I Got Rich in Period Fiction-Chapter 366: Uncle Qiao Values Brotherly Affection Too Much

Chapter 366: Chapter 366: Uncle Qiao Values Brotherly Affection Too Much

Then someone came up with the idea, and Qiao Zhihai’s eldest son called Qiao Zhicai.

He asked him to speak to his father-in-law, urging him to get Qiao Zhihai released quickly. That was his own brother, after all, who was surely suffering inside. He also implored him to plead for a waiver of the money, considering Wu Xiucai was an influential figure and it could all be sorted with just a word from him.

But Qiao Zhicai flatly refused.

Qiao Zhicai was fuming with anger, too. It was too shameful. He couldn’t bring himself to ask his father-in-law about such matters.

Yet he couldn’t just watch idly as his brother remained locked up.

He sent them three thousand yuan.

But the money was given to Qiao Zhiyuan.

Qiao Zhiyuan then returned the money to Qiao Zhicai.

He could afford three thousand yuan; he just didn’t want to pay it.

But unless the money was paid, they wouldn’t release Qiao Zhihai. For some reason, this time they showed no consideration at all.

Wang Mei was even more troublesome, suggesting that all her grandchildren stop going to school to beg their great-grandfather and great-grandmother at home.

Originally, the old couple’s health had improved a bit after returning from the hospital, but this stress made their illness flare up considerably.

Old Lady Qiao honestly didn’t have a single penny left.

But this was her own son. The eldest had worried enough already; over the years, he finished helping the second and then the third, and he often looked after the eldest sister from Hejia Village as well.

Being the eldest, sometimes he even took on the responsibilities of those two old fools.

He never got the credit for the good, but whenever there was trouble, they thought of him.

Her eldest was so unfortunate, burdened with incompetent parents.

Old Lady Qiao was also feeling aggrieved.

She forced Wang Mei to write an IOU.

Wang Mei did write it, but as soon as she got her hands on it, she had her three daughters-in-law snatch it back and then tear it up and swallow it.

They were really going for broke.

Qiao Zhihai came back, and the Old Man Qiao and Old Lady Qiao drove both him and his wife out.

Somehow, Qiao Zhihai ended up resenting Qiao Zhicai. Standing in the courtyard, he cursed Qiao Zhicai in front of the old lady and old man, accusing him of leaving him for dead with unspeakable vitriol.

Qiao Genbao happened to overhear this. Brooding with anger these past days, he thought, why should the whole Qiao Family have to fret because of Qiao Zhihai’s blunder?

The most disgusting part was that his family felt it was their due.

Not a trace of guilt, instead they cursed the old man and old lady for being heartless and cursed Qiao Zhicai for being utterly ruthless.

Qiao Genbao couldn’t tolerate this, especially hearing it firsthand. He flew into a rage and started fighting with his uncle.

Qiao Zhihai ended up lying on the ground, unable to get up, and then someone went to find Wang Mei.

Wang Guihua came with her son and daughters-in-law and took Qiao Zhi to the hospital, complaining of chest pain and a headache.

These two ailments were difficult to diagnose definitively; the machines showed nothing wrong, and the doctors found no issues, but the patient complained of chest pain and headaches, agonizing over it. The doctors couldn’t outright say there was nothing wrong if it was just an act, so they had no choice but to recommend hospital observation.

Qiao Genbao realized that this was the result of his impulsive actions and resignedly handed over one thousand yuan.

Qiao Zhicai and the others still didn’t know about this incident.

Nor did they tell them.

If Mr. Wu ever found out, it would be utterly embarrassing.

Last week, Qiao Zhihai was discharged from the hospital, having gained over ten pounds.

Now they’re staying at his eldest son’s house.

A few days ago, the villagers approached him, saying they had set up a construction team and wanted him to help manage it.

Then, Qiao Zhihai went to the county town.

Wang Mei acted as if the people at the old residence couldn’t do anything to her.

She’d come over every few days to say some cutting remarks.

She didn’t hit anyone, didn’t curse anyone, didn’t cause a scene.

She just disgusted people.

What to do?

Old Lady Qiao could neither hit her nor scold her anymore, and on top of that, her skin was thick; you could curse her to leave, and she’d just giggle.

If Wang Guihua steamed a pot of buns, she would unapologetically grab a few and leave.

Never mentioning the three thousand yuan Qiao Zhiyuan borrowed or the coffin savings that the old man and old lady had lost.

It’s as if all of it was owed to her.

So how could Old Lady Qiao and Old Man Qiao’s illness get better?

After finishing her tale, Old Lady Qiao cried, "I must have sinned, having birthed such a scourge, married off to another scourge, and now they all band together. I didn’t bring them up well."

Qiao Qingyu thought of Uncle Qiao Zhihai, who had three sons, and together with grandchildren, there were ten of them.

The youngest was just learning to walk, the eldest granddaughter turned sixteen this year.

Some were still in school.

Even if her memory was clear, to be honest, she sometimes really couldn’t tell who was who.

Only her own household was simple because her own dad married late.

There were sixteen grandkids from her eldest aunt’s family and twelve from Uncle Qiao’s family.

Adding Uncle Qiao Zhihai’s, that made thirty-eight people.

She didn’t even know the names of the little ones; if they ran around on the streets, Qiao Qingyu wouldn’t know whose kids they were.

Especially the newest additions in her eldest aunt’s family; some, Qiao Qingyu had only seen once, and others, she saw maybe at three or four years old, then blinked, and they were off to primary school.

If you say the Qiao Family is thriving with descendants, that’s true.

But troubles are greater, especially with Qiao Zhihai and Wang Mei as a couple.

Indeed, it’s worrisome, no family would find it easy to handle.

It’s not something you can just spend money to get rid of, nor can you sever the relationship with just a beating.

So Qiao Qingyu really had no good solution at present.

All she could do was to comfort Old Man Qiao and Old Lady Qiao, "Grandpa, Grandma, you two must take good care of yourselves. Mom said, she’ll take you both to Yun City in the autumn for a visit."

Old Lady Qiao smiled bitterly and waved her hand, "Your mother mentioned it over the phone during New Year’s. We couldn’t possibly go. Going would just be a burden to your dad and your mom."

They couldn’t go to Yun City; if they did, the second son’s family would definitely clamor to follow, so they simply chose not to go.

Qiao Qingyu smiled, "That’s why you need to keep yourselves in good health. After a tour in Yun City, you can also go to Beijing, then you could even go to Xichuan..."

They exchanged glances, not knowing if they would live to see that day, but they couldn’t express this to Qiao Qingyu, lest they scare the child.

So they smiled and agreed. Qiao Qingyu knew very well that these two couldn’t just forget their worries in a few words. If that were the case, they wouldn’t be considered elders or seniors.

Qiao Qingyu chatted with Old Man Qiao and Old Lady Qiao for a while, then consoled Uncle Qiao’s wife. Her heart also went out to Wang Guihua. To tell the truth, things were now the same with Uncle Qiao as with the other siblings’ parents.

The old were unwell and not up to the tasks required; everything fell on him, and it was an exhausting thankless job.

So where exactly was the problem?

The problem was that Uncle Qiao valued the bonds of brotherhood and blood too much.

Qiao Zhihai, as well as Qiao Zhicai, always had the expectation that Qiao Zhiyuan could shield them from the wind and rain.

Those who were grateful were fine, but the ungrateful ones, like the Qiao Family’s second son, felt entitled or indebted, and if things weren’t to their liking, they could harbor resentment for a lifetime.