012 I've seen your dad.

Zhang Xiaoying stared at him without speaking.

This time, Xu Qinglin did not back down and once again asked tremulously, "Mother, is it really true?"

The Xu family's genetics were good; all three of Xu Qinglin's brothers were tall, a rarity in ancient times. Except for Xu Yunfei, who was still growing, the other two were over one meter eighty and had all been the secret crushes of village girls.

Zhang Xiaoying hadn't reached his shoulders yet, but under her gaze, Xu Qinglin hunched over little by little, devoid of any imposing stature he might have had. His entire demeanor was one of deep dejection and listlessness, void of any vitality.

"Would you rather believe the nonsense of outsiders than your own mother?" After a long while, Zhang Xiaoying finally retorted faintly, "Others say it's the wind and you don't even come to ask your mother for the truth, just assuming your mother did such a thing?"

"You've cursed Daniu more than once, saying you would sell her off." Xu Qinglin didn't dare to look at Zhang Xiaoying and mumbled, "I've been working myself to death just to make money…"

"I'm very disappointed in you," Zhang Xiaoying shook her head, cutting off Xu Qinglin's words, "You're already a father of three. How can you lack so much judgment? If I really were to sell Daniu off, would I let the whole village know? Use your brain."

At her words, Xu Qinglin raised his head with hope and met Zhang Xiaoying's gaze, "Really?"

"I know I've been partial to the first branch of our family these years, but have you thought about your own temperament? Every scolding and punishment, I originally thought it would toughen you up, but instead, it just made you more and more of a wimp," Zhang Xiaoying began to blatantly lie.

What had happened in the past could not be changed by Zhang Xiaoying.

What she could do was to prevent the Xu family from continuing down the path the original owner had set.

First, she had to help Xu Qinglin step out of the shadow of being oppressed by the original owner and gain confidence.

Zhang Xiaoying continued, "Filial piety is important, but blind obedience is not. No parent's choices and decisions are always right. Eldest son, if I were truly set on selling Daniu to someone else as a child bride, what would you do?"

"Mother, she's only six years old, she's still a child. I can do more, just please keep Daniu!" Xu Qinglin pleaded desperately with Zhang Xiaoying.

Zhang Xiaoying sighed, "Besides begging and threatening suicide, can't you think of any other solutions? If I were determined, would you just watch helplessly as your own daughter gets sold off, and then constantly regret not being able to protect her?

"Eldest son, many things in life require you to have a firm resolve in the moment. If you think you can't resist and feel powerless, then that's how you'll be for the rest of your life. You won't be able to protect your daughter, nor will you be able to protect anyone else in the future!

"Your mettle is being used in the wrong places. You only think about whether something is filial or not. In the end, you're selfish and cowardly, unwilling to sacrifice for your wife and daughter, to correct your mother's mistakes! As for the rest, you don't even consider it!"

Xu Qinglin's mouth moved, but he couldn't say a word for a long time.

"You're already twenty-two, and the only person who will be with you for life is your wife. Sometimes, when you do things, you need to think more about them, not about committing suicide. If you die, do you expect me to take care of your wife and daughters? That is impossible!"

"Mother, I…"

Xu Qinglin's voice was choked with emotion.

Zhang Xiaoying looked steadily at Xu Qinglin, with a serious expression, "Now that it's just the two of us, let me speak frankly. Maybe I was blind before, unable to see anything or admit the good in you and Gui's mother.

"I've always resented your father for leaving us so early. This fall, I saw your father. He said he had wronged me and told me to live a good life. He also passed on to me the medical skills he learned from the Ghost Doctor in the Underworld. From now on, let's live a good life as a family."

Xu Qinglin was stunned.

Wasn't Zhang Xiaoying just spouting nonsense?

How else could she explain her sudden knowledge of medical skills?

The entire Dafu Village knew how hard the original owner had worked to marry into the Xu Family. After her husband's death, numerous matchmakers visited, saying there were men who didn't mind that she had several children and wanted to marry her, but she rejected them all; she truly loved her husband.

"Eldest son, mother has been wrong these years, I failed you," Zhang Xiaoying sincerely apologized, "I hope you won't hold past grievances against me in the future. I will try to treat everyone equitably and won't neglect your well-being for the sake of your younger brother."

At these words, Xu Qinglin's eyes instantly reddened.

"Mother, are you, are you lying to me?" He couldn't believe it, in fact, since his mother awoke, he had felt something was different about her, could it be true?

"I promised your father."

"Wuwuwu..."

Xu Qinglin broke down in tears.

Even if what Zhang Xiaoying said at this moment was a lie, it still warmed his heart.

Zhang Xiaoying: "..."

This love-starved son!

"Alright, stop your blubbering, a grown man crying like a horse's piss—you think it's embarrassing, I find it disgraceful. Don't get too proud from a few kind words and get too big for your britches. Now get back to work!" Zhang Xiaoying's warmth and care couldn't withstand her adopted son's tears for long before she exploded.

His mother's voice was so familiar, yet Xu Qinglin felt overwhelming happiness.

"Okay, mother, I'll get to it right away," Xu Qinglin wiped away his tears, smiled naively, and quickly crouched down to clean the remaining parts of the wild boar.

As the sky darkened, Zhang Xiaoying and her company finally managed to process the wild boar and carried it back home.

Still far from their doorstep, Zhang Xiaoying could hear Mrs. Lin cursing in the yard, "I am so unlucky, having just this one son in my lifetime who gets ridiculed for his studies as if nobody else would benefit from his success.

"If his future is ruined, I swear with my life I'll seek justice, and no one will stand in the way of my son. If anyone had any integrity, they'd completely cut ties with us, rather than act as though we're taking great advantage of them!"

Zhang Xiaoying: "..."

It wasn't easy to deceive one, yet another thorn in her side remained unresolved.

Because Mrs. Lin couldn't bear children again over Xu Changsheng's lifetime, she treasured her only son as dearly as her eyesight. In addition, she married into Dafu Village from the town, naturally feeling superior; the original owner also made quite a few concessions to her.

Mrs. Lin looked down on the original owner, but only the original owner could justifiably exploit the First Branch—and with filial piety as leverage, Mrs. Lin managed to present a semblance of respect.

One after the other, they all are trouble!

Xu Qinglin looked embarrassed, "Mother, are we going to sell this wild boar? Maybe you should tell my brother and his wife. It's indeed important for Wencong to study. If he succeeds, we all share the honor."

"You don't need to worry about this matter, just focus on managing the crops and taking care of your wife; leave the rest to me." Wasn't the honest Xu Qinglin bound to be completely taken advantage of by Mrs. Lin?

If their characters were to be corrected, some things had to be nipped in the bud.

The Second Branch mustn't always think that the contribution of the First Branch is to be taken for granted.

If Xu Wencong truly attained success and became an official in the future, with such parents, would he still care about his father's brothers and sisters?