Chapter 37 What are her hidden troubles?

Li Mai prepared to go into the kitchen to cook.

Zheng Anze called out to her, "Don't bother, I'll be leaving soon. Please sit down, let's chat for a while."

Li Mai had no choice but to walk over and sit down.

"Big brother, how are things between you and your wife?"

Zheng Anze's eyes darkened: "She wants a divorce, but I haven't agreed yet."

Li Mai was surprised.

I heard that my older brother and sister-in-law met through a blind date arranged by my mother.

The two got married soon after.

She attended the wedding, and the two seemed quite sweet together.

How did it come to the point of divorce?

"Brother, do you have someone else outside?"

Zheng Anze: "No."

"Then why did you get divorced?"

“Your sister-in-law complains that I don’t earn enough. I don’t know when it started, but she likes to buy designer bags, high-end cosmetics, and go to upscale places.”

“When we got married, I gave her my salary card. Over the years, she has spent it however she wants, and I have never interfered.”

“Recently, I found that she had gone a bit too far, so I checked my bank account and found that I had no money left from all my salary over the years.”

“I questioned her about where the money went, and she said she spent it. She even turned around and accused me of being incompetent, a good-for-nothing, and earning too little.”

"In the end, she threatened to divorce me."

"I needed to calm down, and luckily the company had a business trip available, so I came out."

Li Mai listened with a sigh.

Judging from this, this sister-in-law doesn't seem like a reliable person either.

"Brother, you should take your salary card back. Whether you're divorced or not, a small family should have some savings. Otherwise, you'll run into trouble if you encounter any difficulties and can't come up with the money."

Zheng Anze thought the same thing: "I'll go back and talk to her."

“MaiMai, Mom doesn’t know about this yet. I don’t want her to worry, so please don’t tell her.”

Li Mai: "We don't contact each other, so how can we tell her?"

Zheng Anze sighed as he thought about his sister's relationship with their mother over the years.

“MaiMai, don’t blame your mother, she has her reasons.”

Li Mai's pupils contracted, and her eyes reddened slightly.

What's wrong with her?

Zheng Anze remained silent.

Li Mai gave a wry smile.

Her mother disliked her, even loathed her.

When she was little, her mother would make fried eggs, but only her older brother got a share; she could only watch longingly.

When her older brother tried to share half of her food with her, their mother would stop him with his chopsticks and look at her coldly, saying, "She won't eat it."

She felt wronged, but dared not cry.

Because crying won't soften her mother's heart; she might be kicked out or not allowed to eat.

She had long since learned to read her mother's expression.

Back then, her mother often forgot to pick her up, and it was only when her teacher called her that she would go to pick her up.

She thought that her mother probably really wanted to get rid of her.

During the Chinese New Year, my mother bought my older brother sneakers and new clothes.

She, however, could only stand aside and watch her mother try on new clothes for her older brother.

When her mother went out, she only took her older brother with her and didn't let her come along. So she obediently stayed at home.

Her mother and older brother would be gone for a whole day, and she fell asleep hungry.

When she entered junior high school, her mother arranged for her to live at the school.

My older brother was in high school at the time, and my mother was reluctant to let him live at school, fearing that he wouldn't eat or sleep well there.

After she started living at school, her mother rarely visited her, except to send her living expenses.

She was like someone who had been forgotten.

Her mother often forgets to give her living expenses, and she doesn't dare to go home to ask for them.

Drink water when you're hungry.

It wasn't until the teacher discovered that she hadn't eaten for two days and was so hungry that she was slumped over her desk and almost fainted that the teacher called her mother.

After being reprimanded by the teacher, her mother took her anger out on her and became even colder towards her.

When she returned home for vacation, her mother didn't say a word to her. One moment she was chatting and laughing with her older brother, and the next she turned cold when she faced her.

She felt superfluous in that family.

Later, her older brother went to university in another city, and she also went to high school and continued to live on campus.

Her mother did not change her attitude towards her after her older brother left. When she came home on the weekend, her mother did not say a word to her.

She studied hard and finally got into university.

My mother said that since she is an adult, she has no obligation to support her anymore and will not give her any money in the future.

She didn't cry or make a fuss, which meant she understood.

She knew her mother had wanted to get rid of her for a long time, and now she finally had.

She was admitted to a local university in Suzhou.

Despite living not far from home, she never went home during her four years of university.

She earned her university tuition and living expenses through part-time jobs.

During her four years of university, she did nothing but study and work to earn money, so tired that she would fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow every day.

Her mother didn't call her; it was as if she had forgotten about her.

When she was about to give birth to Chengcheng, she mustered up the courage to go home.

She wanted her mother to help take care of Chengcheng for a few days after he was born, and then she would take care of him herself once she recovered.

Mom refused.

Knowing she was pregnant out of wedlock, they scolded her for being shameful and kicked her out.

She still vividly remembers her mother's hurtful words from back then, and it makes her feel sad every time she thinks about them.

The past events are still vivid in my mind.

The eldest brother said that Mom had her reasons, and then he tried to erase everything.

Li Mai clenched her fingers.

So what has she been all these years?

Zheng Anze: "Xiaomai, you've grown up, and Mom is getting old. Let's not dwell on the past. Go back and visit when you have time."

"Brother, you've made this decision on your own again. Mom doesn't want to see me at all. If I go back, she'll feel bad seeing me. What's the point of me going back?"

Zheng Anze: "No, Mom is getting old, and her thoughts may change. We are still a family, and we should get along well."

Li Mai gave a bleak smile: "You are the family, I am not."

She was always an outsider in that family, an outsider.

Zheng Anze: "Xiaomai, you can't blame Mom entirely for how your relationship with Mom has turned out this way; you also bear some responsibility."

"Look at your temper, so stubborn, never backing down. Mom is an elder, do you expect her to bow down to you?"

“You didn’t go home for four years of college, and you didn’t go back after graduation either. You didn’t even call. I went to the school to look for you, but you refused to come home.”

"With your personality, you should really reflect on yourself."

Li Mai's eyes were red as she looked at her half-brother.

"Brother, you can also twist the truth."

Zheng Anze: "..."

He felt inexplicably guilty under Li Mai's gaze.

Chengcheng, with a cold expression, told him to leave: "Uncle, please leave. You are not welcome here!"

Zheng Anze looked grim, glanced at Li Mai, and stood up to leave.

...

Two tears rolled down her cheeks.

Quinoa quickly wiped it off.

She stood up and walked towards the kitchen: "Mom, let's cook."

Chengcheng ran over and hugged her leg: "Mom, don't be sad, you still have me."

"They are all bad people, let's ignore them."

Li Mai felt a sharp pain in her heart, turned around, squatted down, and hugged Chengcheng.

"Thank you, baby!"

Chengcheng hugged her tightly.

I hate my maternal grandmother and uncle; they both bully my mother.

Li Mai composed herself and let go of Chengcheng: "Okay, baby, Mommy's not sad anymore. I'll go make you some food."

Chengcheng nodded.

Li Mai stood in the kitchen, trying to shake off those bad memories.

It took forty minutes to prepare two dishes and a soup, and then the mother and son sat down to eat.

The atmosphere was warm and cozy.