Chapter 112: The Honest Man’s Schemes

What a pot of blame to be dumped on him—Lu Chuan felt so wronged. “Mom, that’s not true at all. Don’t I know what kind of person Fang Yuan is?”

Old Mrs. Lu replied, “So what if you know? You can’t stop the temptations of the outside world—there are plenty of vixens out there. Just look at your big brother, he’s a prime example.”

Lu Chuan couldn’t help but resent his eldest brother. Now even his own mother didn’t trust her son. “Then tell me, Mom, where would I get the guts? Would I dare?”

That was actually a convincing point. Old Mrs. Lu nodded, “That’s true. You have to understand, your father-in-law’s family has five big tigers—they’re not easy to mess with. Today, when Fang Yuan swung that broom at your big brother, if it had been you, she’d have used an iron rod. You’d better treat Fang Yuan well.”

She laid out the stakes crystal clear.

So, your daughter-in-law’s fierceness and her family’s toughness are more reliable guarantees than your son’s character? Is this really how a mother treats her son?

Lu Chuan looked at his mother with a bit of grievance. There was no trust left between family anymore.

Old Mrs. Lu looked at her son, not reassured in the slightest. “Second, are you really okay?”

Lu Chuan replied, “I’m fine. I just felt a bit upset and came out for a walk.”

Old Mrs. Lu asked, “Why? Did Fang Yuan upset you? That can’t be—she’s such a good girl. So who made you upset?”

Lu Chuan pressed his lips together. Fang Yuan was so great, but she almost became his big brother’s wife. That was the real source of his frustration, but he didn’t want to explain. He couldn’t put it into words.

Old Mrs. Lu said, “Tell me about it. Your dad and I can’t help with your school stuff—that’s our shortcoming. All we can do is listen to you vent.”

Lu Chuan didn’t want his mother to worry, so he quickly clarified, “It’s not about school.”

Old Mrs. Lu clapped her hands. “Then it’s about Fang Yuan, isn’t it?”

Lu Chuan fell silent. How did he end up getting tricked by his own mother? People say country folks are simple and honest—where’s the honesty? Even his own mother was scheming.

Lu Chuan realized you really can’t look down on anyone. When did his simple, honest mother learn these tricks?

Old Mrs. Lu’s face changed dramatically. Lu Chuan didn’t even need to ask—he knew his mother was overthinking.

He hurriedly said, “It’s not what you’re thinking. Give your brain a rest, okay?” Even his way of speaking was starting to sound like Fang Yuan’s.

Old Mrs. Lu got anxious. “Then tell me, what is it? I haven’t enjoyed a few good days yet—don’t go causing trouble.”

She had only just started living a good life and truly hoped the family would stay well.

If the eldest son caused some trouble now and then, well, that was just family—who doesn’t have a few petty squabbles? She could handle it.

But with the second son, Old Mrs. Lu could only worry helplessly. She had no control here—her second son had his own ideas, and his wife was capable too.

Old Mrs. Lu anxiously slapped her second son a couple of times. “Just tell me already!”

Lu Chuan was afraid his mother would worry herself sick, so he blurted out, “Mom, you know, Fang Yuan was originally set up with big brother. She agreed to the match because she liked him.”

He would never have said this to anyone but his own mother. He’d kept it bottled up for so long.

Old Mrs. Lu was straightforward, not one for her son’s sentimental thinking. “So? What’s the problem?”

Lu Chuan looked at his mother. So? Wasn’t this enough to be conflicted about? His gaze was full of grievance, and Old Mrs. Lu couldn’t pretend not to see it.

She was a bit angry and a bit anxious—this counts as a problem? “When you got married, didn’t you know about this? Didn’t you know when you got the marriage certificate? Didn’t we agree that the past was in the past?”

Lu Chuan knew no one would understand his feelings. Is it really that easy to let go?

Back then, he agreed so readily because he didn’t have feelings for Fang Yuan.

Now it was different. His heart was full of Fang Yuan, he thought about her all the time, and sometimes he’d get a little irrational. “I just can’t stand seeing the two of them together, not even arguing.”

So your big brother gets hit with a broom, and you still feel wronged? Old Mrs. Lu felt sorry for her eldest.

She stared at her second son in disbelief—was he crazy? “Who did you inherit this pettiness from? We all live in the same village, you’re bound to see each other. Are you planning to never get along again?”

Lu Chuan thought, just to make myself feel a little less stifled, I should coax my wife to move somewhere bigger.

Old Mrs. Lu punched him a few times. “You, of all people, should know Fang Yuan and…”

Lu Chuan shot her a look, his brows furrowed. He didn’t want to hear Fang Yuan’s name mentioned with anyone but himself.

Seeing his expression, Old Mrs. Lu’s heart ached. Her second son was really like this? She quickly changed her tune. “Fang Yuan’s engagement was rushed—they only met once before the wedding. What could have happened?”

Lu Chuan was still petty about it. There was a pre-marriage engagement. Didn’t she see how his big brother kept talking about getting a wife?

Old Mrs. Lu said, “You’re not getting along with your big brother because of this, aren’t you?”

Lu Chuan replied, “Fang Yuan doesn’t care, but Lu Feng does. I know exactly what he’s thinking—why can’t he just keep his distance?”

Old Mrs. Lu was left speechless. She never realized her second son could be so particular. “You… you…”

But as for her eldest son’s feelings, Old Mrs. Lu really couldn’t say for sure. She wanted to tell her second son he was overthinking, but she felt a bit guilty.

Then she forced out, “Your big brother really tried to avoid her, but he still couldn’t dodge Fang Yuan’s broom, could he?”

Lu Chuan said, “Mom, is this really the time for jokes?”

Old Mrs. Lu replied, “What can I do? You can’t argue with Fang Yuan over this. And you can’t blame your dad and me for not finding you a wife sooner. Even if we had, it would’ve been Fang Yuan, and you wouldn’t have agreed, would you?”

She glanced at her second son, wanting to say that if it hadn’t been for what happened with the eldest, he wouldn’t have ended up with Fang Yuan. He was so focused on going to college, he didn’t want to marry a country girl.

But as a mother, she couldn’t bear to say it outright. She hoped her son would understand—without all this, how could he have married someone like Fang Yuan? She tried to put it gently.

Lu Chuan, ever perceptive, understood what his mother meant. “I’m not arguing with her. I just came out for a walk, to process things myself.”

He had to admit, if things hadn’t happened the way they did, if he hadn’t gotten to know Fang Yuan, even if they’d been set up, there wouldn’t have been a marriage.

So the conclusion was—should he be grateful to his big brother? Lu Chuan felt stifled. His mother wasn’t here to comfort him, but to make him feel worse.

Old Mrs. Lu said, “Second, I know you care about Fang Yuan, and I’m happy about that. But you need to let it go. This really isn’t a big deal.”

Lu Chuan felt awkward. “Mom, I’ll get over it. Just don’t tell Fang Yuan.”

Old Mrs. Lu patted her son. “I’m not stupid. I don’t tell Fang Yuan everything.”

Lu Chuan felt embarrassed. “Ahem, let’s go back. Fang Yuan’s got a temper—if I’m gone too long, she’ll think I’m slacking off.”

If they kept talking, they’d end up with a problem even if there wasn’t one to begin with. Lu Chuan felt exhausted.

113."

"Chapter 113: The Give and Take of Human Relationships