Chapter 363 You want to get beaten up, huh?

Seeing that the fourth brother was about to cry, Song Chunxue's heart softened.

She placed the twisted dough sticks in front of him. "Is this your favorite? Would you like some fried dough cakes too?"

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, but I feel you’re too young and still have a childlike mentality, which might actually harm you,” Song Chunxue explained. “After all, Hongying is six years older than you, and she already has three children. If you feel uncomfortable about it…”

“Mom, I’m not upset because you gave the house to my sister. I’m upset because you kept it from me. I’m eighteen this year, only a year younger than Sanwa.”

As he spoke, tears rolled down Lao Si's cheeks, and he pouted as he fiercely raised his sleeve to wipe them away.

“You arranged a marriage for Sanwa three years ago, and Mother has never mentioned it once, never made any arrangements for my marriage. I just…” He cried bitterly, sobbing, “Am I really that hateful, boohoo…”

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

Jiang Hongying felt very guilty for making her fourth son cry like this as soon as she entered the door.

"Fourth brother, it's not what you think. Mother didn't just keep it from you. Third brother didn't know either. I only found out how much money she has now after I met her. Don't cry."

Jiang Hongying patted his shoulder and said, "Let's eat first, then we can talk slowly. Didn't you say you made money? How have you been doing these past six months?"

I thought these words would comfort the fourth brother, but instead, he looked up at the roof and cried even harder.

"Ah... I didn't earn any money. I had a miserable life out there. I was always worried about where my next meal would come from. I was either on the road or sleeping in the wild. One day, I even woke up to find that old man Zhang had abandoned me."

“My mother doesn’t love me, and she doesn’t believe me. She can live without me in the future, sob sob… I’ve been almost killed several times outside. I’ve worked myself to the bone and earned two taels of silver. Sob sob, I wanted my mother to praise me. In two years, I will be able to save money to build a house by myself. But my mother doesn’t care about me at all.”

Song Chunxue sighed helplessly, "Don't talk nonsense, eat your food properly, or I'll hit you."

The fourth child stopped crying, picked up the bowl, and started shoveling potato noodles into the soup with chopsticks. His mouth was full of tears, and the food had lost its flavor.

He was indeed hungry, otherwise he would have been too upset to eat.

"Eat slowly. What do you want to eat tonight? I'll make it for you," Song Chunxue said gently. "I've been looking forward to your return. The reason I haven't introduced you to a wife yet is because you haven't said which girl you like."

"Since it's too hard and tiring outside, you shouldn't follow Old Man Zhang anymore. You've learned a lot in the past two years. I know you're hardworking and reliable. Rest at home for half a year and go out more often. Maybe you'll meet a girl you like. Who do you fancy? I'll come and propose marriage on your behalf, okay?"

The fourth brother nodded as he ate his rice, "Mmm."

He Chuan didn't say anything, thinking that he might let Lao Si ignore him, so he picked up Xiao Long, who had eaten and drunk his fill, and took him to play in the yard.

After eating and drinking his fill, the fourth son finally stopped crying. He watched Jiang Hongying wash the dishes and listened to them tell him about his mother's trip to Liangzhou City, and his mood gradually calmed down.

"I was probably too hungry just now. These past six months have been so tough. Knowing that you're all doing well made me jealous and upset, but I've come to terms with it now."

The fourth brother rubbed his reddened cheeks with both hands. "I was being petty. My sister and brother-in-law have had it tough too. If my brother-in-law hadn't been having such a hard time, he wouldn't have come here willingly."

The fourth brother sniffed, stood up, and called out into the yard, "Brother-in-law, I'm sorry."

He Chuan laughed, "It's okay, I didn't take it to heart. Being a live-in son-in-law is fine too, as long as you're not angry."

"Why are you angry? Anyway, it's my mother who is willing to raise you, not me." At this point, the fourth son's eyes reddened. "It's because I don't like farming and can't help my mother much. My son-in-law is more useful."

Song Chunxue said irritably, "Here we go again. Speak properly. Didn't you just say you'd figured it out? Why are you being sarcastic again?"

The fourth child raised his hand to cover his eyes, "I didn't want to either, but I just couldn't help it. Mother, please let me be sad for a while."

Jiang Hongying bit her lip hard to stop herself from laughing. This fourth brother was becoming more and more of a handful.

Song Chunxue was both amused and exasperated, and also felt a little sorry for him.

At least the fourth brother isn't angry with her anymore, and he doesn't go against her.

In the past two years, he has always obediently followed behind the old man Zhang, saying that he wants to learn from his experience and build his own caravan in the future, so that he can become a wealthy merchant in Zhuanglang County through his own abilities.

He wanted to become a seasoned, kind-hearted, and honest businessman like Old Zhang.

Compared to her previous life, the fourth brother was the one who truly impressed her.

"Okay, cry all you want. Cry until you feel better." Song Chunxue got up and walked out. "While you're at it, think about what to eat tonight. I'll make sure you have it."

The fourth brother sobbed, "I...I want to eat fish. Ask the Taoist priest to make it for me."

Song Chunxue chuckled, "You wish! The Daoist Master is away on a long trip. Did you think my cooking wasn't good?"

"Ah?" The fourth brother was dejected. "The Taoist priest isn't here. I had so many things I wanted to ask him. Although I don't have a father, the Taoist priest saved me from many detours. If only Mother could make him my stepfather, I could speak more frankly."

"..." Song Chunxue pinched his ear, "Do you want to get beaten up?"

Jiang Hongying, who was standing to the side, finally couldn't hold back anymore and squatted down, laughing like a hen that had just laid an egg, clucking and giggling.

The fourth brother grimaced, stood up, and stood on tiptoe, trying to ease the pain.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, Mother, I think it would be good if you found me a stepfather. It doesn't have to be a Taoist priest, someone like Master Xie would be easy to talk to and very learned. I wholeheartedly agree."

Jiang Hongying clapped her hands and laughed, "Fourth brother, you really... deserve a beating."

Song Chunxue kicked him twice. "Stop talking! If you say another word, don't come back. Find a capable godfather outside. I don't want to find you a stepfather."

The fourth brother patted his thigh; the footprints on it had faded.

He acted as if he were completely unfazed, not taking Song Chunxue's anger seriously at all.

"Why? I think you look so young, it would be great to find a strong, middle-aged man. Even men in their sixties take concubines, and you're only thirty-nine, not even forty. With money, you could find someone in their twenties or thirties... Ugh, ugh..."

Song Chunxue pinched his ear, "Well, you've learned some pretty bad things outside. Do you think I'm that kind of improper person?"

The fourth brother broke free from her grasp and circled around the table to avoid being caught.

"What do you mean by improper? Love between men and women is a natural thing. You used to be so concerned about this and that on the estate, but now no one is saying anything to you. Now that you have money, why do you want to be celibate? Being a Taoist nun doesn't mean you can't find me a stepfather."

Song Chunxue picked up a fire poker from the ground and pointed it at him, "You still dare to talk back!"

The fourth son jumped out of the kitchen, "Mom, don't be angry. I'm serious. Sanwa is married and has a baby. You must want to go up the mountain to cultivate. In a few years, we'll be poor children without a father or a mother. Wouldn't it be better to find a man to keep you tied down?"

Jiang Hongying laughed and laughed, but then her laughter stopped.

Song Chunxue paused, as if she had been hit on the head with a club.