Zhang Liunian pulled at the corner of his mouth, revealing a cold sneer. "Didn't you bring this upon yourselves? I, Zhang Liunian, never offend unless I am offended. If you hadn't treated me like a pushover, today would never have come. Everything that has happened is your own doing, and you can't blame anyone else."
Zhang Liuhuo watched his younger cousin approach, his heart filled with unease, unsure of what business he had this time.
Zhang Datou hadn't returned yet, so he was unaware of the trouble his son had caused. However, if he knew, he would surely be delighted that his son had successfully caused Zhang Liunian distress.
"Zhang Liunian, don't get cocky. When your second brother returns, you'll realize how useless you are. You've failed the college entrance examination so many times, and you still want to follow in your second brother's footsteps. It's laughable."
Zhang Liuhuo wanted to shift the focus, to sow discord between Zhang Liunian and his brother, Zhang Liuxing. After all, no man liked his brother being more successful than himself, especially when others constantly talked about it.
But Zhang Liunian saw through his intentions at a glance. "So, you want to see us brothers turn on each other! Are you jealous of us?"
"Who's jealous of you? What is there about you that I should be jealous of?" Zhang Liuhuo barked back, as agitated as a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
Zhang Liunian sneered. If this wasn't jealousy, what was? However, he hadn't realized his cousin was jealous of them. Or rather, perhaps he was only jealous of Zhang Liuxing.
"Otherwise, why are you constantly causing me trouble? Don't you just hate seeing us do better than you?" He had seen the ugliness of human nature before. There were plenty of people like Zhang Liuhuo. As soon as someone stood out from the ordinary, someone would want to pull them down. Only when you reached a height they couldn't reach would they be forced to watch with envy.
"You're talking nonsense. I'm not. You're just a lazy bum, a man who relies on his wife. What is there about you to be jealous of? Zhang Liunian, do you think you can make me angry by saying this? I won't be, because there's absolutely nothing about you that surpasses me."
Despite claiming not to be angry, Zhang Liuhuo's face was contorted with rage, showing that he had been constantly comparing himself to his brothers.
Seeing his denial, Zhang Liunian decided to expose his hidden feelings. "Heh, can't compare to me? Yes, I eat meat and shrimp for three meals a day, sometimes with late-night snacks to fill my belly. I can change my clothes whenever I want, build a house whenever I please. I truly have nothing worth your jealousy. If you are jealous, it must be of my second brother."
As soon as he said this, Zhang Liuhuo's face turned completely black. He sat on the bed, so enraged that he grabbed a cup by his bedside and hurled it at Zhang Liunian. Zhang Liunian dodged to the side, avoiding the projectile. "Your legs aren't good anymore, and it seems your eyes and hands aren't either. It truly makes me sympathetic."
"Get lost! Who wants your sympathy? I don't need your sympathy. My life is many times better than yours. Get out!"
That word, "sympathy," had truly struck a nerve with Zhang Liuhuo. All along, he had taken pride in pitying or looking down on Zhang Liunian. He never imagined that one day, he would be the one pitied by Zhang Liunian. It infuriated him. Why did Zhang Liunian have the right to pity him? What was so great about him?
"You don't have the right to tell me to leave, because I'm here to settle a score. They say a son pays for the father's debts, but today I'm going to have the father pay for the son's debts. Since you didn't teach your son well and dared to choke my Huabao's little yellow chicken, making my Huabao sad and upset, you won't get away with it either."
After speaking, Zhang Liunian didn't give Zhang Liuhuo a chance to retort and proceeded to beat him soundly. Ten minutes later, Zhang Liuhuo lay on the bed like a puddle of mud, every inch of his body aching, but there wasn't a scratch on his face.
"My daughter, can she be bullied by you? Zhang Liuhuo, remember this: the next time I see your Datou bully my Huabao, I'll break your other leg too." Zhang Liunian finished speaking, turned, and strode away. He left Zhang Liuhuo lying on the bed, so angry he wished he could devour his flesh.
"Liunian, where did you go just now?" Jiang Qingqing was at the entrance of the courtyard, as if waiting for Zhang Liunian. As soon as she saw him return, she immediately went forward to express her concern.
Zhang Liunian placed his hands on her shoulders and led her into the house. "Of course, I went to teach him a lesson, so he wouldn't use his son to bully my Huabao." Why Zhang Datou acted the way he did was because his parents had taught him that way. No one is born hating someone; everyone is born with a blank slate.
Speaking of Huabao, Zhang Liunian's gaze began to scan the courtyard. Jiang Qingqing, sensing he was looking for someone, patted his hand and said, "Huabao is inside playing with the little chickens. She's not letting the chickens out right now."
Zhang Liunian nodded with a grim expression, and a surge of anger rose in his heart again, making him wish he could go back and beat Zhang Liuhuo again. But after a moment's thought, he suppressed his impulse. He still had many things to do and couldn't spend the whole day dealing with Zhang Liuhuo.
"We need to build the courtyard wall of our new house higher and replace the courtyard gate with a sturdier one. In the future, when I'm not home, as long as you lock the courtyard gate, no one can easily enter, nor can they come and harm you or Huabao's little chickens." Thinking about what had happened today, Zhang Liunian suddenly worried about the safety of his wife and daughter at home, which led to the idea of building a higher wall.
Jiang Qingqing did not object. She also felt that a higher courtyard wall would be good, so that whatever they did in the house would not be seen by others. Moreover, this was her man's token of affection; he was caring for them and worrying about them. If this could put his mind at ease, she would agree even if it was four or five meters high.
"I'll listen to you. Building a high courtyard wall is also good; it's both private and safe," Jiang Qingqing agreed.
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. You and Huabao stay well; I need to get back to work." Zhang Liunian still had many things to do. He personally saw his wife into the house, gave her a word of instruction, and then turned to immerse himself in his work.
Soon, it was time to deliver goods to the county town. As Zhang Liunian passed by Wujia Village, he saw Wu Gudi being pushed out of Wujia Village in a single-wheeled cart by an old man. Hearing the sound of the tractor, Wu Gudi pulled off her red veil and took a look. It was indeed Zhang Liunian. Her expression instantly contorted into a grimace, which then turned into a smile. This smile was inexplicable, making people think she must be unwell.
The next moment, as if to confirm everyone's thoughts, Wu Gudi said something shocking and absurd: "Zhang Liunian, if you miss me, come find me. I'll satisfy you."
"..." What kind of disgusting remark was that? Zhang Liunian was disgusted by it and almost vomited.
"Are you sick! You crazy woman!" Zhang Qian, who was driving the tractor, also heard this and cursed at her directly.
But Wu Gudi seemed not to have heard him and added, "My body is perfectly fine, isn't that right, little brother-in-law?"
"..." Now Zhang Liunian was certain. She was sick, and quite seriously so.