Chapter 21 Chapter 21 [VIP]

After turning off the machine used to plan wood, Qiao Wangxi looked up and saw Qiao Jiaxin coming back, his eyes full of joy.

It seemed as if they had never had any unpleasantness and were still the same as when they lived in the staff housing compound.

"Are you back?"

Taking off his gloves, Qiao Wangxi did not answer her question directly.

Instead, he walked over, picked up the water cup, gulped down a few mouthfuls, and said calmly, "The wood of your bed is so rotten. Don't you feel it making noises when you sleep?"

"well enough."

Qiao Jiaxin reluctantly raised the corner of her lips, carrying her things and walked into the house.

Yes, of course it is.

This was originally picked up from someone else's house in the village. How could it be good?

But what else could I do? When I first moved back with my grandma, I had no money and couldn't afford a decent bed frame, so I could only make do with what I picked up.

I haven't been home for just two days, and the house has become a little different.

The originally empty outer room now had a wooden coffee table and several wooden chairs. The low table that Qiao Jiaxin used for studying was gone, replaced by a brand new wooden table with a pencil case on it.

It was obvious that the pencil case was bought by Qiao Wangxi, and the price tag on it had not been removed yet.

Two dollars and fifty cents.

For such a stingy uncle, this is a huge sum of money.

After searching the room for a while but seeing no one, Qiao Jiaxin asked him, "Uncle, where is my grandma?"

"I went to play mahjong at Mr. Pei's house."

Putting on protective gloves again, Qiao Wangxi prepared to continue polishing the bed board.

It was the first time that Qiao Jiaxin saw Qiao Wangxi doing carpentry.

Although he has been a carpenter for many years, he has never shown off his skills.

I often see him with the hammer and protective gloves strapped to his waist, but I've never seen him work with wood.

I remember when I was a child and lived in a staff housing complex with my grandparents, one time, my grandfather wanted to make a table out of wood to save money.

Qiao Wangxi agreed verbally, but every time he said that he didn't bring enough tools and would talk about it next time.

My grandfather is a person who doesn't procrastinate. After being put off a few times, he couldn't wait any longer and tried to do it himself.

But my grandfather had never learned the craft of carpentry. It looked good when he first made it, but after it was finished, he found that the legs of the table were crooked and the table top was not flat.

There was no other way, so he had to dismantle the table and start over.

But when he was dismantling the table, he didn't use the nail properly and half of the nail went straight into his thumb.

Later, when the family was having a meal together during the holidays, several uncles saw that grandpa's thumb was wrapped. After asking him the reason, they began to blame Qiao Wangxi.

"Dad, didn't I tell you to wait for me to do it?"

"I have to do it, I have to do it. Do you think making a table is so easy?"

"If you really need it urgently, you can just give me a call and I'll come over. Look at what you've done now."

The identities of father and son are reversed.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Qiao Wangxi complained a lot. On the surface, he was saying that being a carpenter was not easy, but if you listened carefully, you could find that he was actually blaming his parents.

It's all because they are biased. I don't have a good education, so I can only find such a hard job.

It was all their shortsightedness that led him to learn carpentry. With all the advanced technology now, all furniture is made in factories, so he couldn't make any money as a carpenter.

So the reason why I am living such a tiring life now is all thanks to them.

Among his four uncles, he probably had the deepest resentment towards his parents. That was why he would ask them for money as a matter of course every time he returned home.

Qiao Jiaxin didn't stay at home for long, but went out and went to Uncle Pei's house.

"Thirty thousand."

"Bang!"

"Hit the bar... Oops, that was almost it."

"Hu Qibing? Let's exchange one. I have two here."

When Liu Shuqin arrived at Uncle Pei's house, she was playing mahjong with several relatives from the village.

There were three or four people sitting next to me watching the game, and the "My Fair Princess" playing on TV became the soundtrack to the game.

"Uncle, Third Aunt, Master Zhang."

When entering the room, Qiao Jiaxin took the initiative to greet the elders in the room.

"Jiaxin? You're back so early."

Seeing Qiao Jiaxin coming back, Liu Shuqin invited her to sit next to her. "Are you cold on the way? How was your study tour?"

"Yeah, it's good."

Qiao Jiaxin accidentally glanced at her grandma's cards.

