Rebirth: The Comeback of the Girl
Chapter 132: Summoning the Dragon

Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Summoning the Dragon

Even if my brother is older now, and can handle himself, such a growth environment must still be extremely detrimental to his character development and psychological health.

Before thinking for much longer, Zhen Yan cracked the door open a bit and called through the gap, "Xiao Yu! Time to eat!"

"Coming," Zhen Yu answered, patted Han Mingyue on the shoulder, and left.

Han Mingyue watched her retreating figure and quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Being alone with her in a small space like this was just too difficult for him.

With every breath, he could smell the faint fragrance of her shampoo, and he had to control himself, not to keep staring at her profile, afraid that she would notice.

But even just glimpsing twice seemed to etch the image into his mind. Casting his eyes downward, all he could see was her chubby, rosy, cute face.

After eating, Zhen Yu and Mrs. Zhen left.

Han Mingyue said goodbye to Zhen Yan and went home as well.

——

Zhen Yu and Mrs. Zhen were neither the first nor the last to arrive.

Somehow, Uncle Cheng managed to call back several uncles from out of town.

When Zhen Yu and Mrs. Zhen arrived, the uncles from out of town were already there; only the local ones hadn’t shown up yet.

Everyone sat in silence for about ten minutes before everyone finally arrived.

Zhen Yu looked around; grandma wasn’t in the room, nor were the aunts; other than herself, it was just the six uncles and Mrs. Zhen.

Great, now that she had gathered the seven Dragon Balls, could she summon the dragon?

Zhen Yu made a cheeky remark in her mind.

Uncle Cheng was direct and to the point.

"The reason I called everyone here is to discuss grandma’s care, after all, she has so many grandchildren! It’s impossible for me to support her all by myself!"

"You’re the one to support her! How could it not be you, being the eldest?" Third Uncle Cheng bluntly said.

Uncle Cheng took a sharp breath, about to retort, when Second Uncle Cheng chimed in with a smile, "We can’t say that, we are all sons, and we all need to take responsibility!"

Zhen Yu chuckled inwardly; were Uncle Cheng and Second Uncle Cheng in cahoots? Both had received benefits; if the second brother didn’t stand by the eldest, he couldn’t blame the eldest for not backing him.

"Take responsibility? How?" asked Fifth Uncle Cheng in a calm voice.

Third Uncle Cheng sarcastically said, "How else? Take her home and take care of her! Come on, what’s the rotation plan?"

"I live too far away, I can’t take her," the eldest uncle immediately refused.

"I’m far away too! By your logic, I can’t take her either!" Now someone had set the tone, and Third Uncle Cheng immediately followed the lead.

Second Uncle Cheng continued with a smile, "Those who can, provide care, those who can’t, contribute financially! It wouldn’t be right not to do anything at all!"

Fifth Uncle Cheng stared at Uncle Cheng and asked: "What does providing care entail? How much should be contributed financially?"

Uncle Cheng spoke slowly, "Providing care means taking her home and attending to her, which depends on how many families choose to provide care before we can arrange the schedule. Financial contribution will depend on whether there are more or fewer families choosing to provide care."

"That’s not right!" Zhen Yu immediately objected.

As soon as she spoke, Uncle Cheng scolded her, "Kids should keep quiet! It’s not your place to interrupt adults’ conversation!"

He had just been on the losing end of an argument with Zhen Yu, and he knew that letting her talk too much would certainly mess up his arrangement!

"I can keep quiet, but the six of you go ahead and discuss! We will neither contribute money nor provide care. We’re leaving!" Zhen Yu promptly stood up and called to Mrs. Zhen, "Mom!"

Mrs. Zhen and her daughter had prearranged at home; she was to remain silent and follow Zhen Yu’s lead in all actions!

At that moment, the young lady called out, and promptly got up from her seat.

"Hey! Don’t you walk away! Why shouldn’t you contribute money or help out in person?" Third Uncle Cheng became anxious.

