Chapter 471: The Adoption Controversy (2)
Chapter 471: The Adoption Controversy (2)
Upon hearing Lu Shan and Da Mai's disagreement with the adoption, and Lu Yun's insistence on a divorce, Peng Xiangye flew into a rage and hanged herself at home. Fortunately, Xiao Qiu discovered her in time and rushed her to the hospital.
Lu Shan felt heavy-hearted when he learned of this incident. He had thought that Peng Xiangye's threat to end her life was merely a scare tactic and didn't expect her to actually attempt suicide.
"Wife, what do we do now?" Lu Shan asked.
Da Mai coldly replied, "If she really wanted to die, she would have chosen a time when no one was home to hang herself. If she truly desired death, she would have waited for the stillness of night to jump into a river or drink a bottle of pesticide."
She didn't believe for a second that Peng Xiangye would actually take her own life. In her opinion, this was just a ploy to force them into submission. While she might have been willing to yield on other matters and had endured many grievances without complaint, she drew the line when it came to her child. Her child was a part of her, and she would not give him away.
Fearing that Lu Shan might give in out of softness, Da Mai said, "Even if she really dies, it will be because of Lu Yun. It has nothing to do with us. If you want to adopt my Gou Sheng, you'll have to step over my dead body first."
"I won't agree to it," Lu Shan asserted.
In the afternoon, Lu Jia Zong came to speak with Lu Shan, once again bringing up the topic of adoption. "If not for Xiangye's father, I would have died long ago, and you all wouldn't be here either. Shan Zi, if something happens to Xiangye, I won't be able to face her father."
When Lu Jia Zong was younger, he had encountered a wild boar while chopping wood in the mountains, and it was Xiangye's father who had saved him. As a result, Xiangye's father had sustained injuries that left him bedridden for three months.
Shan Zi wasn't good with words, but honest people have their ways. He lowered his head and said, "Father, Da Mai said that if we give Gou Sheng away, she won't want to live either. Father, you can't have me and my wife separated because of Second Brother's antics!"
Lu Jia Zong's expression changed, and he said, "She's just trying to scare us. She won't actually take her life. Shan Zi, I really have no other choice, or I wouldn't have come to you."
Shan Zi indicated that he was also helpless: "Father, if Second Brother needs money, I will lend it to him. But adoption is out of the question. He can't support a child, nor can he teach a child properly. Adopting Gou Sheng to him will only ruin the boy's future."
Lu Yun had always been lazy since he was young. However, before he got married, he would finish any tasks assigned to him. But after marriage, the couple would shirk and push off their responsibilities, eventually leaving the chores to Lu Shan, his wife, and their parents. If Gou Sheng were adopted by them, what if he learned all their bad habits? That would be detrimental to the child's future.
Seeing that they were unwavering in their decision, Lu Jia Zong became annoyed. "If you don't agree, I'll disown you as my son from now on."
Lu Shan was shocked. "Father, what are you saying?"
Lu Jia Zong spoke in anger, but seeing his son's reaction, he immediately regretted his words. "Shan Zi, please, I'm begging you. If Xiangye really dies, I won't be able to face her father."
This time, Lu Shan was unmoved by either pleas or threats. "Father, it's true that Peng's father saved you, but Grandfather also helped his mother get an easier job in the team, and he pulled some strings to have her second son join the army. You also let Lu Yun marry her sister, who is lazy and unwilling to work. Our debt of gratitude has long been repaid."
Seeing that Lu Shan wouldn't budge, Lu Jia Zong left in a huff.
Lu Yun learned about Peng Xiangye's suicide attempt and, although he believed it was an act, he still went to the hospital to see her. Unexpectedly, the two of them started arguing, and the situation escalated to the point of physical violence.
After being pulled apart, Lu Yun declared that he would definitely get a divorce. He only wanted to raise his own child and had no interest in adopting another.
Peng Xiangye sobbed until she fainted.
Due to Peng Xiangye's intentions towards her son, Da Mai was reluctant to visit her in the hospital. However, out of consideration for social norms, she eventually went to see her.
