Chapter 12: Taking Down the Whole Family Alone

The next day, at the first light of dawn.

After Leng Hui got up and washed, she helped empty the urine bag, took care of Tang Lin by feeding her a cup of powdered milk, and then, after saying a few words to Tang Lin, she hurried home.

"You money-wasting wretch, you still dare to come back!"

As soon as she reached the second floor, Old Lady Leng, who was sitting at the doorway combing her hair, spotted her. Thinking of the money and ration coupons that had been snatched from Leng Yongkang’s hands yesterday, her anger flared up instantly.

"This is my home, why wouldn't I dare to come back?"

In the apocalypse, some people would kill or burn for a single meal. With free food available at home, why wouldn't she come back?

"Why did you snatch your father's money yesterday? That money was the food allowance your father was preparing to hand over to me. Give it here right now!"

Leng Hui cursed her bad luck under her breath. Old Lady Leng had gone to her younger aunt’s house yesterday; she had assumed she would stay for a few days, not expecting her to return the same day.

Perhaps Leng Hui hadn't considered that in this era, there were social boundaries to maintain when visiting relatives—for instance, one was expected to bring their own rations when staying as a guest.

In an era of food rationing, no household had surplus grain.

"Did you hear me? Hand over the money!"

Old Lady Leng took off her shoe, posturing as if she were going to strike someone with the sole.

If someone wanted to play the bully with her, Leng Hui was even more ruthless. She rolled up her sleeves, ready to fight. "I don't have the money, and if you want my life, here it is. By the look of things, you want to throw hands with me?"

Old Lady Leng was just bluffing. Seeing that this little brat was even more ferocious than she was, her heart began to pound, but not wanting to lose face, she didn't know what to do next.

Fortunately, her "great son" spoke up to save the situation.

Hearing the commotion inside, Leng Yongkang didn't dare stay in bed any longer. He put on his clothes and walked out quickly, just in time to see Leng Hui rolling up her sleeves.

He hurriedly spoke up to stop her: "Huihui, what are you doing rolling up your sleeves? You want to fight your grandmother?"

What a complete inversion of the natural order!

Leng Hui put her hands on her hips, looking aggrieved. "I didn't have food at the hospital, so I wanted to come back for a bite to eat. The moment this old woman saw me, she demanded money, and when I didn't give it to her, she tried to hit me with her shoe. How could I not resist?"

Who knew what that shoe sole had stepped on?

Facing the weak-looking Leng Hui, Leng Yongkang was momentarily speechless. "Didn't I give you money yesterday? Wasn't that enough for you to eat?"

"I have money but no coupons; where am I supposed to buy food? You tell me a place, and I’ll go eat out right now. I’ll just consider the food at home as having been fed to the dogs!"

The group of early-rising 'dogs' of the Leng family: "..."

Seeing their faces darken, Leng Hui felt satisfied.

"Ouch!"

Old Lady Leng was so angry her chest hurt. She clutched her chest and plopped down onto a stool. "Eldest, go divorce your wife today. Drive her and this little bitch she birthed out of here. My house cannot tolerate such an ungrateful wolf. With her in this family, I’ll be angered to death by her sooner or later!"

Once these words were out, the most anxious ones weren't Leng Yongkang and his daughter, but the couple from the second branch—especially Sun Xiaojuan. If the family lost Tang Lin’s salary, they might as well all go drink the northwest wind.

Sun Xiaojuan slapped her thigh and walked over to help soothe Old Lady Leng. "Oh, Mom, how can you talk about divorce so carelessly? As the saying goes, it’s better to tear down a temple than to break up a marriage. Big Brother and Sister-in-law have a bond forged in a past life; it wouldn't be good to let them divorce.

Besides, what family lives without bumps and friction? Doesn't everyone live their lives through ups and downs? You can't just keep 'divorce' on your lips every time you get angry. What if Big Brother and Sister-in-law take it seriously? You wouldn't want Big Brother to be a bachelor for the rest of his life, would you?"

Old Lady Leng was stubborn and refused to concede. "My son will never be a bachelor. At worst, after they divorce, I’ll spend money to help him marry a big-bottomed girl who can give him seven or eight sons. Let’s see how Tang Lin can act so smug in front of me then! Acting all high and mighty, as if no one could live without the other."

