But right after dinner, Zhou Yuni sneaked into Hong Lan’s room to ask Luo Honglan and found out that it cost over 500 yuan. Knowing that her family had to pay half, which was nearly 300 yuan, she was so shocked she could hardly stand.
So naturally, she was unwilling to pay the money. When she returned to her room and Luo Dashan brought up the matter, her tone changed.
Luo Dashan himself was also startled to hear that it cost so much money, but he felt that the more they had to spend, the more their family should help share the burden. Otherwise, if it was only up to the second brother’s family, who knew when they would be able to pay it back.
Luo Dashan’s intention was that even if they couldn’t pay in full, they should at least share half of the burden, which was over 200 yuan. Zhou Yuni, who would fret over a re two yuan as if it were her lifeblood, certainly wouldn’t agree and flatly refused to pay.
Later, the two of them started arguing. In a rage similar to Luo Cuilan’s that morning, Zhou Yuni shouted furiously, "Logically speaking, the second brother’s illness shouldn’t be much of our concern. If he hadn’t gone to save Cuilan yesterday, our Zhiyong would also have jumped into the pond to rescue her, and Cuilan wouldn’t have died. He’s already of such an age; he should know his own limits. There’s no need for heroics. Now, to ask us to pay so much money – are you trying to drive to my grave?"
These words completely infuriated Luo Dashan. He already felt sorry for the second brother’s family. It was the New Year, yet they had troubled him to the point of falling ill. Not only did they have to spend money, but he also suffered in the hospital, and the family lost all festive spirit.
Zhou Yuni not only failed to appreciate the kindness of the family but said these things. Luo Dashan couldn’t hold back, as if to let out years of pent-up anger, he went up and slapped Zhou Yuni several tis.
Zhou Yuni was not one to take a beating without fighting back. She retaliated imdiately, screaming that she wanted to leave.
That’s how the situation escalated.
Fang Pingying saw that Luo Dashan had already entered the house and was throwing Zhou Yuni’s belongings out, loudly shouting for Zhou Yuni to get lost.
Zhou Yuni was standing at the entrance to the courtyard, crying miserably.
Fang Pingying felt a headache coming on. Why did it seem that the Luo Family always had more issues than others, with new troubles cropping up every day?
One mont it was a conflict between sisters-in-law, another a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law dispute, and today, it had escalated to Luo Dashan and his wife. It was truly disturbing the peace, leaving no semblance of a New Year celebration.
Zhou Yuni stood crying at the doorway for a while. At first, her emotions seed under control as she just cursed and swore.
But when she saw Luo Dashan throwing her belongings outside, she seed to break down and suddenly wailed, "I don’t want to live anymore."
With that, she rushed to a corner of the courtyard, grabbed a bottle of pesticide, unscrewed the cap, and began pouring it into her mouth.
Her resolve to commit suicide seed far more resolute than Luo Cuilan’s, frightening Fang Pingying so much that she broke into a cold sweat. Fang Pingying rushed forward, knocked the pesticide out of Zhou Yuni’s hand, and spilled it on the ground. A pungent sll of pesticide imdiately perated the courtyard. It was incredibly nauseating.
If Zhou Yuni had indeed drunk the bottle of pesticide, the Luo Family would probably be arranging a funeral tomorrow.
The scene truly shocked everyone who was already in the yard. They had not expected Zhou Yuni to resort to such a move.
After recovering from the shock, Luo Zhiming imdiately ca over, picked up the bottle of pesticide, and threw it outside, fearing that Zhou Yuni might impulsively attempt suicide again in her anger.
Luo Honglan and the others were completely dumbfounded by Zhou Yuni’s actions.
After snapping back to reality, Luo Cuilan and Fang Xiu stood still, afraid to say anything more. They worried that saying the wrong thing would exacerbate the conflict, unable to predict what Zhou Yuni might do next.
