Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
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The family had barely stepped into the west room, and before they could even sit down, they were met with a barrage of criticism.
Grandma Zhuang was the first to object: “Ergen, Dabao has a headache from studying, and Erbao has a handache from writing. There’s no hope for them in the future. In my opinion, you shouldn’t support their education anymore. Let them work in the fields instead. Don’t ruin two perfectly good people.”
“If you’re sick, you can get treatment. What do you mean there’s no hope?” Old Zhuang retorted, his eyes as big as copper bells.
“Da Bao’s head has been under treatment for more than half a year, hasn’t it? Is it better yet? Has the money spent made a sound?” Old Mrs. Zhuang questioned one after another.
Zhuang Jiuge really wanted to say that both of them were cured, but his brother gently grasped his hand, which was hidden under the table, and shook it slightly.
Zhuang Jiuge quickly shut his mouth, suppressing the urge to retort. Yes, that vixen Zhuang Tian’er was sitting right across from them. If she knew they were together, she would definitely use the same trick again! No wonder his elder brother even kept it from their father.
“I earned this money, and I can spend it however I want. There are ten of us in the family, and I’m the only one supporting us. I provide you with good food, good drinks, and good housing, and you still think that’s not enough? Do you expect my two sons to work in the fields to support you too?” Zhuang Lao Er slammed his chopsticks on the table and asked aggressively.
Grandma Zhuang was intimidated and dared not speak for a moment.
Zhuang Tian’er reached out and gently patted her back. For some reason, she mustered up her courage again: “To put it bluntly, Da Bao and Er Bao’s illnesses will never be cured in this lifetime! If you don’t hurry up and teach them to work, what will they do when you get old? Will they just wait to starve to death?”
“Starting next month, don’t send Da Bao and Er Bao to school anymore. Don’t waste the tuition fees given to the teacher. Send Haisheng instead! Our Haisheng is very smart and will definitely make something of himself in the future! Don’t Da Bao and Er Bao still have a lot of writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones? Move them all over for Haisheng to use!”
Grandma Zhuang stroked Zhuang Haisheng’s head, her face full of loving smiles.
Zhuang Haisheng was nine years old this year. He was Zhuang Tian’er’s younger brother. He had never attended a private school and could not even read.
Zhuang Lao Er shook his head decisively: “When Zhuang Haisheng was five or six years old, I asked my eldest brother if we should send him to school together, and I would pay for his tuition. At the time, my eldest brother refused. Now that my eldest brother has changed his mind, then let him pay for it himself. Why should I sacrifice the future of my two sons? I won’t do it!”
“We’re all family. If Haisheng is doing well, you’ll benefit from it too,” Grandma Zhuang earnestly advised.
“Zhuang Tian’er earned one hundred taels of silver from selling ginseng, and my elder brother’s family hid it all away very carefully, without even mentioning that I should benefit from it. With such a wealthy family, how could my elder brother have the nerve to save my son’s tuition and send his son to school? Elder brother, have you no shame?” Zhuang Lao Er slammed his fist on the table and questioned.
Grandma Zhuang stared at her second son in astonishment, completely surprised that he knew about the ginseng. They had kept it a secret perfectly well; they hadn’t told anyone!
Old Zhuang coughed repeatedly to cover up his embarrassment.
Zhuang Laoda blushed with embarrassment and lowered his head to avoid his younger brother’s piercing gaze.
Everyone felt guilty, including Zhuang Tian’er, whose gaze toward Zhuang Lao Er had changed from disdain to apprehension.
Zhuang Lao Er sneered, “Do you think I got my reputation as the ‘Bazhou expert’ in vain? I deal with merchants who travel all over the country every day, and I have very sharp eyes and ears! Mother, you and Zhuang Tian’er sold the ginseng, and I got the news from the pharmacy right after.”
“I have kept quiet about this matter these past few days, waiting for you to come and tell me on your own initiative. But I never expected that not only would you not tell me, you would also plot to take away my two sons’ tuition fees. You have no end to bullying people, have you?”
“Over the years, haven’t I given the public funds enough? This whole family, which one of you doesn’t depend on me for survival? What’s wrong with me feeding my two sons a little better? Why is Zhuang Tian’er jealous? Why is she complaining that I’m mistreating her? And why is she asking the whole village to ostracize me? I’ve worked myself to the bone outside, and this is the result of raising an ungrateful wretch!”
“Let’s split up! I can’t live like this anymore. My heart is completely broken!” Zhuang Lao Er overturned the table and shouted, “Da Bao, Er Bao, let’s go!”
