CHAPTER 133: CHAPTER 132: WHAT KIND OF WIFE CAN’T YOU GET?

The Sun Family’s house is structurally sound, and even without major changes, it is quite decent.

However, Mrs. Sun thought that since they were setting up a school, it should be done properly, so that even after they left, the villagers would remember their family’s contribution.

So, they planned to remove the thatched roof and replace it with tiles, and also remove the partitions to make the room more spacious and bright.

After discussing, they realized that the kangs (traditional heated beds) in the east and west rooms would also have to be removed. Where would their family live then?

Fifth Master Sun’s family is also quite crowded, but they still invited them over to stay. Mrs. Sun shook her head, already having made up her mind.

For the school renovation, she decided it would be better to just fund it and leave the execution to the villagers. She would hand over the renovation money to Wang Lizheng.

After discussing with Yu Changhe, Mrs. Sun decided to donate fifty taels for the village to renovate the school.

The news that the Sun Family was donating fifty taels to renovate the old house to establish a school for the village children quickly spread throughout Upper River Bay.

Thus, as Old Yu and his family entered Upper River Bay Village, they heard about this news.

Old Xu shouted loudly to Old Yu, "See, didn’t I tell you the news was true? Your second son made a fortune, and you don’t even know it. Plucking a random feather amounts to fifty taels, tsk tsk..."

Old Yu walked faster, thinking his foolish son had too much money with nowhere to spend it. He could have given it to him instead.

Old Mrs. Yu also quickened her steps, determined to stop Yu Changhe from establishing a school for the village.

Letting her son spend fifty taels on a school wasn’t that just making her son a fool?

When the village was building the ancestral hall before, didn’t everyone contribute collectively? Each family only gave a few coins, and even for those few coins, some families were reluctant to pay, yet only her foolish second son would give fifty taels.

Old Xu secretly snorted and resolved that if his sons and daughters wanted him to send back the fifteen taels, then there would be no peace for anyone.

Initially, Old Xu intended to return the fifteen taels to the Sun Family, but as he passed River Bay, an idea struck him, and he headed towards the Yu Family instead.

His daughter had said that the money her sister-in-law had was illegitimately gained, and she feared the Yu Family discovering it, suggesting there might be some hidden scandal involved.

When Old Xu reached the Yu Family, he didn’t need to say much. Without any embellishments or incitements, the Yu Family’s old couple hurriedly, along with their youngest son, followed him.

Meanwhile, in the Sun Family courtyard, Wang Lizheng had just finished discussing the renovation with the Sun Family, having received the renovation plans painted by Yu Xiaolian the previous night and the fifty-tael silver note from Mrs. Sun.

Suddenly, someone shouted and rushed over, directly grabbing at the silver note in his hand.

Wang Lizheng quickly hid the silver note behind him and angrily scolded, "Where did this madwoman come from?"

Old Mrs. Yu missed her grab, immediately put her hands on her hips, and cursed, "This is my second son’s money. You old fool, swindling my son into paying for some damn school, give it back, or I’ll report to the authorities."

Wang Lizheng furrowed his brows, "I am the authority. Which village are you from?"

Upon hearing he was the authority, Old Mrs. Yu felt a bit cowed.

She glanced up and down at Wang Lizheng, noticing he wore a long gown, different from their short robes paired with pants. Could he really be an official?

Old Yu, being slower on his feet, entered the courtyard only to see his wife shouting and cursing at Wang Lizheng, calling him an old fool, which frightened him into dragging his wife away and repeatedly bowing and apologizing to Wang Lizheng.

Indeed, Wang Lizheng was also the village chief of River Bend Village, overseeing He Yan Village, Upper River Bay, and River Bay.

During the annual tax and grain collection, it was Old Yu and Yu Changfu who would shoulder the task of delivering them. As such, Old Yu had seen Wang Lizheng from afar.

Though the position of village chief isn’t very high, nor is it low, offending the village chief could cause trouble during the tax and grain collection, potentially forcing their family to pay more than their fair share.

Moreover, the division of land for newborns was also decided by the village chief, and Old Yu’s third daughter-in-law was about to give birth. They couldn’t afford to offend this village chief.

Old Yu pushed Mrs. Yu lightly, "This is Wang Lizheng from our village. You dead old woman, who are you cursing? Have you eaten dirt?"

Old Yu quickly replaced his expression with a smile and hurriedly explained to Wang Lizheng, "Wang Lizheng, we are Yu Changhe’s parents, the in-laws of Mrs. Sun. We reside in River Bay."

The affairs of the Yu Family had also reached Wang Lizheng’s ears. He had heard that Yu Changhe’s family had been driven out, and even the land he was entitled to was taken by his parents.

A male adult was entitled to two acres of land; it had always been this way. Even after dividing the family, the land followed the person, and no one had the right to strip someone’s farming rights.

However, since people didn’t report such issues, officials didn’t investigate. Yu Changhe hadn’t come to seek justice, so Wang Lizheng didn’t feel the need to intervene. But now, after accepting their fifty-tael donation and being cursed by this old woman, Wang Lizheng felt compelled to act.

Mrs. Yu, seeing her old man’s fawning attitude, tugged at him in the back, "Why worry about the village chief? We haven’t done anything illegal; we’ve paid our taxes and tribute. Why fear him?"

Old Yu nudged Mrs. Yu with his elbow, glaring at her to shut her up.

But Mrs. Yu paid no heed, continuing to address Wang Lizheng, "My son’s money is my money. I don’t agree to donate it to the village. Give the silver note back."

Wang Lizheng glanced at Mrs. Sun, who could barely hold it in. From the moment her parents-in-law appeared, her head started throbbing painfully.

"When you kicked our family out without a penny, you said you’d let Changhe marry into our Sun Family and claimed you’d consider him no longer your son. So why are you shamelessly recognizing your son today?"

Mrs. Yu’s eyes lingered on Mrs. Sun’s belly. Had Mrs. Sun actually gotten pregnant?

She thought she’d never conceive in this lifetime. Still, her pregnancy was a good thing; after all, it was still a child of their Yu Family.

Mrs. Yu had no intention of dealing with Mrs. Sun, who was known for her sharp tongue and quick wit, in an argument she might not win.

She dashed towards Yu Changhe, who stood not far behind Mrs. Sun, crying out, "Son, my dear son. You don’t know how much I’ve worried about you since you left. I can’t eat well, nor sleep well..."

"I’ve worried about you, afraid that you’d be paralyzed on the bed and Mrs. Sun would abandon you and run off with someone else. I feared Mrs. Sun would put a green hat on you. Son, is the child in Mrs. Sun’s belly really yours? Don’t be the fool who doesn’t know..."

"You are better now, and you have money. What kind of wife can’t you find..."

Mrs. Yu was convinced that Yu Changhe had become wealthy using his own skills, so her strategy was to win her son’s favor.

Yu Changhe, with a darkened face, saw his mother’s words becoming more outrageous and hurriedly stopped her, "Mother, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Initially, seeing his mother arrive caused him anxiety, fearing she would spout unpleasant gibberish.

Indeed, his worries weren’t unfounded.

After receiving the money from selling plastic, why still come looking for trouble?

His mother never knew when to stop!

"Changhe, your leg is better? You can stand now?"

Old Yu also stepped forward, silently cursing Dr. Che. Had it not been for Dr. Che’s claim that their second son would be paralyzed, they wouldn’t have been cruel enough to drive him away.

But if the second son hadn’t left, if he’d stayed in River Bay Village, could he have ever become prosperous?