Why Protect Her So Soon?

Tian Caihua raised her smiling face and said, "Xiao Xia, where are you going?"

Jiang Xia replied, "I'm taking some fruit to Great-Grandmother."

Tian Caihua's face immediately fell. She asked again, "Are Guang Zong Yao Zu and the others with you?"

Jiang Xia said, "No."

Tian Caihua left with a dark expression.

As if she owed her millions! Zhou Chengxin awkwardly smiled at Jiang Xia. "Fourth Sister-in-law, we'll head back first."

Jiang Xia smiled. "Okay."

Then, unaffected, she walked into Great-Grandmother's house next door.

Mother Zhou glanced at Jiang Xia's back, then at Zhou Chenglei. "Your wife is quite generous, but you can't favor one and neglect another. Your Eldest Sister-in-Law probably won't be pleased."

It wasn't that she thought there was anything wrong with her younger daughter-in-law giving fruit to Great-Grandmother's family. She simply felt that she should have sent some to her eldest son's family as well.

Zhou Chenglei entered through the Courtyard Gate carrying a bucket of fish, his face expressionless. "There's no favoring one and neglecting another. It's simply courtesy returned. Jiang Xia can give the things she bought to whoever she wants. If someone's unhappy, they brought it on themselves."

Eldest Sister-in-Law hadn't given Jiang Xia a pleasant look, so how could Jiang Xia send her fruit? Mother Zhou: "..."

How many days had the two of them only been getting along? They were already defending each other so soon? Mother Zhou muttered, "Didn't your eldest brother also give you a bucket of fish and crabs? He even said he knew Jiang Xia liked them and had specially given you the crabs. Why don't you call that courtesy returned?"

Tian Caihua returned home to find not a single one of her four sons there. Their schoolbags had been casually tossed in the courtyard, and the chickens had run out from the backyard, scattering droppings all over the place. There was even a lump of chicken manure on the eldest boy's schoolbag! She had worked herself to the bone at sea all day without earning any money and was already irritated. Then Jiang Xia had made her even more furious. Now she had returned to a cold stove and cold pots, with the entire courtyard left in shambles for her to deal with. Tian Caihua was so enraged her lungs nearly burst. She roared, "Guang Zong Yao Zu, get your asses back here!"

Zhou Chengxin, following behind her, shuddered and pretended to be angry. "I'll go drag those little brats back. They're getting completely out of hand!"

With that, he tried to make himself scarce.

Tian Caihua stopped him. "Stop! Where are you going? Can't you see all the chicken manure on the ground? Why aren't you sweeping it up? Don't you want dinner tonight? If you won't sweep, go live with your mother!"

Zhou Chengxin silently picked up the broom that had fallen beside the wall and began cleaning.

Tian Caihua picked up the schoolbags from the ground one by one, cursing as she did. "Your father and mother are truly biased. They're so biased, it's as boundless as the sea! The Old Fourth couple went out to sea—one went along, while the other stayed home to cook and do the housework. The moment the Old Fourth couple comes home, there's food ready for them. What about me? They don't help me with anything, don't help feed the chickens, and don't help cook. I get up in the middle of the night to go out to sea, and when I come back, I still have to cook for you four masters!"

Zhou Chengxin knew they hadn't earned any money at sea that day. She was in a foul mood, and after working all day, she was indeed tired and hungry. He had planned to let her vent, but he really couldn't listen anymore. He said irritably, "Dad said yesterday that he would go out to sea with us today. Wasn't it you who said he didn't need to? You were clearly worried about having to split half the money with him and didn't want him coming along."

Tian Caihua grew even angrier when she heard that. "What about your mother? She can stay home and cook a meal for Jiang Xia to come back to, but she can't come help me feed the chickens or cook? I gave birth to four sons for your Zhou Family, too. What contribution has Jiang Xia made? Look how good your parents are to her! So much fruit—anyone could tell your father bought it at the market today. Jiang Xia can't even finish it all, yet she's giving it away to other people. They're biased! And you—you're always thinking about your Fourth Brother's family and treating him like a real brother. You give him a whole bucket of fish, but does he treat you like a brother? When he has fruit, he doesn't give you any!"

