Chapter 393: Chapter 386: I’m Just a Face-Lover 28
Wu Shun looked at his wife with disapproval: "Since you knew all these things, why didn’t you tell me?"
His wife put the things on the table with annoyance: "What could we have done even if I told you? With our eldest brother not at home, could we argue with our elder sister-in-law or what? We also dared not to write to our eldest brother for fear that he would worry if he knew. I was thinking of waiting for him to return and then tell him about these things, but who knew we would have to wait for such a long time."
Wu Ping felt even angrier after hearing what Wu Shun’s wife had said.
His lips pressed tightly, and his jawline was taut, his expression extremely stern.
Wu Shun quickly explained: "Perhaps the elder sister-in-law is thrifty and wants to save more money for our eldest brother to do business."
Although he explained it like this, both he and Wu Ping did not believe it themselves.
Wu Ping took a deep breath, calmed down for a moment, and then asked Wu Shun, "What is the Cuis’ situation?"
Wu Shun knew that he was asking about Ni’er’s uncle, Cui Zhiren.
"The Cuis are doing alright, Cui Zhiren has entered school to study, and this time it seems that he is going to take the imperial examination. It appears that he has passed the county examination and is preparing for the Prefecture Exam."
Wu Shun’s wife said: "Cui Zhiren does well in his studies. This time he ranked third in the county examination, and our elder sister-in-law specifically took something to thank the Cuis."
After hearing this, Wu Ping felt even more conflicted.
He knew what situation the Cuis were in.
The old couple of the Cuis were incredibly lazy, and the Cui family was so poor that they could barely eat a decent meal before he left home to do business. How could it be that in just a few years of his absence, the Cuis had somehow flourished enough to allow Cui Zhiren to study?
It was not hard to guess where the money came from.
It was nothing more than Ms. Cui saving her own money to help her natal brothers.
After realizing this, Wu Ping could no longer sit still. He put things down and said to Wu Shun, "I need to go back and see for myself, if..."
He looked at Wu Shun and said, "If your sister-in-law really has no sense, then I am going to divorce her. When the time comes, I will need your help."
"Divorce?"
Wu Shun was shocked: "Big brother, what about the kids if you divorce our elder sister-in-law? The two kids need someone to take care of. And if you remarry, that person won’t have the same heart with the children, and it would be worrying when you’re away..."
Wu Ping said coldly: "I don’t plan to remarry. Ni’er is grown up now and can take care of her brother. Besides, I am thinking of taking the kids with me."
Seeing that Wu Ping seemed to have made up his mind, Wu Shun said nothing more.
However, Wu Shun’s wife tried to persuade him again: "Big brother, be more cautious. Not for anything else, but in consideration of how your elder sister-in-law has borne you two children, you can’t just casually talk about divorcing her."
Wu Ping let out a cold laugh: "If she was just helping her natal brothers, I would have endured it. But she even thinks of selling Ni’er, to trade Ni’er’s life, this is something I can never tolerate."
"What do you mean by that?"
Wu Shun and his wife were both shocked.
Wu Ping then told them about the things he saw in the county city: "Everyone in Qingyuan County knows what kind of family the Zhengs are. You just need to ask around a little to understand. Cui Zhiren is studying in the county, and I don’t believe he doesn’t know these things. Yet, he still aims for a high bride price from the Zhengs for Ni’er to marry a man who is dying of a vile disease. Ms. Cui even lets him do as he pleases. Tell me, how can this not chill my heart? Such people, I can no longer tolerate."
Wu Shun was at a loss for words.
He was an honest man, only thinking that as Ni’er’s uncle, Cui Zhiren would not make a wrong decision regarding her marriage, yet he did not expect such a situation to be brewing.
"Big brother, I am also to blame for not inquiring thoroughly."
Wu Ping waved his hand: "They harbored malicious intentions; how could you defend against that at any given time?"
At this point, Wu Ping rubbed his eyes sorrowfully: "Cui Zhiren is a venomous snake; I dare not associate with him anymore. Since Ms. Cui thinks her brother is more important than her children, she might as well go back to her natal family."
After seeing off Wu Ping, Wu Shun’s wife said to Wu Shun: "What is our elder sister-in-law thinking? Has her mind been clouded by pig fat? How could she do such a thing? Brothers are relatives, but no matter how close, can they be closer than one’s own children? In the end, it’s the children who will take care of her when she’s old. Can the brothers manage her in her old age, can they accompany her to her final resting place?"
