A good while passed, and it wasn’t until the villagers began gossiping about how the Jiang Family’s old lady had become paralyzed that Jiang Dahai and Zhao Shi from the eldest branch finally grew restless at home and made an appearance.
As soon as the two entered the room, they saw Jiang Dahe not only with a broken arm but also a crippled hand, lying on the kang in frustration, fast asleep.
Beside him, the old lady groaned and grunted, fussing for water.
But no matter how much she cried out with her mouth twisted and eyes askew, Jiang Dahe didn’t stir, and Zhuang Shi couldn’t be bothered to pay attention. She merely glanced sideways before continuing to stir-fry green beans for her daughter.
Jiang Dahai, heart aching for his mother, hurried over, grabbed the kettle, and quickly poured a bowl of water to bring to the kang.
“Mother, here’s water.”
Old Lady Jiang finally saw the water. With great effort, she opened her mouth, ready to take a sip.
But as soon as she swallowed, the scalding water made her shriek and cry out, forcing her to spit and spray it all over Jiang Dahai.
“Wah, wah… old… eldest… tryin’ to scald… kill your mother, aren’t ya…” Old Lady Jiang couldn’t even speak clearly, only glaring at her son with wide eyes.
Jiang Dahai hadn’t known the kettle held hot water.
He could only shoot a reproachful look at Zhuang Shi: “Sister-in-law, it’s not that I, as the eldest brother, want to criticize you, but look how thirsty our mother is. If I hadn’t come over, who knows how much she’d be suffering.”
Hearing this, Zhuang Shi tossed the spatula aside.
She pinched her thin voice and said sarcastically, “So you do remember you’re the eldest brother. Well, that’s perfect. Mother needs someone to take care of her now, and I have to look after Dahe. Why don’t you and sister-in-law take Mother back to your place first?”
At these words, Zhao Shi’s mouth twitched in fright. She quickly nudged Jiang Dahai, signaling him not to speak carelessly.
Ever since the family split, the eldest and second branches had agreed to take turns caring for their mother in order to coax the silver from Old Lady Jiang’s hands.
The third branch was not allowed to interfere.
Every two months, Old Lady Jiang would pack her bedding and move to the next household.
Now it was the second branch’s turn, and as the eldest branch’s daughter-in-law, Zhao Shi would never agree to take her newly paralyzed mother-in-law back home.
Zhao Shi had long been at odds with Zhuang Shi, and now she rolled her eyes, saying, “Has sister-in-law been driven mad by the third branch? Mother loves you and second brother the most. Even if we tried to take her back, she wouldn’t be willing. Isn’t that right, Mother?”
Jiang Dahai felt embarrassed, his anger rising, but he could only shift the topic to the third branch.
“Right, this is all the fault of that widow from the third branch. She’s a jinx. If she hadn’t disobeyed Mother, how could Mother have gone to her broken shack in the middle of the night and ended up falling like this!” Jiang Dahai slapped the edge of the kang twice.
Jiang Dahe, in pain, sat up at this moment.
“It’s all that woman’s fault. My arm is broken like this, and who knows if I’ll ever be able to do heavy work again!” he said with a fierce expression.
Seeing his mother and younger brother suffering, Jiang Dahai, thinking of his status as the eldest brother, felt he had to stand up for them no matter what.
But of course, taking his mother back home was absolutely out of the question.
As for paying for her medical expenses… he couldn’t bear to part with the money either.
After a moment’s thought, Jiang Dahai dared only to vent his anger on the third branch.
So, with a stern face, he said excitedly, “Mother, second brother, we can’t let this go. Tonight, I’ll set fire to Feng Shi’s house and make the third branch pay in blood. I won’t let you suffer this for nothing!”
Jiang Dahe had initially looked at his elder brother with a glimmer of hope.
But upon hearing the suggestion to destroy the house, he shook his head anxiously: "No, no, what kind of terrible idea is that, brother? If the house really burns down and the third branch stops living there, who will suppress those two for me…"
Halfway through his words, he coughed unnaturally and quickly shut his mouth.
Jiang Dahai was unaware of this matter.
He was somewhat puzzled at the moment.
Just then, Old Lady Jiang, lying paralyzed on the kang, also shook her head vigorously: "Mmm, mmm… Eldest son… that house must not be touched, listen… listen to your mother…"
Last night, although she had taken the lead in wanting to tear down Feng Shi's house.
That was merely to intimidate that group of orphans and widows, to cause them some trouble, never intending to actually tear it down.
A small, humble house was one thing, but if no one was left to bear the resentment for her second son, wouldn't that be like cutting out her heart and liver?
Old Lady Jiang slurped her saliva, looking at her second son with favor.
Little did she know that Jiang Dahe and his wife had already begun plotting how to get her moved to the eldest brother's house the moment they left the clinic…
"How about this, brother," Jiang Dahe avoided Old Lady Jiang's gaze.
A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as he gritted his teeth and said: "Since my arm is broken, then let the third branch break a few legs to compensate me. Didn't your family just make a few animal traps, wanting to secretly catch the Village Chief's free-range hens? Why don't you just place them all at the third branch's doorstep, cripple that nest of rotten-hearted, vile people for me, then I won't have suffered in vain!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Dahai thought it was also a solution.
After all, it was just a matter of a few animal traps.
Zhao Shi, hearing that her family wouldn't gain any advantage and would have to put in effort, wanted to stop him, but Jiang Dahai ignored her and insisted on going.
He lined up the animal traps in front of Feng Shi's door, then pulled his wife along to hide behind a haystack and secretly watch.
"Just wait, second brother, big brother will definitely get revenge for you this time!"
Jiang Dahai and his wife squatted outside the door for almost the entire noon.
Their legs were almost numb from squatting, yet they still saw no one come out. Instead, they caught the aroma of pork stewed with vermicelli.
Zhao Shi, who hadn't eaten meat in a long time, licked her lips and widened her eyes in surprise: "No way, husband, is the third branch eating stewed meat?"
Jiang Dahai couldn't stop swallowing his saliva.
He thought he must be hallucinating from hunger and shook his head impatiently: "What are you thinking? The third branch is dirt poor. When we divided the family, our mother didn't even give third brother a single plot of land. It was only after third brother passed away that the widow herself gritted her teeth and saved up money to buy a plot in the village. If her family can manage to fill their bellies with cornmeal porridge now, that's already pretty good. Where would they get spare money to buy meat?"
Zhao Shi had no choice but to endure her craving and comfort herself: "You're right. If even we can't afford it, how could the third branch have it? I must have smelled wrong!"
The eldest branch couple, under the blazing sun, squatted in the haystack, nearly driven mad by their cravings. Little did they know that Feng Shi's family had just filled their bellies with delicious stewed meat, enjoying themselves immensely.