Wu Yulan: ?
Is he sick or what!
She walked straight past Song Zhishu and slammed the door shut with a “bang,” not the slightest bit inclined to pay him any attention.
Song Zhishu was stunned. Why wasn’t Mother coaxing him this time? Wasn’t she afraid he would go hungry?
Smelling the aroma of meat in the air, he swallowed and tried to console himself.
“Forget it, forget it. Mother is getting old. This time, I’ll lower my head just once!”
With that, he hurried into the kitchen.
However, after searching around, there was no trace of any chicken soup.
“Where’s the chicken soup? Where’s the chicken soup my mother left for me?”
Everyone looked at Song Zhishu in confusion.
Seeing the bowls on the table still glistening faintly with oil, Song Zhishu grew angry. “It was you! You stole the chicken soup Mother left for me!”
“Fourth Brother, I don’t know where Mother left your chicken soup. In any case, we didn’t steal it,” Song Zhiyong said as he helped clear the bowls and chopsticks from the table.
Song Zhishu pointed at the dishes. “Look at them yourself—these bowls are greasy. If you didn’t steal my chicken soup, could it be that Mother gave it to you?”
“I gave it to them. Is there a problem with that?”
Wu Yulan strode over, her gaze sweeping coldly across Song Zhishu.
“Didn’t you say you didn’t want to eat? Then go hungry!”
“Mother? You didn’t leave me any chicken soup?”
Song Zhishu assumed she was still angry with him. Smelling the lingering scent of meat, he decided to compromise for once.
“Mother, you’re still upset with your son. I know I was wrong—please don’t hold it against me.”
Wu Yulan let out a cold snort. “Who’s holding anything against you? Eat if you want, don’t eat if you don’t. Starve to death for all I care.”
I’m not even your real mother!
Song Zhishu had been pampered since childhood—when had he ever endured such treatment? His eyes reddened with anger.
“Fine! I won’t eat then! If you’ve got the nerve, just let me starve to death!”
After saying that, he turned and went back to his room, slamming the door with a loud “bang,” venting his dissatisfaction.
Wu Yulan paid him no mind. She instructed her eldest daughter-in-law to fetch a bucket of hot water so she could bathe.
After washing up and telling her eldest daughter-in-law to take good care of Li Xiulan, she returned to her room.
Back inside, Wu Yulan spent four mall coins in the medical marketplace to buy two meat buns, filling her stomach before lying down to think about her next steps.
For now, the most important thing was to take good care of her third daughter-in-law and gradually improve the family’s meals.
She would also find time to see whether her eldest son’s leg could be treated.
Once the household situation stabilized, she would think of a way to earn money and redeem her two granddaughters.
Oh right—her second son had been sent away to work on the riverworks. If possible, she should send word to call him back.
And she still had access to the medical marketplace. If she had the opportunity, she would save more people and earn more mall coins for emergencies.
After sorting through her thoughts, the exhausted Wu Yulan could no longer hold on and soon fell into a deep sleep.
…
Early the next morning, Wu Yulan was awakened by the crowing of a rooster.
When she stepped outside, the entire household was already busy.
Some were watering the vegetable patch, some feeding the chickens, some weaving baskets, some washing and hanging clothes, others bustling about in the kitchen…
Seeing Wu Yulan, Wang Guiqin smiled ingratiatingly. “Mother, you’re awake. Breakfast will be ready soon.”
This “breakfast,” of course, was only for Wu Yulan and Song Zhishu. The others were not qualified to eat it.
Not to mention three meals a day—the old hag from before had wished this whole family would eat only once a day. No, she would have preferred they not eat at all.
Thinking of this, Wu Yulan entered the kitchen and lifted the pot lid.
There was only a tiny amount of coarse rice inside.
“That’s enough. Go out. I’ll make breakfast,” she said.
Wang Guiqin looked flustered. “Mother, I… did I do something wrong?”
“Go out. Tell them to wait before heading to the fields.”
After saying that, Wu Yulan shut the kitchen door.
She first took stock of the rice and flour at home: about three jin of fine rice, ten jin of coarse rice, and half a basket of sweet potatoes.
After some thought, she scooped two bowls of coarse rice into a clay basin. Afraid it wouldn’t be enough, she picked out several sweet potatoes as well.
Wu Yulan had grown up in the countryside, so cooking sweet potato porridge was second nature to her.
While the porridge simmered, she also boiled two eggs.
