CHAPTER 24: CHAPTER 14: CONFRONTING THE SHREW

At this moment, Uncle Zhou’s wife barged in and shouted, "Why can’t she send the money? Isn’t she going to support you in your old age? Even if Jiao Jiao doesn’t want to, as a daughter-in-law, she still has to take care of the elders, right?"

Grandma Zhou was so angry she glared at her and shouted, "Fine, she can pay for our retirement, but then the inheritance should also be split in half. And the money she’s sent over the past ten years, how much of it was actually spent on Jiao Jiao? Even a wolf with white eyes isn’t as ruthless as you. Do you think you’re the only smart one? You’ve supported your whole family, made your mother’s family wealthy. You’re well-known throughout the whole county. I’m just waiting for the Lin Family to show up, see how they deal with you........"

Grandpa Zhou quickly interrupted Grandma Zhou, "Eldest’s wife, do you have no respect for the elders? Is this how you treat them? Get out of here!"

While Grandpa Zhou was speaking, Huang Zhaodi had already reached into the bag Zhang Guoqing brought. She pulled out milk powder, bottles, pig trotters, and diapers, clicking her tongue as she went through them. She called out, "Xiao Wu, this must be sent by your mother-in-law, right? You can’t keep it all for yourself. Your child’s so small, let me use the milk powder and this towel first.

And give these pig trotters to your grandpa and grandma to nourish them. You’re really something, just for having a baby you have so much brown sugar, how can you finish it all? People would think you’re having ten or eight kids!"

Zhang Guoqing was so angry he almost laughed, how shameless could one be to say these things? He didn’t hold back and directly pushed Huang Zhaodi away while packing up, "Aunt, I went to the city early this morning to get these with my two elder sisters’ help.

You better not take them. You know my elder sister, she doesn’t care if you’re National Day’s aunt. If you come to the door, you’re doomed, really, I’m not lying to you. Do you know how many favors she had to use to get these things?"

Huang Zhaodi turned pale from Zhang Guoqing’s words, also frightened. She knew Zhang Meili was fierce, not only would she curse people, she would beat them. After beating, she’d demand an apology; she always had the right reason.

Zhang Guoqing felt that whether Old Sir Zhou was truly unaware or pretended to be, some things Zhou Jiao couldn’t say, so he decided to expose them directly.

"And the things my mother-in-law and the Lin Family sent, aren’t you the most aware? The military coats and uniforms for the two big cousins were sent by Jiao Jiao’s little aunt;

The two big cousins’ watches, one was sent by Jiao Jiao’s grandpa, and the other by the second uncle;

Your eldest daughter’s cashmere coat was sent by my mother-in-law, and the new cotton-padded jacket and pants your eldest daughter’s son is wearing was sent by my mother-in-law for my son;

And the sewing machine and bicycle your mother’s family got were sent by Jiao Jiao’s grandpa; should I list more? Do you think others are all fools?

Whenever your eldest uncle goes to the post office, do you know what the post office people say about him? You say outside that it’s Old Sir Zhou’s war friends who sent it, but the post office people laugh and ask if all Old Sir Zhou’s friends are surnamed Lin?"

Zhang Guoqing continued speaking while watching the elderly couple, afraid they couldn’t handle it, truly ripping off the mask. If Huang Zhaodi hadn’t provoked him today, he intended not to expose it.

Looking at the old couple, it’s clear Grandma Zhou was truly kept in the dark. As for Old Sir Zhou, Zhang Guoqing thought he wasn’t much better than Huang Zhaodi.

"Do you know what military postal service represents? When you have time, go ask someone. If the Lin Family pursues this, your Huang family won’t be able to stay fenced in.

Think about how much you’ve swallowed, let’s not mention the things sent by the Lin Family even before Jiao Jiao went to junior high. Just from the point of our marriage, how much has the Lin Family sent? When they knew Jiao Jiao was pregnant, how much did they send?

From pregnancy to now, in a year, the post office has recorded 24 times, up till the day your eldest daughter wore the cashmere coat and mocked Jiao Jiao. My mother-in-law and the Lin Family sent a total of 18 times from Beijing, and another 6 times were sent separately from various troops. Think about how much you’ve swallowed? Where do you get the nerve to act this way? You think Jiao Jiao doesn’t know? She just doesn’t want her grandparents to be sad and troubled.

This time the package collection was recorded under Uncle Zhou’s name, you don’t understand, but doesn’t Uncle Zhou? The job for your eldest son was arranged under the guise of Lin Lishan from the Lin Family, you should think of a solution, or else it’ll implicate your eldest son.

