Chapter 57: Mo Lao Er Moves

Mo Haoyue received Mi Xia’s telegram at his small western-style house and immediately went to discuss it with Mi Qiu and Zhang Hongxia.

“Big brother, sister-in-law, I have something to discuss with you,” Mo Haoyue said.

Mi Qiu replied, “Brother-in-law, just say it.”

“In Mojia Village, my second brother wants to separate the family. When Mi Xia was at Mo’s family, my second brother and his wife often helped her.”

“Now my second brother is having difficulties, and Mi Xia and I want to help him. I’ve already talked to Mi Xia about this, and she asked me to get your opinion.”

“Big brother, I want my second brother’s family to move here and live with you. Could you also teach them how to sell your goods? Of course, they won’t set up a stall with you.”

“You’re on the south side; I’ll have him set up on the north side. Is that alright?” Mo Haoyue asked.

Upon hearing that Mo’s second brother had helped Mi Xia, Mi Qiu and Zhang Hongxia readily agreed without hesitation.

Mo Haoyue breathed a sigh of relief. He had considered that housing was easy to solve—he could rent a place for his second brother—but he worried about the lack of income.

So he thought of his older brother’s stall business, and thankfully, his brother agreed.

He hadn’t returned to the village yesterday and didn’t know how his second brother’s family was doing.

“Big brother, I’m going to see my comrade,” Mo Haoyue said.

He went straight to Zhong Xinfu’s place.

“Xinfu, please find a reliable person to deliver a message to my second brother in Mojia Village. His name is Mo Tiezhu.”

“Tell him to pack up and take his wife, children, and belongings to the neighboring Li Family Village. I’ll wait for him at the village entrance. Oh, and give him two yuan to hire an ox cart to transport their grain,” Mo Haoyue said, handing Zhong Xinfu the money.

“The rest is for you to buy cigarettes,” Mo Haoyue added, thinking he shouldn’t let someone help for free.

“This is urgent; it needs to be done now,” Mo Haoyue stressed.

Zhong Xinfu replied, “I’ll go and arrange it right away.”

“Thank you. I’ll go wait over there,” Mo Haoyue said, turning and leaving.

Mo Haoyue first went home. “Sister-in-law, my second brother’s family will arrive today. Please prepare a few rooms.”

“Don’t mention it; we’re family,” Zhang Hongxia said with a smile.

After Zhang Hongxia left, Mo Haoyue went to find Liu Baoguo and Wang Fen.

“Mom, my second brother is coming today. When they were at Mo’s family, he and his wife helped my wife a lot. Now they want to separate and live independently, so I want to bring them here.”

“And let them set up a stall with big brother and sister-in-law.”

“Okay. Have you asked Xiao Zhang’s opinion?” Wang Fen asked.

“I have, and big brother and sister-in-law both agreed.”

“That’s fine. Go ahead and get busy,” Wang Fen said.

In fact, Wang Fen was thinking that Mo Lao Er was a Mo family member. If Xu Cuihua found him and demanded money or information about Mo Haoyue, would Mo Lao Er reveal anything?

After all, Xu Cuihua was Mo Lao Er’s biological mother, but she couldn’t say anything. What if Mo Haoyue thought she was deliberately…

Forget it. If anything goes wrong, there’s still her and Lao Liu.

Feeling the time was about right, Mo Haoyue went to Li Family Village.

The house hadn’t been lived in for a long time. Mo Haoyue didn’t go inside; he waited at the gate. Many elderly people greeted him as they passed by.

“Isn’t this Mi Xia’s partner? What are you doing squatting at the gate?”

“Auntie, I’m waiting for someone,” Mo Haoyue answered with a smile.

“You can’t just sit there. Why don’t you come to my house and wait?”

“No, thank you, auntie. The person will be here soon,” Mo Haoyue replied.

The auntie left. The rural people were so hospitable; Mo Haoyue was almost overwhelmed.

After waiting a while, he saw Mo Lao Er and his wife, along with their three children, walking towards him looking dejected. He quickly went to meet them.

“Second brother, what’s wrong? Where’s the grain?” Mo Haoyue asked, puzzled.

Mo Lao Er remained silent, but his wife cried, “Fourth brother, Mother said that since we didn’t move yesterday, she kept the grain as rent, saying that you and us have nothing to do with each other anymore, and that you definitely won’t care about us.”

Mo Lao Er also looked up at Mo Haoyue. He knew his mother said that the fourth brother had nothing to do with them, but he didn’t understand what it meant.

“Second brother, my biological parents found me. They were afraid I wouldn’t take care of them later, so they asked me for money, and I don’t have to support them anymore,” Mo Haoyue said calmly.

Mo Lao Er stared at Mo Haoyue in shock. “Then… us…”

“Second brother, regardless of whether I am their son or not, you are my and Mi Xia’s second brother,” Mo Haoyue said firmly.

“Let’s go back and get an explanation. You’re her own son. Does she want to starve you to death?” Mo Haoyue said.

“Second brother, let’s forget it,” Mo Lao Er said, lowering his head.

“Dad, we can’t. If we do, what will our family eat?” Mo Jianguo said.

“Yes, husband, we can’t starve, and neither can the three children,” the second sister-in-law said, looking at Mo Lao Er.

“Second brother, let’s go. I need to do something too.”

Mo Lao Er thought of his wife and children, especially his wife. She had never had a good life since marrying him. His mother didn’t like him, causing his wife to suffer with him.

“Okay, fourth brother, let’s go back. I want to ask Mother why she wants to starve our family,” Mo Lao Er cried, tears and snot running down his face.

They say men don’t cry easily, but they haven’t reached the point of heartbreak. Mo Lao Er was truly heartbroken. He never expected Xu Cuihua to be so ruthless.

Thus, Mo Lao Er’s family, carrying a few worn-out clothes, set off back to Mojia Village.

When his wife came over, she only brought a few clothes. Her family favored sons over daughters, so it was already good that she could bring a few clothes.

It was time for work to end in Mojia Village, so they met many people on the road.

“What’s wrong with Mo Lao Er’s family?” a young woman asked.

“You don’t know? Mo Lao Er’s family was supposedly separating, but actually, Xu Cuihua kicked them out,” an old lady explained.

“See the man beside Mo Lao Er? That’s the fourth Mo. I guess Mo Lao Er is looking for him for help.”

After seeing Mo Haoyue, the young woman couldn’t take her eyes off him, even ignoring the old lady’s explanation.

It was the end of work, and many people gathered at Mo’s house. Just then, the eldest Mo returned home. Seeing so many people gathered at his doorstep, he was so scared his legs trembled.

He quickly ran back. Xu Cuihua and Old Man Mo were behind him, walking slowly.

“Dad, Mom, there are so many people at our house. Please go and see,” the eldest Mo said anxiously.

Old Man Mo frowned slightly. “Why are they gathered at our house? Do you know?”

The eldest Mo shook his head awkwardly. He was so scared seeing all those people that he didn’t dare ask why.

Xu Cuihua anxiously pulled Old Man Mo. “Why ask? Let’s go back and see.”

At the Mo’s house entrance, someone saw Xu Cuihua and Old Man Mo returning and shouted, “Auntie and Uncle are back!”

Everyone turned to look at them and automatically made way.

Due to the crowd, Xu Cuihua didn’t see Mo Lao Er’s family and Mo Haoyue.

“What’s going on? Why are you gathered at my house?” Xu Cuihua asked.

“Your second son’s family is back,” an auntie said.

Upon hearing that Mo Lao Er was back, Xu Cuihua’s eyes flashed with anger. Why did he come back? Didn’t she chase him away? Was the old man’s prediction right?