you. After eating, go home quickly. I don’t know what’s happening with the two boys at home.” The old lady was also worried that her two grandsons might not have enough to eat at home.
However, Wang Mei replied, “They won’t go hungry. My younger sister lives with us. With her there, the kids won’t go hungry.”
This was the first time Zhu Qiyu had heard that her daughter’s younger sister-in-law was living with them. She asked in surprise, “Why did your younger sister come over? Isn’t your house quite small? How did you manage to accommodate her?”
Wang Mei didn’t hide anything and replied, ” Huang Youcai found her a temporary job at the meat processing plant. If she doesn’t live with us, then where else can she stay?”
Seeing her husband limping, Wang Mei felt sorry for him and helped him. ” Huang Youcai, is your leg still hurting? Those people are really ruthless. They even hit you. What kind of people are they?”
Huang Youcai’s eyes revealed a hint of ferocity. “I’ll remember this incident today, Wang Mei. You better remember it too. The humiliation we’ve suffered will be repaid one day. I’ve never knelt before anyone in my life. She wants me to kneel to her? Let’s see if she’ll have that privilege in the future.”
Zhu Qiyu chose to ignore this statement and focused on planning for her youngest daughter’s future. ” Huang Youcai, if you can find a job for your sister, can’t you think about your younger sister-in-law? Can’t you find her a job in the city? In the countryside, she’s toiling all day for a meager income. What kind of future can she have? If you can bring Wang Zhi to the city and she does well, won’t you benefit from it too?”
Zhu Qiyu was determined to bring her youngest daughter to the city, and upon hearing about her son-in-law’s capabilities, she couldn’t let this opportunity slip by.
Wang Mei frowned and said, “Mom, Wang Zhi can’t handle that job. Ask her if she can handle washing pig intestines. If she can, then Huang Youcai can help her get a job in the city. But I’m telling you upfront, I can’t handle that job, let alone Wang Zhi. It’s not that I look down on her. I’ve taken care of two children, but do you think Wang Zhi can handle it?”
Wang Mei wasn’t looking down on her younger sister. She knew Wang Zhi too well. She could handle household chores, but when it came to physical labor, she wasn’t cut out for it. Moreover, washing pig intestines required constant exposure to water, which was bearable in summer but bone-chilling in winter. Her sister couldn’t endure such hardship.
Zhu Qiyu recalled the scene of washing pig intestines and felt that it wasn’t suitable for her daughter. “Huang Youcai, can’t you introduce her to another job? Let’s forget about washing pig intestines. Your younger sister-in-law has a good appearance. We should find her a decent job.”
Huang Youcai was so hungry that he could barely walk, and he didn’t have the energy to discuss this matter. “Mom, I’ll think about it when I get back. If there’s a suitable job, I’ll definitely introduce it to my sister-in-law. My legs are giving out.”
Seeing her son-in-law in that state, Zhu Qiyu knew he wasn’t pretending and quickly came to help. ” Huang Youcai, when I get back, I’ll make chicken soup for you to nourish your bodies. You both look so pitiful. How did you end up in such a mess? I feel like kicking that brat to death.”
As they walked, Wang Mei said, “Mom, I finally understand today. That mother and daughter duo are specifically targeting us. As long as that little brat is around, I can’t have peace. I’m covered in scars all over. Mom, you should have strangled her when she was born. She’s been nothing but trouble. Look at the situation we’re in now.”