Most importantly, Zhou Bingchen could detect a hint of sarcasm in Zhou Dazhu's tone, in addition to his arrogant sense of superiority.
This suggests that at this time, Zhou Dazhu should not have yet colluded with Zhou Fugui.
From Zhou Dazhu's words, Zhou Bingchen extracted a lot of useful information: First, Ding Ermei wrongly accused Zhou Zhenzhu of stealing, and Zhao Zhenzhu went back to her parents' home. Second, Ding Ermei was arrested by the police for some unknown reason. Third, Zhou Fugui's last phone call to him might have been about Ding Ermei's arrest.
"Bingchen! You rarely come home. You should call home more often to check on your parents. They raised you with so much pressure... cough cough cough..." Zhou Dazhu said, but then seemed to realize that what he said was inappropriate and quickly coughed a few times to cover it up.
What are you pressing? Pressure?
Zhou Bingchen found it somewhat strange.
He is his parents' biological son, so shouldn't they raise him? If it's true that having too many siblings puts a lot of pressure on parents, then Zhou Meimei, the youngest sister, is the one who "deserves" Zhou Dazhu's words.
Zhou Fugui has three sons and one daughter.
As the saying goes, "The emperor loves his eldest son, but the common people love their youngest."
Zhou Bingchen was born into a farming family and was the youngest son. However, from childhood to adulthood, Zhou Bingchen never received any preferential treatment from his parents. On the contrary, before he joined the army, he had the lowest status among his siblings.
Zhou Fugui and Ding Ermei would always make Zhou Bingchen do all the dirty and tiring chores around the house.
Zhou Bingqiang is the eldest son, so it seems reasonable for Zhou Fugui and his wife to show some favoritism. However, Zhou Bingxing is the second son!
Zhou Bingxing didn't want to work and could sleep in at home without a care in the world. His younger sister, Zhou Meimei, was spoiled rotten by Ding Ermei and Zhou Fugui. At eighteen years old, she had never even washed a dish at home.
Zhou Bingchen's youngest son was so tired from working the day before that he couldn't get out of bed the next day. Even in the dead of winter, Zhou Fugui would twist Zhou Bingchen's ear and drag him out of bed.
When he was around ten years old, Zhou Bingchen once suspected that he was not the biological son of Zhou Fugui and his wife.
Zhou Fugui had triangular eyes and a bulbous nose; Zhou Bingqiang and Zhou Bingxing's eyes and noses resembled Zhou Fugui's. Ding Ermei had almond-shaped eyes; Zhou Meimei's eyes resembled Ding Ermei's.
Zhou Bingchen, however, had phoenix eyes.
Zhou Bingchen was the most handsome of the four siblings, with deep-set features and a well-defined face; he could be described as a "handsome man."
After learning biology in junior high school, Zhou Bingchen secretly asked several older women in the village for advice.
The older women all say that Zhou Bingchen is Ding Ermei's biological son.
When Ding Ermei gave birth, they went to the Zhou family to help. They witnessed firsthand that Zhou Bingchen was born to Ding Ermei.
That month, only Ding Ermei gave birth in the village. Ding Ermei is Zhou Bingchen's biological mother; there's no way they could be mistaken.
After Zhou Bingchen got married, he noticed that Zhou Fugui and Ding Ermei treated his wife and children indifferently, but he didn't pay much attention. Zhou Bingchen felt that it was probably because he himself didn't please his parents, which had also caused his wife and children to lose their parents' favor.
Before having that strange dream, Zhou Bingchen had long since put aside his childhood suspicions.
Now, because of Zhou Dazhu's "slip of the tongue," Zhou Bingchen has begun to doubt his own background again.
In order to get some information from Zhou Dazhu, Zhou Bingchen and Zhou Dazhu chatted enthusiastically.
Unfortunately, Zhou Dazhu didn't say anything strange after that.
Not long after, Zhou Fugui arrived.
"Bingchen, why are you only calling back today?" Zhou Fugui complained as soon as he opened his mouth.
"Dad, I just got back from a mission and I'm in the hospital now," Zhou Bingchen said.
“I was planning to have you ask someone to plead for your mother that day, but you weren’t there. Your mother is already locked up, so it’s no use having you plead for her now,” Zhou Fugui grumbled.
Zhou Bingchen felt a chill in his heart.
He told his father that he was in the hospital, but his father didn't even say a word of concern.
Why would anyone go to the hospital if he's perfectly fine? Did his dad really think he wouldn't get hurt?
"The person who answered the phone in your unit was very rude. I told him I was your father, and he didn't even say a polite word. He just said he'd call me back when you got back from your mission and then hung up. What's the use of keeping a soldier like that in the army? You might as well send him home to farm." Zhou Fugui didn't notice Zhou Bingchen's silence and complained to him.
“Dad, your son doesn’t have that ability. That’s our regimental commander. If he’s unhappy, he can still send your son home to farm,” Zhou Bingchen said calmly.
"Huh? It's your regimental commander, not a lowly soldier?" Zhou Fugui said somewhat awkwardly.
"Dad, I'm hanging up now if there's nothing else at home. Long-distance calls are a bit expensive," Zhou Bingchen said.
“Wait a minute. Bingchen! You need to write a letter to your wife and teach her a lesson. Your mother only suspected her of stealing some eggs, and she made a huge scene, even taking the child back to her parents' house. And your father-in-law is no good either. I wanted him to find someone to plead for your mother at the police station, but he insisted he didn't know anyone there. I went to his house hungry, and they wouldn't even give me a bowl of noodles or a sip of water,” Zhou Fugui said angrily.
Zhou Fugui had kept these words to himself for a long time.
With Ding Ermei not home, Zhou Bingqiang and Zhou Bingxing, along with their wives and children, have been avoiding Zhou Fugui for the past two days.
Having nowhere to vent his anger, Zhou Fugui couldn't help but vent to Zhou Bingchen on the phone.
"Okay, I understand," Zhou Bingchen replied dismissively.
Zhou Bingchen felt very sorry for him.
Pearl ate an egg, and her mother accused her of stealing it. Has Pearl not even been allowed to eat eggs at home these past few years?
Pearl must have reached her breaking point to take the children back to her parents' home.
"Bingchen, call Zhao Zhenzhu in town later and tell her that if she doesn't come home in a couple of days, you should divorce her." Zhou Fugui made the arrangements as soon as he opened his mouth.
"Dad, I won't divorce Pearl. We're doing just fine!" Zhou Bingchen said, his anger rising, his tone growing even colder.
Zhou Bingchen originally intended to give a few perfunctory "uh-huhs" and "ahs" and then hang up.
Zhou Fugui's words touched a nerve with Zhou Bingchen.
From childhood to adulthood, Zhou Bingchen only felt the warmth of a family after marrying Zhao Zhenzhu.
Zhao Zhenzhu is truly wonderful; capable and virtuous. Whenever she felt wronged by her in-laws, she rarely spoke of it to Zhou Bingchen. The only time she complained was about the ten-yuan allowance.
At that time, Zhou Bingchen was indeed powerless. His rank and years of service were insufficient to arrange for him to accompany the army.
Later, Zhou Bingchen worked tirelessly on tasks in order to get promoted as soon as possible and bring Zhao Zhenzhu and her children to live with him.
With his wish about to come true this year, Zhou Fugui immediately suggested that Zhou Bingchen and Zhao Zhenzhu divorce, but Zhou Bingchen was not about to indulge him.
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