Chapter 1201: 1074: Petty-Minded

"Mom, why don’t you take a break? It’s almost done here."Could Huang Cuilan say that she hadn’t even approached the small study before her son chased her out? Sigh... once children grow up, mothers can’t control them. Could she really harm her own son?

It’s rare for the second brother to come over so early—there must be something important again.

What’s the matter this time?

"Mom, have a seat first."

Huang Cuilan glanced at her daughters-in-law, gathered her thoughts, and asked, "Did you add your second uncle’s portion?"

Gong Xiaoya was taken aback by the question and nodded repeatedly, "Added."

Wei Qiulian, eyes flickering, smiled and changed the topic, "Mom, have the kids been behaving?"

Speaking of the grandchildren, Huang Cuilan smiled, "Very well-behaved. They even know not to eat candy first thing in the morning. Make them some egg custard, add a couple more eggs."

Gong Xiaoya glanced at the pantry, shook her head, "Only five left, better save them for you and Dad. They’ve been eating well these days."

"Why so few?" Huang Cuilan regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth, "Use them for now. I’ll go back to the village in a couple of days and trade for more."

Upon hearing this, Wei Qiulian’s eyes flashed with mockery, and she quietly went back to tending the fire.

Fewer?

She didn’t believe her mother-in-law wasn’t aware of the count!

The monthly supply was just this much, especially in winter when hens stopped laying eggs. Originally, the family eggs were brought from the village just before winter by her father-in-law and husband to store for the kids’ nutrition.

But who would have thought the grandmother wouldn’t even care for the grandchildren? If not afraid of angering the father-in-law, she might have taken them all back to her family during New Year’s visits.

Yet as a daughter-in-law, she couldn’t mention this, not when her mother-in-law had claimed it was for the elderly’s frail health?

Okay! Everyone has parents. She understands filial piety, but can’t her mother-in-law not act as if she’s stealing food as a daughter-in-law to disgust her?

Gong Xiaoya was taken aback and immediately nodded. She glanced at her sister-in-law tending the fire and furtively at her mother-in-law. That’s it; the mother-in-law was in a daze again on the stool, saving her from finding something to say.

The thoughts of the three women in the kitchen were unknown to each other.

In the living room, Zhang Mingzuo, worried, lifted the curtain after a while and took a step out, glanced toward the kitchen, and retreated.

Remembering the disappointed look on his mother’s face when she left, he irritably scratched his head, drank a big mouthful of warm water, and worriedly looked toward the study room door.

Just now his mother had cleverly come in with such loud words asking, did your second uncle encounter trouble? Why so hurriedly close the door to talk with Dad?

Thinking about it gave him a headache.

A heart like Sima Zhao’s, known to all along the way. Still thinks no one can see through such clumsy little tricks? Could she not cause further trouble?

His second uncle probably heard it but ignored it, thinking that in the future he would not come to Dad with any issues...

"Bro, why don’t you go out for a walk with us this time?"

Zhang Guofu looked at his brother’s concerned eyes and shook his head with a bitter smile, "Don’t worry about me, she’s just like that."

Zhang the Second was really sick of Huang Cuilan.

If not for the nephew being outside, he would have opened the door to curse. What’s the meaning? Why can’t two brothers chat a bit?

"Really not going? The three brothers haven’t gathered in a while. Xiao Wu asked me several times how you were doing, I didn’t dare tell him the truth. What’s the point of living like this? Why not get a divorce?"

Zhang Guofu sighed, "I would’ve divorced long ago if I wanted to. Enough about my matters. If you go this time..."

"Alright, we’ll talk about my stuff later." Zhang the Second interrupted, "Just tell me, what exactly are you thinking? You used to say the kids were young, I believed you.

Even if you became some kind of model worker or advanced cadre, did I urge you to transfer to the provincial city? But now they’ve all started families, and you split the family, so what are you hesitating about?

Don’t think I don’t know Uncle Liu has already suggested several times to transfer you to the provincial city. Are you hesitating just because of this nuisance?"

"Who cares for her?"

Zhang the Second frowned even tighter upon hearing this, "Then who are you caring for?"

Zhang Guofu avoided eye contact with him, "I’m the eldest son; where the parents are, I am."

Zhang the Second suspiciously examined him and coldly laughed twice, "You think I’ve spent all these years in the bureau for nothing? Stop using the parents as an excuse."

Zhang Guofu lowered his head and brushed nonexistent dust off his leg, "Think whatever you want."

"Are we brothers?"

Zhang Guofu heard this and looked at him speechlessly, "Can you not use your work tactics on your brother?"

"Then tell me the truth."

"The truth is I don’t like the provincial city."

Zhang the Second laughed in anger, giving him a thumbs-up, "You’re something! Then why do you let her hang around you? Don’t tell me you cherish your wife."

Zhang Guofu laughed self-deprecatingly, "She’s just someone irrelevant, as long as I don’t pay attention to her."

Zhang the Second pondered this, glanced at the clothes on the bed, and suddenly had a flash of insight, leaning in to ask, "Bro, could it be you have someone you like in the county that you’re reluctant to leave?"

Zhang Guofu’s eyes immediately widened, angrily slapping him, "You damn kid, saying anything—am I that kind of person?"

Of course, Zhang the Second didn’t believe he was that kind of person, especially not under his own nose; if there was any small matter in the county, it certainly couldn’t escape his sharp eyes.

He jokingly looked at Zhang Guofu, "Then tell me why you absolutely refuse to transfer to the provincial city grain bureau. Surely there must be a true reason, not just an old lover waiting there or something?"

Zhang the Second spoke casually without much thought, but the result nearly scared him to death—his brother actually lit a cigarette in silence.

"Bro, really?"

Zhang Guofu: "Stop speculating wildly. I barely go to the provincial city for meetings each year. Haven’t you seen my age? Things like love affairs aren’t for me."

Can you look at yourself when you say that? Can you not tightly knit your brows and smoke early in the morning, like there’s a ghost waiting for you in the provincial city?

Zhang the Second thoughtfully looked at him, "Is the person of significant background, making you wary over there? Or a familiar face I might know? Let me think... Xiao Zhou? She’s too unattractive. Xiao Gu, acts like a tomboy, also not your type. Xiao Zhu, just married for two years, also no. Mr. Dong, always with that cold demeanor, isn’t right either..."

Zhang Guofu glared at him, increasingly outrageous. He’s fifty, not twenty, unable to constantly encounter romance!

Zhang the Second found it increasingly strange, likely his own overthinking. Just a handful of female colleagues, he essentially met them all, how could anything escape his keen eyes?

However, this sister-in-law indeed needs some guidance.

Zhang the Second didn’t forget to suggest to Zhang Guofu before leaving, "Bro, didn’t your mother-in-law often say she wouldn’t live past the New Year? Now that the nephew’s wife has entered, maybe it’s good to have sister-in-law go back to accompany her mother to fulfill some dutiful filial piety."

Zhang Guofu, very aware of his second brother’s cunning, immediately laughed heartily. But Huang Cuilan? Sigh... She indeed needs a return visit to clear her mind.