Wealthy beyond measure, yet you call me a sister-supporting-brother demon?

“Look at the life Ma Xiangqin is living, and then look at the life your sister is living. It’s like heaven and earth.”

Zhang Shufen spoke with great enthusiasm, her words clearly aimed at Yuan Sheng. Yuan Sheng was more than capable of supporting his sister; he was practically begging her to stay out of trouble. That brat made his sister lose face in her husband's family.

Yuan Sheng listened quietly, his heart filled with mixed feelings. How could he have been so careless in his previous life? His older sister, who had always doted on him since childhood, was living such a life, and he hadn't noticed at all.

He didn't help his older sister at all; on the contrary, he dragged her down.

"Don't worry, Sister Shufen, I'll go see my eldest sister right now. I'll stand up for her and never let her suffer again." Yuan Sheng's eyes were firm.

Zhang Shufen almost burst out laughing. She knew Yuansheng was good at lying and prone to making empty promises, but she hadn't expected him to be so convincing. "A real man keeps his word. Yuansheng, if you can't do it, your sister Shufen will laugh at you to your face."

Zhang Shufen didn't believe it at all; this kid's words were like farts. But if even a fraction of Yuansheng's promise was true, how wonderful that would be! Her friend's life would be a little easier!

Besides Ma Shufen, there were two other people from Dongshan Village on the bus. No one spoke, but they were all shaking their heads inwardly.

Zhou Changlin's brother-in-law is indeed just like the rumors say—all talk and no action. If you didn't know him, and only listened to what he said and saw his expressions as if he were telling the truth, you'd think he was a very loyal and kind person.

"Birds of a feather flock together," as the saying goes. He's probably from the same school as the second son of the Zhou family. The eldest brother is Yuan Sheng, and the second brother is Zhou Changshui.

It's only a dozen miles from Qingshan Town to Dongshan Village; you can get there quickly by oxcart.

Yuan Sheng and the others got off the oxcart at the village entrance and started walking into the village.

"Yuansheng, would you like to come over to Sister Shufen's house for a visit?" Zhang Shufen asked in a very standard, polite way.

"No, Sister Shufen, another day."

From afar, Yuan Sheng saw his eldest sister Yuan Pan'er, Ma Xiangqin, and his mother-in-law sitting on the stone steps at the gate.

The eldest sister was doing needlework with her head down, while Ma Xiangqin and her mother-in-law were eating pumpkin seeds. There was a piece of pumpkin seed shell left at the door.

Just as Sister Shufen said, only her own sister was doing the work.

Ma Xiangqin, with her sharp eyes, spotted Yuan Sheng and Zhu Chenxi from afar.

"Mother, look! Isn't it my sister-in-law's brother coming to freeload?"

Grandma Wang Chunxiang squinted and saw that it really was Yuan Sheng, carrying a large basket. She glared at Yuan Pan'er unhappily.

They haven't even paid back the ten taels of silver yet, are they trying to extort money from us again?

Yuan Pan'er's family is truly shameless!

"Sister-in-law, your brother really knows how to pick his time. He's come here with such a big basket, trying to freeload?"

Yuan Pan'er put down her needlework, looked up, and saw that it really was her younger brother.

My younger brother looks good; it seems the marriage proposal really worked!

Yuan Pan'er was deeply moved, and tears welled up in her eyes.

My brother is alive again!

Yuan Pan'er was very angry when she heard Ma Xiangqin say such things about her younger brother.

“Ma Xiangqin! Don’t talk nonsense. Over the years, my brother has never brought me anything to visit, but he has never come asking for anything either. Since he brought a basket to visit me, it must contain a gift for me.”

Ma Xiangqin pursed her large, protruding mouth, making her buck teeth even more obvious. "Yuan Pan'er, don't you know what kind of person your brother is? He brought you a gift? I think you're dreaming."

Wang Chunxiang didn't say anything. Since her second daughter-in-law was there to talk for her, she continued to leisurely eat sunflower seeds.

She thought to herself, "They dare to come to Old Zhou's house to beg for money? No way!" Anyway, Yuan Pan'er wanted to go home for money, so she might as well let Yuan Sheng take her back.

"Ma Xiangqin, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"Hey, am I wrong? Bringing gifts to see you? You really dare to dream. Yuansheng, that scoundrel, isn't my brother Ma Laixi! Last time my brother Ma Laixi came, he brought a full two pounds of pork leg! And your brother? He didn't even bring a single feather. Last time my brother brought those two pounds of meat, you and your older brother ate it with great relish, and you've already forgotten about it?"

"Changlin and I ate three pieces of that meat in total, and you've been complaining about it for ten days. Your heart is smaller than a pinhole! Since you despise my brother so much, then you have the guts not to use or eat what he brought!"

"Hahahaha..." Ma Xiangqin seemed to have heard a joke, and she grinned and laughed loudly.

"What could your good-for-nothing brother possibly bring you? I'm making this clear today: from now on, Changshui and I will absolutely not eat or use anything you bring us! If your good-for-nothing brother can change his ways, the sun will rise in the west."

“Yuan Pan’er! I’ve already made my promise, aren’t you going to do something about it? From now on, do you dare to swear that you won’t eat or use anything that my family brings over?” Ma Xiangqin wanted to force Yuan Pan’er to swear. Every time Zhou Changlin and Yuan Pan’er ate the things that her family brought over, she felt terrible.

Three pieces of meat! Isn't three pieces of meat enough?

Yuan Pan'er has never tasted meat from her maternal family.

At this point, Ma Xiangqin had long forgotten that the main workers in the Zhou family were Zhou Changlin and Yuan Pan'er.

Yuan Pan'er held up three fingers and swore to the heavens, "I feel nauseous after eating your family's food. Today I'm making a vow to Changlin that we will not eat or use anything your family sends us in the future, or we'll be struck by lightning."

Seeing Yuan Pan'er's strong stance, Ma Xiangqin naturally couldn't back down. She immediately pointed three fingers to the sky and swore that if she ate or used anything sent by the Yuan family, she would either drown while crossing a river or fall to her death while climbing a mountain.

Grandma Wang Chunxiang calmly continued cracking pumpkin seeds. It was better if they didn't eat them; she could have a few more bites. Anyway, she was the one who benefited. "Okay, I'll be your witness."