The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 334: Calculations

Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Calculations

Wang Yongzhu only glanced at Wang Yonggui before turning her head to look at Wang Laozhu, "Dad, what do you think?"

Exhausted, Wang Laozhu waved his hand dismissively, not even wanting to give Wang Yonggui another look.

"Let him go! Since he likes the widow so much that he’s willing to abandon his own parents, then let him go with the widow! You’re right, we couldn’t count on him before, and we won’t count on him in the future either!"

Wang Yongfu’s face changed with anxiety, his heart aching with sorrow, "Laosan, you’ve been bewitched! For an outsider woman, you’re causing a rift with your parents. Look at how you’ve angered your parents to the point of sickness, and look at your wife, how she’s crying! Can’t you see? Is this woman really so good that you’d abandon your parents and your own wife and child for her?"

Lady Jiang was already a figure of tears.

The children, holding onto Lady Jiang, were upset. Although Jinshao was too young to understand, Jinhua and Jinpan were old enough. Right now, their gazes at Wang Yonggui were filled with resentment.

Wang Yonggui still stubbornly said, "Lady Jiang is a woman of understanding. Ahfu is merely a concubine, she doesn’t affect Lady Jiang’s status. The children are all my own blood, whether I have Ahfu as a concubine or not, I treat them all the same..."

Wang Yongzhu felt her hands itching to move.

Wang Yonggui truly was the scum of scoundrels. To be married to such a man was like having eight lifetimes of bad luck.

However, the most important thing right now was to solve the problem. Once resolved, she would see how to deal with Wang Yonggui.

Behind closed doors, he would surely be put in a sack and beaten until he couldn’t take care of himself.

Wang Yongzhu calmed herself and turned to the sobbing Lady Jiang, "Third sister-in-law, you should have seen and heard everything clearly by now. Currently, the family does not agree to Third Brother taking a concubine. The family’s stance is clear, and I’ve already said it: if you choose to stay, we’re still family. We will take responsibility for raising Jinhua and them until they’re grown. If you want to divorce Third Brother, we won’t stop you, and we’ll even prepare a dowry for you. If you have any other thoughts, speak now, let’s settle everything today in front of everyone!"

Lady Jiang’s tears rolled down ceaselessly. She was grateful to Wang Yongzhu and also to Old Granny Zhang.

At such a time, to prefer her, the daughter-in-law, over their own son showed the family’s integrity. Wherever she spoke of this, it would reveal the decency of the family.

Choking with sobs, she nodded, "I... I won’t leave. I’ll stay at home and take care of Jinhua and them. Their father may not want them, but I, their mother, do!"

Wang Yongzhu nodded as well. Thankfully, Lady Jiang displayed strength at this moment. It wasn’t in vain that the family supported her; she stood up for herself.

"Then it’s settled. Third Brother, once Doctor Liu checks the injuries of Widow Sun and if everything is okay, we’ll compensate Widow Sun with some silver, and we’ll be squared away. Third Brother, you should leave with Widow Sun, and don’t come back. From now on, the Wang Family will have no son like you."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yonggui panicked. Was this for real? Were they not just trying to scare him?

His face showed struggle as he shouted, "No, I won’t leave. I’ve said that I wouldn’t leave after coming back. Dad, Mom, you can’t drive me away! I want to look after you two in your old age. Little sister, Third Brother has always treated you well. How could you be so heartless now? How could you actually drive your Third Brother out? Little sister, I never wronged you. By being this heartless, you’re leading mom and dad to a childless death. What are you trying to do?"

All the while, he kept giving Wang Yongzhu meaningful glances, his hand placed by his side subtly pointing towards Widow Sun, who was lying unconscious on the ground.

Wang Yongzhu’s expression shifted with suspicion as she glanced at him, seeing Wang Yonggui’s eyes nearly popping out.

"Dad, Mom, here’s what I think: it’s not right for Lady Sun to be laying on the ground here, and she’s not one of our family. It’s inappropriate for her to stay in your room. Why don’t we move her outside?" Wang Yongzhu cautiously suggested.

A flicker of joy passed through Wang Yonggui’s eyes, but he quickly lowered his head and shuffled to Wang Laozhu’s side, trying to embrace his father’s legs. "Dad, when did it become our little sister’s place to call the shots on our family matters? Dad, I’m your son, the son who will be there to take care of you in your old age. How can you kick me out just because of a few words from my little sister? I’m not asking for much, just to take a concubine. It won’t cost the family a dime; Ahfu will even bring a fortune back to the family. With such a good deal, why can’t you seem to get along with money?"

Old Granny Zhang gave Wang Yonggui a kick in the chest. "Get lost, take that plague-carrying vixen spirit with you and get out immediately. If you say one more bad word about your little sister, I’ll break your dog legs and have you both gone. Throw that plague-carrying vixen spirit out into the yard onto the carriage."

Left with no choice, Wang Yongfu and Lady Lin had to step forward and together they carried Widow Sun out to the carriage in the yard. They didn’t dare leave, fearing something might happen, so they stood guard by the carriage waiting for Jindou to fetch Doctor Liu.

The children too were coaxed into the yard by Wang Yongzhu, leaving Lady Jiang alone.

When the place was cleared out, Wang Yongzhu finally spoke up. "Third Brother, speak up. What’s your real plan with keeping Widow Sun here?"

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback.

Wang Yonggui stopped crying and clinging to Old Wang’s legs, sat up, turned to Wang Yongzhu, and gave her a thumbs up. "My little sister really gets me!"

Now, not only did Old Granny Zhang and Old Wang sense something fishy, but even the silently weeping Lady Jiang felt something wasn’t right.

All eyes were on Wang Yonggui.

Wang Yonggui then quietly explained his own calculations.

When Widow Sun first pulled out steamed bun money to bail him out, he thought she was just being kind. But later, when she wanted to take him to her house to heal, he felt a twinge of suspicion.

After years of hustling outside, he had seen all sorts of tricks. He hadn’t seen a thousand, but he had seen eight hundred.

His first thought was whether Widow Sun had taken a fancy to him. But then he thought, he had no money to his name, so what was there to swindle? Besides, penniless and injured, he couldn’t even make it home if he wanted to.

Since Widow Sun offered him shelter and care for his injuries, what was there to fear? He had nothing to lose; who knew who would end up losing in the end?

Especially after overhearing all the gossip along the way, he wondered if Widow Sun, in her loneliness, had taken a liking to him. He didn’t have much to lose; a brief fling would do, and they could go their separate ways once he recovered.

Once in Widow Sun’s home, she was all tenderness and thoughtful gestures, making Wang Yonggui utterly comfortable.

The more he enjoyed it, the more alert he became.

It didn’t take long for Widow Sun to express her wish to go back to the countryside with him. He was a bachelor and had already claimed he had a wife and children back home—what’s the point of going back? Wouldn’t it be better for the two of them to stay in the town and become an instant couple?

Widow Sun was initially taken aback but then, beating around the bush, said she couldn’t stay in the town anymore, her reputation was ruined, and now she wanted to turn over a new leaf. She was even willing to become Wang Yonggui’s concubine back in the countryside and promised to sell her house in the town. She’d bring along all the savings she had accumulated over her lifetime, everything to the Wang Family.