Zhu Shunyao spoke up at the right moment. "Fourth Uncle, Fourth Aunt, I know you blame me. You think I shouldn't have exposed what Xiangyao did. But Uncle, Aunt, people have consciences. I, Zhu Shunyao, may not be a perfect good person, but I must act with a clear conscience. What is done in secret will eventually come to light. Since Xiangyao did such things, he must face the consequences of being exposed.
You can blame me if you want. You are elders, after all. I will still send your monthly support money. It won't be much, just fifty yuan a month. I can't let you have no one to care for you now that Xiangyao is gone. Even though I am only a nephew from a different branch, I will still show my filial piety."
"Don't pretend to be kind," Gan Juhua said. Her request was unreasonable. "If you were truly kind, you would get Xiangyao out. Just say you lied about everything."
"What nonsense are you talking, Guifu's wife?" Zhu Enfu rushed over after hearing the news. He heard Gan Juhua’s words clearly. "What Xiangyao did was explained clearly yesterday. Shunyao is filial. You are not his biological parents, yet he is willing to support you. Do you really think this blessing is easy to get? Huh!"
Zhu Enfu was completely disappointed in Gan Juhua. "If you had understood even a little about how to behave, and taught Xiangyao better, would this have happened? The villagers don't hold grudges because we see each other every day. But you… do you really think everyone has no temper? Fortunately, that girl didn't go with her. If she had gone with Xiangyao, been sold to the south, and been ruined, how would your family face the whole village?"
Zhu Enfu’s face turned dark with anger. Zhu Zhibin hurried forward to massage his back and chest. His attentive manner made Zhu Shunyao almost cover his eyes in embarrassment. He wondered where this son learned to flatter people so blatantly.
"Great-Grandpa, don't be angry," Zhu Zhibin said. "These items aren't worth much. Just a few hundred yuan. My family is well-off, so I don't mind."
Zhu Shunyao almost laughed out loud. Son, are you sure you are comforting him and not adding fuel to the fire?
Sure enough, Zhu Enfu looked at the items on the ground. He knew their value. Zhu Shunyao had sent similar things recently, like Moutai liquor and tea. He knew these were precious. He had planned to save the Moutai for guests during the New Year and the tea for slow sipping.
Seeing someone waste such good things made him angry again. "Shunyao, don't send them things in the future. These people don't know how to cherish them. Your things didn't blow in from the wind. Why should you let them waste them for free?"
"Yes, Shunyao," Aunt Qiao added. "Your eldest uncle is right. Don't send these things anymore. Giving them fifty yuan a month is already generous. You are a nephew, not a son. Even if they adopted you in your early years, you didn't have a good day. In fact, the fourth branch owes the third branch. I remember now. Before Xiangyao left yesterday, she said your biological mother gave them money before she passed away. I have an impression of that too.
When your biological mother left, it seemed she had no choice. I don't know the exact reason, but she is gone. Later, when I saw you were adopted, I said nothing. But before she left, she told me she left five gold bars for your living expenses."