After setting up the cage, Zhao Jixue lay down on the bed and fell fast asleep.
When Zhou Li and Zhao Jifa returned from the sea, they saw that so many pears were missing from the pear tree, and when they went to the kitchen, they saw a table full of leftovers. Zhou Li was furious.
"I don't even dare to expect your brother to remember you and help you make money anymore. Look at what he's done. Does he even treat you like his own brother?"
Zhou Li felt extremely frustrated.
Zhao Jifa remained silent and began packing his things.
Zhou Li opened the cupboard and was even more devastated: "So many eggs are missing! I worked so hard to raise those chickens, and I usually can't even afford to eat them myself. My children don't even have enough to eat. These are meant to be sold for money!"
Their sea voyages weren't very successful; they rarely earned more than thirty or fifty yuan a day. Their boat was also small and dilapidated, so she had to be extremely frugal.
The thought of how hard she had worked, only to have Zhao Jixue come back and ruin everything, made Zhou Li start wiping away tears.
"Your parents are home, and they don't even try to stop me. Does this house belong to me alone? All this scheming is for the children and for you all, sob sob sob..."
Zhou Li became increasingly upset, and she knew that her in-laws harbored resentment towards her.
But she had already done enough. Her parents-in-law were in poor health, and she didn't make them do any work. They just stayed at home and looked after the house. She didn't even make them sweep the yard.
Knowing how difficult her life is, why do they let their youngest son act so recklessly? Isn't that intentional? Why treat her like this?!
"Don't cry, I'll go ask what happened."
Zhao Jifa felt uneasy listening to Zhou Li's words and was very agitated. After he finished speaking, he went straight out of the kitchen to find Zhao Jixue.
His younger brother came back from outside, but he wasn't close to his own brother at all. He had no idea what his brother was doing to make money. He seemed to have a lot of money, but he didn't give much home.
He wouldn't even take fifty yuan, so why is he being so nice to Su Chengguo now?
He invited the Su brothers to dinner hoping they would be taken care of by the Su family, but not only did they refuse, they also wrecked the house, and Zhou Li's ingrown toenail was punctured by their foot. He pinched him a lot that night because of this!
Thinking about all this, Zhao Jifa became even angrier.
Pushing open Zhao Jixue's door, Zhao Jifa saw that he was still asleep. He walked over and nudged Zhao Jixue, coldly questioning, "A-Xue, what exactly do you mean? You refused to come out to sea with us, and you just stayed at home lying down. Why did you eat so much?"
Zhou Li is very strict about these things, and he can't even eat them when he's craving them.
Now there are fewer pears, fewer fish, and fewer eggs. Zhao Jifa gets angrier and angrier as he thinks about it.
Zhao Jixue opened his eyes and sat up. Looking at his older brother like this, he couldn't help but complain: "Brother, you really are something. You let her have her way with everything. Show some manly spirit! She dares to give you a hard time even when you're eating two eggs. She's really spoiled. Mom and Dad are so wronged, and you don't say a word."
Zhao Jixue felt that his older brother was too spineless; Zhou Li had even defecated on his neck, and he didn't even bother to clean up.
"Ah Xue, how can you say that? Your sister-in-law isn't that bad."
Zhao Jifa frowned. He knew perfectly well whether Zhou Li was good or not, but he didn't want to say it out loud, because it would make him seem incompetent, with the family relying entirely on one woman...
"Big brother, what we're giving away now will bring us immense wealth. Once I've made money, I'll build a big house for our family, provide for our parents' retirement, and find you a new wife. I know you're not having an easy time with this tigress."
Zhao Jixue pulled Zhao Jifa to sit down and spoke to him calmly.
“I’m doing something big right now. My parents support me, and you have to support me too. That woman Zhou Li deserves to be taught a lesson. Don’t listen to her in everything. She has no right to make decisions in our family!”
Zhao Jixue looked at Zhao Jifa in silence and felt a little contemptuous. No wonder Zhou Li was taking advantage of him. With his older brother's personality, it was not surprising that Zhou Li would take advantage of him. She was too spineless.
If it were him, he would slap Zhou Li twice to shut her up. He would make sure she didn't dare to point fingers again. She wouldn't dare even if he gave her a hundred lives.
Zhao Jifa frowned, unsure of what to say for a moment.
"Big brother, I'm your own brother. Zhou Li is just an outsider, yet she's bullying our whole family. She's the one trying to sow discord between us brothers. Don't worry, big brother, once I'm successful, how could I not take you with me? It's just not time yet. Let me give you a heads-up: not only will I help you make a lot of money, but I'll also find you a new wife. Let that tigress cry her eyes out!"
"Don't tell that tigress about this. If you can't handle her, I will. Let's see what she dares to say to me. What's wrong with me eating something in my own home? If she's not happy, she can get lost!"
As Zhao Jixue spoke, he patted Zhao Jifa on the shoulder. His older brother was indeed too dull, much like Su Chengguo's older brother. They were both people who couldn't keep quiet for a long time, which was why they were easily manipulated by women!
"I can't argue with you, so forget it. Just apologize to your sister-in-law later and shut her up."
Zhao Jifa paused for a moment before speaking.
The younger brother didn't do well, but he was right about one thing: he had long been dissatisfied with Zhou Li, but he didn't have the ability to divorce her.
If his younger brother can help him do it, that's fine too.
But he didn't say those words.
Zhao Jifa got up and went out. When he returned to the kitchen, Zhou Li was still crying. Zhao Jifa said calmly, "A Xue has admitted his mistake. He will apologize to you later."
After Zhao Jifa finished speaking, he silently got back to work.
Zhou Li wiped away her tears and questioned, "Is admitting your mistake enough?"
Hearing Zhao Jifa's words, Zhou Li's anger did not subside; instead, she became even angrier.
An apology is all it takes to make a clean break; what is the value of all these things?
Does she want an apology?
Looking at the silent Zhao Jifa, Zhou Li felt so frustrated she was about to explode.
"What else can I do? He's my own brother. Do you think I'd fight with him? That would be ridiculous. This house belongs to my parents too. I have no right to complain."
Zhao Jifa was quite helpless; that's just how he is.
Seeing him like this, Zhou Li felt even worse, so she got up and went back to her room.
Zhao Jifa gently spat at Zhou Li's retreating figure and began tidying up to cook.
The children had all come home from school, and Zhao Jixue forbade his nephews and nieces from calling Zhou Li. The family enjoyed a happy meal together.
Zhou Li sat alone in the room, staring blankly as the sky outside gradually darkened. She gave a bitter smile, got up, and went outside.
When she got to the kitchen, the family looked at her like she was a monster. The three children lowered their heads and didn't say a word like quails. Zhou Li walked over and overturned the table...
"You crazy woman, what are you doing!"
Zhao Jixue glared angrily at Zhou Li, and Zhao's parents were startled, lowering their eyes and not daring to look at Zhou Li.
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