She was interrupted. "You want money?"
"How many tis have I told you? You go ask Eldest Brother, Third Brother, and Fourth Brother first. If they agree to pay, then of course, I have no problem."
"The money can’t possibly co from just my family."
"Besides, weren’t you doing just fine in the nursing ho?"
His tone held hardly any familial warmth. Regarding the issue of financial support... verbally, they all claid willingness to provide, but they used fairness as an excuse, demanding everyone contribute together. Yet, nobody was willing to take the lead. Their words, both spoken and unspoken, were full of disdain for her, clearly showing they considered her a burden.
"BEEP BEEP BEEP—"
As the busy tone sounded again, Feng Cuihua’s expression darkened further.
Zhang Qingyuan, who had witnessed the entire exchange, was so furious his beard bristled and his eyes widened in agitation. "Preposterous! Absolutely preposterous!"
"Those two scoundrels, are they even human?"
"Even crows know to repay their parents’ kindness, yet they are parents themselves! How can they hold such values?"
"How can warm-blooded people utter such cold-hearted words!"
He had barely interacted with Feng Cuihua’s sons before, but these phone calls alone revealed their character. The concept of filial piety was completely foreign to them. When Feng Cuihua called, their tone held no hint of joy or respect, only disdain and complaint. The issue of support paynts was t with various excuses, passed around like a hot potato.
"Sigh, I’m used to it," Feng Cuihua said with a bitter smile, then dialed her third son’s number.
This ti, the third son listened to everything she had to say. After she finished, he remained silent for over ten seconds before speaking faintly, "Mom, are you out of money for the nursing ho fees? I rember you had over two hundred thousand in savings. You weren’t willing to help us buy a house back then, and now that you’re out of money, you’re coming to us?"
"What did Eldest Brother say? He’s the oldest; he should contribute more, right? And Second Brother and Fourth Brother—as long as they pay, I’ll pay."
"As for suing, you’re getting on in years. Don’t try to scare with lawsuits all the ti."
"Alright, I have things to do. That’s all."
He spoke for less than a minute before hanging up, showing no intention of continuing the conversation or exchanging pleasantries. He clearly didn’t take the so-called lawsuit or Qin Mu seriously either.
"I’ll try calling Fourth Brother..." Feng Cuihua sighed bitterly, still clinging to a sliver of hope.
Qin Mu had assured her they could definitely win the lawsuit. However, when it truly ca down to it, the thought of actually taking them to court... she still felt a deep reluctance, hoping her sons would have a change of heart. If even one of them admitted his mistake, she wouldn’t sue him. But her eldest, second, and third sons remained unchanged, full of disdain and always treating her like a burden.
"BEEP BEEP BEEP—"
The fourth call connected quickly. An impatient voice answered from the other end, "Why are you calling again? I told you, I have no money! I just bought a house and have a mortgage to pay. If you need money, go ask the other three."
"Alright, that’s it. I’m hanging up."
Her fourth son hung up directly, not even giving Feng Cuihua a chance to reply.
In the courtyard, Feng Cuihua, Zhang Qingyuan, and Qin Mu looked at each other. The four phone calls, in total, had lasted less than ten minutes. Each son’s attitude was identical: disdainful, impatient, and unwilling to contribute any money. As for the "threat" Feng Cuihua had ntioned, none of them took it seriously, believing she had rely fabricated it to scare them.
"Xiao Qin, look at this..." Zhang Qingyuan, having cald down from his anger, looked at Qin Mu.
Qin Mu, expressionless, turned to Feng Cuihua and said, "Actually... besides suing them, there is another thod."
Feng Cuihua, who had been utterly disheartened, felt her eyes light up as she couldn’t help but ask, "What thod?"
"I don’t think rely suing them will scare them," Qin Mu continued calmly. "The best thod is still to send them to prison for a while."
Feng Cuihua’s four calls just now had been made on a senior-friendly phone with a very loud speaker, so he had heard everything clearly. This made him even more furious. Feng Cuihua’s four sons had all evaded their filial duties, shirking the responsibility of her care. So even brazenly coveted her savings. Such people... even having lived two lifetis, he couldn’t stand them.
"Prison?" Feng Cuihua was startled.
Zhang Qingyuan, however, looked delighted. "Can they really go to prison? That would be great!"
Their reactions were starkly different. Feng Cuihua was apprehensive, shocked by Qin Mu’s startling suggestion, while Zhang Qingyuan was filled with anticipation. He even pressed further, "Does such neglectful behavior actually constitute a cri?"
He had watched many court trials and knew that only criminal offenses resulted in prison sentences. Most unlawful acts didn’t carry severe penalties. For instance, running a red light violated traffic laws but, at most, resulted in a fine and points on one’s license. Neglecting filial support, in his view, was rely an infraction, not a cri.
"Of course, it constitutes a cri," Qin Mu snorted coldly and said solemnly, "The four of them, by refusing to support or care for an elderly person, have committed extrely reprehensible acts. They have already committed the cri of abandonnt."
As soon as Qin Mu finished speaking, Zhang Qingyuan looked puzzled and couldn’t help asking, "The cri of abandonnt? Doesn’t abandonnt usually refer to abandoning infants?"
In his understanding, the cri of abandonnt typically referred to parents who abandoned their newborn babies by leaving them on the roadside.
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