Chapter 325: Not a grievance, but a frustration.

"The eldest son's family came with great force, and they seem to have come prepared. I wonder how many people in the village have been instigated by them," Brother Fang said, frowning.

Grandma Fang said from the side, "I remember a few who took sides."

Grandpa Fang pondered for a moment, then sighed.

He called out to Grandma Fang, "Old woman, give me some of your savings. Jianhua and I will visit these people's homes after dark."

Grandma Fang hesitated for a moment, looking somewhat reluctant, but still agreed.

Brother Fang nodded in agreement.

Erniu's father was puzzled and asked them, "Shouldn't we go to support Jianhua and those people's homes so they can continue to support Jianhua?"

Grandpa Fang and Brother Fang both looked at him at the same time.

Grandpa Fang glared at him and said, "What are you thinking about all day? Those people already support Jianhua, why bother going? Is it a waste of money?"

Erniu's dad, "..."

He chuckled dryly and took a step back, muttering, "What if those people find out you went to the homes of those who don't support Jianhua, and then get angry and stop supporting Jianhua altogether?"

"Can't you hope your son gets better?!"

Grandma Fang slapped him across the face. "If he really loses his position as village secretary, given how your brother and sister-in-law acted today, do you think your family will have a good ending?!"

"Why."

Erniu's father was stunned for a moment, then covered the back of his head where he had been hit and called out, "Mom, why did you hit me? We can talk this out! You're still here, aren't you? So what if they became the village secretary? You live with us, do you think they wouldn't be filial to you? The whole village would be spitting at them..."

Grandma Fang glared at him with a disdainful look, then raised her hand and said, "I'll beat you to death! If Jianguo becomes the village party secretary, will your father and I still live with you?"

"Alright, stop wasting time talking to him, hurry up and get the money," Grandpa Fang said after glancing at him.

Grandma Fang sighed and, as she lifted the curtain to go back into the house, she stopped and called to Erniu's mother, "You should also take out all the money you've saved over the years and prepare more."

"...I have no money. I've given all my money to Erniu in my bottom drawer." Erniu's mother swallowed hard, avoiding eye contact with Grandma Fang.

Grandma Fang was a woman of great wisdom; she could tell at a glance that she was lying.

"It's only a few dollars. I don't believe you'd give it all to Erniu. Go get it now."

Erniu's mother dared not talk back or tell the truth. She looked left and right, trying to find someone to speak on her behalf.

Fang Xiaodi sighed repeatedly.

Erniu's father coughed and said, "Mom, don't ask her for money anymore. She has no money. All her money went to her nephew's wedding."

Erniu's mother's face turned pale instantly, and she raised her hand to slap Erniu's father.

Erniu's father dodged quickly and avoided the attack, but Erniu's mother was about to chase after him when Grandma Fang glared at her with a cold expression.

Erniu's mother stiffened her neck.

He acted like a dead pig that wasn't afraid of boiling water, saying, "I gave all the big money to Erniu. The only loose change was the small change I saved up myself. It took me quite a while to scrape together a little bit..."

"A little?"

Grandma Fang sneered, "How much have you been secretly giving to your family behind our backs all these years? And you even saved it all yourself? All the money you've saved since you married into our family is our money, and you still have the nerve to say it's your own? You traitor..."

Erniu's mother's eyes reddened from the scolding. She looked at Erniu's father, but he ignored her.

She then looked at Brother Fang and Little Brother Fang.

Fang Xiaodi genuinely felt that his mother deserved it.

Brother Fang sighed slightly and called out to his mother, "Now is not the time to argue and settle scores. We still need to go through the motions of voting tomorrow."

Grandpa Fang frowned upon hearing this and looked at him.

He asked, "Are you afraid your uncle will really send someone to petition and file a complaint?"

Brother Fang nodded.

Grandpa Fang looked very unwell and urged Grandma Fang to hurry up.

