"Of course, you should also know that the three Shen siblings have had a close relationship since childhood, especially the eldest brother, who has always taken good care of his younger siblings, like an older brother and a father. Why would we come here to cause trouble at such a critical moment?"
Besides, Shen Ying has already made a name for himself in the military; even if it were for his reputation, he wouldn't do such a thing.
With Jiang Yu's sincere explanation, Shi Shumei's trembling hands gradually calmed down. She found a stool to sit down and pondered what had just been said, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
“Our marriage has been built up over the years with real hard work. I know you’re scared after our parents passed away, and with all the gossip going around, you should trust me this once. If all else fails, just beat me with a stick until I’m crippled. It’s better than keeping everything bottled up inside.”
Shen Ci knelt down beside the woman, patiently recounting their life together over the years. From the moment he entered the house, his in-laws had been very kind to him. Coupled with his meticulous work, the two had developed a deep bond, and the two elders had gradually come to treat him like their own son.
Especially when they heard outsiders gossiping and looking down on Shen Ci, they would step in to stop the rumors. Now that both his parents have passed away and his son is ill, he has to help the mother and son through this difficult time, both out of compassion and reason.
Upon hearing this, Shi Shumei looked at the man with teary eyes, her gratitude unspoken.
During their conversation, Jiang Yu glanced around. The house was a brick building, considered one of the best in the village. The simple furniture was expensive, clearly indicating that the two lived comfortably.
Looking closer at the so-called "elder sister-in-law," she was in her thirties. Although her face was a bit fleshy, it was clear that her skin was well-maintained. Her features were pretty; while not stunning at first glance, they were pleasing to the eye and gave off a kind feeling.
"Brother, where's my nephew?"
Slowly, Chen Ying spoke. He had been worried ever since he received the phone call and learned of his child's illness. But he hadn't seen his child at home. Anxious, he couldn't help but ask.
"Yangyang is in the hospital, and his aunt is taking care of him. We took the opportunity to come back and think of a solution, and also to manage the shop. We planned to close the shop first and deal with family matters. But we didn't expect that soon after we entered the house, our relatives from the same clan next door found out and came over to cause trouble."
From Shen Ci, I learned that the man who spoke rudely at the door was named Shi Tian, the son of my sister-in-law's husband. He had been a troublemaker since childhood and had almost been beaten to death.
These past two years, he's been back home doing nothing all day. His family is urging him to spend more time with his uncle. His cousin, Shi Shumei, is a girl, and although she found a son-in-law who moved in with her, ultimately the shop will still be owned by the Shi family.
Even my second grandfather's cousin wanted to come and get a share. Let him make a fuss first, and we'll divide it up together later.
"Don't worry about the money for now, Jiang Yu and I will figure something out together. But the shop is a bit tricky. If we don't deal with it quickly, I think these people will come and cause trouble again."
Shen Ying's analysis was also what they were worried about. Unfortunately, Shen Ci was honest and simple-minded from a young age, and even if Shi Shumei really fought with this group of people, he wouldn't be able to help her much.
The two were in a dilemma and couldn't help but sigh.
"Mother couldn't sleep all night after hearing about this. She and my younger sister are on their way now. Do you mind, sister-in-law?"
Before leaving home in the morning, the man instructed that he would bring Zhao Meiyun and Shen Niannian over after Shen Wan took Shen Suisui to school. Originally, the two of them did not agree to Zhao Meiyun's request to come, after all, they were getting old, and it would be a loss if she got sick from any stress.
But he's still her own grandson, and she was worried if she didn't let him come. Unable to persuade the old lady otherwise, she reluctantly agreed.
Shen Ci looked at Shi Shumei, hesitant to speak. It was normal to miss family after more than ten years apart. But he knew his wife's concerns, and at this critical juncture, he could only prioritize Shi Shumei's needs.
Sure enough, the woman visibly tensed up after hearing Shen Ying's words. Although her words implied concern for them, she hadn't spent much time with this family, so her true intentions were unknown.
"Let's talk about it later."
After a long pause, Shi Shumei managed to squeeze out a sentence. She got up and went inside to pack Shi Yangyang's toiletries. She needed to rush to the hospital to take care of him that afternoon, and she also had to go to the shop later.
The shop is located in town and is a sesame oil store. Because of its affordable prices and delicious aroma, it attracts many new and regular customers. If it weren't for their son's hospitalization, which prevented them from having time to run the business, they would love to run it properly.
Sensing the resistance in her tone, Shen Ying remained silent. Following the woman into the bedroom, Shen Ci spoke apologetically:
“Sister-in-law, Shu-mei has been tormented by rumors and her child’s illness lately, so it’s understandable that she’s a bit wary. But she’s not a bad person, so please don’t mind her.”
Although he doesn't stand up for his wife like Shen Ying does, he does try to smooth things over in some situations. After all, they're family, and it wouldn't be good if his younger siblings harbored resentment because of this.
"It's alright, I understand."
Jiang Yu shook her head, looked at her older brother's troubled expression, grinned, and pretended not to mind.
Is Mom really on her way?
Shen Ci paused, then her eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but ask. After receiving an affirmative answer, her excitement was mixed with a hint of worry.
"Mom knows what she's doing, don't be nervous."
Shen Ying offered words of comfort. Neither of the brothers were eloquent, and they remained silent for a long time. As an uninvited guest, Jiang Yu didn't want to be too talkative. The three of them sat idly in the living room, waiting for Zhao Meiyun's arrival.
Suddenly, the iron gate was pushed open, and Shi Tian, who was in the lead, rushed in with three or five people behind him, holding a half-meter-long stick.
He started shouting as soon as he entered the door.
“Hey, you surnamed Chen, come out here. Let’s settle the score for pushing me just now, and also talk about how your family bullied my cousin.”
Under the guise of standing up for Shi Shumei, Shi Tian swaggered into the courtyard. Shen Ci saw that behind him were his eldest uncle, Shi Dajin, and his second uncle, Shi Erjin. Not only that, but also Shi Erjin's son, Shi Fu, was also there.
Hearing that he had been beaten by the Shen family, he was furious and demanded justice.
Hearing the noise, Shi Shumei, who was tidying up her child's clothes in the bedroom, rushed out to shoo the person away. Before leaving, she glanced back at Shen Ying.
"The Shi family's affairs are none of your business. Stay inside and take good care of your younger brother and sister-in-law. She's delicate and frail; don't let her get hurt."
Despite her extremely cold tone, Jiang Yu sensed concern in her words.
"Shi Tian, I've already warned you. Our family matters are none of your business. You're just pretending to be a good person by coming here. If you can't understand human language, you can find someone else to translate for you."
Shi Shumei got angry just looking at this street thug. He had bullied her when she was a child, and now he was still bullying her.
"Sister Shu, what are you saying? We're all family, how could we just stand by and watch you get bullied by outsiders?"
Shi Dajin spoke, his eyes fixed on Shen Ci with a warning.
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