When Mrs. Huo saw her grandson’s dreamy expression, she immediately understood. She smiled, a teasing glint in her eye. “Oh, my grandson has grown up! It’s time to talk about finding you a daughter-in-law. Grandma will help you look these days and find the best girl.”
Huo Chen heard this and couldn’t help but picture Xu Ying’s smiling face. He stood by the washbasin, a foolish grin playing on his lips. When Mrs. Huo saw him, she knew he already had someone in mind. She couldn’t help but think of the Captain’s daughter. A good girl, but their family’s circumstances weren’t a match. Still, love was a matter of fate, and when it arrived, no one could stop it.
Mrs. Huo shuffled back into the house and quickly returned with a dusty box in her arms, showing it hadn’t been opened in a long time. She looked at the box, her thoughts swirling. Carefully, she opened it and took out a pair of gold bracelets with red gems. “Xiaochen, come here!” Mrs. Huo called out, her eyes growing red-rimmed. This was an heirloom passed down from her husband’s ancestors. After so many changes, only this box of treasures remained. Luckily, those unfilial sons hadn’t taken it.
Huo Chen looked at the large gold bracelets in her hand, surprised. He actually had something so valuable. Though they weren’t worth much now, he felt deep down that they would be appreciated in the future. “I’ll give this to your wife later. See which girl you like. If you decide you won’t marry anyone else in this life, give this to her.” Mrs. Huo said, holding out the bracelets. There were several compartments at the bottom of the box, and they held more bracelets, but these were jade, not gold. She would give those later.
Huo Chen quickly refused. “Grandma, this is too expensive.”
Mrs. Huo frowned. “I am your grandmother. If I don’t give it to you, will I die and have it buried in the soil with me? Take it. Everything here will be yours in the future.”
Huo Chen still shook his head. “Then wait until I find someone to give it to. You can hold onto it for me first.”
Mrs. Huo thought this was reasonable and nodded. Just as she was about to put the box away, the door to their home was pushed open.
Huo Hanjie swaggered into the yard. When he saw the item in Mrs. Huo’s hand, his eyes instantly lit up. He arched his back and scurried over, a flattering smile on his face. “Mom, you still have money! This bracelet is so big, it must be forty or fifty grams! This can be exchanged for money now. Give it to me, and I’ll take it out and buy you roast chicken.”
When Mrs. Huo saw her eldest son, her face instantly darkened. She stretched out her hand and slapped him hard. “Get out of here and don’t call me Mom! I Don’t have an unfilial son like you.” When the Huo family was struggling and her old man was gone, it was her children who were quickest to cut ties with her. The most difficult time was when only Huo Chen and she depended on each other. Now that life was getting a little better, this shameless man had the nerve to show up. Don’t think he doesn’t know, she thought, this guy is just jealous of the money Huo Chen earned yesterday.
He wasn’t the only one jealous. Yesterday, everyone heard that Huo Chen had earned over ten yuan, and everyone was envious. Some even demanded that the wild animals Huo Chen shot be divided among them. But the Captain had spoken: anyone who wanted to hunt wild animals had to do so based on their own ability. Only then did those people quiet down. Wild animals weren’t easy to hunt. The mountains were dangerous, with not only wild wolves but also bears. These were earnings from risking one’s life.
Huo Hanjie was shameless. “Mom, what are you talking about? I was born and raised by you! If I don’t call you Mom, what should I call you? I will have to support you in your old age. If you don’t give me such a big gold bracelet, are you planning to give it to this brat? Don’t forget, I am your biological son who carries your blood, and he is just a bastard who appeared out of nowhere.”
When Mrs. Huo heard this, she trembled with rage. “Get out! Get out of here! I was pregnant for ten months. How could I have given birth to such an unfilial son like you? If I had known, I should have thrown you into a urine bucket and drowned you! He is my grandson! Get out of here! Without him, I don’t know if I would have survived until now. My biological son is not as filial as the grandson I raised! Huo Hanjie, I have cut ties with you. This gold bracelet has nothing to do with you. I will give this to my grandson!”
Huo Hanjie grew anxious as soon as he heard this. His eyes darted around the yard. He spotted the broom in the corner, quickly grabbed it, looked at Mrs. Huo, and threatened directly: “If you don’t give it to me, I will destroy this yard for you!”
Mrs. Huo gasped, glaring at her son, wondering how she could have given birth to such a person.
“Then move it,” Huo Chen said, his voice sharp.
Huo Hanjie felt a chill run through him, but looking at the large gold bracelet, he was unwilling to give up. He mustered his courage and swung the broom at a bench in the yard.
Mrs. Huo went inside and beckoned her grandson to come. Huo Chen, with his grandmother’s unspoken approval, strode towards Huo Hanjie.
“You, you, you, what do you want to do? Let me tell you, if you dare to lay a finger on me, I will call the police!” Huo Hanjie was as timid as a quail, his legs beginning to tremble uncontrollably.
Huo Chen said nothing, but punched him directly in the head. Then, with a few swift kicks, Huo Hanjie was sent sprawling far away. Before it was over, Huo Chen grabbed one of his legs and dragged him toward Huo Hanjie’s house. When he reached the door, he threw the man aside and kicked open the door to Huo Hanjie’s house.
Huo Hanjie’s wife’s voice screeched like a pig being slaughtered: “Someone with a bad heart kicked the door of my house into pieces…” She was about to continue scolding, but her eyes met Huo Chen’s cold gaze, and all her words were instantly swallowed.
Huo Chen entered the yard and kicked a large hole in the water tank. Water gushed out from the hole.
“Ah!” Huo Hanjie’s wife screamed, and the children in the house were so frightened they quickly hid.
“Huo Chen, what are you doing? You can’t smash things! Stop it!” Huo Hanjie’s wife stood to the side in a panic, wanting to step forward and stop him, but looking at Huo Chen’s grim face, she was too terrified to move a single step. She glanced at her husband on the ground, feeling furious. Didn’t this scoundrel want to please Huo Chen and get that money from him? Why has it become such a mess now?
Huo Chen then raised his foot and kicked the table in the yard. The table flew into the air, and he delivered another kick, sending it crashing into the house, leaving a large hole in the door.