"Mom, what are you doing? You’re seeking death over such a trivial sum of money." As Luo Honglan ca to her senses, she imdiately ran to Zhou Yuni’s side, hugged her, and tearfully said, "If you can’t produce the money, I will. I’ve saved so from working; I can co up with 200 yuan."
Fang Pingying also helplessly looked at Zhou Yuni and said, "Yeah, Mom, why are you so agitated? We can sort out the money issue slowly; there’s always a solution. How can you stake your life on being angry? If you really drink this pesticide today, what will beco of our ho?"
Zhou Yuni, who hadn’t managed to drink the pesticide, sat down on the ground and started wailing. While crying and howling, she said, "I don’t want to live anymore, that Luo Dashan is worse than a pig or a dog. I’ve followed you for so many years, enduring hardships and suffering, never having seen a single good day. Now, you want to chase away for the sake of your brother, and even threw my belongings out. There’s no point in living."
Then, she fiercely shrugged off Luo Honglan and Fang Pingying’s hands that were holding her back, and said with determination, "You may be able to prevent from drinking pesticide now, but later I might go jump in a pond, or hang myself. You can’t watch over every second."
"Mom, stop making a fuss. Honglan said she has the money, there’s no need to die over it." After Luo Cuilan spoke, she called out to Luo Dashan inside the house, "Dad, can you say sothing? Do you really want my mom to die before things get better?"
Zhou Yuni’s previous extre behavior had also frightened Luo Dashan. He was now sowhat worried. Although he had blurted out in anger that he wanted a divorce from Zhou Yuni, it was rely to scare her. At their age, there was no point in a divorce, which would only be a laughingstock to others.
Seeing Yuni seeking death in desperation, he was still sowhat concerned. After so many years as husband and wife, he knew that when Zhou Yuni got worked up, she would be capable of anything. If he continued in this manner, Zhou Yuni would definitely seek death again.
Zhou Yuni’s temperant was different from that of Luo Cuilan. Even though their purposes were the sa—to make the others capitulate—Luo Cuilan’s threats to jump into a pond were feigned, whereas Zhou Yuni, once she beca impulsive, could actually take things to the extre.
But at this mont, he definitely would not admit his mistake out loud. Instead, he went and sat on the kang bed to smoke his tobacco pipe.
Deep down, Zhou Yuni wished that Luo Dashan would co and apologize to her. Seeing that he didn’t react, her lips pouted, and she imdiately began to wail again.
Luo Honglan, Luo Cuilan, and the others tried to comfort her by their side. Fang Pingying and Fang Xiu also chid in with a few persuading words from ti to ti.
Originally, due to the cold weather and it being nightti, most people in the village would have probably gone to bed to stay warm. Even if they heard so noise coming from the Luo Family, nobody would co over. But with Zhou Yuni continuing to howl like this, the disturbance made it impossible for the neighbors to sleep, and soon soone ca knocking on the courtyard gate.
The first to arrive was naturally Qiu Xiu, who lived closest to their house. She knocked on the gate from outside, "Big Brother, what’s going on at ho? Why do I hear Big Sister crying?"
Hearing Qiu Xiu’s voice, Luo Dashan imdiately responded, "It’s nothing. We just spoke too loudly, there’s no issue. Go back to sleep; it’s cold."
Qiu Xiu, not seeing Luo Dashan imdiately open the gate and guessing what might have happened, simply shouted, "Big Brother, whatever the problem is, talk it out nicely, don’t make a fuss."
"Yeah, got it, you go back quickly." Hearing Qiu Xiu’s footsteps retreating, knowing she was going back, he looked at Zhou Yuni and softened his voice a bit, "Why are you still sitting on the ground? Co inside. Do you really want to make a spectacle for people to see?"
Zhou Yuni twisted her body and glared at him, "I won’t go back, I won’t share a room with you tonight."
"You..." Luo Dashan truly couldn’t bear to look at her anymore, afraid that she would continue to make a scene as before. He simply bent down, picked her up horizontally, brought her into the house, and dropped her directly onto the kang bed.(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welco to vote with recomndation tickets and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian to read.)
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