Chapter 217 The Son Disliked by Mom Ye
Dad Ye felt that his wife had changed during the half month she was away from him, and she was no longer gentle and considerate. The countryside truly was a double-edged sword, capable of ruining a wife's beautiful face and killing her true nature.
While the men were learning in the kitchen, Mom Ye pulled her daughter into her room.
Closing the door tightly, Mom Ye tiptoed and motioned for her daughter to help move the large wardrobe.
Beneath the wardrobe, a board appeared. Lifting it revealed stairs.
Ye Shengyuan asked in surprise and a low voice, "Did you hire someone to dig this?"
"Yes, I had your eldest uncle dig for a week to get it done. No one else knows."
Ye Shengyuan understood. This meant no one else in the Bai family knew.
"Daughter, the opening is a bit narrow. Take the flashlight and go down yourself. Collect everything inside into your space."
Ye Shengyuan didn't need to go all the way down. As long as she was within ten meters, she could use her mind to collect items into her space.
"Mom, it's done. Is all of it from Grandpa's house?"
Mom Ye covered the wooden board and they moved the wardrobe back to its original position.
"Not entirely. Those with red paper attached are the original owner's dowry. The rest are things the Bai family hid in the house. As for what the Bai family hid elsewhere, we won't bother with that. Your grandfather said I'll get one-fifth of it later. Oh, and we also get one-fifth of what was collected into the space. The Bai family property is divided into five parts. The grandchildren don't get anything directly; it's divided among their parents to pass down."
Ye Shengyuan nodded. This was very reasonable and open-minded. The elders only concerned themselves with their children, and the grandchildren were the responsibility of their parents.
"Alright, I'll sort it out and give you your fifth later."
Mom Ye took out a box from the wardrobe and handed it to her daughter. "This contains the original owner's personal savings and the money the family had saved. We'll keep some for daily expenses, and the rest will go into your space."
"All of it for me? Aren't you afraid my brother will be jealous?"
Mom Ye waved her hand dismissively. "My son can earn his own money. He has arms and legs, he won't starve to death."
Ye Shengyuan told her mother about the Baili family's treasure her elder brother had found, which made her mother extremely happy. "At least that boy was useful. He knows how to dote on you. Now I'm not afraid he'll betray me after marrying a wife."
"Hahaha, betray. Isn't it natural for him to dote on his wife? Look how much Dad dotes on you."
"That's true, but when a son gets married, he might forget his mother. I'll feel a bit uncomfortable then. But I'm not worried. I have my precious daughter. If my son doesn't support me later, I'll live with you."
Ye Shengyuan nodded, amused. She knew that although her mother said this now, she wouldn't be jealous when her elder brother doted on his wife. Her mother wasn't the type to worry or meddle; she preferred to enjoy herself.
"Alright. If Big Brother isn't filial to you and Dad later, I won't give him any treasures from my space."
Mom Ye shot her daughter a look. "He wasn't going to get any anyway. He has his own money. The original owner had a good salary, plus rewards from missions."
Ye Shengyuan felt a pang of guilt thinking about the savings book her elder brother had given her. She had completely forgotten about it, having thrown it into her space. "Big Brother also gave me his money. I think I've only given him pocket money once."
Mom Ye was satisfied and unconcerned about whether her son had pocket money. "Don't overthink it. Ten yuan could last a long time in those days. You must have given him a considerable amount then, right?"
"Three hundred yuan pocket money."
"Then that's enough. It'll last him two years. He doesn't have to pay for food or clothes usually."
Even so, Ye Shengyuan decided to find an opportunity to discuss finances with her elder brother. After all, her brother would need money for dating, marriage, and children in the future. Not to mention, the black market business was managed by her elder brother, and he shouldn't be working for free. She could save money for him, but it shouldn't be unclear.
"Mhm, I'll talk to Big Brother myself later."
Mom Ye didn't care about any of that, as long as her daughter had money.
The weather was hot, so the water didn't need to be very hot for bathing. A bathtub had been prepared in the bathing room, and Ye Shengyuan had her own dedicated tub.
Ye Mu'en scrubbed the bathtub several times and poured in hot water of just the right temperature. "Shengyuan, come take a bath quickly. We still need to go to Grandma's for dinner later."
"Coming."
Ye Shengyuan had already arranged with her mother. She would bathe in her space, and the water in the tub would be left for her mother to use, so as not to waste it.
Entering her space, Ye Shengyuan felt her pores relax. She drank a cup of well water and lay in the bathtub, enjoying a fragrant herbal bath.
The Bai family had fourteen people, plus the eight members of the Ye family, and one extra, Zi Yisheng. That made a total of twenty-three people, and the consumption for one meal was enormous. No wonder families with many children in the village complained about the grain allocation being over a thousand jin, saying it wasn't enough. They would eat twenty jin of grain in a single meal, and how much would that be in half a year? However, families that ate their fill every meal like the Bai family were truly rare. Many families ate only two meals a day, and eating only seven-tenths full was considered well-off.
Therefore, the three daughters-in-law of the Bai family were truly busy today. The six boys in the family also pitched in to help, and even Old Mrs. Bai sat under the eaves, picking vegetables. The vegetables grown in the Bai family's private plot were just sprouts. The vegetables eaten daily were bought from the village, costing only a few cents for a basket, which was quite cheap.
Zi Yisheng, after washing up, went to find the little girl with gifts. Seeing the little girl with her hair down, wearing a cotton floral dress, he was mesmerized again. Even before she had fully bloomed, she was such a beauty; how stunning would she be when she grew up?
"Hey, Zi Yisheng, what are you spacing out about?"
Zi Yisheng snapped back to attention and looked at the small hand waving in front of his eyes. He quickly reached out and grasped it. "Are you rested? Are you still uncomfortable?"
"I'm not uncomfortable anymore. Let's hurry to Grandma's. It's already bad enough that we didn't go to help earlier."
Dad Ye and Ye Mu'en stood by, arms crossed, their eyes fixed on the clasped hands, finding it uncomfortable to look at. Zi Yisheng was not only thick-skinned but also courageous. His greatest reliance was the little girl, and everyone else was afraid of his reliance.
"Uncle Ye, Mu'en, let's go!"
This time, the two elders also went along. After all, they were guests, and both carried gifts.
Little Tiantian and Mo Lin followed, hopping along. Little Tiantian clearly liked this new home and showed no sign of being unwilling to stay in one place.
Mom Ye had already gone ahead to help. As the eight of them walked into the Bai family's yard, they heard the lively sounds from inside.
"Sister is here."
"Brother is here."
Among the Bai family, only the youngest son of the third uncle, Bai Yuanhan, was a year younger than Shengyuan. The rest were older brothers. Seeing their sister, they all gathered around. Zi Yisheng was quickly excluded.
"Heh heh, you won't be needed. You'll have a hard time too."
Ye Mu'en whispered into Zi Yisheng's ear, his tone incredibly smug.
Zi Yisheng pushed up his glasses and smiled faintly. "Shengyuan, aren't you going to take your two masters in to say hello?"