After dinner, everyone was stuffed again.
Even Wangcai, who was under the table, was tired of gnawing on crab shells.
The cook didn't wash the dishes, so Boss Fu and Ye Xiaocui took the dishes to the kitchen. Fu Ming swept the floor, otherwise, with so many bones, it would attract mice at night.
After the family finished eating, they washed up and went to their room. Qin Anning and Fu Wan slept in the same room. They were moving into their new house in the next couple of days, and it was okay since it was cold and they were all squeezed together.
While everything here was peaceful and harmonious, Yu Guixiang at Fu Dazhi's house was still filled with worry.
“Mother, there’s nothing we can do about our third son’s condition. You know I have to support the family too, where would we get the money to take him to the hospital…”
Fu Dazhi's two older brothers squatted by the gate with their arms crossed. It was Fu Dazhi's second brother, Fu Dayong, who spoke, while the eldest brother, Fu Dajun, scratched his head and remained silent.
They felt sorry for their third brother, but they really couldn't afford to pay for his medical treatment.
With the Lunar New Year just around the corner, the family only has a little savings left. They plan to send their child to school after the holiday, but if they run out of money, their wives will start arguing with them when they get home.
“You useless bunch, I could never count on you for anything before, and now that your brother is like this, you won’t give him a single penny. What kind of older brothers are you?”
"Mother, it's not that I can't afford it..."
Fu Dajun hurriedly tried to explain, but Yu Guixiang's eyebrows shot up immediately. "If you're not refusing to pay, then what are you standing here for? Hurry up and go back and get the money!"
Fu Dajun scratched his head. His family's money wasn't earned by him alone; his wife also earned a considerable amount by going to the beach to mend fishing nets and selling vegetables.
If they both have money together, how can he explain it to his wife if he takes all of it?
It's almost Chinese New Year, and I haven't even bought any New Year's goods for my family yet...
Fu Dajun's head was spinning from thinking about all this, and he turned to look at Fu Dayong.
Fu Dayong was a bit tougher than him. Seeing his mother like this, he immediately stood up to argue.
"Mother, to be honest, it's not that we don't want to help him, but he hasn't paid back the money he borrowed from us before."
He didn't earn much carrying heavy loads at the dock, and he would ask me for money every time he saw me. Once he got the money, he would go to the next village to gamble.
I told you long ago that he was bound to get into trouble sooner or later, and you see, I was right!
Besides, he didn't believe Fu Dazhi had gone mad; he was too cunning to believe Fu was faking it.
Fu Dayong's rapid-fire explanation made Fu Dajun nod in agreement. This was precisely why he didn't want to hand over the money. Fu Dazhi had borrowed a lot of money from him before, and now that he was asking again, he didn't dare go home to get more.
Taking this money out is like throwing a meat bun to a dog—it's gone forever!
Yu Guixiang never expected that the two brothers would think that way, and immediately clutched her chest and collapsed to the ground.
"Good, good! You two are worse than animals! Your brother is in this state, and you're still thinking about the money you had before."
How could you be so heartless? Why didn't the Goddess Mazu take you away?!
Upon hearing this, Fu Dajun's face immediately darkened, while Fu Dayong curled his lip in disapproval.
Wasn't it money he borrowed before? The third brother lent him fifteen yuan, which he earned by working himself to the bone at the dock for a whole month.
Anyway, he had promised his wife when he came out that he didn't have any money, but everything else was negotiable.
There's no other way; he still has two kids to support!
Yu Guixiang's wailing and howling had no effect, but it did wake up Fu Dazhi, who was sleeping in the room.
He opened his eyes and looked at the familiar rooftop, momentarily unable to tell whether he was dreaming or in reality.
He only sat up when he heard Yu Guixiang's familiar cries.
He actually came back?
More than half a month later, he really came back on his own!
Upon realizing this fact, Fu Dazhi became somewhat excited and wanted to get out of bed.
Who would have thought that as soon as his feet touched the ground, he had no strength left and fell straight off the bed.
In a flash, he felt dizzy and even disoriented, as if he had returned to the dark mine.
Apart from the light bulbs used for lighting, the cave was filled with numb miners.
And then there's the scarred man who could whip them at any moment.
"Hey, what's that noise coming from inside?"
Fu Dayong was closest to the window in Fu Dazhi's room. Hearing the noise, he peeked through the window and was surprised to find Fu Dazhi lying stiffly on the ground.
"Mother, the third son has fallen to the ground!"
Oh no, this is really stupid!
Upon hearing this, Yu Guixiang immediately jumped up and ran into the room.
"My son, why did you fall to the ground!"
"My poor son, how could you be so miserable!"
Yu Guixiang helped Fu Dazhi up, and Fu Dazhi instinctively shrank back.
His eyes were vacant as he stared at Yu Guixiang's opening and closing mouth, and it took him a long time to react.
Oh, it's his mother who's talking!
Yes, he went home!
"Mother... is there any food...?"
"Food? Yes, yes, yes, wait here, I'll have your older brother go get it!"
Hearing that Fu Dazhi had actually spoken, Yu Guixiang was extremely excited and immediately turned around and ordered Fu Dajun to get some food.
"Boss, hurry up and get something to eat. Your brother is hungry. Get more, I'm hungry too!"
Fu Dajun instinctively walked towards the door, but after taking a couple of steps, he realized what was happening.
"Mom, where am I supposed to get food? Does Third Brother have any in the kitchen?"
"You idiot, you'd obviously take it from your own house! Your third brother hasn't cooked in ages, and that woman Li Fang took everything. Where's he going to eat?"
After saying that, she started cursing Li Fang again. Hearing his wife's name, Fu Dazhi came to his senses. Yu Guixiang's cursing sounded somewhat annoying to him.
But when he heard that Li Fang had gone back to her parents' home after he left, his face instantly turned gloomy again.
That bitch! She didn't even stay home for him, and she dared to go back to her parents' house!
Fu Dayong watched as Fu Dazhi's expression changed from bewilderment to ruthlessness. Good heavens, even the expressions of actors at a temple fair weren't this varied.
Moreover, Fu Dazhi is different now than when he came back. He reasonably suspects that his third son has really gone crazy.
When Fu Dajun returned with a few cornbread buns and half a bowl of cabbage, Yu Guixiang saw him and started scolding him again.
She didn't know that her eldest daughter-in-law had gone to the beach to harvest oysters today, and she refused to believe that they would be eating cabbage tonight!
Despite the complaints, I was genuinely hungry.
Fu Dazhi took three of the steamed buns and then wolfed them down.
While eating, Fu Dazhi somehow pulled a hair out of the cornbread. He stared at the hair for a while, and then suddenly started yelling and crying at the same time.
"Big Leper! It's Big Leper! They ate Big Leper!"
Immediately afterwards, he forcefully threw the cornbread in his hand away, and then crawled to the corner under the bed, trembling.
"They're here, they're here. They've caught and eaten the big leper..."
Fu Dayong and Fu Dajun were dumbfounded. "Big Leper... no way?"
Good heavens, it seems like the third brother has really gone mad!
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