Chapter 632 - 626_1
"Dad, Mom, since Sister has already sent over the grain, let’s head back. We can catch a ride on Brother Liu’s cart. After walking all this way, you must be tired," said Lin Qing. He meant well, but Lin Fuan and Zhou didn’t even consider that an option. They had long been plotting a visit to the Zhao Family to scrounge for benefits. The only reason they hadn’t dared to impose on Zhao Erhu earlier was due to their previous agreement with him, fearing they’d be driven away without a proper excuse. Now, with Zhao Erhu off on business and themselves at their wits’ end, they certainly wouldn’t miss such an opportune moment.
"Go back? We’ve barely made it halfway after such a lengthy journey. There’s no sense in turning back now! Speaking of your sister marrying that brute Zhao Erhu, we haven’t even visited her husband’s home yet. This is the perfect chance to see how she’s getting on. As her parents, we can’t rest easy until we know she’s well," Zhou remarked, without an ounce of shame, concocting what seemed to her a perfectly legitimate reason to visit.
Zhao Youfu and Zhou were full of hope for their trip to Zhao Family Village. They eagerly looked forward to arriving, having heard all about their son-in-law’s affluence from villagers who worked there—how many maids and servants attended to them. Their curiosity had been piqued, and with the crops nearly lost to the floods, they had nothing better to do back home. Staying with their son-in-law for a while seemed an excellent opportunity to enjoy some comfort themselves. And so, it wasn’t just their chance encounter with Liu Aniu delivering grain to Shanglin Village that made them reluctant to return home. They were set on making their way to Zhao Family Village.
Lin Qing knew all too well what his mother was scheming. She had her eyes on his sister’s wealthy in-laws, her greed never satisfied, always wanting to snag more benefits.
"Dad, Mom, if you can say such things, should I take them seriously? If you truly cared for Sister, why did you sell her off? A palanquin was used for her marriage to Zhao Erhu—that’s what you call a proper wedding! But I doubt Zhao Erhu would approve. Everyone in Zhao Family Village knows the circumstances behind Sister’s marriage to Zhao Erhu. Why bother going there, inviting wagging tongues? It won’t look good for Sister either. If you truly care about her well-being, don’t go. Let’s turn around and head back. We only came to Zhao Family Village out of desperation, and now that we have grain, there’s no need to proceed," he protested.
These words angered Zhou, who was also annoyed at having her motives laid bare by her own son. What a fool he was for not understanding that everything she did was for his benefit. She was always protecting that foolish girl, yet whatever benefits they could get from Zhao Erhu would ultimately go to her only son. Why was he constantly getting in her way and ruining her plans?
"How can you say I don’t care for her? She’s a piece of my own flesh. We sold her out of sheer desperation. Times are different now. Besides, with the son-in-law away, who dares stop me from seeing my own daughter?"