CHAPTER 245: CHAPTER 208

"People from the military came to fetch him yesterday afternoon, and they seemed quite anxious. There must be some urgent matter in the military that required his presence; they wouldn’t have come to his home otherwise," Grandma Sun recalled. "Girl, Hua Zi has it tough. Don’t blame him. When you married him, you knew he was a soldier. He can’t call the shots on military matters. If he can’t take care of our small family, it’s because he has to take care of the larger one."

Since the two of them got married, they’ve spent more time apart than together. With the girl’s wild personality, stubborn and always insisting on getting her way, Grandma Sun has no choice but to put in a good word for Mo Junhua, or they wouldn’t be able to get by.

They came to fetch him? Lan Tian blinked. What could be so important in the military that they had to come to his home? Speaking of recent events, the only big thing was Li Hong’s defection. Could it be that there’s been a change with Li Hong’s situation?

Lan Tian snorted. If it’s not my business, I might as well hang it high and dry!

After washing up for breakfast in the hall, Grandma Sun had finished washing the peaches, packed them, and brought them inside to put them on the table. She mentioned to Lan Tian that she was going to the orchard out back and left with Lan Zi.

Chun Mei watched Grandma Sun head to the back mountain’s vegetable garden, then stood up and walked into the hall. She told the older kids to play in the yard.

Lan Tian glanced sideways at Chun Mei, chewing her porridge slowly. Chun Mei looked into Lan Tian’s bowl, seeing that she was eating the same breakfast as them. Silently, she sat down opposite.

"Having breakfast?" Lan Tian looked up after eating for a while, making small talk.

Chun Mei put on a fawning smile, while Lan Tian looked indifferent. Lan Tian continued eating after giving Chun Mei a glance, knowing well that Chun Mei was buttering her up for some reason. Lan Tian waited silently for Chun Mei to speak up.

Chun Mei was itching with irritation inside. Her family was living off her third brother, eating his food, spending his money, exploiting him like vampires, and yet they didn’t show any gratitude to her, the younger sister-in-law. She looked at what Lan Tian was wearing and then at her own clothes, feeling a burning jealousy inside. A bunch of ingrates.

As she cursed inwardly, her smile became more obsequious. "Lan Tian, I wanted to discuss something with you."

"Go ahead." Lan Tian finished the porridge in her bowl, set down her chopsticks, and spoke indifferently.

Chun Mei ate her peach quickly, almost choking on it with excitement thinking about her wish coming true.

"Third sister-in-law, as you know, I’m straightforward and can’t hide my thoughts. I’m blunt..."

Lan Tian looked at Chun Mei, neither nodding nor shaking her head. Chun Mei didn’t wait for Lan Tian’s response and continued, "Ever since you married my third brother, the money he sends home has been getting less and less. Of course, we’re family, and I’m not blaming you, but you’ve got to be fair. Look at your house, it’s built like the mansion of an official in Beijing, and the orchard on the back mountain, so extensive. That must cost a lot, right? There’s always meat at home..."

At first, Lan Tian remained impassive, then surprised. Picking up on the subtle hint, she understood what Chun Mei was driving at. She hadn’t expected Chun Mei to bring this up, thinking she would go to Grandma Sun, who was soft-hearted, or talk to Mo Yuanle, who was more upright. Lan Tian smiled meaningfully.

Chun Mei watched Lan Tian’s expression for any changes, and emboldened by the lack of reaction, she pressed on. She needed to settle this matter before she left, remembering that Mo Junhua had specifically warned her not to ask Sun’s house for money, claiming it wasn’t his. She didn’t believe that, though.

"You look at our family; mom and dad still live in the old house with rough walls. They’re getting on in years and can’t do much farm work. My older and second brothers aren’t capable of much, and all they have is the tiny bit from working the fields. Without any money in their hands, what if they get sick or encounter trouble..."

So this is an accusation against her.

Lan Tian curled her lips, glanced at the house, which was indeed sizable and bright, no wonder it invited envy. Looking directly at Chun Mei across from her, she was mercilessly sarcastic, "This house has nothing to do with your brother. You’re looking in the wrong place if you want money. With your brother’s salary of just over two hundred yuan a month, he can’t even afford a patch of land, let alone send one hundred yuan back to your parents."

Chun Mei couldn’t believe it, and pressed harder, not accepting that Lan Tian would deny it to her face, "Then where did your money come from?"

If it wasn’t her brother’s money, who else would give her money? Certainly, she couldn’t have earned it herself, Chun Mei refused to believe the money was earned by Lan Tian. A woman, what could she do to earn enough to buy property in Shanghai? Inadvertently, she overlooked the existence of Lan Tian’s wealthy Grandpa.

Of course, Lan Tian wouldn’t tell Chun Mei that the money came from selling flowers, because even if she did, Chun Mei wouldn’t believe it. Why should she waste her breath? She had no obligation to explain anything to Chun Mei, "What does that have to do with you? Why should I tell you? Just know the money isn’t your brother’s and has nothing to do with your family. What right do you have to demand money, Chun Mei? During festivals, the due filial responsibilities to our parents have never been missed. Of course, if our parents themselves asked me for it today, I would certainly give, but I’ve never heard of a daughter-in-law who has married out of the family still trying to control her sister-in-law’s finances."

The implication was clear: Chun Mei was overstepping her bounds and had no right to demand money. First, it wasn’t Mo Junhua’s money, and second, she wasn’t an elder. In terms of seniority, Lan Tian was still her sister-in-law. It wasn’t Chun Mei’s place to ask for money, with seniors above her. Unfortunately, this was not lost on Chun Mei.

