Chapter 194 - Contrac (1/2)
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“Dahai, I raised you and your older sister up into adults. That took hard work. Please remember our old affections and help me plead for leniency to your mother. Don’t let her take away my soul…” Madam Zhang saw Yu Hai as her last chance for survival and entreated him piteously.
Old affections? Perhaps it was guilt or something else. Before Yu Bo was born, Madam Zhang treated him and his older sister pretty well. Everything they ate and wore was about the same as Yu Dashan’s. However, once Yu Bo started going to school, Madam Zhang forced Yu Hai, who was only thirteen at the time, to brave the dangers of hunting in the mountains. Not only did he have to give her all of the money, but he also had to do all of this on a half-empty stomach.
At the time, Yu Hai believed that the family was in poor financial shape, so every day he went into the mountains to catch hares and pheasants while hungry. Despite that, he couldn’t bear to eat a single morsel of meat that he caught and sold them all to subsidize the family’s income. Later on, he found out that the reason his whole family lived frugally was to save money for Xiaobo’s school tuition. Since he was purehearted and cared about his siblings, he worked even harder to learn hunting techniques from Older Brother Zhao. Thus, he managed to catch more game and the variety also increased.
After he married, his wife and kids didn’t receive preferential treatment at home despite him making the most income. Instead, the family used his unquestioning filial piety and his wife’s kindheartedness to make them the overworked servants at home. They did the most work at home but ate the worst food. As the days went on, his wife’s body became worse and worse and his children all became emaciated. The whole family was sickly and weak. However, Madam Zhang wasn’t even willing to pay for their doctor and medicine fees and his youngest daughter almost died...
“Old affections? You’re talking about familial affections with me? Wasn’t I the one who earned almost all of the money that covered youngest brother’s school tuition as well as his living expenses in town? Wasn’t that a sign of my familial affection? Before we split from the family, my wife worked like a dog despite being sickly. Wasn’t that also a sign of our familial affection? When I was seriously injured and near death, Older Brother Zhao came by with three hundred taels that were all taken by you. My whole family didn’t say a single word. Wasn’t that also a sign of our familial affection? Yes, you raised my older sister and me for a period of five to six years. However, I used fifteen years of hard labor and returned it all to this family. If that wasn’t enough, then the three hundred taels, which should have been used to save my life, should be more than enough to return your so-called ‘old affections’ right?”
Every single word that came out of Yu Hai’s mouth seemed to drip with blood, “In that case, I don’t owe you anything! On the contrary, you’re the one who owes me! You owe me my mother’s life!! When will you be able to repay me for that?”
Madam Zhang had gotten used to getting her way at home and didn't expect Yu Hai, who was always the most obedient, to suddenly retort her so intensely. The fears within her suddenly evaporated and she glared fiercely at Yu Hai and shrilly shrieked, “All of the money you made wasn’t spent on me! I spent all these years scraping together money and being frugal. Wasn’t it all for the sake of the Yu Family? Xiaobo is your blood brother and has your Yu Family’s blood. The oldest brother is like a second father, isn’t it right and just that you pay for his school fees?”
When he saw that Madam Zhang wasn’t a bit repentant about her actions and was trying to twist the logic around, Yu Hai remarked in a voice filled with disappointment, “You’re wrong. I’m not the oldest brother of the family. The oldest brother of the family is Chen Dashan who has already changed his surname to Yu. He also crawled out of the same belly as Yu Bo. That being said, you, as their mother, are still alive and well! After doing all of these calculations, I don’t think that I, as the second brother, should be the one raising them!!”
Madam Zhang continued to persist on her stance and pestered him, “I was able to provide for your older sister and you, so why can’t you provide for your younger brother!! You have money now yet you’re so reluctant to take out five hundred taels for your younger brother. I was truly blind for raising a person worse than a pig into an adult. I should have just sent you and your stupid mother down to hell back then…”
“Shut up!!” Old Yu slapped Madam Zhang forcefully on her face and furiously hollered, “Why do you keep saying that you’re the one who raised Dahai and older sister up? Do you know how to fish or farm? Wasn’t I the one who earned the money to feed and clothe Dahai and his older sister? Did I ever say a word in regards to you and that good for nothing son of yours for eating my food? Ever since our youngest son was born, how have you treated Dahai and his sister? Do you think I’m blind? How do you have the face to boast about what you did?”
Madam Zhang held her face that had just been hit and dazedly looked at Old Yu. She would have never expected that her husband, who never had a temper, would one day raise his hand towards her. In addition, he would even do it for the sake of that b*tch’s children!
Madam Zhang exploded and screeched, “Ahhhhhhhhh——”. She flung herself at Old Yu and used her long nails to scratch at the old man’s face as she screamed, “You hit me? I did all of this for you ah? It was all for the sake of your Yu Family’s future!! Yu Hai is your son, but that doesn’t that mean that Xiaobo isn’t your son, ah? You old bastard, if you actually had the ability, do you think I would have needed to scrimp and save so much ah?”
Under her explosive temper, Madam Zhang showed her true potential. She unexpectedly managed to push Old Yu, who had done hard labor all his life, underneath her body and clawed at him furiously. Although Old Yu protected his face, a few long scratches that dripped with blood managed to land on him.
“Enough!!” Yu Hai caught Madam Zhang’s arm and pulled her off of Old Yu.