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Chapter 440: Chapter 430: Returning to My Mother-in-law’s Home (Part 3) (Extra for Tea)
"Mom, I heard my sister-in-law is back, right? Where is she? I haven’t seen her in such a long time. I heard she was back and rushed over to see her." As she spoke, she had already walked into the room.
Indeed, it was Li Hongxing’s wife, Wang Dan, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Li Family.
"Eldest sister-in-law, I’m back. I was just thinking about seeing you when I got home, but I didn’t expect you and our parents had separated." Shen Yunfang also smiled and greeted her.
As soon as she had entered the yard, she noticed that what was originally one courtyard had been divided into two with a wall over a meter high built right down the middle, splitting the Li family’s old house in two.
It seemed Wang Dan and Qiu Shuping had teamed up, and now they had completely separated.
"Separated, we should have gone our separate ways after the family split anyway. Besides, now that Hongqi is back, it wouldn’t be good not to separate," Wang Dan said with a smile.
Shen Yunfang looked utterly surprised.
"Oh, you must not know yet. Hongqi graduated from Hongqi University and got assigned to our county government. He’s doing something with propaganda; they say he has a promising future. A lot of the young ladies and wives are eyeing him with hot eyes," Wang Dan said with a hint of impropriety.
"Pah, don’t talk nonsense. My son wouldn’t care about these country women. My son is going to marry a city girl," Qiu Shuping didn’t appreciate the joke about her younger son.
"Yo yo yo, Yunfang, you see that? Our mom dotes on Hongqi, she really holds him close to her heart. We sisters-in-law might as well step aside," Wang Dan said with a teasing laugh.
"Hmph, can you blame me for loving my youngest son? How well do you daughters-in-law honor your elders?" Qiu Shuping said disdainfully.
That meant only her youngest son was the best and the most filial.
Shen Yunfang twitched the corner of her mouth, thinking the old lady was blinded by crap. She’d have her day of tears.
"Are you leaving?" Wang Dan and Shen Yunfang, the two sisters-in-law, chose to ignore the mother-in-law, chatting away on their own.
"Yeah, I’ve been here with our parents for a while. Seeing that they’re fine, I’m reassured. Now I’m thinking of visiting my older sister’s house to see Jiajia. I haven’t seen that child since she came back last year. I miss her and want to see how she’s doing now," Shen Yunfang said.
"Right, Jiajia was sent to the Capital for treatment by you guys, right? Must have cost a lot of money," Wang Dan said with a gleeful twinkle in her eye.
"We did spend quite a bit," Shen Yunfang admitted.
"Do you two even remember I’m your mother-in-law?" Qiu Shuping, seeing that no one was paying attention to her, was so angry she was fuming.
"Oh, let me tell you, it’s Hongjun and you who are really capable. I heard you also got into university, which is truly remarkable. Who knows, maybe our Goudan and the others will have to rely on you uncles and aunts for a helping hand someday," Wang Dan didn’t fear her mother-in-law’s anger. Dead from rage? The sooner the better.
Qiu Shuping, seeing the two women acting as if they hadn’t heard her and were heading out, became anxious. Knowing she might not be so effective with her daughters-in-law, she hurriedly nudged and poked her husband.
Li’s old man hesitated, but still called out to his second daughter-in-law, "Yunfang, don’t go just yet. Your mom and I have some things to discuss with you."
The old man spoke up, so Shen Yunfang couldn’t pretend she hadn’t heard. She sighed in her heart, but still mustered a smile and turned around.
"Dad, is there something else?"
"Hehe, yes, there is indeed something else." Li Lao head smiled awkwardly, "Let your mother tell you."
He really found it hard to ask his children for money, but it was a matter related to his youngest son’s future, and he had to do it. Whether it was possible or not, he needed to ask before he could rest easy.
Qiu Shuping straightened her back and took on an imposing stance once again.
"Yunfang, I don’t think our mother has anything to tell you. Better you come with me." Wang Dan sabotaged her mother-in-law’s plans.
Qiu Shuping, upon hearing this, quickly glared fiercely at her two daughters-in-law, one as if telling her to scram quickly, and the other as if to see her try and chase them away.
"Mom, if you have something to say, just say it quickly. It’s getting late, and I still need to hurry over to my eldest sister’s house." Shen Yunfang didn’t want to waste time here with her mother-in-law. It seemed certain there was something she needed to know. She couldn’t leave even if she wanted to, so all she hoped for was to get it over with quickly.
Actually, Shen Yunfang probably knew what it was without Qiu Shuping saying anything; it was likely about money. Qiu Shuping had already begun to treat them as an ATM. Whenever Li Hongqi needed money, she was certainly the first one to think of getting them to fork out. 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝒄𝙤𝙢
"Don’t bother going today if it’s late. What’s there to see in a girl from outside? She isn’t from our Li family’s stock. What I have to tell you is about a major issue concerning our Li family." Qiu Shuping deliberately paused here.
Shen Yunfang muttered to herself, a significant issue? Probably just another person’s issue that requires me to cough up money.
Seeing that her daughter-in-law didn’t take the bait, Qiu Shuping had no choice but to continue on her own, "Hongqi is now working in the county; he’s quite favored by the leaders. A few months ago, someone even introduced the leader’s daughter to him as a potential match. Now the two are getting along well, and since she comes from a well-to-do family in the city, we need to show some sincerity when marrying into their family, right? We’ll need to prepare a house quickly..."
"Mom, do we still need to prepare? When we divided the family property back then, didn’t you specifically leave the remaining house to Li Hongqi? Isn’t that big place enough for the two of them?" Shen Yunfang said this on purpose, her gaze sweeping the room to imply that it was all Li Hongqi’s.
Li Lao head bowed his head shamefully. Back when they had divided the property, he had left his youngest son with a house and had his second son leave empty-handed. Now, to sell a house for his youngest again, he would have to ask for money from his second son, which made him feel utterly embarrassed.
"Your brother is a city person now; how can he live in that shabby house?" Qiu Shuping immediately retorted.
"Shabby house? Mom, what year is it now? Other people can hardly fill their stomachs, and our family is so wealthy we need to change houses?" Shen Yunfang taunted her.
"Hongqi is going to marry a city girl. How could we let her live in our countryside? Besides, it’s also inconvenient for them to go to work." Qiu Shuping took out her son’s usual spiel. "And didn’t you also buy a set of housing in the Capital?" The implication being, if you could do it, why criticize others.
Shen Yunfang nodded, no objections, as long as she didn’t have to pay. Even if it was buying a house on the moon, she wouldn’t mind.
Of course, that was impossible.
Seeing Shen Yunfang nod, Qiu Shuping’s heart slightly relaxed and hurriedly said, "Your brother has just started working and hasn’t saved up much money yet. Your father and I are so old, barely managing to support ourselves, so it falls onto you elder brothers and sisters-in-law to help him out." She finished and looked at the two daughters-in-law before her.
"I certainly have no money. If you want me to help by staying over a couple of days, that I can do." Wang Dan spoke matter-of-factly. She had always stuck to this principle: no money, but if you ask for life, I have one to give.