Zhou Chengxin said, "Wasn't the lunch A Guang and the others ate cooked by Mom when she came over? Yesterday Mom said she'd come make dinner, but you were the one who said you'd cook when you got back. Besides, the families have already split up. Dad and Mom live with A'Lei and his wife, so isn't it normal for them to help them with more work? Before the split, Dad and Mom did plenty of work too. They even gave us the New House. How is that bias?"

"Guang Zong Yao Zu aren't her grandsons? What's wrong with her coming over to cook one meal? Aren't you her son? What's wrong with her coming over to help with some chores? Your mother has done plenty before, but have I done any less? It's just that I don't have Jiang Xia's good fortune. Her maternal family is rich, and her man knows how to make money. She doesn't have to do anything at home, and the whole family waits on her with the best food and drink! Unlike me—I'm a cow, working like an ox and a horse for all of you!"

Zhou Chengxin flew into a rage as well. "You know I'm my parents' son, and I'm the eldest son at that! When we split up, why didn't you keep my parents here to live with us? If you'd kept them here, would they have just sat around at home doing nothing? You're always going on about Jiang Xia. Why don't you learn from Jiang Xia and bring my parents over to support them in their old age? You don't want to support my parents, but you want them to work for you. Don't you feel ashamed?"

After saying that, he tossed down the broom, opened the Courtyard Gate, and walked out. He then saw several sons standing outside, each holding half a watermelon or carrying a basket of fruit, all looking terrified and uneasy.

Zhou Chengxin: "..."

Zhou Wenguang said, "Dad, Little Uncle just brought us some fruit and Water Chestnuts. He said that he and Little Aunt went to the market today, and Little Aunt bought them. He said Little Aunt told him to bring them over."

Tian Caihua: "..."

Zhou Wenzong said, "Mom, I'm sorry. The chickens got out because after we finished our homework, we heard them clucking and went in to collect the eggs, but we didn't close the door properly. Grandma said the chickens and pigs have already been fed, and the vegetables have been watered! We'll go round up the ducks in a little while."

Zhou Wenyao said, "Mom, we ate lunch at Little Uncle's house. You locked your room, so Grandma couldn't get in to take out the rice and cook."

Tian Caihua: "..."

She had forgotten that she'd put the rice jar in her room.

Zhou Chengxin glanced back at Tian Caihua, gave a cold laugh, and walked away.

Tian Caihua muttered, "Your father just has a bad temper. I only forgot."

Zhou Wenguang said, "I'll go round up the ducks."

Zhou Wenyao said, "I'll sweep the courtyard."

Zhou Wenzong said, "I'll wash the vegetables."

Zhou Wenzu said, "I'll light the fire."

Tian Caihua hurriedly said, "No, no. Hurry up and do your homework. You don't need to do these things. Boys shouldn't do housework. You must study hard, get into university, and make your mother proud in the future!"

How could Tian Caihua bear to let her sons do these things? Zhou Zhou usually handled them. She was counting on all four of her sons getting into university, making something of themselves, and bringing honor to her.

They mustn't end up like her, unable even to write their own names, with everyone bullying them.

When Zhou Chenglei returned home, Jiang Xia saw that his expression was a little off, but she didn't ask anything. He had probably heard something unpleasant. After all, Tian Caihua's face had been darker than usual just now. With a temperament like hers, she would definitely cause a scene after returning home.

Earlier, Zhou Chenglei had brought back several Mudskipper Fish and a few crabs. Zhou Chengxin had given them to him, saying he knew she liked crabs and had specially set them aside for her. So Jiang Xia picked out a portion of fruit and had Zhou Chenglei deliver it to him. She didn't like owing anyone, especially someone like Tian Caihua. If anything happened in the future, Tian Caihua could probably chase her down in person to demand it back! Zhou Chengxin was actually a decent man. Even in the book, he had been a good person.

For dinner, Jiang Xia and Mother Zhou cooked a pot of Mudskipper Fish, Steamed Dried Fish with Black Beans, Garlic Water Spinach, green bean leaves stir-fried with pumpkin and green beans, and several steamed crabs.

The whole family ate with great relish.

Father Zhou suddenly remembered something and said, "There was a broadcast this morning saying there's a typhoon coming over the next couple of days. Everyone's been told not to go out to sea during that time. Looks like we probably won't be able to go out tomorrow."

Jiang Xia was startled. "The broadcast said there's a typhoon?"

I'm adding an extra update today~