NOVPUB
Chapter 767: Chapter 757 Teaching the Wife Behind
"Back then, your second brother was too naive, trusting everyone as if they were all good people. But it’s not too late for him to see clearly now," Shen Yunfang remarked coolly from the side.
"Sister-in-law, that’s because my mom wasn’t home. After the New Year, she’ll be back, and then we’ll see," Li Xianghe snorted with a cold laugh.
She just couldn’t stand that sister-in-law. Why should she have everything so good while Xianghe herself had nothing? She felt extremely unjust about it, and the conflicts between the two of them only made her more eager to cause trouble for her sister-in-law any chance she got.
Knowing that her sister-in-law and her mother didn’t get along, she brought up Qiu Shuping deliberately at this moment, just to irritate her.
"Let’s not talk about that. It’s Chinese New Year, after all. Let’s talk about something happy," Sun Chengbin forced a smile and turned his head, his eyes warning Li Xianghe to shut up.
Li Xianghe pouted. She didn’t understand why her man was so afraid of his second brother. Once the New Year was over and her mother was back home, she could talk to her mother about anything that was bothering her.
"Second brother, after the New Year, I want to take a leave and take Niuniu to the city for a proper medical examination," Sun Chengbin changed the topic.
This subject indeed caught the attention of the adults present.
"Oh, that’s great news. Niuniu really should be taken for a check-up," said Big Sister Li happily. Although Niuniu wasn’t her own child, she felt anxious for her niece because the girl wasn’t normal.
"Yes, she should be seen. Your child is so big and still can’t speak. It’s also because you two as parents aren’t concerned enough," Wang Dan also expressed her agreement. After all, it wasn’t coming out of her own pocket.
"Yes, it’s long overdue for a check-up. Niuniu is your future, the two of you. If she’s well, then you’ll be well. Pay more attention," Shen Yunfang spoke somewhat bluntly.
Sun Chengbin felt embarrassed. He had just wanted to change the subject, but now he had been lectured again.
Li Xianghe was unhappy now. It was their child, and whether to take her to the doctor was up to them as her parents. Why should these people interfere? "What do you mean by that..."
"Shut up. The sisters-in-law are right. If it wasn’t for the fact that we just moved and have been too busy, not to mention short on cash, Niuniu would have been seen at the hospital much earlier. These past few months, I’ve also sent letters to the army to explain our situation, and we’ve been saving up my salary. It’s nearly enough now. I plan on taking her to the hospital after the New Year," Sun Chengbin quickly stopped Li Xianghe’s tirade. If she continued, there was a good chance they’d be driven out again.
Sun Chengbin didn’t even know what to say about his wife anymore. Was her head just for breathing? Why couldn’t she think before acting?
She didn’t even understand her own situation, yet she knew how to throw her weight around. If only she could do it wisely. Every time she ended up being silenced by others, and still, she blindly caused more trouble—wasn’t this just asking for it?
"It’s good that you understand. I’m not afraid to upset you—I already discussed this with both of you before. If you still want to stay in the military, then you can only have Niuniu as your child in the future. If the child is healthy, you’ll have fewer worries. But if there’s really something wrong with her, the two of you will be the ones who suffer. It’s up to you to decide," Li Hongjun had said such things before, but it had no effect, so he eventually stopped talking about it.
Unexpectedly, Sun Chengbin wasn’t too foolish after all; he was finally going to take the child to see a doctor.
"Brother, I understand what you’re saying. I really didn’t have any money before, I had the will but not the means. Now it’s better, I’ve saved up a bit these past few months, so I’ll take the child to have a look first. If it’s not enough, I’ll still have to shamelessly borrow from my brothers," Sun Chengbin said with a very humble attitude.
Li Hongjun nodded, "This is an important matter. It’s good you both have this mindset. If you’re temporarily short, we can’t just stand by and watch." He was making a promise.
When Li Xianghe heard this, she felt overjoyed, and a smile appeared on her face. She even intentionally nodded towards Shen Yunfang’s direction, lifting her chin as if to say, look how it is, your words don’t count, my brother said he’ll give money.
Shen Yunfang didn’t bother with her and turned her head away.
Shen Yunfang had no objections to what Li Hongjun said. If Li Xianghe and her husband really wanted to treat the child and genuinely had no money, she couldn’t just watch either. Even if a stray cat or dog broke a leg, she couldn’t just stand by. So, Sun Chengbin asking for a loan was something she could consider. 𝔫𝔬𝖛𝖕𝔲𝖇.𝖈𝖔𝖒
Afterward, the few of them discussed Niuniu’s medical treatment, and the atmosphere at the dining table eased significantly.
After having the reunion meal at noon, Sun Chengbin and his wife didn’t leave. They stayed, shamelessly relying on others, until they had eaten the dumplings at midnight, and only then did they return to their own home.
Because Wang Dan insisted on staying up for the New Year at Li Hongjun’s house, only Sun Chengbin and his family of three went home that evening.
"What was going on with you today? Haven’t I told you before, don’t argue with your sister-in-law, don’t say those unpleasant words, why can’t you understand?" Once they were out of the building entrance, Sun Chengbin started speaking to Li Xianghe in a low voice.
"I don’t want to argue either, didn’t you see how aggrieved I felt? Your sister-in-law just can’t be reasoned with. The more I ignore her, the more arrogant she gets," Li Xianghe retorted, not willing to concede. She wouldn’t admit to initiating any provocation; it was just self-defense, and it was Shen Yunfang who had started the conflict in the first place.
"Shut up. What does it matter to you whether someone else is arrogant or not? I’ve explained the pros and cons to you. Can’t you understand?" Sun Chengbin, unable to control his anger upon hearing her excuses, scolded, "Do you know how hard it was for me to get transferred here? Are you aware of the difficulties I’m facing in the military, how a battalion commander like me is being ostracized? If your brother doesn’t help me, it won’t be long before I have no standing in this military district. Do you want us to go back to living in poverty in the backwoods?" His eyes were aflame as he railed against her.
He had used many of his connections, called in years’ worth of favors, and claimed the name of his brother-in-law to get transferred here from a remote area. After several months, his work in the military district was going very poorly; he knew he was being sidelined. He had tried everything he could think of, and now his only hope was to establish himself through the support of his brother-in-law. Did his wife not understand that? Instead of helping, why was she always causing him trouble?
Li Xianghe was a bit scared, but in the end, she said, "I know what my brother is like. He’s too straight-laced. What’s the use in relying on him? He won’t pull any strings for you. It might be better to wait until my mother gets out; you can talk to her about it." In her mind, only her father and mother had any control over her brother.
Sun Chengbin, however, took his wife’s words to heart. These days he had been trying, both overtly and covertly, to ally with his brother-in-law, but Li Hongjun acted as if he was oblivious, which left him feeling anxious and frustrated. He wouldn’t have considered spending the salary he had saved for several months on Niuniu’s medical treatment otherwise.
"We’ll discuss this matter when your mother gets out. But in front of your brother and sister-in-law, I want you to tread carefully. If you can’t speak well, then keep your mouth shut. If you mess up my affairs, you can pack your bags and roll back to your old home," he said.
