Jiang Mianmian kept her head down, sitting obediently on the stool, but the little voice inside her heart was vigorously applauding her dad.
So cool, true to be her dad, nobody could get a single penny from him, such combat strength!
Sun Lixia was left speechless by the retort but, feeling envious and unwilling to let it go, she forced a smile and said, “Eldest brother, you make so much money from hunting now, don’t forget to help out your brothers too. Next time you go into the mountains, take our Changtao with you.”
At these words, Jiang Changtao’s eyes flickered slightly, and he followed up, “It’s dangerous in the mountains, and we brothers can look out for each other.”
Seeing the eldest brother making good money from hunting game had made him very eager to join.
But knowing his big brother’s stingy nature, he felt too embarrassed to ask.
Now that his wife had spoken for him, and in front of their parents, the eldest brother would at least have to consider brotherly emotions.
Jiang Changhai raised his eyebrows but didn’t outright refuse. Instead, he asked, “Laosan, do you know how to track a pig’s trotters?”
Jiang Changtao shook his head, “No.”
“Then do you know how to find a rabbit’s burrow?”
By the time Jiang Changhai got to this question, Jiang Changtao’s face had become very unpleasant.
He stopped answering and countered, “Eldest brother, what’s the meaning of these questions? If you don’t want to take me with you, just say it.”
“I indeed don’t want to take you,” Jiang Changhai said bluntly, not caring about his brother’s upset face. “You don’t know anything, why should I take you along like a burden?”
“Changtao may not know, but you do, right? As long as you know, that’s enough,” Sun Lixia, angered by his humiliating scorn, blurted out what was on her mind without thinking.
Jiang Changhai’s expression suddenly turned cold as he said icily, “I know how to do everything by myself, what’s the use of taking him with me? To wait for me to catch the prey and then to have him clap and cheer on the sidelines?”
Jiang Mianmian almost couldn’t hold back her laughter. She just couldn’t help it; her dad was just too incisive with his words.
The always silent second branch of the family felt that the eldest’s words were a bit too blunt and hurtful but acknowledged they were the truth.
Laosan knew nothing, and bringing him along would only benefit the main branch.
The other small things might be fine; after all, they were biological brothers, but that was meat! Meat that could be exchanged for money and fabric in town!
It was something that never crossed their minds to take advantage of because they knew they didn’t have the skills to do it and could only admire it from afar.
“Eldest brother you don’t—” Sun Lixia, hearing the cutting words, wanted to retort.
But Jiang Changtao abruptly stood up, grabbing her and heading out, “Enough, let’s go back to our room.”
Zhang Guihua, watching her youngest son leave in a huff, turned to her eldest and said, “Eldest, that’s your biological brother, don’t speak so unpleasantly.”
“Mom, it’s not that I’m speaking unpleasantly. You tell me, if Changtao understands nothing and I take him into the forest, and we encounter a wild beast, do you expect me to run or to go back and save him?”
“Uh…” Zhang Guihua was left speechless by Jiang Changhai’s question; both the palm and back of her hand were her flesh, and she would be heartbroken if anything happened to either!
However, before she could answer, Jiang Changhai told her plainly, “Anyway, I wouldn’t go back to save him.”
“You, well, forget it. If you don’t want to take him, then don’t,” Zhang Guihua conceded, as she could never really do anything about her eldest son.
Once back in their room, Jiang Changtao, still fuming, pointed at Sun Lixia and said, “From now on, no matter how much money Eldest makes, stay away from him! Even if I have to die poor and starve, I won’t mix with him! I don’t believe that I, someone who works hard and earnestly, can’t surpass someone who’s cunning and deceitful.”