The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Parents’ Abnormal Behavior

If it weren’t for transferring Han Xiaoqing’s household registration and school records, Han Xiaorui and Han Xiaoqing would never have come back.

Han Xiaoqing was a little nervous, worried they’d be taken advantage of in Han Family Village. She quickly said, ”Mom, Dad, don’t be angry. Even though my sister married into a family in Shencheng, she’s still an outsider there. Her in-laws are wealthy, but they’re wary of her. She still sends you money every month. She’s being very filial.”

”But we just got home and haven’t even had a sip of water, and you’re already asking us to help out Xiao Yuan. You never show any concern for my sister. How could she not be resentful?”

Han Xiaorui felt like starting a fight, but then she remembered this wasn’t Shencheng. This was the remote countryside.

She also had her two children with her; it would be easy for something to happen.

’Forget it. I still have to go to the county to handle the procedures for Xiao Jing, so I shouldn’t stir up more trouble.’

’I’ll just consider this paying for peace of mind.’

When Wang Cuilan heard this, she quickly poured water for her two daughters. ”Your father is just afraid that after you two went to the big city, you’d forget your family back home. Actually, your father and I miss you a lot. We write to you often.”

Han Xiaorui and Han Xiaoqing looked at each other, and in each other’s eyes, they saw misery and ridicule.

They had to endure.

’We’re never coming back here again!’

Han Xiaoyuan had been out catching fish with his friends. When he heard his two older sisters had arrived, he rushed home.

Han Xiaorui and Han Xiaoqing were good-looking, having inherited all the best features from Wang Cuilan and Han Dayong.

But Han Xiaoyuan’s appearance was another story entirely. Not only was he ugly, but he had inherited all of his parents’ worst features.

He had small eyes, a flat nose, and worst of all, he was short—not even as tall as his two sisters.

His grades were laughably bad; he dropped out before even finishing elementary school.

However, Han Xiaoyuan had been taught by his parents to be completely shameless. He never said his grades were bad. Instead, he told everyone that the family had no money because they had to support his two sisters’ education.

He wanted to use this excuse as a yoke around Han Xiaorui’s and Han Xiaoqing’s necks, forcing them to be Han Xiaoyuan’s beasts of burden for life.

”Sisters, you’re here. Did you bring presents for me and Hongyu? I told Hongyu my two sisters are in Shencheng and are super rich.”

His style and way of speaking were exactly the same as Wang Cuilan’s and Han Dayong’s, every word and glance filled with calculations against his two sisters.

Han Xiaorui suppressed her anger and took two boxes out of her travel bag. ”These are watches from Shencheng. Consider them a wedding gift from me and your second sister.”

Han Xiaoyuan quickly took them. He opened them, saw the styles were very nice, and beamed with delight. ”Thanks, Big Sis, Second Sis. We haven’t bought the things for our wedding yet. Mom and Dad said they’d wait for you to come back before buying anything.”

’I’m about to start cursing!’

Han Xiaoqing grabbed her sister’s arm. If they had a falling out, they would be the ones to suffer. ”Sis, I have twenty yuan here.”

Han Xiaorui put on a fake smile. ”Alright, we’ll take you shopping tomorrow. What good things can you find in the township? We’ll go to the county to buy them tomorrow.”

The moment he heard ”go to the county,” Han Dayong grew nervous and retorted without thinking, ”Just buy it in the township!”

”Yes, yes!” Wang Cuilan quickly chimed in. ”No need to go to the county seat. It’s too expensive. Buying in the township is fine.”

Han Xiaorui froze, a flicker of doubt in her eyes. Her parents would usually want to skin them alive. Based on their past behavior, they’d be delighted for them to spend more money in the county.

’My parents are acting so strangely today!’

Han Xiaoyuan hesitated, then finally grit his teeth. He looked down on the things from the township; he wanted to buy things in the county. That would be more respectable, and it would give him more face in front of Hongyu’s family.

”Mom, Dad, I’ll go to the county seat with my two sisters tomorrow. You can help watch the kids at home.”

Han Dayong and Wang Cuilan were tempted. If their son was going with them, there shouldn’t be any problems. ”Alright, I’ll go make dinner. You all should eat. You have to get up early tomorrow! Xiao Jing, come and help.”

