Sister-in-law Zhao didn’t try to keep them from leaving; she just watched them flee as if escaping.
Her heart grew colder, bit by bit.
Now the facts were laid bare before her, leaving her no room to avoid them.
Her family was selfish, running away at the mention of money.
"After all these years, haven’t you realized what kind of people your family is? Does Eldest Fang treat you poorly? Have I, as your mother-in-law, been harsh to you?"
Sister-in-law Zhao shook her head, "Not at all."
She had consecutively given birth to three daughters, and her mother-in-law didn’t beat or scold her, though her sisters-in-law made some idle comments, saying she wasn’t fruitful, always giving birth to daughters since she married.
But her parents-in-law didn’t mistreat her and didn’t even suggest Xiao Mao’s father divorce her.
"Live a good life, don’t let your mind wander, and raise the children well."
Sister-in-law Zhao nodded, her mother-in-law occasionally came by to check on her and helped her feed the pigs.
They had split households, unlike Laosan, who sent money to the parents-in-law every month, or like Laoer, who occasionally brought back a pound of meat or bought some pastries.
"Rest when you should, listen to the doctor’s advice, don’t do heavy work, and strive to live longer to see the children you raised marry and start families."
Mrs. Zhao sighed and then went back home.
She planned to visit Laosan’s house.
Now Laosan’s house was rarely occupied, and the property appeared somewhat run-down.
Also, there was Laosan’s grapevine; if it was fertilized, when summer break came, she planned to pick some and take them over.
"Eldest Fang’s household, I heard your nephew is working in the Capital City and earns a decent salary each month."
Eldest Aunt Fang felt angry hearing this.
If it weren’t for both families back then, would Fang Chaoyang and Fang Meiyun have survived?
Could they have found jobs in the Capital City now?
Yet the nephew and niece were just fine, not showing a shred of gratitude.
Every time she saw Team Leader’s home often receiving packages, she burned with jealousy.
But her mother-in-law had gone to the Capital City to inquire with the Team Leader about the nephew and niece’s address, and the Team Leader claimed not to know.
It’s strange indeed that the Team Leader didn’t know.
Who doesn’t know that last year the Team Leader and his wife stayed in the Capital City for nearly a month, surely meeting her mother-in-law and nephew and niece?
She couldn’t believe it.
The Team Leader simply didn’t want to inform them.
"Is that so? I don’t know." Eldest Aunt Fang wanted to get information from the Team Leader about the nephew’s address and details.
She planned to write a letter asking the nephew to send some money and things back.
When they were young, they survived by eating food from both families.
Now it’s just repayment; why not?
However, they had no address or contact details.
Working as a laborer, the monthly salary wasn’t low, plus there were holiday gifts and some tickets, and certain items still required tickets.
Those without consciences, if it weren’t for her family and Laosan’s family providing food back then, the siblings would have starved to death long ago.
"A few days ago, I saw Team Leader’s wife collecting money, sent by Shitou."
The tone shifted, "Eldest Fang’s household, if you’d treated those two kids well back then, maybe now you’d also be receiving money; what a pity."
This aunt was being deliberately provoking.
She was from the same village as Fang Chaoyang’s mother and lived nearby; they greeted each other upon meeting and married into the Zhao Family Village Team the same year.
Eldest Aunt Fang was furious.
When she returned home at noon and saw Eldest Uncle Fang, she started to curse, "Back then, you treated those two well, but now that they live well in the Capital City, do those siblings care about you?"
Eldest Uncle Fang rarely retorted.