Chapter 143 Counterattack: A stab followed.

"She's pregnant?" Fan Yani was shocked.

"I wonder if the school knew she was pregnant, which is why they expelled her," said the plump woman.

“Being caught having a relationship too early had a bad influence, which is why you were expelled,” Fan Yani said. “The school probably doesn’t know about the pregnancy. How did you find out? Did Gao Xiuxiu tell you? Or was it Da Niu…”

“Da Niu said it,” said the plump woman. “I was doing things in the yard, and I could see next door, right? Da Niu came out just then, and she was holding a big apple. She said she was pregnant and needed to eat more, and she even asked her grandma to kill a chicken for her. She was quite loud; I heard it all. If someone had passed by on the street, they probably would have heard it too. Da Niu is really not afraid; she just said it like that.”

Fatty Sister didn't quite understand. Didn't Gao Xiuxiu and the others tell Da Niu not to talk about it? Da Niu wasn't even engaged yet. She'd heard that the boy Da Niu was dating wasn't old enough to get married, and after Da Niu was expelled, his parents hadn't come to Gao Xiuxiu's house. Fatty Sister guessed that the boy's parents probably didn't want their son to continue dating Da Niu; that wouldn't do.

"Did Da Niu just say that directly?" Fan Yani's eyes widened in disbelief.

“That’s right,” said the plump woman. “Her grandmother told her to keep her voice down, and she said that her child wasn’t something to be ashamed of, and that she and the child’s father were in love.”

Fatty was even more shocked than Fan Yani, even though she already knew that Da Niu wasn't much of a good person. How could a mother like Gao Xiuxiu raise such a good child? Er Niu was forced to move out by Gao Xiuxiu. What good was Gao Xiuxiu's devotion to Da Niu when Da Niu hadn't even taken her studies seriously? All she wanted to do was find a man.

Indeed, Gao Xiuxiu often tells her child that she wants to have a son, and she always regards her child as extremely important.

"I think Da Niu wants everyone to know she's pregnant." Fat Sister looked around. "Just wait, sooner or later other people will find out, not just us."

"..." Fan Yani thought Gao Xiuxiu was a weirdo, and Fang Daniu wasn't much better.

Children, children, all they do is have children, especially sons.

Can't those people have anything else on their minds?

People might just be playing around with someone like Da Niu. They haven't graduated high school, even if they're repeaters, they're still studying, aren't they all going to take the college entrance exam?

The man was the apple of his family's eye, and everyone thought his poor grades were all because of Fang Daniu. Fang Daniu was also hoping to use her child to gain status; she believed that if she married him, she could live in a bigger house, have a better life, and wouldn't have to watch her mother and grandmother argue all the time. Fang Daniu also disliked Fang Erniu; she felt Fang Erniu treated her badly. She was the older sister, and the younger sister should show her respect.

After Xu Yan became pregnant, she carried twins, which was relatively stable and didn't cause many problems. Xu Yan also went to deliver some food to Song Fenglan and her husband. She walked there, saying that she should walk more and not not walk at all.

"Have you found someone yet?" Song Fenglan asked, without mentioning sending her own servants to her daughter-in-law's place.

Song Fenglan had been using her own servants for many years and found them to be quite good, but she couldn't guarantee they would be any better with Xu Yan. Moreover, some of Song Fenglan's servants were assigned by relevant departments; it would be best for Xu Yan and her husband to find other people.

It feels better to hire people yourself and manage them yourself, as it reduces the likelihood of other problems arising.

“I asked my mom to help me find someone, and she can bring them over in a couple of days,” Xu Yan said.

“Okay, if that doesn’t work, I’ll have your mom come over and take care of you for a few days,” Song Fenglan said. “You also need to explain things clearly to your mom.”

“I told her, my mom said she’s my real mom, how could I ask her for money?” Xu Yan said with a smile. “I said I should take what I’m entitled to. If my sister knew that my mom always helps me like this, she would definitely say something.”

Xu Yan's older sister now likes to say that Xu's mother values ​​Xu Yan more, and that Xu Yan's in-laws are richer and that everyone fawns over Xu Yan. When Xu Yan hears her sister say those things, she just wants to roll her eyes.

