Chapter 9

“Stop talking, stop talking! Everyone else knows how to stand up for their wife, but you’re such a coward!”

Li Cuihua was furious with the mild-mannered eldest brother, Lu Laoda. This useless man didn’t even know how to stand up for her in front of their mother.

“If eldest sister-in-law can’t stand it, then I’ll split the family and live separately with my wife.”

Lu Huaijing, who was often away from home, still sent a monthly allowance of twenty yuan. Upon hearing about splitting the family, Li Cuihua was, of course, unhappy.

“In our village, it’s traditional not to split the family while the elders are still alive. Our mother is still here.”

“You know I’m still here, so do you think you have any say in this matter?”

Wang Dani glared at Li Cuihua. “I’m putting it out there today: if you go around spreading gossip about the third daughter-in-law, I won’t let you off the hook!”

“Who says it was me spreading gossip?”

Li Cuihua didn’t believe that everyone in the family would be happy about forming a connection with such a family.

It was just that the second brother’s family was living in the city, and the younger siblings weren’t married yet and couldn’t intervene.

As the eldest sister-in-law, she felt it was her place to speak her mind on behalf of everyone.

“Does anyone else have a problem?”

Wang Dani glared fiercely. Her husband had been a soldier and was often away, and later she became a widow, raising so many children on her own. Naturally, she developed a strong and fiery personality.

Tang Wan stayed silent, holding Tang Zhou’s hand as her gaze swept over everyone present.

Aside from a few timid children, even the twin siblings around her age looked at her with hostility.

Tang Wan had always disliked trouble and immediately started thinking about whether she could live independently within the brigade.

“Mother, what’s her family background?”

Lu Huaimei was a bit concerned after hearing Li Cuihua’s words. Her third brother was a soldier and couldn’t afford to be dragged down!

“You know your eldest sister-in-law has a loose tongue. Who do you believe, her or your mother?”

Wang Dani smacked Lu Huaimei lightly on the head, speaking sharply:

“This marriage was arranged by your father for the third brother. It’s only been delayed because he’s been busy with the army.

Now that the third brother has finally gotten his marriage report approved, anyone who dares to mess up his wedding plans can get out of this house.”

Of course, she was aware of Tang Wan’s family background—after all, the telegram from the Tang family had been sent to her first.

She then forwarded it to the third brother, asking him to pick up his bride.

Although she had some regrets, this was her late husband’s wish. Wang Dani couldn’t let him down.

“Mother never mentioned this person before,” Li Cuihua muttered, prompting Wang Dani to grab the broom nearby and swing it at her.

“You gossiping old woman! Do you think the Lu family has to report everything to you?”

Back then, she hadn’t dared to approach the Tang family, feeling her son wasn’t good enough for them and thinking they were just being polite.

If the Tang family hadn’t fallen on hard times, how could someone as striking as Tang Wan end up with her son?

“How do we even know if what Mother says is true?”

Li Cuihua was still unwilling to back down. Her cousin had long had her eye on the third brother, who had a military allowance and was highly sought after.

Why should such a catch go to some outsider?

“You still dare to speak?”

Wang Dani brought the broom down hard on Li Cuihua, who scrambled to hide behind Lu Laoda.

“Are you a dead man? Why won’t you protect me?”

“Lu Huairen, just try helping her!”

Wang Dani’s voice was so commanding that Lu Laoda didn’t dare to resist. He muttered timidly,

“Wife, don’t make Mother angry. She’s had a hard time raising the six of us on her own.”

Tang Wan, observing all this, had a pretty good idea of who held the reins in the Lu family. Her future mother-in-law had an iron grip on everyone.

“Thank you, Mother.”

Lu Huaijing was deeply moved by Wang Dani’s support. He took Tang Wan’s hand.

“The army has already approved my marriage application. Tomorrow, I’ll take Wanyu to get our marriage certificate.”

“That’s good.”

Wang Dani finally stopped hitting Li Cuihua, her brow softened as she looked at Tang Wan and Tang Zhou.

