Reborn as a Tough Army Wife

Luo Zhiyong couldn't help but fume with anger every time he saw Luo Cuilan. If it wasn't for the fact that she was his own little sister, he would have driven her out long ago.

He glared at Luo Cuilan and responded with a dark face, "Luo Cuilan, stop spouting all that nonsense. Just tell me, how much money did you bring for medical treatment in the city?"

"I…" Luo Cuilan hesitated, then said defiantly, "Nothing, not a single cent."

Luo Zhiyong was so angry he was at a loss for words and then coldly asked her, "Do you think the city hospitals are charity houses, that you can get treatment without paying a dime or what?"

"You…" Luo Cuilan bit her lip, glared at Luo Zhiyong, and then stomped her foot and complained to Zhou Yunmei, "Mom, look at big brother."

Upon seeing this, Zhou Yunmei glanced at Luo Cuilan and signaled her to stay quiet.

Then, she tried to placate Luo Zhiyong with a smile, "Zhiyong, I know you and your wife have given a lot of money to the family this year, but with your sister's situation right now, we really can't afford the medical expenses. Can you please consider covering your sister's medical expenses for now?"

Luo Zhiyong had anticipated Zhou Yunmei's intentions and wasn't surprised, but he still couldn't help getting angry.

He scoffed and countered Zhou Yunmei, "Mom, do you think my wife and I are money-printing machines, always able to dish out large sums of money?"

"This…" Zhou Yunmei fumbled for words, not knowing how to respond.

"I'll tell you the truth, my salary isn't high, and I have to send money home on time every month. Now with two kids to support, we're barely scraping by at home." Luo Zhiyong frowned at Zhou Yunmei, "It's only because my mother-in-law covered many expenses for the childbirth this time, otherwise, my salary for these two months wouldn't have been enough."

Zhou Yunmei pursed her lips, looking extremely displeased, "Doesn't your wife make a bit of money with that big shop she runs?"

Luo Zhiyong impatiently knitted his brows, looking at Zhou Yunmei, "What are you saying? That I, a grown man, should be supported by my wife?"

"Aren't you two a couple? What difference does it make who spends more or less? Isn't your wife good at making money?" Luo Cuilan said this with a tone full of irony.

Luo Zhiyong wanted to discipline her, but after hearing these nonsensical words, he no longer had the intention to do so.

He angrily questioned Luo Cuilan, "Luo Cuilan, you're not alone now; you have a man, and you've married into the Zhang family. What gives you the right to talk like this, as if I owe you money?"

"This…" Zhou Yunmei pulled Luo Cuilan back behind her, looking somewhat helpless, "Zhiyong, the Zhang family really can't come up with any money."

"If they have no money, they shouldn't have children. When the Zhang family can afford your medical expenses, then you can have children." Luo Zhiyong snorted coldly, "Anyway, the Zhang family is so poor, even if they have children, they won't have the money to support them."

"You…" Luo Cuilan was so angry her face turned ashen, but she couldn't refute and could only look to Zhou Yunmei for help, "Mom."

Zhou Yunmei was about to speak when Luo Zhiyong, resolute and determined, cut her off, saying coldly, "Mom, regarding Cuilan's illness, if the Zhang family is willing to pay for her treatment, help her out. We are living in the provincial city, and I'll take care of your food and lodging without a word. But if you need money from me for the treatment, I don't have much to spare. Right now, I can barely support my wife and kids each month, let alone an entire family."

"Well, what do you think about this?" Zhou Yunmei thought for a moment and then suggested, "You talk to Pingying and say that we'll treat the money as a loan from her, and we'll pay it back when we have the money."

"Have money? Mom, where will your money come from?" Luo Zhiyong reminded her, "Your living expenses every month are sent by me and Pingying. Are you suggesting using your living expense to cover Cuilan's medical costs?"

"I..."

Luo Zhiyong didn't wait to hear what else Zhou Yunmei had to say. He turned to Luo Cuilan and said decisively, "Cuilan, I'm making it clear that I can't handle your medical matters. You should discuss it with Jianguo — if he wants children, then he should put up the money for your treatment. If not, then forget it."

After finishing, he took 20 yuan out of his pocket and handed it to Zhou Yunmei, "Mom, here's 20 yuan, half a month's living expenses. You have the house to live in for this period, so stay peacefully, and don't cause any trouble; otherwise, you'll have to pay out of pocket to stay at a hostel."

"I'm going back to the barracks now, won't be back until the weekend," Luo Zhiyong said before making another trip to the store. He told Luo Honglan to move in once the store was closed to help keep an eye on the house and to notify him if anything came up.

The next day, after breakfast, Fang Pingying fed her children and waited for them to fall asleep before they took a car to her family's home.

When Fang Pingying opened the door, they were having breakfast.

Since Luo Honglan and Yu'er had to open the store in the morning, Zhou Yunmei had prepared the breakfast.

It was unclear what she was up to; despite having a kitchen, she somehow managed to cook all the way in the living room, which was covered with black soot from the bottom of pots, even staining several spots on the walls.

Seeing the house in such disarray made Fang Pingying furious; she looked coldly at Zhou Yunmei and the others.

Zhou Yunmei, hearing the door open, looked up and saw Fang Pingying with her daughter. Her expression didn't change much as she put down what she was doing and called out, "Oh, it's just you two coming back? Where are the kids?"

"The kids are at home," Fang Pingying, biting back her anger, walked into the living room, pointing at the clutter on the floor, "What are you all doing at home? Don't we have a kitchen? Why did you move everything to the living room?"

Zhou Yunmei waved her hand dismissively, "This kitchen of yours is too small; we can barely turn around with a few of us in there. It's nothing like our spacious and grand kitchens back in the countryside."

Fang Pingying frowned at her, saying, "From now on, don't cook at home. I'll have Honglan deliver breakfast to you, and for lunch and dinner, she can come back home to cook."

Zhou Yunmei knew Fang Pingying was disgusted with them for making the house dirty. She pursed her lips in displeasure, her expression filled with disdain.

Her look was caught squarely by Li Aihua standing behind her, who immediately said sarcastically, "Mother-in-law, this is simply not like your countryside home where the kitchen, pigsty, and toilet are all mixed together. Our house here has a kitchen specifically for cooking. You've moved all this stuff out to the living room and made a mess everywhere. It's not just difficult to clean up, but look at the walls — they'll need to be repainted."

"Who are you to point fingers and criticize?" Luo Cuilan suddenly jumped in and faced off with Li Aihua, challenging her, "I made those marks on the wall; that's how we do it in the countryside. So it's a bit black; it's not killing anyone. You're making it out to be such a big deal as if something terrible happened. What are you even doing?"

(To be continued. If you like this work, we welcome you to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)