Chapter 42: No

Wen Fengjuan flew into a rage. "What of the family split? Does dividing the household mean you are no longer Mother's son? Does it mean you are no longer my third brother?"

Third Brother Wen stood there in a daze. "Naturally I am..."

"What are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Pushed along by Wen Fengjuan, Third Brother Wen turned his steps around.

Standing before the gates of the old Wen family residence once more, Third Brother Wen felt a complex and painful ache in his heart.

The household split had been exceptionally bitter and resolute at the time.

Yet now, hearing that his birth mother was injured, he still felt an indescribable churning in his gut.

Wen Fengjuan pushed open the wicker gate. "Third Brother, why are you just standing there? Come in!"

Pulled along by Wen Fengjuan, Third Brother Wen stepped through the front gate. Nothing in the courtyard had changed. Next, they entered Old Madam Wen's room.

Old Madam Wen was propped up against the pillows on her bed. The eldest and second households were all present, save for the two brothers studying in town.

As soon as Third Brother Wen entered, all eyes turned toward him, filled with hostility.

Wen Fengjuan stepped forward. "Mother, I've brought Third Brother back to see you."

Old Madam Wen glanced at Third Brother Wen, then averted her gaze and remained silent.

The atmosphere instantly turned awkward. Overcome with embarrassment and a sudden pang of guilt, Third Brother Wen stammered, "Mother, how did you manage to hurt yourself picking mushrooms on the mountain?"

Old Brother Wen let out a cold snort. "And who's fault is that? If you hadn't gotten Second Brother fired and left the family with no income, Mother wouldn't have had to go up the mountain to make ends meet!"

Third Brother Wen felt a bitter taste in his mouth—a mix of guilt, heartache, and suppressed grievance. "If—if Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law hadn't schemed to sell Lanya, would they ever have lost their jobs in the first place?"

Old Brother Wen looked ready to throw a punch, but Old Brother Two rushed forward ahead of him.

"So I'm the villain, is that it? I've already apologized, what more do you want? Must you keep hounding me about it? Do you only be happy if I drop dead right here in front of you?"

Third Brother Wen was startled.

"Speak! Is that what it takes for you to drop this? Is it? Is it? Fine, I'll satisfy you right now! A dead man ought to make you happy and content."

With that, Old Brother Two snatched the scissors from the chest of drawers and lunged at himself. Old Brother Wen, Madam Fang, and Madam Luo shrieked in terror as they rushed to stop him.

"Second Brother, what are you doing? Put that down!" Wen Fengjuan cried out anxiously, then turned to shove Third Brother Wen. "Third Brother, hurry up and pull Second Brother back!"

Only then did Third Brother Wen snap out of his stupor. He grabbed hold of Old Brother Two. "Put the scissors down! When did I ever tell you to die?"

"Then why do you keep dragging up that old piece of business over and over again? We've all admitted our mistakes, what else do you want from us?"

Third Brother Wen choked, momentarily at a loss for what to do. "I..."

Wen Fengjuan placed herself between Old Brother Two and Third Brother Wen. "Enough, enough! What is all this shouting about? Shut your mouths, the lot of you! Since the four of us siblings are all here today, let's just clear the air once and for all! Third Brother, although Second Brother was in the wrong first, he has a point—what is it you actually want?"

Third Brother Wen was bewildered by the question. "I—I don't want anything..."

Wen Fengjuan let out a heavy sigh. "If you don't want anything, why do you keep dragging up the past at every turn?"

Third Brother Wen was completely dumbfounded.

Wen Fengjuan pressed on. "Let me ask you this: now that you've split from the family and moved out, do you no longer acknowledge Mother and your brothers?"

"Of course I do."

"Then why keep up this endless bickering? It's true that Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law made mistakes earlier, but they've already been punished. We are flesh and blood; whatever conflicts we had in the past are water under the bridge. If you still harbor resentment, if you have any grievances or demands, just spit them out! Go on, say it!"

Say it? What was he supposed to say? Third Brother Wen was struck completely speechless by Wen Fengjuan's interrogation.

Although he was annoyed with the eldest and second households, his annoyance went no further; he had never intended to demand anything specific from Old Brother Two's family.

After pondering for a moment, Third Brother Wen muttered defensively, "I wasn't the one bickering. Eldest Brother brought it up first."

