Upon hearing these words, Wu Huiniang’s eyes instantly welled up with tears.
When Shen Qingyuan returned to her maiden home, her two brothers would have gladly set off firecrackers and welcomed her from miles away, reserving the best of everything for her.
But what about her own return?
After just one night and two meals at her parents’ home, her own elder brother was already trying to drive her away.
As if she could eat them out of house and home.
Both were sisters, so why was the difference so vast?
Madam Ye, the wife of Wu Huiniang’s eldest brother, emerged from the kitchen holding a wilted radish.
“Little sister, with so many people in the house and so few rooms, it’s truly unfair to make you squeeze onto one bed with Daya and Erya. This is the best radish we have—take it back to your in-laws’ home to eat.”
Wu Huiniang never expected that her usually amiable sister-in-law would so blatantly try to send her away.
She instinctively looked toward Wu Gang, but he pretended not to see her, turning around to place his hoe in the corner.
A wave of overwhelming grievance instantly washed over Wu Huiniang.
“Wu Gang, you and your wife just can’t stand having me here, can you? Don’t forget, if it weren’t for the five taels of silver I contributed as your bride price, you wouldn’t even have been able to marry a wife! And now, after just one night at home, you’re in such a hurry to drive me away. Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?”
Wu Gang also lost his patience and shouted back at Wu Huiniang.
“What nonsense are you spouting! I’m your elder brother—how dare you speak to me like that!”
“Your sister-in-law is only thinking of you. The Shen family clearly won’t come to fetch you, and in the end, you’ll have to slink back on your own! The sooner you go back, the less embarrassing it’ll be. We’re considering your best interests! How can you, a grown adult, not understand this?”
Wu Huiniang wanted to retort but found herself unable to argue.
Wu Gang was right—the Shen family wouldn’t come for her.
She was practically throwing her own face to the ground for others to trample on.
Seeing Wu Huiniang silently shedding tears, Du Shi’s heart softened.
“Enough, both of you shut up! We’re family—what’s there to argue about?”
As soon as she finished speaking, a voice rang out.
“Mother-in-law, elder brother, and sister-in-law are all here!”
The Wu family was startled and turned toward the voice to see Shen Qingyuan and Shen Dali standing at the doorway.
Madam Ye looked uncomfortable at first.
She, too, had believed the Shen family wouldn’t come for Wu Huiniang and had just urged her to leave.
Yet right after she said it, the Shen family arrived—and it was that troublesome sister-in-law herself who came.
Her face stung with embarrassment!
But she quickly composed herself. As long as this sister-in-law could leave, nothing else mattered.
She stepped forward first, pulling Shen Qingyuan inside.
“Oh my, isn’t this my sister-in-law and brother-in-law? What brings you here?”
Shen Dali followed behind, forcing an awkward smile.
Shen Qingyuan said, “It’s all my fault for causing the argument between sister-in-law and elder brother yesterday and making sister-in-law so angry she returned to her maiden home. I rushed over to apologize and bring sister-in-law back home. I hope sister-in-law won’t hold it against us.”
“I bought some pork and brown sugar in the county town today as a small token of our sincerity. I hope you won’t find it too meager.”
Shen Dali quickly handed the basket in his hands to the Wu family.
Du Shi was both surprised and delighted.
Not only had her in-laws come to fetch her daughter, but they had also brought such fine gifts—a clear sign of their sincerity.
Though she hadn’t intended to side with her son and urge her daughter to return to her in-laws, a married daughter staying at her maiden home was never a good situation. It was better for her to go back.
She quickly urged Wu Huiniang, “Your sister-in-law has already apologized to you. Hurry back now!”
Wu Huiniang was still quite angry inside, but considering her sister-in-law had personally come to fetch her, bringing generous gifts and even apologizing in front of her own family—offering such a grand gesture—she couldn’t refuse.
She wiped the tears welling up at the corners of her eyes with her sleeve and nodded.
“I’ll go back!”
Shen Qingyuan quickly stepped forward and linked arms with Wu Huiniang.