When Xu Yan's older sister was pregnant and in her postpartum period, Xu's mother helped out quite a bit. At that time, Xu Yan's older sister, not being her biological mother, seemed to favor her more, and she complained that her biological mother didn't visit every day. That was because Xu Yan's older sister lived with her in-laws, and the house didn't have enough rooms, so Xu's mother couldn't always go over. Xu's mother even had some conflicts with Xu Yan's sister's mother-in-law; it was better to keep a distance.

It would be better if the daughter sided with her mother, but the problem is that Xu Yan's older sister basically sided with her mother-in-law. Xu's mother understood this immediately, so she naturally went to her mother-in-law's side less often, to avoid any trouble.

“That’s right,” Song Fenglan said. “Those who can give money are considered good. If your sister is unhappy, just have her give your mother that money too, that will be fine.”

“My sister would never give that money,” Xu Yan said. “She just talks about how unfair it is, but she doesn’t give any money and doesn’t do anything else. I don’t care about her. Let her do whatever she wants. Why should I worry about what she’s thinking all the time?”

Xu Yan wasn't happy when she talked about her older sister; her sister was always talking nonsense. A while ago, Xu Yan's sister had approached her, asking if she could help her uncle's son, who was her husband's cousin, find a job.

Those people just wanted to get into the Song family's company and earn high salaries.

Xu Yan refused on the spot, saying that they never interfered in the Song family company's affairs, and that she and Qin Zihang were only waiting to receive their dividends. They were already being generous by not having their shares taken away; they shouldn't even think about anything more.

"Take good care of yourself. If you feel unwell, take a day off and rest," Song Fenglan said.

"It's alright," Xu Yan said. "The work is okay, I can still do it. If I can't stand it, I'll take a break. I can't keep working all the time."

Xu Yan is a sensible person and did not consider the possibility of miscarriage due to overwork.

When Qin Yizhou returned and saw some things on the table, he asked, "Did your daughter-in-law come over?"

“She came over briefly,” Song Fenglan said. “I told her she didn’t need to come over often, and she just said she was going for a walk.”

“She likes to come see you, her mother-in-law,” Qin Yizhou said. “That’s true. You don’t interfere in those things and even give her extra money. Who wouldn’t like you?”

"If we can't help with that many things, then all we can do is give money, right?" Song Fenglan said. "Giving money is always a good thing."

Qin Li'an's wife, Zhu Meng, knew that Song Fenglan had given Xu Yan a lot of things, but she was just envious; everyone's mother-in-law is different. Tian Keshu's parents passed away one after another, and her brothers' attitude towards her worsened. Those people were even less likely to side with Tian Keshu, so she couldn't go back to her parents' home. When Tian Keshu went to her parents' home, her younger siblings treated her very badly.

Tian Keshu was in her early fifties. She didn't want to wash dishes all the time, so she came to Qin Li'an, hoping to live with him and his wife.

"I can take care of your child and cook," Tian Keshu said to Qin Li'an as they entered the supermarket. "Don't you have a spare room? Wouldn't it be perfect if I stayed there?"

“No.” Zhu Meng was also in the supermarket, organizing the shelves. As soon as she heard Tian Keshu’s words, she rushed over. “You can’t stay at our house.”

"Why not? I'm your man's biological mother. You two don't live with those people, you..."

“We don’t live with Mom and Dad, but you can’t live with us either,” Zhu Meng said. “Before Grandma passed away, she said she could never forgive you and told us not to let you live in our house. If you want to live here, you have to rent a place outside.”

"Where would I get so much money to keep renting? Look at my hands, they've become like this." Tian Keshu's hands are constantly soaking in water; they've peeled countless times, and they feel uncomfortable. She doesn't want to wash dishes or do other chores all the time, and no one wants her to do them anyway. She just feels...

It's giving me a really bad headache.

Previously, Tian Keshu went to take care of an elderly man in his sixties. His children were worried that she would take things from the house, so they kept an eye on her. After only a few days, they found out about Tian Keshu's past and quickly told her to get rid of her, fearing that she, a nanny, would become the rightful mistress of the house and take over the family's belongings.

