Old Mrs. Song is reborn; get out of here, you scumbag husband and illegitimate child!

The conversation shifted to other topics.

Song Lao Er's wife quietly approached Song Xianglan, "Third sister, could you try to persuade your eldest brother? He must have something wrong with his health."

"How so?" Song Xianglan turned her head.

"You know how much he loves to drink. A few days ago, he poured less than two ounces of baijiu (Chinese liquor) for dinner, and as soon as he finished, he ran outside the gate and vomited everywhere, even bringing up bile."

Song Lao Er's wife frowned deeply. "When asked where he felt unwell, he absolutely refused to say."

Song Xianglan put down her teacup, her eyes darkening.

"Brother, go get a medical check-up in a couple of days."

"Why investigate? What's the point of wasting money?" Brother Song objected.

He was afraid of dying, and heard that Song Daming had gone to the hospital for a checkup and found something wrong with him. He died a few months after returning home.

In his eyes, hospitals were places he couldn't go.

A perfectly healthy person goes to the hospital and suddenly has a problem.

Coming back would be fatal.

"That place is deadly. For a perfectly healthy person, going there is no different than going to report to the King of Hell."

"If you're sick, you need to get treatment." Song Xianglan knew the mindset of many elderly people in rural areas, who believed that illnesses only appeared after going to the hospital. "Go directly to Xincheng Hospital for a checkup. Cong Ying is at Xincheng Hospital; we have connections there, so we're not afraid."

Song Laosan: "Going to the new city is fine too. Aren't Yulu and her husband in the new city? We can go there and ask them for help in getting us to cooperate."

Brother Song waved his hand repeatedly.

"Why are you looking for Yulu? The child has her own job, don't go and cause trouble. If we really have to go to the new city, Lao Si can come with me."

He regretted it as soon as he said it.

"Why do you really need to go to the hospital?"

Sister-in-law Song also disagreed with going to the hospital, saying, "I've heard that hospitals not only cost money but also cost lives."

Song Laosi retorted:

"Song Daming was only taken to the hospital because he fainted from the pain at home. Why would he need a proper checkup? I'll go with you to Xincheng Hospital."

"Why do we need the fourth brother to go with us? He's so clumsy, what can he possibly accomplish?" Song Xianglan made the decision. "I'll go with you. It's settled then."

Sister-in-law Song felt it was inappropriate. "Why don't the fourth brother and the third sister go together? Or call Song Rong or Song Qiang along; young people are more efficient at running errands."

Brother Song sighed and shook his head.

"Song Qiang can't come back from Shenzhen, and Song Fei is even less reliable in Beijing. As for Song Rong..." Brother Song hesitated, his expression full of helplessness, "That kid is petty. I won't put up with that."

"Alright," Song Xianglan interrupted them, "We don't need those young people. I'll take you."

This matter was settled thanks to Song Xianglan's insistence.

Suddenly, a bicycle bell rang from the door.

Wen Qiang, sweating profusely, pushed the old-fashioned bicycle into the yard. Song Xiangmei stepped off the back seat and tugged at the hem of her clothes.

"Oh my, Big Sister's here!" Sister-in-law Song greeted her.

The Song brothers and their wives all gathered around.

The two families greeted each other.

Sister-in-law Song pulled Wenqiang up and down, then called Wentao and Xiaoyan over.

"This is the second son, and this is the third son." Song Xiangmei pointed to the Song brothers and introduced them to the three children one by one. "This is your great-aunt."

Wen Tao and the other two obediently called out to each person one by one.

Hearing about what happened to the fifth brother's child.

The sisters-in-law sighed as they listened.

Song Lao Er's wife took a red paper packet out of her pocket and stuffed it directly into Xiao Yan's hand: "Take this, it's from your great-aunt."

They then distributed the portions to Wentao and Wenqiang.

The wives of Song Laosan and Song Laosi also took out the red envelopes they had prepared in advance from their pockets and stuffed them into the hands of Wenqiang, Wentao, and Xiaoyan.

Wentao, clutching the red envelope, was at a loss for words and quickly pushed it back, saying, "Auntie, we can't accept it. My great-aunt has already given it to us."

"Just take it," Song Xianglan said, sitting down in her chair. "Don't let their unassuming appearance fool you; these aunts are all quite wealthy. They have money in their pockets, so just accept it."

Wen Tao and the others then accepted the red envelopes and expressed their gratitude.

Song Xianghe pretended not to see it.

She's definitely not going to give a red envelope.

She hated Chunxia and Song Xiangmei to death. She'd be more likely to accept a few thousand yuan from Song Xiangmei.

Wen Qiang looked around the courtyard and the surrounding brick houses and couldn't help but sigh.