Grandma Fang glared at Erniu's mother, then lifted the curtain and went back into the house to get the money.

Erniu's mother, having escaped unscathed, breathed a sigh of relief. After catching her breath, she suddenly remembered something and began to look around.

Not seeing his eldest daughter-in-law, he walked out of the main room in a few steps.

Sister-in-law Fang was playing with her child, picking up pebbles, at the entrance of the kitchen.

She spat lightly, "Eldest daughter, take out all the savings you've accumulated over the years."

Sister-in-law Fang stood up and glanced at Brother Fang in the main room.

"What are you looking at? If it weren't for your kids taking money from others, would things have gotten this bad? Hurry up and get the money! If you can't come up with any money, are you subsidizing your family too?"

She blurted out "also" in her conversation.

Sister-in-law Fang gave a mocking smile.

When Erniu's mother realized what she had said, she panicked. She caught a glimpse of Fang's sister-in-law mocking her, and her anger flared up. She rolled up her sleeves, took three steps at a time, and raised her hand to hit Fang's sister-in-law.

Sister-in-law Fang protected the child and stepped aside. Erniu's mother missed her target and fell headfirst into the kitchen door with a loud 'bang,' hitting her forehead and feeling dizzy.

She steadied herself, holding her head, and pointed at Sister-in-law Fang, who hadn't said a word, cursing, "...Your husband's village secretary position is about to be snatched away, and instead of helping him, you're giving money to your family? How could I have married such a jinx..."

Sister-in-law Fang glanced into the main room again, but Brother Fang still hadn't come out.

Disappointed, she looked away, patted the children's shoulders, and said, "Go play under the tree by the door. I'll come find you in a bit."

After watching the child leave the yard, she dusted off her clothes and went back to her room to get the money.

She brought out a wooden box, not giving it to Erniu's mother who reached out to take it, but instead giving it to Brother Fang, saying, "You know how much money I have, and the dowry box I prepared for your sister is all here."

Brother Fang keenly sensed that his wife's attitude towards him was off, but he didn't have the energy to comfort her. He just hummed in response and took the box.

He turned around and handed it to Grandma Fang.

Looking at Grandpa Fang, he said, "Grandpa, I have to go to the city before tomorrow's vote to see Su Laosan. His marriage to Erniu can fall through, and their promise to help us can also be disregarded, but the cooperation is related to whether I can continue to serve as the village party secretary. No matter what, I will make it happen."

Brother Fang felt a little regretful.

He originally intended to let Erniu calm down and to discuss their marriage in a more measured way.

He actually had some selfish motives that he couldn't tell outsiders, not even his own grandfather.

His mother said that he, as the eldest brother, was wronged because he had to obey his brother-in-law in order to help the villagers earn an extra few cents, but that's not true.

It's not that I feel wronged, it's that I feel stifled.

He wanted to leverage the Yao family's influence, but he didn't want people to say that he had climbed up the ladder through nepotism.

If Erniu and Su Laosan's marriage could be postponed, and the cooperation completed first, so that he could gain political achievements and then get married, then everything would be perfect...

Brother Fang lowered his eyes slightly, not daring to let Grandpa Fang see the ambition and scheming in his eyes.

Grandpa Fang looked serious and waved him away.

Brother Fang breathed a slight sigh of relief, then stepped forward to knock on the door of Fang Erniu's house. "Erniu, open the door, I'll take you to find Su Laosan."

"I'm not going."

Fang Erniu didn't open the door, and muttered in the room, "With Mom like that... I'm too ashamed to face Auntie."

"That's not what I want to talk to you about, Erniu. Ask yourself honestly, how has your older brother treated you?"

"My older brother is good to me. He has always doted on me and spoiled me since I was a child. Su Laosan was also chosen for me by you, brother. He is a really good person and he truly cares about me."

Brother Fang sighed and said, "I'm very pleased that you remember my kindness. Now that I'm in trouble, could you lend me a hand?"