Chapter 35 Suffering
Lu Jiacai became the first family in Daqiao Village to live in a brick house.
But after the brick house was built, Lu Fuquan and Li Xiaochun began to complain that she smelled bad.
Disliking that she spent all her time in contact with chickens and got covered in a fishy smell, they simply wouldn't let her live there.
She can't even take a look at the house she earned with her life.
From then on, she was forced to return to her original small mud house.
He never had the chance to step through the door of that brick house until the moment he died.
The smile that had been on Lu Fuquan's face had completely disappeared.
Instead, he wore a slightly bewildered expression.
"Mom! I didn't do anything to you, why are you yelling at me right away! I'm already exhausted, what more do you want from me!"
Upon hearing this, Shen Cuifen became furious and threw the chives in her hand onto the ground with a loud "thud".
"You're helping me by weeding? Is that land yours? Will you be the only one eating the harvest in the future?"
Lu Fuquan was startled and looked at Shen Cuifen with a face full of anger.
Fearing she might get angry and hit him, he quickly stood up and took a half step back.
"I'm doing this job as usual today, aren't I? If I'm not helping you, who else am I helping!"
Lu Fuquan retreated while trying to explain himself.
Shen Cuifen was both amused and exasperated upon hearing this.
She was caught between being angry and laughing; she truly had no way to deal with this son.
"Alright, alright! You're absolutely right! Since you understand so clearly, then you shouldn't talk about weeds in the field anymore, and you shouldn't cook either!"
That's how people are; as long as you're willing to endure hardship...
Then a constant stream of chores will come crashing down on you like a tide.
In the past, she felt sorry for her child and silently shouldered many burdens on her own.
I never let them do even a little extra work, because I was afraid they would suffer.
But as time went on, these ungrateful people actually started to think it was their due!
Fuck it!
She could only curse these words to herself.
But she also knew that scolding was pointless.
Lu Fuquan realized he had said the wrong thing and panicked.
"Alright, alright, I'll do it all by myself, okay? But someone still has to wash Grandpa's sheets, you can't just ignore it!"
"Wait a minute, in this village, which household has men who do the laundry? Which family's men would do such delicate work?"
Shen Cuifen simply couldn't bring herself to be soft-hearted towards her foolish son.
I'm really angry, but I can't hit you or scold you. I have to keep my anger inside even if I say a few words.
"How could you have the nerve to make your old mother wash the sheets? Tell me! Your father passed away when he was alive, and your grandmother passed away a few years ago, right? Now I'm your only mother, so shouldn't I be the one to do all this? Shouldn't I be the one to do all this?"
"I'm making this clear today: everyone should be responsible for their own parents! No one is allowed to shirk their filial duty and become a coward!"
Shen Cuifen has a naturally loud voice.
He was so emotional that his shouts could be heard throughout the entire courtyard.
Lu Weidong, who was inside the house, heard everything clearly.
He wanted to go out and say a few words of advice, but as soon as he moved, he suddenly remembered that he was still injured.
Then I thought about it again and realized it would definitely lead to another argument, or even a fight, and I would definitely lose.
He suppressed his anger, swallowed his anger, and took a deep drag on his old, blackened pipe. Unexpectedly, he puffed too hard and was choked, coughing repeatedly.
He coughed so hard his face turned red and his neck bulged, and he couldn't catch his breath.
Lu Fuquan and Lu Weidong had actually had a huge argument a long time ago.
If Shen Cuifen hadn't held him back so firmly, he really would have had to wash the sheets himself today.
"Well... there's still my older sister, right? Let her go wash up! Is that alright?"
Lu Fuquan's eyes darted around.
"Screw that! I'm telling you right now, from now on, whoever's clothes it is, washes their own clothes, and cooks their own meals! Don't bother me, you bunch of unfilial brats! I'm not serving you anymore!"
Lu Fuquan originally wanted to say a few more words in response.
But when she thought about how Lu Weidong had angrily berated Shen Cuifen for taking all the family's money last night, she immediately wilted.
He stood there, his hands unconsciously clenching the hem of his clothes.
The scene from last night is still vivid in my mind.
The father slammed his fist on the table and roared.
He said that Shen Cuifen took all 660 yuan from the house.
That was the money he had saved for a long time to marry Muxiang, and now it was all gone.
He had calculated it, including the borrowed amount.
Just enough for the betrothal gifts, plus some simple furniture.
Although Muxiang's father didn't say it explicitly, he was implying that he was waiting for this number.
Now that the money is gone, the wedding is in jeopardy.
Shen Cuifen is now completely unreasonable.
If he angers her again and she really doesn't give him a single penny, where will he go to cry?
He stared at Shen Cuifen's back as she bent down to pick vegetables.
He knew that when she got angry, she would become ruthless and unforgiving towards even her closest relatives.
Even Lu Weidong was rendered speechless by her scolding yesterday.
If I were to say another word, I might not even get a bite to eat.
He swallowed hard, his legs feeling weak.
"I don't care about your petty affairs! I'm just here to deliver a message! Since you think my vegetable-picking is in your way, I'll just leave!"
He gritted his teeth, stomped his foot, and refused to look at anyone anymore.
"Let's go! Let's go quickly!"
Lu Fuquan muttered something in a low voice, then stomped out of the kitchen.
He pulled open the courtyard gate and slammed it shut, the wooden door hitting the frame with a loud bang.
"Go to hell, you ingrate!"
Shen Cuifen spat on the ground and continued to pinch off the vegetables one by one.
"Mom, don't be angry. I'll wash myself after I finish eating."
She slowed down the knife and softened her tone.
She knew her mother had been irritable these past few days, mainly because of that money.
Lu Weidong cursed her fiercely last night, but her mother didn't argue. She just sat on the edge of the bed smoking, one cigarette after another.
She could tell that her mother was holding back her anger.
But I don't want to start arguing at home.
In her view, in the end, it was still the mother and her two children who were left to fend for themselves.
Rather than letting Mom get upset over something like this.
It's better to do it quietly by myself.
The grease buildup in the kitchen is thick and difficult to wipe clean.
But she would rather suffer herself than listen to her mother and father arguing again.
“I said I won’t wash it, so I won’t. After you finish eating, go feed the pig.”
Shen Cuifen finally spoke.
She poured the chopped vegetables into the pot, stirred them a few times with the spatula, and steam rose up, covering half of her face.
She didn't look at it or explain it; she just repeated it.
"Did you hear me? It's time to mix the pig feed."
Afraid of upsetting his mother further, he could only lower his head and respond.
She poured the chopped vegetables into another bowl, her fingers slightly red from being rubbed by the knife.
She didn't say anything more, but silently tidied up the cutting board and knives.
But in her heart she was planning that after feeding the pigs she would have to find time to go to the river to wash clothes.
Otherwise, I won't have any clean clothes to change into tomorrow.
She looked up at the sky.
The sun had already begun to set in the west, casting long shadows.
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