Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Who Has Skills Like Yours
Gu Ruhai just stood there, motionless, taking Mrs. Gu’s scolding and reprimands.
He didn’t talk back, just endured with a stern face.
Mrs. Gu was jumping and yelling, showing no signs of stopping: "Tell me, did that thieving wife of yours give you the idea to treat your brother like this? Your heart is so cruel, you are trying to kill our whole family.
Listen to me, if you don’t send the flour over to the third one today, I will die here, slam my head on the door, so everyone can see how unfilial you, Gu Ruhai, are, who drove your own mother to death."
This was a threat.
Gu Ruhai smiled bitterly.
Every time he didn’t obey, Mrs. Gu used this routine.
Gu Ruhai looked at his father, Mr. Gu turned his eyes to the cabinet on the kang, deliberately not facing his way, as if a flower had bloomed there.
Gu Ruhe seemed worried, wanting to pull and persuade Mrs. Gu, but the slight curve at the corner of his mouth was clearly a sneer.
This is the family he has always treated with all his heart.
A sneer, a bigger sneer, and finally, Gu Ruhai burst into loud laughter, a frighteningly loud laughter.
In the dark night, the laughter carried a chilling sense of desperation.
And hopeless despair.
Mrs. Gu was so startled she stopped speaking.
This eldest boy really is frightening.
Could he have gone mad?
Mr. Gu sensed something was off too, although at heart he wanted to treat Gu Ruhai better, every time something happened, he couldn’t help but revert to his old ways.
Gu Ruhe was even more problematic.
If his older brother had an accident here and word got out, it would be because he asked for flour, and that wouldn’t sound good. Who knows how the villagers would speculate, turning nothing into something.
At that time, he and Xiao Xue couldn’t bear the shame.
Gu Ruhe always sought advantages, a habit developed over many years, but it didn’t mean he was stupid. This affair going public would paint him and Xiao Xue as forcing their brother, which wouldn’t bode well for their jobs.
In public service, reputation is crucial for promotion. Who would want someone whose reputation is tarnished?
No leader would look favorably on that, and this is why Gu Ruhe seldom came home all these years. He knew well his mother’s nature, a downright shrew, although genuinely good to him, lacking clear sense.
If he got involved in some trouble because of his mother, it would be unwarranted trouble for him.
Especially since Xiao Xue’s father is the county health bureau chief, who wasn’t thrilled with his daughter marrying a farmer from a small place. Even his current position was secured by his father-in-law’s intervention.
If his mother jeopardized both his and Xiao Xue’s futures, his father-in-law wouldn’t give him a good face, and he might even suffer because of it.
That’s the main reason Gu Ruhe avoided coming home all these years; avoiding what couldn’t be confronted.
Gu Ruhai grabbed Mrs. Gu’s hand tightly, with such force that it hurt her, scaring her into wanting to withdraw.
"Mom, all these years, the third son is your son, am I not? Why do you treat me this way? Four or five years, the third son eats white bread every meal, his whole family eats white bread, but what about me, what about my three children? Eating black bread every meal, never full, always relying on my in-laws for help every year.
You say the third son’s grain ration isn’t enough, and ask me to subsidize. But is this a subsidy? Is it because the third son can’t afford it? I’m starving my children to feed him.
Third son, can you really eat with that conscience? While enjoying your white bread all these years, have you ever thought about what Xiaoying, Xiaoqing, and Xiaojie eat at home?
Aren’t you afraid of divine retribution?
Mom, the third son is your child, you side with him, am I picked up? Aren’t my children human? Every New Year at home, we make dumplings, but there’s no door for us to eat. It’s fine if we adults don’t eat, but what about the children, what wrong have they done? Gu Xiaocheng, Gu Xiaofeng, Gu Xiaomin get to eat dumplings, being full and satisfied, but my children just watch, eating cornmeal cakes.
I know you don’t like me, but what have Gu Xiaoying, Gu Xiaoqing, and Gu Xiaojie done wrong? Have you ever shown them a good face all these years, even gave them a candy?
You’re saying you want to die? Fine, you crash and die here today, and I’ll follow you, accompany you, isn’t it just death? Forced by the second son, now by the third, you don’t want me alive, fine.
You gave me life, so today we’ll die together as mother and son. I’ll return it to you. How about that? How about that?"
Gu Ruhai, holding Mrs. Gu’s hand, pounded his chest with force, the loud thumping resonating violently in the room, his tragic and mournful words echoing.
Mrs. Gu was so scared her legs started trembling, struggling while pleading to Gu Ruhe for help: "Third son, quickly save your mother. Old man, hurry, save me."
This cry had none of the earlier harshness, instead, it was like the screech of a rooster having its neck strangled.
Seeing the commotion getting out of hand, Gu Ruhe realized if someone died, it would be over.
An investigation would find him clearly responsible.
He quickly stepped forward to separate Gu Ruhai and Mrs. Gu, persuading: "Brother, brother, don’t say that. All these years, I acknowledge your kindness, I wouldn’t feel right otherwise. Seeing your three kids, I also can hardly bear it, but it’s not that your brother is incapable."
Gu Ruhai chuckled, a frightening chuckle.
Looking at his eloquent third brother, Gu Ruhai didn’t know whether to cry or laugh, this is his own brother, his own flesh and blood.
The words he said.
"You’re incapable? You studied, didn’t do farm work because you were smart, I was dumb, I admit it. But earning forty-two bucks a month, eating public grain, calling it incapable, asking me, a farmer brother with only thirty bucks a year, to subsidize you, that’s not incapable, that’s quite capable, who has your ability?"
Finishing his words, Gu Ruhai wanted to laugh, what he said is laughable.
This is his own brother, own mother, own father, those who would rather eat his flesh and drink his blood.
....................................
Thanks to book friend kinkikids520 for the reward.