Chapter Twenty-Nine: Caring
Su Xiangdong brutally beat Su Laosan, and neither his aunt nor her daughter stopped him. After he left, his aunt comforted her daughter in the courtyard. "Don't pity him, he doesn't deserve it. Didn't he say he wanted to leave before? Let him go. He's always said his daughters are useless and that he relies on his son. Let him rely on his son."
Su Juan was over thirty, so she knew her father's temperament. Hearing this, she nodded, slowly calming herself. It really wasn't worth it; in a few days, he might not get along with his daughter-in-law, and he'd have to come looking for her again.
"Shu Yao, thank you so much. I don't know how to thank you enough for helping me during this time."
"It's okay, I just don't know how many more days I can hold out."
"Even if it's just for one day, I'd be incredibly grateful." In these times of famine, food was life itself. She had nothing but gratitude for her cousin and his wife's kindness.
After everything was over, Su Xiangdong had calmed down and calmly bathed his son that evening, then played with the two children on the kang (a heated brick bed). Shu Yao was sewing shoe soles nearby, and looked up to chat with him seemingly casually.
"Did your third uncle tell on me?"
He chuckled and said, "He's just a fool. You don't need to take his words to heart."
"He's right, I did indeed do it both openly and secretly today." She said, observing his expression as she spoke, and continued when she saw nothing unusual.
"He went too far, actually coming to our house and speaking rudely to us. He even tried to snatch Xiao Chao's cornbread. My aunt hit him with a broom, but he's a man and strong, and it looked like he was about to take the broom from my aunt. That's why I..."
She was indirectly explaining to him that she didn't want this to create a rift between them. I know that's your third uncle, your family. But I didn't clash with him for no reason; he went too far.
Although she had repeatedly told herself to be tougher since her rebirth and not be bullied like in her previous life, her deeply ingrained beliefs still made her quite worried when she made changes. Would he think she disrespected him, which was why she treated his relatives that way?
"Well done." He praised her right away, giving her a thumbs up. "My third uncle is just asking for a beating, I'm just waiting for my chance to beat him up. Don't worry, if people say we don't respect our elders, that's between us. Yeah, that's what they call 'birds of a feather flock together,' we're just the same."
She couldn't help but chuckle, her worries finally subsiding completely. Change—it sounds simple, but it's incredibly difficult in practice. She had to overcome her own obstacles, as well as the obstacles of those around her. If she were still in the Sun family, then the current state of the Sun family would be hers.
Sun's mother constantly berated her daughter-in-law for being unfilial, and Meng Xi repeatedly resisted and defended herself. Although she didn't speak to her, it was clear from Meng Xi's expression that she was exhausted.
If the other party doesn't approve or allow it, your path to success will be fraught with difficulties. She was actually particularly anxious today, as she had gotten into a fight with her husband's elder, and she didn't know if her husband could accept it.
Some men will do anything for themselves, but won't allow you to say a word. This applies not only to conflicts with elders in the family, but also to disciplining children. He can hit or scold you, but nothing you do is allowed. I had always felt that Su Xiangdong wasn't that kind of person, but only now did I feel completely at ease.
“Next time he dares to come, just take a shovel and hit him. He’s just being a jerk, you don’t need to be polite to him.” Su Xiangdong sneered: “What kind of elder is he? He’s just an old scoundrel. If my parents were still alive, they would definitely praise her as a good daughter-in-law who can hold her head high.”
Shu Yao's smile shone from her heart onto her face, genuine and heartfelt. She had met his parents; they were both very kind people. His mother had even secretly advised her not to be too honest. But at that time, she didn't understand; she was already deeply under the Sun family's ideological control and didn't feel that anything was wrong. She thought it was only natural for her to suffer losses.
Many neighbors witnessed this scene at her home today, including Old Man Sun. The next day, another argument broke out between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the Sun family. Old Man Sun, feeling that his father-in-law shouldn't interfere, got up and left the yard. Unexpectedly, he ran into her there and immediately came to her side.
"Shu Yao," this was the first time he had called her since she left the Sun family. Shu Yao stopped in her tracks upon hearing this. Seeing the questioning look on her face, he continued.
"Gentleness, kindness, respect, frugality, and humility are traditional virtues for women. After marriage, a woman should maintain harmony with her husband's family and be filial to her elders. Your behavior yesterday was truly inappropriate. Regardless of what Uncle Su is like, as his nephew's wife, you shouldn't have resorted to verbal or physical violence. By showing such disrespect to your husband, you will only cause him to despise you in the future. What will you, as a woman, do then?"
