Chapter 58: The Second Son’s Family Cuts Ties

It all depended on whether she would forgive them. Hmph, Xu Cuihua didn’t want to kick them out; after all, the second son and his wife were both very capable.

After she got off work and returned home, everything had been tidied up by the second son’s wife. The livestock had also been fed; all she had to do upon her return was wait for dinner.

Since they had come back to apologize, she would reluctantly let them stay. But she still needed to teach them a lesson; otherwise, they would think she was easy to manipulate.

Xu Cuihua walked in happily, but when she saw Mo Haoyue, she knew that the second son’s family had definitely not come to apologize.

Her heart sank. She stammered, “What are you doing here?”

Mo Haoyue, “I’m here to get justice for my second brother.”

“They split up with you, why aren’t you giving them their share of the grain?”

Xu Cuihua was furious at the mention of the split. “When we divided the property yesterday, it was agreed that they wouldn’t stay in the house. They stayed overnight, so the grain is considered payment for lodging.”

As soon as Xu Cuihua finished speaking, she heard people around her whispering.

“Xu Cuihua is too cruel! This is her own son. Even if they split up, staying overnight doesn’t warrant withholding their entire family’s rations,” said Passerby A.

“Even if he weren’t her son, lodging for one night isn’t worth that much grain,” said Passerby B.

“Don’t you think Xu Cuihua and her husband are blind? They treat the second son and his wife like workhorses, yet they spoil the eldest and third sons, those good-for-nothing loafers,” said Passerby B.

“Exactly! The second son’s family split from her, and she still withheld their grain. She’s trying to completely ruin them!”

“Even a tiger wouldn’t eat its own cubs. What’s the difference between Xu Cuihua and her husband and beasts?”

“If the second son’s family hadn’t returned today, they would have starved to death outside.”

The murmuring around her made Xu Cuihua furious. She pointed at the second son and began to scold, “You unfilial son! Withholding your grain is the least of it. I should have made you leave naked!”

When Old Man Mo heard Xu Cuihua’s shouting, his face darkened. Couldn’t this woman hear that people were saying they were cruel? She was even adding fuel to the fire by treating her own son this way.

Enraged, Old Man Mo slapped Xu Cuihua. “You vicious woman! Are you trying to starve the second son’s family to death? How can you be so cruel?”

Xu Cuihua, already seething from the slap, gritted her teeth. Old Man Mo then shifted the blame onto her. “It was your idea to withhold the grain, wasn’t it?”

“Didn’t you say the second son’s family couldn’t leave? Only the second son and his wife are capable; the eldest and third sons are unreliable.”

The crowd, eager for gossip, had initially thought it was all Xu Cuihua’s doing. But it turned out that Old Man Mo was the mastermind.

“The second son’s family is so unfortunate, being plotted against by their own parents.”

“Exactly. Ten fingers aren’t all the same length, but Xu Cuihua and her husband are too much. They treated the second son’s family like workhorses for so many years, and when he wanted to split up, they still wouldn’t let him go.”

“Exactly, Old Man Mo’s heart is truly black.”

Old Man Mo was about to explode with anger. This stupid woman! He kicked Xu Cuihua.

Xu Cuihua cried out in pain. The eldest son, Boss Mo, was so scared that he ignored Xu Cuihua and retreated, fearing that Old Man Mo would kick him next.

Mo Haoyue worriedly looked at his second brother, who seemed to have frozen, his eyes wide, standing there dumbfounded.

The second sister-in-law looked at him worriedly. She was fine, after all, it was only her husband’s parents.

The second son, Mo Lao Er, covered his head and slowly squatted down. Soon, the man’s sobs were heard, “Mother, you’ve made me suffer so much.”

Who says men don’t cry easily? It’s just that they haven’t reached their breaking point yet.

“I always thought you didn’t like me because I’m clumsy with words and can’t sweet-talk you,”

Mo Lao Er slapped himself twice in pain. “After that, I worked harder, just so you wouldn’t be angry. But in the end, my wife and I were just tools to you, weren’t we?”

“Wife, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It’s all because of me. I thought that if we worked harder, Mother would like us.”

“I never expected… I never expected… it’s because of me that you’ve suffered so much. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Mo Lao Er apologized while crying.

“My dear husband, it’s alright. As long as our family is together and safe, that’s all that matters.” The second sister-in-law wept.

She felt sorry for her husband. Although she had never been idle for many years, Mo Lao Er would help her. Compared to Mo Lao Er, she was much happier.

She had a loving husband and well-behaved children. But Mo Lao Er, the blow from his parents was too great.

After a long pause, Mo Lao Er spoke again. “Father, Mother, this is the last time I’ll call you that. I don’t want the grain. Consider it my final filial offering. We’re not splitting up; we’re severing our relationship.”

After saying this, Mo Lao Er instantly seemed much older. Xu Cuihua wasn’t doing well either. She had been slapped and kicked by Old Man Mo, and now her own son wanted to cut ties with her.

Although she had disliked Mo Lao Er since he was young, he was still her son.

“Lao Er, Mother was wrong. Please forgive me,” Xu Cuihua said, enduring the pain in her body.

“What’s the use of knowing it now? This time, Mo Lao Er really hurt Xu Cuihua,” said Passerby A.

“Exactly. They don’t cherish the most filial son, but they spoil the two who are always scheming,” Passerby B added.

Mo Lao Er also felt bad. He knew very well that only the fourth and second sons would take care of them in their old age, but the second son had cut ties with them.

Now the second son also wanted to sever ties. If they relied on the eldest and fourth sons, when he was old and unable to move, they would probably abandon him in the mountains.

Sigh, how did things turn out like this? He had wanted the second son’s family to apologize and never mention splitting up again, but why did it end up like this?

He couldn’t bring himself to persuade Mo Lao Er.

“Jianguo, go call the village chief,” Mo Haoyue called out.

“I’ll go right away, Fourth Uncle.” Mo Jianguo turned and ran.

The crowd automatically parted a path. “Why are so many people gathered here?” The village chief’s voice preceded him.

“Go back and eat your meals. Aren’t you going to work this afternoon?” With the village chief’s reprimand, the crowd dispersed.

The village chief looked at Xu Cuihua sitting on the ground, Old Man Mo standing beside her, and then at Mo Lao Er squatting beside Mo Haoyue.

“What’s going on?” The village chief asked Mo Jianguo.

Mo Jianguo recounted the incident, and the village chief’s face visibly turned grim.

“Mo Lao Er, you want to sever ties, right? If so, I’ll write up the documents,” the village chief asked.

Mo Lao Er nodded with difficulty.

“Wife, go home and get some paper and pens,” the village chief instructed.

“Wait a minute, Auntie, get a few more sheets,” Mo Haoyue called out to the village chief’s wife.