Such things happen outside; some nannies marry old men, and then the nannies can legitimately obtain those things.

“I am Li’an’s biological mother,” Tian Keshu said. “I gave birth to him, and I raised them. Even in my current state, you can’t abandon me.”

“You get grain, oil, rice, and flour from us every month. Don’t you think those things are free?” Zhu Meng said. “You only come to see Li’an, but you don’t go to see your daughter?”

Zhu Meng was disgusted by Tian Keshu's actions. "When you got married before, weren't you good to your stepsons? Didn't those two stepsons help you?"

"Don't even mention them. I'm divorced from their father. Even if we weren't, they wouldn't take care of me." Tian Keshu felt she had done so much for others for nothing all these years. She should have known better than to remarry and instead go out to work so she could save more money. "If you don't care about me, do you expect me to come here every day?"

Tian Keshu intended to threaten Zhu Meng and his wife into opening their business, fearing that others would disrupt it. Tian Keshu didn't care that this wasn't her biological son's shop; she only knew that her own life was unsatisfactory.

“You don’t just own one house, you can let me live in another house, I…”

“No, you’re just one person, there’s no need for you to live in such a big house,” Zhu Meng said. “You should continue renting. If you want to live nearby, we can find you a place. We’ll pay the rent, and we’ll provide all the food and groceries here, so don’t worry about anything else.”

Zhu Meng wanted to let Tian Keshu fend for herself, but their family couldn't afford any more trouble. Qin Li'an's reputation wasn't good to begin with, and now that his business was finally doing well, they couldn't let Tian Keshu cause trouble. That's why Zhu Meng thought that while they could pay the rent, they still needed to discuss it with Qin Ya; they couldn't all have to pay for it themselves.

Qin Ya is also Tian Keshu's biological daughter. Since men and women are equal, Qin Ya can't possibly contribute nothing. As for how much dowry Qin Ya received, that's her business.

That evening, Qin Ya sat with Qin Li'an and his wife. After listening to what Zhu Meng said, she looked at Qin Li'an.

"Li'an, is this also your idea?" Qin Ya frowned.

"Sister, you should pay less," Qin Li'an said.

Zhu Meng glanced at Qin Li'an, then looked at Qin Ya, "Sister, we don't want you to pay more. How about this, you pay one-third of the rent, and we'll pay the rest. Mom's monthly groceries will all come from us."

"Okay." Qin Ya didn't want to take those things out, but she knew that if she didn't, Zhu Meng would scold Qin Li'an. Qin Ya didn't want to make things difficult for Qin Li'an, and besides, Tian Keshu was indeed their biological mother, and her sister-in-law wasn't asking her to pay for most of the things.

After deciding how to pay, Qin Ya left.

After Qin Ya left, Qin Li'an looked at his wife and asked, "Wouldn't this be a bit inappropriate?"

“How could it not be good?” Zhu Meng said, “That’s your sister’s biological mother, not just yours. Our family also has to raise children, how can we spend all our money on your mother? Your sister should also contribute some money, it can’t all be paid by us. I didn’t ask her to pay the majority, we will pay the majority. I also didn’t say that she should take your mother over, someone like your mother would be a menace wherever she is. Such a menace can only be kept in check, we can’t let her make a move.”

Zhu Meng didn't want to interfere with Tian Keshu, but she knew what kind of person Tian Keshu was. She feared that someone without any ties would cause trouble. It was better to give her more money so that Tian Keshu could live a peaceful life. As for what Tian Keshu wanted more, that was not an option. Zhu Meng would never allow her child to have contact with Tian Keshu; she would rather hire someone to take care of the child than have Tian Keshu take care of the child herself.

Moreover, the Zhu family lives nearby, so if all else fails, they can ask Zhu's parents for help; Tian Keshu wouldn't need to lend a hand.

"And do you think your mom will let your sister off the hook just because we don't make her pay?" Zhu Meng said. "It's better to have your sister pay part of the rent now, then your mom won't have any reason to go after her. If your mom does go after your sister, your sister can say she already paid. Or you pay, and your sister doesn't pay, and you have to say your sister paid?"