Shu Yao had a disorienting feeling of time travel, as if she had returned to the time when she was still living in the Sun family. Her mother-in-law constantly talked about how a daughter-in-law should behave: to be filial to her elders, to be harmonious with her husband's family, and to serve her husband. Her father-in-law spoke less, but what he did say was equally outdated.
“Uncle Sun,” she sighed, a mixture of helplessness and amusement in her voice. “I am neither your daughter nor your daughter-in-law. I have absolutely no connection with the Sun family, so you need not worry about my affairs.”
"You—" Old Man Sun didn't expect her to retort, giving him such a cold shoulder. "You grew up in the Sun family, and called me 'Dad' for ten years. I don't want people to think that the Sun family has no manners."
"Heh," Shu Yao sneered, pointing in the direction of the Sun family. "You should go back and teach those three a lesson. After all, they are the real members of the Sun family. Do you think that the Sun family is well-mannered in the eyes of outsiders when they're arguing like this?"
She made it very clear: talking to me about family education is irrelevant; I have no connection with the Sun family now. Your own family is a mess, how dare you lecture me?
“Shu Yao,” Old Man Sun’s gaze was as cold as ice. “You’ve thrown away all sense of propriety, morality, and shame.”
"I don't know if I threw it or not, but you definitely didn't."
"How have you become like this? You used to be such a gentle and kind girl, a true lady of a respectable family, well-educated and reasonable. Look at you now, you're nothing but a shrew."
"I have nothing to do with you. How I live my life is my business. If you've eaten too much salt, go home and drink a few more bowls of water."
Old Man Sun said that just now because he saw Su Xiangdong come out and deliberately said it to him. Who would have thought that Su Xiangdong would act unpredictably, standing behind his wife now, giving him a cold and sarcastic look.
"Uncle Sun, it's none of your business what my wife is like. Don't worry about whether others have enough to eat when your own pot is full of soot."
"Station Chief Su," Old Man Sun had been rebuked, but he still tried to defend himself. "I'm doing this for your own good. As the saying goes, a virtuous wife brings prosperity to the family, while marrying the wrong wife can ruin three generations."
Su Xiangdong pointed to his house and said, "You mean this? Oh, I think you're right."
Old Man Sun almost choked on his words. "A real man should be able to manage his wife well. Station Chief Su is such a high-ranking leader, yet he can't even control his wife at home. Isn't he afraid of being looked down upon?"
"Sir, how much salt did you eat today?"
Old Man Sun was already angry and annoyed at home. Remembering the seemingly docile Shu Yao, he sought that same gentleness in her. Little did he know, Shu Yao was no longer the same person she once was. He glared hatefully at the couple, no longer able to discern the source of his anger.
Was it Shu Yao's outburst of anger, or Su Xiangdong's repeated protection of his wife? If it weren't for this man, Shu Yao might have had nowhere to go and might have returned to the Sun family. But it was precisely because of him, because he spoiled this woman so much, that she became like this.
"Let's go, wife, let's go home."
Su Xiangdong pulled his wife and turned to leave, his voice just loud enough for Old Man Sun behind them to hear. "It's pointless for you to waste your breath on him. He's not your father, why bother with him?"
"Okay." Shu Yao obediently agreed, completely different from before. This was the way Old Man Sun knew her to be, but unfortunately, not when she was with the Sun family.
Old Sun was so angry he nearly fell backward, his face turning from green to red. He was furious, but even more so, ashamed. Enraged and humiliated, he harbored resentment and hatred towards Shu Yao. He wanted nothing more than to beat her up and teach her a lesson. This little girl, whom he had raised, dared to talk back to him like that—she had gone too far!
He was angry, but he hadn't lost his temper. He knew Shu Yao was no longer under his control, and he couldn't afford to offend Su Xiangdong. With nowhere to vent his anger, and the three of them still arguing when he got home, he could no longer hold back.
“Sun Yaozu, you can’t even control a woman, what kind of man are you?”
The words were spoken softly and no one outside could hear them, but Shu Yao and the others next door heard Meng Xi's devastating roar: "Sun Yaozu, you dare to hit me! I'll fight you to the death!"
A series of clanging and clattering sounds came from next door. Shu Yao and her husband, each holding a child, exchanged a glance and went into the inner room at the same time. They closed the door to shut out the noise and took out toys to soothe the children.
"Mom," He Yi called out, her voice filled with questioning and confusion, her gaze still fixed on the Sun family's house.
