Chapter 4 By What Right?
The eldest brother and his wife Chen Feng went back to her parents' home. Before leaving, he glared at them fiercely.
"Don't come back after you leave, save some food for the family!" Song Chunxue shouted.
It's because she spoils her eldest son too much that he can't stand the slightest grievance and always tries to shift the blame onto others.
Indeed, if he had any conscience at all, he wouldn't have held a grudge against his own mother, who favored him, for over forty years over such a trivial matter.
Seeing Sanwa's swollen face, she felt heartbroken.
"Why don't you fight back? It wasn't your fault. Can't you even talk back?"
Sanwa's expression was also not good. Avoiding Song Chunxue's gaze, he got up and walked out of the courtyard.
The second brother went to the fourth brother's room to talk.
Song Chunxue boiled an egg, peeled it, and used it to reduce the swelling in Sanwa.
Sanwa looked at the eggs she offered but did not take them.
His dark, deep gaze held too many questions.
"Why did Mother suddenly stop dividing the family property and instead favor me in every way? You used to favor my eldest brother the most, but now that you're so biased towards me, it's no wonder he beats me."
His gaze fell on the eggs, unmoved. "What kind of family do we have that we need eggs to reduce swelling?"
After saying that, he went back into the house and closed the door, looking like he didn't intend to pay any attention to her.
Song Chunxue stood there blankly, almost forgetting that Sanwa also had a temper.
He's just not that selfish when it comes to important matters. He's filial and responsible, but he's all bark and no bite.
Song Chunxue used to like sweet-talking children who were obedient and would go along with her, but Sanwa had a very short temper when he got angry. He was very irritable and would curse without hesitation, showing no mercy to his family.
So even though she knew he had a sharp tongue but a soft heart, when she lived with Sanwa's family, she always thought of the good things about her other three sons and found fault with him in every way.
Sanwa is insecure and sensitive. He feels that he didn't study and is not as successful as his other brothers. He doesn't argue when she dislikes him.
But if she complains that he can't work and doesn't plow the land well enough, Sanwa will yell and argue with her.
Thinking of this, she held the eggs, her heart filled with sadness and regret.
Finally, she put the eggs on the kitchen cabinet.
After taking a nap, she got up and went to work.
Feeling young again, she felt full of energy and had inexhaustible strength.
She took a shovel and a basket to the field to weed and dig up some wild vegetables and medicinal herbs.
As evening fell and the sparrows returned to their nests, she carried a full load of medicinal herbs and wild vegetables, and dragged a bundle of collected firewood, returning home laden with her bounty.
After separating the wild vegetables and medicinal herbs and drying them outside the yard, I busied myself feeding the donkeys, pigs, and chickens, and then went to the sheepfold to pour some fodder for the lambs.
The second and fourth sons both stay at home, but they don't do any work.
Song Chunxue couldn't help but admire herself. She had worked so hard to raise a few ungrateful wretches, only to end up with a host of health problems.
However, she will take her time to sort it out.
The fourth son stayed in his room, pretending to read. He was going to school tomorrow, so she wasn't in a hurry to deal with him.
We must find the right opportunity to convince the fourth brother.
The second son was sleeping in the room; he was going to be drafted into the army next month, so there was no need for her to drag him out of bed to do chores.
As mother and son, their bond was nearing its end, and Song Chunxue didn't insist.
She finished preparing dinner before dark.
She hadn't cooked for herself for many years and missed the feeling of not having to ask anyone for help.
The noodles made from coarse grains, the soup seasoned with sour brine, and some pickled vegetables make for a delicious meal.
However, Sanwa has not returned yet.
The fourth brother complained to the second brother, asking why they hadn't eaten yet.
"We'll eat when Sanwa comes back."
Song Chunxue came in from outside the courtyard, took off her apron, and went to add fuel to the kang (a heated brick bed).
Sanwa was particularly attentive to herding sheep, and his sheep were fatter than those of other people.