Lan Tian paused, then added, "You’ve been here for over a month. You’ve been to all the places worth visiting in Shanghai, gone everywhere you need to go, bought everything you need to buy. When will you go back? After all, a daughter-in-law without her in-laws, staying at her sister-in-law’s maternal home for over a month, doesn’t sound good when spoken out loud. Don’t worry, you are, after all, Mo Junhua’s sister, so I’ll pay for your ticket back home."

This was Lan Tian giving Chun Mei her last chance. Whether she could seize this opportunity was up to Chun Mei herself. If she took the advice and went home, Lan Tian was willing to let bygones be bygones. But if Chun Mei kept clinging to Shanghai and refused to go back, then she couldn’t blame Lan Tian for turning heartless and unforgiving. Lan Tian cleared the tableware on the table and went to the kitchen.

Chun Mei widened her eyes in disbelief, looking at Lan Tian. She had never expected Lan Tian to speak to her like this, almost as if pointing at her nose and accusing her of shamelessly staying at Grandma Sun’s home, and now even asking her to leave. Chun Mei felt a surge of anger stuck in her chest, unable to go up or down, suffocating. Since she had married, which member of her in-law’s family did not treat her with respect? When had she ever been treated like this? No wonder Yanhua said the richer people are, the stingier they become, looking down on poor relatives. She hadn’t believed it before, but now she did.

After washing the dishes and coming out, Lan Tian saw that Chun Mei was not in the hall, nor in the yard. With a sweep of her Divine Sense, she saw Chun Mei fuming in her own room, and then retracted her Divine Sense and walked outside.

Half of the summer vacation had passed, and she hadn’t visited Granny Lin’s side yet. Except for that encounter in front of the school during the college entrance exam, she hadn’t seen her since. Taking advantage of the time now, she should go and visit to save Granny Lin from worrying.

There were baskets in the yard filled with early ripe peaches and pears that Grandma Sun and Zhao Li had picked. Lan Tian selected some and put them in a basket to bring over to Granny Lin for a taste. Just then, she heard the sound of a car coming from outside, ’beep beep beep’, and it stopped at the front door.

Lan Tian looked outside, wondering if Mo Junhua had come back.

Chunhua also heard the car outside and came out holding a baby, looking upset. Seeing Lan Tian in the yard, she made an annoyed face as if she hadn’t, holding the baby and going to the yard door.

"Second Grandmother, are you home?" Lin Guofu pushed open the gate and saw an unfamiliar woman holding a baby walking towards him. He hesitated for a moment before turning his head to look into the yard. Upon seeing Lan Tian in the yard, he walked in.

"Lan Tian."

Seeing an unfamiliar man come in, Chun Mei was about to start yelling, until she heard him call out Lan Tian’s name. She looked back at Lan Tian with a strange look in her eyes, then turned back to Lin Guofu.

"Third Brother, what brings you here? Don’t you have work today?" Lan Tian smiled upon seeing Lin Guofu. She remembered that he wasn’t supposed to have the day off today.

"I took leave from the hospital. I’ll be going to Beijing in a few days. I’m here to ask if there’s anything you want so I can bring it back for you," Lin Guofu said with a casual smile while crossing his arms and leaning against a pomelo tree, "Consider it a graduation gift for you. When you get into university, I’ll give you another present. How about that?"

Lan Tian noticed that Lin Guofu seemed especially happy today, his smile almost reaching his ears, "What’s got you so happy? Did you strike it rich?"

Lin Guofu just smiled, wagged a finger, and acted mysteriously, indicating it was something even more delightful than striking it rich.

Chun Mei watched the two exchanging glances, becoming even more dissatisfied with Lan Tian. What was going on with Lan Tian? Chatting and laughing with another man behind her Third Brother’s back, and judging by their familiar tone, they must have known each other for more than a day or two.

Lan Tian didn’t inquire further but picked up the basket and handed it to him, "You’ve come at the right time. I was just thinking about visiting. Let’s go!"

"Where are you going, Lan Tian?" Chun Mei couldn’t suppress the anger she felt toward Lan Tian, following and grabbing her sleeve insistently, staring at Lan Tian with determined eyes. She gave off the impression that she would not let go until Lan Tian made herself clear.

Lin Guofu seemed to only just notice her and gave Lan Tian a look, as if to ask, "Who is this person?"

"I’ll introduce you. This is Chun Mei, the sister-in-law of my husband’s family, Mo Junhua’s sister," Lan Tian introduced Chun Mei, who was clutching her sleeve, and then turned to introduce Lin Guofu, "Chun Mei, this is part of my Grandpa’s family, Lin Guofu."

Lin Guofu nodded his head, his expression cool, "Hello!" with no further dialogue as a form of greeting.

Chun Mei didn’t catch anything else but the words "Grandpa’s family," as she mulled over her own calculations. After briefly introducing them, Lan Tian ignored the rest, and told Chun Mei, "I’m going to Grandpa’s house. Tell grandma when she comes back." She shook off Chun Mei’s hand and walked away with Lin Guofu.

As the two approached the gate, Chun Mei snapped back to reality, carrying the baby and dragging another by the hand, chasing after Lan Tian, "Lan Tian, wait for me, I’ll go to Grandpa’s house with you."

Her anger towards Lan Tian seemed to vanish, her face blooming into a smile as she looked at Lin Guofu with an ingratiating grin. Lan Tian apparently didn’t hear, got into the car with Lin Guofu, and drove away.