Gu Shiye shook his head with a faint smile. “Mother, you really do know how to play favorites. Fine, I’ll go ahead and count the money in my household in front of everyone. If anything is missing, then Fourth Brother and Fourth Sister-in-law will have to make up the difference. That shouldn’t be too much to ask, right?”
Mother Gu glanced at the villagers around them, all of whom were nodding in agreement. Wanting to save face, she finally stayed silent.
Wang Lihua quickly caught on. If there was a chance to squeeze some money out of Fourth Brother now, why would she miss it?
“I also want to check whether our family’s money is missing,” she said immediately.
Li Wenxiu stood behind Ruan Hongmei and gently nudged her.
Free money was free money. Only a fool would refuse it.
Ruan Hongmei hesitated briefly, then also walked toward the house with her head lowered.
Mother Gu grew increasingly anxious. Regardless of the truth, Fourth Brother’s household would definitely suffer a heavy loss today.
Soon, Gu Shiye pulled out an open empty box from the wooden cabinet and held it up for everyone to see. “Team Leader, the money our family received from the division is gone.”
Lin Baozhu panicked. “You’re lying! I never took your money.”
Wang Lihua also produced an empty box. “Team Leader, the money from my division with the eldest brother is also gone.”
Ruan Hongmei wasn’t sure whether Third Brother’s family had truly lost their money, but the coincidence felt too suspicious. After thinking for a moment, she also brought out an empty box.
When the old couple divided the family earlier, they had no idea how much they had secretly withheld. In any case, they would eventually use that hidden money to support Fourth Brother’s family.
Mother Gu grew furious. “No, how could this be such a coincidence? Eldest, Second, Third, are you all teaming up to frame Fourth Brother?”
Wang Lihua replied coldly, “Mother, at this point, stop showing favoritism. If Fourth Sister-in-law didn’t have a guilty conscience, would someone be sneaking into our rooms to catch mice and steal our things?”
Her words caused an uproar among the villagers.
The villagers’ impression of Fourth Brother and his wife shattered instantly. Educated people? What a joke. They were nothing but thieves hiding behind a respectable facade.
Lin Baozhu grew increasingly uneasy and whispered to the man beside her, “Acheng, we can’t lose our jobs.”
Gu Shicheng clenched his fists in anger but could only suppress his frustration. He stepped forward reluctantly. “If Eldest Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law, and Third Brother want us to compensate them, then we will.”
Gu Shiye sneered coldly. “Fourth Brother, don’t make it sound like we’re forcing you to pay. If you’re not convinced, we can take this straight to the Public Security Bureau.”
Mother Gu shouted in fury, “Third Brother, don’t push it too far! Do you think I’m dead? I know exactly what you’re all trying to do, ganging up to bully my Fourth Brother! My poor Fourth Daughter-in-law just married, and now she’s being framed by all of you. What a disaster for our Gu family!”
She had made up her mind to protect her youngest son, no matter what. Otherwise, Fourth Brother’s family would never be able to survive in the village.
As for the accusations of favoritism, she simply ignored them.
Since she was already being criticized anyway, she might as well go all the way. “Third Brother, don’t forget the house you’re living in was allocated by your father and me. If you refuse to tolerate Fourth Brother, then I’ll kick you and your wife out today. Eldest and Second Brother, let’s see who still dares to cause trouble!”
Under Mother Gu’s strong protection, Gu Shicheng and Lin Baozhu quickly regained confidence.
Gu Shiye laughed instead of getting angry. “Mother, don’t forget, you’re driving us out today for the sake of Fourth Brother.”
Perfect. They had already been planning to move out anyway. Living outside would finally let them breathe without being watched by so many eyes.
The villagers immediately criticized Mother Gu for her blatant favoritism. No parents should be biased to this extent.
At that moment, the Team Leader stepped forward and announced publicly, “Third Brother, you and your wife will move to the house at the east end of the village. It’s a bit run down, but you can repair it yourselves and live there afterward.”
This arrangement actually saved Gu Shiye and Li Wenxiu a large sum of money for building a new house. Under these circumstances, no one in the village could object to them moving in. In truth, Gu Shiye had already built a good relationship with the team leader in advance.
Lin Baozhu felt a sudden alarm when she heard about the house at the east end of the village.
She remembered that in the original novel, there had been a major opportunity tied to that very house.
How could this be such a coincidence?
But she didn’t need to panic yet. That opportunity would only appear on a snowy winter night in the depths of the cold season.
There was still plenty of time.
Gu Shiye immediately requested leave from the team leader, then called on the friends he had made in the village to help with the move. Even his quiet but kind second brother silently joined in.
After the division, they didn’t have much property to begin with. Soon, the belongings in the side room were packed up completely.
Mother Gu was still furious about what had happened to her precious youngest son. Seeing Gu Shiye and Li Wenxiu leaving with a cart, she deliberately shouted after them, “Fourth Daughter-in-law, go clean up that room properly. From now on, that will be your place with Fourth Brother!”
Li Wenxiu could not hold back her anger. She turned back to the courtyard entrance and said sharply, “If Fourth Brother’s family doesn’t return the money they stole from us, then once you go to work at the commune school, I’ll report everything you’ve done at home to the school!”
Lin Baozhu’s moment of satisfaction lasted barely three seconds before the threat made her unease surge again.
At that moment, Old Gu rushed back from the fields. Unlike the biased Mother Gu, he still retained some sense, especially since Third Brother had a legitimate job as a tractor driver in the production team.
“Third Brother, don’t move out!” he shouted.
Gu Shiye replied firmly, “No need. Rather than living here in constant fear of being kicked out one day, we’d rather leave and live on our own.”
Old Gu knew then that this son was truly heartbroken.
In anger, he stormed into the courtyard and slapped Mother Gu hard across the face.
Gu Shicheng shouted, “Father!”
Old Gu ignored him completely. “You useless woman! You’ve turned this entire family upside down. Are you satisfied now?”
That slap triggered something in Mother Gu from long ago. She screamed and lunged at Old Gu, scratching his face wildly. “Gu Dahai, you old bastard, you hit me again! I bore children and managed this household for you, and this is how you treat me!”
The old couple immediately started fighting in the courtyard.
Gu Shiye and Li Wenxiu treated it as if nothing had happened and continued walking forward with the cart.
Even the second brother did not look back, having long seen through the selfish nature of the old couple.