Peng Xiangye begged Lu Jia Zong again, saying that as long as Lu Shan and Da Mai were willing to give up their son, Gou Sheng, for adoption, Lu Yun would not go through with the divorce.
Da Mai had disagreed before, and now it was even more out of the question. Peng Xiangye refused to agree to the divorce, and her family was forcing Lu Yun to stay in the marriage. Lu Yun's desire to have a son was so strong that he would definitely look for another woman outside of the marriage. Such a messy environment would not be conducive to the child's well-being.
Seeing that Da Mai remained unmoved despite her pleas, Peng Xiangye became furious and scolded her for being heartless and cold-blooded, accusing her of being willing to watch her die after all their years as sisters-in-law.
Enraged, Da Mai took back the canned food and chicken soup she had brought.
Three days later, Shan Zi received a phone call from Lu Jia Zong, informing him that Peng Xiangye's mother, as well as her older brother and sister-in-law, had arrived. They had come to mediate the divorce dispute between Lu Yun and Peng Xiangye.
Da Mai did not stop Shan Zi from going to see them, but she issued a warning: "You can go if you want, but there's no room for discussion about giving up our son. If you dare to agree to their demands, I'll end things with you."
"Don't worry, I won't agree," Shan Zi assured her.
He went over at 3 p.m. and didn't return until after 7 p.m. As soon as he got home, Lu Shan poured himself a bowl of water and gulped it down before sitting down.
Da Mai asked, "What was the purpose of Peng Xiangye's family's visit this time?"
The trip from their hometown to Sicheng cost several hundred yuan for the three of them, so they must have had more than just seeking justice for Peng Xiangye in mind.
Lu Shan sighed. "Peng Xiangye's family said they agree with the divorce, but they want compensation for Xiangye."
It was only right to compensate Peng Xiangye for the divorce, but they were worried that the family would be too greedy. However, whatever compensation his in-laws gave would have nothing to do with Da Mai, so she asked casually, "What kind of compensation do they want?"
Lu Shan replied with disdain, "Aunt Peng said they want to give the house on Guangming Road to Peng Xiangye so that she'll have a place to live and won't end up on the streets. She even brought up Fifth Uncle, saying that he left the house to his ex-wife when they divorced."
"How dare they even think of that!" exclaimed Da Mai. "Fifth Uncle could easily buy another house because he had the means to earn money, and Lu Yun has never contributed a single cent. Moreover, the house on Guangming Road belongs to your aunt; it was only rented to your parents. How dare they demand the house when they don't even own it?"
Lu Shan hummed in agreement. "Mom said the house belongs to Aunt, and they're just tenants. Then Aunt Peng said that your parents should give the noodle shop to Peng Xiangye."
"Our noodle shop is worth several tens of thousands of yuan. How dare they ask for it? They have no shame!" Lu Shan exclaimed.
The noodle shop was something his parents had worked hard to purchase, and their livelihood depended on it. There was no way they could give it to Peng Xiangye.
Upon hearing this, Da Mai realized, "Xiangye has lived on Guangming Road for so long; she must know that the house belongs to your aunt. She probably told her family about it when she went back home."
"They knew the house wasn't theirs and still demanded it. They knew the noodle shop is the foundation of our family's livelihood, yet they still asked for it. Shan Zi, they're doing this on purpose to get more money."
If the house and the noodle shop were off the table, they would have to offer more money. With the house and noodle shop as a comparison, his parents would surely be willing to give more compensation. Moreover, with the constant chaos, his parents were also feeling the strain, and their business was being significantly impacted.
"Is that so?"
Da Mai continued, "Initially, Mom had chosen a girl from Uncle's village for Second Brother. It was Xiangye's father who deliberately got Grandpa drunk and sealed the marriage pact at the drinking table. Mom disagreed at the time, but Grandpa said that a man's word is as good as gold, and so the marriage happened. Xiangye's family is very calculating. Knowing that Lu Yun is determined to divorce, they must be advising Xiangye to divorce and get as much compensation as possible."
(End of Chapter)
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