The atmosphere at the dinner table was unusually quiet. Zhan Chunlan had thought that the scene at the Liang family's house during the day would be a hot topic at the dinner table, but instead, everyone ate in silence.
Are these people really that well-mannered? Their sense of morality is so strong! They don't even gossip about the neighbors? She's almost unworthy of them… *sobs*
Zhan Zhiqiang and Xu Lixia both had stern faces, looking like someone owed them millions. They were probably going through menopause, or maybe they were tired of being treated like servants outside and came home to be treated like royalty to change their mood.
"Zhan Chunlan, pack your things and go back to your hometown in a couple of days."
Xu Lixia immediately targeted Zhan Chunlan. Are you kidding me? Why am I being sent back to my hometown for no reason? Is she trying to send me to the countryside? There's no benefit in that!
"Why? I'm not going back." This hometown isn't a good place anyway; if you want to go back, go back yourself.
“Your grandma fell and broke her leg while gathering firewood on the mountain. She needs someone to take care of her.” When someone contradicted her, Xu Lixia’s tone became even more unpleasant.
"With so many people at home, why should I go back to take care of them?" The countryside, the sick, and the elderly—she's already got all the advantages. She's not the same submissive little pitiful person she used to be. She's not going back!
"You have to go whether you like it or not. You'd better pack your own things, or I'll tie you up and put you in the car. I won't be packing your things then." Xu Lixia gave her an ultimatum.
She was already annoyed lately. The old lady had been fractured for a while, and when she first arrived at the hospital, Uncle Zhan would often call Zhan Zhiqiang asking for money. He would ask for a check-up today, medicine tomorrow, a nutritious meal the day after, and also for a change of clothes, needing to stay in a guesthouse to take care of her, and having no one at home to work so they couldn't afford food... He always had so many reasons to ask for money.
Xu Lixia refused, and the result was:
"Zhan Zhiqiang, are you even human? Isn't that old lady your mother? What's wrong with asking you to contribute some money? We take care of her every day, working hard and worrying about her. You only offer money and keep making excuses. This is unfilial, do you understand?"
Uncle Zhan was indignant on the phone, and from his tone, it seemed as if Zhan Zhiqiang had really done something extremely unfilial.
“You’re the eldest. We didn’t ask you to come back and see your mother. We just asked you to give her some money so she could take good care of herself. You’re not short of money, are you? Didn’t this money even reach us? In the end, it all went to the old lady, didn’t it?”
Zhan Laosan's tone was also unpleasant; since they hadn't seen any money, they wouldn't hear a single kind word from them.
"Big brother, you're busy with work, don't worry about me. I'm fine on my own. Your younger brother and sister are taking good care of me. It's just... I plan to go home and recuperate. I can't stay in the hospital anymore..."
Grandma Zhan used a strategy of retreat to advance, but her main point was simply: she wanted money!
Zhan Zhiqiang and Xu Lixia can only give money once, once for each phone call. You think you can give them more at once? They'll only remember that short period. That same night, the money is gone again, and they'll keep asking for more!
After the old lady's bones were set at the hospital, it was the two sisters-in-law's turn to call her frequently. After all, they were the ones who took care of her during her recovery period. They were truly filial children and grandchildren. Even just glancing at her occasionally was a sign of their devotion.
Their reasoning was simple: the old lady needs someone to take care of her, and since we've done our part, you have to pay for it. Furthermore, because we're taking care of her, we can't work, so you have to pay for that too, otherwise the old lady won't be able to afford food.
Anyway, the Zhan family has spent about 200 yuan on the old lady's fracture, and now they are using the excuse of taking care of her to ask for more money.
Xu Lixia knew they would never be satisfied. Since Zhan Hongyu was born, they had finally found an opportunity to ask for money openly and legitimately, so how could they be satisfied?
But she didn't want to give it to them. Didn't they say her family hadn't done anything to take care of the old lady? Now she's sending Zhan Chunlan back to her hometown to take care of the old lady, let's see what they have to say then.
Zhan Chunlan is unhappy... Zhan Chunlan doesn't want to go... Zhan Chunlan has to go!
Zhan Chunlan: Does nobody really care about my feelings?
Lying in bed, Zhan Chunlan "tossed and turned," which specifically refers to a state because her "bed" did not allow her to toss and turn.
There's no turning back now that we're taking care of the elderly woman in the countryside. So how can we maximize the value of this endeavor?
She suddenly thought of someone and dragged him along. Not only would he go, but he would also go with immense gratitude towards her! Oh ho ho ho ho ho, I'm such a genius!
The next day, Zhan Chunlan still went to school, but unfortunately, she didn't see the person she wanted to see. Could it be that she was going to go to his house?
At the school gate, Zhan Chunlan saw Xiao Cheng's mother, Ms. Fang Yun, who stood straight in the cold wind, her gaze following the students at the gate.
She was unaware that Xiao Cheng had skipped class to go see Luo Shan.
Sigh—why are people in this world always so persistent in pursuing what they can't have? Some people can easily have everything that others dream of, yet they don't know how to cherish it and are always going around in circles with misplaced desires.
She hesitated for a moment, then finally stepped forward and greeted Xiao's mother.
Ms. Fang Yun was a gentle yet determined person. When she heard from Zhan Chunlan that the girl was Xiao Cheng's classmate, she naturally felt more favorably towards her. Seeing the girl's rather thin figure and her shorter stature (a head shorter than Xiao Cheng), she felt a pang of sympathy.
Perhaps it was this feeling of heartache that made Ms. Fang Yun unusually talkative, mainly nagging about Xiao Cheng.
After listening, Zhan Chunlan felt that Xiao Cheng had never experienced the harsh realities of society. In the future, young people would be beaten bloody as soon as they graduate from university. Who would want to suffer?
Zhan Chunyun didn't stand on ceremony, which was also the purpose of her visit today: "Aunt Fang, there is a neighbor in our family compound who is very ambitious. When the call for educated youth to go to the countryside was first issued, he volunteered to go and build the motherland."
"He was quite famous in our area back then. The neighborhood committee gave him a big red flower to commend his deeds and even put up a banner in the residential compound. At that time, many of our peers in the compound were envious, and several of them secretly signed up to go to the countryside without telling their families."
"And guess what? Less than a month later, he called home wanting to come back, but it's not that easy to come back. There's nothing he can do, so he's still stuck in the countryside."
This story struck a chord with Fang Yun. She was also worried about Xiao Cheng, who didn't understand the countryside at all, nor did he know the consequences of his choice. He was just driven by enthusiasm and wanted to go to the countryside with his girlfriend.
But once he actually gets to live in the countryside, will he really be able to accept that kind of life?
If they really persevere, then they are a good kid.
Even if he can't hold on, his family can find a way to help him come back. She and her husband can just give him their jobs.
But what she was most worried about was that her simple-minded son would be tricked into doing something foolish by that girl when he went to the countryside alone.
Fang Yun enjoyed listening to her talk. If it weren't for the cold weather, she would have pulled her along to continue, saying, "Classmate Zhan, you can come to my house with Xiao Cheng to play in the future. Can you help me persuade him?"
Zhan Chunlan looked regretful: "Aunt Fang, I'm going back to my hometown the day after tomorrow to take care of my grandma. When I come back, I'll bring you some local specialties, all of them delicious. I'm sure you'll like them."
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