Wow, all stripes? Or are you waiting for a win?

Even with such a big hand, grandma was able to remain so calm. Not only was her expression composed, but she was also so leisurely while cracking melon seeds.

Wow, it’s worthy of being a veteran.

"Why is my second uncle here too?" asked Qiao Jiaxin.

Liu Shuqin said indifferently, "Well, he came here the morning before yesterday, just after you left."

event.

When the news first came out a few months ago, only people who were concerned about demolition and real estate knew about it. Later, people doing business may have heard about it as well.

It was not until last week that the television stations in Yu City began to report on the demolition special, which really spread the demolition trend to every street and alley.

Liu Shuqin didn't intend to hide it from them, and she also thought about fulfilling her filial piety.

The only thing I didn’t expect was that Qiao Wangxi arrived earlier than Qiao Wangdong and Qiao Wangbei.

After all, among the four brothers, he was the one who was most oblivious to what was happening outside.

"mom……"

The day before yesterday morning, when Liu Shuqin went to open the door, she saw him standing at the door, followed by his two sons.

"Grandma~!"

"Grandma, why did you move to the village?"

It has been a long time since I saw my grandchildren. When they surrounded me on the left and right, no matter how much resentment I had towards their father Qiao Wangxi, my hard heart would soften a little.

Qiao Weilong is in the first year of high school this year, and Qiao Weipeng has just started elementary school.

They were still young and didn't understand what was going on between adults, so Liu Shuqin didn't take her anger out on them and invited them in.

Qiao Wangxi brought a lot of things, including a chicken, a fish, a few pounds of pork ribs, a bag of fruits and vegetables, and a ten-pound bag of rice.

It doesn't look like they were bought specifically for me, but rather for me to cook for them.

Qiao Weilong was carrying a pound of peach cakes and Qiao Weipeng was carrying some pastries. These were specially given to her, but the family no longer lacked these things.

"Grandma, this house is so shabby. It must be very cold living here at night."

The speaker may not mean it, but the listener may take it seriously.

Qiao Weipeng was still young, and he just asked a truthful question, but Qiao Wangxi frowned at him uncomfortably, signaling him to shut up.

Coming out of the bathroom, Qiao Weilong wiped his hands and asked, "Grandma, everything was fine. Why didn't you and my sister continue to live in the family compound? You moved back home so long ago and you didn't even tell me."

"Well, I, I'm busy discussing opening a store with Yanfang," Qiao Wangxi put down the peanuts in his hand, rubbed his nose subconsciously, and then hurriedly explained to her, "I called Lao Si a few days ago and heard that you moved away with Jiaxin."

Oh? Really?

Based on Liu Shuqin's understanding of him, the couple probably saw on TV that Jicheng Village was going to be demolished, and thinking that they might receive compensation for their old house, they thought of making a phone call to ask about the situation indirectly.

Unexpectedly, she and Jiaxin had already moved back to the village.

Otherwise, why would he take the initiative to call? After all, the phone bill is so expensive for him.

Whatever, no matter how he knew it, it has nothing to do with me.

"Jiaxin is not at home?" Qiao Wangxi asked.

Liu Shuqin: "The school organized a study tour to Henan University."

"Going to college to play," Qiao Wangxi couldn't help but mutter, "That must cost a lot of money."

Liu Shuqin's hand, which was peeling peanuts, paused.

Money, money, money. Why does Qiao Wangxi see everything as money?

Over the years, I have heard him talk about money more often than Qiao Wangnan.

It's not his money, why do you have to bring it up? It's so painful to hear.

After shelling the peanuts, she handed the small handful on the table to Qiao Weipeng, and then said lightly: "It's not much money, it was all given by the third brother. Alas, Jiaxin and I don't have much either. If it weren't for the third brother's support, Jiaxin wouldn't be able to go."

"Third brother?"

Qiao Wangxi asked tentatively, "Has the third brother been here?"

"Yeah, he came a few days ago as well," Liu Shuqin stroked her new cotton-padded jacket and deliberately raised her voice a few notches. "He came with Xiaoli and brought a lot of money and gifts when he came."

"Grandma, your new cotton-padded jacket looks so beautiful~" Qiao Weipeng said while stroking the flowers on the jacket.

Liu Shuqin smiled and said, "Yes, your third uncle bought it for you."

