But he didn't expect trouble to strike the next day, as he had hoped for a more peaceful life for themselves.
Breakfast was being served to the family. Today was Xu Ran's plan to put the chilli sauce in the bamboo tubes. He hadn't made the chilli sauce in more than twenty days. Before the breakfast was finished, someone outside asked them to get out rudely.
Xu Ran could tell it was Elder Daddy Xu's voice as soon as he heard it.
Since they left the family, he hadn't paid attention to the Xu Family's news. To begin with, he was preoccupied and didn't have time to think about it. Second, he didn't want to spend much time on it. The Xu Family's situation had nothing to do with them, but he had no idea why they had come to their house today.
He recalled the torment of the previous time. He set the bowl down and told Liu Tong, "Stay inside with Tangtang and Guoguo, Tongtong. I'll go outside to take a look."
"Ran, I'll go with you! When you go on your own, it bothers me ." Liu Tong was worried because he feared the Xu Family would do something unpleasant to Xu Ran.
Xu Ran comforted him by patting his hand and saying, "Don't worry, Tongtong. They can't hurt me because I'm no longer a fool. I'll call you later if I need your help."
"Sure. Ran, take care." While he was worried about Xu Ran, Liu Tong also realized that now that he had returned to normal, he needed to take care of everything in his family; otherwise, they would be in trouble. As a response, Liu Tong had no choice but to follow Xu Ran's orders.
After getting out of the room, Xu Ran saw many people standing outside. It was so lively.
He stepped outside and opened the courtyard gates, then turned to face Elder Daddy Xu and Xu Cheng. He asked, "How can I help you, Daddy? Why do you come so early at my house?"
Elder Daddy Xu became angry as soon as he saw Xu Ran. He said, pointing to his nose, "You're such an ungrateful person. Since you've been apart, you haven't seen me or your father in a long time. We've been very busy with farm work, but you haven't returned to help us. You have no right to ask as to why I am here. Of course, I've come to teach you a lesson."
Xu Ran sneered as he heard his words. "Heh!" Have you forgotten, Daddy, that I was excluded from the Xu family? At the moment, I wasn't completely healed. My spouse looks after two children and me, who was a fool at the time. We were beaten up before being ejected from the family, leaving us homeless. We were lucky that some good people took us in; otherwise, we'd all be dead and you'd only be able to see our tombstones.
It had only been two months, but several people had seen Liu Tong kneeling with his two children and the injured Xu Ran. They were really glum after hearing Xu Ran's words.
"You are mistaken, brother. We are still a family, even though we don't live together. We're really busy right now while you don't have any land. Why don't you return home and help us?" Xu Cheng couldn't wait to stand out after seeing Elder Daddy Xu choke on Xu Ran's words.
Elder Daddy Xu followed Xu Cheng and said, "It's true what your younger brother said. You'd rather help someone other than your own family. What's the matter with you? You were born and raised by me, but you are completely ungrateful."
"I respect you, Daddy, because you are my older brother, so I can't blame you. Even if I was a fool, I recall my life in the Xu Family. My father tried to give us a plot of land at the time, but you refused. You really wanted my family to have nothing to eat. Daddy, Tangtang and Guoguo are your grandsons and they are only five years old. Why are you so cruel?" As he was talking, Xu Ran's eyes became red.
"I've never seen someone as shameless as Xu Houcai's spouse. Your younger son has stolen his older brother's former wife, but you still intend to starve your elder son to death. I'd like to see what you're thinking about. They're both your sons, but why are you treating Xu Ran so badly?" Wu Mei was worried when he learned that Elder Daddy Xu and Xu Cheng had come to Xu Ran's house to cause trouble and had hurried over. When he arrived, he overheard Xu Ran's words and felt compelled to talk in his place.
Wu Mei's abrupt arrival shocked Xu Cheng and Elder Daddy Xu. They did snatch Xu Ran's previous partner. And the fact that they said they didn't want the other person to have a difficult time with Xu Ran, they knew precisely what they were up to. As a result, they became hesitant now.
As Xu Cheng saw that the people around him were pointing at them and saying negative things about them, he raised his head and said to Wu Mei, "What kind of person do you believe you are? This is a family affair for us. Why are you here to judge us as an outsider?"
"Who am I? Heh," Wu Mei sneered and answered, "Without me, Xu Ran and his family has died long ago. Now you tell me who I am?"
