Chapter 19: I Will Take Care of You in Your Old Age

“Stop trying to pull any stunts with me. Sign first, then you can leave.”

The brothers lined up one by one, signing their names and pressing their thumbprints.

Li Xiangqin picked up the letter, glanced at it, and nodded with satisfaction.

“Lao Wu, open the door and let them out... As for the notarization issue, I'll notify you once there's news.”

The men looked at each other in bewilderment. They had arrived with aggressive momentum, but not only had they failed to achieve their goals, they had also been forced to sign an agreement.

Now, they had divided the family estate in a complete muddle. To say they had gained anything, there was no actual benefit; to say they had lost out, it didn't quite seem that way either.

The third brother tugged at his hair, feeling as if his brain had turned into mush, unable to find any sense of direction.

As soon as Zhang Jianguo and the others stepped out, the crowd gathered at the entrance immediately turned their gaze toward them.

Everyone had heard the commotion and had been waiting by the door, ready to step in and mediate if a fight broke out.

Seeing the brothers walk out unharmed, the crowd's eyes swept over them like X-rays from head to toe, noting especially how flushed their cheeks were.

“Jianguo, did you brothers make your mother angry again?”

“I could hear Auntie Li losing her temper from a distance. Be careful not to hurt your health. When your aunt is in a bad mood, you children need to be more patient and accommodating.”

“Exactly. Your parents have such a good relationship and such good tempers; they're famous in our courtyard. For her to lose her temper two days in a row, she must be harboring a lot of grievances in her heart.”

“It wasn't easy for your mother to raise you all. You can't let her heart grow cold.”

Listening to these blatant accusations, the brothers felt as bitter as gall. They hadn't done anything, and they hadn't even been given a chance to question her before their mother's actions had shut them down completely.

In the end, they were the ones being pointed at by the neighbors. Whose sons felt as aggrieved as they did?

“Aunts, sisters, my mother called us here today to discuss matters; she wasn't losing her temper. As you know, my mother has always had a loud voice.”

“Big brother is right. In our house, my mother has always been the one in charge. We listen to whatever she says. If you don't believe us, go in and ask.”

“Is what you're saying true?”

“Of course. We've been neighbors for so many years; there's nothing to hide.” Zhang Jianguo pushed up his glasses; they were nearly falling apart and needed to be repaired when he got home.

The crowd listened, half-believing and half-doubting, but since it was another family's business, they could offer a few words of advice but could not interfere.

Living in the same courtyard, every household had many children; arguments and bickering were commonplace.

Since they saw each other all the time, they couldn't make a scene too ugly.

Not wanting to linger, Zhang Jianguo quickly signaled for his wife to take the children and leave.

He couldn't stand the way people looked at them—it was like being under searchlights, making him feel uncomfortable.

“Hurry up and leave, it's embarrassing,” Wang Yulan glared at the second brother and pushed her bicycle out ahead of them.

Only the third brother and his wife stood in the courtyard, looking at each other blankly.

They had been squeezed out; they had nowhere else to go.

“Wife, how about... we go stay at your mother's for a few days?” The third brother scratched his head. He didn't want to go home and face his mother right now; she was too violent.

Zhao Meijuan glared at him, then looked back at the still-open door, feeling furious.

“How could my mother's house accommodate us?”

“Then what should we do?” The third brother was at a loss. Seeing his wife's reddened eyes, he was momentarily speechless.

“Come on, let's go buy some things and have dinner at my mother's tonight.” She had to ask her mother for advice; that old woman was too ruthless.

“Alright!” Hearing his wife's arrangement, the third brother was instantly cheered up.

When Wang Erying returned from buying groceries, she saw the crowd gathered in the courtyard whispering, occasionally glancing toward the Zhang family's gate and pointing.

“What are you all chatting about so excitedly?”

“Auntie Wang, the Zhang family is fighting. The sons came to cause trouble again.”

“Tell me about it. I heard Auntie Xiangqin scolding them from far away; it sounded quite infuriating.”

“Auntie Wang, you and Auntie Xiangqin are close. Why don't you go and mediate? The sons have made their fuss and left; if the elderly and the young are left behind and get sick from the anger, then what?”

Looking at the gossip in their eyes, Wang Erying gave them a reproachful look.

“You all just love to watch a spectacle. Doesn't every family have moments when the pots and pans clash? With so many people in a house, a little dispute is normal.”

“That may be true, but Auntie Xiangqin really has it hard. Uncle Zhang just passed away, and now the sons are here causing trouble. It's obvious they're after the compensation money.”

“People will turn their backs on their own kin for money.”

“Enough, enough, stop guessing. You can't even manage your own affairs, yet you have the leisure to meddle in others'." With her basket on her arm, Wang Erying dropped that line and headed home.

Once the house was quiet, Li Xiangqin washed her face and sat back down at the sewing machine. She threaded the needle, and the machine began to clatter rhythmically under her feet.

“Mom, it's because of me that I've put you in a difficult position.” The fourth daughter stood to the side with her head lowered, her eyes red.

Because of her, her mother had essentially torn ties with her brothers, and she felt immense guilt.

“I know what happened today. It has nothing to do with you.”

Without even looking up, Li Xiangqin explained casually,

“You think they came for you? They came entirely for your father's compensation. If I didn't lash out once, they would have dared to reach out and snatch it. Since I'm buying you a bicycle today, it's better to settle everything at once to save peace of mind. We are living our lives; we don't have time to play mind games every day.”

“...What if they hold a grudge against you in the future?” The fourth daughter rubbed her hands, still very worried.

She had always stood behind her mother and had not missed a single look from her sisters-in-law.

“If people are bad, no matter how much you give them your heart, you won't earn their gratitude. If they had a conscience, they would think about how hard your father and I worked to support them.”

Li Xiangqin stopped her foot pedal and looked up at the fourth daughter.

“It's better to rely on yourself than on others. As long as I have money, even if no one takes care of me when I'm old, I can live in a high-end nursing home.”

Human nature is greedy; no matter how good you are to them, won't they eventually abandon you?

So what if she scolded and hit them now? Hadn't they left in disgrace anyway?

“Mom, don't worry. I will take care of you in the future.” The fourth daughter wiped her face, her gaze determined.

“Fine. Before you take care of me, take care of yourself. As the old saying goes, mountains fall and people run. If you want to support me in my old age, you must have your own strength.

If you marry in the future and rely on a husband, and he disagrees or threatens you with divorce, then even if you are full of filial piety, you won't be able to achieve it.

At that time, you will become the meat in a sandwich, caught between two sides, and you will only suffer more.”

She did not expect anything from anyone in this life; she didn't even hold hope for her own biological daughter.

For the remaining years, she only wanted to live comfortably and freely, never to be a beast of burden again.

“Mom, I won't get married in the future. I'll stay with you and take care of you.”

Just as Li Xiangqin was calculating how to start her new life, the fourth daughter suddenly knelt down and made a solemn promise.

Li Xiangqin: “...”

What a simple-minded girl. Unfortunately, being too honest leads to suffering.

(End of Chapter)