Du Jindao and Third Son Du both acted like they were dead, letting their wives curse incessantly and destroy the relationship between the two families. However, it seemed like they never got along in the first place, always at each other’s throats. A bit of cursing didn’t make much difference.
Granny Lu looked toward Du Jindao and Third Son Du.
"I’m asking you!" she had never spoken to her two sons before. Mr. Lu used to be quite domineering, and his sons naturally followed suit, each more arrogant, more of a scoundrel, and more inhumane than the last. Weren’t they afraid their own children would turn out the same and abandon them?
Sometimes there truly is karma, and it struck Mr. Lu. He had long passed away, and his final days were pitiful, without water or food, his cause of death unknown. At his burial, although villagers value a proper burial, the two sons chose the cheapest coffin, didn’t hire mourners, and just buried him directly. When Qingming Festival came, they didn’t even visit his grave or burn paper money for him.
If Mr. Lu had known that he would end up in such a plight after death, would he have regretted his actions? Having sons is supposed to secure one’s old age, yet none of his three sons looked after him in his twilight years.
Du Jindao and Third Son Du, when asked, still didn’t respond. They were just playing dumb.
They couldn’t act like the women in the family, after all, they needed to save face if they wanted to continue living in this village. So, from start to finish, they cleverly remained silent, pushing everything onto their wives.
Granny Lu was truly disappointed, but she still wanted to ask her two sons if they really did not recognize her as their mother anymore. Deep down, she knew clearly, twenty years ago, these two had already disowned her. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have driven her out of the village to beg.
"Go ask Third," said Eldest Brother, tossing the question to Third Son Du.
Third Son Du glared at Du Jindao.
"It’s up to Eldest Brother," he shot back at Du Jindao, indicating it was none of his business.
Granny Lu finally lost all hope. While the two daughters-in-law were still cursing, she thought it best to leave, to avoid causing a permanent rift between the two families because of her. It was better if she left; if she had really stayed, it would likely disrupt the peace of both families for a lifetime.
So, she left, she would definitely leave.
"I’m taking Dongsheng with me. He has no parents anyway. I’ll raise him, and he can support me in my old age," Granny Lu took a deep breath, trembling, she pulled Dongsheng by the arm, knowing she would never return. This was no longer her home.
"That won’t do!" Eldest Brother’s wife had sharp ears; she was quarreling with Third Son Du’s wife but immediately turned and shouted sharply at Granny Lu.
"He still owes money to my family. If he leaves, who will pay it?"
Dongsheng gritted his teeth, full of hate,
"Auntie, the land was given to me, and you live in the house."
"That land will be seized next year; I can’t plant anything, and the house is all old. We need to repaint it," Eldest Brother’s wife slapped her thigh forcefully. Du Laoer, look at this shameless wretch, he owes money and doesn’t want to pay! Knowing his true nature now, that money might as well have been thrown to the dogs; we should never have lent it. This Du Laoer is good for nothing, his behaviour is despicable, is he trying to drive us to death?"
Seeing that Eldest Brother’s wife was still cursing, Dongsheng couldn’t take it anymore.
"Enough!" he shouted forcefully. You can insult me, but don’t insult those who have passed away, it’s unbearable.
"I only owe you 2000 yuan, and over the years, haven’t all the earnings from the work I’ve done on your farm been given to you? Isn’t that enough?"
"Enough, how would that be enough?" The wife of the Eldest Brother sneered coldly, "Didn’t you eat at my house, didn’t you drink? Are my meals supposed to feed pigs?"
Dongsheng was so cross he wanted to grab the wife of the Eldest Brother’s face, it was always this look that disgusted him. What had he eaten at Mr. Du’s? Just raw water, leftovers every day, how could that be worth much money? Even if they were feeding pigs, they wouldn’t let him have any.
"If it’s just 2000 yuan you want, then I’ll give it to you," Dongsheng clenched his fists tightly, holding back the urge to smash her face, he turned around and said to Qin Xiangyang with difficulty.
"Brother, lend me 2000 yuan, I will pay you back once I earn it."
Qin Xiangyang without a word, took out his wallet. Despite dressed shabbily, he had a fine wallet, which ordinary people wouldn’t recognize. It was made of genuine leather, and certainly cost a pretty penny.
Qin Xiangyang didn’t carry much money on him. He began to count it out, no hundreds, just mostly tens and even some coins, smaller denominations. If he took out too much at once, wouldn’t it make these people think they were rich, easy targets, just ripe for the picking?
Nobody’s money is blown in by the wind, everyone’s money is hard-earned, and for relatives like these, Qin Xiangyang didn’t want to acknowledge any of them.
He counted for a long time before finally making up 2000 yuan to give to Dongsheng.
"Thank you, brother," Dongsheng, holding the money felt very sad, as though he was draining his new brother dry.
Qin Xiangyang just smiled and patted Dongsheng on the shoulder, not saying much.
Dongsheng held the money tightly in his hand, then walked over to the wife of the Eldest Brother and handed it out.
"This is the money my family owes you."
The wife of the Eldest Brother reached out greedily for the money, her eyes almost red with desire, but just as her hand was about to touch the money, someone snatched it away.
"What are you doing?" The wife of the Eldest Brother’s eyes almost popping out with ferocity, "Give me the money, how dare you take my money, do you want to die?"
Upon seeing this, Qin Xiangyang was also startled, fearing that the wife of the Eldest Brother might start a physical altercation, he quickly stepped in, and the person holding the money was none other than Qin Xiangnuan.
Qin Xiangnuan had powdered her face yellow, looking somewhat gaunt as if she hadn’t eaten well, yet her eyes were clear as water and facial features were appealing, which seemed a bit out of sync with her current complexion.
She shook the money in her hand.
"For this aunt of mine with a twisted face," she sneered in her heart,
"Both past and present, they forsake dignity for money, forever seeking to bury themselves in money."
"You can have the money," she extended her hand, "Bring the IOU."
She knew, her uncle had indeed written an IOU, otherwise, how could the Du family have lent them the money? Du Jindao might not be smart, actually somewhat dumb, but when it came to money, he and his wife, who loved money and were greedy, cherished money more than their lives.