“Absolutely.” Zhu Zhibin looked very assured.
“Nonsense,” Xie Xinlian scolded with a smile from the side. “You siblings are too playful. What is there to discuss about such matters?”
Zhu Zhibin giggled. “Mother, you don’t know. They tried to scheme against us. If they want to scheme, they must expect us to scheme back, right? So, Mother, please don’t interfere.” He laughed loudly and walked out with Zhu Shunyao.
Zhu Shunyao led Zhu Zhibin into the Fourth Branch’s house. Zhu Guifu was smoking his pipe, his brows tightly knitted and his face gloomy. It was clear that the matter involving Zhu Xiangyao had truly struck him hard.
“What are you doing here?” Gan Juhua looked displeased as she saw Zhu Shunyao and her son enter.
“Fourth Uncle, Fourth Aunt,” Zhu Shunyao greeted. Zhu Zhibin followed immediately, “Fourth Grandpa, Fourth Grandma.”
Zhu Shunyao placed the items in his hands seemingly casually near Gan Juhua. “Fourth Uncle, Fourth Aunt, the New Year is coming. I brought some New Year goods for you to celebrate.”
“What do you mean? Can’t we celebrate the New Year without your things?” Gan Juhua grabbed the items and threw them directly out the door. There was a loud clattering sound. The aroma of wine filled the air, and the contents were already broken.
“Oh no, there was Moutai and tender cake inside,” Zhu Zhibin said with a look of reluctance. He opened the sack and dumped the contents out casually, as if checking them. He found everything was smashed. There was wine, cake, eggs, and fish meat.
Zhu Zhibin looked heartbroken. “Fourth Grandma, if you don’t want it, just say so. Why throw it away? Look, so much is broken.” He listed them one by one. “The eggs are smashed. This is Moutai wine, also smashed. And this is tender cake, very delicious. And this pack of tea is Longjing tea.” He spoke with visible pain.
“What is happening?” Zheng Xiangju came out and saw this scene.
Zhu Zhibin looked aggrieved. “Aunt Xiangju, we wanted to give New Year gifts to Fourth Grandpa and Fourth Grandma. But Fourth Grandma didn’t want them and threw them out. Now they are like this.” People around gathered and looked at Gan Juhua with dissatisfaction.
Aunt Qiao spoke directly. “I say, Xiangyao’s mother, you are wasting food. Look, this wine is genuine Moutai. This cake is rare tender cake. This tea is Longjing. The eggs are smashed. You are simply squandering wealth. These items alone cost hundreds.”
Aunt Qiao had seen the world. She originally came from a big city and knew prices. Seeing what Zhu Zhibin dumped out, she knew they were good. She glared at Gan Juhua. “I say, Xiangyao’s mother, even if you dislike Shunyao, she is showing filial piety out of family ties. Why are you being difficult? Smashing people’s things before the New Year is shameful.”
“Exactly,” Zheng Xiangju also spoke. “I say, Sister Juhua, it is the New Year. Gifts are about heart. Not to mention Doumiao and his father sent such good gifts. Even a green onion is a gesture. If you don’t want it, let them take it back. Why smash it? This is too much.”