Shen Meng looked at everyone with a pitiful expression, a cold smile playing on her lips. The ultimate level of arguing wasn't about getting red in the face with insults, but about using sarcastic and sarcastic language to leave the other person speechless, choking them.
Though her words weren't pleasant, they were the truth.
Shen Fugui and Wang Guizhi helped Shen Meng sit on the kang (heated brick bed), feeling their daughter was absolutely right. This wasn't the time to be assertive, just like when they first arrived at the Lu family, their haste and a few words had made them look like the fault in front of outsiders.
Seeing Shen Meng sitting down listlessly, the two silently pulled the children behind them. Although they couldn't pull Mingyang, it didn't diminish their submissive attitude.
Li Debang and Zhang Hongfa were truly embarrassed by Shen Meng's words. During the busy farming season, incidents of cows attacking people were not uncommon; when cows went berserk, some were even killed. Only Zhou Jiaojiao was present when Shen Meng was attacked.
When the villagers carried her back, she was cursing and accusing Zhou Jiaojiao of trying to harm her, saying she was full of evil and would kill her husband and children in the future. Zhou Jiaojiao had been married into their Lu family village for more than half a year, and she was usually gentle and kind, always greeting people and helping out whenever anyone needed it. In contrast, Shen Meng was cunning and deceitful, and had done plenty of things like beating and scolding her children. It was
obvious whose side everyone was on.
But no matter how much Shen Meng cursed, she had indeed been hit by the production team's ox. Not only had they not offered compensation or called a doctor, but the production team hadn't even sent anyone to look after her; it was truly unacceptable.
Lu Debang pursed his lips, frowning as he looked at Shen Meng, relying on his position as village chief.
“Zhenping’s wife, speak properly, don’t be so strange. Hongfa, a few other villagers and I asked your Lu family, and they said it was nothing, so we left. You saw it, in front of your family and the children, you can’t lie!”
“Huh? The Lu family said I was fine? That can’t be! My head is spinning, I can’t remember anything. Was it my mother-in-law who said it, or Jiaojiao? Sigh, I’ve been married for so many years, and I didn’t even know my mother studied medicine? Or Jiaojiao studied nursing? It’s all my fault, making Changhong come all the way here and use so much medicine to clean my wound. If it had been any later, my forehead might have gotten infected. But at least I’m still half alive, it’s not a big deal.”
Lu Debang: “.”
He always said women are the hardest to deal with. He didn’t want to come, but Hongfa insisted. Look at how unreasonable he is! Humph!
Liu Sanjin and Zhou Jiaojiao looked very unwell. They had no medical or nursing training; they had simply seen Shen Meng's forehead was broken and, following a folk remedy, applied soot and cobwebs to it. Besides, that's how the older generation did it—how could it have gotten inflamed?
Liu Sanjin glanced at her; this woman was just being dramatic.
"Never mind, never mind," Liu Sanjin said. "Luckily, my parents are still here, and I can see my child before I die. In front of the village chief and the Party Secretary, I'll say it again: our three brick houses were lent out, with the agreement that they'd stay for a year, paying two yuan a month in rent. I haven't seen a single penny. Those houses were built by my son Zhenping for the children. They're older now and can't sleep together. Later, my mother said that Jiaxuan and Jiaojiao were getting married, and although we'd renovated the house, it was still a joyous occasion, and she wanted Jiaojiao's family to see the Lu family's sincerity. So she asked me to give up the houses for them to stay for a year. As the eldest sister-in-law, for the sake of family harmony, I brought the children to the old house..." "The house, the newly built house, my parents live in. The five of us live in this old house that's drafty everywhere. It's okay, I'm willing to do anything for the family, it's just that I'm afraid I can't now. I've given the land deed and everything to Mingyang, Jiaxuan, and Jiaojiao. Your sister-in-law has done enough. You should move out first. That house belongs to Mingyang and his brothers! But please don't misunderstand, your sister-in-law isn't saying you're being unreasonable and unwilling to return it, that's really not what she meant."
Liu Sanjin: "."
Lu Jiaxuan: "."
Zhou Jiaojiao: "."
Nonsense, what do you mean by "for the sake of family harmony and prosperity"? You're just here to act all high and mighty for those two yuan!!!
These words made the three of them furious, but Lu Debang and Zhang Hongfa didn't think there was anything wrong with it. After all, it was a three-room brick house. Everyone in the surrounding villages envied Lu Zhenping's house. Their two families also had brick houses, but only two rooms, and they were very small. The house next to theirs in the yard was still an adobe house. Even with such a house, it was the first of its kind in Lujia Village.
How could such a nice house be given to someone else, not even a close brother!
Some people were curious about why Shen Meng took the child back to the old house to live. What did she say back then? Oh, it was for Jiaxuan's sake. After all, he's getting married, and she couldn't let him lose face. If a soldier's brother gets married, wouldn't it be a laughing stock?
Many people said she was foolish, while others praised her for being a military dependent. Even the village officials thought she was selfless and worthy of praise. Unexpectedly, she received only two yuan a month in rent and didn't receive a single penny.
How stupid! She didn't get any benefit, and her house was taken away – a complete loss.
Lu Jiaxuan's face flushed red. He didn't believe Shen Meng's explanation at all. His mother clearly said she had given money; how could she not?
"Sister-in-law, that's impossible! Didn't Mom give you money every time? You can't lie!"
"Jiaxuan, look at me, I'm in this state. Even if I had money, I wouldn't need it. Why would I lie to you? There's an old saying, 'A dying man's words are kind,' something like that, right, Secretary? I don't want any more money from you now. Mom will use the allowance Zhenping gave you to pay the rent for you. Wouldn't that make Jiahe, Xianglan, and Jinghao resentful, saying Mom is biased? Forget it, I don't want it anymore. Just let us go back to live here. In my final days, I just want to live in my old house. Waaah... that would be fulfilling one of my wishes."
Liu Sanjin: "."
Lu Jiaxuan: "."
Zhou Jiaojiao: "." Even at the very
end, you're still trying to sow discord! You're quite something. Looks like you're not going to die anytime soon!
At this point, if the Lu family didn't make any move, rumors would immediately spread: the mother-in-law doted on her youngest son, taking advantage of her eldest son's military service protecting the country, scheming to give the eldest son's house to him, driving his wife to her death, and leaving the children motherless.
Liu Sanjin could imagine how vividly the story would be told by the old women at the village entrance.
"Xiaomeng, just say you want to come home. Mother agrees. Oh, and the rent is yours too, six months' rent, twelve yuan. Mother will give it all. We don't need to be so calculating among family members. My good daughter-in-law, as long as you can hold on, even if it means sucking my blood, I'd be willing, let alone twelve yuan and a brick house!" Liu Sanjin said this with a pained expression, but his heart was bleeding.
Twelve yuan! That's twelve yuan! How long would it take to save that up? That little vixen really needs to be taught a lesson. He'd definitely write to the eldest son later and give him a good scolding.
Shen Meng clicked her tongue twice; the old man's words were truly full of sarcasm.
"Yes, Mother, I knew you cared about me. Then the children and I will move back tonight. Jiaojiao and Jiaxuan, hurry back and pack your things. Mother, I shouldn't accept that money, but for the sake of the children's future well-being, I'll take it. Thank you, Mother."
Liu Sanjin: "..."
Shameless! He clearly wants money!