The anger and questions filling both their stomachs hadn't even been voiced before they were met with a barrage of accusations from the Mother-in-law, leaving them momentarily stunned.
Recalling the movement upon entering, the two exchanged a glance, both feeling a bit guilty.
"Mom, you misunderstood. There are many people coming and going in the house, so bumps are inevitable."
"It was your Eldest Grandson who wanted to see Grandma; he was too excited when he came in."
Li Xiangqin coldly watched the two fabricate excuses, walked straight over, pushed the two blocking the door aside, and shut it behind her.
"Hmph, stop trying to fool this Old Mother with children. The fault for raising them lies with the parents. A child is just a blank slate; whatever you instill, that's what they become.
Coming in with such aggression, what, are you trying to swallow me whole and inherit the estate?"
Li Xiangqin glanced at the few people in the living room and boldly sat down on a chair.
"Speak up. You are all busy people; you don't come here without a reason. Whatever grievances you have, direct them at this Old Mother."
Hearing the commotion, the Fourth Child rushed out of the room. Seeing the Eldest Brother, Second Brother, and Third Brother looking hostile, and remembering the things Mom bought for her today, she suddenly felt at a loss.
Seeing Mom in a posture ready for a fight, she took a deep breath, suddenly stood in front of Mom, and spread her arms wide.
"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, what are you doing?"
Li Xiangqin watched the Fourth Child, who was clearly scared but still chose to shield her, feeling a warmth in her heart; this was a considerate child.
"Fourth Child, step back. I want to see what these rebellious things intend to do."
Seeing their Mom's stance, the few looked at each other. Recalling Mom's fighting spirit over the past two days, their momentum immediately waned a bit.
"Eldest Brother, say something!" The Second Brother nudged the Eldest Brother's shoulder. They had agreed before coming in; they weren't going to go back on their word now, were they?
Zhang Jianguo glared at him and raised a hand to push up the glasses on the bridge of his nose.
"Ahem~, Mom, I heard you bought a bunch of things today, and a new Bicycle too?"
"Did studying blind your eyes? The Bicycle is right in front of you, can't you see it? What, do I need to report to you every time this Old Mother buys something? Should I let you be the father instead?"
Zhang Jianguo's face stiffened. "Mom, I was just asking. Why are you so angry?"
"Asking my foot! Look at the way you all carry yourselves, as if you want to devour this Old Mother alive. Look at yourselves, which family has sons like you? All bossing around, if people didn't know better, they'd think I raised a pack of fathers."
Li Xiangqin faced them, spitting furiously as she retorted.
Between breaths, a sour, foul smell filled the entire living room.
After being thoroughly scolded, the aggressive momentum they had built up upon entering was completely dispersed.
Now, even breathing was uncomfortable.
"Mom, that's not how you put it. When the family buys big items, we have the right to know." Zhang Yanli, seeing her husband's face turn ashen from being scolded by her Mother-in-law, retorted unconvinced.
"The Eldest Sister-in-law is right. We are also members of this family and have the right to know."
Wang Yulan chimed in. She never approved of this Mother-in-law, finding her vulgar, partial, and lacking in class.
Zhao Meijuan watched her two sisters-in-law step forward, lowered her head, and satisfiedly curved the corners of her lips, quietly waiting for things to unfold.
Li Xiangqin quietly watched their performance, sitting firmly in control. Once they finished venting, she directly called out to the Fifth Child.
"Zhang Jianli, open the main door and the windows. Today, we're going to lay everything out in the open."
The Fifth Child, who had been peeking out from the room, sprang out at her mother's command and quickly pushed open the main door and the windows facing the Family Courtyard.
The Eldest, Second, and Third Brothers' eyelids twitched upon seeing this setup, and they looked at their mother in disbelief.
They say family scandals should not be aired in public; their mother was afraid people wouldn't hear clearly!
"Mom, what are you doing? We should discuss our family matters behind closed doors. We can't let outsiders become a laughingstock, can we?" Zhang Jianguo looked back at the main door and complained in a low voice.
"Exactly! They say family scandals shouldn't be aired, but Mom is afraid people won't hear clearly. Are you rubbing our sons' faces on the ground?" Zhang Jianmin frowned, clearly displeased.
"Mom, although I'm slow-witted, I also know this isn't appropriate," Zhang Jianshe said with a straight face, very unhappy.
"Go to hell with your Mother-in-law's dog fart! This Old Mother stands upright and sits squarely. Whoever has something to hide will feel awkward. It's a good chance for the neighbors to see what kind of filial sons and grandsons this Old Mother has raised!"
Everyone: "..."
The Old Woman has gone mad!
Li Xiangqin sat in the chair, looking over her sons and daughters-in-law, starting from the eldest down.
"Zhang Jianguo, Zhang Jianmin, Zhang Jianshe, you've all come here collectively to denounce this Old Mother. So today, we'll hash it out completely: where exactly have I failed you that you come here with such aggressive intent to demand an explanation?"
She had sequelae from her rebirth; seeing the faces of her sons and daughters-in-law instantly brought back the suffering she endured in her previous life, and she couldn't suppress her resentment.
It was already motherly kindness that she hadn't actively sought trouble with her sons first. Yet, these disgusting creatures ran over to make their presence felt at the slightest disturbance.
It's just settling accounts; she wasn't afraid of that at all.
Hearing his mother's loud voice, Zhang Jianguo was startled and immediately looked back toward the main door.
"Mom, what are you doing?"
"Naturally, opening the windows to speak frankly. Whoever has a guilty conscience will be afraid."
Seeing the Eldest Brother's veins popping on his forehead, Li Xiangqin sneered.
"We've lived in the Machinery Factory Family Courtyard for decades; everyone knows everyone. We know what color underwear you wear."
Zhang Jianguo was speechless; but even so, they couldn't just leave everything open for outsiders to laugh at.
The Second Brother coughed, his voice subconsciously lowered, and his tone softened.
"Mom, we didn't mean anything else. We heard you bought a Bicycle and came to ask about it."
"What is there to ask? The Fourth Child has started her Job, and I'm getting her some things. It's that simple. What, do you need to approve it?"
"Mom, you are being too partial. The Fourth Child is just a girl; she'll be lucky to take Dad's position. To buy things for her, isn't that going too far?" The Third Brother had long been dissatisfied; his wife didn't even have anything yet.
The Third Brother's words struck the core sentiment of everyone present, making Li Xiangqin sneer repeatedly.
"Partial? I only regret not being partial to the Fourth Child sooner, or I wouldn't have raised you wolves who only know how to suck blood.
Ask yourselves: for school, marriage, and jobs, which one of you spent little? If it wasn't eight hundred, it was a thousand. Where were you then when you refused to speak up?
What, you're mute when it comes to taking advantage, but you get jealous and red-eyed when you see what others have? Where do you get the nerve?"
Hearing his mother's accusations, Zhang Jianguo pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose.
"Mom, I got into university on my own merit. Not only did I bring glory to the family, but I also received a Subsidy and didn't spend the family's money."
"You truly are exceptionally blind. Although you didn't spend money on university, you didn't earn a single cent for the family either. Instead, you constantly asked the family for money under various pretenses. Which month didn't I send you twenty? Four years of university, and it was like you ran away from home; who lived more comfortably than you?"