"I originally wanted to buy me a washing machine and a TV, but the wiring in the house is not working properly. Otherwise, when you come to grandma's house in the future, you can watch Pinocchio on TV~"

Liu Shuqin spoke calmly, without any hesitation, and these words hit Qiao Wangxi's heart.

Doesn't he always like to talk about money? It's a good opportunity for him to hear it.

Qiao Wangxi's face became increasingly ugly. He was not good at controlling his facial expressions and the word "depressed" was almost written on his face. When Liu Shuqin looked at him, she still had to force out a smile that was uglier than crying.

Picking up the cup and taking a sip of water, Qiao Wangxi's throat rolled and he said, "Old Third is capable. He has made a lot of money over the years. It's only right that he honors you."

"Yes, the third brother is indeed capable." Liu Shuqin did not deny it and followed his words.

"Grandma, the chairs in your room are so old."

Qiao Weilong said casually while shaking the creaking chair under him.

Liu Shuqin: "Wait a few days. When your uncle comes, ask him to replace the sofa with a new one."

"Nothing you buy is as good as making it yourself," Qiao Wangxi said. "I happen to be free these days, so why don't I make you a set?"

Qiao Wangxi is not as rich as Qiao Wangnan, but he doesn't want to lose to him in filial piety.

He has no money, but he has strength and skills.

He didn't believe that the wooden sofa he made himself would not be better than the one he bought!

Liu Shuqin just smiled and said, "No need. Making a sofa is very troublesome. Besides, I don't even have a decent piece of wood. There's no way I can make one."

"Don't worry about that. I have all the tools and wood at home. Once I'm done, you can just use them."

Liu Shuqin didn't really want to refuse, she was just being polite.

My son wants to make furniture for me, so why can't I accept it?

I've supported him for decades, so what's wrong with asking him to do some work for me? What's more, he asked for it on his own initiative.

So that afternoon, he rode his tricycle and brought several wooden boards and a tool kit. He didn't care about the cold weather and started working in the yard.

"Mom, I learned the craft just to help out at home."

"Just tell me what you need me to do. Although my family doesn't have much money, we can still do the work of several people."

"I see the bed in your room is a bit sagging. I'll make you a bed frame. Make it lower so you can sit comfortably."

Qiao Wangxi worked efficiently. He probably had a strong desire to surpass Qiao Wangnan, so he assembled the wooden sofa that night and painted it with a layer of oil. He said that after it dried, it would be almost as good as the mahogany furniture in the mall.

Liu Shuqin took a look and found that it was indeed well done, with every detail polished very cleanly.

Her sons used to blame her for not treating their children equally, so today she decided to change.

When you want to fleece the sheep, you can't just fleece one of them, you have to give equal consideration to every son.

Liu Shuqin: "That's perfect. Let's make a few more chairs. We only have so many chairs at home. If someone comes, there's nowhere to sit."

"Jiaxin's bed has always been unstable. You should fix it. Also, the table she uses for studying is too low. She always has to curl her legs up. See if you can make it higher."

Like Qiao Wangnan, when Liu Shuqin opened her mouth to ask for too much, he stood there in a daze for a long time and was unable to recover.

Liu Shuqin asked tentatively, "Will all this work delay your work?"

Qiao Wangxi quickly forced out a dry laugh, "No, no, not at all. How could I feel tired working for my parents?"

It is really tiring, but I can also take this opportunity to spend more time with her and get along well with her.

No matter how much money he gave, it was still cold. He believed that as long as he stayed with the old lady long enough, she would be able to feel his care for her. Maybe...

After the wooden sofa was made, Qiao Wangxi came early the next day and brought a lot of wood again.

Liu Shuqin took a quick look and found that these pieces of wood were all ready-made, with holes for screws on them. She thought that they were originally intended to be used elsewhere, but he had used them first.

Qiao Wangxi: "Mom, look at this. Doesn't it look like the little puppet my dad made for me when I was a kid?"

Yeah, like.

At that time, he envied other families for having toys, but he didn't have any. He went home and cried all day and refused to eat. Qiao Wensheng had no choice but to make him a small toy out of wood.

Qiao Wangxi: "Yanfang and I have agreed to open a handmade furniture store after the Chinese New Year. Although factory goods are selling well now, people who really know the business still choose handmade goods."

