Chen Mantun looked at Chen Lishu with a troubled expression. "Lishu, why don't you..."
"Dad, my money isn't wind-blown. If Chen Baozhu wants to work, he can. If not, fine. As for other unreasonable demands, I can't fulfill them, so you don't need to plead with me."
"You promised thirty yuan a month back then, and that's why your uncle agreed to sign! Now you have your eldest brother doing the same work as those people. You, you big liar!" Old Mrs. Chen’s shriveled lips tightened, and her outstretched finger almost poked Chen Lishu’s forehead.
Chen Lishu was amused. "Grandma, who did I lie to? Didn't I keep my promise of thirty yuan a month? Now I've provided an opportunity, but Chen Baozhu refuses to take it. Who can you blame?"
Wu Chunmei stepped forward and couldn't help but chime in. "Mom, Lishu isn't like you think. We're all family. If she had a better job, she would definitely think of Baozhu. Please don't make things difficult for her."
Old Mrs. Chen, needing to vent her anger, immediately turned her attention to Wu Chunmei and started scolding her. "What right do you have to interrupt when we're talking? Haven't you been teaching this little brat? You always seem honest and simple, but you're full of bad intentions. Our old Chen family is truly unlucky to have married you, you jinx!"
Wu Chunmei dared not retort, but her eyes welled up with tears of grievance.
Old Mrs. Chen was relentless. "Don't put on that disgusting act for me, as if someone is bullying you. If Baozhu isn't given a good job today, I, I'll tell you, I'm not leaving!"
With that, Old Mrs. Chen took a few steps forward, sat down on the edge of the kang, and then turned to instruct Zhang Chunhua. "Eldest daughter-in-law, go home and pack some clothes for me. I'll only go back when they arrange a good job for Baozhu."
Hearing that Old Mrs. Chen intended to move in, not only the children present but also Wu Chunmei and Chen Mantun’s faces changed.
They still remembered the time Old Mrs. Chen had stayed with them previously, during which they had suffered immensely.
"Mom, I don't want Grandma to live at our house," Chen Lijuan said, lifting her small face. The other younger children also looked pleadingly at Wu Chunmei and Chen Mantun.
As a son and daughter-in-law, it was inappropriate to drive away one's own mother. Although his mouth felt bitter, Chen Mantun still put on a stern face and reprimanded Chen Lijuan. "What are you saying, child? That's your grandmother, and I'm her son. It's only natural for me to support her. You kids, go stand against the wall!"
The children, though looking wronged, obediently went to the wall to face their mistakes.
Old Mrs. Chen initially wanted to scold them further, but seeing Chen Mantun’s attitude was acceptable, she stopped talking.
"Mom and Dad, Grandma is coming to stay. I haven't spent much time with her properly either. Since it's a holiday, I'll go back and pack some clothes first, inform my in-laws, and come back to spend a few days with her."
Seeing Zhang Chunhua already walking out, Chen Lishu said a word to the couple and then turned to leave.
When Old Mrs. Chen heard her words, her body, which had just settled on the kang, wobbled, nearly making her fall.
Zhang Chunhua also stumbled, almost tripping on the threshold.
"Who asked for your company? Haven't I been angered enough by you? Do you want to anger me to death?" Recalling how this troublesome person had treated her before, Old Mrs. Chen, as if stung, immediately stood up from the kang and pointed at her, shouting,
"How could the Chen family have produced such a useless person as you? I might as well just die."
Seeing that her plan had failed, Old Mrs. Chen turned and walked towards the outer room.
The people present did not understand what she was doing. Chen Mantun, worried, followed her.
"Your grandmother is old. Can't you humor her a little? What if she gets sick from anger? Anyway, you need people on your mountain. Why don't you let your eldest brother manage it for you?"
Seeing her leave, Wu Chunmei sighed and persuaded Chen Lishu, adhering to the principle of avoiding trouble.
"Why do you, a girl, have to manage such a large undertaking? You can't always oversee it yourself. If he wants to manage things, let him. Let's compromise. Thirty yuan a month is just for peace."
Chen Lishu looked up and said to Wu Chunmei with a smile that was not a smile, "Mom, what are you thinking? Why should I compromise? They are the greedy ones. Go and ask around. How many people are scrambling for a thirty-yuan-a-month job? Does it mean I can't make my own decisions with my own money?"
Chen Lishu's words were not only for Wu Chunmei but also for Zhang Chunhua.
"Since Chen Baozhu is unwilling, I've decided to withdraw my offer. He won't be working here from now on. I don't need such an arrogant, lazy person."
"Lishu, you didn't say that initially."
Hearing that Chen Lishu was going to dismiss Chen Baozhu, Zhang Chunhua immediately panicked and quickly walked to Chen Lishu. "You only said you wanted your eldest brother to work on the mountain, and we all thought he was just helping to manage things there. Who knew you'd have him do such heavy labor? Your eldest brother isn't in good health. Aren't you making things difficult for him?"
A cold glint flashed in Chen Lishu's eyes. "Auntie, you're truly amusing. When it comes to making things difficult, you're second to none. If you have any difficulties, you can come and talk to me directly. Why drag my grandmother into this? Isn't it just to use her to pressure my parents and force me to concede? I'm telling you, I won't fall for this trick."
Zhang Chunhua was stunned. Chen Mantun and his wife were both spineless and had been completely suppressed by her since she married into the family. How could they have produced such a troublesome, obstinate girl?
Seeing that Old Mrs. Chen could not do anything to Chen Lishu, and that the great job opportunity might be lost if things went wrong, Zhang Chunhua, despite her reluctance, put on a smile and tried to negotiate. "Niece, you've misunderstood. Grandma is just too concerned about your eldest brother's situation. She came here on her own accord. Now, Auntie will discuss it with you properly. Given your eldest brother's condition, please be accommodating and switch his job."
Chen Lishu raised her eyelids slightly, her lips parting to utter two simple words: "Too late."
The smile on Zhang Chunhua's face instantly froze. Before she could say anything more, Chen Mantun's anxious and panicked voice suddenly came from outside: "Mom! What are you doing?"
The few of them, not understanding what was happening, quickly pushed open the door to check.
As soon as they entered the outer room, they saw Old Mrs. Chen holding a bundle of hemp rope by the door, while Chen Mantun was desperately holding her arm, trying to drag her back into the house.
"You ungrateful wretch, why are you holding me back? I raised you with my own hands, and now you're just watching that little bastard bully me? I might as well die!"