The smiles on everyone’s faces froze instantly.
A live-in son-in-law?
Had Old Fifth misspoken—or had they all misheard?
Even Song Dashan’s mouth fell open in shock. When he came to his senses, his face turned green with anger. “Have you no shame? A grown man becoming a live-in son-in-law? If you dare do that, I’ll break your legs!”
If word of this got out, how would he ever show his face again? Wouldn’t his reputation be dragged through the dirt?
Yu Zhaodi recovered next and immediately started cursing. “Your father’s right! Has a donkey kicked your brain? What nonsense are you thinking—becoming a live-in son-in-law? You’ve got no shame at all!
If you dare do that, don’t say your surname is Song. I can’t afford that humiliation. Don’t you dare say you were born by me!”
Song Lao San chimed in, “Yeah, Old Fifth, are you out of your mind? If you marry into someone else’s family, aren’t you slapping us all in the face?”
Third Sister-in-law added disdainfully, “Exactly. You want the whole brigade to laugh at us? A perfectly able-bodied man thinking of marrying into someone else’s family—how embarrassing.”
Song Zhaohua looked unimpressed. “What’s so embarrassing about it? You married my third brother—why can’t I marry someone?
Besides, I’m the one marrying in, not you. Why are you all so worked up? Afraid I’ll leave and you won’t have anyone earning ten work points for you anymore? Afraid you won’t have anyone to take advantage of?”
It was the truth—but saying it out loud made Song Lao San’s face flush red.
“Old Fifth, that’s too much!”
Third Sister-in-law snapped, “I’m saying this for your own good, and you throw that back at me? I’m a woman—of course women get married, that’s natural. What man marries into another family?
And what do you mean taking advantage of you? When have we ever done that?”
Song Zhaohua waved them off. “Who says men can’t marry in? Who made that rule? Didn’t the Great Leader say women hold up half the sky? Men and women are the same. Why can’t we?”
Third Sister-in-law was so angry she pointed a finger at him, speechless.
Song Lao Liu sneered. “Fifth Brother, how shameless—planning to live off a woman.”
“Shameless? At least someone wants me. Unlike you, daydreaming every day about marrying into the city. With how lazy you are, forget the city—no one in this brigade would marry you.
Your clothes are washed by sister-in-law and your nieces, and you’re not ashamed of that. So why should I be ashamed? We’re about the same.”
Song Lao Liu’s eyes burned with fury.
Song Lao Qi shrank into the corner, not daring to speak. Ever since Fifth Brother changed, no one in the family could handle him. He wasn’t about to step forward and get scolded.
Song Dashan slammed the table. “Old Fifth, what are you trying to do? Start a rebellion?”
“Dad, this is the new society. If someone reports you for saying certain words, it’ll be a sure thing.
You’re not young anymore—you don’t want to suffer for that, right? I’m just looking out for you as your son.”
Song Dashan clenched his fists, nearly exploding from anger. “Fine. If you dare marry in, I’ll pretend I never had a son like you.”
He stood up without finishing his meal, grabbed his hoe, and left for work.
Yu Zhaodi pointed a trembling finger at Song Lao Wu. “You… If you dare marry in, I won’t let this go!”
Noticing the spectators at the table enjoying the show, her face darkened further. “Eat, eat, eat—what are you eating for? We’re done! Eldest daughter-in-law, clean up the pots. We’ll just reheat leftovers at noon. I’m too angry to eat!”
Song Lao Wu didn’t bother responding to her. “What’s there to be angry about? If I marry in, isn’t that good for the family?
Old Seventh gets his own room.
One less mouth to feed. I’m not earning ten work points anymore—only a fool works that hard.
We’re all the same. Why should some people earn zero work points and eat better than the one earning ten?
Most importantly, you won’t even have to pay bride price. Isn’t that exactly what you want?”
Song Lao Qi’s eyes lit up.
He could have his own room?
“Mom, Fifth Brother’s right. If he marries in—no, becomes a live-in son-in-law—I can have my own room.
I’m not young anymore. If city people found out I still share a room with my brothers, how embarrassing would that be?
Don’t you want me to become a city person?
If I marry a city woman someday and she visits and sees I share a room, wouldn’t that be humiliating? Who’d want to marry me?
Mom, don’t you want a city daughter-in-law? Imagine how impressive that would be.
Either build me a new room—or let me take that one alone.”
Hearing her precious youngest son speak like that, Yu Zhaodi felt uneasy.
Her youngest son was promising—the only junior high graduate in the brigade. Of course he’d marry a city girl someday.
As for village girls? Not even worth considering.
Third Sister-in-law nudged her husband silently: If he gets a new house, we should too.
Song Lao San immediately called out, “Mom, you can’t just favor Old Seventh!
I’m your son too!
If you build for him, you have to build for us as well. We’re planning for a third child. The two kids are growing up—sharing one room is inconvenient.”
Song Lao Si chimed in, “And what about us? You can’t just think about Seventh and Third Brother and forget me!”
Yu Zhaodi’s head throbbed from all the shouting. She frowned deeply.
“Enough—”
“What are you all making a fuss about?
What ability do you have to build a house? You can barely get enough to eat, and you’re talking about building a house?
Build it with your mouths?
Or kick it into shape with a couple of stomps?”
The group instantly fell silent. No one dared to speak, though each of them was clearly calculating something in their hearts.
Just then, the sound of the gong rang out. Everyone grabbed their tools and headed off to work.
As Yu Zhaodi passed by Song Zhaohua, she shot him a fierce glare.
The crowd quickly dispersed toward the fields.
On the way, Third Brother Song’s wife asked her husband curiously, “So who exactly is Old Fifth planning to marry into?
I haven’t heard of any family around here looking for a live-in son-in-law.”
Song Laosan looked puzzled as well. “Exactly! I haven’t heard anything either.
Could he be messing with us?”
His wife shook her head. “Probably not. It’s such a big matter—how would he dare talk nonsense?”
“Him? What wouldn’t he dare to say now? He’s not even going to work anymore. What does he have to lose?
He was just threatening our father.”
“That’s true…”
As they walked, Third Brother’s wife noticed people pointing and whispering about them. Something felt off. She tugged at her husband’s sleeve.
“Have you noticed? The way everyone’s looking at us seems strange.”
Song Laosan glanced around the crowd. Just as he was about to speak, someone called out, “Hey, Song Laosan!
Is your Old Fifth going to become a live-in son-in-law?” The man spoke with a mocking smile.
Song Laosan’s face darkened. “What nonsense are you talking about? Where did you hear that? Stop spreading rumors.”
“Oh, come on, Song Laosan, don’t deny it. Everyone in the production team already knows your Old Fifth is going to marry into someone else’s family.
Hey, Laosan, tell me—how does it feel, as his older brother, knowing he’s going to be a live-in son-in-law?
And another thing—is it because he doesn’t work and can’t support himself, so he has to marry into another family?”
“What nonsense are you spouting? There’s no such thing.” With that, he ignored the man and strode off.
The man shook his head. “Hah, what kind of attitude is that? Can’t even say a word about it.”