Chapter 81 Turning Against Each Other in an Instant
Upon seeing Chen Guangcai again, Song Chunxue felt a surge of anger.
Including their previous life, they hadn't seen each other for over fifty years.
But every time this person's name is mentioned, she gets so angry that her chest hurts.
Chen Guangcai manipulated her for decades through his daughter, Chen Feng.
He clearly hadn't had much formal education, yet he tried to act like a scholar when he spoke, which was both incongruous and awkward to listen to.
"Since you're here, and you even call me 'mother-in-law,' it means you know Jiang Yeming is my son, right? Didn't your son tell you why I hit him?"
Song Chunxue's smile didn't reach her eyes as she coldly looked at Jiang Yeming, "Or is it that my boss doesn't have a mouth and hasn't explained what happened that day?"
"Since you don't know, then let me tell you what happened that day. The day before, your daughter had already beaten my eldest son, and his back was as red as freshly plowed soil. Then, your son came in and beat my son without asking any questions. Do you know about this, my father-in-law?"
Chen Guangcai was quite surprised to see Song Chunxue speak like this for the first time, with unwavering eyes, reasoned arguments, and composure.
He scratched his open chest, where beads of sweat still clung to his coarse, bristle-like hair.
He chuckled twice and took two steps toward Song Chunxue.
Song Chunxue tightened her grip on the shovel; if he dared to lay a hand on her, she was ready to smash his head open.
"What's wrong, Mother-in-law, holding a shovel? Are you going to have a fight with me?" Chen Guangcai laughed. "I know my Feng'er is unruly and has caused you a lot of trouble, Mother-in-law. That's why I brought her here today to apologize. Why are you being so tough?"
As he spoke, he reached out to pat Song Chunxue's shoulder.
Song Chunxue dodged to the side, avoiding his bear-paw-like furry claws.
"I dare not accept your apology. As for whether we are in-laws or not, I don't care anymore. My son no longer sees me as his mother. If you are willing, you can take him back as your son. I'll give him to you for free. If you want to beat him to death in the future, I won't interfere."
As she spoke, Song Chunxue took a shovel and walked into the yard.
Jiang Hongying hid in the north room, lowered the curtain, and quietly listened to the sounds outside, taking a deep breath.
She glanced at the fourth brother beside her and lowered her voice, saying, "If a fight breaks out later, you must go and help your mother."
"Do you even need to tell me? She's my mother, how could I not help her?" The fourth brother peeked out through the tiny hole, and muttered fearfully, "Chen Feng's father looks like a bear. Look at the hair on his chest, will he kick me to death?"
"Didn't you form cliques in school and get along well with those hooligans? Didn't you learn a single move or two?" Jiang Hongying gritted her teeth inwardly. "If you can't beat them, just attack their lower body and use the Monkey Steals the Peach move."
"Huh?" The fourth brother's eyes widened. "You know martial arts?"
"Quietly, they've come in." Jiang Hongying nudged him. "Hurry up and go out to save face for your mother."
The fourth brother was caught off guard and Jiang Hong pushed him off the threshold of the north room, almost causing him to fall down the steps.
Song Chunxue went to the kitchen, scooped up a ladle of water, and washed her face in a porcelain basin at the entrance of the north room.
Chen Guangcai entered the courtyard but did not go into the main house on the east side; instead, he sat on the steps.
Seeing Chen Feng and Jiang Yeming standing at the door, sneaking inside, he couldn't help but feel annoyed.
He shouted, "You're peeking around like rats, do you think your mother won't let you in?"
Jiang Yeming glanced at Chen Feng, raised his hand to take her arm and prepare to enter the courtyard, but Chen Feng forcefully shook him off.
Song Chunxue wiped her face with a coarse cloth towel, and seeing Jiang Yeming's cowardly appearance, she was furious.
She had intended to treat all guests properly, since her father-in-law had come along.
Seeing Jiang Yeming's expression, she suddenly threw the towel into the water.
