Hu Guangcai gave a start, grabbed the chicken, and bolted, disappearing toward the entrance of the back mountain in the blink of an eye.
Feng Yun’s eyes went wide. She grabbed her shoe and chased after him, shouting, "You stop right there!"
Hu Chunhua quickly held her back, smiling as she persuaded her, "Mom, Sixth Brother is fast, you won't catch him. Besides, you know what he’s like. You’ve scolded him so many times, has it ever worked?"
Feng Yun nearly choked on her own breath. She turned and glared at Hu Chunhua. "What did you say?"
Hu Chunhua kept a smile on her face, her tone relaxed. "Mom, that’s just how Sixth Brother is. You can’t out-argue him; don't make yourself sick over it."
Feng Yun took a deep breath, feeling momentarily speechless.
She had just vented so much, and now this girl—having let out her own grievances—was suddenly being "magnanimous"? Had she forgotten all her own resentment? It was truly a case of wishing someone would finally stand up for themselves.
But she also knew that a personality, once formed, couldn't be changed overnight.
She couldn't rush it. She had to take it slow.
*Don't be anxious... yeah, right!* It was enough to drive her mad!
She was still fuming, and even looking at Chunhua annoyed her now. She shoved the girl aside, shot her a glare, jammed her foot back into her shoe, and stormed off.
Just as she stepped out the door, she bumped into her fifth son, Hu Guangcong, who was heading back.
Feng Yun paused, and the anger on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a touch of tenderness.
"Fifth one is back? Hurry up and wash your face so we can eat."
She went back inside, fetched a basin of water, and handed him a wrung-out towel.
Hu Guangcong looked suspicious. He took a step back and said tentatively, "Mom, I can do it myself."
Feng Yun: "..."
Her heart felt sour and tight.
The fourth son was the eldest, while the fifth and sixth were twins, with the fifth only an hour older than the sixth. But the sixth son could cry and make a scene, and he had a sweet tongue that charmed the whole family into pampering him. The fifth son, caught in the middle, was silent and sullen—hardly a favorite.
Gradually, the family’s focus had shifted entirely to the sixth son. The fifth had followed in Chunhua’s footsteps, doing the lion's share of the work at home while getting the least to show for it. Later, when he and the fourth son had a falling out, Hu Jianguo had twisted his ear so hard it was damaged, which made finding a match difficult. He’d ended up marrying He Xiaomei, an honest girl from the neighboring village, and the two of them kept their heads down and farmed in the countryside.
But human nature being what it is, comparisons are inevitable. The sons who had achieved success had moved to the city, leaving only the fifth to toil in the fields. Naturally, the parents had leaned further toward the successful ones, neglecting the fifth son more and more.
They say that "the far away are dear, while the nearby are a plague." Old folks always pined for the children far away, while picking on the ones right under their noses. The fifth son and his wife had been dutiful, staying by their side and taking care of every headache or fever. But the second, third, fourth, and sixth sons? They lived well outside, yet when had they ever contributed a cent of filial support? When had they ever come back when she really needed them? They only practiced "filial piety" over the phone, using those calls to blame the fifth son and his wife for not doing enough.
Hearts grow cold slowly. Feng Yun didn't blame the fifth son for the indifference he had shown her in her past life; she owed him that much.
Thinking of this, the tenderness in Feng Yun’s eyes deepened. She extended the towel further. "Take it, wash your face."
Before Hu Guangcong could react, Hu Jianguo snatched the towel and tossed it into his hands. "Your mother told you to wash your face. Are you deaf? Why are you standing there like a pillar?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Feng Yun walked over and slapped the back of Hu Jianguo’s head with a *smack*.
"What business is it of yours if the fifth one acts like this? Why are you being so fierce?"
Hu Jianguo clutched the back of his head, feeling like he might cry. Why was everything he did wrong? What was wrong with the old woman today? Had she taken the wrong medicine?
Hu Guangcong was just as baffled. His mother had never treated his father like that; it was usually the other way around. What had happened today? Had the tables turned?
His gaze drifted involuntarily to his eldest sister, Hu Chunhua, but he saw only a relaxed joy on her face, as if this version of their mother were perfectly normal.
He hesitated for a moment, then took the towel. "Thanks, Mom."
Feng Yun finally retracted her glare from Hu Jianguo, a look of warmth returning to her face. "You must be hungry. Wash up quickly; the food is already on the table. Let’s go eat."
After Hu Guangcong washed his face, Hu Jianguo did the same, and they headed inside.
Feng Yun sat at the table, having already portioned out the rice.
Hu Jianguo glanced around the room and asked, "Chunhua, where is your sixth brother?"
Hu Chunhua instinctively looked at Feng Yun, terrified that mentioning the sixth would set her off again. But since her father had asked, she couldn't ignore it, so she explained what had just happened.
Hu Jianguo rushed to the chicken coop. Sure enough, only three hens were left. He trembled with rage.
He was used to pampering the sixth son—he didn't work, he chased cats and dogs, but at least he didn't cost much. But now he was snatching the family's chickens and running off? He’d likely finish them off with his good-for-nothing friends before coming back.
In this day and age, even if a chicken wasn't worth much, every household was restricted to keeping only five. They were meant for the end of the year, and that rooster was needed for hatching eggs next season! It was enough to infuriate him!
"Feng Yun, look at the disaster you've raised!"
Feng Yun sneered. "Yes, the disaster I raised. It’s not like he’s your own flesh and blood, is he?"
Hu Jianguo felt as though he’d been throttled. He laughed sheepishly. "Should we go after him now?"
"Can you catch him?" Feng Yun gave him a cold look. "If you can catch him, go ahead. I’m an old woman, and I don't feel like putting myself through that."
Hu Jianguo chuckled awkwardly. "You’re joking. You’re as sturdy as ever. Since we aren't chasing him, let's eat. We need to be full for work this afternoon."
Hu Guangcong sat down, swallowing hard as he looked at the plate of leeks and eggs. "Didn't they say the fourth brother was coming back? Where is he?"
Just as he spoke, Hu Guangjin walked in. His face was long, as if everyone in the world owed him money.
When Hu Guangcong saw the slap marks on his face, he looked surprised. Hu Guangjin caught the look and immediately snapped, "What are you looking at? I’m your fourth brother! Do you dare mock me?"
Hu Guangcong hurriedly said, "Don't misunderstand, Fourth Brother. I’m just worried about you. What happened to your face? Was it Educated Youth Xu?"
Hu Guangcong couldn't imagine his mother had done it. His brother was an educated man who prided himself on his reputation and rarely got into arguments with anyone. He couldn't think of anyone but Xu Lijuan who would dare hit him.
Hu Guangjin stomped his feet in anger. "Lijuan would never hit me! She dotes on me and cares for me—unlike some people. They go on and on about being family, claiming they’d do anything for me, but when things get critical, they abandon me and act all cold and cynical. I’m just... ouch!"