Chapter 225 Mom, you're not treating your daughter-in-law well.

"What should we do in advance?"

Su Laosan frowned, cracking sunflower seeds as he spoke, “It’s so cold, wearing a wedding dress is too cold. It’s not worth getting cold. Let’s stick to our original plan and get married after the New Year when it’s warmer.”

What he said makes sense.

But Fang Erniu was unhappy.

She returned home dejectedly, much to the delight of Erniu's mother, who asked repeatedly, "Didn't your sister-in-law just finish her postpartum confinement today? What chores did she ask you to do? Why are you looking so listless?"

"Mom, Su Laosan said he doesn't want to marry me."

Fang Erniu raised her head, her eyes were a little red, her mouth was pouting, and she looked at her mother as she repeated what she had said.

Erniu's mother exclaimed "Ah!" and realized what was happening, breaking out in a cold sweat.

He hurriedly pressed his hands on the kang (a heated brick bed), shifting his two bottoms two places closer to the edge where Erniu was sitting. "Tell me slowly, what happened? Didn't you two save up enough money to buy thirty-six legs, just waiting to find a craftsman to make a cabinet or something after the New Year? Is that why you argued? Does he not want to fight with you anymore?"

Fang Erniu shook her head, clearly not because of that.

"Then what is it because of? Tell me..."

"Alright, stop talking now."

Grandma Erniu frowned and glanced at Erniu's mother, "You're in such a hurry that you're scaring the child."

She softened her voice and asked Fang Erniu, "What did Su Laosan say? Repeat what he said to us..."

Fang Erniu then recounted her conversation with Su Laosan.

Erniu's mother, "..."

"Fang Erniu, you're really talking nonsense!"

She raised her hand and patted her daughter's arm. "I told you he always dotes on you, how could he say something like that today? Turns out you were just talking nonsense!"

"What nonsense am I talking about? That's exactly what he meant," Fang Erniu pouted.

Erniu's mother tapped her head, making her lean back, "You can't even learn to speak properly! Who was he doing that for? Wasn't it all for your own good? Getting married in this cold weather, how are you going to wear your wedding dress? His family's wedding banquet will be in a hotel in the city, right? The ground in our village is all slush and muddy, how are you going to ride your bike there? How are we, the relatives and friends who live in the village, supposed to attend your wedding? On foot? We'll just be the ones getting blamed..."

Fang Erniu sighed, and following her mother's gentle nudge, leaned back against Erniu's breasts. Looking at her mother's smacking lips, she suddenly said, "Mom, I've noticed that you treat your daughter-in-law as well as Aunt Li does."

Erniu's mother, "..."

I almost choked to death on my own saliva.

Her face contorted as she glared at Fang Erniu. "How much better should I treat them? We never skimped on the dowry when we married any of them. We're all farmers, working hard at both the fields and the house. Which daughter-in-law hasn't gone through that? It's not like I'm abusing them! Your sister-in-law brought this on herself. Who in the family has mistreated her?"

Grandma poked Erniu's face, saying, "That'll teach you to talk nonsense."

"...Your brother bought you a hair tie, and he didn't forget her, not to mention the delicious food he brought back from the city. The short guy at home eats, and she eats with him. Your brother even hid a portion for her separately. She ate all by herself like that. Did I tell you not to let your brother buy her food or not to let your brother give her food?"

Erniu's mother was furious that her own daughter had spoken to her like that, and she insisted on having a serious talk with her.

"Apologize to your mother right now." Grandma Erniu pushed her granddaughter.

Fang Erniu sat up obediently and apologized to her angry mother, "Mom, I'm sorry, I misspoke. Please don't be angry with me. That's not what I meant. It was just... a feeling."

Erniu's mother snorted angrily.

Fang Erniu hurried over and hugged her mother's arm, smiling and acting coquettishly. Erniu's mother struggled once, but couldn't break free, so she didn't struggle a second time.

My daughter is all grown up now, so I rarely hold her like this anymore.

She's about to get married, so any future visits will just be as guests.

Erniu's mother glanced at her daughter, and her eyes reddened even more.

Fang Erniu, seeing that her mother was about to make her cry, hurriedly explained, "...Well, Aunt Li treats my sister-in-law like a daughter from the bottom of her heart, just like you treat me. Aunt Li was worried that my sister-in-law would have a hard time taking care of the baby, so she specially hired a postpartum nanny. That nanny's ancestors specialized in serving important people. I heard from Su Laosan that some neighbors asked Aunt Li about hiring Grandma Qiu to help with postpartum care, and Aunt Li said it would cost two hundred a month..."

"hiss!"

Erniu's mother's eyes widened suddenly, and she gasped as she saw the same thing as Erniu's grandmother.

"So expensive?"

She murmured, looking at Fang Erniu, "Then when you have your baby, will you hire someone for that?"

Fang Erniu chuckled.

“I overheard my aunt and sister-in-law discussing it, saying they wanted to keep Grandma Qiu here to take care of the two children, and that Grandma Qiu would definitely still be there when I give birth.”

Erniu's mother breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt something was wrong.

Looking at Grandma Erniu, she said, "Two hundred a month, that adds up to... in a year..."

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law looked at each other. Although the Fang family was not short of two hundred yuan now, it was still a luxury to invite them for several years at a time.

"Where did your mother-in-law get so much money? Was it from the divorce settlement?"

Erniu's mother casually asked, and Fang Erniu glanced at her mother and said with a smile, "I don't know, but my older brother and sister-in-law earn a lot of money. They make two or three hundred a month. My sister-in-law's older brother owns a company and is very rich. He often helps my sister-in-law out."

Grandma Erniu nodded, stopping Erniu's mother from asking any more questions.

Erniu's mother felt a little regretful, but she also knew that asking too many questions about this matter was indeed inappropriate.

They pressed Fang Erniu on to continue.

Fang Erniu said "Oh," and then continued, "Auntie said water flows downhill and people strive for higher positions, so she encouraged my sister-in-law to take the postgraduate entrance exam. I heard that a postgraduate degree can lead to teaching undergraduates. My sister-in-law's major is English, and she wants to become a translator, helping the National Library translate foreign works. Oh, and also, if my sister-in-law wants something to eat, she only needs to mention it, and within three to five days, Auntie can always get it for her..."

Hearing these words, Erniu's mother frowned and muttered, "How can a daughter-in-law compare to a daughter? She's not my child."

Upon hearing this, Erniu's grandmother glanced at her.

Erniu's mother looked guilty and tried to dodge the question.

Fang Erniu sighed precisely.

She said, "It's different. If Auntie thought like you, would I have a good life in the future? Mom, please be nicer to my sister-in-law! She gave birth to two sons for our family, and she was still working in the fields when she was so pregnant. She didn't neglect the work at home, and she's also filial and obedient to you..."

She put her arm around her mother's shoulder, leaning closer to comfort her, and advised, "You and Dad, won't you be relying on my older brother and sister-in-law to take care of you in your old age? By then, my brother might not just be a small village secretary anymore. A good man should have ambitions beyond his hometown. If my brother succeeds and climbs up the ranks, won't my sister-in-law be the one by your side every day? If you treat her well now, she'll treat you well in the future, right?"