Chapter 93 Was this my child?

Upon reaching the outside of the courtyard wall, before even rounding the corner, Song Chunxue heard Chen Feng's mother cursing.

"Today Feng'er is giving birth, and you have so much work to do in your fields, yet she insists on going to the fields. Does that mean my Feng'er isn't carrying your Jiang family's child, or her own grandson?"

"Eldest son, I'm not trying to criticize you, but you're all grown up now. You should act like an adult when you're starting a family and building a career. You should talk to your mother when necessary. She can't keep doing whatever she wants just because she's old."

“It wasn’t easy for her to raise so many of you children, but even though you’ve separated, you’re still family. You’ll always be her son, and she’ll still have to take care of her grandchildren. She’s not even forty yet, and she already thinks her responsibility to you is over?”

"Ha, if you ask me, you're just too honest..."

"Clang!"

Chen Fengniang spoke with a strong sense of justice and a loud voice, clearly full of energy, as she incessantly berated Song Chunxue in front of Jiang Yeming.

Song Chunxue grew angrier as she listened, and kicked the iron bucket off the cellar platform.

The sounds from inside the thatched kiln vanished instantly.

A gentle breeze lifted the curtain, and Song Chunxue saw the eldest brother sitting on a low stool, looking up at her.

Song Chunxue casually shifted her gaze, dusted herself off, and turned to enter the courtyard.

She could easily seize upon Chen Fengniang's words now, throw a tantrum, and tell her to get lost with a rolling pin.

But she doesn't want to do that now.

The more composed a person is, the more justified they are.

Shouting and yelling only leads to being labeled as unreasonable and crazy, which is not worth it.

Although she doesn't care much about the pointing fingers now, she always feels unsatisfied after throwing a tantrum, as if she didn't do her job well.

Upon hearing that Song Chunxue had returned, Jiang Hongying and Lao Si came out of their respective rooms and looked at her with serious expressions.

"Mom, you're back. You're back quite early today."

Jiang Hongying led Xiujuan down the steps of the north room, carefully observing her expression.

"What should we have for lunch today, Mother? I'll go prepare it." Jiang Hongying said in a low voice, "Chen Feng gave birth to a boy. The old woman has already left, and her mother has been cursing outside for a while. The eldest son didn't dare to utter a sound."

Song Chunxue's expression was unreadable. "Then let's have noodles with minced meat sauce today. You knead the dough and let it rest. I'll knead it later."

As she spoke, she took off her dusty clothes and went inside to wash her face.

The fourth brother stretched out his hand, "Xiujuan, come here, go outside and gather firewood for your little uncle. We're having a good meal today."

As he spoke, he squatted down, stretched out his arms, and smiled as he waited for Xiujuan to rush over.

Xiujuan ran happily, wobbling as she jumped into Lao Si's arms, "Little Uncle."

Song Chunxue looked at the murky muddy water in the basin, washed the towel three times, and spread it out to dry on the iron rack.

She glanced down at the undershirt she hadn't changed in half a month, then closed the door again.

He took off his shirt, wiped himself down, and changed into a clean undershirt and a blue cotton long gown with white flowers that he usually wouldn't wear.

In an instant, she transformed from a disheveled, sallow-faced woman into a clean-cut and energetic one.

Seeing the dust on her head, she sat down again, slowly combed her hair, and used a peach wood hairpin to pin her long hair up at the back of her head.

As she stepped out of the courtyard, she saw Jiang Yeming standing there, seemingly waiting for her.

"Did she give birth?" she asked casually, without stopping.

"It's a boy." Jiang Yeming said with a smile, "Mother, aren't you going to see him?"

"Isn't someone watching?" Song Chunxue said expressionlessly. "Aren't we having guests? Go and entertain them. I remember you can cook."

"..." Jiang Yeming was stunned for a moment, then followed her into the kitchen and lowered his voice, "Did Mother hear what I just said?"

"Nonsense, I'm not deaf, I can tell right from wrong."

She lifted the porcelain basin and pulled up the dough that was resting on the cutting board to knead it. "You know, your mother is in a bad mood these days. Originally, I thought that since my mother-in-law was coming, even if I didn't like her, I should still be cheerful and hospitable to her."

"Bang!"

She threw the noodles in her hand onto the cutting board.

"But I overheard her trying to sow discord. Aren't you embarrassed?"

"..." Jiang Yeming stared blankly at the white flour on the cutting board, unable to utter a single word.

"If she were a smart woman, she wouldn't be stirring up trouble for her daughter and son-in-law, always finding fault with me. Didn't she always tell Chen Feng that she and I were completely separate? Since that's the case, I don't need this in-law. I'll suffer less humiliation in the future and live a couple more years, don't you think?"

"..."

"Get out of here. I won't scold you now that you've given birth to a son. Go and cook for your mother-in-law."

Song Chunxue's tone was calm, and it didn't sound like they were arguing, but Jiang Yeming felt like he was being exposed to the wind, always afraid that she would pick up a rolling pin and hit him at any moment.

"But today is a joyous occasion for our family, and Chen Feng's mother is right, her daughter has given us a new member..."

"Bang!"

The large white dough was once again tossed onto the cutting board.

"You want to reason with your mother, huh?" Song Chunxue laughed angrily. "When they were cursing me just now, did you say a word in their defense?"

"Oh, so those mother and daughter are human beings who care about their reputation, but your mother is shameless and deserves to be scolded, right?"

Song Chunxue picked up a rolling pin from the side. "Are you trying to force me to settle both old and new scores?"

Jiang Yeming stood there, not taking a chance. "Mother, hit me if you want. I know you're not happy that I didn't protect you. But Chen Feng's mother won't be here many times in her life. Hit me first to vent your anger. Today's meal must be eaten in the yard. Just consider it as giving me face at my father-in-law's house. Otherwise, I won't be able to hold my head up next time I go to the Chen family."

"..." Song Chunxue deflated immediately; that made sense.

The eldest son had his own ideas; he didn't want things to get too tense with his father-in-law's family.

They are not wrong; what is wrong is that they all side with themselves.

"Alright, then you'd better think it over. I can let my mother-in-law eat this noodle soup today, but there's something I need to tell you in advance, so don't blame me for turning against you later."

Song Chunxue put one hand on her hip and hefted the rolling pin in the other.

She can provide this meal, after all, she has three unmarried sons. She doesn't want people to spread rumors that they can't become in-laws with her, and what if that ruins her three sons' marriages?

"I know. If Chen Feng's mother speaks like she did just now, she can say whatever she wants, as long as she doesn't hit her."

The eldest son said in a low voice, "Last time we ate the family's white flour, and today too. After she leaves, I'll give Mother a bowl of white flour."

"Ha!" Song Chunxue's eyes flashed coldly. "You want to settle scores with me, huh?"

"Mother, that's not what I meant. I just..." the eldest son hurriedly explained, "I just don't want to keep taking advantage of you. We haven't eaten much of our white flour yet."

"You want to pay off your debts, right?"

Song Chunxue's coldness softened slightly. "Next time you grind flour, you can come along. Otherwise, if you keep this up with me, you're asking for a beating!"

Jiang Yeming breathed a sigh of relief and nodded emphatically.

"I understand, I'll be more careful next time, don't be angry." Jiang Yeming said in a good tone, "Otherwise, their family definitely won't come next time the baby is a month old, and I don't want to argue with Chen Feng every day because of this."

"Oh my, is this really my son?" Song Chunxue clicked her tongue. "So you know how to comfort your mother now?"