Chapter 47 Younger Brother The Grievances of the Past

“Mother, let's go visit Second Uncle's house. They're proper relatives, and surely Second Uncle already knows I've returned. It wouldn't be right not to pay them a visit,” Gu Chengyong said, turning back.

“You're not allowed to go! Why visit him? That Huang woman never acknowledges me as her elder sister-in-law, and your Second Uncle, stirred up by her, hardly ever steps foot in our house all year round. You still want to see him? How generous of you,” the old lady's face immediately darkened at this, her tone full of displeasure.

“Mother, whatever happened between you and Second Aunt has nothing to do with us younger ones. As a junior, I haven't been home for years. If I come back and don't visit Second Uncle, won't people say I have no regard for my family?” Gu Chengyong ignored Li Shi, continuing out the door.

“You stop right there! When have you ever forgotten their family all these years? Whenever you sent things home, didn't you always prepare a separate share for them? All those good things wasted on them. In your eyes, I don't even compare to your Second Aunt. You unfilial thing, today you are not to go!” Li Shi, now thoroughly furious, stood with her hands on her hips, pointing at Gu Chengyong, refusing to let him leave.

Just then, the old master of the Gu family overheard the mother and son quarreling from inside and hurried out, calling, “Old woman, what's gotten into you now? That's Da Yong's own uncle, my real brother—why shouldn't he go? Da Yong, go ahead. Come back for dinner later.”

Upon hearing his father's words, Gu Chengyong called out his assent, then led Mrs. Feng back to the west courtyard to retrieve the gift he had prepared long ago. Gathering Miao Suwen and her children, along with his own, they left the west courtyard and headed out.

“Wait! If you're going, just go—why bring gifts? Do they even deserve my son's things?” The old lady's expression turned even uglier upon seeing the gifts in her son and daughter-in-law's hands. She seemed to have forgotten she was only Chengyong's stepmother, not his birth mother, yet she spoke with such authority.

In the village, families usually lived together until the elders grew old, then separated to live on their own. With brothers and sisters-in-law mixing daily, discord was inevitable. Li Shi was sharp-tongued and difficult, and as a step-wife, getting along with Huang Shi, her sister-in-law, was never easy. When the elders were alive, the two would quarrel endlessly.

Gu Chengyong's grandparents passed away early; he was only ten when both were gone. After their deaths, the Gu family split, and during the division, the two sisters-in-law stirred up a commotion throughout the village. Afterwards, the families hardly interacted. Whenever Li Shi and Huang Shi met, they were like fighting roosters, always at odds.

Now seeing Gu Chengyong with so many gifts for Second Uncle's household, Li Shi would never allow it. “No! Put those things down. What right do they have to eat the meat my son brings? Better to feed it to the dogs than give it to them!” she shouted, hands on her hips.

Gu Chengyong was speechless. Did the old lady really think she was his birth mother? All these years, he hadn't bothered to argue, but did she really believe she could control him?

“I call you Mother out of respect for my father and Fourth and Fifth Brothers. Don't think I'm truly your son. Have you forgotten how you treated the three of us brothers? We haven't forgotten. Honestly, Second Uncle and Second Aunt have been much kinder to us than you ever were,” Gu Chengyong said, his face stern and cold.

“Back then, when I was beaten and starved, if not for Second Aunt, I'd be long dead. It's only a few gifts—what's the harm? Now that I've returned, if I don't visit Second Uncle and Second Aunt, I'd be less than a beast.” With that, Gu Chengyong strode off with his wife and son, not looking back.

The old lady was left standing in the courtyard, so angry she plopped down on the ground. “Oh heavens, I can't go on living! Lord above, open your eyes and see—the sons of the Gu family have the nerve to bully their stepmother! Old man, you're just a mute, watching your son mistreat me? I really can't live anymore!” she wailed, dragging out her words.

“Such a wasteful thing, good things not kept for his own parents and brothers, but sent off to outsiders. Ungrateful wretch, if you have the nerve, don’t come back for dinner tonight! See if your Second Uncle will let you eat at his place!”

Her commotion was loud, but luckily the houses in the village were spaced far apart, so no one else could hear. Even so, the old master couldn't stand it any longer and came out from the east room, dragging his wife back inside.

