Xue Yue was in the kitchen frying atballs while He Lang played with their two children in the main room.
Shiyi was now a little over four months old and had recently learned to roll over.
Ruanruan held a rattle drum, coaxing him, "Shiyi, co on, roll over."
Shiyi reached for the toy in his sister’s hand but couldn’t quite grasp it. In his eagerness, he stretched out and flopped over.
Ruanruan clapped. "Good boy, Shiyi! Good boy! Here, you can play with this."
The little fellow took it and imdiately tried to stuff it in his mouth.
With quick reflexes, Ruanruan stopped him. "Shiyi, you can’t eat this! You’re supposed to shake it."
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK~
Hearing the knock, He Lang said to Ruanruan, "Watch your little brother. Daddy’s going to get the door."
When He Lang left the room, he saw that Xue Yue had already opened the door.
They both froze for a mont when they saw He Yun standing in the doorway. Perhaps it was because they hadn’t seen her in years, but her appearance now was sothing of a surprise.
He Yun looked at them sheepishly and called out, "Third Brother, Third Sister-in-law."
Xue Yue gave a curt nod and returned to the kitchen to continue her work. Her relationship with He Yun had never been good, so she had no desire to offer any false words of welco.
"Third Brother," He Yun called out to He Lang again.
He Lang turned away coldly. "Co in."
He Yun wrung the corner of her shirt before following He Lang inside.
The mont she stepped inside, He Yun saw the television Gu Yuwei had told her about. But it wasn’t just the TV; all the furniture in the room looked expensive. Everything was spotlessly clean. He Yun couldn’t stop herself from scanning the room.
He Lang picked up Shiyi and wiped the drool from his chin.
Then he looked at He Yun. "What do you want?"
Only then did He Yun’s gaze fall upon He Lang and his two children.
Ruanruan stood beside He Lang, a miniature version of Xue Yue, especially with her large, bright eyes. She wore a new-looking red cotton jacket, black cotton pants, and a pair of small black boots. If He Yun hadn’t known she was her third brother’s daughter, she might have mistaken her for a relative from the city. The baby in her brother’s arms looked to be only a few months old, but he was dressed in a satin, one-piece padded suit and strongly resembled his father.
Looking at them, He Yun couldn’t help but think of her own children. A bitter taste filled her mouth as she said, "Third Brother, these must be my nephew and niece, then? They’re so big already."
He Lang didn’t respond, rely watching her with a detached gaze.
He repeated his earlier question. "What do you want?"
He Yun bit her lip. Putting on a pitiful expression, she explained her family’s situation to He Lang. When she finished, she saw that he had no reaction whatsoever.
"So, Third Brother, I was hoping to borrow so money from you. Don’t worry, I won’t borrow much. Just eighty or a hundred yuan. I’ll pay you back as soon as I have the money."
He Lang calmly pulled Shiyi’s little hand from his mouth and wiped both his mouth and hand clean.
He Yun stood there for a long ti, but He Lang gave no sign of responding.
She didn’t dare speak to He Lang the way she had to He Ze. He Yun had three older brothers, but she was most afraid of the third one. There was a ruthless streak to He Lang, so she just stood there waiting.
After a long mont, He Lang finally asked, "Didn’t the Liu Family sell Erya? You still have a son and a daughter. If you’re really that desperate for money, you could just sell them too. It’s not like your in-laws are above it."
He Yun was taken aback by his words. When she recovered, she retorted angrily, "Third Brother, how can you say that? They’re your nephew and niece too! What happened with Erya wasn’t my idea, and that was ages ago! Why are you even bringing her up? Are you going to lend the money or not? I know you have it."
He Lang chuckled, his voice laced with indolence. "Just because it’s in the past doesn’t an it never happened? You’re right, I have money. But why should I lend it to you? What’s it to if the Liu Family doesn’t have food on the table? They lost their jobs, so now they just sit at ho and wait for you, their little Sudhana, to co begging at your parents’ house? If things are really that bad, why don’t they go haul sacks at the docks? That kind of work won’t starve them. You’re truly a model daughter-in-law to the Liu Family. Even their own biological daughter couldn’t do what you’ve done, always scheming how to funnel things from your family to your in-laws. And what did you get out of it? They sold your daughter, and you’re still worrying about them. I really don’t know what goes on in that head of yours."
He Lang’s words made He Yun’s face flush crimson.
"Third Brother, do you really have to talk to like that? I’m still your sister, you know!"
He Lang sneered. "’Sister? You’re also Mom and Dad’s daughter. So where have you been for the past several years? Did Mom and Dad say a few harsh words to you, and you held such a grudge that you didn’t co back to see them even once? Funny, I don’t see you holding that kind of grudge against your in-laws. Mom and Dad raised you. What have they ever gotten from you? Nothing but worry after worry.’"
He Yun’s eyes welled up with tears. "I know I was wrong. I was just being stubborn with Mom and Dad. But I’m back now, aren’t I?"
He Lang said mockingly, "That’s right, you’re back. Back to ask for money and grain. Does anyone in this family owe you anything?"
He Yun began to sob. He Lang rolled his eyes nonchalantly.
"So are you going to lend the money or not?"
He Lang hadn’t expected her to still be fixated on the money after he’d said so much.
His expression hardened. "No."
He Yun wiped her nose and tears with her sleeve. "Now that you’re rich, are you really going to disown your own family? When have I ever asked you for anything? Just this once, and you have to be so heartless?"
He Lang stared at her coldly. "This is the first ti you’ve *asked* , yes. Before, I was the one who always gave things to you voluntarily. Search your conscience. Since I started earning my own money, was there ever a shortage of things I bought for you? Were you ever grateful? Even after you got married, every ti you ca back asking for things, didn’t you just take them for granted? I’ll say it again: we don’t owe you a thing."
He Yun stared at He Lang with tear-filled eyes for a few seconds, then turned and left, sobbing.
Xue Yue stood motionless in the kitchen. She had heard the conversation in the main room clearly. She hadn’t expected He Lang to refuse so decisively; it was very different from the man she thought she knew. And yet, she found herself admiring this side of him.
Ruanruan had been listening to her daddy and the strange lady talk, her head tilted to one side. She listened for a long ti but couldn’t understand any of it.
"Daddy, why was that lady crying?"
He Lang stroked Ruanruan’s head and said softly, "That’s your auntie. She’s Daddy’s sister."
"Auntie? How co I’ve never seen her before?"
He Lang hesitated for a mont. "She lives far away."
Ruanruan nodded. "Oh."
He Yun was still crying when she returned. Mrs. He looked at her in surprise. "What’s wrong? Did your second brother give you a hard ti?"
Crying, He Yun shook her head.
"Then who was it? Gu Yuwei?"
"No... HIC... It was my third brother." He Yun was crying so hard she’d started to hiccup.
Hearing this, Mrs. He’s face instantly darkened.
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