While Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao was staring at them, everyone felt uncomfortable eating. Shao Qihai frowned and was about to speak when Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao saw that he was unhappy and hurriedly got up. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

  She also did this to avoid drooling while staring at the dining table.

  After dinner, Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao even came in to help wash the dishes, but how could they let her do it? Mu Jingzhe looked helpless. “If you have something to say, just say it.” She should stop bothering them.

  “That’s right… Shao Fu and Shao Lu were originally going to be in junior high, but they’d have to go to town to study in junior high. The tuition fees and living expenses add up to a lot. Given the situation at home, since they don’t like to study, they won’t go. Now that they have stopped studying, they have to do something. I was just wondering if you had any work for them to do. They can do anything. Just give them a meal and they won’t cower away from hard work.”

  Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao braced herself and begged, her face filled with even more distress. In the past, she had lived a good life, and so had her children. Now, given the situation at home, and considering that they were growing up and eating a lot, the family really couldn’t take it anymore.

  In the past, she had only thought about how blessed her children were. She used to once be proud of giving birth to three sons and one daughter. But now, seeing that they were idling at home and had already grown up, she started to worry.

  Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ had been pampered since they were young. They didn’t know how to work and were not patient. They had been this way all their lives, and they couldn’t change the way they were. Instead of going to school, Fu, Lu, and Xǐ just mucked around. Even though they were still undergoing puberty, they actually followed people to the outer village to climb up walls and eavesdrop. If this continued, what would happen?

  Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao was really afraid that they would go astray and get in trouble outside. “I know that our family has let you down, and we’re too ashamed to face you, but I had no choice. I could only thicken my skin and come. I really only need you to give them some work.”

  Mu Jingzhe hadn’t expected Fu and Lu to stop studying. Shao Qiyang, who knew the kids well, wasn’t surprised when he heard that. He directly said, “Shao Fu is only 14. He’s not even 16 years old. No one will accept him. There’s nothing we can do about it.”

  “They can be apprentices at first. Qiyang, aren’t your parcels delivered everywhere? They can do this as well. I’m just worried that if they don’t acquire some capabilities, they won’t get a wife in the future. Only when they learn some skills will the family be at peace. Otherwise, they’ll be led astray.”

  To think she was already fretting over her sons marrying when they were only 14. Mu Jingzhe could only express her admiration.

  “It’s not like your family has no land. If they’re not afraid of hardships, just bring them to work in the fields. It’s impossible for me to accept them.” Shao Qiyang directly refused.

  \r \r \r

  Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao looked at Shao Qihai, who said directly, “It’s even more impossible for me.”

  “Then can you teach them how to drive? Qihai, all the drivers in your convoy know how to drive. Let them learn from you…”

  Driving was a skill. If one mastered that, one would always be able to find a way out. However, their family didn’t have the money to send them to learn, so Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao thought that it would be good for them to learn from Shao Qihai for free.

  She thought she had it all planned out, but she was still rejected. “Impossible. That doesn’t comply with the rules.”

  Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao couldn’t maintain the smile on her face anymore. She had guessed that they might refuse, but she hadn’t expected them to refuse so readily.

  “On account of the fact that they’re your biological nephews, do take care of them…”

  “Haven’t I been taking care of them for a long time? Do I have to be responsible for them for the rest of their lives?” Shao Qihai didn’t stand on ceremony.

  Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao froze and looked at Mu Jingzhe. “Jingzhe…”

  “Don’t look at me. It’s even more impossible for me.” Mu Jingzhe indicated that she definitely wouldn’t resort to child labor. Besides, she still remembered how Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ had treated Shao Dong and the rest in the past.

  She couldn’t pity Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao just because she sounded pitiful now.

  Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao still wanted to say something, but Shao Qiyang was impatient. “I think it’s time for you two to raise your own children. You gave birth to Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ, but you’ve never really raised them. They’re your children. They are not ours, and they are definitely not anyone else’s.”

  These words struck Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao’s sore spot. In the end, she went back without accomplishing her objective.

  When she returned home, she saw Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ. Then, she thought of Shao Dong and the rest. Grief welled up in her heart. She didn’t know why the roles had been reversed. In the past, Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ had been the best, while Dong, Nan, Xi, Bei, and Zhong had been insignificant. Their names made it obvious enough. Why was it the other way around now?

  When Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao saw Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ fight over a few peanuts, she felt even more embarrassed. They were all descendants of the Shao Family, so why was there such a big difference?

  Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao picked up the broom and started chasing after Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ. “Why are you so noisy? Why are you fighting? I have no idea what you four do all day long. When I’m old and can’t do anything anymore, will you wait until you starve and die? Why is my life so bitter…”

  Mu Jingzhe shook her head when she heard Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao’s crying and scolding next door. Everything else aside, it was already not bad for Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao to care about Zhao Lan. With such a husband and those children, she would have a hard time in the future.

  Mu Jingzhe only pitied Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao for a few seconds. In the end, within two days, she was rendered speechless by Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao’s appalling actions.

  After she returned to her parents’ home, she brought back a young lady. She said that she had found a child bride for her son, but she didn’t specify which one she would give her to—Fu, Lu, or Shou. In any case, it was just a child bride. She could be given to any of her three sons.

  However, that little girl was the same age as Little Bei. She was only seven years old!

  Mu Jingzhe was stunned when she heard that. “Which era is this? A child bride? This isn’t legal!” Those who didn’t know better might think that she had transmigrated to the feudal era.

  “Our village’s Auntie Wang used to be a child bride too.”

  “But that was in the past. What era is it now? That child is only seven years old!”

  Mu Jingzhe felt that it was absurd, but Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao felt proud of her ‘brilliance’. After she was rejected, she went back to her parents’ home to see if she could get her maternal family to take care of Fu and Lu. She wanted to see if they could study carpentry or build houses.

  These were still popular skill sets in the village, but the maternal family was reluctant. They had many children of their own, and Fu and Lu wouldn’t have the chance. The maternal family even wanted to look for Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao to see if they could make their children follow Shao Qihai and Shao Qiyang.

  They were indeed a family. Their thoughts were exactly the same as Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao’s.

  However, Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao said that it was completely impossible. Then, she begged her maternal family to take care of Fu and Lu and cried for a long time, afraid that Fu, Lu, and Shou wouldn’t be able to get a wife in the future.

  In the end, her mother brought a young lady back and came up with the idea of a child bride.

  “This child is seven years old and can also help with work. Since your family has land, you can plant corn and potatoes so you won’t starve to death. Haven’t you always felt that it’s hard on you and that no one will help you? Let her go back with you and help you. When she grows up in two years, you can just assign this child to whoever is suitable.”

  “You’ll have a ready-made daughter-in-law who doesn’t need betrothal gifts and someone to help you. When the time comes, you can betroth Shao Xi to someone, accept some betrothal gifts, and get another daughter-in-law. Won’t you have two daughters-in-law then? If the third one is lucky, he’ll also find someone to marry.”

  Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao was tempted. In the end, she spent some money and brought the young lady back.

  The first day that she brought her back, she started ordering her around. “Zhaodi, I’ll leave your grandmother to you in the future. You have to learn how to cook too. Remember not to eat in secret.”

  Yes, the young lady was also called Zhaodi.