Hu Yungeng’s son and daughter heard their grandparents were taking a car back to the city, and they looked like they wanted to go along and have some fun.

The two children looked at Hu Yungeng with pleading eyes, hoping he would put in a good word for them.

Their mother usually listened to their father most, so Hu Yungeng wanted to say a word or two in persuasion.

But his wife had always been very domineering. With him, what she said was law, and he didn’t want to make her angry.

So he pretended not to see his children’s pleading eyes and lowered his head to continue eating his congee and meat buns.

But he didn’t dare eat much, because his parents had been nagging him ever since he was a child.

They said the family was too poor and they had to scrimp and save to put his younger brother and sisters through school, so he never dared to eat too much.

He had to save the good food for his younger brother and sisters. Later, when he got married, he wanted his wife to have more to eat.

Then he became a father, and he wanted to save for his children to eat...

He might not be very capable, but his love for Su Ermei was genuine. When his parents gave Su Ermei a hard time, he suffered right alongside her.

Hu Yungeng was a simple and honest man. Before he was married, his parents were his whole world, and he obeyed them in all things.

After getting married, he prioritized Su Ermei, because his parents also respected her.

He followed their lead and respected her too. He would do anything she said, even if it meant defying his parents’ wishes.

He was a classic case of a man who forgets his mother once he gets a wife, the type who is utterly devoted to his spouse.

So when he saw his family bullying his wife, he couldn’t help but want to stand up and confront them head-on.

But Su Ermei was a pragmatist who knew how to adapt to the times. More than that, she was the type to bully the weak and fear the strong.

When her family had money, she would arrogantly bully the Hu family, but she still understood the basic principle of respecting her elders.

As a result, she got along with the Hu Family’s wife as if they were mother and daughter, and with Hu San as if they were best friends. She only bullied her sister-in-law, Second Madam Hu.

After her older brother was disabled and her family could no longer support her financially, she took the initiative to curry favor with the Hu family.

For example, she offered the Su family’s old home to the Hu family’s youngest son to use as a marital home. When her husband tried to stand up for her, she wouldn’t even accept his help.

She even persuaded him to endure it along with her. The sliver of courage Hu Yungeng had painstakingly mustered was talked away, leaving him with no fight left in him at all.

Over time, he became a total pushover. This left Hu Yungeng feeling helpless, but there was nothing he could do.

On one hand were his parents, and on the other were his wife and children. If his wife had forcefully stood up to his parents, he would have definitely stood by her side.

With these thoughts in mind, Hu Yungeng once again mustered his courage and said to Su Ermei, "Erniu, the children really want to go with their grandma, you know?"

"I’d love to go too! Are you going to do all the chores by yourself?" Su Ermei asked harshly.

"It’s almost winter, and the kids don’t have to do any collective labor. There isn’t much to do around the house, so I can handle it by myself."

Seeing that her mother was about to get angry again, Erya quickly tugged on Su Shuochi’s sleeve. "Uncle, could you talk to Mom? Please let us go with Grandma to see the city, okay?"

’Her dad was a lost cause,’ she thought. ’Only her uncle’s words offered any hope.’

"Erniu, Yungeng is right, there isn’t much work to do in the winter. Just let the children go with Mom and Dad for now. Why don’t you all come spend the New Year in the city with them, too?"

It was a soft-hearted invitation from Su Shuochi. ’This sister of mine still needs to be properly straightened out,’ he thought, ’otherwise she’ll be a complete wreck.’

He had no brothers, only two younger sisters. The youngest was independent and self-reliant, leaving Ermei as the only "bad apple." He still wanted to try and save her.

’There are many selfish people in the world with warped values like my sister,’ he thought. ’I’m not a messiah; I can’t save them all.’

But Su Ermei was his sister, his own flesh and blood. He would give her one more chance!

Su Ermei, oblivious to her brother’s thoughts, felt her eyes light up when she heard his words. ’Something this good is happening?’

She had been to the city once in October. Her older brother’s house was full of grain and delicious food.

On that one trip, she had cleaned her brother’s house out, but unfortunately, her mother-in-law confiscated everything as soon as she got home.

Not much was left for her and her children, which was why she had been incessantly calling her mother, asking her to send money and clothes.

Only after she had money did her mother-in-law stop making her do so much work.

"Since Older Brother said so, we’ll let Erya and Little Stone go. Daya can stay home with us and help with chores. Besides, it’s not winter break yet."

"Yay! I’m going to the city with Grandma!" Little Stone put down his bowl and darted outside to tell his friends.

"Little Stone, don’t run off! We’re getting in the car to leave now!" Mr. Su called out to the boy’s retreating back.

Little Stone stopped in his tracks and immediately came pattering back. He grabbed his grandfather’s pant leg and held on tight, terrified of being left behind.

"Yungeng, finish off the rest of these buns and congee," Su’s mother said, pointing to the leftovers on the table. She knew her son-in-law’s character. "If you don’t eat it, Chi will just throw it out later. He doesn’t eat leftovers. And for lunch, there’s steamed pork with preserved vegetables, fried fish, and greens in the kitchen."

As soon as Hu Yungeng heard the food would be thrown out otherwise, he didn’t say another word and dug in, eating with gusto and without the slightest bit of guilt.

He made short work of the three meat buns and the large bowl of century egg and pork congee, polishing them off in a flash.

Just as he finished eating, Song Zijie pulled up to the Su’s house in his car.

Mr. Su and Su’s mother had nothing to pack, and the two children hadn’t brought any clothes either. Su’s mother said she would buy them completely new outfits, from the inside out, once they got to the city.

She noticed that the children weren’t wearing a single item of clothing she had sent them, and she shot another glare at her daughter.

She chided her with displeasure, "Erniu, you’re only brave inside your own home. If you keep this up, you’ll suffer for it one day.

Now that your older brother is better, stop making trouble for the Hu family. You and Yungeng should just focus on living your own lives peacefully with your children.

Don’t meddle in other people’s business. Otherwise, when you have no one left to rely on, everyone will be lining up to kick you while you’re down."

"I know, Mom. You and Dad should get in the car," Su Ermei said impatiently.

She knew all too well what her mother was talking about from her own bitter experience. ’Why did she have to twist the knife in the wound?’

Long after Mr. Su and the others had left, Hu Yungeng was already inside clearing the table, but Su Ermei remained standing in the doorway, staring into the distance.

Watching his busy brother-in-law, Su Shuochi asked curiously, "Why don’t you ask Erniu to help you clean up?"

’After all, whenever he and Jiaojiao finished a meal, they always cleared the table together.’

"She’s never liked doing household chores. Now that my parents aren’t here, it’s no big deal for me to do a little extra," Hu Yungeng answered simply.

’If his parents were here, he wouldn’t dare clear the table, because his mother would point a finger at him and scold, "You good-for-nothing, that’s a woman’s job..."’

Su Shuochi was momentarily at a loss for words after hearing what Hu Yungeng said. Suddenly, he heard a noise from outside the door.

He used it as an opportunity to walk over and see who had arrived.

He heard his sister let out a cold snort, her tone exceptionally arrogant. "What are you doing at my house? My older brother doesn’t welcome you."