Yes, yes.

I don't know who it is, but after learning carpentry, he kept complaining that he had taken the wrong path and couldn't make any money. Every time he went home, he would grumble about how hard life was and ask his parents to use their savings to support him.

Qiao Wangxi: "When Jiaxin goes to college, you can move in with me. Xiaopeng talks about you every day, saying that he wants to live with grandma and want her to sing opera for him."

Um... no!

Back then, after Liu Yanfang gave birth, Liu Shuqin took care of her during the confinement period twice, and each time she received a lot of complaints.

If we really live together, won’t I have to look at her face every day?

Sitting on that recliner, Liu Shuqin felt like she was sitting on pins and needles, with a thorn in her back and a lump in her throat.

Once upon a time, she looked forward to her sons coming to see her more often and talking to her more often.

Qiao Wangxi had only been with her for the entire morning, but she was already a little overwhelmed, especially when he reminisced about the past, which only made her realize the reality of the past more clearly and regret how much she doted on him.

"Auntie, are you busy?"

Pushing open the half-closed courtyard door, the man from the Pei family said anxiously, "Come to my house to play mahjong? We're short one."

Mahjong?

Liu Shuqin was thinking about how to escape, and this gave her a good excuse.

It just so happened that she hadn't played mahjong for a long time, so chatting while playing cards was better than listening to his sour words here.

“Come, come, come!”

As she said that, Liu Shuqin hurriedly stood up from the recliner.

Without even having time to put on her shoes, she hurriedly followed him in her slippers.

The next day, too, not long after Qiao Wangxi arrived, someone from the Pei family came to ask her to play mahjong.

Liu Shuqin: "It's just right that you're back. Lao Wang bought a few pounds of beef and mutton this morning. Let's have hot pot together."

As soon as she finished speaking, Liu Shuqin drew the ultimate Nine.

"H! All the same color, pairs, win!" Pushing the cards aside, Liu Shuqin quickly calculated her winnings. "Two runs, still the banker, four cards each!"

When people are happy, they feel cheerful and their luck improves rapidly.

There were only a few chips left in front of everyone else, and Liu Shuqin was almost out of chips.

Qiao Jiaxin glanced out the window and asked, "Eating at home?"

Liu Shuqin: "Of course we'll eat at Uncle Pei's house. Once Uncle Pei comes back with some food, we can eat."

Qiao Jiaxin asked again: "What about my uncle..."

"Never mind him," Liu Shuqin replied bluntly, "He's such a grown man, how could he still starve himself?"

At that time, I agreed to let him come to work at home, but I didn't ask for his meals.

The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and beef and mutton are very expensive. She doesn't want to waste them.

The wool comes from the sheep. I won a lot of money playing mahjong these two days, so I have to treat everyone to a good meal.

As for Qiao Wangxi... if he was hungry, there were a few buns and pickles in the cupboard at home. If all else failed, he could just make a fire and cook some food.

After all, you are in your thirties or forties. You won't be so stupid as to starve yourself.

Of course, in case Qiao Wangxi comes to visit later, they also agreed to bring some food to eat at Lao Zhang's house.

This way, I don’t have to give him another pair of chopsticks, which would make the dinner awkward.

"Auntie, are you really not going to bring some for your second son?"

"No."

Liu Shuqin didn't hesitate at all.

"That's right. With a kid like him, it's useless to be nice to him."

"Now it seems like he's being filial, but isn't it because he knew our village was going to be demolished? If he were truly filial, would he not come to visit for several months?"

"It's fine as long as you have a plan in mind. I'm afraid you'll be soft-hearted and give away your house and money. Then you'll really have nowhere to cry."

The elders in the village all spoke as sweetly as if they were covered in honey, and they only spoke the truth that Liu Shuqin loved to hear.

They are all shrewd people who have been struggling in this world for decades. They no longer believe in such empty words as "he is still ignorant", "after all, he is still a child", and "if you don't treat the children well, who else can you treat well?"

They have seen too many farces due to this demolition, and they are more convinced that only by keeping the money in their own hands can they ensure a peaceful old age.

The flesh that falls off the body is really fallen off. Without the umbilical cord connecting them, they are destined to no longer be a whole.