Wen Fengjuan glared at Old Brother Wen before smoothing things over. "Fine, fine. The matter is in the past, and from now on, nobody is allowed to bring it up again. Eldest Brother, what do you say?"

Old Brother Wen grunted. "Not bringing it up again, then!"

Madam Fang cried with reddened eyes, "Third Brother... we were in the wrong before. We are apologizing right here; beat us, kill us, do whatever you want with us... sob, sob, sob..."

Deeply shaken, Third Brother Wen stood frozen and helpless in his spot.

His second brother and second sister-in-law had always been lofty figures in the household; when had they ever lowered themselves to speak to him with such humility?

Anxious, Third Brother Wen blurted out, "I just said... I don't want anything..."

Wen Fengjuan smiled brightly. "Right, right, everything is in the past now! We're all brothers and sisters, clearing the air makes everything better."

Third Brother Wen sighed inwardly, feeling that while the logic seemed sound, something still felt slightly amiss.

Old Brother Two muttered in a sullen tone, "Aren't you going to go check on Mother? Ever since you left, Mother has been crying every single night."

Reluctantly, Third Brother Wen shuffled over to the bedside. "Mother... where are you hurt?"

Old Madam Wen put on a stern face. "Where else could it be? My lower back, naturally. That kick from last time still hasn't healed properly..."

Knowing full well that the kick had come from Wen Ye, Third Brother Wen shrank his neck in involuntary dread.

Stricken with guilt, he fumbled frantically and pulled out a large string of copper coins—the exact one hundred cash Wen Ye had given him as a deposit:

"Mother, take this to buy some food, and don't go up the mountain anymore."

Old Madam Wen and the others drew in a sharp breath. Third Brother used to have pockets cleaner than his face, yet now he produced one hundred cash without blinking. He really was making money!

Who in the village didn't know that Third Brother's household had taken up selling cold dishes and that the business was booming?

Word had it that they were making dozens, even a hundred cash a day.

At that rate, they must be pulling in two or three taels of silver a month at the very least.

When the old residence heard this news, their eyes had turned green with envy. That was the only reason they had sent Wen Fengjuan to drag Third Brother back here.

Old Brother Wen blurted out anxiously, "Just one hundred cash? What is that supposed to cover?"

Third Brother Wen's face stiffened. "Is one hundred cash not enough?"

Old Brother Wen scoffed, "Chengwen and Chenghwu are still waiting to buy brushes and ink. This pittance is barely enough to brush off a beggar."

Madam Luo chimed in with a sour tone, "Who doesn't know your family has struck it rich selling cold dishes, raking in a hundred cash a day? You've had your stall open for so many days, and with Mother lying here sick, this is all you give out of filial piety?"

Third Brother Wen felt a prick of guilty panic. Their family didn't make a mere hundred cash a day—they made one or two taels!

He mumbled, "That's all there is... there isn't any more... Ye'ya's the one holding the purse strings."

Old Madam Wen had the sudden urge to beat Third Brother to death, but she knew better than anyone how spineless he was and that he had no grasp of household management.

She had long suspected that the money was all in the hands of that wild girl.

Besides, summoning him here hadn't been about shaking him down for cash.

With that thought, Old Madam Wen accepted the money, dabbing at her tears. "Though it's not quite enough, it will at least cover the medicine for this time. I suppose I'll just have to go back up the mountain to pick mushrooms to sell."

Hearing this, Third Brother Wen felt another wave of deep distress wash over him.

Wen Fengjuan sighed deeply, looking straight at Third Brother Wen. "Third Brother, with Second Brother incapacitated as a pillar of the family, our expenses far exceed our income!"

Madam Fang forced a bitter smile. "In the past, almost all the money we earned was handed over to the family. What are we supposed to do from now on? I hear Third Brother's household is so busy with business you can barely keep up. How about... how about you teach us how to make these cold dishes? That way, the family will have a livelihood and a steady income, and Mother won't have to suffer and wear herself out."

Taken completely aback, Third Brother Wen refused without a second thought. "No."

With that, he turned right around and walked out.

Left staring at the spot where Third Brother Wen had vanished so fast not even a shadow remained, Old Madam Wen, the eldest and second households, and Wen Fengjuan sat in stunned bewilderment.