NOVPUB
Chapter 396: Chapter 396: Have You Moved to a New House?
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Si Boyi was in a complete mess, and Lin Fengying’s heart was not any better. She was worried that Tong Yao will spill her secrets. If that happened, Boyi and Lijuan would hold a grudge against her too. She would be so embarrassed that she wouldn’t dare to ask her two sons to support her in her old age. And going back to her village would also be out of the question.
Seeing Lin Fengying’s pale face and lack of energy, Si Weimin expressed his concern: "Sister-in-law, you don’t look well, is there something else bothering you?"
"I’m fine," Lin Fengying shook her head, her voice hollow.
Si Xiaohui quickly took the opportunity to try and manipulate her mother’s views on Tong Yao, "Mom, see how upset Tong Yao made you. I warned you she was only going to cause trouble for our family. Now you know I was right. You did the right thing by telling Brother to divorce her. If she continues living with Brother, not only will he stop caring for me, his sister, he’ll also probably stop caring for you, his mother. You wouldn’t gain a daughter, you’d lose a son!"
If Tong Yao was not there, she would have been the family’s favorite. As long as her eldest brother was nice to her, her second brother would also cherish her. The second brother always listened to the eldest one.
When the time comes, they could all move to Kyoto and stay there. Who would want to living in such a broken place as Li City?
The businesses their uncle had been working hard to establish would eventually need someone to inherit them. The fact that his son went overseas with his ex-wife was as good as him being dead. So, all his hard-earned wealth would eventually should go to them, the siblings.
Upon hearing this, Lin Fengying glanced at Si Weimin, worried that he might think she was a bad mother-in-law. She hastily explained, "I just said it out of anger. My son and his wife have a good relationship. I couldn’t actually want them to get divorced. People would curse me if this gets out."
Indeed, she wanted her elder son to get a divorce, but such matters had to be kept private and shouldn’t be discussed in front of Si Weimin.
Otherwise, she didn’t know what Si Weimin would think of her. Lin Fengying didn’t want to bear the title of an evil mother-in-law and ruin her image in front of Si Weimin at this age.
Upon hearing this, Si Xiaohui was slightly angry. "What good is there in keeping Tong Yao? She’s disrespectful, cannot bear children, and she has stirred up the peace in our family ever since she arrived! Can’t you see all that?"
Then, she turned to Si Weimin, "Uncle, tell us, can our home be peaceful with Tong Yao around?"
As the eldest male figure in the family, Si Weimin wasn’t in a position to say that his nephew should get a divorce. Even if he didn’t like Tong Yao, he couldn’t say it too directly. He frowned sternly, "Tong Yao is very much like her father - deep and a bit disdainful of us rural folks. She and Xiaochen are indeed mismatched. Even if we don’t consider anything else, she’ll at least never make a good daughter-in-law."
With Tong Yao around, his sister-in-law will always bear a sense of disgrace and shame and will never earn the respect of her daughters-in-law.
"Mommy, did you hear that?" Si Xiaohui’s face lit up as she turned to Lin Fengying. "Uncle also thinks that Tong Yao is not a good daughter-in-law and is not suitable for Brother."
Lin Fengying sighed, "What’s the use of us thinking that they’re a bad match? Xiaochen and Tong Yao have a good emotional connection."
"My brother is just blinded by Tong Yao’s fox-like appearance." Si Xiaohui suggested a course of action: "You are his mother. If you stand firm, Brother will definitely listen to you. I don’t believe he would choose Tong Yao over you. If he dares to do so, sever your relationship with him. Let everyone in the village see his disobedient behavior. If nothing works, go and make a scene at his workplace. I just don’t believe he would choose Tong Yao over his own mother and career."
Frankly speaking, their mother’s lack of firm resolve was the reason why Tong Yao dared to be so bold. If their mother could be a bit more strict, Tong Yao wouldn’t dare to misbehave in front of them.
When Tong Yao assaulted her right in front of their mother and the latter didn’t stand up for her, wasn’t it a clear indication to Tong Yao that they were easy to bully?
Lin Fengying pondered this but still expressed apprehension: "Isn’t this a bit too much?"
Si Xiaohui scoffed, "What’s too much about it? If he doesn’t want you as his mother, why should you care about him?"
"This..."
Lin Fengying hesitated, unsure of what to do. She instinctively looked at Si Weimin, but he kept silent despite feeling that this was not a very good option.
Lin Fengying was in a turmoil. She really wanted her elder son to divorce, but she didn’t want to ruin his future, or sour their relationship
Worst of all, she feared that her elder son would disown her for Tong Yao’s sake. 𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑝𝘶𝘣.𝑐𝘰𝘮
Once a mother and son’s relationship becomes strained, it’s not so easy to mend. It would be akin to pushing her son towards someone else.
After coming back to her senses, Lin Fengying noticed that they were walking on a path she hadn’t walked before. She looked at Si Weimin in confusion, "Have you moved?"
"Yes." Si Weimin nodded, "The landlord of our previous place didn’t want to continue renting it out, so I moved somewhere closer to the factory."
Lin Fengying didn’t doubt him and glanced at Si Xiaohui standing next to her. She suddenly remembered something about Song Yu, "What’s the deal between you and Song Yu? You two are not getting back together? You haven’t even been married a year and you’re already getting a divorce, what will people in the village say?"
"Oh my god, mom, aren’t you tired of this!" A glint of panic flashed in Si Xiaohui’s eyes. She spoke impatiently, "I’ve said it so many times, I am definitely divorcing Song Yu! You’re the only one with old-fashioned thoughts who cares about what other people would say! Do other people live our lives for us? It’s so good living in Kyoto! Uncle’s here, Brother’s here, why would we go back to that crappy place? You shouldn’t go back there either, we should settle down here."
Only a fool would want to go back to their hometown. The roads were muddy, and heavy rains turned everything into a swampy mess, absolutely filthy.
The house would smell of mildew, and would be infested with rats and cockroaches. It was dirty and poor. Why would they go back there?
Si Weimin frowned and educated her, "Xiaohui, watch your language and attitude when talking to your mother. She’s just concerned about you."
He then took a deep breath and said to Lin Fengying, "Sister-in-law, I too feel that Xiaohui and Song Yu are not very compatible. Song Yu has no ambition and isn’t capable enough. With him, Xiaohui won’t have a good future. She’s still young, so there’s no rush for her to remarry. After the divorce, she can run her own store and gain some experience. In a few years, I can help her find a suitable husband."
Si Weimin hoped to shape Si Xiaohui towards becoming a business woman. With his support, she could open a small shop and wouldn’t have a hard time. By enhancing her value first, she could then marry a local man from Kyoto.
In the future, Si Xiaohui’s descendants would not have a bad life. One decision could change the course of several generations.
As for Li City, it could actually be a good place for Si Xiaohui to retire when she was older.
