Zhou Laoniang’s words resonated with everyone present.
Zhao Jianguo was truly a kind-hearted man, someone who would lend a hand to a fallen child he encountered by chance on the road.
Though the deeds were small, a good reputation was built bit by bit.
Everyone thought about it carefully; he had done many such small things.
“But even if he’s a good person, he’s not my son, and I have no reason to fight you over him! Today, Jianguo said he wants to be a live-in son-in-law, which I don’t agree with, but I pity him! You people, like vampires, cling to him, wanting to squeeze every last drop of his essence! You can’t call yourselves parents when you act like this; one would think he was a foundling!”
Zhao Yunlin retorted, displeased, “Auntie, your words are too much. We haven’t split the household, and we eat and drink together! I hand over my monthly salary to my mother too!”
Zhou Laoniang scoffed, “Since you know we haven’t split the household, why the different treatment? Ask yourself, have you done as much as your brother these past few years? Was it false that he supported your schooling? After finishing high school, you stayed home for two years doing nothing; wasn’t that him supporting you? And you still dare not call yourself a vampire!”
Zhao Yunlin’s face turned ashen. They were a family; what was wrong with his elder brother providing for his education?
He hadn’t worked for two years at home because he hadn’t found a job yet, not because he deliberately stayed idle.
“Also, you both earn money, but look at what you wear and what your brother wears. You casually spend a few yuan to watch movies, buy face cream, or give gifts, while Zhao Jianguo has to beg and plead just to take his wife to the clinic for a check-up! You both earn money, but you earn less than your brother, and you call this fair? It’s precisely because you think Zhao Jianguo is honest and easy to bully!”
Zhao Yunlin’s face burned with shame at her words. He worked at the supply and marketing cooperative, so of course, he had to dress presentably.
“Hmph! Let me remind you again, the money you spent to find a job was earned by your brother. But he never imagined that the brother he supported would be an ungrateful wretch, sucking his blood while colluding with the family to bully his wife and children. If you bully people like this, aren’t you afraid of having no descendants!”
Zhou Laoniang finally tore off the last shred of pretense for the old Zhao family.
Her sharp tongue drew a silent applause from Cheng You.
Perhaps Qi Chengyan truly feared her clapping, as he tightly held her hand, signaling her to behave.
With the commotion caused by the old Zhou family, Zhao Jianguo would not only have to become a live-in son-in-law but also legitimately split the household.
What was rightfully his would not be given up.
Wang Hongxia’s heart ached. She didn’t have much money to begin with, and if Zhao Jianguo were to split the household, not only would their labor force be reduced, but the family would also lose a significant sum of money.
She hardened her heart, gritted her teeth, and said, “Split the household, then let’s split it. But he is our Zhao family’s son, so he must still support us in our old age, right?”
Zhao Yongqiang didn’t have time to stop her. He closed his eyes in disappointment as he heard her speak.
If she had been sensible, she would have appeased the old Zhou family first and then found an opportunity to apologize to Zhao Jianguo and coax him home.
On the surface, Zhao Jianguo might not appear as presentable as Zhao Yunlin, but he had work points, and occasionally did odd jobs for others. These, combined, were not insignificant and were at least comparable to Zhao Yunlin’s earnings.
Zhou Laoniang looked at Wang Hongxia’s face and felt utterly disgusted.
“One hundred catties of grain and two hundred catties of wheat per year. If there’s no grain, thirty yuan will suffice.”
She could make this decision without consulting Zhao Jianguo.
Most village elders were supported to this standard.
She wouldn’t give Wang Hongxia any leverage.
“We don’t want grain; fifty yuan per year!”
Wang Hongxia felt that since the relationship had already soured, it would be a loss not to ask for more.
Zhou Laoniang snorted, “Your second son’s salary is only a little over ten yuan a month, right? Do you have the nerve to ask Jianguo for fifty yuan for filial support? You’re dreaming! Thirty is thirty, and not a penny more!”
Wang Hongxia was about to say more when Zhao Yongqiang pulled her back.
“Thirty, it’s thirty!”
He still wanted this son, and he couldn’t afford to lose him entirely.
The show concluded, leaving Cheng You somewhat unsatisfied.
“It’s truly strange. Even if Sister Zhou wasn’t pregnant, one shouldn’t just hit someone. Why did Auntie Wang hit her out of the blue, and why was she so certain that Sister-in-law wasn’t pregnant?”
Her words successfully reminded Zhang Yunmei.
Zhang Yunmei smacked her forehead. She knew she had overlooked something, and it turned out to be this.
Although Wang Hongxia liked to boss Zhou Yunru around, it was a matter of attitude, and she had never heard of her resorting to physical violence.
Hitting so hard, was this the first time?
In any case, this was definitely the first time it had escalated to such a scene.
How could Wang Hongxia be so sure that Zhou Yunru wasn’t pregnant? To hit her like that, what if the baby was lost?
“Sister Wang, are you regretting it now? You’re all family, why would you hit your daughter-in-law out of the blue? She didn’t do anything wrong! Now look, you’ve driven your son and grandson away.”
Hearing Zhang Yunmei’s words, Wang Hongxia became enraged and began to retort, “Who says she didn’t do anything wrong…”
Her voice trailed off mid-sentence.
She had been so preoccupied with the trouble she had caused that she had forgotten why she had hit Zhou Yunru in the first place.
Thinking of this, a cruel expression crossed her face, and she turned sharply to look at Cheng Tao.
“It’s all your fault! You were the one who told me Zhou Yunru was faking her pregnancy, trying to trick me into letting her slack off! Fine, Cheng Tao, after all this trouble, it was all your doing!”
Cheng Tao thought she had escaped unscathed and hadn’t had time to feel relieved before Zhang Yunmei pointed her out.
She was filled with hatred for Zhang Yunmei.
Cheng You exclaimed with a “Yo, ho,” surprised that there was such a hidden plot.
This was the most crucial piece of gossip; if she couldn’t get this, the whole affair would be a waste.
The old Zhou family members were clearly taken aback by this revelation and turned their accusatory gazes toward Cheng Tao.
“You harmed my daughter!” Zhou Laoniang’s fists clenched.
Cheng Tao hid behind Zhao Yunlin, trembling.
“I never said that; she’s framing me! Zhou Yunru and I have no grudges; why would I say something like that?”
“Pah! Yunlin was there when you said it; ask him if you don’t believe me!”
Suddenly, Zhao Yunlin became the target of everyone’s attention, as if he were being roasted alive.
Cheng Tao grabbed Zhao Yunlin’s clothes and pleaded, “Yunlin, tell everyone, I didn’t say that.”
Zhao Yunlin stood frozen. On one side was his mother, and on the other, his wife.
What could he say?
Just as he was about to speak, Cheng Tao whispered in his ear, “Yunlin, I’m pregnant, about a month along. I just found out.”
Zhao Yunlin looked at her in astonishment, “Really?”
“Of course, it’s true. I’ll show you the examination report later; I went to the clinic. Please, help me this once.”
For the sake of the child, Zhao Yunlin couldn’t let Cheng Tao be harmed.
He avoided Wang Hongxia’s gaze and hardened his heart, saying, “Cheng Tao never said such a thing; my mother is delusional.”