After the cannon fodder father and daughter married into the family, the whole family regretted it

Chapter 994 Qian Wenlong's Visit (2-in-1)

Meng Lan smiled, her eyes crinkling.

Fang Tong rolled his eyes and left with his son and daughter.

We need to visit each household to offer New Year's greetings, especially the old village chief's house, the Qin clan chief's house, and the Fang clan chief's house...

He brought his children along, so shouldn't each family give him some lucky money? Neither of the children are married yet.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, some villagers do visit relatives and friends, but children usually only visit two or three close relatives' homes; it's rare to see someone like Fang Tong.

If you encounter a shameless or immature child, your family can pretend they don't see them, chat for a few minutes, and then send them on their way.

But can Fang Tong and his children be appeased?

They should be warmly welcomed, and all the delicious food and fun things prepared for the New Year should be brought out. Red envelopes should also be prepared.

The red envelope can't be just one or two coins; it has to be thick, at least a hundred coins.

In any case, most of the families visited felt both heartache and joy.

Fang Tong is an official who lives in a big house in the capital. He's so rich, yet he still tries to "scam" his children out of their New Year's money!

This guy is still the same shameless coward!

Especially the Qin and Fang clan elders, they knew very well that they had already offended Fang Tong to the core, and no matter how well they were entertained, it would be of no use.

I can't curry favor with them anymore.

It's upsetting to have wasted such a big red envelope.

The old clan chief Qin simply decided to ignore it and had his son entertain the guests.

Elder Fang couldn't avoid it, so he forced a smile and gave the two children red envelopes.

Qin Yan and Fang Nanzhi waved their hands politely and skillfully.

"No need, Grandpa Fang, we've all grown up."

"We really can't accept this; we just came to wish you a Happy New Year."

Elder Fang felt as if a piece of his heart was being torn out, but he still had to offer words of comfort.

"You're still young, so you can't skimp on your New Year's money."

"It's almost assembled. I'll buy a pen and ink later."

Look at him, he clearly doesn't want to give it, but he still has to beg people to accept it.

Fang Tong must have deliberately come to make things difficult for him during the Chinese New Year.

The two children couldn't resist the persuasion and finally "reluctantly" accepted it.

Fang Tong thought the colorful expressions on the old clan chief's face were really beautiful.

I wanted to sit on the kang (heated brick bed) and admire the view a little longer.

Fang Nanzhi tugged at his sleeve. "Forget it, Dad. This man is too old. It wouldn't sound good if he got so angry during the New Year."

Fang Tong could only regretfully take his leave.

They left, and the door closed behind them.

Fang Tong clicked his tongue: "Closing the door on the first day of the Lunar New Year, is that to prevent the God of Wealth from entering? Has the old man gone senile?"

Qin Yan silently watched as his father got the benefit and then acted innocent.

Fortunately, not everyone was like that. People like the old village chief, Grandpa Ma, and Grandpa Gou Dan were very welcoming to them.

I prepared the red envelope a long time ago, and it contained a silver ingot of one tael.

This is considered extremely generous in the village.

When the three of them strolled home with their New Year's money, Fang Yin watched them count their lucky money and felt a little envious.

He stroked his chin and said, "Why don't I go too, and ask for one for my wife's unborn child?"

Meng Lan reached out and pinched his waist.

You're not allowed to go. That's too shameless. How can you ask for New Year's money before your child is even born?

While things were bustling inside, people came from outside the courtyard.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the Qin family naturally had people coming to pay their respects, and the gates were always open, allowing everyone to enter.

But this time Wei Dao stopped the man. He keenly recognized that the man was not from Mushan Village.

Qian Wenlong carried a piece of meat and a box of pastries, his face showing an expression of wanting to be angry but not daring to.

I mainly felt that Wei Dao's appearance and eyes were too fierce.

"I'm Qin Yan's maternal uncle, why can't I come in?"

"Yes, I am Qian's sister-in-law, and these three are her nephews!"

Cao seemed more confident than her husband.

They came to the Qin family's banquet that day, hoping to reconnect with Qian Fengping.

But there were too many high-ranking officials at the banquet, which terrified the couple so much that they didn't dare to approach them.

Even after the banquet ended, some high-ranking official, the prefect, was still there, so they lost their nerve to approach him and slunk away.

But when I got home, the more I thought about it, the more upset I became.

Qian Wenlong thought that his younger sister was the wife of an official, his brother-in-law was an official, and his brother-in-law's older brother was a general.

The family was so rich they were practically rolling in oil.

With their means, even a little bit of money slipping through their fingers would be enough for them to live a life of luxury.

He's Qian Fengping's older brother! How could this girl be so heartless as to not help her own brother?

Cao was even more resigned than him. Lying on the kang, she thought about what Qian Fengping wore and what her sister-in-law wore. She was so jealous and envious that she tossed and turned and couldn't sleep.

