"Mom, what did you say to her? Her face looked so unpleasant." After the lively commotion in their courtyard had lasted for an hour, most of the people had left. Lin Wan walked over to her mom this ti and asked.
"They don’t want to save face for themselves, so I can’t give them face either. I just said, if they want to recognize this kinship, they’ll have to wait for your grandma to climb out of the ground. Only then will we acknowledge it."
Her mom’s words made her and Saozi cover their mouths and laugh softly.
"When did our mom beco so sharp-tongued?" Saozi whispered with a cheeky grin while pulling her aside.
Lin Wan raised an eyebrow, "Mix with ink, turn black. She must have learned it from Dad."
Mu Qing smiled gently, having gained a lot of insight after marrying into the Lin family. She nodded in understanding.
....
"Aren’t you quite close with Ah Hui? Why don’t you go ask him. Ah Qing can’t be reached, and Dad hasn’t called ho. We need to find out what’s going on." Fang Qiao spoke with furrowed eyebrows at the Ye family residence.
"I’m not going. We used to be close, but who knows what that damn girl Ah Qing did to make both families shun us. Haven’t you noticed since Liang Zhi fired , their family speaks to coldly?" Ye Rong frowned deeply.
It’s just as well they’re not coming back; he’s comfortable at ho.
The chickens and ducks he’s raised this year, although a bit small, still made a lot of money. Once spring cos, he’ll get another batch of ducklings and chicks. After a few months of raising them, it will be another batch of inco.
Without his dad at ho eating and drinking his resources, he saves a bundle.
His mom can earn her own money; if she doesn’t give it to him, so be it, he doesn’t need that much.
In truth, he still selfishly wanted his mother back. With her around, his dad wouldn’t keep an eye on him, and he could continue living comfortably.
Fang Qiao was just saying, an elder hasn’t heard from their father for so long, if he isn’t worried, why should she be concerned?
Ever since she had seen that frightening look in Ye Rong’s eyes last ti, she dared not provoke him anymore.
On regular days, she cooed to him softly. Fortunately, the chickens and ducks they raised had decent yields.
Only the neighbors nearby had many complaints, disliking the sll from their ho. Especially during sumr. The sll from their courtyard wafted across the whole village.
The village chief approached them several tis, suggesting they either rent a place outside the village to continue raising or buy a location to do so.
Ye Rong agreed in front of others, but Fang Qiao knew he had no intention of listening. Judging by his deanor, he would continue raising them at ho after the New Year.
No one could sway his stubborn nature, and if pushed too far, he would show that sa frightening expression as before.
Fang Qiao dared not advise him; when she visited her parents, she had also ntioned to her dad to stay out of Ye Rong’s affairs.
Fang Qiao’s dad didn’t expect such a seemingly honest person to be a silent threat. If such a person were provoked, he could kill you with no hesitation.
Though Fang Qiao’s father was a cripple, he wasn’t reckless. He knew what to do.
Ye Rong was praying in his heart that Ye Weijun wouldn’t co back.
In an inconspicuous spot at the entrance to the detention center in G City.
Ye Qing handed two hundred bucks to Ye Weijun.
Ye Weijun looked at the two hundred bucks, with a face full of disdain, said, "Just this little? Damn, I’ve raised you for nothing."
"If you swear one more ti, do you believe I’ll have you back inside for a month?" Ye Qing snatched the money that hadn’t yet reached Ye Weijun’s hand, with a mocking look.
Seeing the money gone, and hearing his daughter threaten to jail him, Ye Weijun relented imdiately. His tone softened, "Ah Qing, Dad was wrong. Okay, two hundred it is, I’ll send Dad to the train station. This ti, Dad won’t make trouble."
Ye Qing snorted, "Rember, this isn’t Kao Shan Village here. If I say you’re not my dad, others will believe it. Your violent behavior at ho doesn’t work here. I advise you to stay honestly at ho. Occasionally I can send you so money. If you stir up trouble like this again, next ti it won’t just be staying a few days. Do you believe I can have you put away for life? Oh, and don’t think about your son-in-law; he’s not soone to ss with. If things backfire, even I can’t help you."