It is better to trust in your craftsmanship than to trust in heaven and earth, and it is better to rely on yourself than to rely on your children.

Liu Shuqin did the right thing and they all supported her.

When they finished eating hot pot and returned home, they could smell the aroma of rice wafting from the yard from afar.

Qiao Wangxi really cooked at home.

When I opened the door, the yard was tidy and Qiao Jiaxin's bed had been moved back into the house.

Qiao Wangxi was holding a basket and collecting the dried vegetables and sausages that Liu Shuqin had hung out to dry. She still had the apron around her waist, and her virtuous appearance was just like the snail prince in a fairy tale.

Seeing them come back, Qiao Wangxi's face was full of joy: "You're back? Come back to the house and warm up. The rice will be steamed soon."

There were three dishes on the dining table in the room: a plate of minced pork with chili peppers, a plate of minced pork with mushrooms, and a plate of minced pork with vegetables.

Although there is meat in every dish, if you look closely you will find that the total amount of meat in the several plates is less than half a pound.

Qiao Wangxi does a lot of hard work, but he is still so stingy that he doesn't even want to buy more meat.

"Jiaxin and I just ate at Old Pei's house," Liu Shuqin replied calmly, "You can eat."

A subtle emotion flashed across Qiao Wangxi's eyes, and it was hard to tell whether it was loss or joy.

"Eat a little more, please. It won't be edible tomorrow."

Liu Shuqin: "Why don't you take him back later? Xiaolong has been studying hard tonight, so it's a good time to have another meal."

Qiao Wangxi wiped his hands on his apron and said, "That's it."

He was probably waiting for her to say this.

Back in the kitchen, Qiao Wangxi packed up and said, "Mom, I won't come tomorrow. The store isn't open yet, and I'm busy. I'll come back on Sunday."

To emphasize his filial piety, he leaned over and added, "If you have anything to do, leave it to me. You are old and you must not do heavy work."

Liu Shuqin: "Yes, I understand."

"I've fixed the electrical wiring in my house, and the voltage should be much more stable now. But it's best not to use any electrical appliances. It's unsafe in case of a short circuit."

Liu Shuqin and Qiao Jiaxin looked at each other and understood each other.

What he meant was that she shouldn't accept money from Qiao Wangnan anymore, right?

However, she didn't rush to expose him, but instead asked, "By the way, does the boss know that Jiaxin and I moved back home?"

“…”

During those few seconds, the only sound in the kitchen was Qiao Wangxi washing dishes.

"Hmm? I'm asking you."

Qiao Wangxi pretended not to hear: "Huh? What?"

"Boss, do you know that Jiaxin and I have moved back?"

Only then did Qiao Wangxi turn off the faucet. "He probably doesn't know. He has so many things to do at school, and he has to take care of my sister-in-law's parents when he gets home. He probably doesn't have time to call home."

Liu Shuqin: "Then go back and tell him, so that you can find him if anything happens."

"Oh, what could possibly happen?" Qiao Wangxi said with a smile after drying his hands and coming out of the kitchen. "If you have any problems, just call me. My brother's hands are for holding pens, so leave the work to me."

Looking up at Qiao Wangxi, Liu Shuqin did not feel any filial piety or concern.

I just felt that he was just like those selfish kids at the village entrance who wanted to play with others but were reluctant to take out their own toys.

He must be worried that after the boss returns, his competitiveness in the fight for the family fortune will be greatly reduced...

*

Unfortunately, there is no impenetrable wall.

What's more, it's such an important matter, how can it be kept secret without saying anything?

Two days later, Liu Shuqin received a call from Qiao Wangdong.

"Auntie, I can hear his tone and he sounds very anxious."

"She kept asking me how you and Jiaxin were doing recently, whether you were eating well, and whether you had any money."

"I guess he cried too much, his voice is a little hoarse."

When Wu Juhua came home to inform Liu Shuqin, she was worried.

Although she, like everyone else, believed that the sons of the Qiao family came for the demolition compensation, but... what if there were exceptions?

Qiao Wangdong is the most promising of his sons and is the first batch of college graduates in the village.

Now that he is a teacher in a school, he should have more conscience than other ungrateful people.

Especially when I think of his choked tone, it seemed as if he really knew nothing.

Walking in front, Liu Shuqin said casually: "If you really had a conscience, you wouldn't have forced Jiaxin and me into having no place to live."