Leng Yongkang said helplessly, with a hint of pleading: "Mom, I beg you, can you stop? The children are so old now; what divorce? Do I still need to hold my head up in society? The Chairman himself said that women hold up half the sky; this way of thinking of yours is wrong. Let’s not talk about this anymore."

After several people took turns persuading her, Old Lady Leng’s attitude softened slightly, and she stopped mentioning the divorce.

However, when they turned to look for Leng Hui, they found that this ancestor had already ladled a bowl of porridge from the pot and was eating it with pickles with great relish.

Leng Mei looked at the calm and composed Leng Hui with admiration, then glanced at Old Lady Leng and the others, whose faces were black with rage. She shrank her neck, trying to make herself as invisible as possible.

Leng Hui finished the last of the sweet potato and sorghum porridge, put down her bowl and chopsticks, and wiped her mouth. "Have you finished discussing? If you have, please let me know. If you want a divorce, my mom is at the hospital and it’s inconvenient for her, so I can do it on her behalf."

"Look at that, look at that! This is the base-born brat you raised!" Old Lady Leng trembled with rage.

"Leng Hui!" Leng Yongkang was nearly driven to death by this dead child. "Do you want your mother and me to divorce that much? What good does it do you if we divorce? Talking so recklessly—I think you’re just asking for a beating!"

Leng Yongkang looked left and right, trying to find a suitable tool for a beating.

Leng Mei silently picked up the broom leaning against the corner and handed it to Leng Yongkang.

Seeing this, Leng Hui was so amused by Leng Mei that she laughed. This dead female lead is kind-hearted, my foot! Anyway, she was full now; if she didn't run now, when would she?

"Don't get too smug. You all played a part in instigating my parents' divorce. Let me be clear: divorce is fine, but you have to vacate this house. This house was assigned to my mother by her workplace."

As soon as she finished speaking, Leng Hui was no longer at the door; only the sound of 'bang, bang, bang' footsteps running down the stairs could be heard.

Sun Xiaojuan looked at Leng Yongkang, who was holding the broom in mid-air, and hurriedly comforted her mother-in-law: "Mom, being a married couple is a fate cultivated over several lifetimes; how can you say divorce so easily? We know you’re worried about the children. Someone who didn't know better might think you were being too harsh on the younger generation. Let’s not talk about this anymore; let’s all work together as a family to live a good life."

"Right, Mom, I get a headache just looking at this chaotic life. If we want to live, let’s live well; let’s not have internal strife," Leng Yongxing chimed in, then gave Sun Xiaojuan a hard shove.

Sun Xiaojuan stumbled. "Why aren't you going to serve Mom her food? Big Brother and I have to go to work after breakfast, and the two little ones have to go to school. Don't be late later."

Sun Xiaojuan glared at Leng Yongxing, swallowed her anger, turned around, and patted Leng Mei. "Why are you sitting there like a fool, waiting for me to serve you? Hurry up and get the bowls and chopsticks. You’re so old and have no initiative at all; it’s a waste of all the food you’ve eaten over the years."

Leng Mei clutched her arm, which had been patted painfully, and walked quickly to the kitchen to get the bowls and chopsticks.

As for how she felt at that moment, it seemed no one cared.

Old Lady Leng took the porridge handed to her by her daughter-in-law and glared at everyone. "I’m the one who plays the villain, while you all act like the good guys. Who do you think I was lashing out for just now? It was all for you! If I hadn't been suppressing the eldest daughter-in-law all these years, do you think you’d be living so well, with money to eat your fill? You have no idea how much the whole family spends every day. The moment something happens, you all know how to blame me. Is that how sons and daughters-in-law should act?"

The brothers stared at each other, neither speaking.

Finally, Sun Xiaojuan took up the conversation: "Mom, we were just trying to ease the atmosphere earlier. Otherwise, given Huihui’s temper, she would have made sure the whole family compound knew about it, and then it would be our faces that were lost."

"A bunch of black-hearted, rotten-lunged things!"

Old Lady Leng cursed, then lowered her head to drink her porridge. It was unclear whether she was cursing one person or everyone present.

Changed the cover, thanks to my editor Lulu~ I never have to worry about covers~ *covers mouth and giggles~*

(End of chapter)