Coincidentally, Shen Yu's classmate, County Magistrate Luo, came to Yanchong Commune to inspect the infrastructure of the hydropower station, and he stopped by Linshui Village. Unexpectedly, he really saw Shen Yu and Meng Tao and their wife at home. The old classmates had a few drinks at the gathering, and Shen Yu went to the infrastructure construction site with County Magistrate Luo, and they spent the whole day there.

The next day, another incident happened. Brother Jinniu was summoned by the court of Naliang Commune because Geng Liuju from Liuzhuang sued him for being disobedient and unfilial and for not supporting his elderly parents.

Brother Taurus was so angry that he cried. His thoughts were still very simple now. He thought that only bad people would go to court, but he was actually sent to court by his own grandmother, who totally ignored the fact that his reputation would be ruined and he would have a hard time living. Besides being sad, the last bit of family affection in his heart was completely broken.

Shen Yu drove Jinniu to the court and told him some legal knowledge on the way. With Bao Dongmei's company, encouragement and comfort throughout the whole process, Jinniu felt better.

In fact, it was just a formality. After the mediator's mediation, the court's judgment was very fair: Geng Liuju's four sons were all alive and able to work, and the four sons should fulfill their obligation to support Geng Liuju; and Jinniu, as a grandson, only needed to fulfill his filial piety to the best of his ability.

Jinniu did this. Not to mention that he was filial to Geng Liuju when he lived in Meng's house in Liuzhuang, he basically gave her five yuan and one or two kilograms of candy and snacks every month in the past three months. He didn't give her money and things three months ago because he was still recovering from his injuries and couldn't afford it.

As for what Geng Liuju said, that she raised Jinniu since childhood, this is not true, because Meng Jinniu's father Meng Laifu is still alive and is the main labor force in the family. It should be Meng Laifu who raised Jinniu, and it is the obligation of parents to raise their children. In the future, when Meng Laifu is old, Jinniu will also have the obligation to support him.

Geng Liuju sued Jinniu, demanding that Jinniu return to Liuzhuang to accompany and support her until the end of her life, but her request was rejected.

Coming out of the court, Jinniu strode forward without even looking at Geng Liuju who was crying and howling behind him. Seven or eight male and female relatives from the Meng and Geng families surrounded Jinniu and tried to hold him back, but he easily pushed them away. Two young men were so strong that they were almost knocked over by Jinniu. The group of people didn't dare to do that anymore and were a little surprised: Jinniu used to be quite strong, but he had just broken his leg and healed not long ago, how come he became stronger than before? Geng Caiyue chased after Jinniu and wanted to talk to him, but was stopped by Bao Dongmei, who scolded her.

The three returned home and told Meng Tao what happened in court. Jinniu swore that he would never set foot in the Meng family of Liuzhuang again in his life. That family was too capable, especially Geng Liuju, who was so sinister that she would not be satisfied until she destroyed him.

Meng Tao sighed. The old saying was right: a bad woman ruins three generations. Meng Changshou's marriage to Geng Liuju really made the Meng family a mess.

Thinking about the consequences of Meng Changshou, he came to Linshui Village early the next morning and said to Jinniu:

"Don't pay attention to your grandma, she's crazy! I don't know about suing you in court. Your fourth uncle and I have been helping relatives build houses in Wang Village for quite a while. If I were at home, she would dare to do it! A while ago, Jin Gang brought a girl home, and she scolded the girl away. She insisted that Jin Gang wait to marry Geng Caiyun, and now Jin Gang refuses to go home. She also wants Jin Lin to marry Caiyue, and your second uncle and second aunt are so angry that they want to separate the family... I finally understand that this crazy woman can ruin my Meng family for her mother's family!"

Jinniu was really numb to the affairs of the old Meng family. He just listened without saying anything. Meng Tao also watched speechlessly: What did you do long ago? Is it useful to understand it now? Before returning to the provincial capital, the educated youth prepared wine and food for Shen Yu and Meng Tao as a farewell banquet.

Brother Jinniu said that he would catch two piglets in the spring and raise them, and then when he came back for the Spring Festival next year, he would have the New Year pigs to slaughter.

Before leaving, Aunt Yang, Aunt Bao, and Lin Erhu and Lin Dagang's families sent a lot of things, including dried vegetables, dried radishes, dried tofu, vermicelli, etc., all carefully selected. I couldn't refuse, so I accepted them all.

I drove myself and didn't plan to stay overnight in Mengzhou City. I also wouldn't disturb the Zhang family if I passed the county town. First, Meng Tao had visited Zhang's father and mother when she came back before, and second, I didn't want to make Zhang brother cry. Zhang brother really loved Xiao Wangcai. He was so happy when he saw him, and his eyes were full of tears when they parted.

Zhang Fu also brought back a few dogs for him to raise, but Zhang Di didn't want any of them, saying that he only liked Xiao Wangcai. This was a difficult problem because Xiao Wangcai didn't like him and despised him. When he was a child, he was chased around the yard by Zhang Di, making a mess. It was a deep impression that he couldn't forget.

It was dinner time when the couple returned to the provincial capital and went to the Qianjin Steel Plant. The door was open, and when they entered the room they saw the windows were wide open and the lights were on, but Director Shen was not there. There was half a cup of leftover tea on the coffee table, and a few newspapers scattered on the floor. The room was empty. Trying to guess Director Shen's current mood, they inexplicably felt a sense of despair.

Shen Yu sent Meng Tao to sit on the sofa, picked up the newspaper on the ground and looked at it, and said: "This is yesterday's newspaper. When he was reading the newspaper yesterday, he received a phone call and went out. He forgot to close the window and the wind blew in... He used to remember to close the doors and windows when he went out, but now he may be a little absent-minded."

"It's not surprising. He has a rest area near his office. He stays there when he needs to work overtime. Sometimes he goes on business trips suddenly and is gone for many days."

"Also call and ask where he went?"

"good."

As he picked up the phone and was dialing a number, he heard Xiao Wangcai's howling in the yard outside the door, followed by the sound of the iron gate. Director Shen shouted happily: "Xiao Wangcai, good, good! Be good, be good!"

Then he hurried into the house, laughing all the way: "Xiao Yu, Tao Tao, you're back? Oh, if I had known I would have gone home to cook. I was watching basketball on the court. Xiao Guo and the others lost. What a waste of time!"

Shen Yu and Meng Tao looked at each other and smiled: Dad is fine, you worried for nothing.

Director Shen asked Meng Tao to take a rest while he cooked and Shen Yu helped. The father and son were talking in the kitchen. Director Shen asked Shen Yu if he had told Taotao that her future mother-in-law could not speak and was a mute?

Shen Yu: "I've said it before, family members must understand each other."

Director Shen was a little worried: "What will she do to your mother then..."

"Won't."

"That's good, that's good!"

"Have grandpa and the others contacted you?"

"Your grandpa called me once, only to talk about job transfers; your uncle also called me twice. Last night, your grandma called me and said she had found a date for me. She's good in every way, except that she can't talk. I went to the hospital and they found out it's not congenital, but it may not be curable. Maybe it will be like this for the rest of my life... She told me to go to Beijing to meet her in a few days!"

As Director Shen was talking, he took the steel pot lid and put it on the cooking pot, but no matter how he put it in, it was not right. After four or five times, he realized that he had taken the wrong lid.

Shen Yu: “…”

He guessed correctly, why did he run out without closing the doors and windows last night? It was because of his grandma's phone call that he was so excited that he was out of his mind.

(End of this chapter)