“What are you trying to do? That's my brother. Thanks to your meddling, he barely comes once a year. Da Yong is just bringing a few things over, and you make such a scene—for whose benefit? Are you trying to embarrass me?”

Despite her usual domineering demeanor, Li Shi dared not defy the old man when he truly got angry. Seeing his wrath now, she quickly got up and went inside, sulking on the kang.

Xiuli had heard the quarrel outside, and seeing her mother stomp in angrily, she couldn't help but grow indignant as well. “Mother, Second Brother really doesn't respect you, does he? They've only just returned today, yet dared to challenge you like that? If this keeps up, will you even have a say in this house?”

“We shouldn't have let them stay here. We should've kicked them out right away—see if he'd still dare act so arrogantly!” As she spoke, Xiuli's expression mirrored Li Shi's, contorting her pretty features into something ugly.

Li Shi sighed, “You’re still too young, lacking experience. The house we live in now was built with money from Second Brother. How could we kick them out? If not for that, I wouldn't have put up with him.” With only mother and daughter present, the old lady dared voice her true thoughts.

“Just wait—once Fifth Brother gets married and you've settled your engagement, I'll split the family and drive them all out,” Li Shi vowed.

“That's right, Mother. Just wait till Fifth Brother earns his title—let's see if they dare act so bold then!” Xiuli said, quite pleased.

The Gu family's fifth, Gu Chengren, was a scholar. He’d passed the county and prefecture exams a few years back, becoming a candidate, and was waiting for the August provincial exam. If he passed, he'd be a respected scholar. At that point, Xiuli thought, no one in the Gu family would dare act out.

Hearing her daughter's words brought a smile to the old lady's face. Her youngest son had loved reading since he was little, and the teachers always said he was destined for success. Now, all she hoped for was that he would earn a scholar’s title, marry well, and her daughter would find a good match.

“Your Fifth Brother went to the county town, said he was listening to a teacher’s lecture. Who knows when he’ll return?” Speaking of her youngest son, Li Shi sighed. The family had invested much to help him succeed.

“Didn't Fifth Brother say he'd definitely be back by the end of March? Only a few days left, Mother—don't worry,” Xiuli quickly reassured her.

Leaving aside the schemes of Li Shi and her daughter, Gu Chengyong led his group out, heading toward his uncle's house. On the way, Jiao Yan couldn't help but ask, “Father, what exactly happened between Grandmother and Second Grandmother’s family? It’s as if they’re mortal enemies!”

“Your Second Grandmother was a relative from your Great-Grandmother’s side, married into the Gu family. That made them even closer, and your Great-Grandmother treated her kindly. But your Grandmother was a step-wife and always wanted to stand out. The two sisters-in-law never gave way to each other, always clashing. When the elders were alive, things were better. After they passed, during the family split, the fighting was fierce. Since then, they've barely interacted,” Gu Chengyong explained as they walked.

“Honestly, your Second Uncle and Second Aunt are both good people, and they were always kind to us brothers. Your Second Uncle was capable and could make money. I learned my skills from him as a boy, later met an old beggar and learned more, which is how I have what I do today.

Back then, your Second Uncle would cut wood on the mountain in winter, raft logs in summer, and earn a lot each year. I was stubborn then, often clashing with your Grandmother, getting beaten and starved. If not for your Second Aunt protecting me and sneaking me food, I would’ve starved to death.

Without your Second Uncle and Second Aunt, even if I survived, I'd be like your eldest uncle—just farming at home. If that were so, I wouldn't have met your mother, and you wouldn't be here. So, tell me, shouldn’t I go visit your Second Uncle and Second Aunt?” Gu Chengyong knew he must explain these things to his children, lest they think him unfilial.

“Remember, at home, stay away from your Grandmother when you can. If she’s in a bad mood and scolds, just let her be—don’t bother with her. This family will split eventually; your little aunt is already sixteen or seventeen, she won’t stay home forever. Once she’s married and your Fifth Uncle takes a wife, the family must divide. No one can stop it. For now, endure a bit longer. I reckon it’ll be only a year or so.”

Gu Chengyong had no choice—his family was at rock bottom and had returned out of necessity. To establish themselves in the village, they must endure.

“Understood, Father. Don’t worry, we get it,” the children chorused.

Mrs. Feng patted her son’s head and smiled. “You’re all good children. Father and Mother are very proud. Wenxiu and Wenqi did well today, helping out with the chores.”