Chapter 64 Shameless
A little while later, Lu Xiuye also brought back needles and thread from the backyard.
She sat quietly next to her mother and worked alongside her.
The earlier commotion actually made Shen Cuifen feel much more relaxed.
After years of pent-up grievances and anger, Ye finally had an outlet, which was quite cathartic.
With a cold expression, she deftly pinched the edge of the shoe sole with her fingers, sewing it stitch by stitch.
But in his mind, he was already starting to plan – once Lu Xiuwei went to school, he would have to start arranging a backup plan.
She must make those shameless bastards, Lu Weidong and Zhou Wenjuan, pay the price.
Thinking of the plan she had already devised, Shen Cuifen couldn't help but smile and hum a little tune.
The tune was light and familiar; it was a folk song she often sang when she was young.
The tone was not high, but it carried a hint of laughter, like a spring breeze blowing through a wheat field, bringing with it the taste of hope.
She hummed as she quickened her pace, as if each stitch was paving a path for the future.
"Mom, I finished my homework a long time ago, so I'll sew some shoes too."
Lu Xiuwei came out of the room, still clutching a pencil in her hand, her eyes bright.
She then squatted down next to Shen Cuifen and reached out to take the needle and thread.
Shen Cuifen pondered for a moment, then hesitated.
But she thought that her child would eventually grow up and would have to learn these skills sooner or later.
Besides, it's true that it's faster when three people work together.
She handed him the needle and whispered, "Be careful, don't prick your finger."
Lu Xiuwei was sewing the shoe soles while talking to Shen Cuifen.
She asked, "Mom, will we be able to build a new house in the future?"
He added, "I heard from Little Fatty that some people from their village go to work in the city and earn several hundred yuan a year."
His tone was full of curiosity and longing.
Before her mother could answer, she noticed that her mother seemed a little different today.
In the past, whenever something happened in the family, Shen Cuifen would either silently wipe away her tears or hide in the woodshed in a daze.
At that time, she lived like a shadow, silent and unnoticed, completely at the mercy of others.
But today, not only did she not cry, she also took the initiative to arrange the housework.
Moreover, she felt that her mother looked so powerful when she confronted them today!
Lu Xiuwei had actually wondered if her mother had hit her head and gotten into trouble.
But no matter what, she likes her mother like this.
Because she can finally stop feeling wronged and laugh from the bottom of her heart.
"Mom, don't worry. When you get old, you definitely won't live in a shack."
Lu Xiuwei spoke softly, her hands never stopping as she sewed, her voice carrying a hint of seriousness and commitment.
"I will study hard, make a lot of money in the future, and take care of you!"
"Mom, I will work hard to earn money in the future!"
Lu Xiuye also said.
Shen Cuifen smiled and nodded, "Okay! Then grow up well and work hard to make a lot of money in the future!"
Her voice was gentle, and her eyes were full of love and trust as she looked at her daughter.
"But don't push yourself too hard. Mom is not even forty yet and can support herself."
As she said this, she straightened her back and stood up straight.
Shen Cuifen didn't want her child to think she was weak, and she didn't want her to bear too much burden.
She still has the strength and the time; in this life, she will live with dignity.
In her past life, she worked as a bricklayer on construction sites during the day and did sewing work at night.
After saving every penny for more than ten years, he finally bought a piece of land in town and built three brick houses.
Although her peaceful life was disrupted by an accident a few days later, that house was something she had earned with her blood and sweat.
Having lived this life twice, knowing what the future holds gives me more confidence.
She knew exactly which year grain prices would rise, which year the village would make money from road construction, which families would prosper, and which roads would be passable.
This information is her capital.
She was no longer the peasant woman who was bullied and powerless to resist, but someone who held the trump card.
As Shen Cuifen watched her daughter diligently sewing shoes, she silently vowed: This time, she would never let Guizhi and Guizhen follow in her footsteps.
She doesn't rely on men, marriage, or anyone's charity.
As long as you're willing to work hard, things will gradually get better.
People's hearts change; only oneself is the most reliable support.
As Shen Cuifen pondered, she looked up and saw the two sisters staring at her.
Seeing the worry in Lu Xiuwei and Lu Xiuye's eyes, Shen Cuifen smiled at them, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothed out.
"Don't worry about me, Mom is fine."
Her tone was light and cheerful.
“Before, I couldn’t understand it. I always felt wronged and thought I couldn’t go on living.”
She paused, her gaze falling on the old locust tree in the corner of the yard, her eyes gradually clearing.
"But things are different now. I'm clear-headed now and I'm not getting stuck on things anymore."
"From now on, I will live for myself and for our family. I will live well!"
She said this in a calm tone.
Lu Xiuwei and Lu Xiuye exchanged a glance, and both saw a trace of relief and reassurance in each other's eyes.
She nodded silently without saying anything, but the weight in her heart seemed to have been lifted with her mother's words.
After all the commotion today, everyone was a bit tired and went to rest not long after.
The following afternoon, Shen Cuifen smiled and gave them instructions.
"Guozhi and Guizhen, go catch a chicken, Mom will cook some for you to take to school as a snack."
Cuifen spoke gently, as if she had transformed back into the mother they knew from their childhood, the one who would stew chicken soup and pat their heads while speaking to them.
"That chicken is mine! Don't touch it!"
Before he could finish speaking, Yang Juanhua's voice came from behind.
Shen Cuifen turned around and narrowed her eyes.
The sunlight slanted down onto the courtyard gate, where Yang Juanhua stood, casting a long shadow, but her face was frighteningly gloomy.
Yang Juanhua's hair was neatly combed again, and she wore a dark blue cloth hat with the brim pulled down a little.
It seems that a lot of hair was pulled out before, exposing the scalp, which can only be covered by a hat.
Even so, the bruises and scratches on her face couldn't be hidden no matter how hard she tried to cover them up—
She had a red, swollen finger mark on her left cheek and a bruise at the corner of her right eye, as if she had been slapped hard or scratched herself.
"Oh, you still have the nerve to come out for a stroll?"
Shen Cuifen chuckled softly, but her words were clear.
"I bought the chicken with my own money, and my daughter and I feed it every day."
She paused, looked around, and spoke with a hint of sarcasm.
"There are no outsiders here, why are you pretending to be so magnanimous?"
She remembered that just moments ago, Yang Juanhua had been crying and shouting in front of everyone.
They said that she had been taking care of Lu Qiming for the past ten years, and that Shen Cuifen had not fulfilled her duties, and that it was only thanks to her that the family was able to be supported.
How shameless!
Shen Cuifen sneered inwardly, but remained calm on the surface, looking at her with a mocking expression.
His expression was like watching a clown who had messed up his performance but still insisted on taking his final bow.
Yang Juanhua was both angry and ashamed by the look, her lips trembling, her finger pointing directly at Shen Cuifen.
She wanted to argue, but couldn't utter a single word; she was trembling with anger.
"It's all because of those little bitches you raised that this mess happened!"
She finally yelled it out, her voice trembling with tears.
"You still dare to act all high and mighty here?"
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