CHAPTER 113: CHAPTER 113: INVITATION

Zhang Guizhi reluctantly shut her mouth, looking quite unconvinced.

Wang Ximei was utterly infuriated, her voice rising several pitches, "Indeed, marrying a wife makes you forget your mother! Eating, eating, eating! Like a starving ghost reincarnated!"

Xu Dahai threw down his chopsticks and took all the seafood back into the room.

This move truly left Wang Ximei and the third household utterly dumbfounded.

Zhang Guizhi, not yet full, couldn’t help but complain to Wang Ximei, "Mom! What are you doing out of nowhere! Everyone hasn’t finished eating yet!"

Zhang Guizhi’s husband, Xu Dachuan, nodded in agreement, "It’s exhausting every day, and Second Sister-in-law made delicious food to reward everyone without spending your money. Why are you criticizing her?"

Wang Ximei glared fiercely, justifying herself with confidence, "What’s the matter? She didn’t even think to share a bit with your elder brother. She never considers us as family. What’s wrong with me, as the mother-in-law, reprimanding my daughter-in-law? Do you all plan to turn the world upside down?"

Xu Dachuan and his wife immediately shut their mouths obediently.

In the second household’s room.

Xu Dahai put a big chopstick full of fish into Lin Ying’s bowl, "Let’s eat! After finishing, we’ll work hard tomorrow and strive to move to a new house before the children’s school starts. From then on, you’ll run the household, and we won’t suffer this humiliation anymore."

He hadn’t thought much before, but since Lin Ying complained about their family’s favoritism in front of her own family, Xu Dahai realized how ridiculous his parents were, and his thoughts gradually changed.

Lin Ying was satisfied with Xu Dahai’s defense of her, and her attitude towards him improved significantly, "I’ll listen to you!"

The next day, Wang Ximei heard from relatives in the village that Xu Dahai had repaid all the borrowed money. She ran to the new house and saw the workers had started, immediately grabbing Xu Dahai and scolding, "Where did you get the money to build the house? I’m telling you, second son, if you dare to do anything wicked, I won’t recognize you as my son anymore!"

She didn’t believe Xu Dahai could come up with such a large sum of money in such a short time and had legitimate reasons to suspect Xu Dahai was lending money at high interest rates.

Xu Dahai’s passionate heart was utterly cooled by Wang Ximei’s words, and his face darkened. He looked deeply at Wang Ximei and said, "Fine! Let’s split the family now, so you won’t be implicated if something happens."

Wang Ximei was so angry she clutched her chest, "You... you ungrateful thing!"

Mother and son argued for a while, and Wang Ximei really ran off in a hurry, shouting everywhere that Xu Dahai was lending money at high interest rates.

This frightened Xu Dahai’s elder brother, Xu Datian’s family, who all took turns trying to persuade Xu Dahai, but he remained unmoved.

Wang Ximei cried uncontrollably, "Split the family! Split the family now! Such a troubling son might as well be dead, I don’t want him!"

Under Wang Ximei’s insistence, Xu Dahai’s family went to the village party secretary to finalize the family split.

Wang Ximei, afraid of being implicated by Xu Dahai, also wanted Xu Dahai to write a statement severing family ties, stating that his matters would no longer be related to the old couple or any other brothers. However, Xu Dahai still needed to share the responsibility of supporting the old couple with his other brothers, giving money according to the normal standard every month, with no need for him to handle any other matters.

Lin Ying was furious at this result but forced herself to endure it.

By the time the house was nearly built, the matters of splitting the family and severing ties were also settled.

Wang Ximei, who had been worried about debt collectors coming to the door, was completely assured once these matters were finalized, and she had the energy again to point fingers and scold Xu Dahai and his wife.

But Xu Dahai and his wife had already finished building the new house and moved the furniture in, ready to move to the new home at any time.

After seeing the new house, Wang Ximei was envious to no end and, unable to have the grapes, called them sour. When villagers praised the new house, she poured cold water on their words, saying debt collectors would come soon and that Xu Dahai and his wife wouldn’t enjoy the good life for long.

Xu Dahai and Lin Ying naturally heard these rumors, but the couple paid them no mind.

As it was almost time for the children to start school, the couple went to Nanyu to pick up their children and invited Lin Qin’s family to the housewarming banquet.

The couple had just reached the riverside at Nanxi when they saw their two sons over there collecting river snails.

Xu Dahai hurried over, "What are you doing?"

Xu Jian and Xu Kang turned around, delighted to find their parents there.

Xu Jian shouted back, "We’re collecting river snails! We can sell them for money."

The couple exchanged a glance, and Xu Dahai restrained himself from getting angry. Looking around, he noticed only a fishing boat nearby, with no one else, "Weren’t you staying at your aunt’s house? Why are you here playing in the water?"

Xu Kang weakly explained, "Our cousins went to class, and we were bored on the island, so Aunt took us to collect river snails and pick duck eggs. She just went back to cook, leaving Grandpa to watch us."

Following the direction their children pointed, the couple saw a kindly smiling old man on the boat.

Xu Dahai’s anger instantly dissipated, and after exchanging a few words with the old man, the family of four boarded the boat and headed to Nanyu.

On the boat, the two children excitedly recounted their recent life to Lin Ying and Xu Dahai.

"We set traps in the water during the day, collect river snails, and pick duck eggs. The next day, Uncle takes them to the market to sell. We’ve saved a lot of money during this time!"

Xu Dahai happily patted his sons’ heads, "Good, good, you’re learning to work hard and earn money, well done!"

In these times, kids are tough; if they don’t work, they make trouble. Xu Dahai and his wife didn’t feel sorry for the kids at all, only thinking their sons had grown more sensible after being away for a few days, and how much money they made wasn’t important.

The fishing boat arrived at Nanyu.

The family of four thanked the old man and then went up to knock on the door.

After a while, Lin Qin came to open the door, and seeing Lin Ying and her husband there, she was very delighted, "Just in time, I’ve cooked some dishes, come and eat first."

Lin Ying smiled broadly, "I came to pick up the kids this time and also invite you over to celebrate our housewarming."

Lin Qin exclaimed joyfully, "Is the house finished?"

Lin Ying nodded hastily, "Thanks to you and Dad for your support, everything is ready, just waiting to move in."

Subsequently, Lin Ying told Lin Qin about the Xu family’s troubles, which made Lin Qin quite angry.

"Cut ties with such in-laws, better than becoming scapegoats when something happens in the future. By the way, since you’re here, I’ve been looking at houses in the city these days and found two old houses on Zhongshan Road. They’re regular homes, but they can be remodeled, with the front converted into a storefront and the back for living. You know the alleyways—although they look small in front, the back actually has some space, with two stories for living and a small courtyard."

"The house prices there are about four thousand three hundred to four thousand five hundred. I’m planning to negotiate the price down and buy both."

"I’ve discussed this with Dad. He plans to help me with another three thousand next year, so we can secure these two houses, lest prices rise and it becomes a bad deal. Moreover, opportunities like this might not come again."

Lin Ying was dumbfounded, swallowing hard, "Isn’t Dad practically emptying his savings for this?"

Lin Qin nodded, "Just about! But it’s only for a year. Next year, once we’ve made some money, he can save it all up without having to worry about us anymore."