Even if he really didn't know about the demolition, he wasn't really here for the money.

But the fact that he abandoned me is unchangeable.

She still remembers the scene that day when the four brothers fought like black-eyed chickens.

Liu Shuqin had long given up any hope for them. Precisely because she saw no hope, she could see the facts more clearly.

Crying? It doesn’t necessarily mean you blame yourself.

It could also be that he felt extremely embarrassed and was afraid that the villagers would poke holes in his spine.

When she arrived at the convenience store, Liu Shuqin took a long breath before picking up the phone. After she had adjusted her mood, she put the receiver to her ear.

"Hello."

Hearing Liu Shuqin's voice, Qiao Wangdong said anxiously, "Hey, Mom? Why didn't you tell me you were moving back to the village? It's been several months, and I only just found out from the third brother."

It was the same "I don't know" routine again, as if they had no way of knowing unless she told them.

"There was no place to live in the city, so Jiaxin and I moved back."

Fiddling with the ballpoint pen on the table, his concern didn't stir a ripple in Liu Shuqin's heart. "What's the matter with you calling? It's so early in the morning, don't you have to go to school?"

"Why should I go to school after such a big thing happened?"

Qiao Wangdong's tone just rose a few degrees, then he quickly lowered it again.

"Is it the Fourth Master who treats you two harshly? Or is it his wife who gives you two a hard time?"

"If you have any problems, just tell me and I'll take care of them!"

Wow, every word is so powerful.

If Liu Shuqin hadn't seen his cold face with her own eyes, she would have almost believed it.

"Jiaxin also transferred schools? What's going on?"

"So many things happened at home at once, why didn't you tell me?"

The incident had already passed, and Liu Shuqin didn't want to talk about it anymore. "Oh, it's nothing. Anyway, Jiaxin and I are living well in the village now, so don't worry."

Ever since Qiao Wangdong became a teacher, he loved to preach. He talked a lot, but Liu Shuqin didn't hear a word he said.

Since they were all useless words anyway, Liu Shuqin simply responded in a disjointed manner.

"...Just wait, I have to teach them a lesson on behalf of my father and give you and Jiaxin an explanation!"

Liu Shuqin said "hmm" casually, and then said, "You decide."

Speaking of teaching a lesson, she thought about how Qiao Wangdong would teach him. It was just like teaching a student, first scolding them and then making them admit their mistakes, and finally promising not to do it again in the future.

Liu Shuqin had no idea how many times she had heard this kind of bland lesson.

But since he wants to act, let him do it. It doesn't matter if he does it this once.

Liu Shuqin didn't take his words to heart. After returning home, she continued to clean up the half-made sweet potato vermicelli, preparing to make some fried rolls to eat today.

It was not until seven o'clock in the evening, before Qiao Jiaxin was due to finish school, that she heard a knock on the door and realized that something was wrong.

Thump thump thump…

Thump thump thump!

Liu Shuqin was in the kitchen, listening to an opera while making dumplings with leftover meat filling. The person outside knocked for a long time before she heard it.

"Here I come."

Liu Shuqin ran to open the door excitedly, thinking that someone was looking for her to play mahjong.

The smile on her face froze instantly when she saw her four sons standing neatly at the door like mahjong.

"What are you standing there for? Why don't you go in?"

Qiao Wangdong raised his hand and slapped Qiao Wangbei on the back of the head lightly. As Qiao Wangbei stepped over the threshold, he pushed Qiao Wangnan and told him to go in quickly.

What are these four trying to do?

"This is……"

“Kneel down!”

Without waiting for Liu Shuqin to ask, Qiao Wangdong ordered his brothers.

"Brother...why don't you go inside the house?" Qiao Wangbei requested weakly.

He is afraid of losing face.

After all, you are in your thirties or forties. It would be so embarrassing if people saw you kneeling like a child.

Qiao Wangdong didn't care about his face. Not only did he open the gate, he also raised his voice a bit, "Kneel!"

Qiao Wangxi was the most obedient. As soon as Qiao Wangdong finished speaking, his knee hit the ground with a "bang".

Seeing Qiao Wangxi kneeling down, Qiao Wangnan and Qiao Wangbei followed suit and knelt down in a daze.

