Casting Nets to Catch a Husband

Chapter 83: Lu Xun coaxes his wife

“Which of the kids do you think we don’t need to worry about the most, and whose future looks the brightest?”

Chen Shi gave him a sidelong glance, and Lu Xun, trying to please her, replied, “That would undoubtedly be the third child, don’t you agree?”

Chen Shi, feeling a bit bitter today, remarked, “Yes, so you’ve caught onto the least of your worries, the one who speaks the best, to bully.”

“No, no, no, Yizhen,” Lu Xun pleaded, “I know it seems like I’ve been hard on Chengxiao lately, but in the long run, besides caring for our family and the bond between the brothers, I have indeed considered Chengxiao’s welfare a lot.”

Yizhen was Chen Shi’s nickname, which Lu Xun only used in private.

Hearing his explanation, Chen Shi suppressed her anger and signaled for Lu Xun to continue.

Lu Xun went on, “The second child’s temperament was not obvious when our family was poor, and he was a good child when he was young. However, he values profit over affection. When our family became affluent, he couldn’t withstand the test. Just like you said, I haven’t forgotten what happened two years ago.”

“Yizhen, of our three sons, Chengzong is someone I don’t need to worry about. Whether it’s him or his wife, they are both honest and sincere people. Honesty and sincerity may not seem outstanding individually, but they are both rare qualities. Although our eldest may not have extraordinary achievements in the future, if given some family business, he will manage it steadily. Honest people will have blessings, and those with blessings won’t need to rush. I’m not worried about the eldest.”

“As for Chengzhang,” Lu Xun shook his head, “He’s not inherently bad, but he values interests too much, lacks generosity to accommodate others, and his mind is too complicated without enough straightforwardness. These aren’t fatal flaws individually, but when combined, they make it hard for people to like him.”

“He would lend a hand when his siblings are in trouble, but when it comes to sharing a meal, he would focus all his intelligence on how to get more from that meal. He would spend all his energy on watching whether his siblings are getting more than him from that meal. His eyes can only see that meal in front of him, unable to see anything else beyond that, just like I said earlier, he can’t share wealth and honor.”

Chen Shi’s lips twitched, the description was indeed vivid…

“As for the second daughter-in-law, I’ve been observing her lately. She might not have a broad mind, but she has a good heart. She seems shrewd, but it might be a superficial shrewdness. Ironically, she seems more like someone led by our second son.”

Chen Shi: “…”

Alright, the root of the problem lies in their family.

“As for Chengxiao,” Lu Xun’s eyes lit up with a smile as he looked at Chen Shi, “Our youngest, his best qualities are kindness and tolerance, the opposite of the second child. He values affection more than profit.”

“Chengxiao has had a different experience from his two brothers. We let him explore the broader world outside, learn more skills, and we can’t tie him back here to stand behind a counter selling cloth for his whole life, can we? His aspirations have never been here. But, Yizhen, the second child lacks that broad-mindedness. To him, letting Chengxiao pursue something different from him is favoritism.”

“The second child, he wouldn’t even straightforwardly address issues; instead, he’d subtly scratch and prod in a way he deems covert. Then, he’d keep all that dissatisfaction and resentment inside. But like pulling out a thorn from your hand, once you remove it, the wound opens up, just a tiny insignificant cut that quickly heals. But if you cover and suppress it, it festers.”

Chen Shi chuckled, “So you’re worried about him festering inside, and you want to separate Chengxiao?”

“He didn’t think about how we managed to establish this shop in the county. Did he think it was easy for him to work at the counter and make it big with his toil? Why don’t you call him here? I’ll ask him if it’s fair for Chengxiao to work behind the counter just like him. Is that not favoritism?”

Lu Xun sighed, “It’s not that I want to separate them just because I’m worried about him festering inside. I’m worried about hurting Chengxiao.”

Chen Shi was taken aback.

“I can see it, can’t Chengxiao? The second child values profit over affection; he won’t change. Chengxiao values affection, and when you mix them together, the one who suffers is always the one who values affection and is willing to compromise.”

“I’m not suggesting this to favor one over the other. It’s because I refuse to keep pouring water. I want to separate them now while their brotherly bond is intact, so they don’t eat from the same pot and go their separate ways. When they come back, they’ll understand each other better.”

“Yizhen, though I haven’t said it, Chengxiao understands. He’s willing to do this.”

Chen Shi felt increasingly uncomfortable, “It’s painful to understand. Where does the second child act like an elder brother? The younger brother has only been back for two months, just two months, and he’s already working behind the counter selling cloth, just with a bit more freedom. If he’s busy with something else, just let him be, why does it bother him? It’s only been two months, and he can’t tolerate it. Why doesn’t he think about the benefits he’s received?”

“Chengxiao must be feeling really hurt.”

Chen Shi’s eyes were red by this point.

Lu Xun couldn’t bear to see her like this. He held her hand and said softly, “Why are your eyes still red? Our third son is much more open-minded than you think. And haven’t we minimized the possible damage by doing this?”

Chen Shi turned away, “I feel sorry for Chengxiao. He hasn’t even started his own family, yet he’s already being separated. What a mess. And as for Yu’er, her marriage hasn’t even been arranged, and she’s already involved in this. How will the Liu family see it?”

Lu Xun couldn’t ignore this aspect. He advised Chen Shi, “I think the Liu family is reasonable. You should go and talk to them personally. They should understand.”