You should now start thinking about cleaning this up. I guess these 24 packages were sent quite densely, and maybe the Lin Family will come over after a while."

Zhang Guoqing bowed to the two elders, feeling guilty, "Grandpa, Grandma, I originally planned to get an address to send some local specialties over and ask them not to send money and things again.

It’s hard for anyone these days. No matter how high their positions, they’re only getting some fixed salaries. Which family doesn’t have several children and family burdens? How could they keep doing this for 17 years without objection from others at home? I just can’t believe it.

For Zhou Jiao, she’s first of the Zhou Family, then of my Zhang Family. Beyond my mother-in-law raising her, the Lin Family has no responsibility. I don’t want to face the Lin Family with a bent backbone in the future.

I didn’t plan to break things open today, just got upset that Aunt doesn’t know her mistake even now. In the past, the items they sent weren’t so frequent, but this year they’ve been non-stop mailing.

The attitude towards Jiao Jiao and this child is very different, you see everything they send is very high-grade, I don’t know what the Lin Family is thinking. If you’ve interacted with them, you should know their personality and conduct, we need to think carefully about some things.

Don’t wait until the last minute to find a way out. I’m estimating that next spring, the Lin Family will definitely come over. Just trying to find time to send a letter to see their attitude."

Old Sir Zhou and Grandma Zhou exchanged glances, both deep in thought. Zhang Guoqing kept observing the two elders; he always felt that Old Sir Zhou was hiding something, while Grandma Zhou seemed completely out of the loop.

Turning to look at Huang Zhaodi, who had collapsed on the ground, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

He was curious about what this woman would do, as only her actions could reveal Old Sir Zhou’s thoughts, which would in turn reveal the Lin Family’s intentions.

Having not interacted with the Lin Family, based on Lin Lishan’s performance, they seemed to be quite willful high-ranking children of cadres, and it’s likely the family is similarly capricious. No matter how unreliable, supporting Jiao Jiao for 17 years, directly allotting a Beijing courtyard under her name, and accepting him, a rural boy, indicates the Lin Family is quite distinctive and unconcerned about money. The only requirement for Zhou Jiao seems to be living as she pleases without worrying about money or resources.

But after so many years without contact, what’s the reason? If Old Sir Zhou wants to stop it but can’t, is the Lin Family just going along for the ride, and why? Prevent Jiao Jiao from going to Beijing, but there’s a big house there, and her household registration hasn’t moved back to the hometown.

Doesn’t this mean Jiao Jiao going to Beijing now is unsafe, and she can only go when it’s safe, explaining the household registration and house issues?

And not fearing others knowing about sending these valuable packages this year indicates Jiao Jiao is now safe. What does this imply, with her connections being only her mother-in-law and father-in-law, a military man whose body was never found? Her mother-in-law can’t return to the Northeast either.

So, the key is the father-in-law? A soldier engaged in secret missions. If the deduction is true, it means the father-in-law is alive and is about to return.

Switching angles, assuming you have a daughter. Indeed, entrusting her to a rural hometown is safer, as any stranger in the village is immediately identifiable. With the poor rural environment, send money vigorously. Disconnect her from the military relations, so the Lin Family doesn’t bring her back to Beijing.

And sending so many items allows the father-in-law to clearly see the relatives. By the way, gauge the Zhou family’s greed level, though the Lin Family might not have anticipated such a result.

If the father-in-law is coming back, then the Lin Family will surely send the mother-in-law back first, consult with the daughter. Accompany her to wait for the father-in-law. Then it’s simple – probably these days, they’ll come, as the due date is this week. No matter the interior or exterior, Lin Lishan will arrive soon, possibly even grandly with bigwigs from the Lin Family.

Then after ten days or half a month, with a soldier’s visiting leave, the father-in-law will return. It’s quite a strategy, his Jiao Jiao and his son have become tools.

For a long time, the main room was silent. Zhang Guoqing didn’t want to stay with the Zhou Family; he already had a grasp of the situation and preferred to go home to his wife and children.

Next comes the reunion of the Zhou family’s father and son after more than ten years apart. What’s that got to do with him? Looking at Old Sir Zhou, it seems he hasn’t figured out the intricacies, truly obsessed with money, can’t find a way out. But he had no intention to explain; Zhou Jiao suffered enough grievances at the Zhou Family, so let them worry.

Zhang Guoqing coughed a few times, bringing the pondering old man back, and had to take the initiative to bid farewell. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to go home today.

As he was leaving, Old Sir Zhou was still hesitant, obviously unwilling to part with those things. Zhang Guoqing pretended not to notice, took his bag, and rode his bike back.