Not long after Xia Jiashun left, Xia Heping saw his parents and older brother. He couldn't help but be surprised, wondering what day it was that they were coming to visit one after another.
"Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, you've come!" Xia Heping smiled and greeted the three of them.
Xia Hecai smiled broadly: "Second brother, why didn't you tell your older brother that you were going to build a house? He could have come and helped out."
Grandma Xia rolled her eyes and complained, "Don't you even care about us, your parents? You didn't even tell us about something as important as building a house."
“Your mother is right, second son. You’ve been so insensible this time. Even if the family has split up, we’re still your parents. How could you not tell us?” Old Man Xia shook his head in disappointment, his tone full of reproach for his son.
After a barrage of accusations, both overt and covert, Xia Heping could barely maintain his smile: "Father, Mother, did you come here just to lecture your son?"
"Second son, what do you mean by that? Can't I even say a few words to your old mother? I've raised such an ungrateful wretch! God, why is my life so miserable?" Old Mrs. Xia said, pounding her chest and stamping her feet, constantly muttering that Xia Heping was unfilial.
Xia Heping, his face grim, said to Old Man Xia:
"Father, what exactly are you and Mother trying to do? Why make such a scene and let everyone know that I, Xia Heping, am an unfilial son? What good will that do you?"
Old Man Xia silently looked at his second son, sighing inwardly. This son, who had always been obedient and well-behaved since childhood, had now grown up and was out of control.
He softened his tone and said, "Second son, your mother and I heard that you're going to build a house, so we came to ask if there's anything we can help with."
Xia Heping smiled wryly: "I'm sorry to trouble you two to remember your son. There's nothing I can help you with here. Please go back."
"Old woman, stop making a fuss. Since our second son doesn't need our help, let's go back first," Old Man Xia winked at his wife.
Grandma Xia, who was pretending to cry, immediately stopped and pretended to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes before speaking.
"Second brother, you haven't given me my filial piety money for this month yet. Give it to me now, so you don't have to send it over next time."
Xia Heping has been busy with house construction these past few days and has completely forgotten about giving money as a filial gift.
Hearing the old lady mention it, he took out a handful of small bills from his pocket and was about to count out 3 yuan to give to the old lady when the old lady snatched the money from his hand.
Grandma Xia spat on her hand: "I'll count them myself."
Hmph, this second son is getting more and more cunning. He pretends to be poor and has no money, and he won't even give her and the old man a few dollars as a filial gift. But now he's quietly planning to build a new house.
Grandma Xia quickly counted the money in her hand, a total of 6 yuan and 35 fen, and she openly put it into her pocket:
"It's less than 5 yuan here, so let's leave it at that and you can pay the rest next month."
"..." Xia Heping was so angry that he couldn't speak. How could he not know exactly how much money he had in his own pocket? But once the money was in the old lady's pocket, it was impossible to take it out again.
However, it's still necessary to make things clear: "Mom, this money totals 6.35 yuan, and it's included with next month's filial piety allowance for you."
The old lady spat angrily: "You're about to build a new house, and you're arguing with your old mother over a few dollars? We agreed on 5 dollars a month, but you only give me 3 dollars a month. Is this how a son should act?"
Xia Heping retorted, "Mother, if each of us brothers gives you 3 yuan a month, that's 9 yuan a month, and 108 yuan a year. Add that to the food, and that's enough for you and Dad."
In the countryside, a large family's annual expenses don't even exceed 100 yuan. Moreover, the old man and woman still insist on working in the fields and are still able to support themselves. No one in the entire brigade is more content than the two old people.
Of course, this is on the premise that the eldest and third sons also honestly give filial piety money every month. However, Xia Heping knows that this is impossible. It's already good enough that his mother doesn't subsidize his eldest brother's family. How could she possibly ask his eldest brother for money?
Xia Hecai, who had been standing to the side, watched silently without saying a word. When he heard Xia Heping mention the matter of giving money as a sign of respect, he became even more afraid to speak.
After finally seeing the three off, Xia Heping felt even more tired than after a day of farm work. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and saw his wife looking at him with a smile on her face.
Zhang Hongyan said jokingly, "How come you've suddenly become so capable? You sent that person away without me even lifting a finger. I thought you couldn't handle it."
Xia Heping coughed lightly, a little embarrassed, "Wife, you've worked so hard before."
He used to be weak-willed. If it weren't for Zhang Hongyan standing up for him, his family might be in a terrible state right now.
"Let's not talk about the unpleasant things from the past. Go and help with the work," Zhang Hongyan said calmly, but she was actually quite pleased. Who doesn't like to hear nice words?
Whether life is good or bad, as long as this man knows how to cherish her, she is content.
Xia Hezhi, who was working diligently in the backyard, saw Xia Heping return and quickly came over: "Second brother, did Mother just come over? What did she come over for?"
He had just heard his mother's signature wailing, which she would do whenever she was unhappy; it was one of her specialties.
"Yeah, I just came to take a look, and I've already gone back," Xia Heping said, looking like he didn't want to say anything more.
Xia Hezhi sighed, his tone tinged with complaint: "Mother is always so biased, as if only my eldest brother is her biological son. Fortunately, we've separated the family now."
Xia Heping glanced at his younger brother indifferently. He had separated from the family early on, so he really didn't know how Old Madam Xia was at home. But judging from his younger brother's tone, he probably harbored some resentment.
I just hope that my older brother can really take good care of our parents when they get old.
There used to be a family in the brigade where an elderly couple blatantly favored their younger son and relentlessly exploited their older son, just because the younger son had given birth to two grandsons. In the end, when the elderly couple became too old to work, the younger son didn't care about their well-being at all, and the older son was heartbroken. In the end, the elderly couple lived a miserable old age.
"Let's not talk about these things anymore, let's get back to work," Xia Heping patted Xia Hezhi on the shoulder.
Xia Hezhi smiled happily. After spending the past two days together, he felt that he and his second brother had become closer. As long as he continued to work hard, he would eventually gain his second brother's approval.
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