Witty Wife, Better Life
Chapter 433 - 423 Spilt Water Is Hard to Retrieve

Chapter 433: Chapter 423 Spilt Water Is Hard to Retrieve

At the request of Elder Shen, Shen Yunfang sat at the edge of the kang bed in Elder Shen’s home and began to discuss some rumors about Shen Yunxiu. Of course, considering the old couple’s capacity to handle the news, she only mentioned the more credible rumors, and she emphasized at the end that these were purely rumors and she bore no responsibility for them.

The faces of Elder Shen and his wife darkened as they listened to Shen Yunfang’s litany of stories. Elder Shen had returned home while Shen Yunfang was only halfway through.

"Old man, what should we do? Our Yunxiu must be suffering over there." After listening, Elder Shen’s wife’s tears fell freely, as if they cost her nothing.

Elder Shen remained silent. After all, it was his daughter who had willingly married off; there was little he could do about it.

"Let’s go and see Yunxiu again. Her leg is broken, and I don’t know if the Fang Family is taking good care of her. I just can’t feel at ease not seeing her for myself," Elder Shen’s wife was anxious. As they say, when a child travels a thousand miles, the mother worries; her daughter had married so far away, and she, as a mother, was constantly concerned.

"Go and see her? It’s our busiest time now; how can I leave? Can you find your way there by yourself? Besides, do you even have any money?" Elder Shen said irritably.

Let’s not even discuss whether he, the production team leader, could take time off at this critical moment. The family’s financial situation simply did not permit it.

The last trip to the Capital to see their daughter had cost quite a bit of money. They had only saved enough for the return tickets before leaving, and the rest had been given to their daughter. The one hundred yuan from Yunfang was sent to her daughter shortly after their return because she had broken her leg, leaving very little money at home. Going to the Capital again would leave them unable to afford everyday living expenses.

Elder Shen’s wife knew the situation at home all too well, so after hearing Elder Shen’s words, she subconsciously turned her gaze towards Shen Yunfang.

Anyone who could buy a house in the Capital and readily give away one hundred yuan should have some money left when they return to their hometown.

Shen Yunfang, with her sharp perception, immediately noticed the probing look in her aunt’s eyes.

She smiled faintly. Her aunt must not be treating her as an ATM machine, right? She couldn’t have forgotten that she was just their niece, could she? And all the past favors had been accounted for and sold back to them for a steep price of one hundred yuan. By giving them that amount, she had cleared any debts she owed Elder Shen’s family. From now on, they were just normal relatives, and if they thought about asking her for money, they could forget about it.

Some people are truly short-sighted, only able to see the small benefits in front of them. They would soon realize that they had picked up the sesame seeds but lost the watermelon.

"Elder uncle, Elder auntie, you two continue chatting. I’m going to take the kids home to tidy up a bit. We’ve just got back and haven’t even entered our house yet," Shen Yunfang said with a smile, as she picked up the luggage on the ground, ready to call her own children to leave.

As soon as Pangpang entered Elder Shen’s house, he had led Manman into the backyard to chase chickens and play with dogs, adjusting quite quickly.

"Yunfang, don’t go. The house is all cold and empty as you’ve just come back. Why not have lunch here today? Let your aunt cook a meal for you," Elder Shen spoke up, wanting her to stay. He had been somewhat angry with his niece when he was in the Capital, but after returning and calming down, he felt ashamed. How could he have been so foolish as to have heeded his daughter’s words and troubled his niece? Yunfang had no obligation to help Yunxiu. They had imposed on her, unreasonably demanding her assistance.

Shen Yunfang looked back to see her aunt still sitting motionless by the kang bed, so she smiled and said, "Uncle, it’s not a good time. You and auntie are quite upset about Yunxiu’s situation. I won’t add to your troubles. Besides, sooner or later, I’ll have to go back home; it’s more comfortable there." With that, she turned and walked out of the door, calling her children to leave.

Elder Shen sighed as he watched his motionless wife and then followed Yongfang outside, shuffling in his shoes. "Yunfang, I’ve already taken care of the house for you after coming back. It’s now under your name, and no one can take it away from you. Just live there peacefully," he said.

