"Did you even listen to what I said? You were just lucky today; only your grandma got hurt. Have you thought about what would happen if you hurt yourself and the girl couldn't set off her firecracker?"

"They're not stupid."

Guo's head started to ache again. "Are you asking for a beating? Do you really want me to hit you?"

"I won't let them play with firecrackers anymore."

She can keep them for herself to play with later. If her mother hadn't told her to give them the best, she wouldn't have been willing to part with them. Firecrackers are so expensive; her family can only afford three small strings at most for the New Year, and they even have to cut them up before setting them off.

"Look at your daughter!"

Guo knew from her expression that she hadn't taken her words to heart, and she was so angry that her chest ached.

Erzhuzi actually quite likes his daughter having children, at least he won't suffer losses in the future.

"You're not allowed to play with dangerous things anymore."

"knew."

That's it?

Finished?

Guo looked at Erzhuzi in shock, "Is it all over?"

"Otherwise, it all boils down to one thing: don't let her take the kids to play with firecrackers, it's dangerous. Now that she knows, what else can we say?"

Guo was speechless; her daughter's fearless nature was a result of her husband's indulgence.

He always said his daughter was smart, unlike him, who had always listened to his parents or followed his older brother since he was little, and was quite dull-witted.

"Fine, do whatever you want, I can't control you anyway."

"Erzhuzi, come here for a moment."

The people inside froze. They were terrified of Da Zhuzi's voice these past two years; he was like a vengeful ghost from hell, gloomy and sinister. That's why they didn't dare stay in the old house on New Year's Eve—it was because of him.

He stared at their children with a sinister look on his face at the dinner table. They were afraid he might harm their children. They didn't care about their children's well-being, and Dazhuzi might have such thoughts. After all, he didn't have any children, while they had many.

Furthermore, they repeatedly refused their parents' proposal to adopt them.

It's not that they're heartless, but the child would never have a good life with Dazhuzi; he can't even support himself. Adopting him would ruin the child's life. Just think about it—wouldn't they have to support him for the rest of their lives, and might even be taken advantage of by him for the rest of their lives?

Filial piety can be overwhelming. With him keeping his son in check, how can his son ever get ahead in life?

How could he possibly watch his child fall into a desperate situation? Da Zhuzi dreamed of adopting his son!

Back then, my third uncle was a decent person. My parents were unwilling to give him one of their three sons. Putting yourselves in his shoes, why should he sacrifice his own child?

Adoption is out of the question; no one can change my mind. At worst, I'll just stop going home.

He had made up his mind. He decided to grit his teeth and buy a servant, a strong man to guard the house. It was no good that Sanzhuzi would come to the house and cause trouble from time to time. With someone guarding the house, he could work with peace of mind.

That's a terrible child; who knows what outrageous things he might do in his house.

Honestly, if he had a choice, he'd rather be an orphan. Having brothers like that is worse than having none; what good are they besides causing him constant fear?

Erzhuzi stared at the door with a dark expression.

Guo was the same, but his face was full of panic.

"None of you should go out."

"Honey, be careful."

"Know."

What can he do at home? If it really comes down to a fight, his older brother is no match for him. What he fears most is dirty tricks; this guy is really cunning.

Now that he's grown up and seen more of the world in the shop, he understands what his older brother did back then.

They stirred up trouble for him, preventing him from helping his parents with chores, watching them suffer without doing anything about it or letting him take charge.

As for Sanzhuzi, well, even if Sanzhuzi is like this now because of his own dislikes, his good older brother deserves a lot of credit.