Chapter 234 Eavesdropping

Instead, they keep saying I'm a freeloader and a burden on the family! How could they...how could they treat me like this?!

As she spoke, her emotions completely collapsed. Her throat felt like it was blocked by something, she couldn't catch her breath, her eyes swelled, and her head felt dizzy.

He trembled like a withered leaf in the autumn wind, his thin body barely able to support him in the cold night, and he looked like he was about to collapse.

Looking at his younger sister Zhou Xiuli's haggard face, Zhou Nuli felt as if his heart was being cut by a sharp knife, the pain almost making it hard to breathe.

But he knew he couldn't blame his parents at all, so even if he felt terrible, he had to grit his teeth and bear it.

He lowered his head, his voice as soft as the wind, and with a hint of helplessness and bitterness, he advised, "Your parents are only thinking of you. You're not young anymore, it's time to think about settling down... They also hope that you can have a stable home."

Zhou Xiuli suddenly raised her head, her bloodshot eyes fixed on Zhou Nuli, her gaze filled with indescribable disappointment, as if she were questioning a relative she had once trusted implicitly.

Her voice trembled slightly as she asked, word by word, "Brother, do you really think they're doing this for my own good? Do you really think that forcing me to marry someone I don't like at all is for my benefit?"

She paused, her voice growing colder, tinged with a chilling skepticism: "You really think so? You really believe that everything they did was out of love?"

Zhou Nuli was startled by her question, opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound.

He avoided her gaze, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the seams of his trousers, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

After a long while, he managed to squeeze out a sentence from his throat: "It's...it's because I'm incompetent. If I could earn more money and help out more at home, maybe you wouldn't have to bear so much pressure and be forced to make decisions...this suffering shouldn't be borne by you alone."

He knew that the house was already cramped, and since his second and third children had children one after another, the house had become even more crowded.

Several beds were crammed into one room, so you had to walk sideways.

How could their parents not be worried?

No matter how urgent the situation, we can't trade our daughter's lifelong happiness for temporary peace.

He knew in his heart that although his parents spoke harshly and often said "get out if you don't listen," they were actually very soft-hearted. Every time his sister came home crying, they would secretly slip her money or leave her food.

"How about... I take you to my house first?"

Zhou Nuli finally made up his mind, reached out and gently supported Zhou Xiuli's arm, his voice low but firm, "It's better than suffering here."

He pulled Zhou Xiuli out of the old house, and the cold wind hit their faces, making them shiver.

The two walked in silence for nearly twenty minutes before finally arriving at Zhou Nuli's slightly dilapidated bungalow.

He pushed open the door, and a warm feeling mixed with the aroma of food wafted out.

Inside the main room, the whole family sat around the coal stove, so lively that it seemed as if no worries existed.

Several sweet potatoes were buried under the stove, their skins charred black, emitting a sweet and cloying aroma; the teapot on the stove was bubbling away, but it wasn't brewing tea, but beer, with orange peel mixed in, giving off a sweet and slightly bitter fragrance.

Zhao Lin squatted by the stove, holding an orange in one hand and skillfully peeling it, distributing the segments to the children beside him, while using his other hand to throw the orange peel pieces into the pot one by one.

Shen Cuifen smiled and took it, saying, "Adding some skin makes it taste right. The wine will have a fruity aroma and cut through the richness."

Zhou Anguo leaned back in the creaking old recliner, holding a comic book with its corners curled up in his hands, but his eyes kept glancing at the stove.

He mumbled incoherently, "Mom, will the newly planted orange grove behind our house bear fruit next year? I hope it won't just be all flowers and no fruit, and all our hard work will be for nothing."

He paused, then his tone suddenly changed, taking on a calculating edge: "When the harvest comes and you sell the produce, don't forget, I didn't contribute a single penny to this garden, and neither did you. Nobody can expect a cent!"

Zhao Lin was bending down to pour him a beer, still holding a segment of orange in his hand. Upon hearing this, his hand suddenly froze, and he felt as if he had been pricked by a needle.

She didn't say anything, but silently handed over the wine glass, her eyes dimming slightly.

It's so quiet inside.

Outside, the north wind howled, rattling against the windows with a "whooshing" sound, but inside, the stove was burning brightly, making the room warm and cozy.

The refreshing scent of oranges mingled with the slightly intoxicating aroma of brewed beer, creating a warm and cozy moment as the family sat together.

But what Zhou Anguo was thinking about was money, profits, and profit sharing.

"Regarding the orchard," a frail yet clear voice came from the inner room, it was Zhou Nuli's mother, "whether you get a lot or a little, whether you make a profit or a loss, it's all up to you. I won't interfere, and I certainly won't ask for money. You planted the trees yourself, you harvested the fruit yourself, so you make your own decisions."

She walked out slowly, her hair was gray, her back was slightly hunched, but her eyes were still clear.

She said this in a calm tone, yet with an undeniable firmness.

Upon hearing the word "money," Zhou Anguo immediately sat up straight in his recliner, even throwing aside the comic book he was holding.

He stared wide-eyed, his voice urgent: "Mom, how long has it been? What's going on with Jiang Guifang's case? What law did she break? Why hasn't she been sentenced yet? And what about that five hundred yuan that the police station confiscated from you... that was our family's life-saving money, when can we get it back?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Xiuli outside the door shuddered.

Her head, which had been hanging low, suddenly lifted up, and her eyes lit up as if she had suddenly seen light in the darkness.

That five hundred yuan?

Her heart skipped a beat, her spirits lifted instantly, and she felt as if she had come back to life.

She turned sharply to look at Zhou Nuli, her eyes filled with hope and urgency, her voice trembling: "Brother, that five hundred yuan he mentioned... does it really exist? Mom really had five hundred yuan deducted? Can we get that money back?"

Zhou Nuli's expression changed, and he waved his hands repeatedly in fright, afraid that she would reveal what she had said.

He quickly stepped forward, blocking the doorway, and whispered, "Keep your voice down! Where would we get five hundred yuan? That's all ancient history. I didn't even get my salary last month; the factory said they'd delay payment. Our rice jar is almost empty; we're dirt poor! Don't go around telling everyone, or we'll cause trouble and no one can afford the consequences!"

Zhou Xiuli grabbed him, quickly put her finger to her lips, her eyes serious and urgent, and shook her head vigorously, signaling him not to make any noise and to continue listening quietly to the sounds inside the room.

Sitting by the door, Zhao Lin's ears twitched slightly. He keenly caught the faint footsteps and breathing sounds outside the door and immediately recognized Zhou Nuli's voice as he stood outside the courtyard.

She couldn't help but find it amusing and mutter to herself: This person is clearly going home, why doesn't he just come in and instead squats outside the door to eavesdrop?

It's really strange. We're not doing anything wrong, so why all the secrecy? It's quite amusing.