Under the dim light in the yard, the three people with their heads down and waists bent made Liu Shuqin think of the scene when the old man taught them a lesson when they were young.

They were still young at that time, and the oldest one, Qiao Wangdong, was only twelve or thirteen years old.

Back then, they were not like they are now. They listened to Qiao Wensheng the most. Every time they were asked to kneel down and admit their mistakes, they would kneel down in a row obediently.

After they all knelt, Qiao Wangdong looked around the yard, but couldn't find anything suitable, so he had to grab the broom leaning against the door.

Coming back behind them, Qiao Wangdong, with a sullen face, looked like the King of Hell about to take attendance, his eyes darting back and forth between the three brothers.

Bang!

Without any preparation or warning, the blow landed heavily on Qiao Wangbei's back.

"Brother, brother...I was wrong, I was wrong!"

That blow almost deformed Qiao Wangbei's facial features. He fell forward and fell heavily to the ground, twisting and struggling like a leech sprinkled with salt.

Liu Shuqin could see that he was really in pain and was not pretending.

Because she heard the sound of a broom quickly passing through the air.

Qiao Wangdong's grip was so strong that even though Qiao Wangbei was wearing a thick cotton jacket, he felt a burning pain on his back.

Qiao Wangdong: "Mom raised you for decades, how did you repay her? Not only did you cheat her out of the house, but you also forced her to live here?!"

"I didn't, I didn't..."

Bang!

Before he could finish his words, another stick came down and knocked Qiao Wangbei, who was curled up on the ground in pain, straight down.

"Still trying to quibble?!"

Qiao Wangdong pointed a broom at his head and said angrily, "You've been loved the most by your parents since you were little, yet you keep doing such cruel and heartless things. Are you even a human being?"

This lesson came so unexpectedly that it shocked Liu Shuqin's mind.

I thought he was just going to say a few words, but it turns out he was really going to take action.

Seeing Qiao Wangbei struggling and twisting on the ground, Liu Shuqin couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

Cool~!

If she hadn't thought about her high blood pressure and the fact that she couldn't get angry easily, she would have wanted to beat up these ungrateful people.

Now, there is finally someone who can help me vent my anger.

Bang!

After saying that, Qiao Wangdong slapped his thigh again.

The pain was so severe that Qiao Wangbei squeezed out a few tears from the corners of his eyes, "Mom! Mom, I was wrong, wrong, wrong..."

Looking at his hand reaching out to her, Liu Shuqin did not respond.

He didn't know he was wrong, he just felt hurt.

Looking at Qiao Wangbei lying on the ground, Qiao Wangxi and Qiao Wangnan didn't dare to speak. They just swallowed silently, clenched their teeth and fists.

Bang!

Just like before, Qiao Wangdong launched another surprise attack.

This time the stick hit Qiao Wangnan on the back.

Qiao Wangnan was wearing a down jacket, and the fluffy goose down in the jacket absorbed most of the force, making him feel almost no pain when he was hit.

Seeing that Qiao Wangnan didn't react, Qiao Wangdong used all his strength to whip him again.

Bang!

There was another dull sound when the broom handle fell on the down jacket, and some fine goose down slipped out from the gaps in the clothes.

"Brother, I know I was wrong!"

Qiao Wangnan didn't dare to stand up straight, but quickly bent down and kowtowed heavily in the direction of Liu Shuqin. "Everything is my fault! I'm shameless, I'm sorry for Mom, and I didn't take good care of Mom!"

Qiao Wangnan admitted his mistake very quickly. Even though there were no tears in his eyes, he forced his face to turn red and squeeze out a few drops.

He knew very well in his heart that if he didn't want to be beaten, he had to admit his mistake quickly, otherwise his brother would only beat him harder.

Rubbing his knees back and forth as he moved forward, Qiao Wangnan clutched Liu Shuqin's trouser legs tightly and sobbed, pretending to cry: "Mom, I really know I was wrong. It was all my fault before. I shouldn't have asked you for so much money. I shouldn't have ignored you!"

Qiao Wangnan cried seriously, thinking that he could escape the disaster this way.

Little did he know that when he was about to stand up and continue to confess his mistakes to Liu Shuqin, the pair of cotton shoes on Qiao Wangdong's feet had been lifted up and stepped heavily on his spine.

Boom!