Chapter 54 I felt at ease
After finishing her work, washing her hands and wiping her face, and finally being able to catch her breath, Shen Cuifen stepped forward and called out softly.
"Grandpa! Grandma!"
The two little girls also spoke sweetly.
Upon hearing that familiar and long-lost voice, the two elderly people turned around abruptly.
When she saw that it was Shen Cuifen standing at the gate with her two children, her wrinkled eyes immediately curved into a smile.
"Oh my! Cuifen! What brings you here? You look so travel-worn, you must have had a long journey. Xiuwei, Xiuye, come in, come in and sit down! Grandpa will give you some candy!"
The old man greeted them repeatedly, patting his pants as he stood up and quickly ushered them into the house.
Seeing that the matter was settled and the pig had been taken care of, Granny Xu drove the piglet home.
Before leaving, she turned back and thanked Shen Xuelin and his wife deeply.
"Thank you so much! I'll bring you some cured meat another day!"
Luo Yaya walked up, grabbed Shen Cuifen's hand, and held it tightly in her palm.
Her hands were rough, calloused, and her knuckles were large.
But those palms were unusually warm.
That kind of warmth, only a biological mother can provide.
No matter how much hardship you've endured or how old you are, in her eyes you'll always be that little girl who needs her care and protection.
"Mom! I...I miss you so much!"
She choked up, her voice trembling.
She used to be beaten by Lu Weidong, leaving her with injuries on her face and bruises on her arms. She cried secretly countless times at night.
But she didn't dare tell her parents, afraid that they would be heartbroken if they saw it, and even more afraid that they would come to their door to argue, causing even bigger trouble.
She could only endure it silently, gritting her teeth and swallowing the bitterness.
The elderly couple always assumed she was busy and that working in the city wasn't easy. Plus, they genuinely disliked Lu Weidong's domineering and selfish behavior, so they didn't bother her much.
Although the two families are only twenty miles apart, it only takes a little over an hour to walk there.
But over the years, they have rarely been seen together.
No one expected that this separation would last for a full three years.
In fact, they felt even worse inside, always feeling that they were incompetent and failed to protect their daughter properly, which caused her to suffer so much.
This self-blame weighed on their hearts, making them restless day and night.
I often toss and turn at night, unable to sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see my daughter's aggrieved face when she was little.
So, even though the two families are not far apart.
However, over the course of a year, the number of times the father and daughter could see each other was very limited.
It's not that I don't want to see him, but the more I want to see him, the more my heart aches.
She was afraid to see her daughter's haggard face, afraid to hear her choked voice.
The moment I heard my daughter call out "Mom" through her sobs.
The two elderly people panicked immediately, their work fell to the ground with a "thud," and their hearts clenched in fear.
The voice trembled and choked, just like when Cuifen was a child and would throw herself into their arms crying when she was wronged.
Luo Qiaoying stood up abruptly, her eyes instantly reddening, her lips trembling.
Shen Xuelin's hands were still stained with blood from killing the chicken. He didn't even have time to put down the cleaver before he kicked off the ground.
He rushed to his daughter like an arrow released from a bow.
He moved so fast that he even put his shoes on backwards.
But he didn't care about any of that; all he could see was his daughter's tear-streaked face.
His voice trembled as he roared, "Cuifen! Did that guy surnamed Lu bully you again? Speak up! I'm going to settle the score with him right now!"
That bastard should never have been allowed to enter the house alive more than 20 years ago!
If it weren't for Cuifen's sake, we should have grabbed a hoe and driven him out of the village back then!
He grew angrier the more he thought about it, and veins bulged on his forehead.
The knife in her hand slammed against the door frame with a "bang," startling Lu Xiuye.
Lu Xiuwei and Lu Xiuye stood aside, watching helplessly as their grandparents showed such affection for their mother.
They grew up in the Lu family and had witnessed too much indifference and scheming.
The unreserved affection they were receiving made their noses tingle and their eyes well up with tears.
On the one hand, they knew that Shen Cuifen was lucky to have her parents protecting and loving her at home;
On the other hand, she was pushed into a pit of misery by Lu Weidong and married into that cold-blooded and ruthless family, suffering mistreatment every day and shedding tears every night. It's both infuriating and heartbreaking.
Seeing their grandfather's anxious expression, Lu Xiuye and Lu Xiuwei felt even more heartbroken.
How they wished their own father could protect their mother and them, sisters, in the same way.
But the reality is that the so-called father only thinks about how to use his daughter to get a bride price so that his son can get a wife.
Some fathers truly cherish their daughters dearly.
Some are even worse than animals, always thinking of selling their daughters to raise money for their sons' dowry.
Does a father like this deserve to be called "Dad"?
Shen Cuifen quickly shook her head and raised the back of her hand to wipe away the tears on her face.
"Dad, no, it's really not... I just missed you all so much. When I saw you, my heart ached and I couldn't help but cry."
She was afraid they would worry, and even more afraid they would impulsively go and cause trouble for Lu Weidong, leading to even bigger problems.
So she immediately bent down and took out two brand-new pairs of shoes from her bag.
“That day I took the two kids to town for a shopping trip and saw these shoes. They were really nice and comfortable, so I bought two pairs for each of you. Try them on and see if they fit. I specially picked out these with soft soles so they won’t make you tired even after walking for a long time.”
The two elderly people took the shoes, looked down at them, and immediately frowned.
"Oh dear! You silly girl! You have two kids to raise, one in school, one eating, everything costs money! Why are you spending this money? You're so silly! So silly!"
Luo Qiaoying winced in distress, staring at the shoes and sighing repeatedly, muttering to herself.
Parents' greatest wish is for their children to live well, to have enough to eat and wear, and to have laughter and hope.
As for what I wear and use, it doesn't matter at all.
Wear old shoes if they can still be worn, mend old clothes if they can, and save as much as you can.
They don't care about superficial things or fancy decorations, and they don't want their children to spend money on them.
Shen Xuelin nodded in agreement, his tone serious: "That's right! I'm perfectly fine wearing the cloth shoes your mother makes! They're sturdy, breathable, and can last for years! Why save money on these? They're made of corduroy? They don't look cheap at all!"
Shen Cuifen smiled and took both of their hands, gently shaking them as if she were a child throwing a tantrum.
"Mom, Dad, it's only right that I take care of you! Besides, I got these at wholesale price, they're not expensive! Really not expensive! Please don't mind, just accept them. I'll only feel at ease if you're comfortable wearing them. When you have time, finish sewing them and wear them out with Dad. If anyone asks, just say they're two yuan and fifty cents a pair!"
“If my brother passes through our village, just call me and I’ll bring a few pairs over. I can even sell some on the side and earn some pocket money! If he’s on his way to the market, just call out at the door and I’ll ask him to bring them over. It’s no trouble at all. Anyway, there’s plenty of leftover material in the factory. I’ll have the craftsmen make a few more pairs. The styles will be similar, and you can choose the colors. They’ll look presentable when you wear them, and you’ll feel at ease.”
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