The food Mother Zhang and her husband ate ca from her second son. Zhang Ermu risked his life going to the mountain just to give them enough food to eat. So, she didn't have any right to give out food to her eldest son.
After a long silence, Mother Zhang only let out a sigh and said, "Dazhi, it's hard for you. If you are busy, it's okay not to co to visit your Grandpa and Grandma."
Hearing his grandma's words, Zhang Dazhi was at a loss for words. He glanced at his father and saw him narrowing his eyes.
Fearing that he would be beaten if he failed to get so benefits, he said, "Grandma, even if I'm tired, I still have to co and visit you and Grandpa. It's just that Father and I couldn't find any food besides so wild vegetables in the mountains."
As soon as he said this, his second brother chid in, "Grandma, can my siblings and I stay with you for a few days? It's been a long ti since I slept with you."
The second son was only three years old, so it was normal for him to request to sleep with his grandma.
When they heard his words, Mother Zhang was stunned, while Father Zhang placed his teacup down with a thud. He looked at his eldest son and saw the calculation in his eyes.
The mont he t his father's stern gaze, Zhang Damu lowered his head.
Seeing that his eldest son was still scheming to get benefits from his second son, Father Zhang spoke, disappointnt clear in his voice.
"Eldest, when you and your wife demanded to separate the household, we gave you 80% of our grains and money. Even the pots and pans were taken away by you."
"All these years, even when you kept asking for money and food from your brother, we said nothing. But today is your brother's wedding day. Can't you just be a good brother once and stop causing trouble for him?"
"It's not easy for your brother to finally start his own family. So, stop pestering him and taking advantage of his kindness. Now, he has a wife and will have children in the future. If you continue taking his money and grains, how can he feed his family?"
"Have you ever thought about your brother's well-being? How can you be so selfish when you are the eldest in the family?" Father Zhang asked.
Zhang Damu finally t his father's gaze after hearing these words. He let out a chuckle and said, "Father, you always compare to my brother."
"In your eyes, no matter what I do, it's never enough. In your heart, there is only a place for my brother. Do you think I wanted to beco like this? I never wanted it! It's all because of you and Mother being partial to my brother!"
When Father Zhang heard this, he shook his head and said, "It's indeed my fault. I shouldn't have put all my hopes on you and pushed you harder."
"If I had known you would turn into this kind of person today, I would rather have let you beco a useless person. At least you wouldn't have hard your own brother just for a little bit of benefit."
Although he spoke softly, Father Zhang's words hit Zhang Damu hard. He looked at his father with reddened eyes and said in disbelief, "Father, do you know what you just said?"
Mother Zhang reached out and held her husband's hand, saying worriedly, "Husband—"
But before she could finish, Father Zhang patted her hand and said, "Wife, what should be said must still be said. He had to know the truth."
Hearing this, Mother Zhang let out a long sigh and shook her head. Even though she knew the result of today's conversation, she couldn't do anything once her husband made up his mind.
Father Zhang looked at his eldest son and said, "Eldest, you said that your mother and I are partial toward your brother, but do you know that we always gave the best things to you?"
"When you went to school, your brother had to go to the mountain foothills to pick up firewood and gather wild vegetables. If he brought back mushrooms, the one who ate the mushroom was you, while he was only able to drink the soup."
"When you complained about having little at, your brother didn't even have a drop of oil. When you wore new clothes, your brother wore your old clothes full of patches. When you went out to play, your brother stayed at ho doing house chores."
"After all this, never once did your brother complain. Even when you said you wanted to get married but had no money for the bride price, he took out all of his savings for you."
"For you, he sacrificed his future. But what did you give back to him?" he asked.
Taking a deep breath to calm his emotions, Father Zhang continued, "You didn't want to study—fine, we didn't force you. But instead of working hard, you befriended delinquents, gambled, and got drunk."
"You stole the family's money ant to treat your mother's leg, causing her to limp for the rest of her life, tortured by pain every day."
"You demanded we separate the household—fine, we did it for you. We gave you all the good stuff, and your brother was left with only a broken bowl."
"Now that his life is finally getting better, you co to borrow money and grains again. But ask yourself, have you ever returned anything you borrowed? Never. Has your brother ever asked you about those debts? Never."
"So, on what basis do you say those words to us? On what basis do you act like your brother owes you the world?!"
At the end of his words, Father Zhang's tone beca harsh, and he slamd his hand on the table.
Zhang Damu was stunned by his father's words and could only look at him dazedly.
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