"Dad, I know it costs money to send another child to college, but both Nianhua and Nian’an have good grades, and the teachers all say that it would be a pity not to educate them." Xu Qinghe was simple and honest, and although he was the eldest in the family, he had no say at all.
Xu Zhong scolded him, saying, "Nian’an’s grades are far behind Zhiyuan’s, which has earned our Xu Family much honor."
"Dad." Ji Ying timidly mentioned, saying, "Isn’t there financial aid for college that doesn’t require us to pay out of our own pockets?"
"Doesn’t it still require living expenses? Travel expenses?" Xu Zhong rebuffed without a second thought.
Xu Zhong, in his sixties, had a weather-beaten face with dark skin and a pair of eyes like copper bells that, when widened, were particularly frightening.
Ji Ying instantly dared not speak anymore and could only look pleadingly toward her husband, Xu Qinghe.
The two children had to go to school. The eldest had not had the chance, and that was regret enough for the couple. The second and third had to be sent to school, even if it meant smashing the pot and selling the iron.
"Grandpa." Xu Nian’an, the younger one, was not supposed to interrupt, but he could not hold back anymore and said, "Being biased is one thing, but this isn’t the way to show favoritism. Dad is your son too, and I’m your grandson. When the eldest was schooling, you said there wasn’t enough money to send Zhihao and all of us to school."
"Now, when my siblings and I need to go to school, you say there’s still no money because we need to fund Zhiyuan’s education, and you tell me to work at the brick factory. Are all the money my brother and I earn supposed to just fund my uncle’s family’s education?"
"Even Xu Jiaojiao can go to school, why can’t my sister?"
Xu Nian’an had been holding back a stomach full of anger and didn’t care about repercussions, letting out everything he had wanted to say.
"Nian’an." Xu Qinghe said sternly, "Apologize to Grandpa. How can you speak to Grandpa ?"
"Dad, why can’t I say it when I haven’t said anything wrong?"
Xu Nian’an stood his ground, unwilling to apologize.
Xu Zhong rushed forward and slapped him mercilessly.
The loud slap echoed, and Xu Nian’an looked shocked at Ji Ying, who had stepped in front of him, quickly supporting her and asking, "Mom, are you okay?"
Ji Ying, dizzy from Xu Zhong’s slap, steadied herself with Xu Nian’an’s help.
The room was in chaos, and although Xu Zhong felt he had been impulsive, he had slapped his own grandson after all; who asked her to step in?
Ji Ying sat on the stool feeling that all the grievances she had accumulated over the years burst forth at that moment.
"We can’t go on , Xu Qinghe, we either split up the family or get a divorce." Ji Ying’s eyes were blurred with tears as she raised her head. She thought of the girl who, unable to attend school, had nearly lost hope. Her heart ached as if punctured by needles, and her sons—the two sons—she had already delayed the eldest’s future, was she going to hinder the younger son’s future as well?
If before Ji Ying thought that as a daughter-in-law, she should be obedient to her in-laws, harmonious with her sisters-in-law, and respectful to her husband, now she felt she had endured everything for the sake of this family. In the end, all the suffering fell on them.
It didn’t matter if she and her husband suffered, but the future of their two children was at stake, and she no longer wanted to endure any further.
The eldest hadn’t had great grades from childhood, so she did not mention him much. But the second and third had good grades, and every time, the teachers said they should be well-educated. Why, just because their grandfather didn’t allow it, should they be denied education?