Chapter 710: The Quarrel

Chen Jiefang walked into the house with a dark expression, rummaged through the chest, and pulled out a change of clothes.

Seeing his eldest son still standing at the door, he said irritably, "What are you loitering here for?"

Chen Weidong had been scolded for no reason and was in a foul mood. Just as he was about to ask something, he heard his wife Miao Xiaohe call from the kitchen, "Weidong, the water's boiled. Help me carry it to the back."

He had no choice but to go into the kitchen first.

He heard Miao Xiaohe say, "Can't you see Dad's in a bad mood? You still go poking at him — you really are a stubborn fool."

She glanced toward the courtyard, nudged him with her elbow, and said, "What are you still gawking at? Hurry up and take the water to the back courtyard."

Now that his own mother Yan Qingshuang was no longer in the house, Chen Weidong actually obeyed his wife in everything. He picked up the water bucket and headed for the back courtyard.

When he returned to the front courtyard, his face still dark, he said, "Dad's something else too — who knows what he got upset about out there, but he dumped it all on me."

Thinking of something, he turned to look at his second brother Chen Weiping's room: "Earlier Dad said Weiping's back — tell him when he comes. Could it be that Weiping's gotten into trouble out there again?"

Miao Xiaohe's face immediately darkened: "Weidong, if he gets into trouble again, we absolutely must split the family. If I don't agree, then I can only take Yishan and Yihu back to my parents' house."

Before Chen Weidong could reply, Hu Liru's voice came through: "Sister-in-law, what do you mean by that?"

Miao Xiaohe was startled, but she quickly steadied herself.

Now that her mother-in-law wasn't home, and after being taken advantage of by her sister-in-law Hu Liru a few times, she had also grown a backbone: "Exactly what it says."

Hu Liru, holding her big belly: "Sister-in-law, you really are scheming. You see I'm about to give birth and don't want to wait on me during my month of confinement, so you're coming up with ways to split from us, aren't you?"

Seeing Hu Liru's aggressive manner, Miao Xiaohe didn't hold back either: "Since you put it that way, I'll do as you wish. Yes, I just don't want to wait on you during your month of confinement. Happy now?"

Hu Liru, holding her belly: "Eunuch even said you had the bearing of an elder sister-in-law and told me to rest easy with the baby. Yet now you say such things — you people are really going too far."

Now Miao Xiaohe was angry too: "I'm going too far? You really have the nerve to say that. Ever since you married into this family, except for cooking every other day that you and your husband share, what else have you two ever handled? We're sisters-in-law — I'm not your mother-in-law."

His sister-in-law's belly was so big now — she'd be giving birth in just over a month. Chen Weidong was afraid of causing her any harm in the anger, which would be hard to explain to his brother later: "Xiaohe, once Dad's done washing, it'll be time to come over and eat."

Though Miao Xiaohe was unhappy inside, she knew why her man had said that. She glared at him, turned, and went to busy herself with dinner.

Hu Liru still wanted to say something, but she heard Chen Weidong say, "Dad's in a bad mood today. You'd best not stir up more trouble. With your belly so heavy, it's better to go back to your room and stay there."

Having said that, he left the kitchen and headed for the back courtyard.

He was going to check on the old man — it was his turn to look after him today.

Now the Xiao Xiao Laoyezi Chen was cared for by the three men of the eldest branch. The second uncle's branch gave twenty catties of fine grain and five yuan every month, and the younger aunt would send some tonics over for the old man each month.

His first step upon entering was to open the window to ventilate the room, then he walked to the bedside: "Grandpa, let me help you up."

Seeing the old man didn't object, that meant he had the need.

He first got the homemade chamber pot ready, then helped the old man up and carried him onto the stool with a hole cut in it.

Once the old man had finished, Chen Weidong carried him back to the bed and settled him in.