On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Grandma Xia finally succumbed to her illness and passed away.
As a daughter-in-law, it would be unreasonable for Zhang Hongyan not to go and help.
More than ten years later, Zhang Hongyan stepped into the Xia family's old house again, and for a moment she felt both strange and familiar.
Logically, when an elderly person passes away, their daughter and daughter-in-law should help them change their clothes.
When the prepared funeral clothes were taken out, Zhao Fengxia seemed somewhat resistant: "Second sister-in-law, third sister-in-law, why don't you do it? I...I'm a little scared."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Hongyan frowned: "Sister-in-law, you've asked the wrong person. You know my relationship with the old lady."
Although a person's future should fade away with it, Zhang Hongyan only came to the old house because of Xia Heping's influence, and it was impossible for her to help Xia's grandmother change her clothes.
Besides, even if the old lady were to make the choice, she probably wouldn't want her help.
"I...I can't replace one person," Wang Xiaofen stammered, secretly rolling her eyes at her sister-in-law in her heart. Who isn't afraid? She's afraid too, okay?
But it's not easy to say this out loud. If her husband finds out, he might think she's looking down on his mother.
Zhao Fengxia rolled her eyes and said, "Then why don't we wait for Chunmei and the others to come? It won't make a difference if we wait a little longer."
As soon as the old lady left, Xia Hecai sent his son to inform his several aunts who had married out of the family.
“I have no objection,” Zhang Hongyan said calmly.
Wang Xiaofen quickly nodded, "I have no objection either. I think if Mother were alive, she would want my eldest sister and the other sisters to help with the replacement."
Fortunately, not long after, Xia's daughters arrived. As soon as they heard that they were going to help their mother change her clothes, Xia Chunju immediately became furious.
He launched into a tirade against Zhao Fengxia: "Sister-in-law, this is wrong of you. So you haven't even changed Mother's clothes after all this time? People will laugh at you if word gets out."
“Yes, what kind of daughter-in-law do you?” Xia Chunlan said sarcastically.
Xia Chunmei frowned when she heard her two younger sisters' words. She could understand the thoughts of her sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law. Who could treat their mother-in-law like their own mother? Besides, her mother still had her three daughters.
With a stern face, she looked at her two younger sisters and said, "Alright, what's the use of saying all this now? You two come inside with me and help your mother change her clothes."
Xia Chunju was startled. Even though the person inside was her own mother, she still didn't dare to go inside.
Pretending to clutch her stomach, she said, "Big sister, I... I suddenly feel a bit unwell and need to go to the toilet. Why don't you and second sister go?"
Xia Chunlan knew perfectly well that this was just an excuse her younger sister had made up, so she quickly said, "I twisted my hand while cooking yesterday, so please let your sister-in-law go with you, eldest sister."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Fengxia seemed to have found a handle to use against her, and immediately began to mock her: "Heh, didn't you just say that we daughters-in-law are no good? You two daughters aren't much better either. Are you afraid of your own mother?"
Xia Chunju was hit where it hurt. Her eyes widened, and she pointed at Zhao Fengxia, saying, "What makes you say that? This is simply your duty as a daughter-in-law."
"Alright, stop arguing!" Xia Chunmei glanced at everyone's expressions and forcibly pulled her two younger sisters into the room.
She can't manage several of her sisters-in-law and brothers' wives, but she can manage her two younger sisters.
......
After the funeral, Xia and Cai called their two younger brothers to the old house.
"Second brother, third brother, I called you here mainly to discuss the issue of Father's care in his old age."
Xia Hezhi looked puzzled: "Brother, what do you mean by this? Didn't we agree when we separated the family that our parents would live with you?"
He truly didn't expect that his elder brother would try to push their father away so soon after his mother passed away.
Xia Hecai's face stiffened. It was agreed that the two elderly people would live with him, but at that time the two elderly people could still help with the work, and his two younger brothers also gave him food and pension money every month.
But now that my mother is gone, my father's health is deteriorating day by day. If he really becomes bedridden and unable to move in the future, then someone will have to take care of him.
His wife made it clear that she wouldn't help take care of the old man, so it's not fair for him, a grown man, to take care of him.
Xia Hecai sighed and said with a worried look, "Third brother, you're wrong. All three of us are Father's own sons. You can't push all the responsibility onto me."
"Brother, that's not what I meant," Xia Hezhi quickly explained, not wanting to be branded as unfilial.
Xia Hecai then turned his gaze to Xia Heping: "Second brother, what do you say?"
Xia Heping looked at his two brothers with a complicated expression and said calmly, "You know my situation. I definitely have to go back to Beijing. If Father is willing to go to Beijing with me, I have no objection."
That's what they said, but all three of them knew that Old Man Xia would never go to Beijing with him.
The older generation values returning to their roots; they believe that no one knows when they will pass away, and they want to die at home.
In addition, Beijing is so far away, and Old Man Xia's health is not as good as it was a few years ago. If something bad happens to him on the way, it would be a great loss.
"Second brother, you know your father can't go to Beijing with you," Xia Hecai said with slight dissatisfaction.
Xia Heping shrugged: "Then there's nothing I can do. What do you suggest, brother?"
Xia Hecai's eyes flickered, and he revealed the solution he had already thought of: "Taking care of the elderly requires either money or effort. Since you can't contribute your effort, then contribute your money."
"As for the third brother, he will take turns with me to take care of Dad, how about one family for a month?"
Xia Hezhi gave him a slightly sarcastic look: "Big brother, you've got a real plan. When the family divided the property, you took the lion's share, but now that it's time to take responsibility, you say you want fairness."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Xia Hecai slammed his fist on the table in anger: "Third brother, how could you think of me like that? Is that really the kind of person you think of me?"
"Whether it's the eldest brother or not, you know perfectly well," Xia Hezhi said ambiguously.
A hint of guilt flashed in Xia Hecai's eyes, and he said in a serious tone, "To put it bluntly, you just don't want to take responsibility. So what do you suggest we do?"
After some discussion, it was finally decided that Old Man Xia would stay at the old house to live out his retirement. Xia Heping and Xia Hezhi would each give him 10 yuan a month for living expenses, which Xia Hezhi could pay with grain. As for the old man's health problems in the future, the three brothers would split the medical expenses equally.
When Xia Heping got home, he told Zhang Hongyan about it.
He said with a hint of sadness, "Father doesn't know about this yet. If he did, he would probably be very sad."
Zhang Hongyan curled her lip: "In the end, it's just that the old couple are biased, which has fostered Xia Hecai's selfish and self-serving nature."
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