"Sanwa comes so late every day, and by the time he gets back, it's already past dinner time. Lighting an oil lamp is such a waste of oil," the fourth son complained. "Mother, why are you taking Sanwa's side so much today? Even the eldest brother got angry and left because of him."
Song Chunxue patted the dust off her clothes, listened to the bleating of the sheep, and walked towards the kitchen.
“It’s not that I’m on his side, but I’ve wronged him too much in the past,” she said calmly. “Don’t forget, the money for your schooling was earned by him herding sheep.”
The fourth brother was speechless, wanting to refute but unable to open his mouth.
The second son went to the kitchen to get the food without saying a word.
Sanwa washed his hands in the yard after returning home, and was somewhat surprised to find everyone waiting for him when he went inside.
"Sit down and eat." Song Chunxue handed him chopsticks. "I'll make you some soup tomorrow morning if you leave a little later."
The three sons all looked at Song Chunxue, feeling that her attitude towards the third child today was excessively kind.
It should be said that my attitude towards everyone has changed.
But he only became kinder to the third child.
The second and fourth brothers weren't as assertive as the eldest; they didn't say anything and just started eating in silence.
The next morning, after washing his face, Sanwa went to the kitchen to boil water, intending to have a hot drink and a dry bread before going to herd the sheep.
To my surprise, as I stepped into the kitchen, I saw my mother ladling soup from a steaming pot.
"Let's drink first, then we'll go."
Sanwa took the bowl and chopsticks, and said hesitantly, "There's no need to be so nice to me all of a sudden. You cooked too early, and they get up late, so the food will be cold when they drink it."
"Scholars get up later than shepherds, what kind of knowledge can they possibly gain from studying?" Song Chunxue said expressionlessly as she served herself a bowl of soup. "If they can't keep up, I won't cook for them anymore."
"..." Sanwa didn't reply, as if he didn't recognize his mother, and quickly finished eating while squatting in the yard.
Then he picked up the sheep whip, carried the heavy dry food and water bag on his back to herd the sheep, wondering if his mother was possessed by an evil spirit.
Why are you suddenly being so nice to him?
Three days later.
The eldest son and his wife returned from her parents' home looking dejected.
Song Chunxue knew that he had been sent back by his father-in-law.
What kind of son-in-law argues with his own mother and then goes to stay at his in-laws' house? Aren't they afraid of being laughed at if word gets out?
When they returned, Song Chunxue and Sanwa were sitting on the steps eating freshly cooked potatoes.
The mother and son chatted casually, with a dish of pickled vegetables between them, creating a harmonious scene of maternal love and filial piety.
The eldest brother and Chen Feng stared at them without moving as soon as they entered the courtyard, as if they had seen a ghost.
Song Chunxue picked up a piece of pickled vegetable and put it in her mouth. The yellow-fleshed one was especially fragrant and had a hint of sweetness.
"Weren't you so tough? You still know to come back? Since you're back, you two can cook dinner."
If their wings are too strong, it's easy to deal with. As long as the two of them don't separate, they'll have no food or place to live. They'll be tough for a while, but they'll have to obediently submit.
The eldest brother looked at the third brother and clenched his fist.
Sanwa glanced at him, then lowered his head, picked up a piece of pickled vegetable, and buried himself in eating potatoes.
The second brother stood at the doorway, straining his ears to listen carefully through the curtain, hoping that they would start fighting at any moment.
I've been feeling so frustrated these past few days. It seems like my mother only has eyes for Sanwa. Whenever there's something good, she always calls for Sanwa first.
It wasn't like this before.
"What, you want to fight?"
Looking at the eldest brother's gloomy face, Song Chunxue said casually, "It's my unwillingness to split the family. If you hit him again, he will take a flock of sheep and leave. You will stay here to take care of me in my old age."
Song Chunxue knew that what the eldest brother feared most was spending his whole life with her.
"Why should I?" Chen Feng, the eldest son's wife, was furious.
“That sheep is the most valuable thing in the house, how can we let him take it all by himself? Besides, you hate me so much, I won’t take care of you when you’re old. Let Sanwa live with you.”
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