The old lady’s performance today had shaken the entire Wang family. Knowing she held so much money in her hands, all sorts of selfish thoughts began bubbling up in their minds.
During work hours, no one could focus on their tasks. Li Hongmei nearly hacked the rice seedlings with her hoe while swinging it, only snapping back to reality when someone shoved her.
“What’s on your mind? You almost destroyed the seedlings! Hongmei, are you feeling unwell?”
Though unintentionally spoken, these words struck a chord. No sooner had the speaker finished than she clutched her stomach.
“Oh! Oh! Sister-in-law Huaihua, my stomach hurts terribly. I tried to bear with it, but now I really can’t stand it anymore.”
She pinched her thigh hard, cold sweat beading on her forehead.
“What’s wrong with your stomach? Did you eat too much cornbread and get constipated? Go ask the work-point recorder for leave, take a rest, hurry up.”
The muscles in Li Hongmei’s cheeks twitched as she nodded repeatedly. After getting permission from the recorder, she immediately turned and dashed toward home.
Not far away, Sun Guiying watched her sixth aunt hurriedly running off and sneered.
“Mother, look at Sixth Aunt. That’s not stomach pain – it’s heartache from thinking about Grandma’s money pouch.”
“Get back to work! None of that useless talk. How dare you gossip about the old lady?”
Zhang Xiulan glared at her second daughter-in-law while working faster. She too couldn’t help thinking about the deposit slips the old lady held. That thick envelope of demobilization fees Old Seven delivered to the old lady’s room must contain plenty of money.
She didn’t covet much – just wanted to buy some fabric to make new clothes for her grandson. Poor Sanbao had never worn new clothes in all his growing years.
Seeing her mother-in-law’s expression, Sun Guiying rolled her eyes inwardly. Here she was, heavily pregnant, without even having eaten an egg, still unprepared for the baby’s winter necessities. Her anxiety was eating her alive.
But she knew her mother-in-law was soft-natured and wouldn’t dare ask the old lady for anything. She could only hope that after giving birth, her mother-in-law might squeeze something out for their branch of the family.
Li Hongmei ran like the wind, losing her shoes twice along the way, but still couldn’t outpace the old lady’s favorite.
Inside the house, Su Qing watched Wang Yongqiang fawn over her.
“Mother, try this! I specially roasted this little sparrow for you. Nearly fell from the tree trying to get you some meat.”
“My, you’ve worked hard! But Mother doesn’t care for it – you eat it yourself!”
Looking at that blackened thing, who knew if her stomach could handle it!
Wang Yongqiang’s heart leapt with joy. He always knew he was Mother’s favorite child in the whole Wang family.
“Thank you, Mother! But about Seventh Brother marrying that widow… since you’ve agreed, fine. But are we really keeping that little brat? That’s an outsider’s seed! The village will definitely gossip… Aiyo, Mother! Why are you hitting me?!”
Ignoring his cries, Su Qing vigorously beat his back with her broom.
“You wretched scoundrel! What ‘outsider’s seed’?! Zhou Chunxia is now your seventh sister-in-law! Her child is your nephew! Even setting that aside, Tiezhu is a martyr’s child – his biological father gave his life protecting the people! If I ever hear you speak ill of him again, I’ll tear your miserable mouth apart!”
“Aiyo, aiyo, alright, I won’t say anymore, I won’t say another word, is that okay, Mom?” Wang Yongqiang said with a pitiful look at Su Qing.
“Mom, why did you hit me so hard just now? I’m your most beloved son.”
“This old lady has plenty of sons, with or without you, it makes no difference.”
Wang Yongqiang looked utterly wounded, his eyes reddening. He grabbed Su Qing’s sleeve and gently shook it.
“Mom, aren’t you breaking your son’s heart by saying that? I misspoke earlier, but Mom, I only said it because I care about you. Seventh Brother just came back and already made you angry—he’s so inconsiderate. I’m different, Mom. Just wait, I’ll take care of you in your old age.”
“Rely on you? I might as well close my eyes for good today!”
“If you don’t rely on me, then who will you rely on, Mom? Um, about that… could you give me two yuan?”
“Get lost!”
Repeatedly shot down by his mother, Wang Yongqiang felt utterly stifled. He had already promised to buy a handkerchief for Zhao Su’e at the Educated Youth Spot, but the moment he opened his mouth, he was scolded. In the past, his mother would never have dared to raise her voice at him.
“Mom, did Seventh Brother make you so angry you lost your soul?”
Su Qing sprang to her feet, ignoring the twinge in her aging back, and swung the broom handle with swift, sharp motions.
“Lost your grandmother’s leg! Get lost, you little brat! Opening your mouth just to ask for money—do you think money grows on trees? I knew something was off with you the moment your Seventh Brother handed me his money today. What kind of scoundrel covets my money? Since you were little, have you ever given me a single cent in filial respect?”
“You don’t work for work points, you don’t do housework, and you still want money? You want your grandmother’s bowlegged twisting fart!”
Outside, Zhou Chunxia, who was washing clothes, felt her eyes well up. She knew that once her husband handed over the money, the Wang family would start eyeing it, but now she wasn’t worried anymore.
Seeing her pampered brother-in-law being scolded so fiercely, what did she have left to fear?
Li Hongmei, who had rushed home in a hurry, broke out in a cold sweat down her spine upon hearing her brother-in-law’s cries from her mother-in-law’s room. When she met Zhou Chunxia’s reddened eyes, she didn’t dare reveal even a hint of her ulterior motives.
“Sixth Sister-in-law, why are you back?”
“I… my stomach feels a bit uncomfortable. I’m going to lie down for a bit, just lie down.”
Li Hongmei quickly dashed into her room, climbed onto the kang, and covered herself with a quilt. Only then did her frantically pounding heart calm down.
After driving Wang Yongqiang away, Su Qing finally let out a long sigh of relief. How annoying! She had just finished tidying up the room when he came to cause trouble.
The words “I want money” were practically written all over his face, and he had wasted so much time beating around the bush.
The room was mostly cleaned up now. A few cans of meat and a piece of cured meat that had been hanging from the rafters were taken down by her. Recently, a pancake stall and a vegetable plot had appeared in her space, but this body was seriously lacking in nourishment—she felt unsteady even when walking. She needed to eat meat and eggs.
“Seventh Son’s wife, come here.”
Zhou Chunxia, who had just finished hanging the clothes outside, shuddered instinctively at the call. She wiped her hands on her clothes several times before mustering the courage to go in.
“Mom, you called me?”
“Seventh Son suffered a lot during his army days. Now that he’s finally back, he should eat well. From now on, you’re part of the Wang family, and I’ll treat your son as my own grandson. But I see Tiezhu is so dark and skinny—it’s pitiful. Take these and cook them for dinner.”
Zhou Chunxia was stunned by the words, forgetting to move.
“Hmph, don’t think I’ll accept you so easily. You better remember – as a widow marrying my son, if you don’t treat my son well and show me proper respect in the future, be careful or I’ll teach you a lesson.”
How could she possibly refuse? Zhou Chunxia was practically overflowing with gratitude, nearly dropping to her knees. She could see clearly now – her mother-in-law was all bark and no bite. Though she spoke words of disdain, in her heart she had already accepted Zhou Chunxia and her child.