After Song Dalin finished speaking, he didn’t forget to give Zhao Guifang and Song Weimin a reassuring look.
He knew his third brother all too well—not only was he honest and dutiful, but he also valued loyalty and righteousness deeply.
Over the years, whenever Song Dalin faced difficulties, he would simply mention his lame leg, and his third brother would obediently provide both money and effort.
The earlier commotion was likely because Dani was still young, and he didn’t want to be gossiped about by the villagers.
And rightly so!
Those villagers had nothing better to do all day than stir up trouble.
His third brother was also someone who cared deeply about face. If he really sent Dani away for a marriage exchange, those gossipmongers in the village would probably tear him apart behind his back.
The rest of the Song family thought the same way.
They were certain of Song Shulin and Shen Xiuzhen’s gentle and soft-spoken natures, which was why they repeatedly leeched off them, sucking their blood and devouring their flesh.
Watching the smug smiles on everyone’s faces, Song Shulin said nothing. He stood up, strode to the corner of the wall, picked up a brick, and walked back.
“Big brother, you always say it was my fault that your leg was broken. Today, I’ll give this leg back to you. After this, neither of us owes the other anything.”
As he spoke, Song Shulin raised the brick as if to smash it down on his own leg.
“Shulin!”
“Third brother!”
“Dad!”
Everyone in the yard was startled and rushed over to stop Song Shulin.
Song Erhe wrapped his arms around Song Shulin’s waist, while Song Wuhu seized the opportunity to snatch the brick from his hand and toss it aside.
Song Sihai stood outside the crowd, his mouth hanging open in shock.
How terrifying!
First, Dad wanted to hang himself, and now he wanted to smash his leg—was he losing his mind?
“Big brother, is one leg enough? If not, I’ll give you this one too!”
Everyone’s attention was on Song Shulin, but unexpectedly, Shen Xiuzhen had also picked up a brick at some point.
“Third brother’s wife!”
“Sister-in-law!”
“Mom!”
This time, it was Song Dani who wrapped her arms around her mother’s waist, while Song Erni threw the brick aside.
Song Sihai: “…”
Madness!
Madness!
His mother and father had both gone mad!
“Dani, Erni, step aside.”
Shen Xiuzhen was determined to thoroughly discipline the entire Song family this time, so they would stop using Song Dalin’s lame leg and Song Erlin’s lung disease as excuses day in and day out.
What they owed them, their family of nine had already repaid in full—and then some—in their previous lives.
In this lifetime, no one would ever be able to threaten them again.
“Erhe, Wuhu, you step aside too. This is a debt your father owes your uncle.”
As Song Shulin spoke, he struggled fiercely.
He was incredibly strong, and Song Erhe and Song Wuhu couldn’t hold him back at all.
“Sihai, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and help!”
Song Erhe was furious. The cousins stood by watching the commotion because it wasn’t their own father trying to harm himself.
But Song Sihai, his own son, actually had the nerve to stand by and watch his parents injure themselves.
Wasn’t he afraid something terrible might happen to them?
Helping was out of the question, but causing trouble was something Song Sihai excelled at.
He took a few steps forward, picked up the brick that Song Wuhu had thrown aside, and walked back.
“Dad, they say the son repays the father’s debt. Today, I’ll repay the debt you owe my uncle.
It’s perfect timing, since the autumn harvest is coming up, and I’m too lazy to work in the fields anyway.
After my leg is broken, I won’t ask you to treat me the way you treat my uncle and second uncle. I just hope you won’t force me to work anymore.”
After finishing his speech, Song Sihai gave himself a big thumbs-up in his heart.
He really was a clever little devil.
As long as he sacrificed one leg, he could be just like his uncle in the future—no need to work in the fields, no need to support a family, a wife, or children.
He could sleep in every day, and spend the rest of his time wandering around the village, boasting and chatting.
Hehe!
This deal was totally worth it!
Everyone was stunned by his outrageous antics. Song Sihai curled the corner of his mouth, raised the brick in his hand high, then gently lowered it again.
“Uncle, how does it feel after your leg is broken? Does it hurt?”
If it hurt too much, he might not be able to go through with it.
Song Dalin: “…”
Was this kid an idiot?
Seeing that Song Dalin ignored him, Song Sihai wasn’t annoyed and muttered to himself:
“It must hurt. Even a small cut on the finger hurts, so how could a broken leg not hurt?”
Song Sihai was both afraid of pain and unwilling to endure the hardship of working in the fields, which left him in a real dilemma.
The brick in his hand was raised, then lowered, then raised again.
The onlookers, never ones to shy away from stirring up trouble, started shouting:
“Sihai, are you gonna smash it or not? You’re dawdling like a woman.”
“Yeah, Sihai, if you really can’t do it, I’ll help you smash it.”
“Hehe, Song Sihai, you’re just a coward.”
Coward Song Sihai looked toward the voices and finally noticed that the walls on both sides were crowded with villagers who had come to watch the spectacle.
The hand holding the brick froze in place, unsure whether to smash it or not.
If he smashed it, it would hurt too much.
If he didn’t, the label of “coward” would be permanently stuck on him.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Song Sihai’s eyes darted around. Then he threw the brick aside, imitated his mother’s earlier performance, sat down on the ground, and started throwing a tantrum.
“Oh heavens, I don’t want to live anymore! Song Dalin is trying to drive our family to ruin just to get his son married…”
Coward or not, as long as his leg didn’t hurt, it was fine.
Song Sihai wailed without tears.
“It’s truly heartless! My parents have slaved for their family for over twenty years, and not only are they ungrateful, now they even want my parents to pay a thousand yuan in bride price!”
“Everyone, judge for yourselves—what decent family asks their uncle and aunt to pay the bride price for their nephew’s wedding?”
“Besides, if my family really had that much money, my parents would have already married off my eldest and second brothers. Why would they wait until now?”
These words once again put Song Weimin on the hot seat.
His face flushed with embarrassment as he glared angrily at Song Sihai.
“Stop talking nonsense! When did I ever ask Uncle and Aunt for bride price money?”
After saying this, he shot a warning glance at Song Dalin and Zhao Guifang.
The message was clear: they had to figure out the bride price money themselves and not ask the third branch for it anymore.
He couldn’t bear the shame.
“Really? You didn’t?” Song Sihai blinked his confused big eyes.
“No,” Song Weimin stubbornly refused to admit it.
Song Sihai quickly scrambled up from the ground and brushed the dirt off his pants.
“Oh, then I misunderstood you, cousin. I was planning to go to your school later and ask your principal whether it’s common for teachers at your school to ask their uncles and aunts for bride price money when they get married.
Since that’s not the case, then I don’t need to go.”
Song Weimin’s expression shifted repeatedly. He had been blind before—he never realized that this good-for-nothing Song Sihai was actually the smartest one in the third branch.
Song Shulin and Shen Xiuzhen also glanced at their good son, exchanging a knowing twitch at the corners of their mouths.
If this kid had already performed all the drama by himself, what was left for them to act out?