Chapter 146: Chapter 143: Why Should I Tell Her?

Wu Shufen understood the moment she saw her. “Did you and my second son get into another fight about buying the house?”

She felt Zhao Xiaohui was like a Pixiu—all take and no give. Not only was she short-sighted, but she was also deeply suspicious. Thinking about this, Wu Shufen’s own expression soured.

Seeing her mother-in-law scowling as she questioned her, Zhao Xiaohui looked at her with an aggrieved expression. “The other day, didn’t you and Sister-in-law both say that buying a house in the city was a bad idea? That it would be better to build a few new brick-and-tile rooms? They’d be bright and spacious, and it would give us face in the team, wouldn’t it?”

Wu Shufen nodded. “We did say that! But now we want to buy it. So just tell us, are you going to put up the money or not?”

Zhao Xiaohui clutched the cloth bag tightly and asked, “Mom, is what Little Lan said true? Will it really make money in three to five years?”

“That’s what she said!” Wu Shufen shot her a sidelong glance. “But who can say for sure what the future holds? Back then, the matchmaker also said someone was generous, worldly, and decisive!”

With a deeply wronged expression, Zhao Xiaohui looked at Wu Shufen, tears welling in her eyes. She sobbed, “Guodong said… said you all never approved of me. He said he regrets it.”

“SOB… SOB… After I married into the family, you were never as warm to me as you are to Sister-in-law. I never said I wouldn’t give the money… I’m just pained at the thought of losing it since it’s so hard to earn. I’m afraid it’ll all go down the drain… SOB… SOB…”

As Wu Shufen looked at her, she recalled Lin Lan’s advice and felt it made sense. Zhao Xiaohui was a bit short-sighted and always making petty calculations, but she cared about face and was wholeheartedly devoted to the second son and their little family.

If the two of them really fought to the point of splitting up… as the old saying goes, a despised wife is no good wife, and a despised husband is no good husband. A second marriage is never as good as the first.

She sighed, walked over, and pulled Zhao Xiaohui down to sit. She began to speak earnestly. “I get annoyed that you’re prone to petty tantrums and always making your little calculations. But then again, Xiuqing is my daughter-in-law, and so are you. The palm and the back of the hand are both made of flesh.”

“Tell me honestly, whether it was during your postpartum confinement or when you were sick, I treated you the same as your sister-in-law, didn’t I? I’ve never mistreated you like other mothers-in-law do, have I?”

Zhao Xiaohui nodded. “Mhm! My own mother says I’m lucky to have such a good mother-in-law!”

Seeing that she was receptive, Wu Shufen continued, “We women are naturally more timid and short-sighted. We don’t have the courage or long-term vision of men. Since they say it’s a good idea, let’s just give them the money and let them do it.”

“And in the worst-case scenario, let’s say we do lose money in three to five years, the house will still be there. The family’s pig farm will still be there. As long as our family is united, we can earn it all back with a couple of years of hard work.”

Zhao Xiaohui thought about it and felt that made sense. But then she remembered the look in Lin Guodong’s eyes and the words he had said earlier, and she said sadly, “Guodong said he regrets it, that he shouldn’t have married me!”

Wu Shufen consoled her, “My second son just said that in a fit of anger. Don’t take it to heart. I’ll have a word with him in a bit, and you should also think hard about where you went wrong. A husband and wife have to talk things over and compromise for a family to prosper.”

“I understand!” Zhao Xiaohui handed the cloth bag to Wu Shufen. “Mom, here’s our share of the profits and the money from the team. Please give it to Dad.”

Wu Shufen took it and said, “Come inside with me and count it. We’ll look at the ledger, too. The brothers are all putting in the same amount, so any future profits will also be split evenly.”

“Oh!” Zhao Xiaohui wiped her tears and followed her into the main room.

Lin Changyou and Lin Guoliang were in the main room. Seeing Wu Shufen enter with Zhao Xiaohui, Lin Changyou said, “Xiaohui, don’t you worry. The house we’re buying in the East Market will absolutely not lose money.”

Zhao Xiaohui blushed and nodded. “Mhm!”

After the two women went into the inner room, Lin Changyou told Lin Guoliang to go find Lin Guodong and bring him back.

