Chapter 561: The Unfilial Descendant

Chapter 561: The Unfilial Descendants

"Eat quickly. After we finish, we’ll stop by the hospital. Didn’t Su Jianguo say the other day that the situation isn’t good? No matter what, we have to make an appearance, right?

Last time, Auntie Ge and the others said that even if we’re struggling financially, we can’t just ignore it. It’s only because Second Brother’s family took pity on our difficulties that they’re only asking us to cover half."

Ji Qingqing, recalling the commotion that day, was fuming. Su Jianguo and Liu Huilan had doubled down that they wouldn’t take care of the old woman or pay a cent, and even stopped the support payments altogether. No matter how much she explained, they refused to believe that Su Jianjun’s family had no money.

Later, under the mediation of the neighborhood committee, they backed down a lot—they wouldn’t demand support payments from Su Jianjun anymore, but medical expenses had to be split fifty-fifty.

"Hmph, he sure knows how to act all noble. His family has three steady jobs. If they really cared, would they need to come to us?

They could’ve just covered it themselves. But no, they had to make such a big fuss, airing our dirty laundry and making sure everyone knew we’re unfilial and neglectful of a sick elder.

They even made us sign an IOU. Who knows if your mother is really sick or just faking it to shake us down for money for Su Jianguo? She’s perfectly capable of pulling something like that."

The couple, each brooding, finished their meal and headed to the hospital.

With Liu Huilan’s big mouth, if they didn’t show up, she’d surely badmouth them everywhere. Since the money was unavoidable, they couldn’t let them seize this chance to badmouth them.

Su Jianjun’s job was already something he hated doing. If people started making snide remarks again, he might just up and quit.

Su Lei tagged along behind Ji Qingqing and Su Jianjun, listening to his parents’ complaints with a tight-lipped, expressionless face.

*

Hospital.

Liu Huilan, with a child strapped to her back, pinched Lin Zhaodi’s mouth open and forced a few drops of sesame oil inside.

Lin Zhaodi couldn’t keep solid food down and could only be fed liquids. Following the doctor’s advice, Liu Huilan dripped a few drops of sesame oil into her mouth daily to prevent the sores from sticking together.

Liu Huilan’s eyes were full of impatience. It had already been four years. At first, Su Jianguo and Su Wan still had some affection for Lin Zhaodi, so she had to take good care of her. Later, Su Jianjun’s side started paying a monthly support fee, and their family at the cannery was under close scrutiny, so she had to keep the act up.

The neighborhood committee would drop by every few days, so she couldn’t just abandon her.

Despite Liu Huilan’s daily grumbling, she never actually neglected Lin Zhaodi. Su Jianjun had already been fired, and his whole family had been kicked out of the staff housing.

Liu Huilan’s family was also walking on eggshells, afraid of stirring up rumors that might affect Su Jianguo and Su Wan’s jobs.

Lin Zhaodi, aware of her situation, ate whatever she was given without complaint, which was why she had stubbornly hung on all these years.

At least the years of effort had paid off. Thanks to Lin Zhaodi, the Su family’s reputation at the cannery had gradually improved. Su Jianguo was even reinstated to his former position, and Su Wan had moved up a notch in his career.

Logically, Lin Zhaodi’s usefulness should have ended there. But for some reason, Su Jianguo and Su Wan seemed to relish their newfound "filial sons" titles. Perhaps their career advancements had stirred some gratitude in them, or maybe the factory’s heavy promotion of such virtues had backed them into a corner.

Liu Huilan glanced at Lin Zhaodi on the hospital bed. The old woman was struggling to breathe, tubes running in and out of her body. It was clear she wouldn’t recover—the only question was how much longer she could drag it out. Every day in the hospital was costing a fortune, yet they couldn’t risk being accused of "cheaping out on her treatment."

After all, the factory leadership had just publicly praised Su Jianguo at a meeting, commending their family’s filial piety.

"Mother-in-law, I know you’re suffering like this. But dragging it out isn’t doing Jianguo or Wan any favors either.

Didn’t you always dote on Jianguo and Su Wan the most? Now Jianguo’s been reinstated, and Wan’s been promoted to team leader. Seeing your children succeed, shouldn’t you be content? Why don’t you just let go and stop burdening us?"

Lin Zhaodi turned her head toward Liu Huilan and let out a feeble groan—surprisingly strong for her condition. It seemed she wouldn’t be passing anytime soon. Liu Huilan’s mood got even more pissed.

