Old Man Lu tapped his tobacco pipe forcefully. “Have Second Son make a trip tomorrow to discuss our family division.”
“Why tell them anything?” Mother Lu’s pig-brained mind clearly couldn’t comprehend this.
Old Man Lu couldn’t even bother to explain. His wife was utterly useless – incapable of accomplishing anything yet perfectly able to ruin everything, never thinking before she spoke.
If Mother Lu knew how her husband was cursing her in his heart, she’d definitely argue back.
Truth was, they were both cut from the same cloth – neither could criticize the other.
Early the next morning, Jiang Yue was woken by her daughter squirming against her. Still half-asleep, she nursed the baby, then heard voices from the neighboring courtyard – loud elderly women who seemed to be arguing.
It took her a dazed moment to remember where she was.
Lu Jingzhou pushed the door open and found her awake. “Getting up?”
Jiang Yue turned to look at him and noticed he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt with military trousers, revealing sturdy arms, his face covered in sweat.
“I’m used to morning drills. Wait a moment, I’ll be right there.” He ran outside to rinse off with cold water. When he returned, though his clothes were dry, his body radiated cold air.
Jiang Yue felt genuine envy toward him – mainly envying his physique. Ordinary people really couldn’t handle that.
Lu Jingzhou blushed under her gaze, his walking posture becoming unnatural. “Breakfast is warming in the pot. I’ll go to town for supplies later and make a call to the military unit. Don’t worry while you’re home alone, and don’t go anywhere. Wait for me to return.”
He didn’t dare look up while speaking.
“We need to buy all the kitchenware. Don’t get too much grain either – I can’t eat much alone when you’re away. The weather’s gradually getting hotter, and stored grain will grow bugs. Besides, even if you leave, I can still order Zheng Xiaoliu around!”
“With me here, you don’t need anyone else.” His expression turned serious and solemn as he said this.
When Jiang Yue looked up and met his eyes, her heart skipped a beat.
She thought to herself: This wave of intensity is too strong! She couldn’t quite handle it.
After breakfast, before he could even go borrow the donkey cart, Zheng Xiaoliu arrived driving it.
He hadn’t come alone – following behind him was Mother Lu, carrying a basket over her arm with a lovingly smiling face.
“Third Son! I heard you’re going to town again for supplies. What does a grown man know about household necessities? Let your mother go with you! I can help you choose properly.”
Zheng Xiaoliu’s face looked constipated. This really wasn’t his fault – he’d been driving the donkey cart through the village when Mother Lu greeted him. Being simple-minded, he’d blurted everything out, and this was the result.
Lu Jingzhou ignored his mother as if he hadn’t seen her, took the whip from Zheng Xiaoliu’s hand, instructed him to watch the house, then cracked the whip and left.
Mother Lu, ignored by her own son with people watching at the Brigade Headquarters entrance, felt embarrassed. She quickly laughed it off. “My Third Son has always been the silent type. I should go check on Third Son’s wife. Jiang Yue!”
Mother Lu made a noisy entrance all the way to the house. Since the courtyard gate wasn’t closed, she followed right behind Zheng Xiaoliu inside.
“Second Grandma, why are you coming in?” Zheng Xiaoliu stared at her, his eyes wide.
With no outsiders around, Mother Lu dropped her act. Her face fell, the change coming remarkably fast. “I came to see my granddaughter. Why are you everywhere, you brat? A half-grown boy not working with the brigade, always hanging around here – what are you after? Trying to take advantage?”
She deliberately spoke harshly, aiming to drive Zheng Xiaoliu away.
After thinking it over until midnight last night, she had come to a realization. Despite the black-and-white terms of the division agreement looking official, unless the sky fell or the earth collapsed, Lu Jingzhou would always be her son. When it came down to it, he would still have to take responsibility. So, she had to demand the money anyway. Since she had already lost face, why bother preserving it in front of her own son? She might as well abandon all pretense.