"He deserves it!" Hearing Wu Mei's words, Elder Daddy Xu suddenly said.
As soon as Elder Daddy Xu said that, everyone fell silent.
The residents in the area were taken aback by Elder Daddy Xu's ruthlessness. He truly desired the death of his own son. How could he be that cold-blooded?
After momentary silence, some people began to talk about Elder Daddy Xu.
Elder Daddy Xu had said exactly what he had been thinking in his heart, but he had never considered doing it in front of so many people. He understood he made a mistake as soon as he said it.
It was futile to cry over spilt milk. He'd already said it, and several others had heard it, so he didn't feel bad about it until he heard the villagers' gossip.
"Xu Ran, daddy was just so angry that he said something against his own wish," Xu Cheng stated as soon as he knew the matter was out of his grasp.
Xu Cheng lacked intellect due to his lack of education. By doing so, he was attempting to de-escalate the crisis, but only worsened it.
At this point, Xu Ran didn't want to say anything. It wasn't the best time to say anything, after all. As a consequence, he had a sad expression on his face.
Elder Daddy Xu's words annoyed Wu Mei. He stood up and pointed at Xu Cheng and Elder Daddy Xu with his arms akimbo. "Xu Ran hasn't said anything yet, which has angered you to the point that you want him dead. What if you were angered? Would you prefer for Xu Ran, his spouse, and their children to perish? What a cold-blooded person you are! You are the cruelest being on the world!"
Wu Mei's words irritated Elder Daddy Xu, but he didn't dare to respond. Elder Daddy Xu blew off steam on Xu Ran, who was just standing there quietly "What an ungrateful person you are! You're just standing there, stoic and quiet. Don't you see how an outsider is bullying me?"
Xu Ran answered slowly, completely ignoring what Elder Daddy Xu had said "Didn't you want me to die, Daddy? How do I say something else that could irritate you?"
"You... you..." Elder Daddy Xu was so angry that he couldn't even say a word.
"The village head is here." Someone shouted, and then the crowd made noises again.
The village chief and his wife pushed their way through the crowd to the front of Xu Cheng and Elder Daddy Xu, glaring furiously at them, "Why are you causing so much trouble again, Xu Houcai's spouse? When you broke up the family with Xu Ran at the time, I was right there. You said that Xu Ran will have no further contact with your family. Why have I heard you've returned to stir up trouble for him?"
"How do you assume I'm here to cause trouble for Xu Ran, village head? Xu Ran is my son, and my family doesn't have enough helpers to harvest rice. What's wrong with me asking him to go back and help me? Couldn't I let my son help?" He treated the village chief with disrespect.
"To reap the rice harvest? What a taboo story! Don't go insane. You're well aware of how you treated Xu Ran. You do not give Xu Ran or his family any money or property. Xu An and others even built the house in which he now lives. You shouldn't be that bold as an elder! Don't make a fool of yourself in this situation."
The village head's spouse couldn't stand Elder Daddy Xu's poor manners either. He naturally stepped out to show his support for his husband.
About the same time, someone in the area said, "You should stop what you're doing and preserve your grandsons' good luck!"
"That's right. Don't you even consider your grandchildren?"
Elder Daddy Xu was still a little frightened after seeing what people had to say. If all of the villagers believed this, their families would be scorned in the future. Elder Daddy Xu fought the urge to argue and drove Xu Cheng back, remembering Xu Hui and Xu Qiang.
Xu Cheng, just a coward, didn't dare to say anything but went home with Elder Daddy Xu.
After the two troublemakers left, Xu Ran thanked everyone for their kindness and welcomed the village chief, his spouse, and Wu Mei into his little bamboo house.
When the bamboo house had been built, the village head came here. He couldn't find much about it at the time. Despite the fact that the house was now poorly equipped, it was much better than it had been previously. Xu Ran's and his spouse's lives will both be improved.
After the two kids had finished their lunch, Liu Tong cleaned up the table. He hadn't gone out, but he was checking up on what was going on outside. As a result, when Elder Daddy Xu and Xu Cheng had stopped, he walked right towards Xu Ran.
Seeing Xu Ran was fine in person, Liu Tong finally rest assured.
"You really love Xu Ran!" Wu Mei exclaimed, laughing.
Liu Tong simply smiled when he heard Wu Mei's words. Then he called the village chief and his spouse into the room and provided them with some drinking water.
03.24.21