Chapter 40: I'm Really Not Angry

Once the two cars had left the residential compound, Li Xiangqin withdrew her gaze. "Fifth, help clean the rooms so Sixth can move in."

"Alright, coming!" Fifth looked away and briskly picked up a broom and a dustpan, heading into the room without a moment's hesitation.

Standing nearby, Wang Erying watched Li Xiangqin's calm expression and sighed.

"Don't be too angry. They're grown up now; it's not strange for them to have their own ideas. Once they hit a rough patch out there, they'll realize how good home is."

"I'm not angry. They've already started their own families; I can't support them for a lifetime. Relationships depend on fate, and that goes for mothers and sons too. Let them go out and brave the world. As for how far they can go, that depends on their own luck. Whether it turns out well or poorly, there's no reason to blame us, is there?"

Li Xiangqin gave a faint smile and poured a glass of water for Wang Erying.

She had thought it would take a while to get the third son and his wife to leave, but she hadn't expected him to be so efficient and leave on his own.

With two eyesores suddenly gone from the house, even the air felt fresher. However, as an elderly mother, she couldn't show too much joy, though she couldn't quite suppress the slight curve of her lips.

"That may be true, but it's still painful to watch. Why did we bother having so many children back then? We scrimped and saved to raise them, wore ourselves out until we were sick, and yet the children might not even be grateful."

Wang Erying took a sip of water. Seeing that Li Xiangqin truly didn't seem angry, she couldn't help but lament.

She hadn't missed the resentful looks the third son and his wife had exchanged during the move.

To laboriously raise children only to end up with a mouthful of complaints—why?

"For what? For a moment of satisfaction, I suppose." Li Xiangqin couldn't figure it out either; regardless, the children were already born, and she couldn't put them back.

Choked by her words, Wang Erying stared at her with wide eyes, nearly choking on her water.

"Haha... you can even joke about it. I believe you're not angry."

The two chatted for a while, and as it was getting late, Wang Erying stood up to leave to prepare dinner for her own family.

As dusk fell, Wang Sanjiang finally returned.

The moment he stepped through the door, he was stopped by Wang Erying.

"Where did the third son and his wife move to? They've been gone so long."

"A room in the towel factory's residential compound. Once the furniture is in, there won't even be room to step. I really don't understand what the third son is trying to achieve with this stunt."

Wang Sanjiang picked up a towel to wipe his face and shook his head.

"Living out there so miserably... they'd be better off nesting at home. At the end of the day, our machinery factory housing is much more spacious."

"You think the third son moved out because of his own wits? It was his wife's instigation. They say a bad wife brings misfortune to three generations. I could tell from the day that woman entered our home that she was nothing but trouble. I remember the towel factory and the cement factory are close to each other; his wife wants to rely on her maiden family. Unfortunately, she's not a smart one either. What benefit is there for them in instigating a rift between a man and his in-laws?"

Wang Sanjiang deeply agreed. He and the third son had grown up together since they were toddlers. Ever since the third son started dating Zhao Meijuan, that woman wouldn't let him play with them anymore.

Zhao Meijuan was clearly a woman with ulterior motives and a petty nature; whenever she was around, they couldn't enjoy themselves.

"Sanjiang, let me tell you, you must keep your eyes wide open when you marry in the future. Don't bring some vixen into the house. If you find a wife like the third son's, I'll follow Aunt Xiangqin's lead and kick you straight out of the house."

"Don't worry, Mom. I'll find you someone who is sincere, thrifty, and good at managing a household—someone gentle and virtuous. I guarantee you'll be satisfied." Wang Sanjiang chuckled. He wasn't as single-minded as his brother; he knew what he needed.

"That's more like it. Among you brothers, you're the smartest. I hope you work hard these next two years and strive for some kind of 'advanced individual' award. It'll be a bargaining chip when you get married later. As both a mother-in-law and a mother, I also hope my own daughter finds an ambitious young man so I can rest easy."

Looking at her son's build and appearance, Wang Erying grew more satisfied by the day.

He was her youngest son, just turned twenty-one. Once he was married, her mission would be considered complete.

***

Li Xiangqin helped the fifth and sixth children tidy up the rooms. With one less bed in the living room, the space looked much more spacious.

"There, you'll have your own room from now on. No one will disturb you when you're studying or reading."

"Thanks, Mom. I'll work hard." Sixth patted his small bed and desk, feeling incredibly happy.

For dinner, Li Xiangqin simply made leek dumpling soup, topped with whisked eggs and a few drops of sesame oil; the flavor was fantastic.

After dinner, Fifth scrambled to do the dishes. Li Xiangqin naturally didn't object and went straight to her room to sleep, as she had a night shift.

"Sixth, do you think Mom is actually angry?"

"She's definitely angry, but not much."

Sixth swallowed his last bite of steamed bun and glanced back at the closed bedroom door.

"Third Brother and his wife are going to be in trouble soon."

Regarding today's events, he felt his brother had a major problem. No matter how much he protected his wife, he shouldn't have let Zhao Meijuan insult their mother.

It was too much!

***

Meanwhile, in the Zhao family living room, the atmosphere was solemn.

The whole family stared at the third son and his wife with unreadable expressions.

"Ahem... Jianshe, you two were too impulsive. How can you just move out after a few words of bickering? Have you considered how heartbroken your mother must be?"

Zhao Mancang suppressed the irritation in his heart. If he could, he truly wanted to kick these two fools out so he wouldn't have to look at them.

"Your father has only been gone for a few days, and you're already splitting the family. Aren't you just inviting outsiders to gossip about you? Regardless of the reason, this behavior is like stabbing your mother-in-law in the back."

Zhang Jianshe froze, lowered his head, and spoke in a muffled voice, "Anyway, my mother doesn't like me. She'll probably be happier that I moved out."

"Exactly! We're moving out, and that old woman is probably thrilled. Dad, why are you taking her side?" Zhao Meijuan pouted. From this day forward, she was going to be the one in charge.

"Shut up! Tomorrow morning, you're coming with me to apologize to your mother-in-law. If she doesn't forgive you, I won't recognize you as my daughter!"

Zhao Mancang gave her a look of disgust and roared. How had he given birth to such an idiot?

This girl was usually so submissive at home, yet after only one year of marriage, how had she become so senseless from being spoiled by her husband?

"I'm not going! Why should I apologize? That old woman hit me, and I didn't even hit back!" Zhao Meijuan stood up abruptly, looking at her family in disbelief.

Now, not only were Zhao Mancang and his wife speechless, but even the other daughters-in-law of the Zhao family looked at their sister-in-law in disbelief.

They were very curious about where she had gotten such audacity.

The eldest sister-in-law glanced at the head-bowed Zhang Jianshe, then peered eerily at the sister-in-law. "You don't actually intend to lay a hand on your mother-in-law, do you?"

Zhao Meijuan clenched her fists, her eyes filled with undisguised resentment. Before she could speak, Liu Hehua beat her to it.

(End of Chapter)