Chapter 358: Chapter 273: Mr. Zhang Visits His Sister 2

Mr. Zhang and his three brothers saw their brother-in-law on the side and felt too embarrassed to ask why they didn’t come over that day, guessing something must have happened making Zhang Dan Ni unable to come.

“Then later you and your brother-in-law can come with us and stay at our place for a few days. Just as well, your three younger sisters-in-law are thinking about you. They wanted to come over, but I turned them down,” Uncle Zhang said.

Uncle Zhang chatted with his brother-in-law nearby, and upon hearing this, also persuaded them to stay in Zhang Family Village for a few days.

Liu Dazhu chuckled, looking at Sister Zhang. He listened to his wife; for decades, she had been calling the shots. Besides, he also wanted her to go back to her parents’ house for a break. His wife was busy all the time, and he felt sorry for her.

“Next year in the first month, I’ll go back to our parents’ house, and I’ll stay a few more nights with your brother-in-law. Now there are too many things at home, so we won’t go. You go back and tell your younger sisters-in-law, tell them your sister accepted the gifts, thank them for thinking about her.” Sister Zhang was very tempted but still refused. Without her before the New Year, she wouldn’t know what kind of mess the house would be in relying only on the eldest daughter-in-law.

After Sister Zhang finished speaking, she suddenly remembered something, and she whispered to Mr. Zhang, “Why did I hear that Xiao Wu’s father-in-law didn’t die and came back? Xiao Wu and his wife have so many things happening, just like stories, spreading all over the place. Even the county town has heard. Can you tell me what exactly is going on?”

Mr. Zhang looked at her helplessly; he was afraid she’d mention this before he came. Since the issue of Zhou Xiaozheng not being biological came to light, both inside and outside the household, relatives and friends, even people who were a bit familiar, were asking him about it. Now, he is afraid of anyone asking him these matters.

Uncle Zhang watched his second brother with much amusement, seeing their eldest brother smoking his dry tobacco while looking at the second brother with a smile, his heart filled with laughter. Serves him right, he too was annoyed by all the questions.

Mr. Zhang was worried that things would get twisted in the telling. He knew his family Xiao Wu and his wife were going down a different path from others.

“Sis, how are people over there saying about Xiao Wu and his wife?”

“….To sum up, it was quite the buzz at first. Everyone was saying that the three branches of our Old Zhang’s family pooled eight hundred yuan to redeem Jiao Jiao. If it weren’t for our Old Zhang’s family protecting her, she would have been swallowed by Old Zhou’s family. There’s all sorts of talk, even plenty of reasons, claiming Jiao Jiao’s father was our dad’s personally taught disciple, and Xiao Wu and Jiao Jiao were betrothed by their belly buttons since childhood. Then some said Jiao Jiao’s father saved our dad. Tell me, why don’t I know about these things?”

The three brothers of Mr. Zhang laughed heartily, leaning against the wall with laughter.

Sister Zhang also found it amusing herself, continuing, “After a while, people stopped talking about these things. But a few days ago, it started again. When I went to the market, someone started saying Jiao Jiao’s father didn’t die and returned, he’s not the biological son of Old Zhou’s family. Somebody even said Jiao Jiao’s real grandfather is a big official who brought lots of soldiers to settle accounts with Old Zhou’s family, saying Old Zhou’s family stole Jiao Jiao’s father. Many people are rumored that the entire Old Zhou family is going to be shot dead by wooden rifles. What exactly is going on over on our side?”

Mr. Zhang briefly mentioned that Zhou Xiaozheng had returned to work. Some things were inconvenient to speak to outsiders. He also didn’t say his eldest and second sons had gone back to work, nor did he dare mention the separation, worried she would have too many questions. He changed the topic to his sister’s several children with a few words. This time, his nieces and nephews-in-law arrived slower than usual, probably because they hadn’t finished work and didn’t dare to move freely.

With some thought, Uncle Zhang looked at Mr. Zhang and said to Sister Zhang, “Everything’s fine at home. You’ll know as soon as you come back for a visit. Just now, the packages Da You brought were all gifts from Xiao Wu and his wife for you; don’t be too sparing to use them. You and your husband should come back to your parents’ house if you run into something you can’t solve.”

