Chapter 32: Pandemonium

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“Second Brother, what are you doing?”

Seeing that Fang Jianye had no intention of handing over the money, Fang Jianjun immediately grew anxious.

That was his money. How could he let someone else take it?

Zhou Dongmei also snapped, “Second Brother, hurry up and give me the money.”

“I’ve always been the one managing the household finances. What are you going to do with the money? Be careful your wife takes it from you. Then you won’t have a single penny left!”

Fang Jianye was obedient, but he was not stupid.

Once the money was in his hands, why would he hand it over?

Besides, he had already separated his household from his eldest brother’s. Even if the money went to his wife, it would still remain within his own family.

He had come there because his elder brother was afraid of being beaten and had specifically asked him to lend his support.

Surely he deserved at least a share of the money, didn’t he?

With that thought, Fang Jianye took several steps backward.

“Big Brother, I came here to help you. It isn’t unreasonable for me to get a share of the money, is it?”

“Bullshit! This is money my wife gave me. What does it have to do with you?”

Fang Jianjun launched into a furious tirade.

At those words, Fang Jianye instantly lost his temper.

So his elder brother had never intended to give him any of the money.

If that was the case, why should he return it?

Clutching the five hundred yuan in his hand, Fang Jianye dashed out of the civil affairs bureau and sprinted away.

The three of them had arrived on only one old-fashioned bicycle.

Fang Jianye swung onto it and wobbled away down the road.

Fang Jianjun and Zhou Dongmei were left running after him.

But how could people possibly catch up with a bicycle? Before long, all they could see was Fang Jianye’s rapidly receding back, far beyond their reach.

Fang Jianye glanced over his shoulder and pedaled even faster.

He was not a fool. Even if he took the money home, once they caught up with him, he would still have to hand it back.

Since that was the case, he might as well spend it now.

With his teeth clenched, he headed straight for the market.

Without a word, he took out one hundred yuan and bought ten pounds of pork ribs.

Then he rushed to a nearby clothing shop and picked out the most fashionable dress for his wife.

When he asked the price, it was two hundred yuan.

Fang Jianye did not even bargain. He paid for the dress on the spot.

Then he hurried home with the meat and the new clothes.

Sure enough, by the time he arrived, Zhou Dongmei and Fang Jianjun were already waiting there.

The moment they saw him return, they were so furious they nearly shook apart.

“Second Brother, hand over the money!”

Fang Jianjun cursed angrily.

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At the doorway, Fang Jianye’s wife, Pang Xiufen, was also completely bewildered.

“Jianye, what happened? Mother and Big Brother came over and immediately demanded five hundred yuan from me. Where would I get five hundred yuan? What on earth is going on?”

Fang Jianye grinned, narrowing his eyes as he carried the meat and clothes into the house.

Confronted by his elder brother and mother, he replied boldly, “What? Does your name happen to be written on the money? Why must I give it to you?”

“Big Brother, I went with you and helped you through everything. Can’t you at least give me some compensation for my trouble?”

“I originally wanted only one hundred yuan. But you refused even that, so of course I couldn’t simply return all of it to you.”

As he spoke, Fang Jianye raised the meat in his hand.

“There are only two hundred yuan left now. I spent the rest.”

“What?”

Fang Jianjun and Zhou Dongmei stared at him in disbelief, their eyes nearly bulging from their faces.

“That was money my wife gave me, and you spent it just like that?”

“You spent three hundred yuan in such a short time?”

The two of them were utterly incredulous, while Zhou Dongmei was so enraged that her nose seemed to twist out of shape.

Fang Jianye ignored them completely. With a triumphant expression, he carried everything over and placed it in front of his wife.

“Here. I bought this new dress especially for you. It’s the latest style. You’ll look beautiful in it.”

“And these pork ribs. Tomorrow, we’re having ribs for dinner.”

Pang Xiufen was stunned.

But when she saw the style of the dress, she was so delighted that she could not stop smiling.

“You rascal. No wonder I love you.”

“Heh-heh!”

Fang Jianye gave a smug little laugh.

Meanwhile, Zhou Dongmei and Fang Jianjun were completely beside themselves with rage.

“Second Brother, this was the money my wife paid me when she divorced me! And you spent it just like that? Have you gone mad?”

“Give me back my money!”

“Return it!”

Fang Jianjun seized his younger brother by the collar and began shouting at him.

But Second Brother was not afraid. He pulled the remaining two hundred yuan from his pocket.

“This is all I have left. If you want it, take it. I’m not trying to keep your two hundred yuan.”

Pang Xiufen interjected from the side, “Why should he give it back? Who can prove that the money belongs to him?”

“Don’t give it to him!”

The moment she finished speaking, Fang Jianjun panicked and hurriedly snatched the remaining money away.

Even so, the original one thousand yuan had been reduced to seven hundred.

Fang Jianjun was so furious that he wanted nothing more than to slap his younger brother across the face.

Beside him, Zhou Dongmei cursed furiously as well.

“You good-for-nothing spendthrift! How did I ever give birth to such an ungrateful wretch?”

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“You only got the money back because you snatched it from someone else.”

“Before you even thought to show proper respect to your mother, you rushed to buy things for your wife, did you?”

“So this is what they mean by gaining a wife and forgetting your mother! You ungrateful wretch! I risked my life to obtain that money!”

Crying and screaming, Zhou Dongmei began clawing at her younger son.

Pang Xiufen, however, was completely unfazed.

She cast the old woman a disdainful glance and let out a cold laugh.

As fellow daughters-in-law, Pang Xiufen and Jiang Xu had a fairly good relationship.

Fortunately, Fang Jianye had already separated his household from the old woman’s. Moreover, Pang Xiufen’s parents lived nearby and could stand up for her, so Fang Jianye did not dare treat her too harshly.

Jiang Xu, on the other hand, was held down by the gratitude owed to the woman who had supposedly saved their lives. Fang Jianjun and the old woman freely beat, cursed, and humiliated her, leaving all the household chores to her alone.

Even in the dead of winter, she had to break through the ice to wash clothes.

From this, it was clear how pitiful Jiang Xu was—and how vile the old woman truly was.

Since things had come to this, there was no reason for Pang Xiufen to feel guilty about taking the money.

Jiang Xu would probably rather see it spent by her than handed over to the old woman.

With that thought, Pang Xiufen gave another cold laugh.

“Mother, stop hitting him.”

“Big Brother is your son, but is our Jianye not your son too?”

“Why shouldn’t our Jianye receive a share of the money he helped you collect?”

“Do you really think our Jianye is easy to bully?”

“The money has already been spent. If you’re dissatisfied, then hit Jianye. Go ahead and hit me too.”

“But let me make one thing clear.”

“If you dare lay a hand on me, I’ll tell my father when I get home. Just you wait.”

At those words, Pang Xiufen’s cold laughter grew even more pronounced.

If her father learned that she had been beaten, he would never let the Fang family off easily.

That was why Pang Xiufen was certain Zhou Dongmei would not dare do anything to her.

Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Dongmei’s expression changed.

But the crisp, hard-earned money was gone!

For a while, the household of Second Brother Fang descended into complete chaos, with neither side willing to yield.

Meanwhile, Fang Zhiyan had already led his mother back to their rented room.

Once a thousand yuan had been taken out, there truly was not much money left in the household.

For the time being, they could only live frugally and scrape by until Fang Zhiyan received his wages.

Only then would the family’s circumstances begin to improve.

Yet despite their difficult lives, every member of the family wore a smile.

“A thousand yuan in exchange for freedom. It was worth it!”