Chapter 109 He seemed to have returned to his childhood, Yin…
Whether it was saying that her son looked like a pig or that her husband was a pig butcher, it made Li's mother very unhappy.
Neither of them were weak mothers, and once they started arguing, it was out of control.
Not only is he loud, but he also speaks without any restraint.
The soundproofing in the tenement building wasn't very good, and since they were arguing so loudly, it was inevitable that they would be overheard.
The neighbors became more and more engrossed in listening, and some even stopped what they were doing and came outside the corridor to listen.
At first, people were somewhat secretive, trying not to seem like they were being gossipy. But as more and more people came out, they stopped trying to hide it.
Even as the Tang family's nonsensical and increasingly offensive insults escalated, people in the corridor began to chat idly.
"Mingmei's mother-in-law is really something else."
"Indeed, it's quite impressive that he could hold his own in an argument with Li Hong."
“I used to think that Mingmei was being unreasonable by staying at her parents’ house for so long, but now it seems that her mother-in-law may not be entirely without responsibility.”
"They're both equally bad, and Mingmei isn't someone to be trifled with either."
"I really don't understand how someone as shrewd as Li Hong could have sent her own daughter to the countryside and married her niece to Fu Ci, who was such a well-off man."
"Don't tell me you don't understand. I live next door to them and I still don't understand. Li Hong and her husband don't seem to have any conscience, yet they treat their daughter so well when it comes to such an important matter as marriage."
"I think they're shrewd when it comes to small things, but muddle-headed when it comes to big things... Oh dear, did I hear that right?"
The people who were chatting were suddenly startled by a remark made by the people arguing inside, and they gasped out.
"Judging from the voice, the word 'divorce' should be Mingmei's mother-in-law's."
"Oh my God, how can there be a mother who really wants to break up her son's family?"
Inside the house, Tang Mingmei retorted, "Fine, let's get a divorce. Whoever doesn't will suffer a terrible fate."
Upon hearing such ruthless words, the people outside gasped in shock.
"Mingmei is too stubborn, and her mouth is just as sharp as her own mother's."
"It's not like this is the first time she's ever said this. Mingmei never knows the meaning of leaving a way out for everything. Even though she's angry, you can't say such harsh things. What if the good things don't come true and the bad things do?"
...
The argument inside had escalated to the point of kicking people out. Realizing that the people inside might come out at any moment, those who had been listening to the gossip in the corridor tacitly retreated to their own homes.
Sure enough, after the group of onlookers went back to their homes, Li's mother was kicked out by Tang Mingmei.
Immediately afterwards, Tang Mingmei threw out the oranges she had bought.
Before closing her front door, Tang Mingmei reminded him, "Remember, when you get back, tell your son to take leave and come with me to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get a divorce."
After saying that, he slammed the door shut.
Li's mother's lips trembled; she was both angry and panicked.
She said those words to scare Tang Mingmei and her daughter out of extreme anger, but who knew that Tang Mingmei, that madwoman, would say something even harsher than her.
I don't think... he/she really wants a divorce, does he/she?
Li's mother became increasingly alarmed as she thought about it.
She came here today to persuade Tang Mingmei to go back, but things have only gotten worse. She doesn't know how to explain this to her husband and son when she gets back.
Should we tell the truth, or tell a little white lie?
On the way back, Li's mother was conflicted.
One moment he felt he should lie, and the next he thought Tang Mingmei's anger would subside in a couple of days.
Then I felt I should tell the truth and discuss it with everyone to see what solutions we could come up with.
I've been agonizing over this all the way here, and even now that I'm at the alley entrance, I still haven't made up my mind.
It wasn't until she ran into her neighbor and the neighbor asked her why she looked so troubled that she realized how worried she was and how she could hide it from him.
Sure enough, when she got home, she had barely stepped inside and hadn't even sat down when her husband said, "Judging from your face, it seems you haven't gotten things done by today."
No longer needing to think about how to hide it, Li's mother directly told her husband everything that had happened at the Tang family.
Mr. Li was stunned, shocked that Tang Mingmei could say such cruel things when she was angry.
In his view, this was just a spiteful remark. How could a woman, especially one who has given birth, possibly get a divorce?
Hearing her husband's words, Li's mother breathed a sigh of relief.
I picked up the water glass on the table and drank it all in one gulp, ignoring how cold the water had become.
After putting down her cup, Li's mother seemed to come alive again, and her tone became louder: "Right, you also think that was just said in anger. That wretched girl Tang Mingmei, it sounds like you're cursing yourself."
With her husband's words as her confidence, Li's mother was no longer afraid to talk to her son when Li Dazhu came home from get off work.
However, Li Dazhu did not think so after hearing this.
He believed that Tang Mingmei wasn't just saying things out of anger; she was serious and genuinely wanted a divorce.
A belated sense of fear swept over him, and Li Dazhu's legs even began to go weak.
He vented his fear on his mother, yelling at her, "Didn't you say you were going to pick up Tang Mingmei and her daughter today? Why did you go and get into a fight? And you made such a big deal out of it."
"I..." Li's mother wanted to defend herself, but she didn't know how to say it.
She felt wronged. She had clearly explained herself, but as soon as she entered the Tang family, the mother and daughter gave her a hard time and spoke sarcastically. Not only did they not show her any consideration, but they also started complaining.
The more Li's mother thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt, and tears streamed down her face.
She truly understands less and less what the point of having children is; her daughter is disobedient, and her son is an ingrate.
But seeing his mother's tears only made Li Dazhu more irritable. He completely lost control of his emotions, scolded his mother and his father who had been sitting silently to the side, and finally stormed back to his room.
