Chapter 156: A Clear-Headed Person

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Qin Huiyin picked up the fish basket from the ground and said, “Third Grandpa, everyone has the right to make their own choices. Grandpa Song must have had his reasons for choosing this path, so you should stop worrying about him.”

Uncle Tang put away his fishing rod. “You’re right. I’ve lived all these years, yet I’m not half as clear-sighted as you, little girl. Enough about him. What are we having for dinner tonight?”

“We’re going to Uncle Zhang’s house tonight. They have guests, and they invited us over for a meal. They want to introduce them to us while we’re there.”

At dinner, Zhang the Carpenter formally introduced Madam Pang and her son to Qin Huiyin and the others.

Madam Pang was rather solemn, with a lingering sadness between her brows. Her aged face also carried a sickly pallor. Zhou Mingrong, on the other hand, was open and cheerful, with a clean, pleasant smile. He certainly seemed like a fine young man.

“Cousin, this is Huiyin, the young lady we told you about. She’s also our partner in the carpentry shop. Our Zhang family was able to get through that crisis thanks entirely to this benefactor’s help.”

The Zhang family had already given them a detailed account of this young girl, who was not old but possessed an extraordinary mind and ability. Perhaps because Qin Huiyin was so young, they worried that Madam Pang and her son might not believe them. Thus, they had roughly explained many of the recent events, urging them to pay special attention to this remarkable girl, lest they slight or offend her.

Whenever Qin Huiyin was mentioned, Li Taohua naturally came up as well. Li Taohua’s beauty was so striking that no introduction was necessary. Everyone within several miles knew her as the pretty widow, Li Taohua.

Madam Pang studied Tang Luwu and Tang Yixiao. Ever since she had entered the house, she had noticed that the siblings had an excellent relationship with Li Taohua and her daughter. There was not the slightest hint that they were stepchildren.

“Big Brother Zhu, if you keep saying things like that, you’ll make me blush,” Qin Huiyin said.

“We’re all neighbors. There’s no need to say such things. You’ve been good to us, and we’ve been good to you. Helping each other is only natural.” Li Taohua meant that their kindness today was a repayment for the kindness they had shown in the past. If they ever stopped treating them well, she would not allow her family to be taken advantage of.

Li Taohua did not want her daughter to play the villain, so she would take that role herself. She did not want her kind and gentle daughter to raise a pack of ungrateful ingrates. While they still understood gratitude, she needed to make them realize that her daughter’s kindness was not given for no reason. They must never think of exploiting others endlessly; they also had to know how to be grateful and give something in return.

Madam Pang said, “There are so many families in this village connected by blood or marriage. If others merely refrain from kicking people when they are down, that already counts as kindness. For you to help these two brothers is practically the same as giving them a new lease on life. We’re not good at making grand speeches. All we can do is remember your kindness in our hearts. If you ever need anything from us, just say the word. We will do it without hesitation.”

“Yes, yes, that’s exactly what I think too. I’m just not good with words,” Madam Zhou hurriedly added.

Li Taohua smiled warmly at Madam Pang. “Sister, how should I address you?”

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In a very short time, Li Taohua and Madam Pang became familiar with each other.

Perhaps it was because Li Taohua had once been a widow herself. Perhaps Madam Pang’s experience of raising her son alone reminded her of the hardest days of her own life. And although Madam Pang was stern and rarely smiled, she was clearly more straightforward and better able to distinguish right from wrong than the Zhang family. Li Taohua found that Madam Pang suited her perfectly, and her manner grew increasingly warm as they spoke.

“Brother Zhou, can you read?” Tang Yixiao asked with a grin.

Zhou Mingrong smiled. “I only studied for two years, so I know a few characters.”

“That’s still better than me. Could you teach me to read?” Tang Yixiao asked cheerfully. “My second older sister usually teaches us, but she’s so tired. I don’t want to make her work so hard.”

Tang Luwu exposed his lie from beside him. “You just want to slack off, don’t you? Huiyin is strict, so you’re looking for another teacher to escape her lessons.”

Qin Huiyin turned toward him and smiled. “Little Brother, is that true?”

Tang Yixiao rubbed the tip of his nose. “Of course not.”

Qin Huiyin thought for a moment, then said to Zhou Mingrong, “If you don’t mind that he’s a little slow, Brother Zhou, you can let him study with you.”

Zhang the Carpenter and Zhang Dazhu would be starting from scratch in their studies. For Tang Yixiao, who had already been learning for some time, that might give him a small sense of superiority and provide him with more motivation.

At present, he studied alongside Tang Luwu, but he could not learn as quickly as she did. He was also impatient by nature, so he lacked enthusiasm for his lessons.

Bang, bang, bang!

Someone pounded on the door.

Madam Zhou went to open it. The moment she saw the old woman standing outside, her face changed drastically.

“Mother, what brings you here?”

Granny Zhang stared coldly at Madam Zhou with her icy, sharply angled eyes. “I’m your mother-in-law, and this is my son’s home. Am I not allowed to come? You’re hiding here, eating fine food and drinking well. Have you ever thought about how this old woman hasn’t had a hot meal in days?”

Zhang the Carpenter hurried over and said guiltily, “Mother, didn’t you say before that, as long as we gave you your monthly allowance, you didn’t want us showing our faces in front of you?”

“That was something I said in anger. A mother and son can’t hold a grudge overnight. Are you really going to quibble with your own mother over that?” Granny Zhang planted her hands on her hips and spoke with absolute confidence. “Move back home immediately. I think it’s pitiful for you to live here, so I’m giving you another chance. This family will not be divided after all.”

Madam Zhou opened her mouth, then summoned her courage and said, “Mother, our children are grown now. They’ll all be starting families and building their own lives. Since the household has already been divided, let us remain separate.”

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“Eldest son, is that what you think too?” Granny Zhang glared at Zhang the Carpenter.

Zhang the Carpenter had always been honest and timid, and he was especially afraid of his mother. When Granny Zhang turned her glare on him, his legs went weak, and hesitation crept into his heart.

When Zhang Erzhu saw his father wavering again, he slammed his hand on the table and rose in anger.

Zhang Dazhu pressed a hand to his shoulder and stood up. “Grandmother, if you can’t bear to part with my father, then take him home with you. Erzhu and I are both adults, and we should have lives of our own. If you won’t separate from my father, then we’ll separate from him ourselves. Oh, and Mother will separate from him too. After all, she still has to cook and do the laundry for us. We can’t manage without her. My father is the most filial son there is and has always listened to you. From now on, you and my father can live together and take good care of each other.”

“Mother, you should go home. We’ve already divided the household, and we even had the village head and all the clan elders bear witness to it. We’ve shown you more than enough filial respect over the years.”

When Zhang the Carpenter heard that he was about to lose both his wife and his sons, he no longer dared hesitate. He pushed Granny Zhang toward the door.

Granny Zhang did not realize what was happening. By the time she understood, she had already been shut outside. She pounded furiously on the door, wailing and making a great commotion. Her voice was shrill and anguished, unbearably desolate.

Granny Zhang had thought she could control Zhang the Carpenter because he was the most honest of her sons. Ever since childhood, he had done exactly as she said and had never dared defy her. How had he suddenly become so uncontrollable after only a few days?

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