Lu Pozi (Old Lu’s Wife) looked at the old man without speaking, turning her head away, sulking by herself.

Old man Lu took a puff from his pipe, his voice hoarse and hard to say, “Er San, your father owes you an apology. All these years, you’ve resented me, hated me, and I’ve borne it all. It’s all my fault.”

The four sons were silent, sitting on small stools with their heads lowered.

Why was the third son exempt from work in this family?

It all started ten years ago, with that storm.

That year, the eldest and second sons had already been betrothed, and the family needed a large sum of silver for their weddings.

But Old Man Lu was ill, and the eldest and second sons took Lu Pozi on a big ship to the sea for fishing.

The third son was left alone on the family’s small boat to fish.

The small boat was too tiny, so the third son could only fish near the shore, returning quickly.

But the big ship didn’t come back.

Old Man Lu grew anxious about them and insisted that the third son take the small boat out to search for them.

Unexpectedly, a violent storm hit.

The small boat was capsized by huge waves, and the boat broke apart.

The third son clung to a piece of wood and floated in the sea the whole night.

It was early winter, and the temperature difference between day and night was vast.

The seawater was so cold it froze his body stiff.

What was truly unexpected was that the big ship, while sailing, had discovered a small island.

Fearing the waves would capsize the ship, they stopped for the night on the island.

When they returned, they found the third son lying unconscious on the beach.

At that time, the third son had a high fever and was barely alive.

The doctor said that after soaking in the sea for the whole night, he would never be able to have children.

Fortunately, the third son survived.

After learning this, he locked himself in his room and cried for three days.

After that, he seemed like a different person.

He had been so sensible before, but after that, he became reckless, spending his days idly, never working.

Not only did he refuse to go to sea, but he wouldn’t even go to the shore to fish.

He had adopted a live-for-today attitude.

Old Man Lu felt deeply guilty toward his third son but could only let him be.

Lu Shiqiu pulled at his lips, “Since you feel guilty toward me, then why can’t I get a wife? Just because the eldest and second sons are your children doesn’t mean I’m not.”

Without children, what’s the point of living?

He might as well live happily for a day.

Old Man Lu opened his mouth, looking troubled, “Your father would let you marry, but you can’t have children. Wouldn’t that just ruin the woman?”

To be fair, Old Man Lu was a very honest man who had never done anything wrong.

Take him as the village official, for instance.

He handled matters for the villagers without ever accepting anything from them.

He was known for his integrity, and the villagers all respected him.

He also didn’t have the mentality of being above his sons.

He never thought that just because they were his sons, they owed him their lives and had to repay him.

He didn’t believe that.

To him, his sons had their own lives, and he had no right to take them away.

That being said, he was also very stubborn. He felt guilty toward the third son, so he let him be, even though he refused to work and only ate.

He knew the other sons were dissatisfied, but he had his own reasons.

He and Lu Pozi could still make money by going to sea, and that money was enough to support the third son.

He had planned to take care of him for the rest of his life.

But now, the third son wanted to marry, and that was his breaking point.

He knew the third son couldn’t have children, but if he married a woman, that would ruin her life.

What would people say about a woman who couldn’t have children? It was unimaginable.

He couldn’t tell others that his son was infertile, which would ruin his son’s reputation.

So, he guarded this matter closely, paying the doctor to keep quiet and forbidding Lu Pozi and the children from speaking of it, even keeping it from the daughter-in-law.

Lu Shiqiu accepted this quickly, shrugging, “Then what am I supposed to do in the future?”

When he got old, who would take care of him?

When he died, who would break the tiles for him?

Who would burn incense for him?

Old Man Lu looked at the eldest son. “Your eldest brother has three sons. He’s agreed to adopt one of them for you.”

Lu Shichun pursed his lips and didn’t say anything.

To be honest, who would want to adopt their son to someone else?

But seeing the third brother’s lazy, undisciplined behavior and knowing how much their father spoiled him, not to mention how much Lu Pozi complained, making the whole family a mess, the eldest son had no choice but to compromise.

His father had hinted at it a year ago, and after thinking it over for half a month, he agreed.

He even kept it from his wife—if she found out, who knew how she would react.

Just thinking about it gave him a headache.

Lu Shiqiu glanced at the reluctant eldest brother, stood up, kicked the stool, and sneered, “I’m not going to raise someone else’s son. Do you think I’m a fool?”

Those three idiots born to the eldest brother made him angry just looking at them.

Lu Shiqiu wasn’t interested in them at all.

Old Man Lu was also angry.

The third son had made mistakes, but he was doing his best to make up for them.

The most sensible option for the third son, not being able to have children, was to adopt, and it took him a long time to persuade the eldest son.

But the third son didn’t appreciate it and, in front of everyone, said such disrespectful things.

It really hurt his heart.

To him, the eldest brother was like an outsider.

He felt like raising a nephew was foolish.

