5th Story 14
“Cousin, it’s late at night, don’t read, just rest! Reading is important but your body is also important. Mother has asked people to come over several times.” Shu Jiaren pushed open the door and walked in, still charming and gentle as ever. But in Fang Jingrong’s eyes, he always felt that those were different.
“What are you doing here? Where’s Bao’er? Are they asleep?”.
Fang Jingrong lowered her head and stared at the book in his hand, although she couldn’t read a single word now. “The second elder brother’s family came again today, and they were all smiling when they left. I don’t know if mother gave the second elder brother money again. Cousin, don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean anything else, I just think that Bao’er is not healthy, I have to think more about Bao’er.” Shu Jiaren said nervously, as if she was afraid of Fang Jingrong’s misunderstanding.
“I understand what you mean. But, you have to remember, it’s my mother’s private property. My eldest brother and my second brother are both my mother’s sons, she can give to whoever mother wants.” Fang Jingrong said impatiently, he didn’t understand, But in just one year, how did the gentle and kind woman in his memory become so sophisticated greedy? He knew that the family is not as good as before but his mother’s private property is still rich, and they are well-fed. He doesn’t understand why his cousin has changed.
“Cousin, you misunderstood me.” Shu Jiaren felt a little uneasy in her heart. She also knew that she had changed a little recently but there was nothing she could do about it. The three of them now lived on the Wang Shi’s and she had no private money at all. Fang Jingrong is the same. Wang’s dislike her and Bao’er is very obvious. If it is not for the sake of her cousin, it is possible to drive their mother and son out. She doesn’t care anyway, with her cousin here, it doesn’t matter whether Wang Shi likes her or not, she just loves Bao’er, and she has to suffer like this at her young age. She had to think about Bao’er.
“Okay, that’s it, there’s no need to say any more. It’s late at night, go back and rest quickly! I won’t go back to the room to sleep tonight, I need to read some books later.”
Fang Jingrong sighed, seeing her cousin so weak After her pity prevailed she walked up to him and straightened his clothes.
“Cousin, I know that the hope of the whole family rests on you now but don’t put too much pressure, you have to take care of yourself. Bao’er and I only have you.” With her head down low, she weakly.
Fang Jingrong nodded, “Well, I know. Go back, be careful that Bao’er wakes up if he doesn’t see you, he will cry again.”
Shu Jiaren nodded, “I’ll go back first, cousin, you should go to bed early too.”
Shu Jiaren nodded, turned around and closed the door, took a deep breath after going out, the gentle smile on her face disappeared instantly followed by a gloomy face, cousin must be busy, usually he wouldn’t talk to her like this. It seems that I can no longer take it lightly, my cousin’s current conditions can still attract those ignorant little girls.
After the Empress Dowager’s birthday, Cheng Nuo and Li Yueran left the capital with Xiao Jia, Xiao B, Xiao C and a distinguished grandson of the emperor. Cheng Nuo glanced at Feng Xiao, “Your grandfather and father are really willing!”
Feng Xiao glanced at Cheng Nuo, “There is no need to worry about me uncle.” Feng Xiao was eager to try, “Uncle, where are we going next?”
“Go to Dunhuang, look at the murals in Dunhuang then I will show you what is the desert is solitary, the long river is full of sunset! The beauty of nature can only be written if you experience it yourself. The book says no matter how good it is, it’s too illusory but seeing is believing.” Cheng Nuo said with a smile. “But I want to tell you is first, this is outside it is not as comfortable as at home. You have to be prepared for hardship!”
Xiaojia rolled his eyes, “Auntie is not afraid, what are we afraid of? We are men! We can still be compared with a woman, right Xiaoyi?”
Cheng Nuo held Li Yueran’s hand and smiled, “Don’t talk big, don’t cry when the time comes!”
Xiaojia and others all puffed out their chests, ‘saying come on, it doesn’t matter.’
Cheng Nuo and the others left, leaving many people in the capital worried. Among them was Fang Jingrong. He didn’t know what was going on, he didn’t dare to wait at Xiao’s house, he could only wait at the intersection where he saw Xiao Wen every day. He didn’t know when he would meet Xiao Wen again but he could only obey his heart and wait every day.
Shu Jiaren could see Fang Jingrong’s changes. She didn’t know what Fang Jingrong was doing, but she was eager to know what Fang Jingrong was thinking until she found a random reason, she got Fang Jingrong drunk, and asked him quietly, “Cousin, I think you’re not in a good mood recently, what’s the matter? Can you tell me?”
Fang Jingrong lay on the table and said in a daze: “I saw Xiao Wen, she should be mine, why is it she’s someone else’s now? She is mine! I shouldn’t be like this, not like this!”
Shu Jiaren’s face suddenly darkened, did he regret it? Xiao Wen? Why and when did he meet Xiao Wen again?