"no……"

“It’s not like that,” Zhu Meng said. “Your mother is not someone who can be easily fooled. She’s selfish. She only thinks about herself and doesn’t consider others at all. Why can’t she wash dishes? If she doesn’t want to wash dishes, she can do other things. But she just doesn’t want to. She just wants to enjoy herself without doing any work. Having a mother like that is really a headache.”

Zhu Meng didn't think much of Tian Keshu; she considered her mother-in-law a bad person. Dealing with a rogue mother-in-law required a certain approach. Zhu Meng wasn't worried about upsetting Qin Li'an and Qin Ya; her concern was for her own child.

“We have spare rooms in our house, but those aren’t for your mother to stay in,” Zhu Meng said.

"We can't let her live with us." Qin Li'an frowned slightly. He himself disliked his own mother, let alone his wife.

When You Yun learned of Tian Keshu's actions, she wasn't surprised. Tian Keshu was getting old and didn't want to work, so it was natural for her two children to be involved. Qin Li'an and his wife had finally achieved a stable life, and naturally, they didn't want Tian Keshu to disrupt their lives. They were ultimately willing to compromise.

"Your ex-wife is really lucky. She doesn't have to wash dishes anymore," You Yun said to Brother Qin in the house. "She's being supported by Li'an and his wife."

"She..." Brother Qin hadn't thought about Tian Keshu for a long time.

Even now, Brother Qin still harbors resentment towards Tian Keshu. If it weren't for Tian Keshu, he would have been promoted within the system long ago and would be doing much better now. Even though Brother Qin is now a senior executive in a private company, he still misses his life within the system. His former colleagues have all been promoted and hold high positions.

"Have Li'an and the others made the arrangements?" Brother Qin asked.

“It’s been arranged, how could we not?” You Yun said. “I heard from someone that they’re going to provide her with a place to rent and also take care of her meals.”

"..." Brother Qin felt that Tian Keshu was living too well.

“There’s nothing we can do about what Li’an and the others did; your ex-wife is too domineering,” You Yun said. “Li’an and the others run a business, and they’re afraid your ex-wife will cause trouble, so they have no choice but to compromise.”

Tian Keshu's pressure on her son and daughter-in-law only makes people dislike her more. You Yun thought that perhaps Tian Keshu didn't care about her son and daughter-in-law being more filial to her; Tian Keshu only cared about whether she was happy or not in her own life.

"Troublesome." Brother Qin couldn't be happy.

Once, Brother Qin thought Tian Keshu was living a miserable life, that her life was getting worse and worse. But reality wasn't like that. Her two children were doing quite well, Qin Li'an had reformed, and Qin Ya had married well. Tian Keshu wanted her two children to be responsible for her old age, and they couldn't escape it. Tian Keshu also knew how to make a scene, and no one could stop her.

Regarding Tian Keshu moving to the vicinity of Brother Qin again, Song Fenglan felt that there was going to be some good drama to watch.

Tian Keshu isn't a very good person. If she met You Yun a few more times outside, wouldn't Tian Keshu say something about You Yun? You should know that Brother Qin still holds most of his family's assets in his own hands and hasn't given them all to Qin Li'an. It's obvious that Brother Qin wants to give all of those things to his youngest son.

Over the years, Song Fenglan still didn't visit the Qin family. Qin's father, being old, would go fishing. Without those worries, he was in good spirits and lived a long life.

"You really live in the same neighborhood?" Song Fenglan sat on the sofa in the living room and took a bite of an apple.

“Yes, we live in the same neighborhood.” Qin Yizhou nodded. “It’s easier to keep an eye on Li’an and the others, saving us from having to travel all that way. If we didn’t live under the same roof, it would be harder for my sister-in-law to tell them they couldn’t do that.”

“No wonder some people say they want to marry a rich man and have children,” Song Fenglan said. “Isn’t Tian Keshu like that? Her children have some money, and to reduce unnecessary trouble, they are willing to pay for her to rent a house so that she can have food to eat.”

“You can’t buy anything else either; they won’t give you any more money,” Qin Yizhou said.