If anyone else had said this, Old Man Lu would have hit them with his pipe.

He suppressed his anger, “I don’t agree. You can forget about it. If you dare harm any other woman, I’ll break your legs.”

He looked truly angry.

Lu Shiqiu held back his anger, glaring at his father, and the atmosphere grew tense, neither side willing to back down.

【Host, why don’t you tell your father that you can make a woman pregnant?】

Lu Shiqiu snorted inwardly, “Do you think he’d believe me?”

System 1111 had nothing to say.

The host had a long list of misdeeds, such as lying, acting mysteriously, and conspiring with outsiders to deceive the family for money.

Even if he claimed he could make a woman pregnant, Old Man Lu would probably not believe him.

But System 1111 still had to dig at his heart, 【Host, do you regret your past actions?】

“Get lost!” Lu Shiqiu snapped.

No one dared to say a word, afraid of becoming part of the conflict between the two.

Just then, the door was suddenly knocked on loudly.

The hurried sound clearly indicated that something serious had happened.

Lu Pozi didn’t bother trying to advise her son anymore and rushed to open the door.

She saw both of her daughters-in-law and their children standing at the doorstep, while a gossiping villager was excitedly telling a story.

“What’s going on?” Lu Pozi asked her daughter.

Lu Shi Nuan whispered, “Mother, I heard that the eldest son of the Yu family is in trouble.”

Yu family?

Lu Shiqiu froze for a moment.

Wasn’t that the husband of Mrs. Yu?

Lu Pozi quickly ran to the door and asked the gossiping villager, “What happened to Yu Dalang?”

“Oh, you won’t believe it! A traveling merchant just came over with a message. He said they were ambushed by rebels halfway through their journey. He and Yu Dalang were both captured by the rebel leader, Han Guangping, to be conscripted.

The court sent troops to suppress them, and the merchant escaped during the chaos. Unfortunately, Yu Dalang wasn’t so lucky and was killed. The notice has already been posted.”

The Lu family was shocked, but it didn’t stop them from rushing to the Yu family to watch the commotion.

They were not just there for the spectacle, but to gather information as well.

Hongshu Village was close to the sea, and the fishermen often fished at sea, so news was always delayed.

For example, it had been more than three months since the county magistrate was replaced, and they only just found out.

They didn’t even know that Han Guangping had taken over Xinyuan Prefecture and declared himself king a year ago.

If Yu Dalang had died in battle, it would have been a form of honor, and the court might have sent a pension.

But because he was killed as a rebel, his family wouldn’t receive a single coin, and they would have to worry about the court’s retribution later.

The Yu family had already become a mess.

The merchant who was robbed by Lu Shiqiu yesterday stood helplessly by the side.

Mrs. Yu was holding her three daughters, crying her heart out.

Yu Pozi was kneeling on the ground, dramatically slapping her thighs and crying, “My son, you’ve left me! What am I going to do now?”

People around them tried to comfort her.

Lu Shiqiu’s attention was entirely on the traveling merchant.

No wonder he was exposed.

He had originally thought it was his cheap brothers who betrayed him, but now it seemed it was this person.

But how come he didn’t remember meeting him?

【Within a fifty-mile radius, the only man who is twenty-five, named Lu, and still loafing around is you. He had heard about you from Yu Dalang and knew your name.】

Lu Shiqiu cursed under his breath.

Yu Dalang was just like a woman, always gossiping.

He glared at the traveling merchant, ready to turn and leave, but was distracted by a conversation nearby.

The gossiping wife was whispering to someone, “I’ve never seen Yu Pozi care so much for Yu Dalang. Now she’s crying so bitterly.”

“Well, no matter how biased Yu Pozi was, Yu Dalang was her own son. It’s only natural for a mother to be heartbroken when her son dies.”

The gossiping wife didn’t believe it and muttered, “Oh, now that Yu Dalang is gone, leaving behind a widow and three daughters, it’s so pitiful. How is Mrs. Yu going to live in the future?”

Yu Dalang had often been away on business, and the three large tiled houses he built made him the envy of the village.

Now that he was gone, Yu Erlang and Yu Sanlang would probably be jealous.

Yu Pozi had always favored her youngest son, so there would definitely be more trouble in the Yu family.

Before these words could even be spoken, Yu Pozi, who had been crying just a moment ago, suddenly sprang up and lunged at Mrs. Yu.

Mrs. Yu was protecting her three daughters when she was slapped several times.

“You’re a jinx! You’ve killed my son! He’s been out trading for so many years without a problem. Why did he die after marrying you?”

People rushed forward to stop her.

Mrs. Yu’s left cheek was slapped, swelling up immediately.

It was clear how much force Yu Pozi had used.

Er Ya, seeing her mother injured, kicked Yu Pozi with all her strength.

This child not only ate a lot, but also had great strength.

Yu Pozi was caught off guard and kicked in the calf, causing her to kneel on the ground, struggling to get up.