I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Angrily Confronting Zhao Dahai

”What’s it to you? I’m here to see my grandparents. Is that a problem?”

As Zhao Wendong spoke, he narrowed his eyes, giving Zhao Dahai a sidelong glare before letting out a scoff.

”Heh, Uncle, you look like you’re bursting with resentment. Do you have a problem with my grandparents, or with me, Zhao Wendong? If you’ve got something to say, just say it. We’re all family here, what can’t be said?”

After speaking, he turned to Wang Jinzhi, who was standing to the side, fuming.

”Aunt, don’t just stand there puffing up and then pretending you’ve got nothing to say. You might as well speak up, too. I happen to be here today, so whatever the issue is—whether it’s about my grandparents or my family—I can call the shots. Just spit it out. Don’t bottle it up until you make yourself sick.”

”If it’s something I can handle, I’ll handle it for you today. If not, I’ll figure out a way to handle it later. How does that sound?”

Zhao Dahai and Wang Jinzhi looked at each other, and for a moment, neither spoke first.

On the kang, Ye Qingmei’s face bloomed into a smile when she saw Zhao Wendong, her wrinkles creasing with joy. As if she hadn’t heard the sharp tone Zhao Wendong took with her youngest son and daughter-in-law, she reached her hands out to him directly.

”Dongzi, my dear grandson, what brings you here? Quick, come sit on the kang, it’s warm!”

Zhao Chuanhe was also beaming at Zhao Wendong, his happy expression completely undisguised. It was as if he were saying to Zhao Dahai and his wife, ’That’s right, I’m biased. I adore my grandson Dongzi. What are you going to do about it?’

”Hmph, you want me to talk? Fine, I’ll talk!”

Seeing their affection for Zhao Wendong and then remembering that her son, Zhao Wenhua—who was also their grandson—had just been sent flying by a kick from the old man, Wang Jinzhi felt a rush of anger. She couldn’t stop herself from blurting out the words she’d been holding back for so long.

”Your grandparents eat our food and live in our home, but you’re the only one they ever think about! Just now, your younger cousin said one thing about them being biased, and your grandfather sent him flying with a kick!”

Zhao Wendong smiled and nodded. ”Wow, Zhao Wenhua’s really something else now. Daring to accuse the elders of being biased at such a young age? You’ve raised him well, Aunt!”

Hearing Zhao Wendong’s barbed words, Wang Jinzhi faltered, her bluster deflating. It was true that Zhao Wenhua had been in the wrong for interrupting the adults. Making a scene wouldn’t work; the old ’cry, fuss, and threaten suicide’ routine would be useless against Zhao Wendong. If she tried to play tough, he was tougher. If she tried to act like a scoundrel, he had more experience than anyone in the village. After a moment’s thought, she changed her tack and began to complain pitifully.

”Dongzi, you know your grandparents are old. They can’t work or get much food. Grain is so precious these days, and your younger cousin has been crying from hunger every day. That meat you brought over? They ate it all themselves. They didn’t even think to give your cousin a few bites to help him grow strong. He’s a growing boy! As his mother, how could my heart not ache? Isn’t your cousin their grandson too?”

The smile vanished from Zhao Wendong’s face. He stared at Wang Jinzhi, his gaze so intense that it made her skin crawl, and she couldn’t help but take two steps back.

”I’m the one who got that meat, and I’m the one who told them to eat it themselves. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have sent it to your house in the first place. If Zhao Wenhua wants to eat meat, let my uncle go hunt some in the mountains himself! What’s this? I want to show respect to my grandparents, so I have to show respect to your kid first? Zhao Wenhua has a growing body, but Shitou and Little Tuanzi don’t?”

Hearing Zhao Wendong mention him, Zhao Dahai couldn’t hold back anymore, his face flushing red with anger.

”Dongzi, I’m your uncle! How can you speak to me like that? I’m able-bodied, sure, but I don’t have your luck! If I did, don’t you think I’d have gone up the mountain long ago?”

