Among her circle of friends, everyone envied Su Mo. She got married right after graduation and became a full-time housewife living a life others could only dream of.
Only she herself swallowed the pain, teeth clenched in silence.
Before the wedding, her mother-in-law had said, “You young couple can live on your own. I’m very open-minded.”
After the wedding, it became, “I paid the down payment on your house. Why shouldn’t I live in my own place?”
And she moved into the master bedroom of the marital home as if it were only natural.
Before the wedding, she had said, “You can have as many children as you like. As long as you two live well, I’ll be happy.”
After the wedding, it became, “If it weren’t for your good health and ability to bear more children, how would my son ever have married you!”
And as for her husband, Lin Yuyi he was like a dead man, unable to utter a single word.
Outsiders called it filial piety. Only Su Mo realized, far too late, that he was a mama’s boy.
Thinking of all this, Su Mo wiped away her tears and picked up the shattered wedding photo from the floor.
Just ten minutes earlier, Lin Yuyi had cursed at her, calling her a crazy woman.
Yet a year ago, she had been gentle as water, a flower raised in a greenhouse.
She couldn’t help recalling the first time she went home with Lin Yuyi to meet his family.
How had she been so blinded by love?
They had been in love for seven years.
When it came time to meet his parents, he didn’t even give her a heads-up he simply brought her straight back to his rural hometown in Qianzhou.
Looking at the muddy dirt road before her, Su Mo nearly slipped and fell.
Luckily, Lin Yuyi caught her.
“Mo Mo, are you okay?”
Knowing his family was poor, Su Mo looked at the endless mountain path ahead and joked to lighten the mood.
“Yuyi, don’t you look like a human trafficker, about to sell me off deep in these mountains?”
“Yeah,” he laughed. “That way you won’t be able to run away. You’ll be mine forever.”
He lifted her into his arms and carried her the remaining half-hour walk home, even climbing over half a mountain along the way.
Word had spread through the village that Lin Yuyi was bringing back a girl from the big city, and people gathered in Zhang Lanhua’s courtyard to watch.
When they finally saw him carrying Su Mo into view, the villagers speaking in their rustic dialect immediately crowded around.
“Hey, isn’t that Zhang Lanfang’s son back home?”
“Look at the pretty girl beside him so beautiful. Definitely from the big city.”
“Zhang Lanhua is truly blessed.”
Su Mo stood shyly beside Lin Yuyi, unable to understand what they were saying, and tugged at his sleeve.
“What are they saying?”
“They’re saying this ugly daughter-in-law is finally coming to meet her in-laws.”
“You’re the ugly one!”
Zhang Lanhua, who had just finished slaughtering a chicken, quickly washed her hands and came out of the house smiling broadly.
“My son, my son, you’re back!”
“Mom.”
Lin Yuyi released Su Mo’s hand and stepped forward to hug the thin, frail old woman by the shoulders.
Years of farm work had darkened Zhang Lanhua’s skin, but her simple, clean smile still felt warm to Su Mo.
“Mom, this is Su Mo, Mo Mo.”
Zhang Lanhua couldn’t speak standard Mandarin well; her pronunciation carried a thick Sichuan accent.
“Mo Mo… Mo Mo has come!”
Su Mo shyly handed over some tonics she had bought at the last minute and said in a soft, sweet voice, “Auntie, these are for you. It’s my first time meeting you, and I didn’t know what to bring.”
Zhang Lanhua had little worldly experience, but seeing Su Mo’s refined appearance, she knew the gifts must be valuable. She quickly wiped her hands on her apron and accepted them.
“Mo Mo, come eat. You must be hungry come, come.”
Lin Yuyi put an arm around Su Mo’s shoulders. “Mo Mo, my mom really likes you. She’s already prepared dinner.”
“Okay, thank you, Auntie.”
Su Mo had a baby-faced look and had always been a well-behaved girl someone everyone liked at first sight.
At the dinner table, Zhang Lanhua wiped the dusty stool again and again, afraid Su Mo might mind.
But Su Mo appeared generous and polite, showing no sign of disdain as she looked at the table full of dishes.
“Auntie, please stop fussing and sit down to eat.”
“Alright, alright.”
The rural house remained dim even with the lights on. When Su Mo took her first bite of food, the spiciness brought tears instantly to her eyes.
She was from Shen City and never ate spicy food.
“So spicy…”
She didn’t dare take a second bite, tears streaming down her face.
Zhang Lanhua chewed a mouthful and said, “But my son loves spicy food.”
Su Mo hadn’t understood much else, but this sentence she heard clearly.
A trace of discomfort rose in her heart. Lin Yuyi was the first to notice her mood and gently patted her back.
“Mom, Mo Mo doesn’t eat spicy food.”
Zhang Lanhua grew embarrassed. “Then I’ll go see if Aunt Li next door has any milk.
Last time Xiaoqing visited, she said milk can relieve the heat.”
Wiping her tears, Su Mo casually asked, “Who is this Xiaoqing your mom mentioned?”
“Cough, cough”
Because of the burning spice, Su Mo didn’t see the flash of panic on Lin Yuyi’s face.
“Mo Mo, drink some water first. Don’t worry about anything else.”
Knowing her stomach was delicate, Lin Yuyi went to cook her a simple bowl of plain noodles, floating with just a few chopped scallions.
“Sorry you have to suffer like this, Mo Mo.”
Still shaken from the spice, Su Mo had no appetite.
Her sensitive stomach already felt terrible.
She lightly grasped Lin Yuyi’s hand. “Yuyi, as long as I’m with you, I’m not suffering.”
“Mo Mo, don’t worry. If you marry me, I’ll treat you well for the rest of my life.”
“Mmm… I believe you.”
At night, mosquitoes were everywhere. Even mosquito coils couldn’t stop the vicious rural insects.
The exposed skin on Su Mo’s legs was covered in swollen, itchy bites.
Combined with the summer heat, her clothes were soaked with sweat and clung to her body, making her even more uncomfortable.
“Yuyi, where can I bathe?”
Lin Yuyi immediately called out, “Mom, boil some hot water Mo Mo wants to take a bath.”
“Okay, got it!”
Zhang Lanhua lit the stove again. When the water finally boiled, she turned and saw Su Mo standing awkwardly at the doorway.
“Girl, the water will be ready soon. Wait a moment.”
Her heavy dialect was barely understandable to Su Mo.
But since she had been brought here suddenly, she hadn’t had time to prepare a change of clothes.
She could only ask Zhang Lanhua for help.
“Auntie, is there a supermarket nearby? I’d like to buy something.”
Zhang Lanhua wiped her hands on her apron before taking Su Mo’s hand.
“Girl, are you missing something? Just tell this old woman I’ll find a way.
This is a small place. There’s no supermarket nearby.”
Su Mo lowered her head, feeling embarrassed. But for now, she could only listen to Zhang Lanhua.