“It doesn’t matter if we don’t have more money. Our children will take care of our food, clothing, and shelter,” Song Fenglan said. “I’ve always heard people say that bad people live better than good people, and that scoundrels live a comfortable life. It seems that’s really true. Tian Keshu didn’t suffer much. She washed dishes for a few years, and when she got to this age, she just quit.”

Tian Keshu was not a person who liked to endure hardship.

She knew her children didn't have a very good relationship with her, which is why she made those threats. If her children had a good relationship with her, but weren't doing well, perhaps she wouldn't have done this.

"It wasn't too much hardship," Qin Yizhou nodded. "Li'an and the others settled her in because they didn't want to affect the supermarket's business."

"Yes, that's right," Song Fenglan said. "Solving it with money will reduce the trouble."

Tian Keshu didn't commit a crime, but she violated morality and public order. People like Tian Keshu still know how to live a good life; with her children supporting her, her life is much easier.

Song Fenglan naturally wouldn't tell Qin Li'an and the others not to treat Tian Keshu so well; that was none of her business.

Tian Keshu's younger sister, Tian Kexian, felt that Tian Keshu was living too well. Tian Kexian's husband was a gambler, and their family was destitute; they still didn't own a house. Seeing house prices rising daily, their anxiety was useless; they had no money and no way to borrow enough to buy a house.

Tian Kexian's family all had to squeeze into a small house, with less living space per person than Tian Keshu's.

To prevent Tian Keshu from causing trouble, Qin Li'an and his wife rented a one-bedroom, one-living room, one-kitchen, and one-bathroom apartment for her. This way, Tian Keshu wouldn't have to share with anyone and avoid conflicts. Qin Li'an and his wife weren't doing this to provide Tian Keshu with good living conditions; they were afraid that if Tian Keshu offended someone, it would be Qin Li'an and his wife who would suffer.

"Your house is really nice." Tian Kexian looked around the house as soon as she entered. "It has a good orientation, a balcony, and the sunlight shines in. You caused Li'an so much trouble, and the couple still rented such a nice house for you."

"It's alright, not very big, still quite small." Tian Keshu still hoped the living room and bedroom could be larger. She suggested a bigger house, but Qin Li'an and his wife refused, saying this house was the most suitable. This house was also on a lower floor, not a higher floor.

Tian Keshu complained about the high humidity, while Zhu Meng said that Tian Keshu was too old to climb high floors. Besides, not all buildings have elevators; Tian Keshu lived on a lower floor for easier access to her room.

What could Tian Keshu say? If her daughter-in-law was unhappy, Tian Keshu could only keep quiet. Her son and daughter-in-law were providing her with rent and food, so Tian Keshu didn't dare to make a scene. If she did, she was afraid that her son and daughter-in-law would give up and kick her out.

It's not like there aren't sons and daughters-in-law who kick their parents out. Tian Keshu doesn't want to be kicked out, so naturally she can only behave better.

"Sister, do you live alone? Are you lonely?" Tian Kexian asked.

"It's alright," Tian Keshu said.

"How about having your niece come over and keep you company?" Tian Kexian said. "We can put a bed in the living room, or the two of you can sleep in one bed together."

“No,” Tian Keshu refused. “It would be better for your daughter to live with you.”

"Isn't this because we can't fit everyone in our place?" Tian Kexian said. "Sister, if you hadn't offended someone back then, I wouldn't have rushed into marriage, I wouldn't have married such a jerk, and I wouldn't be living such a miserable life now."

Tian Kexian harbored deep resentment towards her older sister, Tian Keshu. Why did her sister live such a good life, while she struggled her whole life in a quagmire, unable to escape? Years ago, Tian Kexian wanted a divorce, but her family and others around her wouldn't let her, urging her to persevere and saying her husband would change.

All these years have passed, but Tian Kexian's husband hasn't changed. He's still the same old scoundrel, always gambling and racking up debts. After accumulating debts, he'll search for the money Tian Kexian has hidden. If he doesn't find any, he'll beat her.

“That won’t do either,” Tian Keshu said. “It’s your own fault that you didn’t marry into a good family. You were too hasty back then.”

