Chapter 252 It's all about who's more ruthless.

Old Zhang: "...Yes, yes, it's all other people's fault, you're not wrong."

His sarcastic remarks made Zheng Xiulan cry. She said to Old Man Zhang, "You heartless bastard, who am I doing all this for? I'm just trying to use this to control Su Hongying so that the Su family will have to bow down. At this time, it's all about who is more ruthless."

"What the hell?" Old Zhang frowned, thinking he hadn't heard clearly.

Zheng Xiulan glared at him and said, "I told you I'm the mother-in-law, so I'm already in a winning position. Look at Su Hongying's delivery this time, Li Banxia was screaming so loudly, saying she didn't want this daughter anymore, but look at her..."

"...If her daughter really had to face death, wouldn't she run away just as fast?! This matter is about to succeed, just one step away. Once she gets through the postpartum period, we'll have Su Hongying and her son in our hands, and the Su family won't just stand by and watch Su Hongying suffer in our house."

Old Zhang was surprised. "Is that what you're planning?"

A hint of smugness flashed across Zheng Xiulan's face as she nodded.

“Previously, only Li Banxia in the Su family earned money. Now, the third son of the Su family seems to know how to do business. I haven’t bought his job yet because I’m thinking of getting Su Hongying under my thumb and having the third son take him into business. The third son of the Su family can spend five or six thousand yuan on surgery fees right away, so he must have some connections…”

After Zheng Xiulan said that, Old Man Zhang was also somewhat tempted.

"Right? Did you find out? What kind of business are they in?"

Zheng Xiulan nodded, "They said they resell old hens, chicken eggs, goose eggs, and some wild fruits picked from the mountains that can't be sold in the city. They make a lot of money. The third brother is smart. After learning from Su Laosan, he got Su Laosan to give the business to our third brother. Don't you think that's like a money tree, with gold leaves falling continuously?"

Old Zhang nodded twice.

"Now it's all ruined."

Zheng Xiulan was exasperated, "These few ungrateful wretches don't understand my good intentions at all!"

Then she complained about Old Man Zhang.

"And you too, they all started causing trouble for me at this time, and not only did you not help me, you even joined them in bullying me! Now look what's happened, what are we going to do?!"

Old Zhang glared at her and said, "How should I know what to do? You didn't make things clear before you did it. It's one thing to keep it from your daughter-in-law, but you even kept it from your own son. No wonder they're all so disobedient. And you, as a mother, are also very problematic in your actions..."

"I knew it!"

Zheng Xiulan pursed her lips, looking indignant. "Besides saying that I never have any ideas, I can't count on you. I'll figure this out myself. If you don't want to get involved, then don't say these things in front of me. It's annoying to hear."

"Hey."

Old Zhang chuckled, "You did something wrong, and now I'm not allowed to say anything?"

Zheng Xiulan said, "What I need is someone who stands on my side and can help me. Are you that? You're not! You've been like this since you were young, either trying to smooth things over between me and your mother, or making me bow my head. You..."

Zheng Xiulan wanted to scold her husband, but she was afraid of offending him too much. This old man was harder to appease than her three sons when he got angry.

"...You're not even as good as your son. At least your son knows to side with his wife. You...I'm too lazy to talk to you anymore. I'll handle it myself. Don't get involved."

In the end, I had to take responsibility for it myself.

Old Zhang rolled his eyes at her and said, "Didn't you ask Third Brother to bring me back? Do you think I wanted to clean up the mess you made? I was having a great time playing chess and chatting with people..."

Zheng Xiulan glared at him angrily, then slammed the door and went to the living room.

Old Zhang, "..."

"They're all pretty good at slamming doors. I think those kids inherited it from you, old woman, you're just too quick to do it..."

Zhang Lao Er ran out of the house and wandered around looking for Fan Liangyu. He couldn't find her and didn't want to go home, so he started circling around where Fan Liangyu worked, planning to find a house first and then take Fan Liangyu there to choose one.

The next day, he rushed over early in the morning to intercept the person.

When Fan Liangyu saw the person, his brows furrowed into a knot. It was early in the morning, and he felt unlucky.

Zhang Lao Er approached with a grin, "Wife, have you had breakfast? What would you like to eat? I'll go buy it for you."

Fan Liangyu, "..."

She's about to go to work, why is she running off to buy things now?

He really wanted to buy it for her; he should have brought it over to her right now.

All talk and no action, just empty words. Does she think she's some little girl who can be easily fooled with a few sweet words?!

Seeing that Fan Liangyu didn't say anything, Zhang Lao Er smiled awkwardly and told Fan Liangyu about all the troubles at home, "Do you think my mother is sick?"

"I think you're sick too."

Fan Liangyu glanced at him and sneered, "You're quite good at shirking responsibility, aren't you? You make me take the blame for everything bad. When your mother tells people, she'll say: 'Your second son's wife is unfilial. She's the one who corrupted my son. He doesn't come home to our perfectly good house and insists on spending money to rent a place outside.' I can't bear that accusation! We should hurry up and get the divorce certificate. I won't stop your mother from finding you a beautiful new wife..."

"Look at what you're saying."

Zhang Lao Er grinned and said, "I only have my eye on you, my beautiful wife. I don't care about anyone else. Honey, I was wrong. I won't do it again..."

He raised his hand as if to swear an oath.

"...From now on, I'll take responsibility for everything myself, okay? You know, my mom is really something. She's educated, a junior leader in the union, how come she's still so stubbornly old-fashioned?! Don't be angry, I'll talk to her later and stop her from talking to you like that, okay?"

When Fan Liangyu heard him describe his own mother like that, the coldness in his eyes grew even colder.

She glanced at him dismissively, "Alright, move aside. I'm in a hurry to get to work. Don't block my way here. What will it look like if my colleagues see us?"

She stepped inside, and Zhang Lao Er exclaimed "Hey!" After watching her go in, he called out, "Wife, I'll pick you up after get off work later. We'll go look at houses together. I picked one out yesterday, and I'm sure you'll like it. There's a big plot of land in the yard where you can grow vegetables. Don't you like farming?"

Fan Liangyu stumbled and turned to glare fiercely at Zhang Lao Er.

Who likes farming anymore?!

She started working in the fields at the age of five and farmed for more than ten years. Her shoulders were so heavy that the rope got stuck in her bones when she pulled the plow, and her hands were blistered and bleeding from the hoe. Not to mention the sunburn on her face, which peeled off completely!

Her feet were often so swollen that she couldn't wear shoes, so she would just slip on those shoes and work, threshing wheat, winnowing, and hoeing the fields. She almost risked her life to go to school and leave that small mountain village.

He's telling her now that she likes farming?

Who would enjoy being forced to endure hardship without any benefit?!

After work, Fan Liangyu went to the hospital to see Su Hongying through the back door of his workplace. He told Su Hongying what he had said, and Su Hongying scoffed and said, "See? None of the men in the Zhang family are worth entrusting your life to. The second son's words are nice, but if he really treated you well, his mother would never dare to say such things to you."

"You're right."

Fan Liangyu nodded, "That's why I don't believe him anymore. How can someone who isn't even filial to his parents be good to his wife and children? ... No way."

Su Hongying hummed in agreement.

Fan Liangyu pulled the small stool closer to the bed and asked her, "The Zhang family has already started making a scene, what's our next step?"