"Then, then I won't go either," Xia Heping said, his eyes drooping with disappointment. What's the point of him going alone if his wife and child aren't going?
Zhang Hongyan's expression softened: "If you want to go, then go. I won't stop you."
She worked so hard to prepare this huge meal; wouldn't it be better to enjoy it with her son and daughter? Why should she have to put up with other people's attitudes?
Xia Heping shook his head and said firmly, "I'm not going. If you're not going, I'm not going either."
"Fine, whatever you want," Zhang Hongyan said with a hint of pleasure. At least this man had a conscience. If he really went to the old house alone for the New Year, leaving the rest of them at home, she would definitely give him a good beating.
Too lazy to continue arguing with the man, Zhang Hongyan went to her daughter's room.
This is very strange. She couldn't help but complain to Xia Qingqing, "Why did the people at that old house suddenly invite us over for dinner? They haven't paid any attention to us for over ten years."
In the past, let alone going out for a meal, one couldn't even get into the old house.
Xia Qingqing also found it a bit strange and guessed, "Is it because of the bowl of meatballs that Dad brought over?"
If there's anything different from previous years, it's that the meatballs are different this time.
Zhang Hongyan's face lit up with sudden realization: "That must be it. They know we're living a good life, so they want to climb up to us. They're just dreaming."
The situation was pretty much as the mother and daughter had guessed.
Let's go back to when Xia Heping was delivering the vegetables. Xia's uncle, Xia Hecai, pulled Xia Heping into the house and then went to the kitchen to find his mother.
"Mom, come here for a moment, I have something to tell you."
Grandma Xia was busy when she heard her eldest son's somewhat impatient voice: "What is it? Can't you see I'm busy?"
Xia Hecai glanced at the women in the kitchen, then pulled his mother out and whispered, "Mom, shall we invite my second brother's family over for New Year's Eve dinner tonight?"
Upon hearing this, Grandma Xia's sparse eyebrows almost stood on end, and she excitedly asked, "What did you say? Invite the second son's family over for dinner?"
“Yes, we’re all family, and we should celebrate the New Year together,” Xia Hecai said earnestly, as if that was his own opinion.
But would Grandma Xia believe that? This son crawled out of her own belly; she knew exactly what kind of poop he was going to take just by the way he turned his butt up.
If that's really what the boss thinks, then why hasn't this matter been mentioned before all these years?
"Tell me the truth, what exactly happened?" Old Mrs. Xia asked with a long face, looking rather unhappy.
Xia Hecai wasn't embarrassed even though his mother had seen through him. He smiled and said, "Mother knows me best. Did you see the meatballs that the second son brought over?"
"What's wrong with the meatballs?" Grandma Xia looked at her son with a puzzled expression.
Xia Hecai smiled and explained unhurriedly, "Didn't you say that you switched numbers with Qingqing when we were distributing pork last time? She got a bunch of bones. Where did she get the meat to make meatballs? The second son's family must have bought it themselves."
"The second son is still wearing his new cotton-padded coat. If he has a new cotton-padded coat, how can Qingqing and Gou Dan not have one? How much money must all this meat, cotton, and fabric cost?"
These words made Old Mrs. Xia fall into deep thought. Yes, ever since her second son separated from the family, they had been struggling to make ends meet in order to support Xia Qingqing's education. How did they suddenly become so wealthy?
A calculating glint flashed in Xia Hecai's eyes: "I heard that Qingqing has now hooked up with a city person. Song, the educated youth, is a formal employee in the city, earning several tens of yuan a month. How could she not spend money on the second son's family?"
It has to be said, the second son's daughter is really beautiful. Otherwise, how could she have caught the eye of a city person? Once she marries Song Ze, she will be a city person.
In the future, her two sons might need her help.
Xia Hecai explained these points to his mother in detail, and Old Mrs. Xia's initial resistance softened somewhat.
Xia Hecai pressed on, saying, "Mother, how can a mother and son hold a grudge overnight? Second Brother also cares about you and Father, don't you think?"
"Well, you decide what to do," said Grandma Xia before heading back to the kitchen.
This led to Xia Hecai inviting Xia Heping and his family to the old house for dinner.
Unfortunately, Xia Hecai only considered that Xia Heping cared about his parents, and overlooked Zhang Hongyan.
In the afternoon, Xia Heping came to the old house again and told Xia Hecai that he would not be coming to the old house for dinner that night.
Xia Hecai was stunned and looked at Xia Heping in surprise, asking, "You're not coming? Why aren't you coming? How many years has it been since you had New Year's Eve dinner with our parents? Second brother, this is unfilial of you."
Hearing his elder brother say this, Xia Heping looked somewhat ashamed and said, "I, I am..."
Seeing his second brother's troubled attitude, Xia Hecai understood everything: "It's Zhang Hongyan who didn't want you to come, right? Second brother, you've really made something of yourself, managing to keep a woman in your grasp."
In Xia Hecai's eyes, Zhang Hongyan was a shrew. She was the one who couldn't give birth to a son, yet she blamed her parents for being biased.
They kept nagging and making a fuss about sending Xia Qingqing to school. What's the use of a girl going to school? In the end, she'll still get married.
Which girl doesn't do housework? But Zhang Hongyan is such a troublemaker. It's just that her younger sister asked Qingqing to pour tea or hand her water. It's normal for a junior to serve an elder, but she actually fought with her younger sister over this.
The Xia family must have had eight generations of bad luck to have their second son marry this woman.
Xia Heping didn't like his older brother talking about his wife like that, and his expression turned a little unpleasant: "Brother, if there's nothing else, I'll head back now."
"Second brother, you've really become estranged from the family. Your parents can't even get you to come home for dinner. Will you not even bother to visit them when they're sick in the future?" Xia Hecai's tone was slightly angry, with the air of an older brother reprimanding his younger brother.
But at this moment, he felt a little anxious. He didn't know how his good-tempered second brother had become like this. He must have been controlled by that woman Zhang Hongyan.
If this estrangement continues, they won't get any benefits even if Xia Qingqing marries into the city. He absolutely will not allow such a thing to happen. The Xia family's granddaughter must contribute to the family.
"Brother, what are you saying? How could I possibly abandon our parents?"
“We’ve already separated our families, so let’s not go to the old house to join in the festivities during the New Year,” Xia Heping said before heading straight home.
Does he really not understand at all? If there's no benefit to be gained, is it worth him, the eldest brother, going to so much trouble?
But you can have designs on him, but you can't have designs on his wife and children!
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