Deng Jing?
Absolutely impossible!
She was just a primary school teacher, where could she get such good stuff like dried abalone?
Deng Jing lowered her eyes, "It should be from the third sister-in-law."
Fan Biyun's breath caught, "Third sister-in-law? But..."
But she was a country widow with a burden of a child!
Why did her mother-in-law sound like she valued her so much?
"Mom, I'm sorry, as her older brother and sister-in-law we didn't even know the third sister-in-law sent things back, this makes it..."
Fan Biyun changed her tune quickly, pushing all responsibility away with one sentence.
Xu Yueyun kept a cold face, "What would you know..."
"Alright," Su Bingcheng held his wife's arm, "It's the New Year, let's eat first, let's not talk about this right now."
He leaned close to Xu Yueyun's ear and whispered: "I'll talk to them later, you're scaring the children."
Xu Yueyun looked at the children.
The children's eyes were full of nervousness, standing there trembling, afraid that the family would fight.
Seeing his wife stay silent, Su Bingcheng knew she chose to swallow her anger for now.
He also had grievances against the eldest son's family in his heart. His face darkened, and he said in a deep voice: "Alright, let's eat!"
It was supposed to be a day of reunion, but the family had a dull time, each having their own thoughts.
After dinner, when Xu Yueyun sat on the sofa and gave red envelopes to the children, the atmosphere improved a bit.
In the afternoon, when the two families were getting ready to leave, Fan Biyun dawdled by the door, taking a long time just to put on a coat.
Even the children noticed and asked her: "Mom, are you waiting for something?"
The expression on Fan Biyun's face stiffened, "Nonsense, aren't I putting on my clothes?"
Xu Yueyun certainly knew what she was waiting for.
In past years during the New Year, when had she not taken a whole bunch of things from here?
Since she didn't prepare anything this time, she was just waiting for her to bring things out for her.
Deng Jing was also a bit surprised, but didn't say anything, just dressed her children and got ready to go home.
Seeing her mother-in-law still had no reaction, Fan Biyun couldn't help but say: "Mom, are there any of those abalones the third sister-in-law sent left? I'm going back to my maiden home tomorrow, I want to take a few for them to have a taste."
Su Ding stood behind his wife, not feeling there was anything wrong with what she said.
Biyun's family was not well-off and favored boys over girls. If she didn't bring some decent things back, how would her family treat her well?
Su Ding was easily swayed and had long been convinced by Fan Biyun's rhetoric.
The complexion Xu Yueyun had just recovered instantly sank, and she turned her head to Su Bingcheng with a cold sneer.
Su Bingcheng's face also darkened. He stood up, "Su Ding, come upstairs with me!"
"Dad, what's wrong?"
"Come up!"
"Yes." Su Ding looked at Fan Biyun nervously and followed Su Bingcheng upstairs.
Xu Yueyun waved to the children, telling them to come over and sit, "Don't go back yet. Wait for them to come down, I still have things to say."
Deng Jing and the children were already dressed, but hearing this, they had no choice but to come back.
Xu Yueyun looked at her eldest granddaughter, "Peipei, take your younger brother and sister to the study to read. When your parents are ready to go home, they will call you."
Su Pei looked at her mother Deng Jing, and seeing her nod, she then led her younger brother and sister to the study.
Xu Yueyun didn't want to bother with the eldest son's family, but she felt guilty toward Deng Jing.
Because of the second son's work, he was frequently not at home. It was not easy for Deng Jing to raise two children alone.
She sometimes wanted to help Deng Jing, but Fan Biyun was like a jealous rooster, terrified of getting less and losing out, wishing she could grow an extra pair of eyes to stick onto her.
Xu Yueyun gestured for Deng Jing to sit beside her, "Has the second son written lately?"
Deng Jing shook her head slightly.
Xu Yueyun sighed and patted her hand, "If you encounter any difficulties, tell the family. Even though Su Jue is not here, you still have us two old folks."
Hearing this, Deng Jing's nose tingled with emotion. If it weren't for her parents-in-law being reasonable and understanding, she sometimes really couldn't hold on.
Fan Biyun curled her lips as she listened from the side. She knew the old lady was biased. Not mentioning the deceased eldest sister-in-law, she doted on the youngest the most, and then the second son's family.
As for her husband Su Ding, he was obviously the eldest son of the family, yet he was the least valued one.
Just as she was thinking this, Su Ding's cries of pain and begging for mercy came from upstairs.
"Ah! Dad, I know I was wrong, stop hitting me! Mom! Mom! Biyun! Come save me quickly!"
Fan Biyun looked upstairs anxiously, "Mom..."
Xu Yueyun calmly sipped her tea, "Sit down, your dad knows his limits."
Fan Biyun stamped her feet in anxiety, but didn't dare to actually go up, so she could only complain about her parents-in-law in her heart.
Su Ding was almost forty years old. Getting beaten at this age, what kind of situation was this?
After waiting for more than ten minutes, Su Bingcheng came downstairs, with Su Ding following behind with a pale face.
Su Bingcheng sat down beside his wife, panting slightly.
He hadn't been this active in a long time. After beating his son, he felt his body become much lighter.
Xu Yueyun let go of Deng Jing's hand and asked her to sit opposite as well.
"Su Ding, you know about Xiao Lang's marriage, right?"
Su Ding answered with a pale face: "I know."
"When you got married, what did Xiao Lang give you?"
"..."
"Don't remember, or too embarrassed to say?"
Su Ding braced himself and said: "A Shanghai brand watch."
Xu Yueyun: "Did you give a return gift when Xiao Lang got married?"
Su Ding kept silent. Fan Biyun wanted to speak, but he pulled her sleeve.
He had already been scolded by the old man upstairs, and making excuses now would only make the old couple angrier.
Deng Jing opened her mouth, glanced at her eldest brother-in-law and sister-in-law, and explained softly: "I exchanged a bicycle ticket with a colleague, and also prepared two pieces of Dacron cloth, but by the time I got the ticket, the post office was already closed."
Deng Jing hadn't interacted much with Xiao Lang, but she heard her husband Su Jue say that when they got married, they were able to buy a bicycle because this younger brother got the ticket.
Fan Biyun sneered, "Who would believe that? Anyone can talk big."
"Eldest sister-in-law," Deng Jing said seriously: "If you don't believe me, you can come back with me and see. My package is sitting safely at home."
"You..."
"Enough!" Xu Yueyun interrupted Fan Biyun, "Even if she is talking big, since she dares to say it in front of her elders, she wouldn't fail to do it. Let's hear you two talk big for me."
Fan Biyun shut her mouth.
Being stared at by Su Bingcheng, Su Ding nudged his wife's arm.
Fan Biyun had no choice but to say: "Whatever the second sister-in-law gives, we will give too. It's best if everyone is the same."
"Alright." Xu Yueyun nodded immediately, instantly putting her on the spot.
Fan Biyun didn't manage to score any abalone, and instead had to cough up a bicycle ticket and two pieces of cloth. Her husband also got a beating. She was furious to death.
That wasn't the end of it. Coming out of the little villa, Fan Biyun insisted on following Deng Jing home, saying she wanted to see what pattern the cloth she prepared was, to avoid buying the same one.
In reality, she still didn't believe she had actually prepared it, harboring the intention of exposing her.
It wasn't until Deng Jing actually brought out the package and placed the items in front of her that Fan Biyun went back somewhat sheepishly.