Li's mother and father were utterly heartbroken.
Mr. Li even regretted it, saying, "Maybe I shouldn't have given him the job at the meat processing plant so quickly."
Now that they have jobs and can earn wages, they feel more independent and increasingly disregard their parents.
Li's mother agreed with her husband's words, her face filled with worry.
Having lived to this age, I've experienced far more difficult times, but I've never felt as worried as I am today.
-
The gloom that had been hanging over the Li family did not dissipate until the 29th of the year.
During this time, Li's mother and Li Dazhu did visit the Tang family several times, but Tang Mingmei maintained the same attitude: divorce.
Li Dazhu couldn't tell whether he felt more regret or anger. He couldn't understand why Tang Mingmei's previous domineering attitude was like a paper tiger, and she usually listened to him. How could she have changed so much in just over a month?
At first, he suspected that Tang Mingmei was having an affair.
However, after some discreet inquiries, it was discovered that Tang Mingmei did nothing but go to work and stay home to take care of her children. She had never even been in contact with a man, let alone dated anyone.
Since there's no one else involved, they don't necessarily have to go through with divorce.
Li Dazhu refused to budge, thinking he could delay as long as possible, hoping that Tang Mingmei's attitude would change over time.
This delay stretched until the Lunar New Year.
Tomorrow is Lunar New Year's Eve, but the Li family doesn't have the usual festive atmosphere.
Tang Mingmei married into the family last year. Although she hasn't gotten pregnant yet and they often argue, they are happier during the Lunar New Year than they are now. At least the whole family is in the mood to make some preparations.
This year, thinking that Tang Mingmei was staying at her parents' home with her child, and that it would be impossible to get everyone together no matter what preparations were made, no one in the Li family had the mood to make any preparations.
Even Li's mother was unwilling to go out, for fear that the neighbors would ask why her daughter-in-law and granddaughter had not returned yet.
On the night of the 29th of the lunar year, the Li family couldn't eat dinner.
Mr. Li puffed on his cigarette, hesitated for a long time, and then said to his son, "How about we go to the Tang family tomorrow morning?"
Without even thinking, Li Dazhu said he wouldn't go.
Last time he went there, Tang Mingmei said all sorts of nasty things, and he didn't want to go back and make a fool of himself.
Li Fu said, "If I don't go, what will I say when relatives come to pay their respects on the third or fourth day of the Lunar New Year?"
"Then don't let them come over to pay their New Year's greetings."
"What nonsense are you spouting? You're getting worse as you get older." For once, Mr. Li was firm, and he said to his son, "You must go to the Tang family tomorrow."
"No, no, you can go yourselves. I'm not going. If you keep doing this, I won't pay my living expenses anymore. I'll use the money to rent a place outside."
Upon hearing this, Li Baohua, who had been silent all along, quickly said, "If my elder brother doesn't give me living expenses, I won't either."
Mr. and Mrs. Li were almost driven to their deaths by these two children.
Li's mother clutched her aching chest, stopped eating, and went back to her room, groaning and groaning.
The next day, Li Dazhu indeed did not go to the Tang family. He locked himself in his room and slept all day, not even coming out for the family reunion dinner.
Li's mother had cried all her tears and kept saying that she couldn't live like this anymore.
Mr. Li was so angry that he kept smoking, sometimes cursing his son for being heartless, and sometimes scolding his wife for saying unlucky things during the New Year.
On the contrary, the Tang family.
During the family reunion dinner, Li Hong couldn't help but wipe away tears, but she was happy nonetheless.
“Ever since you went to the countryside, every year during the Spring Festival, it’s just your dad and me for the family reunion dinner. Nothing tastes good anymore.”
Tang Mingmei felt a lump in her throat as she listened.
She had never thought from her parents' perspective before, but now that she thinks about it, it's truly heartbreaking.
She fought back tears and comforted her mother, saying, "From now on, my daughter and I will be at our family reunion dinners."
Li Hong nodded frantically.
If before I might have occasionally felt that my daughter's divorce was a bad thing, today, not at all.
Divorce is great! Their family can be reunited, and they even have a child together.
However, Li Dazhu has been refusing to agree, so how long will this drag on?
Li Hongchou.
After she finally understood, she became even more anxious than her daughter.
Mingli is smart. When the couple comes over the day after tomorrow, we'll ask her properly to see if there's any way to get Li Dazhu to agree to a divorce.
-
On the same Lunar New Year's Eve, under the same sky, the Fu family was also enjoying peace, harmony, joy, and celebration.
In order to have a happy family reunion at home, Fu Ci, who had been busy all year, deliberately ended his work four or five days early.
He had another expectation in his heart when he came back this time.
The scarf his grandmother mentioned on the phone, which his wife hadn't given him, made him wonder if it was a New Year's gift she had prepared for him.
So on New Year's Eve, he felt like he had returned to his childhood, eagerly anticipating the reunion dinner, the bath water boiled with pomelo leaves, the new clothes, and the family sitting down to eat snacks and watch TV.
By then, his wife should be bringing out the New Year's gift.
Fu Ci eagerly anticipated the meal, and as soon as they finished eating, he pretended to be concerned and reminded them: "It's quite cold this year, so why don't we all take a shower and change into new clothes as soon as possible?"
Fu Ci bought all the new clothes for the whole family this year, and his family thought he wanted to see them wearing the clothes he bought. In order not to disappoint him, they all readily agreed.
Fu Ci carried a full bucket of pomelo leaf water up to the second floor. Tang Mingli was the first to wash, and Fu Ci was the second.
He could barely contain his excitement while taking a shower.
After I finish showering, I'll receive the scarf my wife knitted by hand.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