"Don't be afraid. It's just other people arguing, it has nothing to do with us."
The little girl nodded obediently, seeing that her parents were calm and composed, and that her brother was already playing with a wooden toy gun. Only then did she relax and pick up the doll her mother had made for her.
Seeing that the two children were no longer affected, Su Xiangdong turned around and poured his wife a glass of water. "Don't pay any attention to them. From now on, don't associate with any member of the Sun family; they're a bunch of feudal remnants."
Shu Yao took the water, took a sip, and nodded in agreement. "You're right."
She smiled happily, feeling incredibly grateful to God. While the timing of her rebirth wasn't perfect, it was still quite good. Her two children were still by her side, and she had successfully escaped the Sun family.
Sun Yaozu never imagined he would actually hit a woman, especially one he thought he deeply loved. In his past life, he was a double agent, always thinking of Meng Xi. He used Shu Yao's money to support her and her daughter, and later, after Shu Yao became wealthy due to reform and opening up, he frequently spent money on them.
Having been reborn into this life, he was simply being pushed around by circumstances, and there were many things he hadn't really thought through in detail. Because Shu Yao had already divorced and left him, he didn't even need to choose. His wife was gone, so of course he would go after his white moonlight.
He successfully married her and brought her home, believing that the two had finally achieved their happy ending and would live happily ever after. No one could separate them anymore, and no one could stop them from being together.
But why did it turn out like this?
His mother was dissatisfied with everything about Meng Xi, and the two clashed almost daily. He felt he should be filial as a child, and he couldn't accept Meng Xi's disrespect towards his parents. Provoked by his father, he raised his hand and slapped Meng Xi hard across the face.
"Sun Yaozu, go to hell."
"Xiao Xi, don't be like this. I'm sorry, it's all my fault. Please don't..."
Meng Xi wouldn't let it go and they started fighting. At first, he felt remorse and apologized to her. But later, after she scratched his hands and face, he started to lose control of his emotions. Remorse disappeared; the physical pain and psychological shame made him lose his temper.
Given the inherent physical disparity between men and women, coupled with Sun's mother's bias, Meng Xi unsurprisingly suffered a loss. Watching her pack her things and return to her parents' home, Sun Yaozu sat alone on the bed, unable to recover for a long time.
The next day was Monday, and everyone had to go to work. Shu Yao bumped into Meng Xi at the factory gate early in the morning. Meng Xi had dark circles under her eyes and wasn't wearing sunglasses to cover them. She had covered her face with a scarf, but the wind blew it away.
Sometimes, things just happen by chance. She looked up and her eyes met Shu Yao's. Already incredibly embarrassed, she was further enraged when Shu Yao saw her.
"Shu Yao, stop gloating. We're just... just..."
"It has nothing to do with me."
Shu Yao turned and left before she could finish speaking. "You can be as proud as you want, but I don't have time to argue with you." But judging from her appearance, she'd been badly beaten yesterday. The injuries were all on her face, very noticeable. During the afternoon break, several coworkers came over to gossip with her.
"Shu Yao, did you see that? Meng Xi has dark circles under her eyes, and her left cheek is swollen like a steamed bun. I heard from the people in her workshop that her husband beat her up."
Sister Xu shook her head and sighed, "It's common for couples to fight, but Sun Yaozu really went all out. He hit me right in the face; what if I get disfigured?"
"Shu Yao, you've lived in the Sun family for over ten years. Have you ever been beaten before?"
Shu Yao shook her head: "No. I've always been submissive and never resisted. I do whatever I'm told to do."
Sister Xu nodded: "Either you're busy working non-stop, or you're disliked or even physically assaulted? The Sun family are no good people."
The women all nodded in empathy, deeply moved. Shu Yao and Meng Xi—in their past lives, she only learned of her husband's affair with him at the very last moment; logically, they were rivals. Many women would hate that woman, feeling she stole their husbands, but she hated Sun Yaozu even more.
Knowing that the other party had a family, she still couldn't let things drag on. The fact that she and Sun Yaozu maintained that kind of relationship while both of them had families only proves that they are cut from the same cloth.
Sun Yaozu, is this what you call your lover, what you call happiness? It's absolutely laughable.
Meng Xi, bearing her injuries, was the subject of much gossip at work about the fight she and her husband had engaged in. Sun Yaozu was in the same situation, also injured on his face. The obvious fingernail scratches became the subject of much teasing from his colleagues. Some even made sarcastic remarks and mocked him.
In this era of rampant male chauvinism, Sun Yaozu felt utterly humiliated. And it wasn't just a superficial blow; it stemmed more from his self-doubt.
Why did he and Meng Xi end up like this?
No one could answer that question, and even when comparing the two situations, no one but Shu Yao could explain it. He stood in the alley after work, watching Shu Yao ride her bike past quickly.
In the early autumn weather, she wore a light blue cardigan paired with dark blue trousers. Her hair was loosely tied up. She was slender, but not thin from malnutrition; rather, her figure had a perfect, willow-like curve.
He increasingly felt that she was incredibly beautiful. Her skin was fair with a healthy rosy glow, and while none of her features were particularly outstanding individually, the combination of her features was exceptionally beautiful. Radiant and captivating, like a peony blooming in a courtyard.
He really wanted to say something to her, but she seemed not to see him and quickly walked past him back to the Su family home. He stood there awkwardly, pushing his cart, and rubbed his face hard.
Grain supply remained unchanged, but starting in the second half of the year, corn and cornmeal were classified as refined grains. In other words, the refined grain supply consisted mainly of corn. Forget about wheat flour, and coarse grains were only available in small quantities.
For dinner, Shu Yao's third aunt cooked porridge, coarsely breaking various grains into small pieces to make it easier to cook. A small dish of shredded shepherd's purse was placed in the center of the table.
"We're out of shepherd's purse; this is the last meal." Auntie San held He Xu, feeding the child porridge with a small spoon. "Xiang Dong, when will you supply radishes and cabbage?"
"In about ten days, transportation will begin. However, production has decreased this year, and the supply is not as much as in previous years."
Shu Yao nodded. "Our factory is about to pay out too, everyone says we'll lose more than half this year."
Su Xiangdong nodded: "The situation is quite serious. But don't worry, I'll make the arrangements."
The factory quickly distributed cabbages and radishes, but since there weren't many this year, Shuyao didn't tell him. After taking her radishes, she tied them to the back seat of her bicycle with a rope, intending to ride them home.
"Shuyao, could I borrow your car for a moment?" Sister Xu was quite embarrassed. "My husband isn't home. Could you watch the car for me while I go find someone to help?"
"No need. Wait for me a moment, I'll take my things back first, and then I'll come over and help you take yours."
"Thanks, little sister."
"Why are you being so polite with me?"
Meng Xi watched as Shu Yao brought home the welfare benefits she had received and then helped her friend transport them. Meng Xi stood there with her own things, unsure of what to do with them.
If she takes the vegetables back to her parents' home, she can ask her brother for help. But these are winter vegetables for the whole winter. If she takes them back to her parents' home, does that mean she won't go back to her husband's home for the rest of the winter?
It took her half a month to recover from the initial shock and anger of being beaten. Her facial injuries healed, but upon learning that Sun Yaozu had also been humiliated at work, she was still furious. "That bastard dared to lay a hand on me; he deserves to be disgraced."
"Meng Xi, let me help you pull it back."
Xiao Wu, a college graduate and clerk at the factory, offered to help while pushing his cart. The two weren't particularly familiar with each other. Seeing that it was getting dark, she nodded in agreement.
She took all the winter vegetables back to her parents' home; this time, she was truly going all out. That bastard Sun Yaozu dared to lay a hand on her, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it. If she couldn't have a good time at her parents' home, Sun Yaozu's family would definitely suffer too.
As Shu Yao watched her and Xiao Wu leave the factory together, she was both amused and exasperated. In her past life, she had married Wu Erhu, and now they were intertwined again? Could this be a preordained fate?
Wu Erhu delivered Meng Xi's winter vegetable allowance back to the Meng family. When her mother saw it, her brows furrowed. She didn't say anything in front of Wu Erhu, but after the man left, she pulled her daughter aside.
"Are you planning to just drag things out with your in-laws like this?"
"What else can I do? I got beaten up, so am I supposed to go back by myself?"
“What’s wrong with couples fighting? Your brother and sister-in-law fight every year, and they’re still doing fine. You’ve been married into the Sun family for so long, and you haven’t conceived at all. Any mother-in-law would have something to say about that. You even hit Sun Yaozu, and you didn’t suffer much loss. What more do you want?”
"Mom, your daughter got beaten up, and you're just not taking it seriously? It's one thing if my brother won't stand up for me, but you, as my mother, don't even care about me."
"You also hit someone, how can we stand up for you?"
Meng Xi was so angry that tears welled up in her eyes. Her mother handed her a towel and patted her shoulder. "Daughter, it's not that I don't care about you. I've told you so many times that women should know how to show weakness, that gentleness can overcome strength. Why don't you understand? How can you always be so forceful with men?"
"How do you know I didn't back down? I said so many nice things, coaxed him so much, and was so gentle and tender in bed. But he's still the same. Whenever there's a disagreement, he always sides with his mother. This time, after just a few words from his father, he actually hit me."
"You're a daughter-in-law. What's wrong with doing a little more work or getting scolded by your mother-in-law? Why take it so seriously? What will you do now if you fall out with your in-laws? Do you think the Sun family will agree to divorce you and let you go?"
"I... I know divorce isn't easy, and marriage isn't a game. Mom, can't you just let me stay here?"
“You’re such a grown daughter, why don’t you have a child and settle down? You’re always crammed together with us old folks, how can your mother feel good about that?”
No matter what her mother said, Meng Xi refused to go back to her husband's family home. She lived at her parents' house, but her food rations were with her husband's family. Every month, when there was no ration, she had to buy expensive grain. Her life was not easy, and without her to do laundry and cook, the Sun family was also in a mess.
I heard Sun Yaozu arguing with his mother early this morning, saying that she didn't have any clean clothes. Sun's mother kept apologizing and told him to take them off and change into something else.
Frustrated, he took off his clothes, only to find the other one was the same. His clothes were dirty first thing in the morning, making breakfast difficult to swallow. He couldn't understand how a reborn person could live such a miserable life.
As he was leaving, he bumped into Du Shuyao and her husband, who were also cycling to work. Everyone was going to work around the same time. He was all alone, while the couple said goodbye to their child, the four of them enjoying a happy time together.
The scene of happiness stung his eyes and pierced his heart. A reborn person, knowing the course of events, should theoretically live a better life. Yet, he was not as fortunate as in his previous life, and it all seemed to have begun with Shu Yao's departure.
In this day and age, everything is controlled by the government, leaving no room for private development. From now until the 1980s, little has changed; work-life balance remains the same, the only thing that can change is marriage. But while he did change, it didn't improve; it worsened.
Little Yellow Fish, the key is still having money. Shu Yao's comfortable life is all thanks to Little Yellow Fish. He attributed everything to Little Yellow Fish, frowning as he looked at the Su family. Where could Shu Yao hide all her money?
For several days, he observed the Su family's residence, but in the end, he could only sigh. The Su family was practically always occupied; stealing was out of the question. Besides, he didn't dare. Burglary was a serious crime these days; if Su Xiangdong caught him, breaking both his legs would be considered self-defense.
He hesitated for a long time, not daring to make a move. The man Shu Yao had chosen for her was too strong; he couldn't handle him. That evening, he sat in the courtyard eating, listening to the cheerful laughter from next door. Two children were calling for their parents, and Su Xiangdong seemed to be feeding them.
"Son, don't be a picky eater. Eat your vegetables obediently, because eating vegetables will help you grow tall."
"Dad," the son's voice was clear and childish, with a hint of coquetry. "The vegetables aren't tasty."
"Sweetie, you can't be picky about food. Don't we all want to grow tall so we can protect our little sister in the future?"
"All right."
Then came the daughter's soft, childlike voice: "Daddy, I want to eat."
"Yes, our Yiyi is the best girl."
Shu Yao's soft laughter and gentle voice were a tone he hadn't heard in many years. He recalled her youth, when she too had been so gentle and virtuous. But later she had grown increasingly cold and domineering. He never expected her to be like this with Su Xiangdong.
He heard the lights go out at the Su family's house from dusk until Su Xiangdong put the child to sleep, and then he told Shu Yao he would go to the bathroom with her later. When they returned together, he heard a woman's soft moaning at the gate, her voice gentle and coquettish.
"What are you doing? It's not good if someone sees you."
"You won't see her, Auntie's inside comforting the baby." The man's voice was deep, filled with tenderness. "I've been gone for half a month, did you miss me?"
"I've thought about it."
The woman's voice was soft and sweet, nothing like the one he remembered. He slumped against the courtyard wall, listening to the couple next door go inside. Seeing that the lights were off next door, he wasn't sure if he had really heard it or if it was just his imagination, but he thought he heard sounds of a man and woman making love.
The voice, which should have made anyone blush, turned him deathly pale. He staggered to his feet and went back to his room, stumbling and groaning as if someone had grabbed his neck and he couldn't breathe.
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