Hearing this in the kitchen, Wu Li knew right away that it was a veiled insult.
She bit her lips tightly in silence.
She could only pretend she hadn't heard a thing.
She carried the freshly stir - fried bok choy out of the kitchen and said with a beaming smile, "Chuchu, you're finally back. Your grandma came all the way here just to see you. You must have bought her a lot of nice things, right?"
To be honest, Wu Li had a bit of nerve. After the embarrassing incident about Cunze last time, she could act as if nothing had happened and still try to trip others up.
Mother Li retorted angrily, "You've got nothing better to do at home all day. I haven't seen you cook us anything decent. Why are you picking on the kid now?"
Li Chuchu said with a smile, "Grandma, I was worried you'd be tired from the long journey and hungry. So I specially bought some food. There are braised pig's trotters, cold - dressed pig ears, and a roasted chicken. You must be thirsty after coming all this way. I also bought you some grapes and a big watermelon. See if you'd like to have some."
With every word Li Chuchu said, the smile on Mother Li's face grew wider.
Look, this was how one should welcome guests!
Unlike Wu Li, who had served a whole table of vegetarian dishes as soon as they arrived. It was so unappetizing, as if she was trying to make her and her husband turn green with anger.
"Grandma's happy just because you're back. Why spend so much money? You're just wasting it," she complained about Li Chuchu's extravagance, but her eyes were fixed on the bag Li Chuchu was holding.
Li Chuchu understood what she meant and quickly placed the enamel pots from the cloth bag on the table. "Come on, Grandma. Have a taste while it's still hot. If you like it, I'll bring you some more tomorrow."
Mother Li quickly called Father Li over to eat.
At the smell of the beef, Father Li felt his legs regain their strength. He rushed to the table in a few steps, picked up the chopsticks, and started tasting the food one by one.
"Jianmin, come and eat quickly. It won't taste good later."
"Wow, the food in the city is really delicious. It tastes so different from what we make in the countryside. Li Chuchu really knows how to shop."
It was still good to have a real granddaughter. She knew to buy things to show respect for them. Unlike that adopted one, who was so arrogant, just like an ungrateful person.
Hearing them praise Li Chuchu, Li Jianmin felt annoyed. He changed the topic, "Mom, when did you guys arrive? How long are you planning to stay? I'll make arrangements for you."
"Don't be in a hurry. We just finished the busy farming season. We've got plenty of free time these days. Your cousin's mother will come to visit in a few days. We can invite them over to have some fun together."
Wu Li desperately winked at Li Jianmin.
Li Jianmin was also very troubled. "Mom, the house is so small. There won't be enough space for them to sleep, right?"
Mother Li was munching on a chicken frame and replied casually, "What's the problem? Clean up Xiaochuan's room and let your cousin's family stay there. Your dad and I can sleep on the floor in the living room."
Watching the show with delight, Li Chuchu added fuel to the fire, "Great! I haven't seen my cousin's family for a long time. Grandma, stay for a few more days. I'll buy you delicious food every day."
Mother Li immediately said, "Don't spend your money. It's enough that you have this kind thought. Grandma didn't love you for nothing."
Wu Li and Li Jianmin's faces visibly turned ugly.
People never seemed to mind the trouble when they were doing bad things. The more troubled they looked, the happier Li Chuchu felt.
Li Jianmin said embarrassedly, "But Xiaochuan will come back at night and he has homework to do."
Mother Li glared at him and said arrogantly, "Can't he study at school? We were so poor before, but you managed to get an education on your own. Now we provide him with food and shelter. If he can't get into school, it means he's just not the studying type. He should go out to work earlier and stop wasting the family's money."
Hearing this, Wu Li couldn't sit still any longer.
Her voice rose in pitch and she seemed a bit out of control. "Why should Xiaochuan go out to work? He doesn't cost the family much money. Unlike Li Chuchu, who took 7,000 yuan from the family all at once. Can Xiaochuan cost more than her?"
Mother Li's face turned a bit ugly. She immediately scolded back, "Have some respect! What are you shouting about? You have no manners at all." Then she turned to her son. "Jianmin, I'm asking you. Is this true?"
She didn't believe this woman's nonsense. She only believed her son.
Li Jianmin didn't want to say much, but couldn't stand his mother's persistent questioning, so he had to admit it.
Mother Li's face looked even uglier. She continued to ask Li Chuchu, "You're just a girl out there. Why did you take so much money from the family? You're just being naughty. Why are you splitting the family up when everything is fine? Hurry up and return the money to your father. This is still your home."
Maybe it was because of the pig's trotters and roasted chicken, the old lady's way of talking to her was relatively gentle. But she was used to being domineering, and when talking to the younger generation, she always gave orders.
Hearing this, Wu Li was overjoyed. Finally, someone could teach Li Chuchu a lesson. As long as she could get the money back, all the grievances she had suffered today would be worth it.
Li Chuchu coughed lightly. "Grandma, I didn't want to take the money. I'm just a girl. What could I spend money on?"
Mother Li frowned. "Then what's going on?"
It was okay not to mention this matter, but once it was brought up, Li Chuchu felt aggrieved. "Grandma, you don't know. Aunt Wu is in charge of the family's money. But when I was at home before, Dad's monthly salary of 100 yuan was all spent by the end of the month. There was hardly any money left at home. I always saw Aunt Wu taking things from home to visit her relatives. She even made the decision on her own to let her elder brother, Wu Gui, take the job that Mom left for me. I was worried that the things Mom left for me would disappear one day, so I took the money back."
She looked extremely aggrieved, like a poor little girl with no one to back her up. She was almost in tears.
Wasn't Wu Li capable?
Now someone more capable than her had come. Li Chuchu wanted to see how she could lie with her eyes open in front of Grandma Li.
Mother Li had lived for decades. How could she not understand?
She flew into a rage, pointing at Wu Li and scolding, "You shameless slut! You used my granddaughter's job to support your good - for - nothing brother, and you used my son's money to support your relatives, right?"
"I'll beat you to death, you shameless thing! You even had your eye on my son's money and my granddaughter's things!"
Wu Li never expected things to turn out like this.
Mother Li had such a fiery temper.
She threw the chopsticks without hesitation, hitting Wu Li right in the face. A clear red mark immediately appeared on her cheek.
Li Jianmin made a symbolic attempt to stop her, but he couldn't stop Mother Li, who was so angry that she wanted to kill Wu Li.
Mother Li pointed at Wu Li, almost out of breath with anger. Gritting her teeth, she said to Li Jianmin, "You've supported her for so many years. You thought you were being kind to her and her son, but she's never satisfied. She wants all your property! You're really blind! You married such a blood - sucking leech."
Li Jianmin pursed his lips.
He used to ignore his mother's words.
Anyway, he wasn't short of money. He just turned a blind eye to what Wu Li did and muddled along. But he had just quarreled with Wu Li about this matter yesterday, and now his mother brought it up again. He couldn't help but feel a bit resentful.