C10 Communication

"Fulai, tell me everything that happened today, from start to finish, including what you were thinking."

Seeing his father's serious expression, Zong Fulai straightened up and recounted the entire situation in detail.

"I chose Ren Yuanbo not because I'm afraid of the Qi family causing trouble, but because I genuinely think he's a good choice. He doesn't have any relatives or in-laws around, so it would be easier for you and Mom to look out for me."

Hearing this, Zong Qingshan agreed. Ren Yuanbo had been around for several years and had transitioned from being an outsider to a resident of Cloud Peak Village.

"Even though he's the only one from his family here, you don't have to settle on just him. There are plenty of great guys around," he said, considering the many eligible bachelors in the area.

Fulai blinked her big eyes, "He's tall, has a good build, and nice hands. Even that big mole on his face looks better now."

After hearing her list three good things, Zong Qingshan couldn't argue. "I just don't want you to get hurt. As long as you're happy."

Thinking about the sly girl from his brother's family, he asked, "Aren't you and Hailan usually on good terms?"

"I used to think she was nice since we're first cousins. But after today, I realized I was naive. Looking back, I see that while my uncle was focused on you, she was watching me. Anything we had that they didn't, we could never keep."

Zong Qingshan was about to argue but realized that whether it was something he got from meetings or things traded privately, his daughter was right.

After a moment, he sighed, "It's my fault for not setting a good example, letting some people get too ambitious."

"Yeah, all these years, just because Grandpa lived with them, we've been the ones giving. They've never even given us a needle or thread, not even a penny during the holidays."

Not only that, but in the past, her uncle's family had even sided with the Qi family against them. "Dad, a small favor can turn into a big grudge. We've raised our own enemies."

"You're exaggerating," he chuckled. His daughter tended to make a big deal out of things. His brother might be a bit cunning, but he wasn't a bad person at heart.

Fulai was getting anxious when he saw his father didn’t believe him. “Dad, you really need to take this seriously. You can see the big picture from the small details. You have to be on guard against them.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll be careful. Don’t get upset; you’re still recovering.” Daughters need a bit of reassurance.

That niece of his, always trying to take advantage of Fulai, now has the nerve to openly scheme against his daughter. Does she really think she’s something special?

His father was just trying to calm him down. The second uncle was his dad’s older brother, and his father-in-law was his parents’ concern. Sometimes, less is more, so Fulai didn’t push it further.

“By the way, Dad, why is Haipeng trying to scheme his way into marrying me? Why not just come forward and propose properly?”

“Ha! Back then, his father did everything he could to become the village head, but things didn’t go as planned. He’s been at odds with me ever since.” Becoming the village head was just a stroke of luck for him.

So, it all came down to the village head position, Fulai realized. Then he thought about his second uncle. “Didn’t Second Uncle ever go to school?”

Zong Qingshan was a bit surprised. He’d never mentioned this at home. “How did you know?”

She didn’t answer directly. “Dad, I just think Second Uncle is really smart. He’s managed to hold this over you and Grandpa for a lifetime. But was it your fault he didn’t go to school?”

“No way. Your Grandpa wanted us to go to the county school together. He paid for a month’s tuition to try it out. It was about a two-hour walk each way. The teacher was strict and used a cane for discipline. After a month, he didn’t go back.”

Zong Qingshan wasn’t a fool. After this conversation, he realized he couldn’t keep brushing things off. “Alright, I’ll find some time to talk to your Grandpa.”

“Honey, set the table for dinner,” Wang Meizhu called out from the yard, reminding him it was time to eat.

After a long day, everyone was starving. Food is essential, and dinner is a top priority.

“Okay, I’m coming. Sweetheart, if you need anything, just let your mom know. Don’t hold back, alright?” Zong Qingshan reminded her before heading out.

Fulai smiled as he watched his father leave the room. Just as he was about to lie down, his sister-in-law came over with his little nephew. "Fulai, Binbin wants to play with you. I'll leave him with you for a bit, okay?"

"Sure, Binbin, come over to Auntie," he replied. Although he wasn't too fond of his sister-in-law's nitpicking nature, he did like his little nephew.

As soon as he opened his arms, Binbin toddled over to him. Luckily, they were on the bed, so the impact wasn't too hard.

He lifted the little kid onto the bed. "Wow, your tummy is all full and round. Tell Auntie, what did you eat?"

"Porridge, rice, veggies," Binbin said, counting on his fingers, opening all five by the time he finished.

Luo Hongxia smirked and left the room. Asking her to watch the kid was just an excuse.

Fulai had decided on his own to compensate with twenty bushels of rice and didn't get punished for it. He even went ahead and married a man with nothing to his name, and in any other family, they'd have been in for a scolding. But here, no one even mentioned it, let alone blamed him.

She felt uneasy, torn over the thought: when it comes to a clash between their daughter and grandson, who would the in-laws side with?