Wu Shun sighed deeply: "No wonder people say marrying a virtuous wife prospers three generations, indeed it is true. With the elder sister-in-law like this, she almost ruined our eldest brother’s family business."
Thinking of Wu Ping working hard outside, battling through thick and thin, earning money that did not even benefit his own children but instead became a boon to the bloodsucking leeches of the Cui family, Wu Shun also felt some anger.
Wu Ping arrived home before dark.
He stood at the doorway, eyeing the crumbling rooms, and couldn’t help but sigh.
He steeled his heart and tore a few holes in his clothes, then smeared some mud on his face and body, making himself look wretched, before he went up and knocked on the door.
A teenage girl opened the door and sized up Wu Ping with curiosity: "Who are you... Who are you looking for?"
"Ni?" Wu Ping looked at the girl, still able to recognize her as a child: "You’re Ni’er, aren’t you? I’m your dad."
"Dad?"
When Wu Ping left, Wu Ni’er had already been of the age to remember things. She took a careful look at Wu Ping and recognized him: "Dad, you... you’re back."
She turned her head and shouted into the house: "Mom, dad’s back."
Ms. Cui was doing needlework inside when she heard Wu Ni’er call out, and she hurried outside.
Upon reaching the doorway and seeing Wu Ping, tears welled up in Ms. Cui’s eyes: "Dear, you’ve finally come back."
Wu Ping’s expression was somewhat unpleasant.
He saw paleness on the faces of both Wu Ni’er and Ms. Cui; they were so skinny that they looked unstable in their clothes, and their wrists peeking out looked as thin as sticks, clearly starved.
The money he had brought back should have been enough not only for ample fish and meat, but also for them to eat white rice every meal, to get new clothes every season, to buy jewelry for Ms. Cui, and even to build a few nice rooms or buy some acres of land.
But what about Ms. Cui? She had turned their lives into this mess.
Wu Ping ignored Ms. Cui and took Wu Ni’er’s hand, heading inside.
Ms. Cui hurriedly followed them.
As soon as Wu Ping entered the room, he said to Ms. Cui: "I went to the West this time and imported some goods, but we encountered a storm at sea and threw everything overboard. I’m penniless and had to borrow money from the lender just to get back home."
Upon hearing this, Ms. Cui cried again, stuttering: "As long as you’re safe, that’s good."
Wu Ni’er also cried: "Dad, are you hurt anywhere? It’s so hard and dangerous outside; let’s not go anymore. From now on, my brother and I will work harder to support you."
Seeing the disappointment in Ms. Cui’s eyes and Wu Ni’s genuine care, Wu Ping felt even more conflicted.
Not a trace of him was in his wife’s heart, only the money he earned was there.
In an instant, Wu Ping felt his heart go cold.
He asked Ms. Cui: "Is there any money left at home? Give me some, I need to repay the lender."
Ms. Cui’s gaze darted about: "There’s, there’s none left."
"What?"
Wu Ping slapped the table and stood up: "How can there be no money?"
Wu Ni’er’s large eyes moved from Ms. Cui to Wu Ping, and she carefully tugged at Wu Ping’s clothes: "Dad, mom has been doing embroidery to support us these years, mom’s work is slow and doesn’t sell for much, we really haven’t saved any silver."
Wu Ping took a deep breath.
He understood that Ms. Cui had kept the children in the dark, never mentioning the money he sent home.
Wu Ping patted Wu Ni’s head: "Ni’er, dad has sent money home every year for these past years. The first few years I earned more, so I sent more. I was hoping your mom would use that money to fix up our house and buy some land. Seeing that the house hasn’t been repaired, there must be quite a bit of money left."
Wu Ni’er blinked: "Dad, how much money did you send back?"
Wu Ping’s voice became much softer: "The first year I didn’t earn much, so I only sent back two taels. The second year I made money, a whopping twenty-some taels. The third and fourth years, I sent back fifty to sixty taels each year, and last year I sent back over a hundred taels."
Wu Ni’er counted on her fingers but couldn’t make clear how much it was.
However, she knew it was a lot of money, enough for their family to live a very comfortable life.
She looked at Ms. Cui: "Mom, with so much money, you must have saved something. Please take it out quickly for dad; it’s not good to owe others."