CHAPTER 17: CHAPTER 17: QUESTIONING

Gu Rushan suddenly jumped up, pointed at Gu Xiaoqing’s nose, and started scolding: "You little girl, adults are talking here, what business is it of yours? Big brother, is this how you brought up your child, daring to backtalk elders like this? How will she turn out when she grows up? Brother, you should discipline her properly."

The words hit a sore spot, causing him to retaliate.

Gu Ruhai frowned and was just about to scold Gu Xiaoqing when Li Xuemei suddenly stepped out.

"Second brother-in-law, what the child said isn’t wrong. How is this disciplining, it’s at most stating the facts. Besides, if you, as the younger brother, dare to reprimand your elder brother like this, my Xiaoqing is only learning from you."

This was the first time Li Xuemei spoke to her brother-in-law like this, leaving Gu Rushan unsure of how to respond.

Their sister-in-law always watched the elder brother’s mood. No matter how bad her temper, it was always suppressed by her husband, never daring to show any face to them.

It’s as if the sun had risen from the west.

Just as Gu Ruhai was about to interrupt Li Xuemei, Mrs. Gu spoke up: "Eldest son, you really haven’t managed your household well at all. The child talks back, and even your wife is acting rebellious. What kind of talk is this?

I’m just saying, at your age, can’t you get anything right? Look at how poor the family is. Clearly, your father and I explained to you, why send a girl to school so much? She might as well come back and work in the fields and start saving for Xiao Jie’s future early. But you insisted she goes to school, borrowing money everywhere. Is this how a household should live?

Hurry up, stop Xiaoqing from going to school. I’ve decided on this to prevent you all from dragging the family into poverty."

Mrs. Gu decisively summarized the matter within a few sentences, labeling Gu Ruhai as someone incapable of managing domestic affairs.

Mr. Gu continued smoking in silence; this was women’s business, and as the patriarch, he had no need to bicker with women. Otherwise, he’d be losing face.

Seeing her mother about to jump in, Gu Xiaoqing immediately stopped Li Xuemei, gently pulling her back.

Being young and naive, if a child talks back, the villagers know the favoritism of the old couple in the Gu family, and at most, they believe the child was forced, thinking nothing of it.

But if her own mother were to rush up and argue with her mother-in-law, wouldn’t that be considered disrespectful?

Such actions wouldn’t be right anywhere.

Then Gu Xiaoqing calmly looked at her own father.

If her father didn’t speak up today, Gu Xiaoqing had already decided to encourage her mother to leave Gu Ruhai. A man who cannot protect his own woman and children is absolutely unacceptable.

They can’t sacrifice the whole family for Gu Ruhai’s blind filial piety.

Gu Ruhai felt guilty under his youngest daughter’s gaze.

He also knew his parents were unreasonable.

After a pause, he finally stood up and said: "Mom, Xiaoqing is doing well in school, the first in the village. We can’t waste that; she might even become college material. She has to go to school."

This was probably the firmest statement Gu Ruhai could muster.

Yet it was enough to earn a round of applause from Gu Xiaoqing.

For their usually submissive father to say something like this was remarkable.

But Mrs. Gu immediately lost her temper.

Gu Ruhai, who had never rebelled, suddenly doing so left Mrs. Gu unable to accept it, feeling grievously wronged.

Mrs. Gu immediately slapped her thigh, glared, stood up, and pointed at Gu Ruhai: "Eldest son, what did you say?"

Her tone was as imposing as a public trial chairman.

Gu Ruhai immediately felt deflated. In so many years, he hadn’t mustered up the courage to speak more than a few words against his own mother, repressed into submission, unable to change suddenly.

Seeing his mother’s imposing demeanor, Gu Ruhai couldn’t help but bow his head.

Both his shoulders slumped and his back bent.

Only then did Mrs. Gu feel somewhat satisfied. She didn’t believe Gu Ruhai dared to defy her. So many years of education couldn’t fail, seeing Gu Ruhai’s submissive posture, Mrs. Gu believed that her son was still in her grasp.

"Alright, eldest, your mother is doing this for your good, listen to her."

Mr. Gu finally summarized, prepared to end the conversation.

He didn’t want to push Gu Ruhai too hard.

"Exactly, an ungrateful wretch, not even realizing for whom I’m worrying my heart out. Can’t you see how your family is doing? Who am I doing this for?" Mrs. Gu lamented, as if wronged to death by her son, displaying a guise of a benevolent mother.

Gu Xiaoqing also knew her father’s fighting spirit was just about this much.

This was already beyond ordinary performance.

Nothing more could really be expected.

So, she stepped out and said to Mr. Gu: "Grandpa, am I really my father’s daughter?"

This question stunned everyone, but Mr. Gu immediately understood Gu Xiaoqing’s intent and replied casually: "You’re biologically your father’s. But you’re a grown girl now, you must consider your father’s situation. He doesn’t earn much all year round; supporting your studies is tough on him. You have a younger brother, Xiao Jie, think about him too."

This response was skillfully deflecting.

The topic was shifted directly to Xiao Jie.

Gu Xiaoqing smiled, tugging at a part of her clothes where there was an obvious patch, "Grandpa, I don’t understand your words. You say I am my father’s flesh and blood, but also that he doesn’t earn much. If he indeed earns so little, not going to school for Xiao Jie’s sake would be reasonable."

Mr. Gu nodded, smiling as he stroked his beard, yes, that reasoning was correct.

Shifting the focus, Gu Xiaoqing continued: "But, Grandpa, I don’t understand. Doesn’t our family receive thirty yuan from the autumn harvest every year? School costs only two yuan; how wouldn’t there be enough? With Grandpa saying so, I feel that my dad’s accounts don’t add up, right?"

Mr. Gu was taken aback, sensing something amiss.

Is she implying a discrepancy?

"How could your dad have thirty yuan? Isn’t there the five yuan for our pension, and twenty yuan for your second uncle? The leftover isn’t even enough for the family’s daily needs, how could there be enough for your tuition?"

As expected, Mrs. Gu jumped out in fury.

Once those words were said, Mr. Gu immediately realized it was a misstep.

Gu Xiaoqing just stood there smiling at Mr. Gu, not saying a word, without any dissatisfaction, just benignly smiling, fixing her gaze on Mr. Gu without blinking.

Forcing Mr. Gu to break into a cold sweat.