Era: Seven money-losing girls? They're trying to trick me into having a daughter again!

"Ha, he's probably gambled it all away!"

Wu Faguo didn't believe a word Fang Wei said. "You come here with just a couple of bites of food and expect to freeload! How can a grown man have the nerve to do that?!"

"dad,"

Fang Wei sighed, "I was ignorant before, blinded by greed."

"I promise you and Mom, I'll never gamble again! I'll just stay here with Shaoli and our daughters and live a good life!"

"Alright, alright, you say the same thing every time you come back."

Wu Faguo waved his hand impatiently, "If you're really serious, then keep your word. Leave your things here and go."

Just as Fang Wei was about to say something more, a male voice suddenly came from the courtyard.

"Uncle! Aunt! I've come to see you!"

A man wearing a crisp white shirt and shiny black leather shoes walked in.

This man is named Xu Rui. He is a distant relative of the Wu family, and according to seniority, he calls Wu Faguo "uncle".

Working as a clerk in the town's street office means you're paid by the government.

Why does Fang Wei still remember him?

Because this person had hung around Wu Shaoli a lot in his past life, and always said some very annoying things.

As soon as Xu Rui entered the room and saw Fang Wei, his expression immediately turned into a forced, insincere smile.

"Hey, isn't this Fang Wei?"

He deliberately rolled up his sleeves, revealing the watch on his wrist.

"What brings you to Uncle Wu's place today? Did you lose money gambling again?"

Fang Wei looked at him expressionlessly, without replying.

"Uncle, I heard from Auntie last time that Fang Wei swindled another ten yuan or so from you?"

Xu Rui looked at Wu Faguo with concern.

"I bet he's here to borrow money again today."

"You two shouldn't always spoil her like this. Do you think you can get the money back after lending it out?"

"Hmph, this time they're not here to borrow money."

Wu Faguo pointed to the things on the table with annoyance, "I don't know if the sun rose in the west, but they actually brought things with them."

Xu Rui glanced at the brown sugar and pork on the table, and curled his lip.

"Uncle, Aunt, you can't be fooled by these small favors. Don't you know what kind of person Fang Wei is?"

"He doesn't even have a proper job, where would he get the money to buy these things?"

He looked at Fang Wei, his tone becoming somewhat playful.

"Fang Wei, there are no outsiders here, so just tell me the truth: did you steal the money from Shao Li to buy these things?"

"You really are something, taking the money your wife saved up through frugality to show off at your mother-in-law's house."

"After swindling money from your aunt and uncle, you gambled it all away, right?"

Fang Wei didn't even lift his eyelids, and said coldly, "Where my money comes from has nothing to do with you."

"Your money?"

Xu Rui looked genuinely surprised. "You actually have money? That's hilarious! We all know about your family's wealth!"

"With the rice bin emptied cleaner than a face, how can they possibly afford to buy meat?"

Wu Xiaoqin and Wu Faguo were also watching Fang Wei.

They believed Xu Rui's words to be true; this gambler must have stolen the money their daughter had saved to save her life in order to save face!

What a sin!

Why did she choose him back then and marry her daughter to him?!

"Fang Wei, I'm going to say it directly in front of your uncle and aunt today."

Xu Rui took two steps forward, closing in on Fang Wei, trying to put some pressure on him. "If you're even a man, you should get a divorce as soon as possible."

"Look what you've done to Shaoli!"

"A literate woman, confined to a dilapidated house in the countryside, gave birth to seven children in a row, never having enough to eat or wear. Who could endure that?"

Xu Rui spoke with such sincerity that his eyes were even a little red, as if he were the one in the family who cared most about Wu Shaoli.

"Shaoli is beautiful and educated; what kind of family couldn't she find in the county town?"

"If you really feel indebted to her, then let go and let her live a good life. Stop harming her."

Fang Wei remained silent until Xu Rui finished speaking, at which point he suddenly looked at the watch on Xu Rui's wrist.

"Have you finished speaking? Then it's my turn to speak."

"Comrade Xu Rui, if I remember correctly, you should work at the town's subdistrict office, right?"

"right."

Xu Rui straightened his collar and said arrogantly, "What? Are you envious?"

"Oh!"

Fang Wei smiled and shook his head, saying directly, "Then I find it a bit strange. You work in the neighborhood committee; your monthly salary should be around thirty, right?"

Xu Rui frowned but did not reply.

"The watch you're wearing should be a Shanghai brand all-steel watch, right?"

Fang Wei looked at Xu Rui with curiosity and continued, "I just saw it in the county department store last month. The price tag was... exactly one hundred and twenty yuan."

"With your meager salary, you'd have to save every penny for half a year to afford this watch, right?"

"But you don't seem like the type to be frugal."

Fang Wei sized up Xu Rui with exaggerated gestures, speaking as if he were having a casual chat with someone.

"Your shirt is white polyester with a small collar; it's priced at eighteen at the department store. Your shoes are leather, right? They should be at least fifteen."

"All of your clothes, not including your watch, must be in the thirties."

Xu Rui's expression changed instantly, and his eyes turned somewhat gloomy.

"Comrade Xu Rui, I am genuinely curious."

Fang Wei stared into his eyes and said sincerely, "How capable do you have to be to afford this outfit when you only earn thirty-odd yuan a month and have to support your family?"

"Was it embezzled public funds? Or did someone try to pull strings and give it to you?"

"Don't make false accusations!"

Xu Rui suddenly shouted, glaring at Fang Wei, "I bought all of these with my own savings!"

The expressions on Wu Xiaoqin's and Wu Faguo's faces both became somewhat strange.

Fang Wei spoke with such conviction that it seemed as if it were all true.

They had always thought Xu Rui was a good kid, and they had also regretted not marrying Wu Shaoli to him back then.

But now... could this kid have really embezzled?

"Okay, whatever you say is good, then it's good, everyone will believe you."

Fang Wei shrugged indifferently, but his tone turned cold in an instant.

"Don't think I don't know your tricks!"

"You go to my in-laws' house whenever you have free time. You're a nephew who lives so far away that we're practically not even related by blood, yet you visit them more often than you visit your own home!"

"What? You really think no one can see through your little scheme?"

"Fang Wei! What nonsense are you spouting?!"

Xu Rui's expression snapped, and he snapped, "I'm genuinely thinking of Shaoli and Uncle Wu's family!"