"Third Aunt, every household here has a big house."

Song Lao Er's wife couldn't stop smiling. "You don't know. The reason why our Song Family Village and your Nie family are where we are today is all thanks to your third aunt's leadership."

She opened a factory, built greenhouses to grow vegetables and mushrooms, and also contracted hillsides to grow fruit. She got us involved in the business.

Otherwise, we'd all be toiling in the dirt for food right now, barely able to get enough to eat.

Wen Tao looked at Song Xianglan, his heart filled with shock.

Song Xianghe, who had been sitting in the corner, visibly felt the veins on the back of her hand bulge when she heard these words.

The whole family made their fortune thanks to Song Xianglan.

Only her family lost their jobs and became the poorest.

This feeling of being excluded churned within Song Xianghe's heart.

"Alright, you brothers and sisters chat, we sisters-in-law will cook."

The sisters-in-law immediately rolled up their sleeves and headed to the kitchen.

Song Xianglan did not move.

The whole family knows she doesn't like going into the kitchen, so no one will ask her to.

Song Xiangmei rolled up her sleeves and went in to help.

Xiao Yan quickly stood up: "Grandma, I'll go start the fire."

"I don't need you." Song Laosan's wife pulled Xiaoyan out and shoved a handful of dried longan into her hands. "What are you, a young woman, doing by the stove fumigating with soot? Sit here and eat snacks, and keep your third aunt company."

Xiao Yan could only sit obediently.

While the Song family was bustling with activity, someone cautiously peeked over from outside the courtyard gate.

Yang Liu's mother stood outside the courtyard wall, tiptoeing and peering inside.

She can't find her daughter Yang Liu now, so she shamelessly occupies Yang Liu's house.

Hearing that many relatives from the Song family had come, she guessed that Song Qiang might have also returned, so she quickly ran over to inquire about the news.

Just then, Song Xianghe felt stuffy inside the house and went to the courtyard gate for some fresh air.

As soon as Yang Liu's mother saw someone coming out, she quickly took two steps forward.

"Little sister," Yang Liu's mother forced a smile, "I have a question. Has Song Qiang returned? Does he know where our Yang Liu is right now?"

Song Xianghe was already seething with anger, and when she saw that the person who came was Yang Liu's mother, her face fell.

"How would I know where your daughter is?" Song Xianghe rolled her eyes. "She divorced Song Qiang a long time ago. You shouldn't have come to the Song family looking for her."

Yang Liu's mother peeked through the crack in the door.

"Your whole family is here, and nobody knows where she went? She had five children with Song Qiang."

Song Xianghe's evil thoughts surfaced.

"I advise you not to ask anymore." Song Xianghe sneered. "Your daughter offended someone she shouldn't have. Nobody knows where she is now, or whether she's alive or dead."

Yang Liu's mother turned pale:

"What do you mean by that? Who have you offended?"

"Who else could it be?" Song Xianghe deliberately gestured with her chin towards the room. "Song Xianglan dotes on her nephew, Song Qiang. Your daughter tormented Song Qiang like that, do you think Song Xianglan can swallow this?"

"This...this is a society governed by the rule of law." Yang Liu's mother began to stammer.

Song Xianghe scoffed, "Go out and ask around, how many people who go against Song Xianglan have a good ending?"

I don't know if your daughter is dead or not, and you'd better not ask. If you anger her, believe me, she might kill you too and throw you into the river to feed the fish.

Yang Liu's mother was a bully who preyed on the weak and feared the strong.

All sorts of terrifying rumors flashed through my mind instantly, making me gasp in fright.

"I didn't ask anything." Yang Liu's mother staggered back two steps, then turned and ran along the dirt road faster than a rabbit.

Watching Yang Liu's mother flee in panic, Song Xianghe spat on the ground and closed the courtyard gate.

He turned around and walked back.

Sister-in-law Song came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of washed asparagus and casually asked:

"Xianghe, who was outside just now?"

"A beggar asking for directions," Song Xianghe said dismissively.

More than an hour later.

The eight-immortal table in the main room was pulled apart and two square tables were put together.

One steaming hot dish after another was served.

Stir-fried asparagus, braised pork, vegetable cakes, steamed glutinous rice with crab, pan-fried pomfret, small intestines and free-range chicken with rice blood... a table full of dishes.

Brother Song took out a bottle of liquor and just unscrewed the cap.

Song Xianglan snatched the wine bottle and placed it on the cabinet next to her.

"No one is allowed to drink alcohol today." Song Xianglan glanced around. "Everyone, eat."

Brother Song opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't dare to refute.

The family picked up their bowls and began to eat in a lively and cheerful manner.