Chapter 25: If We Can Live Together, We Will; If Not, We’ll Divorce

Chapter 25: If We Can Live Together, We Will; If Not, We'll Divorce

The door to the third room was tightly shut. Wei Pozi frowned and knocked on the door, "Sanbao, open up."

When Yu Sanbao opened the door, he looked utterly dejected.

Wei Pozi stepped into the room and poked Yu Sanbao's forehead with her finger, "Brat, who are you showing this dead face to? Tell me, what happened?"

Yu Sanbao ran his hands through his hair in frustration and muttered after a while, "Mother, don't ask."

He had gone to the county today to buy some pastries and a piece of pork, then went to his in-laws' house, hoping to bring his wife and son back by talking things out. However, his mother-in-law accepted the gifts but said that if they wanted Su Rouer to return, Wei Pozi would have to send Xingxing away and personally apologize.

Yu Sanbao couldn't believe his ears.

He wasn't someone who would grovel without any backbone. He asked Su Rouer if this was her mother's idea or her own.

Su Rouer turned her head away, refusing to look at him, and said it didn't matter whose idea it was; what mattered was that he had to do it.

Yu Sanbao understood that she was trying to set rules for him and his mother.

In his youth, Yu Sanbao had been a troublemaker. If not for Yu Lao Tou and Wei Pozi emptying their savings, he might still be in jail.

He could pamper his wife, but that didn't mean he would let her disrespect his mother!

With red eyes, Yu Sanbao asked Su Rouer one last time, "Are you coming back or not?"

Su Rouer had just argued with her sister-in-law Qian Shi that morning and was still angry. She snapped back, "No!"

She thought Yu Sanbao would try to placate her as usual, but instead, he turned and left!

...

Yu Sanbao was still lost in thought when Wei Pozi slapped his shoulder, bringing him back to reality.

Wei Pozi glared at him, "What do you mean 'don't ask'? How can we just pretend we don't have a daughter-in-law? We brought her home with proper ceremonies! You can't just say she doesn't exist!"

Wei Pozi grew angrier as she spoke and grabbed a feather duster from the bed to hit Yu Sanbao.

Yu Sanbao winced and dodged, "Mother! Mother! Stop hitting me!"

Wei Pozi, having raised four sons, was skilled at disciplining them. She chased Yu Sanbao around, beating him until he finally told her what happened.

After throwing the feather duster aside, Wei Pozi sneered, "They want me to send Xingxing away? The Su family has no right to tell me what to do with my adopted granddaughter! Have they given us even a grain of rice?"

Yu Sanbao was still wincing from the pain but had regained some of his spirit. He quickly said, "Mother, I already told them it's not happening."

Wei Pozi glared at him, "You're the reason your wife and her family are so unreasonable! You've spoiled her too much!"

Yu Sanbao smiled bitterly, "Mother, did I spoil her alone? Since she married in, most of the household chores were done by my sisters-in-law. What hard work has she done? My sisters-in-law are kind and don't hold it against her because she's from the county. But thinking about it, everyone in the family has indulged her, including me. It's no wonder she acts like everything is owed to her."

Wei Pozi had no response to this.

Yu Sanbao wiped his face, "Enough, Mother. Don't try to persuade me anymore. If we can live together, we will; if not, we'll divorce. Life shouldn't be trapped by such problems."

Wei Pozi was speechless. After a long pause, she glared at her son again, "Divorce? Sounds easy!"

"I'm getting old; I can't manage your affairs anymore," Wei Pozi said slowly, "If you can live together, you should. You still have Ju Geer."

At the mention of Ju Geer, Yu Sanbao smiled bitterly again.

Today, Ju Geer wanted to come back with him and cried loudly, but Su Rouer and Mother Su forcibly dragged him back.

As a father, he felt terrible about it.

Seeing Yu Sanbao's silence, Wei Pozi knew she couldn't interfere too much in others' affairs, even if it was her own son.

As for the Su family wanting her to apologize?

Wei Pozi scoffed.

Dream on!

She wouldn't even consider it!

Leaving the third room, Wei Pozi glanced back at her son, "Just so you know, today Xingxing saved Huai Geer and Bai Geer from being crushed by a falling tree. From now on, anyone who says anything about sending Xingxing away will get an earful from me!"

Yu Sanbao wiped his face, "Mother, don't worry. I like Xingxing too and won't agree to it."

Satisfied, Wei Pozi left the third room.

By evening, Yu Lao Tou and Yu Daniu returned from the Yu clan's side.

Li Chunhua had already prepared dinner. Despite their heavy hearts, the smell of food lifted their spirits.

Entering the main house, they were stunned by the large pot of mushroom stew with meat on the table.

"Mother, what's the occasion? Why is there meat?" Yu Daniu sat down quickly, recognizing his wife's cooking and almost drooling.

Then he remembered something and looked at Huai Geer and Bai Geer, "Did the animal trap catch something?"

Huai Geer nudged Bai Geer, signaling him to recount Xingxing's heroic deed again.

Bai Geer cleared his throat and narrated the story vividly.

Yu Daniu listened with both fear and relief, saying repeatedly, "Indeed, thanks to our Xingxing!"

Yu Lao Tou, full of affection, picked Xingxing up, "Oh, our Xingxing did a great job!"

Wei Pozi smiled proudly, "Our Xingxing is amazing!"

Xingxing laughed shyly and happily.

Li Chunhua served the food, scooping several pieces of meat into Xingxing's bowl with affection, saying that Xingxing was too thin and needed to eat well to gain some weight.

Even Bai Xiaofeng, who usually loved to be sarcastic, did not utter a single word of complaint.

Li Chunhua's cooking skills were excellent, and this pot of wild rabbit stewed with mushrooms was a long-awaited treat. Although the wild rabbit was a bit lean, its freshness combined with the delicious mushrooms made the stew so savory that everyone nearly swallowed their tongues. Not a drop of soup was left, as the boys fought to finish it all, wishing they could lick the bowls clean.

Everyone ate until their bellies were round and full. Li Chunhua and Bai Xiaofeng began clearing the table while the others headed out for a walk to aid digestion.