Chapter Twenty-Four: He can pack his bags and move to his father-in-law's house to become his son-in-law!
Zhong Chengyi also peeked into the kitchen: "Yes, Mom, I'm starving."
Zhang Chunxue slowly emerged from the kitchen, wiped her hands, and her face revealed no emotion.
“Oh, Mingli’s life-saving fish soup was completely devoured by your older brother, his wife, and his son. I was thinking that since she’s sick, she can’t go without food, so I stewed another pot for her. Before I knew it, it had taken up a lot of time.”
Upon hearing this, Zhong Chengren's face darkened instantly.
He didn't feel particularly sorry for Zhou Mingli, that sickly girl, but his older brother Zhong Chengfa's actions were just too outrageous!
Even if the fish soup was meant for Zhou Mingli, it was still family property. Why did he secretly drink it? And now his whole family is starving!
"My brother is such a scoundrel! How could he do such a thing?" Zhong Chengren said angrily, feeling that he had also lost face.
Zhang Chunxue's lips curled up slightly, and she said calmly, "Perhaps... your older brother doesn't take you, his younger brother, seriously at all."
These words were like a needle, piercing Zhong Chengren's heart.
He felt a tightness in his chest; his older brother was clearly disrespecting him!
Zhong Chengyi, who was listening nearby, sensed something was off about what she was saying and quickly tugged at Zhang Chunxue's sleeve: "Mom, what you're saying, how will my eldest and second brothers not feel resentful after hearing it?"
Zhang Chunxue glanced at him, feigning surprise: "Oh? Really? That's really bad."
She said that, but she was secretly overjoyed.
She was hoping her troublesome sons would cause trouble and turn against each other, since none of them were good people!
Just then, footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate.
Zhong Chengfa returned carrying a bamboo basket, his trousers covered in mud and his face glistening with sweat, looking utterly disheveled.
Inside the bamboo basket, two palm-sized crucian carp were still thrashing about.
When Zhong Chengren saw his cowardly appearance, he rolled his eyes and turned his head away, but did not lash out on the spot.
Zhang Chunxue took the fish and kept it in a basin of water on the side, planning to cook it for Zhou Mingli again tomorrow.
Before long, the food was served, and everyone was called out to eat.
Zhang Chunxue scooped out a large bowl, full of fish and thick soup, and carefully placed it in front of Zhou Mingli.
"Mingli, this bowl is all yours. Drink it while it's hot and nourish your body."
Zhou Mingli leaned weakly against the bedding, looking at the large bowl of fish soup, feeling both flattered and uneasy.
"Mom... this is too much, how about... we share some with everyone?" she said softly, glancing timidly at the others at the table.
Zhang Chunxue's face hardened, and she interrupted her directly: "What are you talking about dividing it up! This was originally made just for you! They're all big and strong, in good health, they don't need to drink this!"
Zhong Chengren watched from the side, the snow-white, thick fish soup emitting an irresistible aroma, making his Adam's apple bob and his mouth almost water.
His eyes darted around, and he put on a friendly smile, saying, "Mom, look, there's so much soup. Mingli is weak, she probably can't finish it all by herself. How about... I help share some?"
Zhang Chunxue's gaze swept over them suddenly: "Oh? You want to drink too? What, do you also want to do what your older brother did, squat on that cold riverbank all night, and catch fish for Mingli again?"
Upon hearing this, Zhong Chengren shrank back sharply, his greedy expression instantly freezing, and he shook his head vigorously: "No, no, no! Mom, that's not what I meant! This soup is for Mingli to drink alone, to nourish her body! I don't even want a drop!"
Zhang Chunxue then shifted her gaze from him to Zhou Mingli on the kang (heated brick bed), her voice unusually gentle: "Mingli, don't listen to them. This soup is made just for you, you have to drink every last drop. Only when you're healthy can you have the strength, and Yuanyuan is still waiting for you to breastfeed her."
Hearing this, and looking at the large bowl of fish soup in front of her that was emitting a rich aroma, Zhou Mingli felt a sudden pang of sadness and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.
Mother-in-law... Mother-in-law really feels sorry for her, she feels sorry for Yuanyuan.
She choked up for a moment, nodded, picked up the spoon, and sipped the warm fish soup. The soup slid down her throat, warming her stomach and her heart.
The room fell silent for a moment, with only the soft sound of Zhou Mingli drinking soup.
Zhong Chengyi shoveled a couple of mouthfuls of rice before belatedly realizing that someone was missing. He looked up and asked, puzzled, "Mom, where are my sister-in-law and Hongqing? Why didn't I see them come out to eat?"
Zhang Chunxue picked up a piece of green vegetable with her chopsticks and chewed it slowly and deliberately, as if she were talking about something extremely ordinary: "Oh, Li Hongjuan."
She didn't even lift her eyelids, and said indifferently, "She's greedy. She and Zhong Hongqing stole and drank all of your sister-in-law's nourishing fish soup. I couldn't stand it, so I kicked her out. Tomorrow, I'll have Chengfa take her to town to get the divorce papers processed."
"Clang!" Zhong Chengren's chopsticks fell onto the table.
Zhong Chengyi was so shocked that his mouth was agape enough to fit an egg.
Zhou Mingli was so shocked that she stopped drinking her soup and stared at Zhang Chunxue in disbelief.
Divorce?!
Just because of... a bowl of fish soup?
The room was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.
Zhong Chengren and Zhong Chengyi looked at each other, both seeing deep shock and confusion in each other's eyes.
That's a bit too much of a temper!
It took Zhong Chengyi a while to find his voice. He spoke hesitantly, his tone somewhat cautious.
"Mom...no, it can't be that bad, can it?"
"This... for a bowl of fish soup, they'd make my brother and sister-in-law divorce? That's just too... cough cough!"
"You went through so much trouble to get my brother and his wife. If they get divorced, all the dowry money you gave to the Li family will be wasted. And if you try to find another wife for my brother, it will cost you a lot of money again!"
Zhang Chunxue, her face cold, put down her chopsticks and glanced at Zhong Chengyi. "We really can't afford someone like Li Hongjuan! Knowing that my sister-in-law is so seriously ill, she still managed to finish a whole pot of fish soup. What's the point of having such a selfish person? To keep her around and let her continue to harm our family?"
Zhong Chengyi shrank back and muttered softly, "But... if we get divorced, won't my older brother be left without a wife...?"
Zhang Chunxue snorted and raised her eyebrows: "If he really can't bear to part with his wife, I won't stop him. He can pack his bags and move to his father-in-law's house to live with him! I'd love for that!"
As soon as the words were spoken, no one dared to utter another sound.
Even Zhong Chengren, who usually loves to talk back, only dared to lower his head and eat his rice, not daring to say a word.
After all, everyone knows that if their mother says something, she really does it. Which man in the village hasn't been brought to tears by her scolding before?
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