Chapter 30 It's all about money.

"Dad, how could you say that about Mom? Mom raised us with such hardship, and you did nothing. Someone cooked for you, someone did your laundry, someone took care of you for so many years, how can you be so ungrateful..."

"You're talking nonsense! Which woman isn't like that? Is Li Banxia the only one who's had a hard time? Don't I work hard to earn money?" Old Man Su shouted, jumping up and down.

Boss Su frowned, somewhat speechless.

The eldest daughter-in-law peeked out from behind him, her eyes sparkling with admiration as she looked at Li Banxia. She quickly glanced at Old Man Su and said, "Dad, it's true that you work hard to earn money, but you don't spend your money on your wife and children. What's there to brag about?"

Boss Su stared wide-eyed as he turned to look at his wife, “…”

Is this still his quiet, gentle wife who doesn't like to scold?

"You're an outsider who married into the family, who gives you the right to speak? Is this how your parents raised you? You have no manners at all... Ah!"

Old Man Su was certainly unhappy to be spoken to like that by his daughter-in-law, but before he could finish his retort, Li Banxia interrupted him with a pair of fire tongs.

When Su Laosan heard what his eldest daughter-in-law said, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.

His sister-in-law's words were truly... brilliant.

Su Lao Er, who had been lying in bed unhappy for two days, grinned when he heard this.

Her smile vanished instantly when she thought of Li Banxia's favoritism towards her elder brother and sister-in-law.

Yuxia invited him to lunch tomorrow, but he only had three yuan left in his pocket.

She always orders dumplings with three kinds of seafood filling, along with a serving of sweet and sour pork ribs, a serving of braised beef, and two side dishes of vegetables to make her happy.

A single serving of braised beef costs two yuan, sweet and sour pork ribs cost one yuan and thirty cents, and with dumplings added, he simply doesn't have enough money.

Besides, he also needs to set aside money for bus fare.

In the past, when he didn't have enough money, he would ask his mother for it, and his mother never said that she didn't have any money.

How come he's broke now that he's getting married?!

Su Lao Er became angrier the more he thought about it, but considering his mother's attitude towards him, he really didn't intend to give her any more money.

Even if he didn't eat, drink, or hand over any money to his employer, the little raise he received wouldn't amount to a thousand a year!

How will he buy the remaining two-wheeled radio and a speaker?

Not to mention that we still need to make up the 800 yuan dowry.

Su Lao Er closed his eyes, his brows furrowing into a deep frown.

In the courtyard, Su Laosan's loud laughter further enraged Su Laotou.

He pointed at Su Laosan and started cursing, revealing that "Laosan didn't go out to look for work at all. He just eats and sleeps all day, like a pig. He didn't take your words to heart at all..."

Su Laosan was stunned for a moment, then swallowed hard.

"Dad, how could you do this to me?! I just laughed at you, I didn't make fun of you, you just haven't brought any money home!"

Feeling wronged, Su Laosan begged his mother to distinguish between the loyal and the treacherous.

Li Banxia ignored Old Man Su's attempt to shift the blame and continued to deal with him.

Old Su realized his plan had been seen through, and he frantically ran towards the courtyard gate several times, trying to open it to save himself. However, it was all in vain. Li Banxia's fire tongs seemed to have eyes, and they managed to chase him back every time.

Old Su couldn't take it anymore and begged for mercy.

"Li Banxia, ​​that's enough! I admit I said those things because I was angry, and I said them in the heat of the moment. I'm very satisfied with what you've done for me all these years. As the saying goes, even a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness. You can't treat me like a grandson and beat me up..."

"It's good that you admit it."

Li Banxia stopped and looked at Old Man Su, "Make up for all the money you haven't paid to the family over the years, this matter you..."

"That won't do," Old Man Su shook his head.

"...Then hand over all your salary!"

Old Man Su shook his head again, "That won't do."

Li Banxia sneered.

