C2 Dad Is a Craftsman

Thanks to the helpful neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Shen, Bai Yuanchao got a good beating. Initially, Bai Yuanchao was loudly demanding his brother pay for his medical expenses. But when he ran downstairs, he was surrounded by relatives and neighbors insisting he return the money he had taken from the deceased.

Even with the couple's bodies still inside, and so many people pointing fingers, Bai Yuanchao continued to deny everything. He shouted, "Who says I took his money?! Do I look like I need that little bit of cash?! Please, big brother, you think we're as poor as you, scraping by with nothing! You handled the funeral for our second brother and sister-in-law, and you took the money, didn't you?"

Zhao Xiaohong chimed in, "Exactly! My dad's the head of the local quarry team, we've got plenty of money! Why would we want your stinking cash?"

Behind them, the second brother's family was left with five sons, the youngest, Bai Rui, only five years old, was crying so hard his face was swollen. Bai Qiaoqiao's eldest cousin, Bai Feng, was just seventeen. With his parents gone and now facing this mess, he was filled with grief and anger.

Seeing Bai Yuanchao about to turn the tables and insult Bai Shengli, saying, "Only a poor fool like you would take money from the dead, and you dare accuse me..."

Bai Feng rushed over and grabbed his third uncle by the collar, "I won't let you talk about my uncle like that!"

His eyes were frighteningly red, and Bai Yuanchao was scared out of his wits.

Bai Feng's fist hadn't even swung down yet when Little Qiaoqiao clung to his leg.

"Big Brother, don't," Bai Qiaoqiao pleaded.

Bai Feng paused, glanced down at her, and calmed down a bit.

Bai Qiaoqiao wasn't feeling sorry for that worthless creature; she was worried about her brother. Her big brother was too emotional right now, and if he hit too hard, it could cause trouble. Plus, they were still in the village. It's one thing for a brother to hit a brother, but a nephew hitting an uncle? That's a different story.

Sure enough, Bai Yuanchao started yelling as if he had the upper hand, shouting, "Everyone, come and see! A nephew is hitting his uncle! And he's accusing me of taking his money. This is outrageous!"

Zhao Xiaohong chimed in, "If you've got proof, show it!"

People looked at each other, realizing there wasn't any solid evidence...

Then, unexpectedly, three-year-old Bai Qiaoqiao spoke up, "Just check and you'll see. Second Uncle and Second Aunt's money has blood on it."

Zhao Xiaohong exclaimed in shock, "You can't just listen to a child making things up!"

Bai Qiaoqiao's mom, Lin Yuefen, hesitated, worried that if her daughter was wrong, they'd be criticized. But their helpful neighbor, Mao Jinlan, jumped into action, holding Zhao Xiaohong down to search her.

"Oh no, what are you doing! Murder! Murder! My head hurts, help, my head hurts!"

Even though Zhao Xiaohong kept yelling, Mao Jinlan swiftly pulled out two handfuls of blood-stained bills from her pockets.

Bai Feng's eyes turned red again; that was his parents' blood on the money.

Zhao Xiaohong kept insisting, "This isn't from the second house! This is my money!"

Mao Jinlan snapped back, "Yeah, right, yours? Where did the blood come from? Your time of the month?"

She stepped back, stuffing the money into Bai Feng's hands, all while glaring angrily at Zhao Xiaohong.

Bai Qiaoqiao was stunned once more.

Mrs. Mao's second son, in another life, married Zhao Xiaohong's daughter... The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were always at odds, and Mrs. Mao never won. If it weren't for her eldest son protecting her, Mrs. Mao would have been tormented to death by Zhao Xiaohong and her daughter.

In her memory, Mrs. Mao always had a mournful expression, but she never expected her to be so straightforward and bold when she was younger!

She really admired this version of Mrs. Mao!

Bai Feng, clutching the money, turned to Lin Yuefen and hoarsely said, "Auntie, please keep this for us."

He hated himself for being so weak. With his four younger brothers watching him, he couldn't hold back and let the tears fall, quickly wiping them away with the back of his hand.

"Why should she get it? She's just an aunt, and I'm still a younger aunt..." Xiaohong continued to shout.

Bai Feng roared back, "Because my uncle and aunt helped my parents with the funeral, while all you want is to steal my parents' money!"

The five kids held back their tears, but Bai Shengli crouched down, clutching his hair, and started to sob uncontrollably. Seeing a grown man cry like that was truly heartbreaking.

"How can you do this? He's your own brother, born from the same mother! Bai Yuanchao, are you even human?"

Then, all five children from the second family began to cry. The sorrow of losing their brother and parents, along with the disappointment and anger towards their relatives, poured out at that moment.

Little Qiaoqiao couldn't help but sigh. She walked over and gently patted her dad and big brother on the head.

Bai Yuanchao and his wife, thick-skinned and cold-hearted, saw the scene and tried to sneak away. They dusted themselves off and stood up. As they left, Bai Yuanchao pointed at Bai Shengli and said, "Just you wait, don't come begging to me!"

Then they tried to make a run for it.

But Qiaoqiao wasn't about to let them get away that easily. Seeing the fire pit for burning paper money nearby, she quietly nudged it over as Bai Yuanchao and his wife passed by.

"Ow!"

Bai Yuanchao tripped and fell, his simple cotton clothes catching fire instantly. He didn't dare stop, running with his clothes ablaze.

Lin Yuefen walked over, stretching her arms to gather the five kids close, comforting them, "Don't be scared, your uncle and aunt are here."

...

The funeral for the second family was a noisy affair, lasting several days, but it was finally over.

That night, Bai Shengli and Lin Yuefen instructed Bai Feng to take his younger siblings to rest. The couple returned home, lying in bed with little Qiaoqiao between them, wide-eyed and eavesdropping on their conversation as Lin Yuefen gently patted her.

The couple couldn't help but sigh.

Bai Shengli said, "Yuefen, what are we going to do with the five kids from the second family?"

In rural areas, family ties are strong. When parents pass away, it's the uncles and aunts who step in to raise the children.

The second family left behind five kids. Except for the youngest, Bai Rui, the other four were still in school. That's why the couple worked tirelessly away from home to earn money.

Usually, the five kids stayed with the first family, eating and living closely with them. But the first family was struggling to make ends meet...

When the family property was divided, Lin Yuefen, who had been married for years without having children, didn't even receive a share of the land.

Bai Shengli relied on his inherited skill of shoemaking to earn a living for the family. Lin Yuefen sighed, "That day, Yuanchao told us to wait and not to ask them for help. He just wants to keep us under his thumb."

At that moment, little Qiaoqiao suddenly piped up, "I want all five brothers."

Lin Yuefen thought she was just being a child and laughed, "Sweetie, why aren't you asleep yet?"

Qiaoqiao giggled, "Mom and Dad, let's keep all five brothers. They'll be really successful in the future!"

The five brothers of the second family, four of them college students. The second brother, Bai Liang, was the top scorer in the college entrance exams in the state. But the most impressive was the eldest, Bai Feng. After failing his college entrance exams, he returned to Bai Shengli's side and, using his education, expanded the family shoemaking business, making them wealthy overnight.

In a previous life, they were adopted by Bai Shengli and his wife.