Ever since Zhao Xiuli destroyed the Chinese skullcap plants Song Jiayan had grown, she had been in an especially good mood these past two days. She was even humming a tune while washing clothes.
“Well, Sister Zhao, you seem to be in a particularly good mood today…” one of the villagers washing clothes alongside her remarked.
Before Zhao Xiuli could respond, another woman chimed in, “Of course she is! I heard from people in the neighboring village that Song Jiayan made a fortune selling those Chinese skullcap plants.”
“That’s right! I heard the same thing. Several trucks came and hauled all the plants away. Apparently, he was paid tens of thousands of yuan!”
“Someone with a rotten heart deliberately destroyed all those plants before, but Song Jiayan’s wife sure is capable. I don’t know where she found a buyer, but they even accepted the damaged plants…”
As the conversation continued, the villagers turned their attention to Zhao Xiuli.
“Sister Zhao, you really are blessed! You have such a capable son, and now he’s married an equally capable woman. You’re destined to enjoy a comfortable life. Since Song Jiayan made so much money selling those plants, he should certainly give his parents a generous share!”
Zhao Xiuli maintained a calm expression on the surface, but inside, she was utterly shocked.
The Chinese skullcap plants had been sold—and for a lot of money?
She immediately abandoned her laundry, tossed down the basin, and hurried home.
…
Song Jiayan planned to use the money from the sale to grow ganoderma mushrooms. He shared the idea with Lu Mosheng, worried that she might object to his plan.
Instead, Lu Mosheng gave him her full support.
In her previous life, Song Jiayan had stumbled upon the opportunity to cultivate ganoderma mushrooms. He had happened to catch the wave of demand for health supplements, and almost overnight, he had made well over several hundred thousand yuan.
While Lu Mosheng and Song Jiayan were discussing how to obtain ganoderma mushroom spawn, someone suddenly rushed over with a message for him.
“Your father… he’s not going to make it!”
Whether the claim was true or not, if Song Jiayan failed to return home that day, word would spread that he was an unfilial son.
Lu Mosheng turned to him and said, “I’m going back with you!”
They borrowed a bicycle, and Song Jiayan pedaled all the way back to Song Family Village with her riding behind him.
When they arrived at the earthen courtyard of the Song family, Lu Mosheng and Song Jiayan walked inside together.
Only after entering did they discover that Song Jiayan’s father was perfectly fine.
Although Lu Mosheng had already guessed that this would be the case, she was still so furious that she almost laughed.
“So you finally remember to come home!” Song Jiayan’s father lay on the bed, looking full of energy as he scolded his son in a loud, forceful voice.
Zhao Xiuli stood beside the bed and sneered, “Your son has really grown wings now. As the saying goes, once a man gets married, he forgets his mother. Your son has forgotten this entire family!”
Song Jiayan showed little emotion on his face. He simply replied in a flat voice, “I haven’t.”
“Haven’t, my foot!” Zhao Xiuli sprang to her feet and snapped at him. “Your father injured his leg days ago. Have you come back even once to see him? And those Chinese skullcap plants you grew—you sold them for quite a bit of money, didn’t you? Where’s the money? Your second and third brothers have already spent plenty on your father’s medical treatment. So where is your money?”
Zhao Xiuli spoke aggressively, as if she were determined to force an answer out of him.
Song Jiayan frowned, his expression difficult to read.
Lu Mosheng knew he wasn’t good with words. Someone like Zhao Xiuli needed to be dealt with by someone who could stand up to her—and that someone was her.
Taking a step forward, Lu Mosheng said, “Ever since Song Jiayan started leasing land to farm, he has scrimped and saved every month to send money home. Even if we don’t count the smaller amounts, he has been sending at least several hundred yuan a month.”
“Then let me ask you this: Whose pockets has all that money gone into?”
“You keep accusing Song Jiayan of failing to fulfill his duty as a son. This is nothing but the pot calling the kettle black! You’re the ones who have been taking advantage of him, yet you have the nerve to blame him!”
Zhao Xiuli’s face turned livid.
Song Lingling, who had been standing silently behind her, finally couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Who do you think you are? What gives you the right to interfere in our Song family’s affairs?”
“Ever since you married into this family, we’ve had nothing but trouble! They say a beautiful woman brings disaster, and I think you’re a fox spirit reincarnated just to ruin our family!”
She really had some nerve saying something like that.
The commotion drew the attention of every member of the Song family, young and old. Soon, they crowded into the room.
Apart from Li Qinghong and a few of the younger children who didn’t understand what was going on, nearly the entire family sided with Zhao Xiuli, pointing fingers at Lu Mosheng and Song Jiayan.
“Big Brother, you really shouldn’t have done this. You sold the Chinese skullcap plants for money but didn’t even tell us! Father’s leg is injured, and the family has expenses everywhere. As the eldest son, shouldn’t you help support the family a little?”
“Exactly, Big Brother! We’re all family, yet you’re hiding things from us. It’s as if you don’t consider us family anymore!”
Song Lingling glanced at Song Jiayan and sneered. “What a henpecked husband! He just stands there without saying a single word.”
At the same time, Zhao Xiuli exchanged a meaningful glance with Song Jiayan’s father, who was still lying on the bed.
Putting on the full authority of a father, Song Jiayan’s father spoke sternly.
“Song Jiayan, I’m going to ask you one simple question. Are you choosing the Song family, or are you choosing your wife?”
What was this? Were they trying to force Song Jiayan to divorce her?
In her previous life, after she gave birth, Zhao Xiuli had teamed up with Song Lingling to accuse her of having an affair. They had demanded that she divorce Song Jiayan, threatening to have her drowned in a pig cage if she refused.
But in this life, Lu Mosheng had stayed by Song Jiayan’s side the entire time, leaving Zhao Xiuli no opportunity to frame her for adultery.
So now they had gathered the whole family to put her on trial and force Song Jiayan to choose between them?
Heh.
Lu Mosheng clutched her belly.
Almost in the very next second, she heard Song Jiayan’s firm, steady voice.
“Then let’s split the family up.”