"If Uncle Cheng doesn’t welcome our involvement in the caregiving, then all of this has nothing to do with us," Zhen Yu stated icily.

Uncle Cheng certainly didn’t want to take the blame for this. "Who said you weren’t welcome?"

"Welcome, huh?" Zhen Yu first gave a sarcastic smile, then rapidly fired back, "Just contribute money monthly, everyone knows how much grandma’s living expenses are per month!"

Uncle Cheng’s face turned ashen, but it was too late to stop what was happening.

But Third Uncle Cheng caught on right away, "Exactly! How much can an old lady indulge in a month? I’ll contribute money!"

Fourth Uncle Cheng, who had been silent up until now, chimed in immediately, "I’ll contribute money too!"

Surprisingly, Zhen Yu was next in line, "My family will also contribute money!"

Now the other uncles couldn’t stand being left behind and one by one declared they’d also contribute money.

The only one left was Second Uncle Cheng, who didn’t quite kick a man when he was down, but it was obvious he’d decide to contribute financially rather than in person. Otherwise, why would he have moved people back from underneath the Dayang Tree in the beginning?

Seeing this, Uncle Cheng realized his perfect plan was falling through. There would be no one taking shifts to look after her, no chance to squeeze out some extra money; all of this was ruined by that damn girl, Zhen Yu!

He glared venomously at Zhen Yu, gritting his teeth he said, "I’ll also contribute money! But who will take care of the old lady then? Send her to a nursing home?"

Zhen Yu wasn’t afraid of his glare, it’s not like she’d lose a piece of flesh. Wen Fang immediately picked up, "If we’re sending her, then split the costs equally!"

All six uncles went silent, calculating in their heads. Would it be more economical to send grandma to a nursing home and contribute an equal share, or would it be better to take her in but with an allowance?

About five minutes later, Third Uncle Cheng spoke up, "If you’re all contributing money, then I’ll contribute my time! But we’ll have to add to the compensation! It should be split according to the nursing home’s rates!"

Uncle Cheng and Second Uncle Cheng exchanged glances, and Second Uncle Cheng took the lead, "That won’t do! If that’s how we’re calculating it, we’ll contribute our time too!"

"Indeed!" The other uncles echoed, "That rate is unacceptable!"

Zhen Yu sat back down with her mother, along with Fourth Uncle Cheng, pretending to be mute.

They just needed to wait until the others had finished their dispute and agreed on the price, then mother and daughter could leave.

After a round of haggling, pushing and shoving, exchanging tit for tat, eventually, the local uncles all changed their tunes, choosing to contribute time instead of money.

Those from out of town, however, all chose to contribute money, a three-to-three match.

Even-steven!

Zhen Yu’s family was also among those contributing money.

Each family would pay one hundred and fifty yuan per month, with four families contributing money, making it six hundred in total. Half would be used for grandma’s living expenses, and the other half as compensation for looking after her.

By the eighth day of the last lunar month, a year’s payment must be handed in! From now on, grandma would rotate living with each of the three uncles, four months at a time, starting from Uncle Cheng’s house.

Talk about making a clean and clear arrangement—family! In their eyes, kinship was merely an item used to measure gains and losses.

----

Zhen Yu and Mrs. Zhen left Uncle Cheng’s house in silence. Mrs. Zhen looked back one last time at the courtyard door, her eyes filled with sorrow.

Zhen Yu took her mother’s hand, wanting to give her courage and strength.

"Let’s go," Mrs. Zhen took a deep breath and said with a tinge of red in her eyes, "We will never come to this place again."

"Yeah!" Zhen Yu nodded, and the two of them, hand in hand, moved forward.

Winter nights fall early, and the lights had just come on.

In her heart, Zhen Yu silently spoke to her mother, "Even if there are tears at the corner of your eyes and wounds in your heart, I will personally sever your unrealistic fantasies; you’re only at midlife, the road is long, and your children will provide you with strength to journey towards poetry and distant horizons!"