Chapter 59 Conflict Erupts

“Qin Zian! Do you think I’ve wronged you? Look into your heart and ask yourself, since your father passed away, which of the things we eat or wear haven’t been prioritized for you?”

“Before that, did you ever see anyone in this family get new clothes, shoes, or socks? Did we ever eat anything other than vegetable porridge and coarse grain cakes? All these years, whenever you asked for something, I did my best to find a way to satisfy your demands.”

“You say I favor your sister, are you not ashamed of yourself? Do you think that fine grains and meat dishes are only for you to eat? Your sister doesn’t deserve it, Erlang doesn’t deserve it, and even this old woman doesn’t deserve it?”

Qin Laotai no longer called him Dalan, her voice thick with a nasal tone, barely holding back her tears.

“Ever since your father passed away, I’ve been truly blinded by greed. Erlang and your sister can tell me that I’ve wronged them, because it’s true. But you, you have no right to say that I’ve wronged you.”

“You say fifty copper coins isn’t much? Do you really think it’s so easy to make money? Do you know how many loads of firewood you have to sell to earn fifty copper coins?”

This was the first time Qin Laotai had ever yelled at Qin Zian.

He lowered his head, his face ashen, not daring to look at Qin Laotai’s eyes.

He wasn’t stupid, on the contrary, he was very smart, at least academically.

He knew in his heart that compared to the others in the family, he was indeed the favored one.

It was just that he was simply taking advantage of the situation after being hurt by Qin Ruo’s self-esteem.

Qin Laotai thought about everything that had happened recently, and her nose felt sour.

After the incident with the Wang family, her relationship with Zhou Laotai had gradually eased.

When they met outside, they would chat for a while.

Zhou Laotai had once confided in her, saying, “It’s really hard for us elders to be impartial and treat everyone equally. If we excessively favor one child, what about the children who are not favored? Over time, it will inevitably chill people’s hearts.”

“Ever since your family’s Huaizheng passed away, look at Erlang and your eldest daughter, what kind of life have they been living? You’ve been living in a daze all these years…”

“Grandma, I just…”

Qin Zian had been used to getting whatever he wanted in this family.

This was the first time Qin Laotai had reprimanded him with such a sharp tone, like invisible needles piercing his heart.

He wanted to apologize to Qin Laotai, but his pride prevented him from opening his mouth.

When he saw Qin Ruo’s mocking expression, he seemed to find an excuse to vent.

“Qin Qiuxi! Are you laughing at me? You’re just relying on your good luck to earn some money, what are you so proud of?”

“Qin Qiuxi has nothing to be proud of. After all, she’s too foolish, she actually wronged herself for so many years for a white-eyed wolf.”

“I’m full, you guys continue.”

Qin Ruo put down her chopsticks and left the table without turning her head.

“I, I’m also… full.” Qin Zimu said softly, quickly following Qin Ruo’s footsteps.

Qin Laotai came to her senses and looked at the half-eaten food on the table.

Seeing Qin Zian standing by the side, still unwilling to admit defeat, Qin Laotai’s heart suddenly turned cold.

She was wrong, terribly wrong!

Zhou Laotai next door was right, she had spoiled Qin Zian into this disrespectful and disharmonious brother and sister.

Qin Laotai’s face was pale, and she slumped onto the stool, feeling powerless.

After a moment, she stood up again, supporting herself on the table, her expression numb.

Her body trembled like a withered leaf in the wind, fueled by anger.

“Qin Qiuxi? Is that what you call her? She’s your sister! I’ve been too lenient with you in the past, which is why you’ve become so disrespectful.”

“Dalan, I know you’ve been smart since you were young, but unfortunately, you’ve used your intelligence in the wrong way. You look down on your sister, your younger brother, and I’m sure you also look down on this old woman in your heart.”

“From now on, I won’t worry about your education expenses, I’m powerless to do anything.”

“If your father and mother knew, they would blame me, I’ve made a mistake, I’ll bear the consequences. When I die, I’ll go to our ancestors and apologize.”

“Grandma…”

Qin Zian’s face was as pale as paper, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Did Grandma mean that she was going to let him fend for himself from now on?

“How much silver your sister earned is her own ability, if you have the ability, you can earn it yourself!”

Qin Laotai interrupted Qin Zian’s words sharply, her eyes filled with sadness, losing their former brilliance.

“Your younger brother is a few years younger than you, and he has suffered a lot of grievances because of you all these years. From today onwards, he only needs to be responsible for himself.”

“You are already fifteen years old, at this age in our village, you can start a family and build a career. How you choose to go from now on, I won’t interfere, lest I become disliked.”

Qin Zian looked at Qin Laotai’s departing back, feeling his legs go weak.

Did Grandma mean… she wouldn’t take care of him anymore?

The academy exam was coming up next year, if Grandma didn’t take care of him, where would he get the money to continue studying?

Qin Zian admitted that his words just now were a bit excessive.

But he never thought that Qin Laotai, who had always been so loving towards him, would say such harsh words to him.

A wave of unprecedented panic surged through Qin Zian’s heart.

The look of pain and disappointment in Qin Laotai’s eyes as she left gave him a feeling of suffocation.

Qin Zian was in a daze, he didn’t even remember how he got back to his room.

He looked around the room he had lived in for three years, the windows were bright and clean.

The new bedding on the bed was neatly folded, clearly well-maintained.

Feeling suffocated, Qin Zian casually pushed open the window, wanting to get some fresh air.

Qin Zimu, who had just returned from the outhouse, heard the sound behind him.

He paused for a moment, didn’t even turn his head, and ran to his own room.

A heavy sense of frustration welled up in Qin Zian’s heart.

Was he so unwelcome in this family?

Just as Qin Zian was in a daze, a hand reached in through his window.

It quickly threw a handful of copper coins onto the table next to his window.

“This is the last time.”

“Grandma…”

Qin Zian’s voice was hoarse, his eyes red, he called out to Qin Laotai softly.

But Qin Laotai acted as if she hadn’t heard, and she quickly disappeared from his sight.

Qin Zian counted the copper coins on the table, exactly fifty.

At the dinner table, he had deliberately said thirty copper coins as fifty.

Because in the past, for extra expenses like travel expenses, Qin Laotai would secretly make up the difference.

He wasn’t unfamiliar with exaggerating expenses.

But now, the fifty copper coins in front of him felt like a hot potato, making Qin Zian’s face flush red to his neck.