Wang Cuilan wanted to get information out of Han Xiaoqing, but today’s Han Xiaoqing wasn’t the same as before. She was evasive, saying what she should and not a single word of what she shouldn’t.

Dinner wasn’t any more lavish just because Han Xiaorui and Han Xiaoqing had arrived. It was just a thin, watery soup. Wang Cuilan kept crying poor in front of her daughters, her eyes hinting that they should give her money.

Han Xiaorui and Han Xiaoqing ate with their heads down, pretending not to hear.

Although it didn’t taste good, it was edible. They had eaten a lot for lunch, so they weren’t hungry.

In this unfamiliar environment, Pingping and An’an were very nervous. They didn’t say a word and followed their mother wherever she went, never leaving her side.

That night, there wasn’t even a proper bed in their room. A simple bed made of a dozen or so wooden planks was meant for Han Xiaorui, Han Xiaoqing, and the two children.

This was the old house.

The newly built house was a two-story building, the only one of its kind in all of Han Family Village.

Han Dayong and Wang Cuilan lived in the first-floor bedroom, while the second floor was the new bridal suite for Han Xiaoyuan and Hongyu. They weren’t even allowed inside.

”Sis, after we leave this time, let’s never come back. There’s no place for us here anymore.” Han Xiaoqing’s tears couldn’t be stopped.

Han Xiaorui gave a bitter smile. ”You say that as if we ever had a place here. Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore, in case we’re overheard. We’ll get the household registration book tomorrow and play it by ear.”

Because he was going to the county seat to shop the next day, Han Xiaoyuan ran off to tell Wang Hongyu right after dinner.

And so, Wang Hongyu was added to the group going to the county seat the next day.

Wang Hongyu was very pretty. Marrying Han Xiaoyuan was a classic case of a beautiful flower on a pile of cow dung.

However, the Wang Family had their eyes on the one thousand yuan bride price from the Han Family, as well as their two-story house.

In addition, he had a sister who had married into a family in Shencheng. Perhaps in the future, she could help the Wang Family members get out and find work.

”Mom, can I have the household registration book?” Han Xiaorui asked just before they left, after she had finished getting ready.

Wang Cuilan’s heart skipped a beat, and she grew tense. ”What do you need the household registration book for?”

”When we’re shopping in the county seat, even if some expensive items don’t require ration tickets, we still need to show Xiao Yuan’s household registration book.”

Hearing this, Wang Cuilan gave an awkward laugh and looked at Han Dayong.

Han Dayong thought for a moment, then said, ”Give the household registration book to Xiao Yuan. Let him hold it.”

Only then did Wang Cuilan go inside to get the book. She handed it to Han Xiaoyuan, lowering her voice to whisper, ”Don’t let your big sister or second sister see the household registration book.”

Han Xiaoyuan had a sudden realization; a few things clicked into place. He quickly put the book in his satchel. ”Don’t worry, Mom. Hongyu and I will stick with Big Sis and Second Sis the whole time. Besides, they have the kids with them, so they won’t wander off.”

Hearing this, Wang Cuilan sighed in relief. ”Alright then. Buy plenty of the fashionable things from the county seat, and have your big sister and second sister pay.”

”Got it,” Han Xiaoyuan replied. ’Isn’t it only natural for older sisters to spend money on their younger brother?’

Besides, building the house and paying the bride price had already drained the family’s savings.

If his sisters didn’t pay, how could his wedding possibly be respectable? How could he make his in-laws look at him with high regard?

As dawn was breaking, Han Dayong drove the family’s donkey cart to take them to the township.

Pingping and An’an slept in the arms of their mother and aunt, only waking up when they reached the township.

They bought tickets for the bus from the township to the county seat. The bus was extremely crowded and filled with a peculiar smell.

After more than half an hour, they finally arrived in the county, stopping at the People’s Department Store.

The moment they stepped inside, Han Xiaoyuan and Wang Hongyu started grabbing things left and right, as if they were free.

Han Xiaorui, fed up with the sight, took the children to the restroom—and by a stroke of luck, ran into an acquaintance!