Chapter 15: Speaking Plainly

The two of them were full of anger and questions, but before they could even open their mouths, they were met with a barrage of accusations from their mother-in-law, leaving them momentarily stunned.

Thinking back to the commotion they made when entering, the two exchanged a glance, both feeling a bit guilty.

"Mom, you’ve misunderstood. There are so many people coming and going in the house, it’s inevitable that there’d be some bumping around."

"It’s your eldest grandson who wanted to see his grandma; he was just too excited when he came in."

Li Xiangqin watched them spout nonsense with a cold eye. She walked straight over, shoved the two people blocking the door aside, and closed it behind them.

"Hmph, don't try to fool me with the child. If a child isn't taught well, it's the parents' fault. A child is like a blank sheet of paper; whatever you instill in them, that’s what they become.

Coming in here so aggressively and slamming the door—what is it? Are you trying to swallow me whole and inherit my estate?"

Li Xiangqin swept her gaze over the few people in the living room and sat down boldly on a chair.

"Speak up. You’re all such busy people; you wouldn't come to my door without a reason. Whatever grievances you have, just aim them at me."

Hearing the commotion, the fourth child rushed out of her room. Seeing her eldest, second, and third brothers looking so hostile, and remembering the things her mother had bought for her today, she felt at a loss.

Seeing her mother in a fighting stance, she took a deep breath, suddenly stepped in front of her mother, and spread her arms.

"Eldest brother, second brother, what are you doing?"

Li Xiangqin felt a warmth in her heart seeing the fourth child choose to protect her despite being clearly terrified. This was a thoughtful child.

"Fourth, step back. I want to see what these rebellious things are trying to do."

Seeing their mother’s posture, the group looked at each other. Once they recalled their mother’s fighting spirit over the past two days, their momentum withered a bit.

"Eldest brother, say something!" the second brother nudged the eldest’s shoulder. They had discussed everything before coming in; he wasn't going to back out now, was he?

Zhang Jianguo glared at him, raised his hand to push up his glasses, and said, "Ahem... Mom, we heard you bought a pile of things today, and even bought a new bicycle?"

"Did you study so much that you went blind? The bicycle is right there in front of you—can't you see it? What, do I need to report to you every time I buy something? Should I let you be the parent instead?"

Zhang Jianguo’s face stiffened. "Mom, I’m just asking. Why are you so angry?"

"Ask my foot! Look at the way you’re all acting, as if you can't wait to tear me apart. Look at yourselves—what kind of sons are you? Bossing me around like this; if I didn't know better, I’d think I raised a bunch of fathers."

Li Xiangqin looked at them, spitting as she berated them.

Between her breaths, a sour, musty smell filled the living room.

The group was so thoroughly scolded that the momentum they had been holding onto when they entered was completely dissipated.

Now, even breathing felt uncomfortable.

"Mom, that’s not how you put it. When the family buys big-ticket items, we have a right to know," Zhang Yanli said, her face turning blue as she watched her husband get scolded by his mother-in-law, and she retorted with dissatisfaction.

"The eldest sister-in-law is right. We are also members of this family and have the right to know," Wang Yulan chimed in. She had always looked down on this mother-in-law—vulgar, biased, and lacking class.

Zhao Meijuan watched her two sisters-in-law take the lead, lowered her head, and curled her lips in satisfaction, waiting to see how things would develop.

Li Xiangqin watched their performance quietly, sitting firmly in her seat. Once they were done venting, she called out to the fifth child.

"Zhang Jianli, open all the doors and windows. Today, we’re going to lay everything out on the table."

The fifth child, who had been peeking out from her room, jumped out the moment she heard her mother’s order. In a few quick movements, she pushed open all the doors and windows facing the family compound.

The eldest, second, and third brothers’ eyelids twitched as they watched their mother in disbelief.

They say family shame shouldn't be aired in public, but their mother seemed terrified that others wouldn't hear clearly!

"Mom, what are you doing? We should discuss family matters behind closed doors; we shouldn't let outsiders make a joke of us," Zhang Jianguo looked back at the door and complained in a low voice.

"Exactly! They say family shame shouldn't be aired in public. You’re acting like you’re afraid people won't hear you. Are you trying to drag your sons' reputations through the mud?" Zhang Jianmin frowned, his expression sour.

"Mom, even though I’m not very bright, I know what you’re doing isn't right," Zhang Jianshe said, his face tight and unhappy.

"To hell with your mothers-in-law! I walk straight and sit upright; whoever has a guilty conscience is the one who should be embarrassed. It’s perfect—let the neighbors see what kind of 'filial' children I’ve raised!"

Everyone: "..."

The old lady has gone crazy!

Li Xiangqin sat in her chair, looking at her sons and daughters-in-law, from oldest to youngest.

"Zhang Jianguo, Zhang Jianmin, Zhang Jianshe, you’ve all come together to crusade against me? Then let’s break it down and calculate it today. Where exactly have I wronged you to make you come here so aggressively to hold me accountable?"

She had developed a lingering trauma from her rebirth. Every time she saw the faces of her sons and daughters-in-law, she remembered the suffering of her past life, and her resentment was impossible to suppress.

The fact that she hadn't actively sought trouble with them was already the mark of a merciful mother. She hadn't expected these disgusting things to come running to seek attention at the slightest provocation.

If it’s a reckoning they want, she wasn't afraid.

Hearing his mother’s loud voice, Zhang Jianguo was so scared he immediately looked back at the door.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

"Naturally, I’m laying everything out on the table. Whoever has a guilty conscience is the one who should be afraid."

Seeing the veins popping on the eldest’s forehead, Li Xiangqin sneered.

"We’ve lived in this machinery factory compound for decades. Who doesn't know who? Everyone knows what color underwear you’re wearing."

Zhang Jianguo was speechless. Even so, you don't just open the doors and let people watch the show.

The second brother coughed, his voice subconsciously lowering, and his tone became more peaceful.

"Mom, we didn't mean anything else. We just heard you bought a bicycle and came to ask about it."

"What’s there to ask? The fourth child started working, so I bought her some things. It’s that simple. What, do I need your approval?"

"Mom, you’re being too biased. The fourth is just a girl; she should be burning incense just for being able to take over Dad’s job. Buying her things on top of that—isn't that going too far?" The third brother had long been dissatisfied; his own wife didn't have anything yet.

The third brother’s words struck a chord with everyone, making Li Xiangqin sneer incessantly.

"Biased? I only regret not being biased toward the fourth sooner; then I wouldn't have raised you lot into blood-sucking wolves.

Ask yourselves: from school to marriage to work, which one of you spent less money? If it wasn't a thousand, it was eight hundred. Why didn't you stand up and refuse back then?

What, you act like mutes when you’re taking advantage, but get jealous and red-eyed when you see someone else get something? Where do you get the nerve?"

Hearing his mother’s accusations, Zhang Jianguo pushed up his glasses.

"Mom, I got into university on my own merit. Not only did I bring honor to the family, but I also had a subsidy; I didn't spend the family’s money."

"You really are blind in more ways than one. You didn't spend money while at university, but you didn't earn a cent for the family either. Instead, you kept asking for money under all sorts of pretenses. Which month did I not send you twenty? Those four years of university were like running away from home. Who lived as comfortably as you?"