Chapter 48: Want to shop for free here? Not a chance!

“There is no motive for kindness other than deception or theft. I wasn't wrong about you after all. I’ve been living frugally just to save up some meat coupons to buy meat and render it into oil; I haven't even had a bite myself, and yet you're already trying to snatch half of it away.

What? Do I owe you something? When you all were feasting on delicacies, did you ever stop to think about me? When you were being filial to your own parents, did you ever think about me, your mother-in-law?”

After saying this, Li Xiangqin slammed the kitchen door shut with a loud *bang*.

If they thought they could pull a "zero-dollar shopping spree" on her, they were dead wrong.

“Watch out for fire, watch out for thieves, and watch out for people with hands that reach too far.”

Stunned by her mother-in-law's sudden barrage of mockery and sarcasm, Zhang Yanli froze.

In the past, because she had a job and had given the Zhang family a grandson, her mother-in-law had always been polite to her and had never been this caustic.

“Mom, what do you mean by that? It’s just a bit of oil, isn't it? If you don't want to give it, just say so. Is there a need to be so sarcastic?”

“You have the nerve to do it, so why shouldn't I say something? If I hadn't spoken up, you would have walked off with the whole jar. You can't get enough of taking advantage of people, and then you turn around and blame me for giving too little?”

Li Xiangqin rolled her eyes at her and turned away to pour herself a glass of water to soothe her throat.

“Zhang Jianguo, look at what you've done! I shouldn't have come here today. I rushed over to your house right after work to do some cleaning, only to be insulted like this. Do I not have chores at my own house? Why did I come here to swallow this indignity?”

Zhang Yanli’s face turned pale with anger, her fists clenched tightly, her entire body trembling.

As a quality inspector at the sauce factory, she never had to touch dirty or menial work; she knew how many people envied her.

She felt she had truly wasted her time coming here just to take this nonsense.

Seeing his wife so angry, Zhang Jianguo hurried over to pat her shoulder, then turned to his mother with a frown.

“Mom, what are you doing? Yanli was just trying to be helpful. Why must you use such hurtful words?”

“Oh, so you're feeling sorry for your wife now? Why didn't you say anything when she was eyeing my things? Does washing a bowl for me make her feel too wronged?

From the time she married into the Zhang family until she gave birth to two children, I’ve looked after her during her postpartum recovery, cared for the kids, cooked countless meals, washed endless dishes, and did all the laundry. Do I need to sit down and calculate it all for you?

She washes one bowl and starts making a fuss in front of me—should I record this as a great achievement and go promote your 'virtue' to the whole courtyard?”

Facing his mother's aggression, Zhang Jianguo’s expression stiffened, and he gave a sheepish smile.

“Mom, I know you're harboring resentment because of the third brother and his wife, but you can't take it out on everyone else. Look, you've scared the children; they don't even dare to speak.”

Li Xiangqin followed his gaze. Lei Zi and Xia Xia, who had been squatting in the corner playing marbles, had now run to their mother's side, staring at her warily from left and right.

She had raised them from infants to the two grandsons they were now, and the way they looked at her was no longer affectionate.

“I’ve raised them from the moment they were born. Even if I don't have great merits, I have certainly put in the hard work. As for how I treat them, you two should be able to see it clearly if you aren't blind.

In just a few short days, they've actually developed resentment toward their grandmother. What does that say? Either they are ungrateful wolves to their very core, or the head is crooked so the tail is crooked—someone has been whispering bad things about me in their ears.”

Li Xiangqin didn't hold back; she laid it all out plainly.

She couldn't even count on her own son, let alone her grandsons.

She didn't care; no one was going to get anything out of her.

Hearing his mother's blunt tone, Zhang Jianguo turned to look at his wife.

Ever since they brought the children home, his wife had been busy working and picking them up and dropping them off, her feet barely touching the ground. She had a belly full of resentment, so it was inevitable that she would occasionally speak without thinking.

But since she was the one picking up and dropping off the kids, a few complaints were normal. He had chosen to ignore them, but he hadn't expected his mother to call her out so directly.

For a moment, the atmosphere became awkward.

“Mom, look at what you're saying. Children naturally grow closer to whoever is looking after them. You are the most respected grandmother in their hearts. It's just that you've been in a bad mood lately, so the children are afraid to get close.”

“I'm in a bad mood, and I'll be in a bad mood from now on. For the sake of the children's mental and physical health, don't bother coming over if you don't have anything important to do.

If something happens to them because they're scared, I won't be able to take responsibility.”

The eldest son's behavior was like a dung beetle wearing a mask—shameless.

Did she think she didn't know the purpose of this couple coming here?

It was nothing more than wanting to dump the kids on her so they could enjoy their own peace and quiet. Well, she wasn't going to give them that chance.

Zhang Jianguo: “...”

His mother had directly blocked his way out. What was he supposed to do?

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yanli's face darkened instantly.

“Zhang Jianguo, if you want to show your filial piety, do it by yourself from now on. Don't drag me along. Didn't you hear how much your mother dislikes me?”

With that, she made a move to leave, and the two children immediately followed their mother.

“A dung beetle trying to act like a bird—what kind of bird do you think you are? Using this as an excuse to make a scene here, as if you've ever been filial. Every time you come back, you just stick your butt to the bench and wait to be fed and served!

You act like washing a bowl is some massive grievance. And I was actually expecting you to be filial to me?”

Zhang Yanli froze. She spun around abruptly to glare at Li Xiangqin, her eyes flashing with unprecedented hatred.

This old woman was truly beyond hope.

“What are you looking at? Did I say anything that wasn't true? I act as a nanny for your children. Have I ever taken a single cent of your money or worn a single scrap of your cloth?

You buy cloth for your own mother to make new clothes, and the eldest son asks people to buy Moutai for his father-in-law. His own father didn't even get a drop of his filial offerings before he died.

Since you think your parents are so wonderful, why don't you let them look after the kids? Why are you coming here with your face plastered on my door?”

Facing Li Xiangqin's interrogation, the couple's expressions tightened, and shock flashed in their eyes.

How did this old woman know about her being filial to her own parents?

She had kept it strictly under wraps and hadn't let her mother flaunt it; how had it reached her mother-in-law's ears?

Meeting his mother's cold gaze, Zhang Jianguo looked away guiltily, pushed up his glasses, and cleared his throat.

“Mom, who told you that? Don't believe those messy rumors outside. My parents have helped me all these years, and I keep that in my heart. If you have grievances, you can vent them on me, but you can't involve others.”

“To hell with your mother-in-law's nonsense! Do you think I'm wronging you? Do you want to go to your mother-in-law's house to confront her and get it straight?

You ungrateful dog! You eat in this house and drink in this house, and we live frugally to support you, yet you have the nerve to go and be filial to others.”

“What 'others'? Those are my parents! I have my own job; it's only natural for me to buy things for my parents. I don't need your permission.”

Zhang Yanli snapped like she had stepped on her tail. She jumped up, staring hatefully at Li Xiangqin, looking as if she were about to lung at her and tear her apart.