Chapter 911 A Far-Reaching Plan

When we returned to Lijiazhuangzi, it was already past noon.

No matter how high the sun rises in early spring, it can never climb directly overhead; it always rises and falls in the south.

However, the spring drowsiness and autumn fatigue were real. On the way back, Song Chunxue fell asleep unconscious on the donkey cart, completely unaware of what day it was.

Her body suddenly awoke as a shadow loomed over her head.

It turned out to be a straw hat.

"Mom, you're sleeping so soundly. I was worried you'd get sunburned, so I was just about to cover your face." Xu Dahong stood by the car, holding the child, and asked cautiously with a smile, "Where's Jiaojiao? Did she throw a tantrum?"

Song Chunxue jumped off the donkey cart and walked into the yard. "No, the Zeng family took her back. As for our house, has anyone come to cause trouble?"

"Two people came, but Uncle Li persuaded them to leave. They were very easy to talk to when they saw the silver melon seeds."

"That's good. Harmony brings wealth." Song Chunxue patted the dirt off her clothes. "Where's Li Dazui?"

His age certainly warrants the title of "uncle," not "elder brother."

“He went to plant vegetables and said he would come back for dinner tonight. He’s staying at his cousin’s house for lunch.” Xu Dahong put the child on the kang (heated brick bed) and called to Jiang Huan, “Huan’er, watch the child. I’ll go get the food.”

"Okay, I understand." Jiang Huan sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), looking at the child intently.

The child must be six years old, but he is more taciturn than before.

He probably knew that his biological mother would never come back to protect him, and that no matter how gentle his stepmother was, she was not his biological mother.

And his eyes are becoming more and more like Chen Feng's.

She said it was a bit hasty at the time, but she doesn't regret it.

Jiang Huan shouldn't be spoiled.

"You should be starting school this year, right? Has your dad mentioned it?"

Jiang Huan looked up at Song Chunxue, his face blank with surprise.

"Jiang Huan, I'm asking you a question. Do you want to go to school and learn to read?"

Jiang Huan nodded. "I want to."

"That's good." She didn't know what to say to this grandson.

They hadn't spoken much in their previous lives, but Jiang Huan wasn't intimidated at all; in fact, he was overly confident.

Even though he spoke in a silly way, and was spoiled by Chen Feng with a lot of bad habits, he was unwilling to endure hardship or honestly farm the land. He just waited for his two younger sisters to get married so that he could find a beautiful wife.

But Chen Feng couldn't see that her son was stupid and arrogant. He always chose outstanding daughters-in-law, which delayed him for ten years before he finally accepted his fate and married a plain-looking, simple-minded girl.

When the long noodles were served, Song Chunxue added some vinegar and started eating.

The eldest son and the child ate their noodles in silence, not saying much.

Xu Dahong cooked long noodles in the kitchen, and only sat down to eat by herself after everyone had almost finished eating.

The two-month-old baby cried incessantly and insisted on being held, so Song Chunxue took the baby outside for a walk, looking at the land where all things were growing and feeling the vibrant life rising from the earth.

Let the eldest son talk to Xu Dahong about the Xu family's affairs.

"Oh? Aunt Jiang is back. Did you send the eldest brother's sister-in-law back?"

It was Li Mengchun's wife who spoke. She asked with a grin, "I heard that your older brother came back with you. You two aren't going to live together, are you?"

Song Chunxue smiled faintly, "Don't talk nonsense, I just asked him to come and help. Have you eaten? You haven't been hoeing the fields with Li Tang lately, have you?"

Sure enough, the other person's face changed instantly, and their smile became even wider than before.

"Aunt Jiang is joking. The land hasn't even been planted yet, why are you already hoeing?" She came out of the donkey pen carrying a basket. "Auntie, you're living a good life, and you look even younger than before. You don't look like you don't have a husband. I always knew how you could have fallen for Li Dazui. If you didn't have him, you would have someone else."

Song Chunxue smiled calmly, "Yeah, you can't chat with anyone if you avoid men, right? You just can't let go of men, were you a vixen in your past life?"

"Hmph, what's so great about it? She just hooked up with a rich man, what's so special about that?" Li Mengchun's wife mocked. "I don't know which old blind fool is so generous to you, even giving you money to build a house and get married for your son. You're the real sly fox."

"Fine, whatever you say, you're right." Song Chunxue said indifferently, "Anyway, you can say whatever you want, I can't control what you eat."

She glared at Song Chunxue, "You shameless old hag."

"You're calling yourself old?"

"You're talking nonsense!"

"Yes, you're talking nonsense right now, but unfortunately the people who like to smell it aren't here. You've gone to the wrong person."

"Song Chunxue, you..."

"Hey, what are you doing!" the old man shouted in a booming voice. "Go argue with your son Li Tang, why are you cursing at my mother? Who cares about you? Get lost!"

From not far away came the sound of someone stomping their cane in anger, "You good-for-nothing, you just let this kind of woman run wild, she's trampling our family's reputation on the ground, and you still can't bear to divorce her!"

"Father, let's do this quietly. If I divorce you, will you give me money to remarry?"

"You're spineless. You're a man, can't you even beat her?"

"Heh, why don't you give it a try?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

Those who had been listening intently covered their mouths and burst out laughing.

Indeed, Li Mengchun was so small that his wife could easily lift him up.

His father was also a small man, and even if he were to join forces with Li Dazui, they probably wouldn't be able to beat Li Mengchun's wife.

Humans are inherently bullies; they'll bully the weak and fear the strong. If you're weak, they'll be strong; if you're strong, they'll restrain themselves.

No one should overestimate anyone else.

Just then, someone spoke from behind the shadows of the trees on the opposite side of the slope.

"You even took their silver melon seeds, have you already forgotten?" Li Dazui said irritably. "The silver of cultivators is bestowed by their patriarch. If you continue to slander them, be careful that your heads won't be struck by lightning next time."

This one sentence silenced half of the village.

The yards in this area are very close together, so you have to speak softly in your own yard, otherwise the wind will carry the words right into your ear.

They've heard stories of being struck on the head by lightning since they were little, and they've even seen trees split in two by lightning, supposedly hiding monsters that are almost sentient inside.

The belief in ghosts and spirits, on the contrary, instilled a sense of awe in them.

"Besides, her lover is the real Lord Xie, how could she possibly be interested in me? You really overestimate me, haha, don't we all know what we look like?"

"..."

These words made the Li family members in Lijiazhuang feel worse than if they had eaten shit.

"Lord Xie would take a fancy to her? If that's true, I'll eat the sole of my shoe."

"Exactly. I believe it if you're talking about others, but how could an old widow like her possibly be worthy of Lord Xie? Even Song Chunxue's farts smell good to someone like Li Dazui."

However, they said this in private.

Song Chunxue couldn't understand why Li Mengchun's wife was so hostile towards her this time, when she was quite friendly last time.

Did the boss offend her? Or is she holding a grudge because she didn't get any benefits?

But the Jiang family is not what it used to be. Are wealthy families like theirs the most snobbish now?

Song Chunxue suddenly realized how important the custom of returning to one's hometown for the Chinese New Year was.

Many things are useless if you just say them; you have to let everyone see them.

Of the four brothers, only the eldest is still here. As the younger brother, he should do everything he can to support his older brother.

Moreover, when brothers are of one mind, their strength can break even metal.

During the Qingming Festival, the other three must return home to pay respects to their ancestors.