“Cousin, do you regret it? Do you regret marrying me, right? Do you regret being with me?”
Fang Jingrong laughed, “Regret? Yes, I regret it. It is because of you that I became like this and how the Fang family has become like this now. The elder sister-in-law and the second sister-in-law would ridicule me and complain about me whenever we met! The elder brother and the second elder brother also blamed me. Although my mother didn’t say anything, I knew she blamed me too. It’s all because of me, it’s all because of me, I should have held it at the beginning!”
Shu Jiaren stood up slowly, her complexion darkened a little bit, regret? Do you think you are the only one who regrets it? If it weren’t for our past friendship, do you think I’d be happy to stay in this family and make compromises? Since you are ruthless, I’ll leave all of you alone! What Fang Jing and Fang Jingrong can do, I can do too. Shu Jiaren has always been a selfish person, no matter what she does, she does it for herself only herself. Fang Jingrong’s heart is her only foothold in this family. If Fang Jingrong’s heart is no longer with her, then she will not waste time on this man.
Half a month later, Shu Jiaren quietly captivated the whole room, swept up all of Wang’s private property except the deed and land deed, she ran away without even taking her child. Wang Shi, Fang Jingrong and the others were awakened by the crying of the child. Mrs. Wang found that all her private property were gone, only some house deeds and land deeds were left, all the jewelry, silver notes, ingots and so on were gone. Wang fainted out of anger. Fang Jingrong was at a loss as he hugged the crying child not knowing what to do! In the end, the servants ran to find Fang Jingrui, Fang Jingqian , his sister-in-laws and invited a doctor. The doctor injected a few needles then Wang woke up trembling all over, but she couldn’t move half of her body, she couldn’t even speak. She just pointed to the cabinet and yelled inarticulately. The servant girl serving her knew this, hurriedly opened the cabinet, and handed her the box inside, she hugged it tightly and refused to let go.
Seeing this, the doctor shook his head, “I think she may have had a stroke.”
“Stroke?” Fang Jingrui asked anxiously.
Fang Jingqian glared at Fang Jingrong, “It’s all your fault, you can’t even subdue a woman! Now it’s all right, mother’s savings for most of her life are gone! She doesn’t even care about the child, such a vicious woman, you still take her as a treasure! How can you be worthy of the ancestors of the Fang family!”
Fang Jingrong’s face was pale, he didn’t respond at all. The child in his arms was crying because of hunger. In the end, Fang Jingrui couldn’t stand it any longer asked someone to carry him down to feed him.
“Mother has a stroke now, and the third child is like this. I don’t feel at ease letting them live here, so why not take them to my place!” Fang Jingrui said.
Fang Jingqian rolled his eyes, that Shu Jia took banknotes and jewelry, but the shop and house are still in the hands of his mother, which are worth a lot of money. I can’t let it go. “Mother is not only the elder brother as a son, I am also the mother’s son. Otherwise, let’s us alternate take care of mother every alternate month! I have already sent someone to report to the government. Shu Jia is a weak girl, she can’t run very far, you have to catch her and get back the money.”
Fang Jingrui nodded, “Okay, that’s it! I’ll send someone back to clean up the house.”
Fang Jingqian nodded, “Well, I’ll make arrangements and send mother back.”
At this time, Wang’s consciousness became clearer and she realized that half of her body could no longer move. Now, she is no longer the high-ranking Mrs. Wang, she can only rely on the eldest son and second son for everything, she nodded, pointing to the box in her bosom, she said with difficulty, “You guys, flat, split. Chase, money, also, flat, split.”
Fang Jingqian’s eyes lit up, it would be much easier if he took his mother, He is not a person without filial piety, he will take care of his mother sincerely. It’s just that it’s hard for him to explain to his wife. Now that he has his mother and mother’s private property, she must has nothing to say.
Fang Jingrui also had the same thoughts, they now had food and lodging from their wives’ dowry, how could they dictate to their wives as before, so they could only bow their heads. With my mother’s private property, I think I can be look up at home. The mother and sons returned to the old mother’s kindness and filial piety. They sent back Wang Shi and the maid who served her together. Fang Jingrui and Fang Jingqian personally waited for Mrs. Wang to get into the carriage. Fang Jingrui’s heart softened, and he threw a bank note to Fang Jingrong, “Don’t say that the elder brother won’t help you, this other courtyard belongs to you. And this bank note, is enough for you for a while, take advantage of this time, go out and find something to do! Don’t tell me that you can’t even support the child.”
Fang Jingqian said disdainfully: “Brother, what are you doing so much nonsense with him. He was spoiled by parents, He thinks that it is only natural for everyone to let him go. For a bitch, he ignores his family. Because of him the Fang family and has become what it is now. He is unfaithful, unfilial, unbenevolent and unrighteous!” After speaking, he pulled Fang Jingrui and left.