Sitting by the bed, she slammed things around on the nightstand, making loud noises on purpose to vent her frustration.

During the hospital stay, Su Jianguo and Su Wan had brought colleagues to visit the old woman, leaving behind quite a few gifts. Just as she finished tidying up, Su Jianjun and Ji Qingqing showed up with Su Lei.

Liu Huilan immediately bristled, ready to argue. Ji Qingqing demanded to see the payment receipts, while Su Jianjun silently watched her take charge.

Then they brought up Su Wan's promotion and Su Jianguo's job transfer.

As they spoke, the argument among the three grew louder.

Su Lei, seeing his mother locked in argument with Liu Huilan, walked toward the hospital bed.

Lin Zhaodi feebly turned her head, struggling to lift it to look at Su Lei, who glared back at her darkly.

Because of her, his family had come to this.

Remembering Ji Qingqing’s complaints, Su Lei reached out and tore out the tube from Lin Zhaodi’s mouth.

Lin Zhaodi’s breathing immediately grew ragged. She looked at Su Lei with pleading eyes, tears streaming from the corners.

A rush of grim satisfaction flashed through Su Lei’s heart. He glanced at the beeping monitoring equipment nearby, unable to understand it, but noticed the wall plug. Standing on his tiptoes, he climbed up and pulled it out.

Liu Huilan happened to glance back and saw Su Lei’s actions. Her arguing faltered for a moment, but she quickly composed herself, feigning ignorance, and turned back to continue quarreling with Ji Qingqing.

Su Jianjun also saw it. His stomach dropped, and he opened his mouth as if to say something. But then he thought of the medical expenses—half of which he had to bear—and his gaze flickered. The foot he had slightly moved forward retreated, and he turned his head away.

Once the plug was pulled, the beeping stopped. Liu Huilan tensed up, her arguing voice lowering slightly.

Lin Zhaodi’s throat emitted wet, choking gasps. Her face turned red, and her hands stiffly clawed at the air. She twisted her head toward Su Jianjun and Liu Huilan at the door, mutely begging for help.

Su Lei simply watched.

The three adults, hearing Lin Zhaodi’s agonized sounds, instinctively raised their voices, drowning her out with their argument.

It was impossible to tell how much time had passed before the room finally went quiet. Liu Huilan stiffly turned her head to look at the bed.

“Oh no, Su Lei! You can’t touch that! What are you doing? Have you no sense? Doctor, doctor, come quick!”

Liu Huilan’s voice wasn’t particularly stern—it even carried a trace of relief.

At her call, doctors and nurses rushed in, crowding around the bed to try to save Lin Zhaodi.

After checking her pulse, heartbeat, and pupils, the doctor turned to Su Jianjun, Liu Huilan, and Ji Qingqing—all putting on concerned faces—and said,

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

Hearing this, Su Jianjun immediately took off his shoe and began lashing Su Lei with it, striking his backside and making him yelp in pain.

Liu Huilan had seen it. Su Jianjun had seen it. None of them had intervened—they had even pretended not to hear Lin Zhaodi’s pleas and helped cover it up. They all knew what had happened.

But Su Lei had to be beaten—because “if the child doesn’t know better, shouldn’t the adults?” Beating Su Lei was to show the adults knew better.

Ji Qingqing tried to stop him. “Jianjun, don’t hit him! What does a child understand?”

Surprisingly, even Liu Huilan—who usually clashed with them—spoke up, “Stop hitting him. How would he know what that thing does? He was probably just curious.”

“Ah… it was fate…”

Su Jianjun’s blows noticeably lightened, but he didn’t stop. Beating the child was his way of making a show of morality.

Su Lei bawled loudly until even the nurses couldn’t take it anymore, telling them to keep quiet and not disturb other patients.

That afternoon, Su Jianguo and Su Wan arrived after receiving the news. They gave Su Lei a complicated look but said nothing. Their tension toward Su Jianjun’s family had also noticeably eased.

Lin Zhaodi’s funeral was quickly arranged.

For once, Su Jianguo and Su Jianjun’s family sat together at the same table, calculating the funeral expenses and the funeral donations they’d received. The brotherly feeling flickered back to life in that moment. After deducting the funeral donations, there was still a remaining balance—but neither Liu Huilan nor Su Jianguo demanded Su Jianjun’s family chip in.