"Then what do you mean? You want me to continue being your free maid, doing your laundry, cooking for you, and serving you like before?! Don't even think about it! If you dare not pay me, I dare not give you a single bite to eat!"

Old Man Su broke down, "You vicious woman! I knew you were up to no good, you did it on purpose..."

"If that's how you think, there's nothing I can do about it."

Li Banxia raised the fire tongs and struck again.

Old Su clutched his backside, howling with utter despair, "Li Banxia, ​​I'm going to fight you to the death..."

"Perfect timing, I'm ready to fight you too."

Old Su turned around and tried to snatch the fire tongs from Li Banxia's hand, but failed. He then ran to get a broom and started yelling as he began to beat Li Banxia.

Li Banxia swatted it off with a pair of tongs.

Old Su tried to hit Li Banxia with a chair again, but Li Banxia easily dodged it and even managed to chase after him and give Old Su a whack on the butt.

Li Banxia's children stood behind the curtain, watching the spectacle unfold, while Li Banxia looked ready to kill him.

Old Su was filled with shame, anger, grievance, and bitterness. He howled until tears streamed down his face, sobbing uncontrollably. "Li Banxia, ​​waah, please stop hitting me! I was wrong! I'll never say those things again! I'll give you all my wages, they don't want them anyway..."

Li Banxia glanced at him, not believing him at all.

He said the same thing in front of He Taohua that day, but when I asked him today, he kept saying no.

She wanted to collect the money herself.

She went to get it first thing in the morning, after tomorrow or the day after.

After being beaten up by her, Su Youfu's legs were not very strong, and he was definitely not as fast as her riding a bicycle.

Li Banxia glanced at the blood on the fire tongs, tossed them back into the kitchen, and went back to her room.

Old Su's thighs and buttocks burned like hot pepper spray on wounds, making him want to cry from the pain.

He glanced at the door Li Banxia had closed, then, enduring the pain, returned to the room where Su Lao Er and Su Lao San were staying.

"Dad, why didn't you just admit your mistake earlier? You had to make Mom angry. Now you feel good getting a beating, don't you?"

Su Laosan was gloating when he looked down and saw bloodstains on Su Laotou's clothes on his buttocks. He was stunned for a moment and asked, "Dad, you're bleeding?"

Old Su turned his head to look, but couldn't see it.

It felt sticky to the touch, and when I looked closer, I saw blood!

"Li Banxia!"

Su Lao Er frowned and glanced at him. "Dad, stop calling me that. Do you want Mom to beat you up?"

Old Su immediately shut his mouth, his eyes red, whether from anger, grievance, or pain, it was hard to tell.

"Go to your mother and get me some gentian violet to apply."

Old Man Su lay on the bed, ordering Su Laosan around, but Su Laosan pouted and refused to move.

But seeing how pitiful Old Man Su looked, he shrugged and went to Li Banxia's room to get some gentian violet, which he then applied to Old Man Su's skin.

As soon as Old Man Su took off his pants, Old Man Su gasped.

Goodness, these are all so rough, several of them are even bleeding, it looks painful.

His mother beat his father much harder than she beat him.

Fortunately, he was his mother's biological son.

His mother still loves him.

Su Lao Er glanced at Su Lao Tou's injuries and was also shocked. He felt that his mother had held back when she hit him, otherwise that slap with the fire tongs would have really made his buttocks bleed.

Su Lao Er swallowed hard, thinking about tomorrow's lunch. He had just been considering begging his mother to lend him some money to tide him over, but now...

Never mind, I'll go ask my older brother and sister-in-law.

The next day, Su Hongmei got up early, turned on the stove to cook rice porridge, and then clumsily used a water pump to wash vegetables.

When the eldest son's wife rolled up her sleeves and entered the kitchen, she saw her clumsily chopping vegetables.

"Sister-in-law..."

Upon seeing her, Su Hongmei's eyes immediately welled up with tears. Her small, delicate face looked both aggrieved and pitiful. "I'm hungry..."