Chapter 28: Bad News

When the family returned home, it was already late. Wang Zhenhe had prepared dinner and was waiting for them to return. Seeing them enter the house looking exhausted, he curiously asked, “Where did you go today? Why did you come back so late?”

Having already coached the children on what to say during the car ride, Zhang Lan smiled and said to her husband, “I took the children to the hospital in the city to have Qianqian’s head checked. The doctor said it should be nothing serious.”

“Ah, that’s good. You’ve all had a long day. Come and have dinner,” Wang Zhenhe said. The children helped set the table, and the dinner he had prepared—pickled radish with a little oil, served with pancakes and millet porridge—smelled delicious.

“Dad, the food you made is really delicious,” Mingyuan mumbled with a mouthful of food.

In Wang Qian’s opinion, the food tasted good because they were all hungry, and the aroma of the food made it seem delicious to the children.

“Oh, by the way, I sold everything in the cabinet today, including the snake skin. I made a total of fifteen yuan. Mom wanted to eat cake again, so I bought her a pound of it and used the rest to pay back the money I borrowed last time. Little sister also wanted to buy some snowflake ointment. There’s thirteen yuan left. You can keep it for now,” Zhang Lan said.

Wang Zhenhe handed over the remaining money, but his expression showed a hint of reluctance. He couldn’t refuse when his mother asked for the money after seeing him preparing to go out to sell the items.

Zhang Lan sighed softly as she put away the remaining money. She felt a bit troubled. If the children hadn’t found that old mountain ginseng, she wondered how long it would take for their family to save enough money to build a house.

After tidying up the tableware, Zhang Lan hid the money they had earned that day. If her husband found out, he might start thinking about it again.

As the family sat on the heated brick bed, Wang Zhi pushed the door open and said, “Eldest brother, sister-in-law, Mom wants you to come over for a moment.”

The couple didn’t know what the matter could be at this time. “Little sister, is there something going on that Mom wants us to come over for?” Zhang Lan asked curiously. However, Wang Zhi didn’t give a direct answer and instead looked around the room. “You’ll know once you go,” she said before leaving. The small shed at her brother’s house felt too cramped, and she couldn’t stand being inside for long.

The couple asked the children to stay at home and then went to the main courtyard, where their older and second brother’s families had also gathered.

Zhang Lan quietly asked Wang Juan, “Sister-in-law, do you know why we were called over?” Wang Juan shook her head in confusion. “I have no idea. We were just asked to come, so I guess we’ll find out soon.”

After tidying up the kitchen, the old lady returned to the heated brick bed and, under the dim oil lamp, glanced at her three sons. “I called you all here today to tell you that your eldest uncle’s family is moving here. I received a letter from them yesterday. You three should discuss how to accommodate your eldest uncle’s arrival in our home.”

The brothers were not entirely clear on what their mother meant by “accommodate,” but the second brother couldn’t contain himself. “Mom, it’s a good thing that our eldest uncle’s family is coming. It’s been so many years since we last saw them. We should welcome them properly now that they are moving here.”

The old lady nodded in agreement. “Welcoming them is only right. Don’t forget, your eldest uncle used to carry you all when you were little. Also, your eldest uncle mentioned in the letter that we should help find a place for them to live. What do you three think?”

Wang Zhenhai didn’t quite understand his mother’s intention. “Mom, whether our eldest uncle’s family wants to buy or build a house, we can help them figure it out. They can pay for it when the time comes. What’s there to discuss?”

The old lady was shrewd and knew the ins and outs of the situation. However, his brother’s letter didn’t mention anything about money. That’s why she had called the children to discuss. He was her own brother, coming from afar to seek refuge with her. How could she not make proper arrangements for him and his family?

The old lady gave her eldest son a stern look. “Stop talking nonsense. If your eldest uncle had plans about money, why would I call you here? Obviously, they don’t have such intentions.”

Wang Zhenjiang, the second son, was not pleased. “Mom, what kind of situation has our eldest uncle created? No one has an extra house to accommodate his whole family. Since you are his sister, why not let them stay here?”

The old lady was angered by her second son’s words. “You ungrateful child, have you forgotten the kindness he showed you? You used to enjoy the candies he gave you. Now that he’s in trouble and has come to us for help, why aren’t any of you willing to lend a hand? You’ve grown wings and don’t even listen to your mother?”

As she continued, the old lady began to cry softly. “You ungrateful lot, your eldest uncle was so good to you.”

The old man sat on the heated brick bed, frowning and silently smoking his pipe. Wang Zhenhai, the eldest son, looked at his mother, who was crying and making a scene, with indifference.

“Mom, I don’t remember the candies from our eldest uncle. I only remember that he almost sold our third brother back then.”

Wang Zhenhai didn’t bring up the matter, and Zhang Lan was unaware of her husband’s past experiences. Observing his expression, she sensed a mix of anger, sorrow, and despair.

The old lady raised her voice, “What happened to your eldest uncle? He didn’t succeed in selling him, did he? Your eldest uncle had a hard time back then. He resorted to that because he had no other choice, being chased by creditors.”

The silent old man couldn’t bear it any longer. “No other choice but to secretly sell my son? Why didn’t he sell his own children? I think it’s best for us to stay away from such people. You’ll suffer if you get involved with them.”

The old lady didn’t like what the old man said about her eldest brother. “My eldest brother isn’t bad. Who provided my dowry back then? Without the dowry I brought, your whole family would have starved to death.”

The old lady’s words struck a nerve with the old man. “What dowry did you bring? A few boxes and cabinets, which are still sitting at home. Did our family rely on you to survive? Don’t keep mentioning your dowry. You know the truth.”

The old lady’s voice grew louder. “What’s wrong with boxes and cabinets? Does your family have any? What did your family give me? I haven’t even seen a decent piece of furniture. There’s nothing more to say.”

Unable to argue with the old lady, the old man continued to smoke in silence. The eldest son couldn’t stand it. “Mom, Dad is right. We should stay away from such people. If something happens later, don’t say we didn’t warn you.”