Their family lives in the Machinery Factory Family Courtyard. It's a three-bedroom, one-living room layout with an independent Kitchen and Bathroom, all thanks to the Old Man.
Now she has her own room, the Third Brother and his wife have one room, and the Fourth Child and Fifth Child share one room. The Lao Liu lives alone in the living room, separated by a curtain across a one-meter-two bed frame.
After dinner, the Third Brother was dragged back to his room by his daughter-in-law, afraid of escalating the conflict.
Although she had made her stance clear today, based on her understanding of the Eldest Son and his wife, the two of them would not let the matter rest easily.
Alas, you may have a thousand schemes, but I have an old plan.
Once the house was completely quiet, Li Xiangqin lay in bed, calmed down, and couldn't help but review the events of the day.
After dying once, she completely saw through the coldness of her children. Counterattacking brought her no burden, and her mind felt much clearer.
She thought about it; they, as parents, bore an undeniable responsibility for raising children who turned out to be so ungrateful and cold-hearted.
They always liked to take on everything, willing to sacrifice, giving everything for their children. They said they didn't want their children to suffer the hardships they once endured.
Perhaps it was this behavior that fostered a sense of dependence in the children. They felt that their parents treating them well was a matter of course.
Just like the boundary issues young people always talk about in later generations, she and the Old Man participated too much; they must have crossed the line.
It truly proves the saying: a measure of rice earns gratitude, but a bushel earns enmity.
It was their fault as parents for trying too hard, which led their children and grandchildren to cling to them like leeches, cultivating them into ungrateful wretches who only knew how to take and lacked any sense of being Grateful.
Fortunately, Heaven took pity on her and gave her a chance to start over.
With nearly twenty years left to live, she might as well enjoy herself freely.
With a plan in mind, Li Xiangqin soon fell asleep.
The Third Brother and his wife next door were whispering about it in bed.
"Third Brother~, don't you think Mom was strange today?" Zhao Meijuan rested one hand on the Third Brother's chest, looking up at him.
"What's strange?" The Third Brother wrapped an arm around his Wife, lowered his head, and kissed her.
Zhao Meijuan shot him a look. No wonder Mother-in-law always scolded him for only growing taller and not smarter; he truly was incredibly dense.
"Mom's temper was unusually fierce today. She didn't even give the Eldest Brother and Eldest sister-in-law any Face. It’s unreasonable."
Before, Mom valued the Eldest Son and his wife the most. She would beam when mentioning them, showing off more than usual.
"What's the big deal? Dad is gone, and Mom is heartbroken. She has nowhere to vent her anger, and the Eldest Brother happened to run into the Muzzle by worrying about the Solatium. If she doesn't scold him, who will?" The Third Brother scoffed, his tone laced with schadenfreude.
Zhao Meijuan quietly Looking at him. This brainless man acted as if he hadn't been hit or scolded himself?
How could he have the nerve to mock others?
"Do you think Mom really isn't planning to divide the Solatium among you sons?"
"Who knows? Mom is overly grieved today; she must be saying whatever comes to mind. She'll be fine after a while."
The Third Brother wasn't worried about that money. After all, whatever was in Mom's pocket would eventually be spent on them, her sons. At worst, he could cry and complain a few more times to get Mom to subsidize him a bit more.
"Why don't you use your brain? Is that what I mean?"
Zhao Meijuan was annoyed and pinched his waist.
She sighed inwardly. Zhang Jianshe was simple-minded and easy to manage, but being too stupid was also annoying. Talking to him was exhausting.
"Ouch~, Wife, why are you pinching me?"
The Third Brother held her hand and quickly begged for mercy.
"No matter what you mean, I'll listen to you. Since we started dating, when have I ever not sided with you?"
"You're sensible."
Zhao Meijuan let out a coquettish hum. One of the reasons she chose Zhang Jianshe was that he was obedient.
"Sigh~, Mom is going back to work in a few days and won't be able to take care of the Eldest sister-in-law's children anymore. I wonder if Eldest sister-in-law will throw a fit?"
Zhang Yanli relied on her Mother-in-law's Partiality and looked down on her openly and subtly. She eagerly anticipated the sight of her Eldest sister-in-law losing her temper.
"What right does she have to throw a fit? Mom watched her two kids, and now it's time for her to watch ours." The Third Brother spoke, looking down at his soft Wife, and his hands became restless.
"Ah~, stop fooling around..."
But Zhang Jianguo and his Wife, who had returned home, couldn't sleep at that moment.
After coaxing the two children to sleep, Zhang Yanli washed up and sat at her vanity. She opened the Perfumed oil, scooped out a piece into her palm, rubbed it open, and gently patted it onto her face.
"What exactly does Mom mean by saying she won't watch the two kids anymore?"
Zhang Jianguo took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Dad's passing was too sudden. It's understandable that Mom can't accept it right now. You take care of things for a while, and we'll see how things are after Mom gets over this period."
"How long is 'a while'? I'm telling you, I can't be delayed for too long."
Zhang Yanli pouted. She hadn't died for nothing; there was a pocket of money, and she was hoarding it all, afraid they would take even a single cent.
"I know. She needs some time to recover. Otherwise, if she gets sick from holding it in, it will become our responsibility."
Zhang Jianguo sighed. Mom was right; their family relied entirely on Dad to hold it up. With the Pillar of the family suddenly gone, he felt empty inside too.
"What do you mean 'our responsibility'? Your mother didn't only give birth to you, one son. This is the New Society; we advocate for Gender equality. Elderly care is the duty of all children.
Besides, your mother is still holding a pocket of money. No matter what, she doesn't need you to play the hero."
Zhang Yanli snorted and climbed into bed, lying down.
"Your mother is too Partial. Dad's Solatium clearly belongs to everyone, yet she only wants to spend it on the Fifth Child and Lao Liu. Don't you think that's going too far?"
"What can I do? She's my mother. Besides, the Fifth Child and Lao Liu are still in school; they'll need money for finding Jobs and such later on. Mom's Salary alone truly cannot support two students."
Zhang Jianguo wiped his glasses with a cloth, Speaking helplessly. He had only mentioned it once today and was scolded fiercely by his mother.
If he brought it up again, Mom would skin him alive.
"They should raise their own children. That's what Mom said today. Dad's inheritance should be divided among everyone. Why is she depriving you of your rights?"
The more Zhang Yanli thought about it, the angrier she became. She sat up straight, leaning against the headboard.
"What your mother is doing is autocratic and illegal. Be careful, or no one will take care of her when she gets old."
"What nonsense are you talking about? That's my mother, your Mother-in-law, not an enemy. Besides, she took care of our child for five or six years."
Zhang Jianguo glanced at her, his Complexion not very good. But Zhang Yanli didn't care at all, humming softly as she lay down and turned her back to him.
"I warn you, persuade your mother quickly. Your son is very naughty, and I won't be able to stand it if it goes on much longer."
Zhang Jianguo had been tired all day and hadn't received a kind word from his mother, so he was already irritable. Hearing his Wife's impatient tone now, he turned and looked at her.
"You are the child's mother; taking care of the child is your responsibility. Mom also has a Job; she took Sick Leave specifically to watch the children for us. What Mother-in-law does this? Don't be ungrateful."