“Zhao Meiyun, get up. You are going to the fields with us later,” Father Zhao said coldly. After throwing out that sentence, he returned to the main hall to smoke his pipe.
Mother Zhao said nothing and went off to busy herself with other chores.
By the time the family sat down to eat, Zhao Meiyun was still not awake.
Lin Siya spoke with apparent concern, “Father, Mother, Xiao Yun still has not gotten up. Could she have a fever or be feeling unwell?”
Zhao Tianlei stood up from his stool and walked straight outside.
Father Zhao and Mother Zhao immediately followed. Zhao Tianlei kicked the door open, and the sight that greeted them was Zhao Meiyun sleeping soundly, snoring softly.
“Zhao Meiyun.”
She continued to sleep deeply, her breathing steady and relaxed.
Lin Siya knew exactly what was going on.
Before getting up, she had finally allowed Zhao Meiyun to fall asleep. This was the deepest, most comfortable stage of sleep. After being terrified all night by ghosts and snakes, once the fear disappeared and exhaustion took over, Zhao Meiyun fell straight into deep sleep. That was why even the sound of the door being kicked open had not woken her.
Little sister in law, this was only a tiny bit of interest being collected.
“Look at her, look at the daughter you raised. At this hour she is still sleeping like a pig. Wake her up. From now on, she must go work in the fields,” Father Zhao said angrily. With a flick of his sleeve, he stormed out.
Zhao Tianlei had been worried at first, but seeing Zhao Meiyun sleeping so soundly, his face darkened as he left the room.
Mother Zhao was also annoyed. She stepped forward and shook Zhao Meiyun for quite a while, but there was still no response.
Standing at the doorway, Lin Siya flicked her finger lightly.
Zhao Meiyun suddenly screamed. She had just seen a snake opening its mouth to swallow her whole. She jolted awake in terror.
Lin Siya quietly returned to the main hall.
“Father, Xiao Yun is still young. This is the age when people like to sleep in. Do not be angry with her,” Lin Siya said gently, sounding like a considerate daughter in law.
Father Zhao grew even angrier. If he remembered correctly, this daughter in law was actually a few months younger than Xiao Yun, yet she was already married into his family. And Xiao Yun was still sleeping in?
They were already so old, and she did nothing to help them, still sleeping in every day.
“From now on, the household chores will be handled by Xiao Ya. Xiao Yun will go work in the fields,” Father Zhao said.
No matter whether this was meant for Zhao Tianlei or was truly his intention, Lin Siya could not accept it outright. She showed a troubled expression and said, “Father, that would not be right. Back in Lin Village, I rarely went to the fields, but after marrying into the Zhao family, I have been working ever since spring plowing. Xiao Yun, however, rarely goes to the fields. After I send Brother Tianlei to the train station today and come back, I will go work as well.”
Zhao Tianlei knew very well that Lin Siya had hardly worked in the fields back at her parents’ home. Yet after marrying him, she had been working nonstop, while Xiao Yun, who was older than Lin Siya, rarely did. His heart ached for his wife, and he resolved even more firmly to apply for her to join him with the army.
Father Zhao froze for a moment upon hearing her words. Then he noticed the faint but unmistakable look of heartache on his son’s face.
As a father, he could see it clearly.
His daughter in law was right.
Back when the two families had been close, he had known how delicately Lin Siya had been raised. Yet at home she had been extremely diligent, helping organize medicinal herbs and assisting whenever she could. His own daughter, on the other hand, was not nearly as hardworking.
Usually, Xiao Yun only cooked. Feeding the chickens, feeding the pigs, and cutting pig grass were all done by him and his wife.
It seemed that all this time, it had been his wife and daughter whispering complaints into his ear. Now that he looked at it clearly, they were the ones who disliked the daughter in law.
“Let Xiao Yun go work in the fields. The house will have to trouble Xiao Ya,” Father Zhao said.
“Father, please do not say trouble. We are all family. Family should live together in harmony. When we give you and Mother a grandson, our home will be even more complete,” Lin Siya said shyly, lowering her head.
Father Zhao had to admit that this daughter in law was far more sensible than Xiao Yun. No wonder she had been a top student in high school. He had often heard Old Lin praise his daughter.
His mood lifted, and even his appetite improved. The food tasted especially good today.
Inside Zhao Meiyun’s room, she had woken up but immediately started complaining.
“Mother, I was sleeping so well. Why did you wake me? Let me sleep a bit longer,” she said, then flopped back onto the bed and closed her eyes again.
“Xiao Yun, look at the time. Get up. Your brother is leaving today,” Mother Zhao said. She was starting to feel dissatisfied with her daughter. Her son was leaving today, yet her daughter was still sleeping soundly. Breakfast had even been made by her son and daughter in law.
“So what if he is leaving? What does that have to do with me?” Zhao Meiyun blurted out instinctively. Right now, sleeping was her top priority.
“Zhao Meiyun,” Mother Zhao shouted angrily and slapped her hard.
“Xiao Yun, get up and eat,” Lin Siya said kindly, deliberately waiting a moment before calling her, her expression that of a good sister in law.
Mother Zhao felt awkward.
Zhao Meiyun, full of pent up anger after being hit, saw Lin Siya standing there and immediately exploded.
“Whether I eat or not is none of your business,” she shouted loudly, her voice filled with rage. The sound carried through the entire Zhao household.
Zhao Tianlei had been enjoying the meal his wife cooked. It tasted even better than his mother’s cooking, and he felt secretly proud, already thinking about bringing his wife to live with him in the army. Compared to this, the food in the barracks was heaven and earth apart.
Before he could finish feeling satisfied, he heard Zhao Meiyun’s shouting.
Father Zhao’s expression darkened. Just moments ago, he had nodded approvingly when his daughter in law went to call them for the meal. Now Xiao Yun not only slept in but also shouted such words after being called.
His anger flared instantly. He stood up and strode outside.
Zhao Tianlei immediately followed.
“Xiao Yun, I only came to call you for the meal. If it gets cold, it will be bad for your stomach,” Lin Siya said softly, lowering her head timidly and explaining herself.
Mother Zhao looked at her considerate daughter in law, then at her resentful daughter, and felt anger rise as well.
“If she does not want to eat, then she can go hungry. Get up immediately. From today on, you will go work in the fields with us. Any day you do not work is a day you do not eat,” Father Zhao said furiously.
Zhao Meiyun froze. Instead of reflecting, she immediately turned to glare at Lin Siya. Poisonous words spilled out of her mouth.
“It is all because of you. All because of you. If not for you, my parents would not treat me like this. Lin Siya, why do you not just die.”