Ye Weijun unwillingly muttered, "Others’ Xiao Wan married a soldier, who can back her folks and make her family proud. But you, married an officer in the army, and even your father-in-law won’t see , doesn’t respect ."
"Dad, going ho doesn’t necessarily an backing soone, but I can tell you, you can go back and tell the villagers that your son-in-law is just Lin Wan’s man’s brother."
"Oh, so they’re brothers?" Ye Weijun was delighted to hear that and laughed.
"What brothers? Her man is just an illegitimate child, can’t compare to your son-in-law."
"Illegitimate child?" Upon hearing this, Ye Weijun didn’t frown; instead, he laughed heartily, "Great, this ti I can finally stand tall over Lin Guozhi... Qing, Dad won’t hit you anymore; can you tell where your mom is now? I’d like to see her."
"Dad, you can date other won at ho, or you can divorce my mom, but you can’t see her."
When Ye Weijun heard this, his eyes widened in displeasure, "What nonsense! She’s my wife; I can’t see my own wife? As a daughter, you’re suggesting I go find another woman and want to divorce your mom. I think you’re doing this on purpose, waiting for and your mom to divorce, right?"
"I am doing it on purpose."
"You...?"
"Dad, if you find my mom, can you promise not to hit her? If you hit my mom... fine, but if it drags my child into it, what then? You should know my husband isn’t soone to ss with. If he finds out our child was hard, can you take responsibility?"
"My own grandson? I would pamper him, how could I hurt him?" Ye Weijun muttered under his breath, "Your mom is alone with the child, living in a big house in the city, and , I’m left at ho with that small plot of land. What was the point of raising you all these years?"
Seeing Ye Weijun’s hard deanor rise again, Ye Qing wasn’t lenient, speaking coldly, "If you want to find her, go ahead, but I won’t give you a penny from now on. Either stay at ho, and I’ll send you ten bucks a month, or roam freely, drinking and eating at by yourself, living comfortably, or staying in the city in a detention center, your choice."
Ye Weijun said no more, clearly conceding, for this was the city. He wasn’t skilled here, and now even his own daughter was going against him.
But having money to spend wasn’t bad. As for won, there were plenty of widows in the village, like Li Fugui’s wife, easy to approach.
Ye Qing thus put Ye Weijun on the train ho.
Upon returning to the big house, she packed a few pieces of clothing and also took a train to the Capital City.
Yesterday, she received a call from i Langchi saying that sothing had co up and he couldn’t co to pick her up, asking her to go herself.
Though harboring so resentnt, Ye Qing didn’t voice it. Going to the parents-in-law’s house for the first ti, without her husband, was bound to be awkward.
i Langchi’s parents already didn’t take to her warmly, going like this, wouldn’t it be embarrassing.
As Ye Qing descended the stairs, realizing this predicant, she turned and headed to the hospital.
...
"Did you see? The clothes Liang Hongi is wearing, all woolen, and her trousers all pure cotton. Look at those shoes, real leather ones." During dinner, the weather here wasn’t cold. Today Liang Hongi’s family returned, becoming the topic of conversation for villagers during their alti chats as they gathered with bowls in hand.
"Yeah, back when Liang Hongi lived here, did you ever see her in clothes without patches? Forget clothes, even their als were only sweet potatoes and potatoes."
"Envious, aren’t you?"
"Who wouldn’t be? I don’t know what stroke of luck they had, but ever since their two kids got into college, they’ve soared like nobody’s business, climbing steadily over these years."
"Isn’t it because their daughter knows how to teach and is bold, started a small business and made so money."
"Yeah, when we first heard about their business dealings, who didn’t look down on them, now see, they’ve risen up. We’re so broke we could pinch a penny till it splits, whereas they’re carefree spending big sums like it’s nothing. Today you saw, didn’t you? The candies they gave the kids were all White Rabbit milk candy. That stuff sells for a high price in the city."
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