"Oh, alright then. Thank you, uncle," Shen Yunfang responded. This was the first piece of good news she had received since returning. The main reason for coming back was indeed concerning the house, and she hadn’t expected her uncle to have already sorted it out. Now, no one could use the lack of a male heir in the Shen Family as a reason to confiscate her house.

She understood why her uncle had done this, but as the saying goes, "Spilled water is hard to retrieve." Once some words are spoken out loud, they cannot be taken back as if nothing had happened. Since her aunt had been clear about threatening her with the house in the past, even if her uncle had arranged the house property properly for her now with no worries left, she felt little gratitude in her heart.

Ah, such is human nature. Once you have a fixed impression of someone’s character, even if that person does something good, you’ll suspect they have an ulterior motive. This is now the case with Shen Yunfang.

Shen Yunfang headed to her own home with the two children, and when they reached Old Mrs. Wang’s house, she pushed the yard gate open and walked in.

"Old Mrs. Wang, is my sister-in-law at home? I’m back." Compared to Old Mrs. Shen, she felt that she was much closer to Old Mrs. Wang’s family, with that feeling of kinship.

"Oh, weren’t you visiting your uncle’s place? Why didn’t you eat there? Come in, come in." Old Mrs. Wang heard and hurried out to look.

Shen Yunfang had only just returned to the village when Dashuan came home to report. Old Mrs. Wang wanted to go and bring her to her house. However, upon asking around, she learned that Yunfang had been intercepted by Old Mrs. Shen. She then went back home, thinking Yunfang wouldn’t come over until after having lunch, yet to her surprise, Yunfang had arrived so soon afterward.

"My aunt wanted to inquire about Shen Yunxiu’s matters. I told her and then came back." Shen Yunfang led the children into the house with her.

"Ah, Xiaojuan has grown into a big kid now." Shen Yunfang saw Xiaojuan inside the house and couldn’t help but exclaim.

Children are quick to forget; not having seen Shen Yunfang for two years, Xiaojuan no longer surrounded her, calling her "auntie" as before, but stood shyly to one side, eyeing her with big, curious eyes.

"Silly child, it’s been only two years, and you don’t recognize your Aunt Yunfang anymore? Why don’t you greet her when you see her?" Old Mrs. Wang gently chided her granddaughter.

"Don’t blame Xiaojuan; my two are just the same." Shen Yunfang messed up her own children’s hair casually with her hand.

Pangpang entered the house, staring with wide eyes, sizing up the elder sister in the room, while Manman seemed lost in thought, her little head constantly turning to look outside.

"How old are your two, and how old is my girl?" Old Mrs. Wang said as she did, yet the way she stroked her granddaughter’s hand showed how dearly she loved her.

"Heh, how come I don’t see my sister-in-law, and Xiaohu?" Shen Yunfang didn’t see Dashuan’s wife in the house, so she asked.

"Your sister-in-law? She went back to her parents’ home. Now that she has the means, no one can control her anymore." There was dissatisfaction in Old Mrs. Wang’s voice.

Shen Yunfang certainly caught the hint of discontent, but having just returned, she wasn’t aware of whatever had happened between the Wang Family’s mother and daughter-in-law, so she didn’t pursue the conversation, and the topic passed.

Shen Yunfang smiled as she opened her handbag and started taking out gifts one by one. Before coming back, she had gone shopping at the mall again, not forgetting to buy gifts for every member of the Wang Family.

She remembered clearly the kindness that the Wang Family had shown her over the years and was especially grateful for the time Old Mrs. Wang had come to help her during her confinement after giving birth to Manman. This place felt even more like her parental home than her actual uncle’s house.

"Oh my, look at you, just coming back would’ve been enough, why bring so much stuff? It’s already not easy for you, a lone person bringing two children back and forth, traveling. Why bother carrying so much? We’re not lacking anything at home." Old Mrs. Wang complained with a smile.

As an elder, it’s always heartwarming to see a child being thoughtful and showing filial piety to them, regardless of the value of the gifts they bring.

Old Mrs. Wang had long considered Shen Yunfang as another daughter of her own, so the fact that Shen Yunfang thought to bring her gifts when returning home made her genuinely happy.