"How can I not be anxious? It's all because of you!" Tian Kexian said.

Tian Kexian often thought how wonderful her life would be if she married Song Erge. Even if she had a daughter, she wouldn't be disliked by the Song family. It was all her sister's fault for offending people. Tian Kexian wished that if her sister had been kinder to Song Fenglan back then, she wouldn't be in this situation.

“I sent my daughter to keep you company, not for me to move in,” Tian Kexian said. “My daughter…”

“Your daughter will live with you.” Tian Keshu was afraid that having another person would increase expenses and that her son and daughter-in-law would be unhappy. “My son and daughter-in-law would never agree to that.”

“You are Li’an’s biological mother, they can’t just abandon you,” Tian Kexian said.

“No,” Tian Keshu said. “I’ve already told you, no. Don’t worry about whether I’m lonely or not. I’m perfectly fine living on my own. I don’t need your daughter to come and live with me. If you really want to, find your daughter a good partner. Then she can leave your family and have her own home.”

Tian Kexian's daughter is still young, but she's not in school anymore. Tian Kexian doesn't want her daughter to stay at home all the time, and she doesn't want her to see her arguing with her husband. Tian Kexian's family is still renting a small apartment, and all sorts of odds and ends are stored inside.

"You're really stingy," Tian Kexian said. "Are you worried that my daughter will take advantage of you?"

“Yes,” Tian Keshu said. “My son and daughter-in-law would never let your daughter take advantage of them.”

Tian Keshu knew she wasn't welcomed by her son and daughter-in-law, and the fact that she also had to take care of her sister's child made her even more disliked. Now, Tian Keshu just wanted to live cautiously, avoiding upsetting her son and daughter-in-law; she already had a hard time managing this kind of life. Especially after experiencing two divorces, she knew those men were completely unreliable. Now, relying on her son and daughter-in-law, she also had to consider their feelings.

Tian Keshu is not Qin's mother; she can't afford to cause trouble like Qin's mother. Tian Keshu is just a paper tiger. Her threats to her son and daughter-in-law to make a scene are only because she wants them to provide her with a place to stay. If things really escalate, it will be a lose-lose situation, and Tian Keshu won't be able to live a comfortable life either.

"You..." Tian Kexian felt very uncomfortable. She wanted to smash everything around her. Why was her sister always so lucky? Why was her sister always able to live such a good life?

Tian Keshu was lucky to be born at the right time. It was a special era with strict class distinctions, and no one knew about the Tian family's past. That's how Tian Keshu married Brother Qin. Tian Kexian was much younger than Tian Keshu, so no matter how dissatisfied she was, it was useless.

"My parents are gone, can't you help me?" Tian Kexian asked.

“I can’t help you, I’m in this state myself,” Tian Keshu said. “Look at my hands, I really don’t want to wash dishes anymore, that’s why I’m like this. You’re still young, why don’t you become a nanny? If you work hard as a live-in nanny, you can still earn some money. Your reputation is much better than mine. If you’re worried about being discovered in the capital, then go to another city.”

"Go to another city?" Tian Kexian scoffed. "You stay in the capital while I go to another city?"

Tian Kexian didn't want to go to another city; she wanted to stay in the capital for life. She didn't want to be a nanny or wash dishes; she only dreamed of a windfall. Currently, Tian Kexian sells vegetables in a shop, earning a meager income. Being a nanny might pay a little more, but Tian Kexian felt that was serving others, and people would have many expectations.

"Take advantage of your youth and save as much money as possible," Tian Keshu said. "Don't end up like me, who didn't save much money in those years."

During the years Tian Keshu washed dishes, her wages were low, and she had to rent her own place. Fortunately, meals were provided. Otherwise, Tian Keshu would have been even more miserable.

“When you get to my age, you’ll realize that you really can’t do without money,” Tian Keshu said. “Li’an and his family are a bit richer, so I can still ask them for help. But what about you? Don’t you know what’s going on with your children?”

Tian Kexian's children don't have much money; they're all quite poor. It's unrealistic for Tian Kexian to expect to rely on her children in the future.