”Don’t think you’re hot stuff just because you hunted a little game and caught a few fish. I, Zhao Dahai, have been supporting these two old folks for years, letting them live here for free. Even if I haven’t earned merit, I’ve put in the hard work! What right do you have to talk down to me like that?!”

Hearing Zhao Dahai say his grandparents were freeloaders sent a blaze of fury through Zhao Wendong.

In his past life, after Shitou and Yadan had been taken away, he had been left alone and on the verge of starvation. It was his grandparents who had brought him food. Only later did he learn that it was their own life-saving rations, food they had scraped together by saving every last bite.

Yet Zhao Dahai had flown into a rage simply because they had given that food to Zhao Wendong. After the two elders passed away together on their kang, he, their only remaining son, hadn’t even arranged for their funeral. He had just wrapped them in a blanket and left them outside the door. In the end, it was Zhao Wendong who had knelt and begged Zhao Weiguo to help give the two elders a proper burial in the ancestral graveyard.

”Zhao Dahai!”

Zhao Wendong’s eyes instantly turned red. He had dropped the ”uncle” from his address. Zhao Dahai was so startled that he swallowed the rest of his words. He trembled involuntarily, watching Zhao Wendong nervously, afraid he was about to get hit.

”You have the fucking nerve to say my grandparents are freeloaders? Come on! Let me lay it all out for you!”

Feeling his grandmother’s grip on him tighten, Zhao Wendong gently patted her hand to reassure her. Ye Qingmei sighed, released his hand, and picked up her tobacco pipe again. They were old now; there were some things they just couldn’t worry about or get involved in.

Zhao Wendong took a deep breath to calm himself, then slowly looked at Zhao Dahai and his wife. ”Back then, the agreement was that whichever child the grandparents lived with for their elder care, the other children would help build a new house for them, right? This three-room house was originally meant for Third Uncle. But you two were the ones who insisted that it was only right for the parents to live with their youngest son, and you threatened to kill yourselves to force my grandparents to live with you. That’s why Third Uncle cut ties with the family. Am I wrong?”

Seeing Zhao Dahai about to speak, Zhao Wendong’s eyes flashed as he barked, ”Shut up! Wait until I’m finished!”

When Zhao Dahai clamped his mouth shut, Zhao Wendong raised his hand and began to tick off the points, settling the score one by one.

”First, this big house you’re living in now was all arranged by my father and Third Uncle. You two didn’t lift a finger, did you? Second, my second aunt and third aunt both contributed money for the construction, but you two didn’t give a single cent, did you? Third, every year my two aunts bring money back for my grandparents, and my father and Third Uncle also send money and food for them. What about you two?”

”And finally, even though this year’s harvest was bad, when the production team’s communal kitchen was shut down and every household got their grain rations, my dad and that Er Gouzi didn’t shortchange my grandparents’ share, did they? Add that to the grain the team allotted my grandparents directly—wasn’t that enough for the two of them to eat frugally for the whole winter?”

Zhao Dahai and his wife looked at each other, utterly speechless. Everything Zhao Wendong said was the truth; they had no way to refute it.

”You live in a house you didn’t help build or pay for. You eat the food and use the money that others provide. And now, Zhao Dahai, you turn around and claim you’re the one supporting my grandparents? You even say they’re freeloaders? Why don’t you take your big, shameless face and look in a mirror! What kind of idiot act are you pulling!”

Zhao Wendong’s words left Zhao Dahai so ashamed he wished he could disappear, and Wang Jinzhi was silenced completely. Ye Qingmei chuckled softly, picked up the bowl of her tobacco pipe, and knocked the ash out. Then, she spoke quietly.

”Stop arguing. I’m a little tired. Dongzi, you stay and talk with your grandparents for a while. Dahai, take your wife and go back to your room to sleep.”

A storm of emotions crossed Zhao Dahai’s face. He stood there for a long time, looking like he wanted to say something but couldn’t. Finally, after shooting several more glances at Zhao Wendong, he turned and headed for the east room. Wang Jinzhi hurried after him.

”Oh, Dongzi! Grandma knows you mean well for us, but he is your uncle, after all!”

”Heh heh, Grandma, it’s only because he’s my uncle that I haven’t already beaten him up!”