"Mom!" Liao Zhaoji felt tears welling up.
She had wanted the power of public opinion to make the Ruanlin Family confess their sins, not to make others despise her.
"I won’t say any more about what happened next, but it was I who went to the Captain’s house and borrowed one hundred yuan to cover the medical expenses. If you don’t believe me, you are welcome to ask the Captain. I signed an IOU for it," the Ruanlin Family sighed as they spoke, seemingly lamenting the burden of this debt.
"So, Sister Ruan went to the Captain to borrow money that day," a woman chimed in. She happened to live next to the Captain’s house and indeed saw the Ruanlin Family enter and leave the Captain’s home that day.
The Ruanlin Family did not reply, but their brows were tightly furrowed.
Liao Zhaoji looked at her in surprise. She had thought the money was from the Ruanlin Family’s own pocket, and seeing her easily take out so much to pay for the medical expenses, she had been certain that the Ruanlin Family had contributed significantly to Ruan Jianguo’s house building.
But now, it seemed that wasn’t the case?
At that moment, she finally realized the foolishness of her actions.
But there is no medicine for regret in this world, and the Ruanlin Family would not give her the chance to regret.
The Ruanlin Family sighed again, their complexion turning somewhat pale as they stepped back, as if they had received a huge blow. People nearby quickly supported them, calling out with concern.
The Ruanlin Family waved their hand and covered their forehead as if to steady themselves before continuing, "Liao Zhaoji, I know you’re making a fuss simply because you didn’t get a bigger share of the wild boar last time."
"But the wild boar crashed into Jianguo’s house, didn’t it? With such a big hole there, and Jianguo’s wife not around, could I, as a mother, not take extra care of him? Thinking of his house needing repairs, I let him have a bit more to fill that gap. Did I do something wrong there? Didn’t I equally divide the rest of the meat among the remaining three branches of the family?"
As the Ruanlin Family spoke, they looked up at those surrounding them, seemingly waiting for affirmation.
People’s hearts are made of flesh, and seeing the Ruanlin Family so distressed, and remembering how Ruan Manchuang had died for the country, leaving them as a single mother to raise four sons, which surely wasn’t easy—it was unexpected that now, in their old age when they could finally have some good days, they were being treated in such a manner.
Suddenly, everyone started to echo in agreement, stating that there was nothing wrong with the Ruanlin Family’s actions, and many people came to comfort them, telling them to relax and not to let these things trouble their spirit, as their health was more important.
The Ruanlin Family shook their head and said, "I don’t want to be upset either, but my heart aches for my grandsons."
"What do you mean by that?" someone immediately asked.
The Ruanlin Family sighed, "I divided the rest of the wild boar meat equally, each of the three brothers got forty pounds. Liao Zhaoji was worried about her mother and sent pork back to her family from Auntie Niu’s place. I didn’t bring it up, but... but that forty pounds of meat—she just had the heart to completely deprive my grandsons from smelling even a hint of it! She sent it all back to her maternal family!"
"My goodness, that forty pounds! Not a pound left?" the crowed murmured in amazement.
Everyone looked incredulous.
They had seen daughters-in-law who helped out their maternal homes, but never !
Was she intent on emptying her own house to give everything to her maternal home?
The way everyone looked at Liao Zhaoji changed once again, this time as if looking at someone foolish or mentally challenged, for in those days, it was indeed rare to see someone neglect their own sons and husband to such an extent to provide for their maternal family.