In the end, Tian Keshu still refused to let Tian Kexian's daughter come over, and Tian Kexian even had a big fight with Tian Keshu.

When Zhu Meng found out, she was relieved that Tian Keshu hadn't agreed. If Tian Keshu had, Zhu Meng would have kicked her out too. Forget about family ties; Zhu Meng didn't have the money to support someone else.

When this news reached Song Fenglan's ears, she also heard that Tian Kexian was still thinking about marrying Song's second brother.

Cao Fang wasn't unaware of Tian Kexian's situation; she had recently heard others talking about it, and the thought of things from so long ago, still being discussed by those people, made her approach to Song Fenglan. Cao Fang didn't intend to blame Song Fenglan or Song's second brother; that was Tian Kexian's wishful thinking.

“Back then, if it weren’t for my affair with Tian Keshu, my second brother would never have married Tian Kexian.” Song Fenglan handed Cao Fang a banana.

“Your second brother didn’t say anything, so I’ll pretend I don’t know,” Cao Fang said.

"Don't let my second brother's leg problems fool you; after he returned to the city, quite a few young women still liked him and wanted to marry him," Song Fenglan said. "My second brother has a job and a salary, and his family is well-off."

"It's alright. A minor problem with my legs and feet, it's not important at all."

"Not to mention the past, even now, there are still many young girls who like your second brother and want to have a son for him." Cao Fang wasn't someone who knew nothing; she had been paying close attention to Song's second brother when he was socializing outside.

One time, Brother Song returned home with his female secretary and a male driver in the car. Brother Song wasn't drunk; he was just going home normally. After Brother Song got out of the car, the female secretary hugged his waist and said some ambiguous things. Brother Song quickly pushed her away.

Cao Fang saw it then; she saw the speechlessness on her husband's face. Brother Song immediately said he had no interest in the female secretary and told her to go to the finance department to settle the accounts the next day.

Cao Fang trusted Song Erge. She wasn't someone who lacked observation skills. If she were incompetent and only knew how to be jealous, she wouldn't have become Song Fenglan's bodyguard in the first place.

“So what if I only gave birth to one daughter?” Cao Fang said. “Even though your second brother is old, there are still girls who want to be with him. They all think that since they gave your second brother a son, I have to step aside.”

Cao Chunmei, Cao Fang's cousin who went to be a surrogate, was just hoping to have Song Erge's child.

Cao Fang knew that in this kind of situation, it all depended on the man's attitude and whether he even had this idea. If the man didn't have this idea, everything would be much easier. But if the man did have this idea, he could hide his lover, and nothing the woman did would make a difference.

Brother Song would always let his family know if he didn't come home at night, and he would also inform them if he was going on a business trip. Brother Song cherished his current life and didn't necessarily want a son, nor a daughter. Having been through so much, Brother Song had long since come to terms with things.

Cao Fang's parents asked her several times if she should have another child, saying that whether she worked or not wasn't the most important thing. Cao Fang didn't agree; she still wanted her job. Besides, she and Song Erge had already agreed that one daughter was enough. Cao Fang's parents were worried that her husband would change his mind; many men say nice things but then change their minds later.

Older men can still have children with younger, more attractive women. But it's much harder for older women to get pregnant and have children again.

“Second brother didn’t want a son. If he did, he would have let you have one long ago,” Song Fenglan said.

“Yes.” Cao Fang looked around and whispered, “A few years ago, a woman came to our door, saying that she was an old acquaintance of your second brother, that she knew she had made a mistake, and that she wanted to see your second brother more often. Your second brother told her to get lost and told the servants not to let her in.”

Cao Fang asked Song Erge a few questions. Song Erge said that he met a female educated youth when he was sent down to the farm. He and that female educated youth had a somewhat ambiguous relationship, but things went wrong before they could officially confess. She didn't really like Song Erge at all; she just wanted him to help with the work. The way Song Erge's legs became was also largely related to those educated youth.

“That woman even came to block me, saying she could work as a maid at my house, but I didn’t agree,” Cao Fang said. “Later, I don’t know if your second brother handled it or if she came to her senses, but I never saw her again.”

