Chapter 302 Quickly Call Uncle

Chapter 302: Quick, Call Him Uncle!

Li Yulan stood outside the door, too scared to enter, but not a single word of what the son-in-law said escaped her ears.

So crude! All he could talk about was *eggs* this and *eggs* that—no shame at all. She couldn’t even bring herself to go in. What kind of son-in-law had they ended up with?

Still, it did sound pretty rough. Even she, someone without *eggs*, felt sympathy pain listening to it.

Meanwhile, Wang Xiaocui and Zhang Shuangshuang were doing their best to console the furious Wang Xiaofen.

Wang Xiaofen was fuming. "What a disgrace! He’s dragged this mess all the way to the Ninety-Third District. A grown man—does he have no shame? Crying to Mom like that, does he have any dignity?"

"The whole family’s scheming to take my Xiao Wu and give him to that worthless brother-in-law as a son. I haven’t even cried about it, and here he is bawling!"

Zhang Shuangshuang, who had been close to Wang Xiaofen even before marriage, gave her hand a light smack.

"Enough already. *Huoya* (Gap-tooth) has been decent to you all these years. If he weren’t truly wronged, he wouldn’t have come back crying. At least spare your husband some dignity in front of everyone."

Wang Xiaocui nodded. "Right. There are still kids at home, and Huoya has to work. You took off without a second thought—haven’t you worried at all these past few days?"

Wang Xiaofen turned her head away. "They’re *Zhous* by name. If the Zhous aren’t worried, why should I be?"

Su An stayed out of the adults’ business. Seeing her mother and aunt trying to calm her aunt down, she took Xiao Wu to play by the door.

After Wang Xiaofen finished her tirade inside, her anger finally subsided a bit.

"Spineless coward. Normally, he and that witch keep saying I do nothing at home, like the kids just raise themselves. And now, after just a few days?"

"I thought they’d at least last half a month before caving. But here he is, crying already."

She pointed at Wang Xiaocui and Zhang Shuangshuang. "Listen, no matter what they say later, don’t side with them. I’m not going back."

"I’ve been perfectly comfortable here, taking Xiao Wu around to eat wherever. That old witch thinks she’s so capable? Said she doesn’t need me? Let her son take care of her then."

Wang Xiaocui shot her sister a look. "What about the kids? You’re fighting with your husband and mother-in-law, but the kids are the ones suffering. The fourth one isn’t even eight yet, and the third just turned nine, right?"

Wang Xiaofen scoffed. "When I was eight, I could already light the stove and cook. I was out cutting pigweed to earn work points every day. There’s food at home—it’s not like they’ll go hungry. And if they do, good! Maybe then they’ll stop griping about how lazy I am."

"If they go hungry, they can just drag that witch back from the hospital to cook!"

"Anyway, I’m not going back so easily this time. After putting up with their nonsense for years, I finally have a solid reason to stand my ground. I’m going to seize this chance to crush them."

"Let’s see who lasts longer. Worst case, I’ll just settle here in the Ninety-Third District. I already swiped the passbook—we’ll scrape by raising Xiao Wu."

Wang Xiaofen grew more excited as she spoke. The thought of no longer raising a horde of kids, no more abuse from the old witch, no more dealing with her slob of a husband—just living it up in the Ninety-Third District until she’s old enough to return home and retire. It sounded like paradise.

Zhang Shuangshuang’s lips twitched. She was from the neighboring brigade (village work unit), around the same age as Wang Xiaofen. They’d often met while cutting pigweed as kids and had been close.

"Don’t go too far. The adults’ issues are one thing, but don’t take it out on the kids. You talk about settling here—what if your mother-in-law and husband start turning the kids against you? If they grow up warped or resentful, you’ll be the one crying then."

"They wouldn’t dare!"

"Keep believing that. Either take all the kids with you or don’t complain later. It’s almost summer break—it’s not like there’s no room here."

Wang Xiaofen snorted. "Take them all so that family can live happily ever after? No way. Let them stew."

Ever stubborn, when they all went to Wang Yongshun’s for dinner that evening, no matter how much Zhou Jiabao pleaded, Wang Xiaofen refused to budge. She wasn’t going back.

Wang Yongzheng and his brother exchanged glances, watching their brother-in-law’s pathetic pleading, and halfheartedly tried to intervene.

Wang Xiaofen finally relented and responded to the topic.

"You’re here lecturing me, but you’d be better off going home and persuading your mom. I’ll go back when she gets pregnant. I’m afraid if I return, she’ll have Xiao Wu adopted by your brother."

Zhou Jiabao looked utterly embarrassed. "Wang Xiaofen, you’re going too far. My mom’s almost sixty—how’s she supposed to get pregnant?"

She’s *way* past menopause—what kind of joke is that?

"Besides, didn’t my mom say it’s just for show? Xiao Wu would still be raised by us, just like now. It’s just to fulfill her wish and let my brother rest easy in the afterlife."

Su An, hearing her uncle’s self-righteous tone, cut in, "Auntie, if he’s adopted out but still raised by you, isn’t it just like Uncle said—no real difference?"

"By the way, wasn’t Uncle’s brother only married the year I returned to the city? His widow’s barely thirty, right? She’s still so young—won’t she remarry?"

Wang Yongzheng put two and two together and said, "Xiaofen, I think what Xiao Wu’s dad said makes sense. Since he’d still be raised by you, why make a scene? Are you really going to hold a grudge against a dead man?"

"If Xiao Wu’s dad sees no issue, then just go ahead with the adoption. But even brothers keep separate books. Xiaofen still has four other kids. If Xiao Wu is adopted out, he’d be another family’s child—you can’t just raise him for free."

Zhang Shuangshuang also connected the dots. "Right, right! If Xiao Wu’s dad dies and his mom remarries, he’d have to live with his uncle and aunt. Just thinking about it—he’d be left in the lurch. Xiaofen is his birth mother—she should fight for his rights."

"Since you’ve all thought it through, Xiaofen shouldn’t have any objections, right? I think she just can’t bear the thought of Xiao Wu ending up in such a pitiful situation."

Zhou Jiabao’s face turned green. What did they mean by "dad dies, mom remarries, pitiful situation"?

But before he could speak, Wang Xiaofen, for once, nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. That’s what I mean. As his birth mother, I have to think about his future.

Xiao Wu is my son—of course I want the best for him. But as his aunt, I’d be once removed. If I keep favoring him, my own kids might resent me."

She turned to Zhou Jiabao. "If this child is adopted by your brother, then his yearly food, clothes, living expenses, tuition, and even marriage later—none of that should fall on me, his aunt. I have my own kids to raise—I can’t take care of someone else’s son."

"Besides, our family’s doing well now. I can’t let my son live a worse life, can I?

So Xiao Wu’s cost of living should double.

"Let me calculate. Starting this fall when he begins his studies, including monthly living expenses, medical costs, tuition, and so on until he’s eighteen—his standard should match ours but doubled. Right now, it’s five yuan a month, but it’ll increase yearly. I won’t charge for my care—just give me a lump sum of eight thousand upfront."

"Then for his marriage, children, job, and housing later, you’ll need to set aside another ten thousand. We’ll settle the difference later—eighteen thousand in total. Go home and discuss it with your mom and sisters. Pool the money, and I’ll keep it safe for Xiao Wu—it’s his security."

Wang Xiaofen grew more excited as she spoke. She pulled her son over and pointed at Zhou Jiabao. "Xiao Wu, say hello to Uncle."