Ping’an held one younger brother in each hand. As they walked out, he said, "Let’s go see what she’s been saying, then call Mom."
Mother Zhang’s eyes instantly turned red. "Let Grandma tear that ungrateful white‑eyed wolf apart. I just knew it—how come that white‑eyed wolf waited all these years to show up? She’s taking advantage of the fact that my Xiao Wu and Jiao Jiao aren’t home."
Aunt Zhang immediately grabbed her. "Sister‑in‑law, don’t get mad. Someone like that isn’t worth your anger. For Da Ni’s sake, watch your mouth—whatever you do, don’t hit her."
Mother Zhang clenched her teeth and kept silent.
No matter how good Zhang Dan Ni was, could she be better than her grandson? In her own heart, her family had done right by the Liu Family. Back then, if it wasn’t for the old man sending over so much grain, the Liu Family and that white‑eyed wolf’s husband’s family would’ve starved to death and died out long ago.
"Grandma, don’t be sad. I’ll do what she said. In a bit I’ll ask Uncle Wang and the others to drive us to see my Second Great‑grandpa and beg him to think of a way to get jobs arranged for that woman’s kids."
"May 1st, don’t talk nonsense. If getting a job were that easy, your dad would’ve lined up jobs for our Old Zhang’s family’s uncles and older cousins first. How would it ever be some outsider’s turn?"
Mother Zhang felt she had finally gotten hold of the truth.
Jobs? Of course it was about that! No wonder she’d snuck into Xiao Wu’s courtyard first—turns out she figured the kid was young and planned to force her grandson into agreeing.
Liu Yi saw Qingshan’s wife curl her lip in disdain, and a flash of anger passed through his eyes. "Who do you think our Second Great‑grandpa is, someone any random cat or dog can latch onto? If it were really that easy, would she need to play mind games? I underestimated her—when soft tactics don’t work, she switches to hard ones."
"Then what do you say we do? What if she really dies?"
"If she really wants to die, can we stop her? Today it’s wanting her son and daughter to get jobs, tomorrow will she want them made into officials? Who does she think she is? Is this country hers to run?"
Ping’an: "Watch your words!"
"Big Brother, watching our words won’t change anything. With someone like her, sooner or later she’ll drag all of us down with her."
Even so, the twins quieted down.
It was only a few hundred meters away, just past Zhang the Second’s courtyard. Soon the group entered the old courtyard, and the Ping An Brothers went no farther. They were still waiting on someone today.
A crucial someone.
Only by seeing what he had to say could they know whether their father’s sacrifices for this family meant anything, and what they should do next.
The Ping An Brothers stood there with dark faces, listening to Liu Meishu’s sobbing and wailing, lips pressed tight. Did she really think their family was easy to bully, that she could just keep taking advantage?
Today they were going to make everyone in Old Zhang’s family understand one thing. What their old man could give, they as his sons could just as well take back. Don’t think what you have now is as solid as a mountain.
Originally the three brothers hadn’t planned to bother with Liu Meishu, but like May 1st said, this woman was just too disgusting. She actually had the nerve to scheme against them.
And making a scene about living or dying?
Did their family owe her something?
The crucial person the three brothers had been waiting for finally appeared.
—Mr. Zhang came in with his face flushed with anger, fists clenched. As soon as he entered and swept his gaze over the people in the yard, his eyes paused on the Ping An Brothers.
He was sure that wasn’t a lie, but if it really got physical, that was going too far.
Did that white‑eyed wolf really think she counted as an elder? The Ping An Brothers weren’t his older sons; they’d lived far away all along—what feelings could they have for Old Zhang’s family’s relatives? They’d only just started to dote on their own little sister, and you, the moment you show up, start scheming against them. If you don’t coax them a bit and instead put on this crying, shouting, and suicide act, you think they’d just swallow it?
Go on, cry, cry yourself to death, you idiot!
Still crying about being cursed to her face by juniors—if they hadn’t had Xiao Wang toss you out the front gate, they were already being polite. And you never stopped to think—kids raised in a Big Courtyard are going to let some complete stranger point fingers at them?
Mr. Zhang looked again at his three aggrieved grandsons, and a hint of helpless amusement flashed in his cloudy old eyes. He didn’t believe that sharp‑tongued May 1st had kept his temper.
Uncle Zhang looked at Ping’an. "Did you really curse her out?"
Mother Zhang immediately bristled. "Old Great‑grandpa of the kids, you know perfectly well what kind of children our Brother Ping’an and the others are. You’re not clueless—why listen to her babbling? She can even snatch things from her own mother; you actually believe her crap?"
Liu Meishu suddenly jumped to her feet and raised her hand. "I swear, if I’m not telling the truth, may I be struck by lightning, die a horrible death, and leave no descendants. Do you dare?"
Mother Zhang was so angry she laughed. "Is that what your father and mother raised you into? I need to swear alongside you? Don’t talk about cursing you—hitting you would still be doing you a favor."
"You just..."
"Quit howling mourning cries in front of me, you ungrateful white‑eyed wolf! Back in those years, if my Xiao Wu hadn’t had his father secretly send grain to you white‑eyed wolves, you would’ve long since left no descendants. Would you still have the strength to jump around in front of me now? Instead of remembering the good, you’ve grown a face thicker than the city wall."
"Ah, I don’t want to live anymore, there’s no justice left in this world. Just because I ate a bit of someone’s leftovers, I deserve to be poked in the spine and cursed. Mother, my dear mother, look how your own family treats your daughter..."

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