Zheng Xiaoliu was infuriated by her words. “Second Grandma, my affairs are none of your concern. Don’t try to pin any blame on me—I won’t fall for that. You need to leave! Third Uncle isn’t home, so you can’t come in.”
He shoved Mother Lu, trying to push her out.
Mother Lu wasn’t the least bit intimidated. She grabbed his ear and twisted it hard, yanking downward. “You little brat, who do you think you’re talking to? No respect for your elders! Since you call me Second Grandma, and considering your parents are gone, I’ll discipline you properly on their behalf. Let’s see if you still dare to talk back to your elders!”
She was merciless—not only twisting his ear but also stomping on his feet. Zheng Xiaoliu tried to protect his ear while dodging her, howling in pain but not daring to fight back.
Jiang Yue had just returned to the room to soothe the baby when she heard the commotion in the yard. Her scalp prickled with irritation.
And it wasn’t just her—Little Bean Sprout, whether startled by her grandmother’s voice or simply by the loud noise, burst into tears again.
“Will this ever end?” Jiang Yue put her daughter down, snatched the broom from the corner, and swung it at the two of them, aiming mainly at Mother Lu.
Being hit by a broom did hurt, and since Mother Lu was averse to pain, she had no choice but to let go.
“You wretched girl, how dare you hit me! I’m your mother-in-law!”
“So what? We’ve already divided the family. You live your life, and I’ll live mine. We just stamped the agreement yesterday—are you suffering from dementia? Has your mind gone fuzzy?”
“You—you—you! Your tongue is too vicious!” Mother Lu’s fingers splayed and then clenched, as if she wished she could strangle Jiang Yue.
“No matter how vicious I am, I’m nothing compared to you, you old hag. Speak up—what are you really here for? If you don’t say it, then get out. When Lu Jingzhou comes back, I can’t guarantee I won’t tell him everything.”
“Using that trick again? Do you really think I’m afraid of you? Hmph! Yesterday, I was just considering the bigger picture, worried that father and son would start fighting again. Just you wait—once Third Son goes back to the army, I’ll show you how I deal with you!” She hadn’t meant to say that now, but she couldn’t hold back any longer. Keeping it in was making her sick, and she just wanted to vent. But the moment the words were out, she regretted it.
Sure enough, Zheng Xiaoliu looked shocked.
“Second Grandma, so this is what you really think? No, I have to tell Third Uncle. How can someone your age be so scheming?”
“Get lost! This is none of your business, you brat! Why are you always sticking your nose in everything?” If she couldn’t handle Jiang Yue, could she at least curse this little punk into submission?
Zheng Xiaoliu pointed at her. “Ha! This isn’t the Lu family home—this is my Third Aunt’s house. You can’t kick me out. Third Uncle said before he left that I should guard the gate properly. No, I have to make sure you leave. I can’t let you cause trouble here.”
Mother Lu was exasperated. “Hey! Why are you so stubborn? Stop pulling me! Let go! Jiang Yue, I still have something to say to you. How much money did Third Son bring back this time? Don’t even think about keeping it all to yourself. Part of that is meant for me and your father-in-law as our retirement fund. You have to give us our share.”
She absolutely had to finish saying what was on her mind—if she held it back again, she’d truly suffer internal injuries from the repression.
Of course, asking for money was also genuine.
Whether there were dates on the tree or not, she had to take a swing with the pole. Hitting some would be best, but if she missed, she hadn’t lost anything anyway.
Jiang Yue couldn’t even be bothered to respond to that line of talk—it was utterly pointless.
Although she had a feeling that dividing the household didn’t equate to cutting off ties completely, at least they had moved out of that home. From now on, each would live their own life and manage their own affairs. Moreover, Lu Jingzhou had spoken so decisively yesterday, and yet here it was, barely a night later, and her mother-in-law was acting as if nothing had happened at all.