?•??? THE ROAD TO BECOMING A TOP-NOTCHED OLD LADY ???•?

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Chapter Ten  Taking Advantage 

It was already dark when the mother and son returned home in an ox cart.

The eldest daughter-in-law came out to welcome them. Seeing her mother-in-law and husband carrying so many things in their hands, she instantly got dumbfounded and froze in place. ‘My god, how much does all those things cost?’

‘Can the money from selling chestnuts buy so many things?’

Seeing his wife frozen in place, Li Dayou gave a warm smile, “Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and go help mother carry things into the house. She bought so many fabrics, and they are all for you guys. Don’t forget to thank her.”

Throughout the day, he felt that his relationship with his mother had gotten better. He noticed that his mother had really changed so much, like she was a different person.

‘When we were shopping in the town, I couldn’t help but keep thinking about it, and noticed that she didn’t put the Yu family into consideration anymore.’

“Ah, yes.” The eldest daughter-in-law quickly responded.

Seeing the flustered daughter-in-law picking up the items that were bought, Yu Sheng smiled wryly and said, “Your mother-in-law is still pretty strong, no need to help me take them up inside. Also, we are already at home, it’s all right. Go to the kitchen and prepare the food first. Wait for me though, I’m going to help you.”

Yu Sheng actually doesn’t know how to cook, but the eldest daughter-in-law is pregnant. For this reason, she can’t just let her do all the chores on her own.

The eldest daughter-in-law is very cheeky though and immediately replied, “Mother must be tired after a long day. The second and third son will lend me a hand anyway, so just have a good rest.”

After hearing this from her, Yu Sheng would have naturally given up the matter. To be honest, after riding the ox cart for a long duration of time, she was really tired and anxious, and she was also so nauseous she could vomit.

“Sister-in-law, is the eldest brother back?” The voice of the fourth son suddenly came from the room.

When he saw his eldest brother and mother had bought so many things, he was stunned for a while, and looked away uncomfortably.

The daughter-in-law then replied excitedly, “Yes, they both have both just come back, your eldest brother and mother bought a lot of things for all of us in the town. That’s enough to make clothes for each of us and there is enough food for us to eat for a long time.”

“Oh.” The fourth child had a single response and went back into the house.

The daughter-in-law could only smile awkwardly.

Yu Sheng didn’t mind it though, and just sat down on the chair in the yard.

Yu Sheng got deep into her thoughts, thinking about renovating their house. The children have grown up now, and being all crowded together is really implausible.

The fourth son had always felt uncomfortable when he was in the house. The family was always busy, and he really didn’t know what to do in order to help.

Also, considering the changes that have been made these past two days, it made him feel very depressed, and was afraid that it might be just all pretend.

Willing the thoughts to go away, he left the house and walked around the village.

Not long after he went out, he saw a shadow at the back of their house, looking at something suspiciously.

‘Could it be a thief?’

‘This house has not been visited by thieves for many years though.’

As he got closer, he realized that it was just his second aunt.

The fourth son didn’t say anything, but just stared at her, waiting to see what she was planning to do. It was getting dark and it was a little too strange to be out here at this hour.

Lin Chunya didn’t know that she had been discovered for a while now, but still continued to look around Yu Sheng’s house, smelling the aroma of cooked rice, and couldn’t help feeling even more resentful.

She couldn’t resist muttering, “What is Yu Sheng doing behind the scenes? The family can now afford rice but the price of rice has already tripled.”

“Auntie, there is nothing to see here. The food in the house is all earned by my brothers and I together.” The fourth son knows what his second aunt had in mind, so he can’t help but resent her a little.

There are times that the fourth son would talk back, although his mother might not be worthy of being a mother, but as a son, he still can’t let others slander her like that.

‘What is the difference between that and an unfilial beast?’

Lin Chunya trembled as she got startled after hearing a voice, then realized that it was not a ghost, but rather the fourth son of Yu Sheng’s family.

She sighed out of relief.

The fourth son is the most annoying out of the five siblings and hates his mother the most. With this thought, she started to calculate what to do in order to manipulate the situation.

She took the hand of the fourth son tenderly, “This child is still young and sensitive, your father has been gone for so many years, it is normal for your mother to not bear the loneliness.”

“Based on how many chestnuts you kids can harvest, and how many copper coins can be earned for a few catties of it, but today she bought about five or six bolts of fabric, which cost more than two taels of silver.”

“I saw them afterwards and they had bought more than 30 catties of grain, which would not cost a small amount of copper coins.”

The fourth child took his hand back in disgust. He is also actually suspicious about this matter, thinking about where the money may have come from, but hearing other people say it makes him more uncomfortable.

‘What’s more, how can someone who says they care about the family, yet still slander the mother like this in front of the son.’

The fourth son looked at his second aunt angrily, “How can I tell others about the real reason for how we earn money? Framing my mother just for a little bit of food? She also bought meat last and she ate all on her own.”

“Yes, yes, I shouldn’t have framed her.” Lin Chunya glanced at the angry look of the fourth son, and quickly apologized, but she couldn’t stop laughing deep in her heart.

‘A child is still a child in his heart and mind, just a few words blurted out can make them give away their family secrets, so how can Yu Sheng afford to buy things?’

‘If this is the case, does the child have any copper coins on hand?’

‘Maybe he also might have silver.’

Thinking of this, she rubbed her hands and carefully said, “You’re lying, there is no family in the whole village who can afford to buy meat. The village head’s family is also not an exception. Unless you show me the meat Yu Sheng bought, you are lying, and I will tell the villagers about it tomorrow.”

Lin Chunya showed an act of disbelief but knew that the family having meat was not false, she was just deliberately provoking the child.

If the boy really took away the meat, he couldn’t ever return it.

At the thought of being able to eat meat, she can’t help shedding a few years.

The fourth son restrained himself. The family ate meat not long ago, but there is none left. However, he doesn’t want his second aunt to underestimate his family.

He hesitated for a while, then just said, “Well, just wait and see.”

Lin Chunya smiled happily, as if she had already got the meat, and cheerfully said, “Okay, then I’ll just wait, though I still don’t believe it. Your family is so poor, yet can still afford to buy meat. You must be a little liar.”

“You…” The fourth son looked at her fiercely.

“Why are you looking at me so viciously? If you have the ability to take out your family’s meat, then I can believe what you have said.” Lin Chunya laughed even more.

With that said, Lin Chunya went home with a happy face.

She saw Yu Sheng bought so many things today, and she got so jealous. Looking at it now, this expensive meat can also be taken away from her.

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