Chapter 36: Those living by the water get to enjoy the moon first

As the old saying goes, the maternal uncle is great.

Shen Shen, as a son, stripped Li Shi of her control over the Shen Family; nothing now passes without her consent. In terms of filial piety, he's lacking the very character for "obedience."

If anyone wanted to pick a fight over this, Shen Zhen would indeed have to endure some criticism.

But similarly, this old lady Li Shi, insisting on hen‑crowing at dawn and overstepping her bounds to manage every affair of the Shen Family, would also be gossiped about.

Such matters, frankly, are just "he says he's right, she says she's right."

Li Shi looked at her brother and suddenly began to tear up again.

"Shen Shen, what's going on?"

"Such a big matter—why doesn't even my sister know about it?"

"Are you being unfilial?"

Li Yifu didn't even need Li Shi to speak; he directly aimed his accusations at Shen Shen.

"Uncle, you're wronging your nephew!"

Shen Shen sighed and said, "This is a long story; I won't go into detail with you. Suffice it to say, I have a clear conscience toward my mother."

"Mother, don't be like this!"

"The son has become a grandfather; the head of the Shen Family ought to be the son."

Shen Shen was straightforward and domineering.

Having done it, there's nothing he can't say and nothing to fear.

If his mother wants to make a fuss, let her.

Given his uncle's current situation, he likely wouldn't go out of his way to make himself uncomfortable.

Li Yifu's face changed upon hearing Shen Shen's words.

Even without hearing much from Li Shi, he could still glean some truth from Shen Shen's words. His older sister, who once had the entire Shen Family in her grasp, has now been deprived of authority by his elder nephew.

Nowadays, the head of the Shen Family is no longer her older sister but his elder nephew.

Realizing this, Li Yifu instantly understood what he ought to do and to what extent.

"Sister, it's not that the elder nephew is unfilial to you!"

"Honestly, just say what you have to say instead of just crying and making me guess—you're this old; can't you spare us the worry and not cause trouble for the younger generation?"

One moment he appeared ready to help Li Shi uphold justice; the next, he completely changed his demeanor.

Li Shi was shocked by her own brother's talent for changing his face.

Shen Shen, however, had expected all of this.

Still, he inevitably felt a bit uneasy.

After all, Li Shi is his mother.

If it weren't for their differing views, he wouldn't treat Li Shi this way.

Li Yifu is indeed his mother's younger brother, truly his uncle, but the way Li Yifu speaks of Li Shi makes Shen Shen feel uncomfortable.

Shen Shen secretly resolved that, no matter what his uncle might request later, he would give him a discount—preferably a broken bone!

"Elder nephew, my older sister may have her faults, but are you faultless?"

After speaking about Li Shi, Li Yifu turned his gaze to Shen Shen, his expression shifting again as he adopted his uncle's airs and began to speak sternly.

"Filial piety is weightier than heaven!"

"As a son, you ought to respect your elders."

"If elders fall short in their duties, you should advise them—but even advice must be given properly!"

"How did you do it?"

"I don't even need to ask; I know you've confined my sister to Wenxi Hall under the pretense of rest, haven't you?"

Li Yifu's outburst toward Shen Zhen made Li Shi's face look much better.

It still has to be one's natal family!

Even if her natal family has fallen on hard times, when she suffers injustice, it's still her natal family that ought to stand up for her. She used to be truly foolish—why would she quarrel with her brother?

If she had always supported her natal family, with the Shen Family backing her from behind, how could the Li Clan have ended up like this? Her own brother, who constantly visits, how could her son dare be unfilial?

Li Shi, regretting her past actions.

Li Yifu suddenly flared up at Shen Shen in harsh words, and Shen Shen really hadn't expected that.

At first, Shen Shen was angry.

But soon, Shen Shen shifted his mindset.

This uncle is angry for his older sister and for Shen Shen's mother—only kin would be this furious!

"Uncle, this matter is the nephew's fault for overstepping!"

Shen Shen frankly admitted his mistake.

At the time, he was also in a fit of anger.

After all these days, Shen Shen has actually come to regret it.

But Li Shi remained silent, and the prideful Shen Shen refused to back down first, so mother and son locked horns.

Li Yifu's appearance at this moment conveniently gave Shen Shen a ladder to descend the slope.

This uncle is capable!

At this moment, Shen Shen's attitude toward his uncle underwent a reversal.

Li Yifu saw the elder nephew's change of expression and also breathed a sigh of relief.

Having lived to such an age, his life has truly been full of ups and downs. What kind of person has he not seen? What kind of thing has he not experienced?

Back when the Li Clan was flourishing, he too was being praised and flattered by others.

Later, as the Li Clan gradually declined, he also fell out with his older sister, clinging to his pride and suffering for it, enduring plenty of side‑glances from those around him.

Having seen and experienced much, this person also became slick.

Or rather, life's hardships have smoothed away too many edges.

As for this older nephew, Shen Shen, he is not exactly the same as when he was young, but hardly different.

How could Shen Shen's attitude possibly escape Li Yifu's notice?

He merely exerted a little effort and had this older nephew under his control.

Such a situation was something neither Li Shi nor Shen Shen had anticipated.

Seeing Shen Shen admit his mistake with such a good attitude, Li Yifu softened his tone and said: "It takes several lifetimes of affinity to cultivate a mother‑son bond in this life."

"You, this temper of yours needs to change!"

"Uncle's teachings are received; the nephew has been instructed!"

Shen Shen, utterly unaware that he had been played, saw his approval of his maternal uncle Li Yifu rise in a straight line.

As for Li Shi, because Li Yifu had stood up for him, she completely forgot what kind of character her own younger brother really was.

"Finally, it's settled!"

Li Yifu saw the matter satisfactorily resolved, that he was not disliked by the older nephew, and also gained his elder sister's gratitude, feeling a sense of relief in his heart.

However, he understood that whether the Li Clan could rise again depended on what came next.

His coming was naturally not merely to congratulate Shen Yunyao on her impending marriage into the Xie Family of Jingcheng; he had his own calculations.

Shen Yunyao marrying into the Xie Family made the Xie Family affinal relatives of the Shen Family, and the Li Clan, as affinal relatives of the Shen Family, were ultimately separated by a layer.

If they could seize this opportunity to let the Li Clan's daughter form a prestigious marriage alliance, then even though the Li Clan is now destitute, it will eventually rise again in the future.

At the very least, they must find a way for the Li Clan's daughter to follow Shen Yunyao into the Xie Family.

"Those near the water get the moon first!"

(End of chapter)