Xia Xing had jumped into the river and had not been found for nearly a day. Xia Zhenyuan’s heart almost collapsed.
Looking at his wife’s red eyes and pale face, he mustered his courage and said to Old Master Xia, “Dad, call Mom out. I have something to say.”
“After your mother heard about what happened to Xing’er, she fell sick from anxiety and even vomited blood in the afternoon.”
Hearing this, Xia Zhenyuan’s heart softened.
The words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat, unable to come out.
Xia Cha and Xia Chuan were crouched under the window of the main room. But Xia Cha had already expected Xia Zhenyuan’s indecisiveness.
She looked at Xia Chuan. “Brother, it seems like we have to take action.”
Wasn’t Xia Wangshi so worried that she had fallen sick? She had even vomited blood?
How long could she pretend for?
Xia Chuan nodded and walked toward Xia Wangshi’s room with a bag.
It was the summer season and the windows of Xia Wangshi’s room were not closed. Xia Cha looked inside and saw Xia Wangshi sitting on the bed eating peaches. She did not look unwell at all.
Xia Chuan opened the bag in his hand and put the two snakes he had caught on the mountain into the room.
The snakes that Xia Chuan had caught were not poisonous, but Xia Wangshi had a weakness. She was afraid of such cold-blooded animals, whether they were poisonous or not.
After releasing the snake, Xia Cha and Xia Chuan quietly observed the movements in the room.
Xia Wangshi was listening to the commotion outside. Seeing that Xia Zhenyuan had heard that she was sick and did not dare to say anything, her lips curled into a smug smile.
She understood her son well.
It was impossible for Qiu Zhi to urge him to make any unreasonable requests!
Even if Xia Xing died, Xia Zhenyuan would not dare to say anything about her.
Xia Wangshi was still secretly rejoicing when she heard a hissing sound. She turned around.
When she saw two snakes crawling over from the edge of the bed, her pupils constricted in fear.
With a gasp, she quickly got up from the bed and ran outside.
“Old man! There’s a snake. A snake…”
Xia Wangshi ran to the main room in one breath and grabbed Old Master Xia’s arm, saying in a panic, “Old man, a snake entered the room.”
Hearing that there were snakes in the room, Old Master Xia took a shovel and ran in quickly.
Xia Wangshi sat on the chair and poured a glass of water to calm herself down.
After drinking the water, she realized that something was wrong. She looked up and met Xia Zhenyuan’s suspicious gaze.
Xia Wangshi threw away the peach in her hand and leaned back against the chair, pretending to be weak. She kept patting her heart. “Ouch, it hurts here. It’s so uncomfortable!”
“Grandma, when you ran out of the room, you were full of energy and were still eating peaches. Your face was full of life. You didn’t look like you were sick at all. Every time something happens, you always pretend to be sick to fool my parents. Do you think they would still be deceived?”
“We don’t know if my second sister is dead or alive right now. We’ve been looking for her for the entire day, but we haven’t found her. My father is almost going crazy. Grandma, how could you still be in the mood to eat peaches? I think you don’t care about our family at all!”
Xia Cha’s words enlightened Xia Zhenyuan.
No matter how dumb he was, he could tell that Xia Wangshi was faking it!
She only wanted to shirk all responsibility!
“Mom, since you’re not sick, I have something to ask you.” Xia Zhenyuan had never been so bold and daring in front of Xia Wangshi. “I don’t want to live with you without my wife and daughters. I’m afraid that one day, I’ll be separated from my family.”
“Forgive me for being unfilial. Mom, please let our family leave.”
When Xia Wangshi heard Xia Zhenyuan mention that, she was stunned for a moment. When she regained her senses, she shouted at the top of her lungs.
Xia Wangshi knew very well that although the second branch had three good-for-nothings, she would be able to receive betrothal gifts when they got married in the future. More importantly, Xia Zhenyuan had the strength to work hard in the orchard and the money he earned every month could still be in her pocket. Letting the second branch leave would be a loss to her.
She would never allow this to happen!
Xia Wangshi shouted at the top of her lungs, “Xia Zhenyuan, how could you be so unfilial? You’re tossing your mother aside now that you have a wife. When your mother gave birth to you, she almost died from childbirth! Have I ever starved your family? But your second daughter is a thief. She jumped into the river to commit suicide after I said a few words to her. Is it my fault?”
“People from the first and third branches, come and tell us who’s right!”
The eldest and third branch, who had long heard the commotion, entered the main room. When they learned that the second branch had proposed to leave the family, they all lashed out at Xia Zhenyuan.
“Second Brother, how could you ask to do that? Our family is living well. Why should we split up?”
“That’s right, Second Brother. What will your family eat and drink after leaving? Your daughters still need to study!”
Xia Zhenyuan had never left home. From a young age, he had been instilled with the idea that if he left the Xia family, he would not be able to support his wife and daughter.
It was alright for him to suffer and starve, but he could not let his wife and daughter suffer with him!
Xia Cha noticed that Xia Zhenyuan’s expression had softened and she immediately said, “Dad, do we eat well or wear warm clothes here? Have any of us ever had clothes that aren’t Aunt and Sister Furong’s leftovers? Besides, everyone gets to eat at the table. Have we been allowed to do that? When have we not eaten leftovers?”
Xia Wangshi looked at Xia Cha, who had become eloquent after the accident. She furrowed her eyebrows tightly and held her chest, coughing violently. “How can a child like you interrupt a conversation between adults? Zhenyuan, if you still think of me as your mother, chase this girl out!”
“Mom…”
“Zhenxiang, throw Xia Cha out.”
Xia Zhenxiang took a few steps forward, grabbed Xia Cha’s slender arm, and dragged her out.
Xia Cha had expected this. When she was about to reach the door, she raised her other hand and stabbed a thin needle into Xia Zhenxiang’s arm.
Feeling the pain, Xia Zhenxiang let go of Xia Cha, raised his hand, and slapped her ruthlessly.
“Stupid girl, how dare you stab me?”
Xia Cha’s face was red and swollen from the slap and blood flowed from the corner of her mouth. She had expected this slap.
If he did not let Xia Zhenyuan see the ugly side of the Xia family, he would never harden his heart.
“Uncle, you’re not my father. What right do you have to hit me? Boohoo, it hurts. Uncle, my second sister fell into the river and we don’t know if she’s dead or alive. You and Third Uncle didn’t go to the river and you’re even hitting me now. Do you want our family to die?”
Xia Zhenxiang looked at Xia Cha who was crying sadly and he frowned. This wretched girl. She was the one who had stabbed him first.
Xia Zhenxiang rolled up her sleeves and found that there were no marks where the needle had pierced him. He was about to say something when Xia Zhenyuan suddenly ran over. Looking at Xia Cha, who was lying on the ground with a red and swollen face, he pulled her into his arms and his eyes immediately turned red.
Xia Cha’s words woke him up completely.
They had to leave this family today!