She was Qian Fengping's sister-in-law, so she should also wear gold and silver, and wanted to try out what a jade hairpin looked like.

Having witnessed such wealth, the couple felt as if a needle had pierced their hearts. Their inherently greedy nature was now almost overwhelming, causing them to completely lose their reason.

In particular, in the following days, people from the village came to their house to chat.

Ask them if they had seen a high-ranking official?

Does your brother-in-law, who's a high-ranking official, even acknowledge you as his brother-in-law? Oh dear, he probably won't treat you like dog shit.

It's Chinese New Year, and your own nephew isn't coming to visit you?

Provoked by such sarcastic remarks, the couple finally made up their minds.

We must come back again and try to get something from the Qin family, otherwise we'll suffer a huge loss.

The people inside the house heard the noise.

Fang Tong raised an eyebrow: "I'll go and send them away."

He wanted to teach them a lesson when they came to the banquet last time, but he hadn't had the chance to do it yet. He planned to wait until after the New Year, before they left, to take action.

I never expected that this couple would dare to come.

Qian Fengping pulled him back, her expression not very good, but her tone was calm.

"Let them in. It's the first day of the Lunar New Year. There's no reason to turn away guests."

"Since they want to see me, I will personally receive them."

Qian Fengping is no longer the widow who lost her husband, whose son was still young, and who was humiliated when she went to her family for help.

Her temperament has also undergone subtle changes in recent years.

She now has the ability to solve problems.

Yu Chai wore a light blue cotton coat and black cotton trousers. These were clothes that the mansion had issued to the maids, and she had only worn them for about a month.

Just in terms of her attire, she looked much more presentable than Qian Wenlong's family.

At this moment, she was expressionless, walked with the gait measured by a ruler, and extended her hand in a gesture of respect: "Guest, Madam invites you."

Even though the Qin family's courtyard was simple, Qian Wenlong still felt a sense of solemnity and pressure.

Cao's eyes darted around, making no attempt to conceal her gaze as she looked the maid up and down.

I was furious after reading it. How could a maidservant have such fair skin and rosy lips, and wear better clothes than me?

If it weren't for Wei Dao's sake, she would have even tried to tear off the maid's silver earrings and hairpins.

The maidservant led the couple to the main room.

Upon entering, you are greeted by a wave of heat. Not only is there a stove burning in the room, but there are also two basins of silver charcoal in the corner.

Qian Wenlong didn't recognize the charcoal, but he could tell that it was a good product because it burned without producing smoke and had a faint fragrance.

Only Qian Fengping and a maid were in the room. The others probably realized that she wanted to handle the matter alone, so they made excuses to leave.

Qian Fengping was sitting upright in the chair, exuding an air of nobility and sharpness.

Qian Wenlong looked at her, his heart pounding inexplicably, feeling that this wasn't his sister anymore.

It wasn't his. He bullied her since she was a child, and after she got married, he treated her like water spilled on the ground.

"Little sister-in-law." Cao Shi didn't think that way at all. She smiled first and tried her best to be ingratiating.

"Why didn't you visit your parents' home when you went back to your hometown?"

She pulled the three children over: "These are all your nephews. It's been so many years since you last saw them. They've all grown so tall."

The three children had already been taught this, and they all knelt down on the ground in unison.

"Happy New Year, Auntie!"

"Auntie, I miss you. Mom said that you were the one who washed my diapers when I was little."

"Hello, Auntie!"

The children stared longingly at the person at the head of the table.

They had met their aunt before, but didn't remember her well. Their mother said that their aunt was cursed and had caused her husband's death, so they should stay away from her and avoid getting tainted by her bad luck.

They also knew that their aunt was different now, and their mother told them to curry favor with her, because in the future, besides their cousin Qin Yan's business, they might also get a share.

As for my aunt's adopted daughter, she's just a little girl and belongs to someone else's family, so there's no need to worry about her at all.

When Qian Fengping met the children's burning gazes, her feelings were much more complicated.

My sister-in-law had just given birth, and there was no one at home to take care of her, so my older brother came to call her.

Back then, Qin Yan's father was still alive, and she was called "Scholar's Wife," which was considered a respectable title.

But when her older brother called her, she would go back to take care of her sister-in-law during her postpartum period, and wash her nephew's diaper... She didn't mind any of the dirty or tiring work.

Because she thought that helping her sister-in-law was helping her brother.

Later, a sudden change occurred in her family, and she repeatedly went to their home to beg for help, gradually realizing that she had no brother.

She still remembers how her nephews had grown up, and how they chased her away with rotten eggs and cabbage leaves.

Qian Fengping's face showed no smile, she simply asked indifferently.

"I don't deserve to be called 'little aunt'."

"Didn't you call me a stinking beggar, a jinx who brings bad luck to his husbands?"

