When Shen Lei and Shen Feng heard that this disobedient descendant dared to make trouble with their little auntie, they were so angry that they secretly picked up a thin bamboo stick and took advantage of the chaotic moves between their aunt and uncle to fill in the gaps, poking him back into the battlefield every time he moved on the edge to escape.
The sixth dumpling, Shen Qian, was anxious to help the two but had nowhere to perform, so he settled down to fanning the flame.
"Sweep him in the leg! Hit him in the knees! Don't let him run away! Aunt Su, don't be softhearted! He's easily sold himself; if he doesn't learn his lessons, he'll be someone else's son! Right, his in-laws' son! He'll marry a wife without marrying off and be his in-laws' hardworking mule."
"Auntie Su! Auntie Su, he glared at me! He's guilty so he glared at me!"
"I knew it! He'll pay his wife gift money and not ask for dowry, but he will work like a marry-in son-in-law to his in-laws! He will always say to you that he feels sorry for his wife's family!"
Shen Ao was horrified. This little dumpling was full of black fillings! He's escalating the situation that Shen Che might end up being married off!
He wasn't wrong to think that because Aunt Su sneered as she said, "Then I should sell this idiot first before he sells himself and help others count money."
"Mother?!"
"Being a live-in son-in-law is not bad. Our family will receive gift money, and your food, drinks, and housing will depend on your parents-in-law. It wouldn't matter if you feel sorry for your wife and work hard in their house, that's a responsibility expected from a live-in son-in-law."
Shen Che's ears started to ring with the frequent live-in son-in-law.
"Mother, I'm your son. Your real son!"
"Our Shen family does not lack sons! We lack daughters! But if I marry you off, that's the same as having a daughter. The gift money will help your brothers to marry a wife."
In the early years, Aunt Su gave birth to eight children, but only the two eldest survived. Later, she gave birth to another four younger children, and one of them died. Of her five surviving children, only the two eldest are married.
Because Shen Che's twin brother died at birth, Aunt Su usually doted on him, the second youngest, instead of the youngest child.
As a result, this unreliable child was so confident in letting others deceive him.
"I worked hard for this family like a cattle, sacrificing my youth and toiling from day to night. I dare not get sick, and I can't complain of tiredness just to make sure you are well fed and clothed. But you don't feel sorry for me, do you think I owe you?
You haven't married a wife yet, and you are already forgetting your mother. I'd better not have this son!
Don't worry, I won't really disown you. I will still prepare a dowry for you, but once you're married off, you'll be your parents-in-law's problem!"
Shen Che shook his head nonstop, admitting his wrongs, saying he was just confused, and swearing to never do it again. He will be the most filial child and listen to his mother.
Aunt Su snorted. Brat, you think I can't cure you!
Shen Qian wanted to interject, but his brother was quick to grab his mouth and restrain him.
Enough was enough. It's ok to find happiness in someone's disaster when watching the excitement, but don't end up catching the blame!
As mother and son, these two won't really turn against each other. They also won't tear their face with relatives who were meddling in the name of persuasion.
Naturally, the root cause was still the one that needed to be nipped.
So for part two of the drama, the stage was dragged to the front gate of the educated youth house.
Afraid of making a big deal of the situation and wanting to make the issue smaller, the educated youths readily offered the troublemaker.
Lin Li had to defend herself, stammering as she talked about the spirit of unity and helping comrades in need.
Aunt Su shut her up quickly. "Don't give me the fancy talk. I'm illiterate and ignorant. I'll just ask, are you dating? Which one of them?"
"No! No. No. Auntie, you are ruining my reputation by saying this!"
Lin Li's eyes turn red, her tears threatening to fall but refusing to, as if enduring a great humiliation.
Which was true to some extent.
If Shen Che and the others insisted on their stubborn ideals, and their parents weren't able to control them, the situation would remain ambiguous.
She never said anything clear, and they insist on being kind-hearted comrades. Lin Li could then pretend to be the innocent one, someone helpless who was incapable of refusing firmly, a pitiful girl being harassed.
Not only will her work get done for nothing, maybe some men with a strong sense of justice will also lend her help whenever.
She just didn't expect someone to confront her with direct questions so early. She also didn't expect that these mothers were so strong that these losers didn't even stand up to defend her.
"Lin Zhiqing dares to do it but dares not admit it."
"They helped me voluntarily."
Lin Li can only insist on this point.
"Yes, did I deny that? Since they're helping you, shouldn't you show some appreciation?" Aunt Su was steadfast on the goal.
It's your ability to coax my son, and it's my task to demand repayment.
"You… You are dirtying the spirit of camaraderie."
"Helping is a favor, and favors must be repaid. Only relatives give and take without expectations, but even brothers have accounts to settle."
Aunt Su was coming strong and didn't buy the ambiguous answers from the female educated youth.
She was losing patience.
"Don't wait for me to start cursing."
"....."
You haven't been cursing already?
Aunt Su: I'm so polite. She cheated my son, and I haven't even said a word of 'shameless' yet.
Yes, the situation was unusually calm compared to the destructive outbursts these villagers show.
What the new educated youth didn't know was that the villagers were reluctant to fight with them during the autumn harvest.
No matter how weak-legged they are, they are still extra hands. Beating them might just end with losing some laborers, but if they really make these children cry themselves to bed, these kids might jump over the wall and desperately rack their brains to avoid the work.
At that time, with their heads full of holes like honeycombs, they might make the brigade restless, and it would be better to just paralyze them in bed with a punch from the start.