"Stop!" Wang Aiguo shouted suddenly, his voice filled with unwavering determination!
His tall figure blocked the doorway like an insurmountable wall, his eyes cold and unwavering.
"Mom, I'm telling you right now! If you want to cause trouble, go ahead and cause trouble! Cause trouble at the military district gate! Cause trouble in the commander's office! We'll see whether I, Wang Aiguo, will be discharged from the military first, or you will be dealt with first as a typical example of disrupting the stability of the military dependents' area and making unreasonable demands!"
Wang Xiufen was completely stunned by his cold gaze and merciless words!
She had never seen her son so resolute, so ruthless! His eyes told her he wasn't joking!
He was truly driven to the brink, and he really went all out!
"You...you really want to drive your mother away for that little vixen?"
"I'm your mother..."
Wang Xiufen's voice trembled, filled with a last glimmer of hope and resentment, as she tried to intimidate others with the concept of filial piety, "This is unfilial! Unfilial beyond measure! If the villagers find out, they'll drown you in their spittle!"
"Filial piety?" Wang Aiguo gave a bitter laugh, his voice filled with exhaustion and sorrow.
"Mom, I, Wang Aiguo, believe I've lived up to the word 'filial piety'! You came all the way from our hometown, and I've provided you with the best food and drink, afraid you'd suffer even the slightest grievance! Xiaocao has been even more submissive, never fighting back or arguing, enduring everything! But what about you? Have you ever considered my work? Have you ever considered Xiaocao's difficulties? Do you know how many people have talked behind my back because you've caused trouble everywhere? This time you almost ruined my entire future! This isn't about filial piety! Mom, this is killing me!"
He took a deep breath, looked at his mother's face which had aged and turned ashen in an instant, hardened his heart, and made the final decision.
"Tomorrow, I'll send you back to your hometown. I've already asked someone to buy the ticket. I'll pay for the renovation of your house back home, and I'll give you the full amount of food rations you're owed. You can stay there peacefully and tell the villagers whatever you want. But this place, the military compound, you... shouldn't come here again."
He spoke the last few words with extraordinary difficulty, yet with extraordinary determination.
Wang Xiufen was struck dumb, collapsing completely onto the rattan chair like a lump of mud.
The threat of her son's military status acted like an invisible lock, locking away all her thoughts of throwing a tantrum.
The very thing she used to flaunt became a noose around her neck.
"How unfilial of you~~~"
Her lips trembled, and her cloudy tears streamed silently down her face, but she could no longer utter a single strong word.
She knew that this time, her son was determined.
The curtain to the inner room was gently lifted a crack.
Li Xiaocao, Wang Aiguo's wife, the woman who had always been silent and forbearing, and who was suppressed by Wang Xiufen in every way, was standing there.
She didn't look at her wailing mother-in-law; her gaze simply fell quietly on her husband's straight but weary back.
When she heard Wang Aiguo say, "I'll send you back to your hometown tomorrow," a faint yet incredibly real sense of relief and ease appeared in her weary eyes.
A long-lost glimmer of light seemed to appear on that face that had been shrouded in gloom for so long.
She subconsciously raised her hand, gently patted her flat stomach, and then quickly lowered it.
Wang Aiguo waved wearily, no longer looking at his mother, and turned to walk into the inner room.
He lifted the curtain and saw Li Xiaocao standing there. Their eyes met, and Wang Aiguo saw the lingering tears in his wife's eyes, and also caught a fleeting glimpse of relief and…hope?
A wave of immense guilt overwhelmed Wang Aiguo.
He stepped forward, his rough, large hand grasping his wife's cold hand helplessly, his voice terribly hoarse: "Little Grass... I'm sorry... for all this time, I've made you suffer... it's my fault..."
Li Xiaocao lowered her head, and finally, she couldn't hold back her tears, which fell in large drops onto Wang Aiguo's hand, burning hot.
She shook her head, wanting to say "I'm not wronged," but her throat tightened and she couldn't make a sound.
How could she not feel wronged? She had been married to Wang Aiguo for so many years without having any children. Her husband was expected to be a dutiful son, but she had no right to disobey him. She could only endure it, endlessly endure it.
Fortunately, apart from her mother-in-law's mistreatment, her husband was still good to her. Otherwise, she was afraid that one day she wouldn't be able to bear it anymore and would jump into the river.
Wang Aiguo held her hand tightly, feeling her trembling that she had suppressed for many years, his heart aching: "Filial piety is the most important thing... it's crushing... if it hadn't escalated so much this time, almost causing a huge uproar... I... I didn't dare before... I was afraid she would really cause a scene in front of the leaders, which would have a bad impact... so I could only let you... let you suffer..."
His voice was filled with helplessness and deep self-blame.
As a soldier, he could face bullets and shells, but he couldn't properly deal with the suffocating "filial piety" shackles within his family.
He felt guilty for his wife's forbearance and sacrifices.
Li Xiaocao looked up, her eyes blurry with tears, at her husband's bloodshot eyes and the stubble on his chin.
She saw the pain, struggle, and belated, heavy apology in his eyes.
She grasped her husband's broad, calloused hand in return, shook her head vigorously, and finally choked out, "Go...go back...okay...we...can live well..."
These few simple words contain endless grievances, heartache, and... anticipation for the future.
Wang Aiguo's nose tingled; this tough man who would never shed a tear on the training field couldn't help but have tears welling up in his eyes.
He pulled his wife into his arms tightly, holding her close as if he wanted to absorb all the grievances she had suffered over the years into his own bones.
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