Ning Huan was already used to Yao Shi's behavior, so she wasn't angry. She simply asked calmly, "What brings you here this time, Mother?"
Madam Yao snorted coldly: "What can I do? You're asking me like I'm being interrogated. I'm your mother-in-law, how dare you talk to me like that?"
Then she turned her head and, feigning kindness, smiled at Zhou Jing'an and said:
“My son, I came here specifically to take care of you. You need to rest and recuperate right now, so I have to take good care of you and make sure you don’t get hurt again.”
Upon hearing this, Ning Huan noticed that Yao Shi was carrying large and small bags of luggage behind her. Was she planning to stay here permanently?
Zhou Jing'an frowned: "Mother, I don't need you to come and take care of me. You and Father can just stay home and take good care of yourselves."
If Madam Yao really comes over, with her capricious and troublesome nature, she'll surely turn the house upside down before she's satisfied.
But Yao was unwilling. She had already prepared for the trip and refused to go back so easily. Upon hearing Zhou Jing'an tell her to go home, she immediately burst into tears.
She sobbed as she said, "My son, I was so worried about you. I couldn't eat or sleep properly all day. You are my own flesh and blood. You suffered so much to get better, and now that you're a little better, let me take care of you."
"Otherwise, I really wouldn't be at ease, my son... I must take good care of you."
Zhou Jing'an didn't respond, and Yao cried even louder, as if she would cry until he agreed. Ning Huan shook her head helplessly; seeing Yao's stance, she probably had no choice but to stay.
She looked at Zhou Jing'an, their eyes met, and finally Ning Huan said, "Then Mother, please stay here."
Upon hearing this, Yao immediately stopped crying and said arrogantly to Ning Huan, "I'm staying here to take care of my son, so I don't need you anymore. You can just serve me from now on."
“It’s almost noon, and I guess my son hasn’t eaten yet. I’m hungry too, so let’s quickly make something for us.”
Although Ning Huan disliked Yao Shi somewhat, she saw that it was time to eat, and even if she didn't want to feed Yao Shi, she had to consider that the four little ones also needed to eat.
She turned and went to the kitchen, while Yao Shi leaned close to Zhou Jing'an and asked, "Son, how's your recovery going? Is your leg any better?"
Zhou Jing'an simply said, "It's alright, it should recover in a while."
Hearing this, Madam Yao felt even more certain that she hadn't made a mistake in coming. She should take this opportunity to get closer to her third son. She smiled and nodded at Zhou Jing'an, saying, "Good, it's good that you've recovered. You'll be a great person in the future. I knew this little injury wouldn't do you any harm."
Just then, Yao saw the four little children walk in and ordered them, "Come here and pour me a bowl of water. Grandma is thirsty."
"Also, my legs are sore from walking here, please give me a leg massage."
"Bring out all the food from your house. I'm starving. Your mother said she doesn't know where she's gone to cook. I'll eat something else to fill my stomach first."
The four little ones looked at each other, none of them wanting to move. Yao raised her eyebrows and said, "You're all getting on in years, you should learn to help with chores around the house. In the past, which child in the village didn't help with chores at your age?"
“Chopping wood and starting fires, some of the kids can even cook. Look at you, you’ve only been asked to do a little bit of work, and you won’t even lift a finger. I think it’s your mother who raised you to be like this!”
The four little ones would usually help Ning Huan with whatever they could, and many neighbors praised them for being sensible and capable. However, they refused to do anything because it was Yao Shi who was ordering them around.
Moreover, this wasn't teaching them to do chores; it was clearly ordering them around to serve others. Ning Huan had already prepared the meal, but upon hearing Yao Shi's words, she said, "According to Mother's logic, you're older than the four little dumplings, so shouldn't you be even more diligent in doing chores?"
Madam Yao immediately flew into a rage: "I am your mother-in-law, I am your husband's mother, how dare you order me around!"
Zhou Jing'an, seeing that Yao Shi hadn't had a moment's peace since earlier, said coldly, "Didn't Mother say she was coming to take care of me? Does taking care of me mean I don't have to do any work?"
Just as Yao was about to speak, Ning Huan interrupted her: "That's right, Mother originally came to help with the work. Since Mother thinks the four little dumplings aren't doing a good job, then Mother will come and help."
“If Mother has no objections, then from now on, Mother will take care of all the chores at home, such as chopping wood, carrying water, and cooking. Doesn’t Mother do these things at home too?”
Now Yao was speechless. Seeing that Ning Huan had served meatballs in the dishes, she viciously scooped a few into her bowl.
She never really liked her third son; he'd never been close to her since childhood, and she didn't care much about Zhou Jing'an. Yet, he turned out to be the most successful of them all, and now he'd lost all ties with her. She'd even offered to come and take care of him, but this son was still siding with his wife.
The more Yao thought about it, the angrier she became. How could she have given birth to such a son? Sometimes she really wished that Zhou Jing'an had just died back then. She would rather give up the dream of wealth and status in this life than have her son who was not on her side.
The four little ones were a little unhappy to see Yao picking up the meatballs. There were only seven pearl meatballs left, and one for each of them would have been enough. But Grandma picked up four with one chopstick, and that wasn't enough for them.
They looked at Yao with reproachful eyes, refusing to eat and just staring at her without moving. Yao snapped out of her daze and, seeing the four little ones staring at her like that, scolded, "You four little beasts..."
Just as Yao was about to curse, she saw Zhou Jing'an's fierce gaze fixed on her, which frightened her so much that she quickly said, "You four little devils, why don't you eat properly? You just sit here and watch people while you're eating."
“When I was your age, I never needed adults to urge me to eat; I always finished my food on my own. Look at you, you need to be urged to eat. I think you really lack manners; if we don't teach you properly, you're doomed.”
As Yao spoke, she spat out saliva, which landed all over the food. Seeing this, the four little ones lost all appetite.
Father used to teach them to pay attention to table manners when eating, and never to be impolite.
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