****

Lin Lan leaned against her bicycle, watching the ferry cut through the waves. As she gazed at the spray splashing against the side of the boat, she suddenly recalled the warmth in Li Xiangyang’s eyes during the storm, and her own eyes couldn’t help but well up with tears.

She suddenly recalled a passage she had once read: ’Overthinking leads to ruin. Less self-pity, more hard work. The life you want to live is one you have to earn for yourself.’

She looked up at the sky, forcing her tears back. Then she lowered her head and stared silently ahead, waiting for the ferry to dock.

On the way back, she passed the commune’s bamboo weaving shop and bought more steamer baskets, a flour sifter, small panniers, and some other useful items. The old craftsman pushed out a handcart to help her take everything to the bus stop, and Li Hongmei helped her load it all onto the bus.

By the time she got home, Little Douzi had already left for school. Lin Yuezhen brought out the meal she had kept warm in a pot for her. After Lin Lan finished eating, Lin Yuezhen told her that Yang Lirong and Yang Liying had come looking for her.

“Did they say what they wanted?”

“Yang Lirong didn’t look happy. When I told her you weren’t here, she stormed off.”

“Never mind her. If it’s important, she’ll come back. Third Sister came because of Yang Lirong, right?” Lin Lan figured it was about the business; Yang Lirong probably felt they had cut her out and not included her.

Lin Yuezhen shook her head and gestured, “Yang Liying heard you went to your parents’ home. She said she’d talk to you this afternoon.”

Lin Lan nodded. “Okay. Did Zhixue and the others sell out of everything this morning?”

Lin Yuezhen nodded and placed the prepared bean paste and pumpkin puree on the work counter.

After Lin Lan finished her meal, the two of them got to work. One made pea cakes and mung bean cakes, while the other kneaded dough and made kidney bean rolls.

Yang Liying and Zhao Dehai arrived. Seeing Lin Lan was back, Yang Liying smiled and said, “You’re really back! Why didn’t you stay and relax at your parents’ for a couple of days?”

Lin Lan smiled. “I had to come back to prepare the things for the stall.”

Zhao Dehai went to wash and grind beans. Yang Liying thought for a moment, then decided to tell Lin Lan what Yang Lirong had said, omitting the parts about Li Xiangyang, remarrying, and dividing assets. She only mentioned that Yang Lirong had heard someone spreading rumors about Lin Lan.

Lin Lan understood immediately. Li Xiangyang had come over early yesterday morning to take her to see the house, and someone must have seen them and started rumors.

She calmly explained that Li Xiangyang had come to take her to see the house, then said angrily, “It was broad daylight, the courtyard gate was wide open, and Xiangyang and I were talking across a table on the porch steps! Since she’s accusing me of having an affair, tell her to bring out the person who supposedly saw me and have them say it to my face, out in the open. Otherwise, I’d just as soon disown her as a relative!”

Hearing this, an indignant Lin Yuezhen furiously gestured to Yang Liying, “I was home yesterday morning too! They’re slandering my Little Lan!”

Yang Liying’s face flushed with embarrassment. “I know what kind of person you are. I said right then that it was probably that bitch Zhang Yazhen who started the rumors.”

Lin Lan looked at her seriously. “This isn’t just about whether it’s a rumor or not. She’s already branded me an adulteress. This has to be cleared up.”

Yang Liying thought for a moment. “She said she was coming over to grind beans for tofu. Let’s wait. If she doesn’t show up, then after we get back from the stall, I’ll go get Eldest Sister and we’ll find her and make her explain herself.”

Lin Lan nodded and went back to work. Yang Liying went to help with the grinding stone.

By the time they had finished preparing the goods for the evening market and the Wang brothers had picked them up, Yang Lirong was still nowhere to be seen. The group packed up and headed to the Eucalyptus Forest.

Lin Lan had just taken the carrier rack off her bicycle and set up her stall when Yang Zhigang approached, grinning. “Sister Lin, Xiangyang said they’ve already hired people to clean out that house. He wants you to go take a look when you have time and decide how you want it renovated. Also, the coal is arriving tonight. It’ll be delivered to you around ten.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep