Rebirth Counterattack with Space
Chapter 276 - 268: The Past of the Xie Family (Part 2)

Chapter 276: Chapter 268: The Past of the Xie Family (Part 2)

Tian Xiaoju’s status at home plummeted; without money, there was no talk of managing the household anymore. Without money to manage, her once unchallenged authority was lost. She could no longer boss around her daughter-in-law, Lin Meizhu, and found herself cursed at daily.

From a queen to an old hag overnight, how could Tian Xiaoju accept such a fall from grace? So, she did everything in her power to sow discord between Xie Changgen and Lin Meizhu, attempting to regain control over her eldest daughter-in-law.

But her favored eldest son was no longer fooled by her tactics.

She didn’t understand that Xie Changgen had long resented her for being stingy with money in the past. He had to go to great lengths, sweet-talking and flattering, just to get a bit from her.

With no money, what could she say? How could her eldest son still listen to her?

So, her attempts not only failed but Lin Meizhu turned the tables on her, whispering to Xie Changgen, who ended up blaming all the fallout from the brothers’ separation – the fact that their family could not benefit from Lu Aimei’s family – entirely on Tian Xiaoju.

Seeing her beloved eldest son blaming her for the brothers’ estrangement, Tian Xiaoju deeply regretted her past actions; she lamented that she compromised her son’s interests. The more she thought about it, the more bitter she felt, and she started to approach her younger son, Xie Changgen.

Seeing their mother crying, snot and tears mingling, Xie Changgen was initially softhearted, but over the years, he had been successfully "brainwashed" by his father and wife — there was no other way.

After the separation, Lu Aimei remained with him but became completely cold, hardly responding to his attempts to please her. The household was thriving, yet he became increasingly insecure, fearing that one day his wife would leave him dissatisfied, taking the children with her...

So he started trying hard to please her. Over the years, without his meddlesome mother’s interference, the icy relationship between them started showing signs of thawing.

Just as he felt life could go on and he was starting to relax, his mother came knocking, looking to stir up trouble again.

Xie Changgen’s heart sank with a pang of softness, but he kept his wits about him. When he heard his mother’s complaints, thinly-veiled with cries about Lu Aimei, he was immediately irritated — how could his wife be targeted when there had been no direct confrontation for years, not a single conversation, and it was still his wife who took the hit?

Xie Changgen was no longer the naive fool he used to be, and his experiences had broadened his horizons. At this moment, it was impossible for him to ignore the malice coming from his mother.

Disturbed by Tian Xiaoju’s crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide, Xie Changgen took fifty bucks from his wallet to placate her for the moment, managing to send her off with nice words.

Upon returning, he didn’t dare hide anything. He told Lu Aimei and Xie Laosihu everything from start to finish, and both Lu Aimei and Xie Laosihu sneered.

Tian Xiaoju, flaunting the money upon her return, boasted about it to her eldest son and his wife. She felt smug, believing she could still manipulate her younger son.

Xie Changgu and Lin Meizhu’s eyes also brightened as they fantasized about the good life they would lead in the future by controlling their younger brother through their mother. They couldn’t help sweet-talking Tian Xiaoju for a few days until they finally took the fifty yuan away from her.

Having tasted the sweetness once more, Tian Xiaoju felt as if her queenly life was about to return and swelled with satisfaction. She then resolved to keep a tight grip on her younger son in the future.

Unexpectedly, when she went to look for her younger son three days later, she couldn’t find him. Rumor had it that he had been "dispatched" somewhere. Tian Xiaoju didn’t understand what "dispatched" meant and didn’t dare to ask Xie Changgen or Lu Aimei about it, so she thought to herself that her son would eventually come back, and there was no rush...

Just as Tian Xiaoju was looking forward with eager anticipation, not only did her younger son fail to return, but she also heard another piece of news that shocked and envied her. Her daughter-in-law and two grandchildren, along with Xie Changgen, were going to leave the village for the city’s high-rise buildings because of the children’s education.

Tian Xiaoju felt a darkness before her eyes and, no longer fearful, rushed to confront them. Xie Changgen had been expecting her and brought out the original agreement of the division of property, offering her two choices. Both choices required her to complete the divorce procedures first, then either take a lump sum of five hundred yuan or receive thirty yuan a month until she died.

Tian Xiaoju didn’t want to choose either option, and she certainly didn’t want a divorce. All she wanted was to enjoy life with her younger son in the city’s skyscrapers. Xie Changgen scoffed at that and said a divorce wasn’t necessary—she could just stay in the village and wear away slowly with him. The idea of going to the city was absolutely impossible.

Seeing that all was beyond recovery, Tian Xiaoju for once made a smart decision to take the monthly payment, and even managed to raise the amount to fifty yuan. Xie Changgen agreed and had the village’s party secretary and head sign a written agreement. Afterwards, the couple officially went through with the divorce, and Xie Changgen arranged for the village committee to transfer the monthly payments to her.

If you can’t fight them, then avoid them. Xie Changgen, Xie Changgu, and Lu Aimei took their two children and went to the Magic Capital.

In reality, seeing the children growing up, they had long had plans to leave Xie’s Village because, after all, they were thinking for the sake of the children. The education resources available in the big city couldn’t compare to what a small place like Xie’s Village could provide.

Also leaving were Lu Aijiao and her family with their children.

Once Tian Xiaoju’s matter was settled, Xie Changgen felt he had done his last duty. Perhaps, if after being treated so badly by his eldest son and his family, Tian Xiaoju had shown any remorse for inciting trouble against Lu Aimei, the outcome might have been different. Who knows...

Now that she had a new source of income every month, Tian Xiaoju could make do at her eldest son’s house. Moreover, Xie Changgen and Xie Changgu didn’t completely abandon her with no concern at all.

During the annual return home for the New Year, with the silent agreement of the family, Xie Changgu would still "secretly" give Tian Xiaoju a significant sum of money with only one condition: he hoped she would stop causing trouble, or else the private money would cease.

For the sake of money and seeing her younger son’s family suddenly leave the village, Tian Xiaoju did finally wise up and remained quiet in front of her son...

But one can’t stop a person who is bent on self-destruction. Ultimately, Tian Xiaoju and Lin Meizhu, who were once "good mother-in-law and daughter-in-law," came to a head when Lin Meizhu discovered that Tian Xiaoju was using the money from her younger son to secretly support her older son’s mistress, leading to a major family conflict.