Chapter 53: Telling Lies with a Straight Face

Li Xiangqin rolled her eyes at him. "I can count the number of times I've spent with her on one hand. I won't judge whether she's good or bad; as long as you're happy, that's all that matters.

Besides, I'm not someone without a temper. I have no desire to constantly cater to someone who thinks they're the center of the universe."

They were from different social strata; it was best if they didn't meet in the future, and she couldn't be bothered to deal with her.

The second son was choked up. When it came to his wife, he truly did owe his mother.

But he was helpless. His wife wasn't used to their family's lifestyle and didn't like his relatives; there was nothing he could do to force it, was there?

As for his daughter, she had always been looked after by her maternal grandparents. He rarely got his hands dirty with her upbringing, so he had even less say in the matter.

"Mom, don't worry. Once the child is a bit older, I'll bring her back. She is a member of the Zhang family after all; in the end, she'll be closest to her grandmother."

"Do as you see fit. I won't get involved."

Li Xiangqin saw through his blatant lie but didn't call him out. She simply waved him off.

Theoretically, a child is closest to whoever raises them, but since she had just been bitten by her grandson, she wasn't so sure anymore.

"Since there's nothing else, just go back. Otherwise, your wife will get angry again if she doesn't see you."

"Mom, do you look down on your son that much? I'm a grown man, for heaven's sake. I'm just too lazy to argue with them."

His wife was a proud peacock, better than him in every way. He considered himself lucky to have married Wang Yulan; it was only right to yield to her.

"I gave birth to you. Do you think I don't know if you're a man or a woman?" Li Xiangqin waved her hand in disdain, telling him to get lost.

Finally, peace returned to her ears. Li Xiangqin let out a sigh of relief and looked down at the scratches on her arm with a cold gaze.

She had effectively burned her bridges with the eldest son's family. Unless something major changed, she doubted they would see each other again for a long time.

So it was like this: the eldest and third had lost their connection to her, and the second was caught in the middle.

Now only three were left by her side. Aside from the fourth, she had no reason to kick the other two out, which was frustrating.

Thinking of the fifth and sixth, Li Xiangqin turned to look at the fourth.

"Where has that brat, the sixth, gone?"

From the start of the fight until now, she hadn't seen a trace of him. She wondered where that little rascal had scurried off to.

"I saw him slip out with a book right after dinner. I'm not sure exactly where he went."

The fourth shook her head. Little Sixth often hung out with several kids his age in the courtyard, running around mysteriously; she had no idea what they were up to.

"That little bastard. He's only proactive when it comes to eating; he's good for nothing else."

"Mom, don't be angry. Don't hold a grudge against Big Brother and the others. If things get too strained, it'll be hard to fix later."

The fourth looked at her mother worriedly. The eldest sister-in-law had even made a harsh threat, saying she wouldn't take care of Mom in her old age.

Although the fourth had already decided she would take care of her mother herself, as the eldest son and daughter-in-law, providing for their mother was both an obligation and a responsibility.

If they truly washed their hands of it, Mom would surely be heartbroken.

The fourth had seen firsthand how much effort her mother had poured into the eldest son and his wife over the years.

To have her most successful son and her most beloved grandson treat her like this—one could only imagine how much pain her mother was in.

Listening to her daughter's persuasion, Li Xiangqin remained indifferent.

"How else can it be fixed? At worst, we just stop seeing each other. Someone who dares to lay a hand on an elder can't be any good. As for my old age, I have my own plans. If I rely on that couple, I might end up dying a miserable death."

She had long since thought about her retirement.

She had to save as much money as possible. As long as she had money, her later years wouldn't be too wretched.

As for her children, whether they cared for her or not would ultimately depend on how much money she held in her hands and how much they had to gain from her.

People are selfish. In her past life, she had given everything to her children, only to be discarded like old shoes because she had nothing left to offer.

At the end of the day, controlling the finances was the most important thing.

"Mom, don't worry. I'll take care of you in the future." The fourth looked at her mother with a solemn, determined expression, as if she were taking a formal oath.

"Alright, I'll be counting on you then." Li Xiangqin patted her daughter's shoulder with relief.

They say that a dragon produces nine sons, each different from the last, and the fourth was the outlier of this family.

The others were increasingly selfish, each with their own agendas, while this girl was honest, simple, and kind—though, unfortunately, her end in the previous life had been the most tragic.

Fortunately, she had prevented that from happening in this life.

"Since you plan to take care of me, work hard and find a reliable son-in-law so you can live a good life."

"...Mom, you'll have to help me decide when the time comes. Just pick someone you like."

When it came to her own affairs, the fourth blushed but did not shy away. She trusted her mother's judgment and believed she would choose a husband of good character.

"Oh? Changing your mind so quickly? Last time, I heard someone saying they'd never marry."

Li Xiangqin teased her, laughing heartily at her daughter's reddening face. The gloom in her heart dissipated along with the laughter.

Having one devoted child made it all worth it.

Just then, the fifth child peeked out stealthily, looking at Li Xiangqin cautiously.

"Mom, I'll take care of you too in the future."

"Bah! You have the nerve to say that? I'm embarrassed just hearing it. If I relied on you, I'd probably get beaten to death one of these days."

He didn't even dare show his face during the family feud; if he got into a fight outside, he'd probably vanish without a trace.

"Mom~, I was wrong. I'll definitely take your side from now on." The fifth was filled with regret; if he had known, he would have stepped out sooner.

Li Xiangqin rolled her eyes at him. In her past life, this brat had only ever cared about himself, being incredibly selfish.

In this life, she would enjoy a few years of "stick education" with him; whether he would change was up to fate.

Regardless, she wasn't planning on relying on anyone.

***

The second son left the house and pedaled his bicycle furiously to the eldest son's door. After knocking for a while, he drew out a neighbor from across the way.

"Your eldest brother hasn't come back since he left this afternoon."

"Okay, thanks."

The second son frowned. Since his sister-in-law had taken the children back to her parents' house, his brother must have followed.

After a fight like that, the eldest brother would definitely need to go and explain things to his parents-in-law.

The second son glanced back at the eldest brother's window and prepared to head home. Just as he left the residential compound, he ran into the eldest brother, who was cycling back.

"Big Brother, why are you alone?"

"Your sister-in-law and the kids are staying at her parents' place for now." Zhang Guoguo looked at his brother. "Want to come in for a drink?"

The second son raised an eyebrow. Even someone who didn't drink wanted to drown his sorrows?

"Sure, it's been a while since I've had a drink." Usually, at his father-in-law's house, he was only allowed to have an occasional drink with his father-in-law; otherwise, his wife wouldn't let him touch alcohol.

She said that as soon as he drank, his true nature would show, making him unpleasant.

The two returned home. The eldest brother prepared a simple plate of broad beans and a plate of peanuts, and they sat facing each other.

After a few drinks, the eldest brother's face was flushed red. "Do you think... Mom's recent changes are a bit too drastic?"

(End of Chapter)