“Is this your younger brother? Come, sit down at home.”

“Mother, why did you bring your younger brother when the third brother got married?”

Li Cuihua was itching for a fight, having just been beaten, she jumped out again, becoming more and more courageous with each setback.

“Do you mean your mother’s family won’t come anymore?”

Wang Dani was full of fighting spirit, she didn’t need Tang Wan to intervene at all, she just made Li Cuihua jump up and down in anger.

“That’s different, my mother’s family is in the next brigade, they don’t stay here when they come, but the third brother’s wife is different.

It’s so far to travel back and forth, you’ll need a lot of food for both eating and lodging.”

“I brought my own ration coupons!”

Tang Zhou received an encouraging look from his sister, he straightened his back, his sister said that his mother left them ration coupons and money.

“You need to prepare ration coupons when you come to your sister’s place.”

Wang Dani glared fiercely at Li Cuihua, then gave Tang Zhou a kind smile.

“Mother, Wanwan’s parents are not in a good position to take care of Zhouzhou now, so Zhouzhou will live with me and Wanwan in the future.”

Lu Huaijing’s words once again blew up the Lu family, Wang Dani was not surprised.

After receiving the telegram, she went to the post office and called the Tang family, she naturally knew the situation of the Tang family, these two children were pitiful.

Li Cuihua dared not speak again, she pulled Lu Huai Mei, “Sister, it’s not enough to raise your third brother’s wife, a delicate girl.

You also have to help her raise her younger brother, how can there be such a thing?”

“Mother, you’re not marrying a daughter-in-law, I think you’re marrying their whole family!”

Lu Huai Mei was the youngest in the family, she was spoiled and naive, Li Cuihua instigated her, and she immediately reacted the most strongly.

Li Cuihua poked the arm of Lu Lao Da next to her, “If you dare to agree, I’ll divorce you.”

“Mother, this is not good, is it?”

Lu Lao Da stammered, he didn’t dare to look at Lu Huaijing, he seemed a little guilty.

Tang Wan still didn’t say anything, she observed the reactions of everyone in the family, Wang Dani also figured out Tang Wan’s meaning, she spat at everyone,

“The third son’s allowance is enough to support two more boys, he can support them, what’s it to you!”

“Then the third son will have children after he gets married, won’t we help raise them?”

Li Cuihua said directly, which angered Wang Dani, she hit her with a broom again, “Are you afraid that the third son will be a burden on you now?

Why didn’t you say anything before when the third son wasn’t married and used his allowance to subsidize your small family? I’m putting this down now, no one is allowed to interfere with the third son’s affairs!”

She was so angry that her chest hurt, these ungrateful things, if the third son and his brothers really became estranged, who would be the one to suffer?

Li Cuihua was so angry that her face turned green, Lu Huai Mei’s face was also not good, it was obvious that they both had a grudge against Tang Wan.

Lu Huaijing’s face turned black, he proposed to split the family again, “Mother, if the eldest brother and the others don’t agree, let’s split the family.

Anyway, I’m getting married and I won’t be home, my wife and Zhouzhou will go with me to join the army.”

Hearing that he was going to take them to join the army, Li Cuihua breathed a sigh of relief, at least she wouldn’t have to serve this delicate lady.

“No.”

Wang Dani was still persistent, “Wait until your younger siblings are all married in two years, then we’ll split the family.”

Otherwise, she would have no face to face the old man when she died.

Hearing about joining the army, a big stone fell from Tang Wan’s heart, Lu Huaijing was still a responsible man, she patted Tang Zhou’s shoulder.

Then she looked at the people in the yard with different expressions, “Mother, don’t worry, even if my brother lives with me, he will help me.”

As she spoke, she gave Tang Zhou a wink, Tang Zhou nodded obediently, then in the surprised eyes of everyone, he picked up a piece of wood in the yard and broke it with force!

Bang…

The wood, thicker than a hoe, broke with a snap, scaring everyone’s faces pale.