Zhao's mother cried and made a scene, but she was never allowed inside. Seeing that it was getting late, she thought for a moment, wrapped the item, carefully put it in her bag, and turned to run towards the ox cart.
Hurrying along, she finally arrived at the village as the sun set. Uncle Zhao the Second saw her and started shouting apologies from afar.
"Yinyuan's wife, why are you driving the ox cart? You're back so late, is Shixiao very ill?"
Several women who were cooling themselves outside looked over. Zhao's mother immediately shook her head.
"Uncle Zhao the Second, it was Shixiao's father who was bitten by a dog when he came back. Shixiao is there taking care of him, and I'm back to get some money."
Her eyes flickered slightly, and no one noticed.
Uncle Zhao the Second asked with concern, "Is it serious? Do you want me to ask Dazhuang to accompany you? More people means more help, and that boy is obedient and will do as you tell him."
Zhao's mother shook her head like a rattle drum. "No need to trouble you, I can manage alone. Let the child rest well after work, and besides, Shixiao is there."
"That's true, then hurry up. Time waits for no one."
"Alright, good."
Upon arriving home, Zhao's mother ignored the expectant Zhao Nuancheng. She rushed to the kitchen like a gust of wind, and Zhao Nuancheng quickly followed.
"Mom, why aren't Dad and Brother back? What are you doing with the cleaver?"
Zhao's mother turned and slapped him hard, shouting, "Don't you see I'm busy? You have no eyes. Get out of the way, don't delay me. All you do is ask, ask, ask. Raising you is worse than raising a pig."
Zhao Nuancheng stopped in his tracks, tears streaming down his face, and with a surge of courage, shouted back,
"You're a woman too. Why are you like my dad? Why don't you raise pigs? Why did you give birth to me and raise me?"
"I raised you and it was wrong? You ungrateful wretch. When you were born, I should have drowned you in the chamber pot. If I hadn't thought I could get some betrothal gifts from you, you think I would have been willing to raise you?"
Zhao Nuancheng cried as if his life were ebbing away, too choked with anger to speak.
Zhao's mother ignored him, took the knife, and entered the bedroom. With two chops, she split open the wooden chest where the money was kept, grabbed the money, and hurried out.
As she passed Zhao Nuancheng, she forcefully pushed him to the ground.
Walking out, she said, "Standing there like a log, so unlucky. A useless money-loser, only causing trouble, not at all considerate."
It took Zhao Nuancheng a good while before he slowly got up and headed to his own room.
He had worked all day. Since Zhao's mother had locked the kitchen where the food was kept, he hadn't eaten all day.
Looking at his scraped palm, he tried hard to hold back his tears. He resolved to be even more obedient and compliant.
Then he would earn the approving gaze of his parents. His brother was so outstanding, it was natural for his parents to favor him.
The Zhao family's entire fortune was used up just for the medical expenses of the Zhao father and son. For the past three days, Zhao's mother had been sighing incessantly.
Zhao's father said, "Is the hospitalization fee gone?"
This was the first time Zhao's father had spoken in three days. Blind, he didn't want to say anything.
His position as village head was over. He was immersed in sadness every day.
Zhao's mother nodded, then suddenly remembered that Zhao's father was now blind and immediately replied, "It's gone today. The nurse came to notify us."
Zhao's father sighed, "Let's go home and be cared for. The hospital is too expensive. Half a lifetime of savings, gone in one hospital visit."
Zhao's mother listened, her heart filled with distress. She opened her mouth, but in the end, only managed to say "Yes."
"How is Shixiao? I haven't heard him speak these days."
"He... he..."
"Speak, I can handle it. As long as he's not dead, anything is fine."
Zhao's mother quickly replied, "Don't think too much of it. He's alive and well. It's just... it's just that there might be problems marrying a wife in the future."
"How could a grown man have problems? If the money is gone, we'll earn more. Don't be afraid. Shixiao is a promising child. He'll be successful even without my help."
"He's just... not a man anymore."
Zhao's father frowned and raised his hand as if to hit Zhao's mother. He looked around, then silently lowered his hand.
"Don't play games with me."
"His... that little brother, was bitten by that damned dog. It can't be reattached, wuwuwu~"
Zhao's father was struck by lightning. He lay on the bed, unable to speak for a long time.
After a while, he finally found his voice, "Let's get discharged. You haven't told anyone about this, have you?"
Zhao's mother wiped her tears. "This is a major matter. How could I tell anyone? Uncle Zhao the Second asked that day, and I said you were being cared for in the hospital."
Zhao's father nodded. "You did the right thing. This matter must not be spoken of. Madam Wang came to arrange a marriage for our Shixiao that day, for the daughter of the Chen family from the next village."
"You mean..."
"If we don't speak of this, no one will know. With such a father-in-law, the son's path will also be smoother."
"Yes, yes, let's do that."
"Shixiao, Dad knows you're suffering now and don't want to speak. But Dad still has to say, you can't be defeated by this small matter. Life is still long. Your mother and I will do our best to help you, and you must also strive for yourself."
"Don't say that, the child is sad right now."
"My Zhao family's child is not inferior! I believe in him. He knows what to do."
Zhao Shixiao, who was hiding under the covers, pushed them aside and sat up. "Dad, which Chen family?"
"Good, good boy, that's more like my Zhao Yinyuan's son. It's Secretary Chen's youngest daughter, Chen Qian Yue. You know her, and you're classmates. Did you interact with her properly at school? Do you have confidence? You weren't injured in the face that day, were you?"
"My face wasn't injured. What about after marriage? This can't be hidden forever. Her family has three older brothers who dote on her. I can't possibly not have children in the future, Dad, I'm so lost."
"Son, don't be afraid. With a wife, will children be far behind? Everything requires effort. If you don't try, you'll have nothing. A wife follows her husband, whether he's a chicken or a dog. As long as she marries into our Zhao family, it won't matter if she has ten brothers."