The cups, bowls, and plates on the table clattered and shattered all over the floor, and the food was spilled everywhere.
Lu Dan smelled the aroma of food and immediately ran into the main room, licking the food off the ground with gusto.
Zhuang Tian’er looked at it in disbelief.
When Lu Dan noticed the gaze, it looked up and its clear eyes immediately turned into a frenzied hatred. It bared its sharp teeth and pounced, grabbing Zhuang Tian’er’s arm and tearing at it wildly.
Since Lu Dan was a dog, Zhuang Tian’er did not erase its memories of being hypnotized.
Lu Dan thus remembered everything. The painful feelings of being controlled, abused, deprived of food and freedom seared its brain like a branding iron, leaving an incurable wound on its loyal heart.
It hated this woman!
Everyone was stunned by the scene and didn’t rush over to rescue her immediately.
You should know that Lu Dan usually listened to Zhuang Tian’er the most and only ate food given by Zhuang Tian’er. Anyone else might hurt Zhuang Tian’er, but it would never do that.
But it did cause harm, and it was extremely agitated.
Zhuang Tian’er rolled on the ground, howling in pain, her wretched appearance strikingly similar to that of the middle-aged woman bitten by the black dog earlier that day.
The eldest son’s family rushed to help, while the second son’s family stood a little further away.
Zhuang Li then whispered in his younger brother’s ear, “Did you see that? Zhuang Tian’er’s retribution has come.”
Zhuang Jiuge was stunned for a long time before covering his mouth and secretly laughing.
Just as Zhuang Laoda was about to raise a stool to smash Lu Dan, Zhuang Li immediately snapped his fingers.
For Lu Dan, this was its mental anchor. Upon hearing the snap of the fingers, it immediately snapped out of its frenzy, released Zhuang Tian’er, ran past Zhuang Laoda’s family, and disappeared into the pitch-black night.
Zhuang Lao Er sneered, “What lucky star? She still got bitten by a dog! Tomorrow morning I’ll invite a few uncles over to divide the family property. If you don’t want to divide the property, that’s fine too. Tell my eldest brother to take out the one hundred taels of silver from the ginseng sale. I’ll take seventy percent, and he’ll take thirty percent. Don’t say this is unfair. If we really go over it, for decades their whole family has relied on me to support them, and I’ve paid for all the public funds. The difference in value is more than this one hundred taels!”
With a wave of his hand, Zhuang Lao Er said with great nonchalance, “Da Bao, Er Bao, let’s go back and eat roast goose!”
The whole family left in a grand procession.
After returning home, Zhuang Lao Er devoured half a roast goose by himself, then energetically moved a pile of stones, mixed them with mud, and built a wall overnight to separate the east and west courtyards.
Lu Dan, who had been wandering around outside, sneaked back, slipped into the east courtyard, used its nose to pry open the door of the east wing room, and snuggled into Zhuang Jiuge’s arms, humming happily.
Zhuang Jiuge quickly hugged Lu Dan tightly and praised, “Lu Dan was amazing today! Come on, have some roast goose, this is specially reserved for you.”
He pulled out a roast goose leg wrapped in oil paper from under the table, tore off a little bit of skin to taste it himself, and gave the rest of the meat and bones to Lu Dan.
The two little ones had already formed a revolutionary friendship.
Zhuang Li shook his head, walked to the window, looked at Zhuang Lao Er who was shirtless and working hard to build a wall, and smiled to himself, “This family is good, I accept it.”
7480 asked curiously, “That’s strange. How come your parents weren’t hypnotized by Zhuang Tian’er? They live so close and see each other every day. There’s no way they could escape Zhuang Tian’er’s clutches.”
Zhuang Li explained, “There are two types of people who are not easily hypnotized: those with low IQs and simple thinking, and those who are mentally unstable. My father belongs to the former. He is not low in IQ, but his thinking is simple, so he is not easily affected by hypnotic commands. My mother’s situation should be similar to his.”
“In fact, people with higher IQs are more easily hypnotized because they have rich imaginations and comprehension, which are essential factors for entering a hypnotic state. Contrary to popular belief, the ease with which one can be hypnotized has nothing to do with the strength of one’s willpower. Soldiers with extremely strong willpower are actually more easily hypnotized because they are used to following orders.”
Zhuang Li looked at the west courtyard, where candlelight was still burning, and said with great interest, “Starting tomorrow, I will gradually expose Zhuang Tian’er’s true colors.”
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