Qi Aiguo burst into tears. Wei Shuqing picked up the child and gently rocked him to comfort him. She tried to go back inside, but the children grabbed her clothes and blocked her way. Qi Zhifang wasn't finished. She went around the table and grabbed Wei Shuqing, yelling, "You think you can just leave because you can't win an argument? Someone as selfish, vicious, and petty as you deserves to work so hard, deserves to do all the heavy lifting, deserves to never get to eat eggs. You're not destined to eat eggs in this life! You won't get them in the next either!"
Wei Shuqing shouted angrily, "You're so cultured, so high and mighty, so rich, why don't you come back and eat and drink my food? You even brought your child back to eat and drink my food. You pick up your bowl to eat, put it down and start cursing me, you're really shameless! Take your child and get out of here."
Qi's mother slammed her hand on the table and said to Qi Zhifang, "Shut up! Where's your manners?!"
He then said to Wei Shuqing, "Fangzi brought the child back and didn't eat your food. Her father and I are still here! It's not your place to lecture her."
Wei Shuqing looked coldly at Qi's mother, who straightened up and met her gaze.
A sense of desolation washed over Wei Shuqing. She knew that she was just a junior high school graduate working in a workshop, and that marrying Qi Zhijun, a college graduate working as a technician in a design institute, was a step up for her.
So when she married into this family, she put herself in a very humble position and treated Qi Zhijun with utmost kindness and filial piety. But what did she get in return in the past two and a half years?
Wiping away her tears, she said, "Okay, Mom, since you say she didn't eat my food, then from today onwards I won't pay any living expenses. The four of them have never paid a penny when they come to eat, and Qi Zhijun and I don't need to hand over our wages. Aiguo was just over a year old before this, and she had been eating rice noodles that my mom brought from the countryside. She had never eaten any home-cooked meals. Qi Zhijun and I have more than enough to live on with the wages she pays. After all, when you marry a man, you're just asking for food and clothing."
Mother Qi moved her lips in anger but ultimately remained silent. Qi Zhifang sneered, "Money, money, money, all you ever think about is money! Who cares about your stinking money!"
Qi's mother glared at her and said, "Shut up! If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute!"
Wei Shuqing switched arms to hold the child and said, "Mom, don't try to fool me. We've agreed that I won't hand over my salary anymore."
Mr. Qi said in a deep voice, "Xiao Wei, you've been married into this family for two and a half years. Your mother and I have seen your contributions. Your salary supports most of the family's livelihood. But Fangzi is your sister! She's married out of the family. Can't she even come back for a meal?"
Just then, Qi Zhijun came in and immediately sensed the tense atmosphere; his wife was at odds with the family again. He quickly laughed it off, saying, "What's going on? Let's eat! Come on, Xiao Wei, bring the baby and sit down!"
Wei Shuqing pushed the child into Qi Zhijun's arms. Now she didn't have to hold back anymore. She sneered, "Eat? Look at what's on the table! Your good nephews have already eaten it all. There are only a few scallions left on the bottom of the plate and two pieces of cabbage. That's for your good uncle. Your sister looks disgusting and can't eat. Your mother fried her a big scallion and egg dish. I'm not so lucky. I've worked hard all day and there's nothing for me to eat."
Wang Dong shouted angrily, "Uncle, Aunt is lying! He took Aiguo out to eat, and I could smell the meat!"
Wang Fang chimed in, "It's shameless for such a grown man to go out and eat alone. He even bullies his grandparents and insults my mom when he comes back. He's really something else."
Wei Shuqing couldn't take it anymore. She rolled up her sleeves and said, "What's wrong with me taking my own child out to eat? Is there anything left at home? I've been working all day. I've been working in the factory all day, and I can't even get a bite to eat when I get back. Qi Zhijun, you're a man, so look around. Is there anything on the table that's even edible? Is there any food left? What am I? Will anyone fry an egg for me? Will anyone care about me? Can't you at least care about yourself?"
Qi Zhijun said impatiently, "Alright, it's just an egg. How many times have you told me since I came in? Fangzi has been in poor health since she was little, so if she wants to eat one, let her eat it. You're her sister-in-law, why can't you let her have it? If you want to eat it, just tell Mom. Won't Mom cook it for you?"
Wei Shuqing's eyes widened like saucers. "Qi Zhijun, are you even speaking human language? You say I want to eat something and you'll just tell me, and then you'll cook it for me? Forget about eggs, who ate the old hen my mother brought when I was in confinement after giving birth? I gave birth to your Qi family's child, and even the old hen my mother brought during my confinement was eaten by your Qi family. I didn't get a single bite. If I had gotten up a little later, I wouldn't even have had any soup. Aren't you ashamed to say this to me?"
Qi Zhijun paced back and forth angrily, saying, "You scared the child! Old hen, old hen, it's been so long, are you going to remember this for the rest of your life?!"
Qi Zhifang, her face cold, shouted, "All of you, go home!"
Wei Shuqing blocked the doorway with her arms, saying, "Don't go! We've already come this far, let's just make things clear!"
Qi Zhifang said with tears in her eyes, "Yes, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have gone back to my parents' house. I shouldn't have brought the child back for dinner, okay? Can I leave now?"
Wang Dong, Wang Fang, and Wang Hong, enraged, rushed forward like cannonballs, ramming into Wei Shuqing's stomach. Wei Shuqing tripped on the threshold and fell backward with a thud, letting out a soft cry. The three children showed no mercy, kicking her stomach, legs, and chest repeatedly, shouting, "You bad woman! You dare bully my mom! You made her cry! I'll beat you to death!" "Bad woman, you steal food and then bully others!" "We ate Grandma and Grandpa's food, not yours!"
None of the four adults stopped Qi Aiguo, who was wailing loudly. Qi Zhijun held the child and tried to comfort him. Qi Zhifang glanced outside the door and was shocked, pointing outside speechless. When the Qi family noticed and went to take a look, they were all dumbfounded. Qi's mother shouted, "My little darling! Stop! Zhijun, Zhijun, quickly take Xiao Wei to the hospital!"
Blood was still slowly flowing from beneath Wei Shuqing, forming a large pool. She had lost consciousness. When Qi Zhijun put down the child and saw this scene, his head buzzed, and he trembled as he said, "What happened? What happened? Shuqing, don't scare me. Shuqing, wake up!" Seeing that he couldn't wake her, he quickly picked her up and took her to the hospital.
Qi's mother turned around and gave Qi Zhifang a disapproving look, saying, "Take the child back! Don't come over for the next few days. You little devils, how could you hit someone? What if something happens?"
Qi Zhifang, her face ashen, asked, "Mom, did my sister-in-law have a miscarriage?"
Qi's mother pursed her lips and said, "You should go now! Don't bother me unless it's something important."
Qi Zhifang wiped away her tears, punched several children, and took them away.
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