Zhao Dazhu lowered his head, his eyes filled with malice.
He heard everything his father and third uncle were saying. The others didn't arrive early, but he came with his father.
When his third uncle said those things, he didn't care about his reputation at all. If it weren't for his father and eldest uncle being there, and it being the seventh day after his grandmother's death, he would have been able to retort.
Over the years, has he ever embezzled a single penny?
Did he help them even a little bit?
No, there's nothing there!
How dare he say that to him? Zhao Dashu is not worthy of being his third uncle or his elder.
I've never seen such a selfish person, only caring about themselves. Being selfish is one thing, but to put it so righteously—where's their shame?
The big pillar clenched his fist so tightly it made a cracking sound.
He felt like he had become a joke, and he didn't understand why his parents were demanding that Zhao Dashu hand over the silver. They could have just forced his younger brother to do it directly.
Let him do the work, and the money goes to the family—isn't that a win-win situation? Why insist on finding him and humiliating yourself?
This person was unwilling to help them before, does he think he'll agree if his father begs him one more time?
He harbored no illusions about Zhao Dashu. If he had any familial affection, he wouldn't have revealed his illness to Madam Pan back then. If he had considered Zhao Dashu his father and brother, he wouldn't have watched him work himself to the bone all these years without offering any help. Nor would he have watched his nephews struggle to make a living.
He only shows his kindness to strangers, because those people will spread his good name everywhere. What a great philanthropist, what a hypocrite!
People have probably forgotten what he used to be like. No matter how noble a village thug is, he's just wearing a human skin.
At this moment, Dazhuzi hated Zhao Dashu, but he hated his parents even more. He hated them for being useless and for bringing shame upon him.
At midnight, everyone, exhausted, talked with Old Sun for a while before getting up and leaving.
Wang was the first to stand up, rubbing her aching back. "It's settled. Mother has received the money and feels at ease. Let's call it a day; we all have things to do tomorrow."
Everyone felt as if they had been granted a pardon and stood up.
Zhao Dawen eagerly approached Li Shi, rubbing his hands together, "Second sister-in-law, then tomorrow... I'll wait at home?"
Li forced a smile, "...Oh, don't worry, brother."
Zhao Dayong also reminded her, "Old woman, don't forget."
Li was seething with anger, but she just lowered her head and hummed in response.
Zhao Dashu stretched and said, "Alright, everyone go home."
He should go back and get some sleep. He didn't even know how many times he yawned. Staying up late is bad for your health, especially for someone his age.
No, I'll sleep all day tomorrow to make up for it.
"Honey, if I don't get up tomorrow, please don't wake me, okay?"
"I understand." Song was also exhausted, longing for her warm bed and wanting to go home to sleep as soon as possible.
Zhao Xiaoyu, holding the hot water bottle, helped Xiao Lei into the carriage.
"Father, Mother, come up quickly, it's too cold outside."
"They're here!"
Everyone watched with envy as they boarded the carriage. Even if they froze to death, they would have to walk home themselves.
Zhao Dayong reluctantly closed the courtyard gate. If he could, he really wanted to stay and sleep there. The house was as cold as a cellar, and they hadn't even heated the kang (a traditional heated bed) to save firewood.
While others can go home and lie down to sleep, they have to heat the kang (a traditional heated brick bed) and wait for it to get warm before they can sleep.
After arriving home, Li busied herself with chores, while Zhao Dayong sat in the house trying to doze off. However, he was woken up by the cold just as he was about to fall asleep, and he became very agitated.
"Father, why did you say those nonsense things to Third Uncle? You knew he wouldn't help us, so why did you still ask him for help, just so he could have a chance to laugh at me and ridicule you?"
Are you sick? Or are you out of your mind? He wanted to give me work, but he waited until today. He gave it to me before Erzhuzi even started working.
"Could you please stop making decisions for me in the future? I can't bear the embarrassment!"
Zhao Dayong, who had been feeling sleepy, was now furious and jumped up. "You little beast, say that again?!"
Even if he heard it with his own ears, he couldn't believe his own son would dare to speak to him like that. What did he mean? Was he blaming him for being nosy?
"I'll say it a hundred times: can you please stop making decisions for me? Using the guise of being good to me to do things I don't like all day long is for my own good? I don't need that kind of 'goodness'!"
If you really care about me, give me the money. I don't need a wife! Have the second son give me the money he earns, and send it over every month. Also, have him send his son over.
Can you do that? If you can, it's for my own good!
Da Zhuzi, neck stiff, face flushed, eyes wide, leaned closer to Zhao Dayong. From the side, he looked like he was about to fight, about to beat up his own father.
"You...you! You unfilial son!"
"Yes, I am a rebellious son, but aren't you? Don't tell me how filial you are. I learned all my scheming from you since I was a child."
"The second and third sons are idiots; they can't learn anything no matter how much they listen, and you still think he's smart? He's senile!"
He'd wanted to say this for a long time; the old man was blind.
He's the most capable person in the family, but they're unwilling to train him.
"I've ended up like this because of you all! You're the ones who know what's good for me! If you know what's good for you, go and force the second son to give me the money and the son. This is what you owe me, it's what I owe you!"
I don't need your help with anything else, and I certainly don't need your concern!
Zhao Dayong couldn't hold back and slapped him across the face. Dazhu grabbed him by the collar and yelled, "You old bastard, you hit me?"
A fist is raised...
"Stop!" Li rushed over upon hearing the commotion and quickly stopped them.
"Dazhuzi, what do you want to do? How can you hit your father? The kang (heated brick bed) in your room is still on. What are you trying to do in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"
The youngest daughter was at home watching the house, so the eldest son had left the stove on and let her lie down on it. He was planning to call her over later.
"I hit him?" Da Zhu Zi angrily slapped his face. "Look at my face, it's from your man!"
Li was old and her eyesight was failing, so she didn't realize that he had been beaten.
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