In fact, Lu Xun felt that during the last visit from the Liu family, the second child’s behavior, perhaps apart from his own perception, wasn’t seen as problematic. Even though separating Chengxiao from the family meant less reliance on him, it also meant fewer troubles. Mrs. Wei probably felt relieved.

Chen Shi felt sorry for her youngest son, but her frustration was still evident.

Seeing her like this, Lu Xun, forgetting momentarily that he was a father, and ignoring his usual balanced approach, squeezed Chen Shi’s hand and whispered, “You haven’t asked me about Yu’er’s dressmaking business or Yanping’s cloth trading.”

The change of topic caught Chen Shi off guard for a moment before she responded, “Oh, I forgot about that just now.”

Lu Xun saw her staring blankly and couldn’t help but lean closer to Chen Shi’s ear, smiling as he whispered, “Actually, I think Yu’er and her brother are both excellent candidates for business. Really, the siblings each have their strengths, no less than our Chengxiao.”

“The additional consideration for this separation is, I see Chengxiao has a penchant for business. In the future, he’ll be traveling a lot. Yanping has the potential for business, and the Liu siblings are all skilled. Travelling together for business couldn’t be better. They can support each other and look out for one another. Wouldn’t you feel more at ease?”

“But if we don’t separate, when they really start making money, will the second child be at peace?”

“Guess, after the separation, will it be the second child and his wife who prosper faster, or the third child and Yu’er?”

Chen Shi blinked, initially doubting she had misheard, but then understanding dawned on her. She had just been glum, but now she looked at Lu Xun’s retreating figure with a face full of surprise.

Lu Xun’s face flushed slightly, feeling uneasy. He cleared his throat before whispering, “So, I also have my thoughts. With the second child’s temperament, we have to hit him hard to make him change.”

After all, who wouldn’t favor a kind, filial, and intelligent child?

But admitting it as the head of the family was difficult.

But now, he had to appease his wife. All the pretense of fairness and saving face could be cast aside for now.

Chen Shi finally burst into laughter.

Her laughter lifted Lu Xun’s mood too. He chuckled and whispered, “Feeling better now? Our third child is clever, and the girl he’s interested in is also good. Her family also has potential. There’s more to look forward to in the future, you just watch.”

Chen Shi still wasn’t entirely convinced and asked Lu Xun, “Are Yu’er and her brother really suited for business?”

“When have I ever lied to you? Don’t you trust my judgment?”

His judgment was usually spot on, and he had never lied to her.

Chen Shi believed him, and a smile bloomed on her face. “Alright, you’ve made the right decision with this separation. I want him to see the difference for himself!”

The red-eye syndrome had to be treated, even if it was her son.

Chen Shi didn’t handle things like Lu Xun did. Her bias towards her youngest son was clear and straightforward. He had been away for fourteen years, couldn’t she show a little more concern? With more concern, there naturally would be more emotional attachment. This wasn’t like picking herbs in a pharmacy; if the proportions were off, you could always add or subtract to balance it out.

After hearing about the second son’s actions, her frustration was clearly evident, and he deserved to be taught a lesson.

By lunchtime, Chen Shi’s mood had cleared up, but upon seeing Lu Chengzhang, her resentment resurfaced.

Lu Chengzhang felt his heart pounding as he met his mother’s gaze, quickly lowering his head to avoid her eyes.

Chen Shi sighed inwardly. He still knew how to be ashamed. It seemed there was still hope for him.

Lu Xun observed the reactions of the mother and son, shaking his head. Before the dishes were served, he said, “I’ve discussed the matter of the separation with your mother, and she agrees.”

Zhou Qiongying, who had been relying on her mother-in-law to save her, now felt all hope shatter. Her entire demeanor wilted.

As for Babao, who had just come from the front, upon hearing this, he nearly tripped over his own feet. What did the master just say??? Separation???

He had to steady himself against the wall. No one paid attention to him at the moment. Lu Xun glanced at his sons and daughters-in-law, seeing no one speaking up, then looked at Chen Shi, silently asking if she had anything to add.

Of course, Chen Shi did.

“According to your father’s words, after Shuang’er gets married, the second and third sons will move out once they have their own homes. Chengzhang is fine, he grew up by my and your father’s side before opening a shop in the county. But Chengxiao isn’t. He left home at fourteen and barely stayed here for a few days during this visit. Yu’er hasn’t even entered the door yet, and now we’re talking about separation. I’m really sad about it.”

Lu Chengzhang lowered his head even further, not daring to look at his mother.

Zhou Qiongying silently hoped they wouldn’t separate, but she dared not voice it out loud, anxiously glancing at Chen Shi.

However, Chen Shi didn’t hear her thoughts. Even if she did, she wouldn’t agree anymore. She continued, “Let Chengxiao stay at home for a few more years.”

Turning to her eldest son and daughter-in-law, she asked, “Chengzong, Yulan, do you have any objections?”

Lu Chengzong shook his head repeatedly, “No objections. Our home has always been the home of our second and third brothers. They can stay as long as they want.”

Qin Yulan nodded in agreement, “Me too.”

Chen Shi smiled and then looked at Lu Chengxiao.

Lu Chengxiao also smiled, “If Dad and Mom and elder brother and sister-in-law are willing, I can stay for as long as they want. Whatever makes Mom happy. And in the future, if they have a house, and Mom and Dad are willing, they can come live with me.”

Chen Shi was completely satisfied now, her smile even broader, “Alright, I’ll remember your words.”

When Yu’er gives her grandchildren, she will definitely come.

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