“Since Second Brother told her to get lost, it means he has no feelings for her,” Song Fenglan said.

“Your second brother has made everything clear to you,” Cao Fang said. “I’m not stupid either, and I can figure out the problem with this if I think about it for a moment. If your second brother really liked that woman that much, he could have gone to her. He would never have married me.”

Cao Fang knew that Song Erge didn't love her that deeply, and she didn't love him that much either. They were together because they met the right person at the right time; they got married and had children, like family; neither of them intended to betray the other.

"This Tian Kexian, she really talks a lot," Cao Fang said.

“She married a bad man. She once confessed her feelings to my second brother, and he directly said that he was my second brother,” Song Fenglan said. “He killed her with just one sentence.”

"It's impossible, she's still saying it. People who don't know the situation might think your second brother and she have a relationship, and that you're the one who doesn't approve." When Cao Fang heard others talking about it, she felt that what they were saying implied was that Song Fenglan disapproved. "When others say it, I just say it's not that you don't approve. If your second brother cared about you even a little more, he wouldn't be with Tian Kexian."

Who does Tian Kexian think she is? She's not a particularly outstanding woman, yet she has the nerve to say those things.

Cao Fang believes that the most innocent person in this matter is Song Fenglan. Tian Kexian always likes to mention Song Fenglan, as if Song Fenglan was the one who prevented Song Erge from being with Tian Kexian.

"Shameless, saying whatever comes to mind," Cao Fang said. "You're clearly trying to make others misunderstand you."

“No one else will misunderstand,” Song Fenglan said. “It’s just a few people who will misunderstand. My second brother and Tian Kexian are not a good match at all. Tian Kexian has a bad temper, is not good-looking, and has no ability. She has no merits that my second brother would like. Why does she think she can be with my second brother?”

The Song family isn't driven by romance. They thought things through when they got married; they didn't just marry anyone casually, nor did they intend to make excessive sacrifices for their partner. They certainly wouldn't cause trouble for their own family members for the sake of their partner, and it's not like they couldn't change their partner.

“Yes,” Cao Fang nodded. “I know that’s true. I just feel sorry for you, being caught in the middle. You don’t talk to those people much usually, and you rarely attend banquets or anything like that. Those people just talk a lot.”

As Song Erge's wife, Cao Fang frequently attended banquets, made charitable donations, and did other things. She did all of this without interfering with her work.

"I'm fine. Out of sight, out of mind. Even if I hear it, I pretend I didn't," Song Fenglan said. "Don't I know their little tricks? The Tian family just likes to annoy people. They have no resources, so all they have is their mouths. They can talk nonsense without taking responsibility. Since it's not illegal, no one can do anything to them."

Song Fenglan and the others didn't make things difficult for Tian Kexian, but Tian Kexian was abused by her husband. Tian Kexian's husband was gambling outside, and he heard from others that Tian Kexian still had feelings for Song Erge. He knew that someone as rich as Song Erge couldn't possibly be interested in Tian Kexian; it was just wishful thinking on Tian Kexian's part.

What man would like his wife to be thinking about another man? So Tian Kexian was beaten by her husband, her face was bruised and swollen, and her children didn't dare to come forward, they only dared to hide.

Unable to bear it any longer, Tian Kexian grabbed a fruit knife and stabbed her man. He was stabbed several times, bleeding profusely. Terrified, Tian Kexian called the police. Her man was seriously injured and hospitalized, but he didn't die. Tian Kexian was arrested by the police. Now, it's a matter of whether her man can be saved; he's currently half-dead, and no one knows what will become of him.

When Tian Kexian's brother learned of this, he refused to handle it himself and instead left it to Tian Keshu. Tian Keshu was stunned; she never expected Tian Kexian to do that. Even though Tian Keshu disliked Tian Kexian, she was still her younger sister, and she couldn't simply abandon her.

“Look, find a good doctor for your uncle. He absolutely cannot die.” Tian Keshu said to Qin Li’an, “If he dies, your aunt will be finished. Your aunt has been beaten by him for so many years, and this is the only time she has fought back. Your aunt never intended to kill him.”