The voice that was once so innocent spoke such vicious words, like thorns piercing her heart one by one.

The children looked blank at first, then their faces flushed red as they finally remembered something.

At the time, my mother said that we couldn't let my aunt into the house, because she would come in to freeload. That's why they thought of kicking her out.

Cao's expression also turned sour: "Sister-in-law, what do you mean by this? You're so old, why are you still arguing with the children?"

"These are all your own nephews, the roots of your Qian family. The children have all come to wish you a Happy New Year. What more do you want?"

Qian Wenlong felt that his wife was too quick to speak; how could she talk like that when someone came to ask for a favor?

He coughed, somewhat embarrassed, "Ping'er, the children were young and didn't know any better. Can I have them apologize?"

This nickname feels like a return to childhood, when her parents were still alive, and people always called her Ping'er.

It exudes intimacy and indulgence.

She got married and I haven't heard from her since.

Qian Fengping was momentarily dazed. Looking at her brother's cautious and seemingly honest face, she knew that things were no longer the same as before.

"The child is ignorant, but what about the adults? Brother, after all these years, have you ever cared about your sister?"

Qian Wenlong licked his dry lips: "Ping'er, what are you saying? You're my own sister, how could I not miss you?"

He stretched out his rough, large hand and wiped his face.

“Ping’er, I admit that I didn’t treat you well before. I didn’t help you when your husband died. I was wrong. I’m heartless.”

"But back then, I had a hard time too. My parents had passed away long ago, and I was the sole breadwinner with three kids waiting to be fed. What could I do?"

"Brother can't just abandon his own family, can he?"

These words seem sincere and heartfelt, as if the indifference they showed back then was truly a helpless act.

If it were Qian Fengping a few years ago, she would have believed it. It's not easy to trust her brother, and she might even feel guilty for causing him trouble.

But she wouldn't do that now.

Qian Fengping knew that the Qian family only had one son and one daughter. Although her parents' property was not much, they had twenty mu of good farmland and thirty mu of dry land. They also had a large millstone that they could use to grind flour and rice for others, and they could make a living from it.

Her brother's life wasn't exactly easy, but it wasn't too difficult either; the family definitely had savings.

All this is to say that Qian Wenlong simply didn't want to help her back then.

Qian Fengping closed her eyes. Some facts, though painful, still had to be accepted.

Seeing her expression, Qian Wenlong assumed she had softened, so he pressed on.

“Ping’er, I’ve regretted it all these years. But now that I see you’re doing well, I’m happier than anyone else. Trust me.”

"Well, since that's the case, brother already knows I'm doing well, so go back to where you came from."

Qian Fengping said indifferently.

Qian Wenlong choked immediately.

How could he just leave like that?

Cao could not bear it any longer.

"Sister-in-law, what are you saying? It's the New Year, and your brother and sister-in-law are bringing your nephew over. Aren't you going to entertain them?"

"I don't need to say how good it is, but like the banquet that day, there should be at least dozens of dishes, right?"

"We know you haven't seen your nephews in a long time, so we should get to know them better. Shouldn't we stay at your house for a couple of days? You have so many maids, you can give me two to serve me."

As she spoke, Cao pointed to the jade hairpin.

“This one will do. Give her to me, and I’ll have her be your nephew’s child bride. Your nephew should be getting married in a couple of years. Don’t worry, I don’t mind that she’s too old.”

“This maid is wearing jewelry and looks a bit unruly, but she has a decent face and a big bottom, so she can bear sons. I’ll just have to make do with your nephew.”

Yu Chai immediately sensed that one of the kneeling boys was fixing his greasy, sticky gaze on her.

Yu Chai's face turned pale, and she lowered her head without saying a word.

Qian Fengping completely ignored her, only staring coldly at Qian Wenlong.

What do you think, brother?

Qian Wenlong's eyes darted away. He felt he still wanted money, a house, and a girl to send his son to school...

But we can't say yet; we have to take it one step at a time.

"Ping'er, I'd like to stay here too, so we can get closer."

Qian Fengping scoffed, "Is this what you mean by being happy for me, brother? You mean you're happy that I can come to your door and freeload?"

She changed the subject: "What a pity, I won't let my elder brother take advantage of me even a single penny!"

Qian Wenlong looked up angrily. How dare this good-for-nothing talk to him like that?

But after thinking about the difference in their current status, he clenched his fist.

“Ping’er, won’t you forgive your brother? Our parents are gone. In this world, only the two of us siblings are left, and we are the closest of blood relatives.”

"Our parents always told us siblings to take care of each other, you..."

"Oh!"

A teacup was thrown out and hit Qian Wenlong hard on the forehead.

Blood immediately started flowing from his head.

Qian Fengping stood up and approached him step by step.

"You dare mention your parents? Qian Wenlong, how dare you even mention your parents?"

"After all these years, don't you have even the slightest remorse?"