Chapter 250 You're the troublemaker

Zheng Xiulan pointed at Zhang Lao Er, so angry she felt like killing her own son, "...You spit out the money, do you hear me? Spit it out!"

"I didn't hear it."

Zhang Lao Er hid behind the police officer, saying, "I've already agreed with Fan Liangyu that we'd rent a place together, so I can't give it to him."

"Fan Liangyu, Fan Liangyu, I think she's a vixen who's bewitched you. She tells you to steal money, and you steal it..."

Zheng Xiulan took a few breaths, her teeth itching with hatred for Fan Liangyu. She felt that Fan Liangyu had corrupted her son. Looking at her second son hiding behind the police, she gritted her teeth and said, "Doesn't she want a divorce? You divorce her, and Mom will marry you someone even prettier and with a better temper. We don't need a troublemaker like Fan Liangyu anymore, okay?"

Five thousand yuan could buy several daughters-in-law!

To everyone's surprise, Zhang Lao Er shook his head and refused.

"I don't want her. I like someone like Fan Liangyu. She's capable, beautiful, and can earn her own money. If it weren't for her family's preference for sons over daughters, I might not even be able to win her over."

Zhang Lao Er isn't stupid. He went to great lengths to coax Fan Liangyu into marrying him. He wouldn't go through that same trouble to please someone else again.

There's another point that Zhang Lao Er is very clear about: "If our family gets a reputation for abusing our daughter-in-law, who would want to marry into this family? My eldest brother is determined to separate from the family and live on his own. Why should they get to live a peaceful life? Fan Liangyu and I are moving out too. You and Dad can stay with your precious third son."

After saying that, he hid further back, afraid that Zheng Xiulan would hit him.

Zheng Xiulan: "...Second brother! Are you trying to drive me crazy?!"

"Hey, Second Brother, that's not what you said when you tricked me into taking Mom's money." Zhang Laosan was instantly unhappy when he heard that Zhang Laoer was going to leave him at home.

Zhang Lao Er glanced at him and said, "Now you admit you stole the money? Where were you before? You only showed up after I finished beating you. Weren't you just thinking of being a good son so Mom could catch me and beat me as much as she wanted? Bah!"

After saying that, he called to Zheng Xiulan, "Mom, it wasn't just me who spent the money, your third son also spent it. As soon as he got the money, he bought a job that you were reluctant to buy for him. He can start working tomorrow. He earns forty-five yuan a month and will soon be able to earn back your five thousand."

He should have kept quiet, because once he mentioned that the money had already been spent, Zheng Xiulan felt like she couldn't breathe properly and wished she could beat those two brats to death!

"you……"

Zhang Lao Er sighed, "Mom, don't rush to scold me. Your third son said he wants to move out too. He said he's so annoyed by you nagging Dad about him. He said that once he moves out, he'll be free and happy, like a bird soaring in the sky..."

Zhang Laosan lunged forward to cover his mouth, but Zhang Laoer slapped him away.

He said, "Your parents are always nagging you about not having a job or finding a wife yet. Even though your older brother took your money, they weren't that eager to get you a job first. You think they value your precious child that much?"

Zhang Laosan's movements stopped abruptly.

Zheng Xiulan was furious. "You worthless bastards! If I didn't care about you, would I send you to school, find you jobs, and save money for your weddings?! It's your own fault for being so useless, marrying one awful wife after another, each one making a mess of the house! And you still have the nerve to take our life savings, go off to live a good life with your wives, and leave us here?! You... how dare you? What gives you the right?!"

Zheng Xiulan was absolutely furious.

The eldest is like this, the second eldest is like this, and even the third eldest has to be like this!

None of them are good; she actually raised three ungrateful wretches!

All that worry she'd done for the three brothers these past few days—she'd been so worried she hadn't slept well, and even had mouth ulcers—and this is how they treated her?!

What terrible things has she done?!

ah!

Zheng Xiulan was furious and pounced on her two sons, hitting them repeatedly until her palms ached. But she felt nothing of the pain in her heart.

How could they treat her like this?

She did it all for them!

Zhang Lao Er dodged several times, but seeing that Zheng Xiulan was much more ruthless than before, he got angry too. "Mom, then what do you suggest? Anyway, I've taken the money. I'm moving out with Fan Liangyu to live a life of our own. I want to come home and wear nothing but my shorts. I want to do whatever I want at home. I want to be the head of the household who can make the decisions, not a son that either you or Dad can scold or hit!"

After saying that, he glanced at Zhang Laosan, thought for a moment, and decided that he couldn't just make enemies for himself; he needed to make an ally. After pondering for a while, he added, "I don't know if Laosan thinks this way or not, but my eldest brother definitely thinks the same way. The whole family is huddled together, and in the sweltering summer heat, we have to wear long pants and short sleeves. We can't even wear shorts. The living room is such a tiny space. You and Dad are having a good time, though. As soon as the fan is on, you two take over the sofa. What about us?"

As she talked, she actually voiced her grievances.

He complained, "...We just sit on a small stool, it's so cramped! The peaceful life you all think we have is actually us carrying a heavy burden!"

He waved his hand dismissively, "Forget it, I can't stand staying in this house anymore. Fan Liangyu also said that she's suffocating from being cooped up at home all day. Who wants to live like this? It's just you and my dad, with your two daughters-in-law being treated like maids. They get scolded if they're not happy, living like landlords, not caring about anyone else's life..."

"Zhang Lao Er!"

Zheng Xiulan was so angry that her head was spinning and her hands and feet were trembling. She pointed at Zhang Lao Er and cursed, "Didn't I come from being a wife? Everyone goes through this. When your grandmother was alive, I served her the same way..."

Zhang Lao Er frowned, glanced at Zheng Xiulan, and his face was full of speechlessness.

He said, "Mom, you're happy living this kind of life, but Su Hongying and Fan Liangyu aren't. They're women raised in the new era. Su Hongying never even cooked when she was at her parents' home, but you're making her cook while eight months pregnant, and you even pushed her down over a disagreement..."

Zhang Lao Er was so disgusted that he didn't want to talk about it anymore. He had told this story over and over again, but his mother didn't think she had done anything wrong. If she really had no problem, would Fan Liangyu have wanted a divorce from him?

"Did I take this money willingly? In the end, it's all because of how you treated Su Hongying that Fan Liangyu couldn't stand it and wanted to divorce me. She has no problem with me, she just doesn't want to live with you, her mother-in-law! She's afraid that if she gets pregnant and has a child, she'll suffer the same treatment as Su Hongying. You scared her away."

After saying this, Zhang Lao Er's brows furrowed deeply, and he called to Zheng Xiulan, "Mom, look at the mess our family is in now, isn't it all your doing? You keep calling Su Hongying and Fan Liangyu troublemakers, but I think you're the real culprit..."