Old Zhou took a deep drag on his pipe, the embers flickering, the swirling smoke enveloping his wrinkled face.
He tapped his head, muttered to himself, and strode back to his room, leaving everyone in the main room looking at each other in bewilderment.
Zhong Shuzhen looked at Zhou Xianye and immediately became furious. She started to berate him: "Look at you! For that Su Xiumei, a woman who can't give birth to a son, you're going against your father. What are you thinking?"
Are you determined to drive us two old folks to our deaths?
What, you really want to separate yourself and become a live-in son-in-law in the Meng family?
What kind of spell did Su Xiumei cast on you to make you treat your own parents like this?
You heartless bastard! I raised you with such hardship, and it was all for nothing!
"I'd be better off raising a dog than you; at least a dog knows how to guard the house!"
Zhong Shuzhen's words were like sharp knives, piercing straight at Zhou Xianye.
She stared at the expression on Zhou Xianye's face, knowing very well that this was the son who had crawled out of her womb, and she could guess his thoughts with a high degree of accuracy.
It must be that Su Xiumei and Meng Shuyun, those old hags, brainwashed Zhou Xianye. Otherwise, how could Zhou Xianye, who is usually so easy to fool, suddenly have the idea of splitting up the family property?
The Meng family is no good family; they're all money-losing. No wonder Su Xiumei hasn't been able to give birth to a son even after so many years of marriage.
Zhou Xianye was so angry at his mother's words that he trembled all over. He suddenly stood up, his eyes red, and shouted: "I don't care what you think. I will raise my wife and daughter myself. I don't need your consent!"
I will never come back. I will move out with Xiumei and the children, and I will no longer send money home.
"I'll give Xianchuan exactly what he gives me each month as a token of filial piety, not a penny more!"
After saying that, Zhou Xianye slammed the door shut in a huff and strode out. The door made a loud "bang" behind him, which made everyone in the main room tremble.
Zhong Shuzhen seemed to have all her strength drained away, and she collapsed onto the stool with a thud.
With trembling fingers, she pointed at Zhou Xianye's departing figure and shouted angrily, "Zhou Xianye, you heartless ingrate! If you leave, don't ever step foot in this house again!"
Wu Fang, standing to the side, darted her eyes around, secretly plotting something.
If Zhou Xianye really doesn't come back, then wouldn't her miscarriage have been for nothing?
That won't do. Even if I don't get a hundred yuan, fifty yuan is better than nothing!
She quickly stepped forward, took Zhong Shuzhen's arm, and advised, "Mother, Zhou Xianye is just angry. Don't argue with him."
Xiaoli and Xiaojuan are not young anymore. If we coax them back and raise them for two years, we can get a lot of dowry in return.
If Zhou Xianye really becomes a live-in son-in-law, wouldn't all those two good-for-nothings have been wasted on us for all these years?
Do you agree with this logic?
If you just give them a word of advice and coax those two girls back, then you can find Xianye a woman who can give birth to a son. That way, he can earn money and have a son at the same time. Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?
If we send them back now, we'll lose both our money and our people.
Upon hearing this, Zhong Shuzhen slapped her thigh and exclaimed in sudden realization, "Yes!"
How far has that brat Zhou Xianye gone?
I have to go and bring him back.
Xiaoli and Xiaojuan are people we've raised for so many years; we can't just let them fall into the hands of outsiders."
Zhong Shuzhen rushed out in a flurry, already planning which matchmaker she would go to when she returned.
Although the two girls were a bit young and might not fetch as much money, little girls were highly sought after at that time.
Anyway, I'll get married sooner or later, so getting married earlier will save the family some food.
Meanwhile, Zhou Xianye returned to his room, hastily packed a couple of clothes, and hurriedly left.
He made up his mind that he would never come back to this home again.
He thought that Su Xiumei and her two children were living quite well at his mother-in-law's house, and that if he sent them living expenses every month, they would have enough to eat and drink.
If he works hard at his job for another year, he can get on the waiting list for a house once he reaches the required seniority. Then, he and his family of four can live a good life together.
Just as he was lost in thought, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind him: "Hey, you brat, why are you walking so fast?"
Are you in a hurry to be reincarnated?
"I have something to tell you, don't go yet."
Zhou Xianye turned around and saw his panting mother standing behind him.
He originally wanted to ignore her and walk away, but after all, she was his own mother. He felt uneasy leaving her like that, so he had no choice but to stop and urge her, "Mom, what else do you want to say? If you don't agree to Xiaoli and Xiaojuan going to school, then there's nothing more to say."
Zhong Shuzhen gasped for breath, finally catching her breath. She slapped Zhou Xianye hard on the back and scolded him angrily, "Is this how you talk to your mother!"
"Don't they have any respect for their elders?!"
After scolding them, she suddenly realized that she had come to persuade them, and quickly tried to make amends, saying, "I didn't say that the two sisters definitely couldn't go to school."
Xianye, as you know, our family isn't well-off. It's really hard to support two children in school all at once!
We don't object to you wanting both children to go to school, but you'll have to figure out the tuition yourself.
Your father and I are practically half-buried in the ground. We can only grow some vegetables in the field to eat ourselves. How can we possibly earn any money? You know that, right?
When Zhou Xianye heard that his mother had relented, his eyes lit up. He asked again in disbelief, "Mom, is what you said true? I'll find a way to pay for Xiaoli and Xiaojuan's tuition. You don't need to worry about it."
Zhong Shuzhen's eyes darted around. Since she didn't have to pay out of her own pocket, what harm was there in verbally agreeing?
She said, "As long as you can afford the tuition, I won't object."
She took out two yuan and put it into Zhou Xianye's pocket.
"This time, Su Xiumei and her mother were indeed in the wrong. They kicked Xianchuan's wife's son out. Think about it yourself, it's only right that they pay some compensation."
Go and bring those two girls back this time. They are our Zhou family's granddaughters after all. What's the point of them always staying at their parents' house?
Now all the housework, both inside and outside, falls on my shoulders. Look at my hands, they're all swollen from being soaked in water."
Zhong Shuzhen put on a pitiful act in front of Zhou Xianye, using this trick to manipulate him. She knew this trick always worked.
Looking at his mother's hands, Zhou Xianye saw that they were indeed cracked and swollen, and a complex emotion welled up in his eyes.
He touched the two yuan in his pocket and said, "As long as you keep your word, I'll go and bring the mother and her two children back right now."
Zhong Shuzhen raised her hand, about to say that there was no need to bring Su Xiumei back, and that she would find Zhou Xianye another woman who could have a son.
But then he thought, if Su Xiumei came back, she could do all the housework, and he could have some free time. He could also find husbands for the two girls.
So, he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
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