Before long, a pot of sweet, fragrant sweet potato porridge was ready.
After a moment’s thought, Wu Yulan found the large bowls at home and ladled out a full bowl for each person according to headcount.
Of course, there was none for Song Zhishu.
After serving the porridge, Wu Yulan shouted toward the door, “Eldest daughter-in-law, bring this porridge to the main hall.”
Having said that, she carried a large bowl of sweet potato porridge and the two eggs to Li Xiuyun’s room.
Li Xiuyun was in the middle of cleaning the baby.
When Wu Yulan saw her dipping her hand into cold water, she frowned slightly.
“Give me the basin!”
She set down the porridge and eggs, snatched the wooden basin, and hurried to the kitchen to fetch hot water to wash the little one.
Li Xiuyun froze in place, not daring to move as she watched her mother-in-law’s actions.
“Mother…”
Wu Yulan glanced back at the porridge and eggs on the table. “What are you standing there for? Hurry up and eat!”
“F-For… for me?”
Li Xiuyun’s eyes reddened instantly. Biting her lip, she pleaded, “Mother, I’ll embroider handkerchiefs properly to earn money from now on. Could you please not sell Chun Ni?”
Wu Yulan laid the baby on the bed and tucked the blanket around her.
“Who told you I was going to sell Chun Ni?”
Li Xiuyun looked at the porridge and eggs on the table, her face guarded. “When you sold Jin Hua and Tong Hua before, you also suddenly treated Eldest Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law kindly.”
Wu Yulan sighed. “Don’t worry. I won’t sell Chun Ni.”
As she spoke, she brought the sweet potato porridge and eggs to Li Xiuyun and softened her tone. “Third daughter-in-law, I truly behaved badly before. I relied on your filial piety and made things hard for you.”
“Now I’ve thought it through. We’re one family. Only by working together toward the same goal can our lives improve.”
Seeing that Li Xiuyun still didn’t believe her, Wu Yulan simply raised her hand. “I, Wu Yulan, swear upon my life that I will never sell my granddaughter Song Chun Ni. If I break this oath, may I be struck by thunder from the heavens!”
In this era that revered gods and Buddha, the power of an oath needed no explanation.
Hearing this, the tension in Li Xiuyun’s expression visibly eased.
“Mother, you… you’re telling the truth?”
“If you don’t believe me, then we can divide the household. From now on, you can manage your own affairs.”
The more Wu Yulan thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. After dividing the family, she could live her own life however she pleased.
Li Xiuyun’s face turned deathly pale at once.
Dongchen Country valued filial piety above all. The crime of unfilial conduct, in severe cases, could lead to exile.
To divide the household while one’s parents were still alive was considered extremely unfilial. If they truly separated and word spread that she was unfilial to her mother-in-law, her children’s future marriages would likely become difficult.
At that thought, Li Xiuyun dropped to her knees with a thud. “Mother, I absolutely have no intention of dividing the family.”
Wu Yulan pursed her lips. It seemed that separating and living on her own wouldn’t be so simple.
Fine. She would put in some effort to mend this fragmented family. It could count as repaying the “debt” of this borrowed life.
When their circumstances improved, it wouldn’t be too late to divide the household then.
With that in mind, Wu Yulan set aside the idea of separation for now.
“Very well. If you don’t want to divide, then we won’t. But even if we remain together, whatever I tell you to do in the future, you must do it properly.”
Li Xiuyun nodded repeatedly. “Rest assured, Mother. From now on, I’ll embroider handkerchiefs diligently to help support the household!”
Wu Yulan reached out to help Li Xiuyun to her feet and patted her shoulder in reassurance.
“Alright. Finish eating and get some proper rest.”
Still uneasy, Wu Yulan watched until Li Xiuyun finished the porridge and eggs before leaving.
When she stepped out into the courtyard, she found the entire family standing there waiting for her.
“What are you standing around for? There’s porridge in the main hall.”
As she spoke, Wu Yulan went into the main hall first and picked up a bowl of sweet potato porridge to eat.
But after a few mouthfuls, the people in the courtyard still hadn’t moved.
Wu Yulan came back out with her bowl in hand. “What? Do my words no longer carry weight?”
Song Zhiyong had no idea what scheme his troublemaking mother was up to this time, so he asked bluntly, “Mother, if you want us to do something, just say it. There’s no need to force us like this.”
Wu Yulan: ?