"What are you doing in here? Didn't you say you no longer have me as your mother? Do you expect me to beg you to acknowledge me as your mother?"
Song Chunxue looked at Jiang Yeming, her brows furrowing slightly. "When you were setting up the roof beams, you didn't think of me. These past few days, you've been looking at me like I'm your enemy. What are you doing here?"
“I’ve already said it. Since you’re so clear about who you are from, then don’t acknowledge me as your mother anymore. You’ll call me ‘Mom’ when no one’s cooking for you, but otherwise you’ll complain that I’m in your way.”
“I’ve never let you lack anything since you were a child. I’ve always loved you the most and been the most biased towards you. Now that you’ve settled down and started your own family, I don’t expect you to repay me or be filial to me. Go do what you need to do, finish building your house and move in as soon as possible, and stop hanging around in front of me. I still need to fill that thatched kiln with straw, so make sure to clear it out for me as soon as possible.”
These words did not vent her anger at all, because Song Chunxue felt like she could burst into tears at any moment.
But she clenched her fists and held back.
In both her past and present lives, she hadn't said many harsh words to her eldest son. In the end, she, as his mother, was even worse off than some wet nurses.
Chen Feng had already turned and left the courtyard, smashing two bowls in the thatched kiln.
Jiang Yeming stood at the courtyard gate, unsure whether to go in or back, and dared not even raise his head because Chen Guangcai was present.
Chen Guangcai was stunned. He never expected that his mother-in-law, who was always smiling, gentle and kind, would be so ruthless.
Although she was scolding her son, his face was burning with embarrassment.
Especially when he heard the clanging and banging noises coming from the thatched hut outside, his face couldn't help but feel slightly hot.
"Did you hear that? Take your ancestors and move out as soon as possible. I don't owe you anything. What are you doing throwing things around and putting on airs? If you think the grain and land I gave you are too hot to handle, then give them back to me now. I left them for Sanwa, so at least he can plant them when he wants and eat them when he wants. Giving them to you is worse than feeding them to the dogs."
The fourth sister scurried into the north room, grinning as she looked at the doorway. "Sister, has Mother gone mad?"
Jiang Hongying clenched her fists. "That was a wonderful scolding! I want to become your disciple!"
"..." The fourth brother felt a chill run down his spine.
Mother always believed in valuing harmony, but after this commotion, she's completely broken ties with the eldest son. Wouldn't that make her a laughingstock?
Just when he thought his mother had finished scolding him, she spoke again.
“If I raise a dog and give it good things, at least it will wag its tail at me. But when I give you things, you complain that it's not enough. You even got instigated to climb over the wall and break into my trunk, and you even wanted to take my savings for my funeral. It's one thing to be greedy, but when I think about how hard I worked to support your education for so many years, and how I made Sanwa work like a slave at home, do you know how much I hate myself?”
Song Chunxue's lips trembled as she stared straight at Jiang Yeming. "People are all made of flesh and blood. If you think you were born so powerful, then don't call me 'mother.' Cut ties cleanly. I won't stop you from being my son."
"..." Chen Guangcai's face turned ashen. Wasn't this a roundabout way of insulting him?
Song Chunxue scoffed, "That's right. I've spoiled you since you were little, so talking to you about this is like casting pearls before swine. You probably don't even understand why I'm so angry."
"Of course you did the right thing by bringing your wife back. She's your wife and she's carrying your child, which means you're still a man. I'm angry because you haven't treated me like a human being these past few days."
After saying that, Song Chunxue got up and walked towards the north room.
"Fourth brother, go cook. I don't feel like eating today. Your sister is heavily pregnant, so can you help her out?"
Even after people have already insulted her, she still cares about whether or not she treats guests well.
If it weren't for Chen Guangcai and his wife instigating Chen Feng to manipulate Jiang Yeming, he wouldn't have been estranged from her for over forty years.
Don't even think about letting her cook for Chen Guangcai. Isn't his daughter capable? Why should she be the one to feed him?
She said she wouldn't give me face today, so she won't.
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