Lu Cheng felt that what his mother said made sense and decided to go over later.
“Aunt, the military has been sending me fifteen yuan a month as a living allowance. How much of that have I actually spent? All the washing and cooking in this house has been done by me. The house we’re living in is mine how can you say you raised me?”
Shen Wei stood in front of her, calm and steady. “Quarreling isn’t about whoever is louder being right. Besides, I’m not here to argue with you. I’m just informing you move out of my house. I’ve already sold it.”
“What?” Yu Li and Shen Jianguo were completely stunned.
At this point, the old couple of the Shen family hiding in the yard could no longer stay silent. Old Madam Shen pointed at Shen Wei. “You sold the house? Who allowed you to?”
“Grandpa, Grandma, before my father went to the battlefield, he left a will. The house was left to me, so my consent alone is enough.”
The neighbors immediately began discussing among themselves.
“Shen Jianming really had foresight. He knew his parents were biased, so he left the house to his daughter. Look at this now they’ve teamed up to bully her alone.”
“No wonder Yu Li has been constantly trying to introduce men to Shen Wei lately. Everyone can see what she’s planning.”
Yu Li no longer cared what the neighbors were saying. She suddenly jumped up from the ground. “What? You sold the house? How did you sell it?”
Realizing something, she rushed back inside and rummaged through the boxes but couldn’t find the property deed anywhere.
Because her mind had been completely focused on the house, she had temporarily forgotten about the gold jewelry stored with the deed.
The deed was gone!
Yu Li rushed outside like a madwoman, pointing at Shen Wei and shouting, “You thief! Did you go into my room and steal the property deed?!”
Kind-hearted neighbors quickly stepped in, one on each side, holding her back to prevent her from attacking Shen Wei.
“Thief! Shen Wei, how can a martyr’s daughter steal from my room?”
Shen Wei walked up to her calmly. “Let me correct you taking back what belongs to me is not stealing. You’re the thief. Trying to marry me off and seize my house? Dream on.”
“We, we never thought that way!” Yu Li shouted, neck stiff.
“Oh? Then if I ask you to move out now, why won’t you?”
Yu Li immediately began acting shameless. “Your grandmother has back pain. She can’t be tossed around like that.”
Besides, their old house had been empty for nearly ten years leaky, drafty, and nowhere near as comfortable as here.
“That’s right, my back hurts,” Old Madam Shen immediately cooperated, collapsing onto a chair.
Seeing her mother-in-law playing along, Yu Li grew even more smug. “Your parents were selfish to leave you the house and didn’t consider their own elders, but I can’t just ignore your grandmother! Are you really going to kick your grandparents out like this?”
She was relying on the word “filial piety” to pressure her, convinced the girl couldn’t possibly turn things around.
Just then, a lazy, swaggering voice rang out.
“So this is the Shen family’s place?”
The neighbors looked at the group of men carrying sticks and dressed in a disorganized, rough manner, and instinctively made way for them.
“Why haven’t you moved out yet?” Tian Yu kicked the wooden door hard. “This place has already been bought by me.”
Yu Li, terrified, quickly hid behind Shen Jianguo but even Shen Jianguo himself was scared stiff.
Having just watched his wife and niece argue, Shen Jianguo had stayed silent the whole time. If he didn’t say something now, he would look completely useless.
“Shen Wei, we’re family. There’s no need to make things this ugly, right?”
“Uncle, since we’re family, then some things should be made clear. I’m already eighteen this year. The property deed and the 1,800 yuan of military support payments over the years when are you planning to give them to me?”
“After deducting what I’ve spent on food, clothing, and living for these ten years, just give me 1,500 yuan.”
Shen Jianguo’s expression immediately darkened. Over the years, he and Yu Li had worked at the cannery, raised two children, and even had the leisure to go to movies and eat at state-run restaurants. The reason they could live so comfortably was precisely because of the fifteen yuan sent monthly from the military.
But he had always thought they were family there was no need to calculate things so clearly.
“Xiao Wei, let’s talk about money privately as a family. There’s no need to make such an ugly scene in front of so many people, right?”
Tian Yu’s side, Fu Xiao, couldn’t stand it anymore and stepped forward.
“Uncle Shen, if you think it’s ugly, then just give Shen Wei the money. Be even more generous and give her the full 1,800. Her living expenses over the years can be considered rent for your whole family that way it won’t look bad at all.”
Shen Wei glanced at Fu Xiao in slight surprise. She remembered he was Uncle Fu’s younger son, and also seemed to be friends with Lu Cheng.
In her previous life, she often heard Lu Cheng brag about having a military officer friend, and he even attended their wedding.
Shen Jianguo didn’t expect a younger generation to dare lecture him like this. His face instantly turned the color of pig liver. He had always cared about his reputation.
Immediately, he shouted at Yu Li, “Go! Get the money from the house!”
Of course Yu Li was unwilling the money had already been spent long ago, and what they had now was just their salaries.
“I’m not going.”
Shen Jianguo kicked her hard in the hip, making Yu Li scream in pain on the spot.
“If you don’t go, I’ll beat you to death today!”
Then he slapped her again, scolding her indirectly while glaring at Shen Wei.
“You’ve eaten our Shen family’s food for so many years, and you don’t even understand human speech anymore? Ungrateful thing!”
Shen Wei didn’t feel much at being called ungrateful.
In her previous life, when she had a difficult childbirth, this uncle didn’t even come to the hospital to see her once. It was only Aunt Tian Fang who heard the news and arranged for blood transfusion that saved her life.
In her past life, she had valued family deeply but in the end, she realized the only person she truly needed to care about was herself.
Yu Li cried as she took out 1,500 yuan from the house.
Shen Jianguo counted it and said, “Go get another 300!”
Today, he was determined not to swallow this humiliation. He would hand over the full 1,800 yuan to Shen Wei.
Although he was usually quiet, Yu Li knew very well he was stubborn once he decided something, no one could change it.
She had no choice but to go back and bring out another 300 yuan.
Shen Wei was truly infuriating she had drained all their savings.
Now that she had forced them into this situation, if she ever ran into trouble in the future, she shouldn’t expect any help from them.
“Uncle, Aunt, I’ll take the money,” Shen Wei said after counting it and putting it into her pocket. “Move your things out. From now on, let’s live our separate lives and never interfere with each other.”
“Then let’s just cut ties completely!” Yu Li suddenly had an idea. Since they couldn’t gain anything anyway, they might as well sever relations so they wouldn’t have to deal with this “money-losing girl” ever again.