B5SB -Chapter 140 Indulgence

“You have money to buy such expensive things, but not enough to support your nephew?”

“Ah, that money-losing kid you’re raising—how could he ever take care of you in your old age?”

The sharp voices reached Gu Yihan’s ears.

Chinese people loved to watch drama unfold—it was in their bones.

Although she wanted to go see what was happening, she knew her body’s limits. The child in her womb was more important.

Lu Huailin noticed the sparkle in his wife’s eyes as she looked toward the Friendship Store’s entrance.

He let out a soft chuckle. “Want to watch the drama?”

Gu Yihan rolled her eyes at him. “I don’t,” she said irritably, though it was obvious he already knew the answer.

Soon, Mother Lu came out holding the receipt.

She walked over to Lu Huailin and heard the commotion nearby. “Are they arguing?”

Gu Yihan shook her head. “I don’t know; I didn’t see what happened.”

Mother Lu didn’t think much of it and handed the receipt to her youngest son.

“Don’t lose this. You’ll need it when the washing machine is delivered,” she reminded him.

Lu Huailin took it and put it in his pocket with a calm, “Mm.”

The three of them each carried their items toward the Friendship Store’s entrance.

“Mother, are you trying to drive me crazy?”

“I will never adopt your older brother’s son. Give up on that idea.”

The rich, resonant voice carried through the crowd and reached Gu Yihan and the others.

Mother Lu paused mid-step, sensing something familiar about the man’s voice.

It sounded so much like Zhao Tiezhu. She tiptoed, curious, trying to peek inside.

The middle-aged aunt’s voice rang out again: “Stop with the nonsense! Just tell me—will you raise your nephew or not? One day, you’ll need him to support you in your old age.”

Mother Lu, being short, couldn’t see through the crowd, so she squeezed her way in.

Seeing her mother-in-law’s move, Gu Yihan stayed put, stepping along the wall to keep a safe distance.

She tapped Lu Huailin’s arm. “Put your stuff down. I’ll watch it. You go with Mom.”

Lu Huailin, concerned for his mother, did as instructed. The Friendship Store was crowded, and the drama drew even more people.

He placed his items beside Gu Yihan and said, “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”

Gu Yihan nodded.

Mother Lu pushed through the crowd and saw only someone’s back. Uncertain, she called out: “Xiao Zhao?”

Hearing his name, Zhao Tiezhu turned to look at her.

Scratching his head awkwardly, he forced a smile that was worse than crying. “Director Lu.”

Hearing this, the middle-aged aunt’s eyes flickered. She sat down abruptly on the ground, pounding her thighs.

Looking up, she wailed: “You’re Tiezhu’s boss, right? That son of mine is unfilial!”

“He married and forgot his mother!”

“His wife can’t have children, and he still won’t adopt? Tell me, who am I doing this for if not for the future, so someone can take care of him in old age?”

“Director, what do you think?”

The onlookers, confused, whispered among themselves, pointing at Zhao Tiezhu: “People like him need to be reported at work!”

“Exactly. Look at him, dressed all proper, while his mother wears rags.”

One passerby recognized Mother Lu and whispered, “That woman is the neighborhood director.”

“Really?”

Zhao Tiezhu heard the murmurs around him. His pride took a hit; he felt humiliated in front of everyone.

Bloodshot-eyed, he glared at his mother on the ground, veins bulging in his hands holding a neatly wrapped chocolate package.

Mother Lu was furious too—this Xiao Zhao had married her niece.

She glared at the mean-looking woman and sneered, “You must be Xiao Zhao’s aunt-in-law.”

“Shameless, pretending to be his parents. Aren’t you afraid of lying through your teeth?”

Hearing Mother Lu, Zhao’s mother knew she would not take her side. Her gaze darkened with malice, about to retort—but Mother Lu cut her off.

She raised her voice: “Everyone, don’t be fooled! Xiao Zhao was adopted by his eldest uncle from birth.”

Turning to the woman on the ground: “Xiao Zhao never ate a single meal in your house, right?”

“What? The eldest son had too many children, so he drained the adopted boy’s resources to feed his own family?”

Lu Huailin, passing through the crowd, heard his mother’s last words and relaxed, knowing she hadn’t suffered any loss.

He frowned as he looked at Zhao Tiezhu, clearly impatient. “Brother-in-law, how is it possible your family issues have gone unresolved all these years?”

Zhao Tiezhu looked at the stern-faced Lu Huailin. His lips twitched. He didn’t want to adopt the eldest brother’s son, but he wanted to adopt a child from an orphanage. His wife opposed the idea.

At first, he let his mother indulge herself, hoping his wife would get fed up and agree to adopt a boy. He hadn’t expected his mother to become greedier.

Mother Lu looked at Zhao Tiezhu, unimpressed by his cowardice.

“Our niece’s family has neither mountains of gold nor silver. There’s no need for a son to inherit,” she said coldly to Zhao’s mother.

Recognizing Lu Huailin from the train, Zhao’s mother leapt up, pointing at the two of them: “Ah! You’re in cahoots! I knew it!”

She went up to Zhao Tiezhu, pounding his chest. “I didn’t raise you, but I carried you for ten months, didn’t I?”

“Your wife can’t have children, yet you’d let him have no descendants? Are you crazy?”

Mother Lu was furious—her niece had given them a daughter! How could there be no descendants?

She shouted: “Shut up!”

Knowing Mother Lu was related to that childless daughter-in-law, Zhao’s mother mocked: “Why can’t people speak their minds?”

Lu Huailin tightly held his mother’s arm to prevent her from lunging at her.

“Mom, I know you’re close to my aunt. But this is a family matter—we can’t interfere,” he said.

Mother Lu looked at her serious son: “Wang Man is your cousin, yet you let others defame her and do nothing?”

“Mom, you may be close to your cousin, but not closer than Zhao Tiezhu.”

“If it weren’t for him indulging over and over again, how could people in his hometown spend so much on train tickets going back and forth repeatedly?”

Lu Huailin deliberately spoke loud enough for the surrounding people to hear.

Zhao Tiezhu heard him too. His face darkened as he glanced at the crowd—some recognized him, some were just watching the drama, some were enjoying his embarrassment.

He grabbed his mother’s wrist coldly: “From now on, I won’t give you money anymore.”

He then let go of her hand, didn’t even greet Lu Huailin and the others, and pushed through the crowd, walking away.

Zhao’s mother stumbled, and after recovering, shouted at his back: “You unfilial son, may you die a miserable death!”