Uncle Zhang truly hoped his elder sister would understand and visit their parents more often. As long as she frequently visited their parents, not only would the three brothers and Xiao Wu and his wife give some gifts, that would be enough for them to last a month at work.

Mr. Zhang understood his elder brother’s intentions. But regarding this only sister, he was willing to take care of her. He laughed and said, “Right. If something happens, you and your brother-in-law should come home, even if nothing, visit often. The four of us siblings are getting old, so we should gather often, otherwise, when we’re too old to move, no matter how much we want to, we won’t be able to.”

Outside, Liu Family’s elder daughter-in-law, Wang Lihua, was initially standing near the east house eavesdropping. Seeing they were talking about some unrelated topics inside, she pouted, went to the kitchen, opened a bag, looked inside, and excitedly stood up immediately to head to the west house.

Inside the room, she stuffed everything into the wooden box. After covering it, she thought again and gritted her teeth to reopen the lid, picking some meat to bring back to the hall kitchen.

Before it was time to finish work, Sister Zhang’s several daughters-in-law and daughters finally arrived after hearing the news. Very coincidentally, several of them met in the front yard.

They looked at each other, and the second daughter-in-law raised her chin to say to her own two sisters-in-law, “Your legs are long enough to run faster than us.”

“Second sis-in-law’s legs aren’t short, especially her nose is even sharper.” Finished speaking, Sister Zhang’s youngest daughter glared at her and immediately pulled her sister inside ahead.

Liu Family’s second daughter-in-law, about to open her mouth to cuss out, was pulled by the sister-in-law beside her, who gestured to the house. She was so angry that she kicked her foot against the fence, muttering softly that she’d definitely show them what a sister-in-law really is compared to a younger sister-in-law.

The two sisters-in-law hadn’t entered the hall when they smelled a whiff of meat.

They looked at each other, and the second daughter-in-law quickly lifted the curtain and ran to the stove. The youngest daughter-in-law looked at the sister-in-law disdainfully and followed the two sisters-in-law into the east house.

The eldest daughter-in-law saw the second sister-in-law lift the lid, opening her mouth to speak, then glancing at the east house, sourly glared at the woman. Shameless!

She didn’t want to look at her anymore, ignoring the other party and paying attention to the activity inside the east house.

“Eldest sister-in-law, make more food, my husband and children will be coming over soon.”

The second daughter-in-law deliberately shouted loudly, acting like she saw how displeased her eldest sister-in-law looked, yet still made a request. She didn’t believe the other party would dare say no today. Her husband was the old folks’ biological son, certainly not eating from the elder family’s grain.

Mr. Zhang lowered his head unable to watch anymore.

As soon as the two nieces came in, they sweetly called out ’uncle’, greeted and then they looked around the room. Finding only a small package, their faces immediately changed.

Especially the little niece-in-law who came in later, she kept staring at his new cotton coat without blinking. Wishing she could peel it off, he had never faced such an embarrassing situation in all his years.

Zhang Dan Ni saw her three brothers feeling uncomfortable, immediately said to them, “You girls, don’t crowd the room when there’s nothing to do, quickly go help your elder sister-in-law, let her cook more dishes.”

Seeing the daughters-in-law and daughters leave, Zhang Dan Ni helplessly smiled at them. Suddenly remembering they argue every time they meet, she promptly stood up and said, “You children’s father, you accompany them, I’m going outside to take a look. This journey is too far, it’s better to eat early, go back early.”

Liu Dazhu saw her hurriedly getting off the kang and going out, smiled and shook his head at Mr. Zhang and them, “Let you guys have a laugh. These few will clash when they meet. If the kids’ mother isn’t there, they’ll be quarreling in no time. Let’s just leave them be, you guys take a look at these tobacco leaves; take some back later.”

“Good. Truly nice,” Uncle Zhang avoided talking about family matters, discussing the village’s grain harvest this year. Learning that Liu Family received quite a few rations this year, they all were somewhat relieved.

After eating lunch, the horse-drawn cart they arranged arrived. Mr. Zhang and the others, seeing Zhang Dan Ni’s life was going okay, finally felt relieved and bid farewell to Zhang Dan Ni, who reluctantly saw them off home.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep