Zhao Tiansheng, relying on the fact that Zhao Xiaocao was his child bride, always carried himself with superiority around her and never took her seriously.
When Zhao Youqian was at home, he didn’t dare to treat Zhao Xiaocao poorly, knowing that the brat was now stronger than him and fiercely protective of his mother, not someone to be messed with.
Of course, he didn’t come home often, only when he ran out of money or needed to pick something up from the house.
Zhao Tiansheng looked at Xiaofeng and her group. To tell the truth, since there were many of them and they didn’t seem like easy targets, he dared not cause any trouble.
But paying for what you buy is only right and fair, isn’t it?
Thinking of this, Zhao Tiansheng had the delusion that they definitely hadn’t paid; if they had, he couldn’t possibly have lost the money.
"You’re Youqian’s boss, right? Since you’re a big boss, you surely don’t lack money. Over just sixty bucks, there’s no need to hide and skimp—just give it honestly, don’t let me look down on you, am I right?" Sixty yuan wasn’t a small sum.
He might not even make that much working outside for half a month.
Hearing Zhao Tiansheng’s words, Zhao Xiaocao wished she could crawl into a hole. Zhao Tiansheng was shameless, but she still had her dignity.
He lost the money himself and still had the face to ask for it again.
She turned to go into the house to return the sixty yuan she had found on the ground, to stop him from spouting nonsense and embarrassing himself.
"Auntie." Xiaofeng ignored Zhao Tiansheng and addressed Zhao’s wife, "We’re heading back now; we’ll visit again when there’s another opportunity."
"Alright, I’m truly sorry about today. Next time you come, stay for a meal." Zhao’s wife breathed a sigh of relief to see Xiaofeng not engaging with Zhao Tiansheng.
City folks are indeed city folks, good-tempered and well-mannered, not stooping to Zhao Tiansheng’s level.
Xiaofeng took the twins to the car. Ye Cheng also ignored Zhao Tiansheng, turning to get into the car, but not before he glanced at Zhao Tiansheng.
Zhao Tiansheng had thoughts of stopping their car, to get them to pay again, but after that casual glance from the young man, he immediately chickened out.
He had dealt with all sorts of people in town and knew better than to mess with someone like that; if he really angered them, he would be the one to suffer.
So, he could only watch helplessly as the two cars drove away, unable to do anything.
After Xiaofeng left, Zhao’s wife didn’t go back inside.
With the outsiders gone, she didn’t have to worry about Zhao Tiansheng causing embarrassment.
She picked up her hoe to head to the field.
Zhao Tiansheng saw her ignoring him and grew anxious, "Zhao Xiaocao, did you see my money or not? If you did, give it back to me right now. If I find out you kept the money, you’re going to pay for it." He might not be able to handle others, but Zhao Xiaocao was a different story.
"I didn’t see it." Zhao Xiaocao was curt in her reply, "If you don’t believe me, feel free to search the house. Anyway, you’ve taken away anything of value. And Zhao Tiansheng, can’t you have a little self-respect? You’re supposed to be a son-in-law, yet you keep coming around here, aren’t you afraid your wife will get jealous?" Zhao Tiansheng became a son-in-law to a household in town when Youqian was two or three years old.
"This place is also my home, everything left by your parents is mine, so of course, I have the right to come back. Zhao Xiaocao, we’re not husband and wife now, shouldn’t you be calling me ’brother’? Is that how you should speak to your brother?" Without further ado, Zhao Tiansheng rummaged around the house, but after finding nothing of value, had to settle for taking one of the hens home.
Zhao’s wife was used to Zhao Tiansheng’s thievery by now. To some extent, he was right—everything did belong to the Zhao Family, even her, as their child bride. Having grown up in the Zhao family, she naturally felt attached and simply turned a blind eye to Zhao Tiansheng’s actions.
Learning that Zhao’s wife and Uncle Dog had sold their sweet potatoes at a high price, the villagers were envious. Such a sum of money was like a windfall from heaven for them.
"Mom." Xiaobao looked up, "Why didn’t we help that grandma just now?"
That grandpa did not seem like a nice person at all.
"Because that grandma and that grandpa were once a family, and we are outsiders, it’s not right to interfere in other people’s family affairs. Moreover, every family has its own issues, and we don’t know the full situation, so it’s not good to meddle thoughtlessly."
"I see." Xiaobao nodded as if understanding, "I wonder if that grandma will give him the money."