“Mother is at home watching the children and couldn’t come to fetch you. Before I left, she was so worried, giving me endless reminders and instructions, saying no matter what, I must bring you back.”
“But I know, Sister-in-law, you may have a sharp tongue but a soft heart. You’re also the best sister-in-law and won’t hold a grudge against me.”
When the Wu family heard that their in-law had originally intended to come as well, they were even more delighted.
While the two families exchanged pleasantries, Madam Ye took advantage of the distraction to carry the basket containing pork and brown sugar into the house.
Their family hadn’t had meat in a long time.
These two pounds of pork would be enough for them to eat for several days—just thinking about it made her mouth water.
After chatting for a while, Shen Qingyuan said,
“It’s getting dark, so we should head back now.”
Madam Ye couldn’t wait for them to leave quickly; she certainly didn’t want to keep the Shen family for dinner.
Otherwise, part of those two pounds of pork would end up in the Shen family’s stomachs.
She hurriedly smiled and agreed.
“You’re right, traveling at night isn’t safe. It’s better to leave early, so we won’t keep you.”
When Wu Huiniang heard this, she immediately understood Madam Ye’s meaning.
She wasn’t even willing to offer them dinner!
How stingy!
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Before leaving, she pretended to go inside to fetch something and took half of the pork and brown sugar Shen Qingyuan had brought.
Since her own family treated her this way, she didn’t want to let them have all the good stuff.
Wouldn’t it be better to take it home and enjoy it herself?
By the time the group returned to the Shen household, the sun had already set in the west.
Shen Zhou and Shen Xiaohua were in the yard gathering the dried clothes. When they saw Wu Huiniang appear at the gate, their eyes lit up.
Both of them excitedly ran over.
“Mother’s back!”
Shen Xiaohua even threw her arms around Wu Huiniang, her eyes reddening.
“Mother, I missed you so much!”
Shen Zhou stood to the side, his nose tingling with emotion.
They knew their father’s stubborn temper—when it came to their aunt, no one could sway him, and he would never back down.
Father wouldn’t go fetch Mother either, and they had been so worried they might become motherless children.
Now that Mother was back, it was wonderful.
Wu Huiniang had never been separated from her two children before. Even though she had only been away for a day, she missed them terribly.
The mother and her two children huddled together as they returned to their room.
Shen Qingyuan tugged on Shen Dali’s sleeve.
“Brother, don’t just stand there foolishly. Go back and have a good heart-to-heart with Sister-in-law. You two are the closest; don’t say hurtful things anymore.”
Shen Dali wasn’t good with words, but since his younger sister had said so, he had no choice but to follow her advice and returned to the room.
Entering the room, he said in a flat tone,
“It was Younger Sister who dragged me to fetch you. She cares a lot about you as her sister-in-law. From now on, you mustn’t scold Younger Sister anymore.”
Only then did Shen Zhou and Shen Xiaohua realize that it was their disliked aunt who had gone to fetch their mother back.
They couldn’t figure out what tricks their aunt was up to now!
Wu Huiniang had already seen through it.
That stubborn mule of hers wouldn’t have taken the initiative to fetch her; it was all her sister-in-law’s idea.
She was also curious—what was her sister-in-law scheming now?
Was her apology and promise to change really genuine?
As the saying goes, it’s easier to move mountains than to change one’s nature. She’d better stay on her guard!
Moreover, the fact that her sister-in-law was living at home could not be changed, and she did not want to turn their lives upside down, so she had no choice but to compromise.
Yet she was unwilling to simply endure it.
“She said she would only stay for three months. I can tolerate her for three months.”
Shen Dali was displeased and was about to scold his unreasonable wife when he saw their two children gathered around her.
Remembering his younger sister’s advice, he suppressed his anger and swallowed the words he was about to say.
But in his heart, he had already made up his mind: his younger sister could stay at home for as long as she wanted—even for a lifetime, if she wished. He could afford to support her.
No one would ever be allowed to drive his younger sister out of this home.