129. 129 came knocking.
The day after Su Yu and Ning Jin arrived home before the New Year, Cui Qizi's mother came to their door, followed by Xiao Qi's father. This was the first meeting between the two families after the exchange of betrothal gifts.
“Mother-in-law, I won’t mince words. The main reason I came with Xiaoqi’s father this time is to talk to you about my daughter’s postpartum care after she gives birth next year. Ping’an said that he will take care of Xiaoqi and doesn’t want you to come. Instead, he wants your father to come and take care of the baby. I wonder what your thoughts are?”
Su Yu was taken aback and turned to look at Ning Jin. Seeing his surprise, she knew he hadn't told Ping An about her plans for her daughter-in-law's postpartum period. Indeed, she and Ning Jin had only discussed hiring a nanny for Xiao Qi a few days before returning to the Northeast. She remembered telling Ping An before the wedding that she was willing to pay for it herself, but she wouldn't take care of the pregnant mother and child. He hadn't believed her or taken it seriously. It was only after she reasoned with him these past few days that he accepted the plan to hire a nanny. She just didn't know why Ping An suddenly had this idea. Su Yu thought back carefully; she hadn't mentioned it to him or let it slip.
Seeing that neither of her in-laws remained silent, Xu Qingping was so angry she wanted to collapse. They were truly blind and foolish! That brat Xiaoqi was hopelessly devoted to Ping An. Even after learning about Ping An's complicated family background, including a stepmother and stepsister, she disagreed with the marriage. That stupid girl was out of her mind and insisted on marrying him. Now look what happened! She'd been deceived, and now that she's pregnant, her in-laws don't care. It's that brat's fault for suffering.
"I did have this idea, but I haven't had a chance to tell Ping An and Xiao Qi yet. I don't know what misunderstanding you have with Ping An that made him have this idea. Neither his father nor I have mentioned it to him." Su Yu saw the unnatural look on Xiao Qi's parents' faces and knew that there was indeed a conflict between them. Before she could find out what was going on, she suppressed the urge to scold Ping An and apologize to his parents-in-law.
“I currently work in the Northwest and am still far from retirement age, so I really can’t take a long leave to help Xiaoqi during her postpartum period. Besides, it takes six or seven years for a child to grow up and start school, so unless I resign, I can’t help take care of the child. I’m not going to resign. Just like you two are a few years older than me and are still working at the hospital, my work in desertification control is also essential. As for Ping An’s dad, his job is more flexible. It depends on his wishes; if he wants to come and take care of the child in the future, we can adjust the schedule,” Su Yu said.
"What were you thinking about Xiaoqi's childbirth and postpartum period? If you don't give us an explanation today, we can forget about being in-laws. Even if Cui Qizi cries herself blind, I'll make her abort the baby and divorce Ping An." Xu Qingping gritted her teeth, feeling deeply deceived into marriage, and regretting her initial coldness towards Ping An's stepmother. She knew Ping An wasn't a kind person when he spoke so sweetly to her, and fearing Xiaoqi would be bullied, she planned to give Su Yu a hard time and make her wary of their family. She hadn't expected Ping An to suddenly turn on her, and now their relationship was strained, leaving her unable to control her son-in-law. For her daughter's sake, she and Old Cui had no choice but to come to their home to talk in person.
"Why are you talking about divorce over such a small matter? Young people are impulsive and speak rudely. You're his mother-in-law, a son-in-law is like half a son. If you think he needs to be taught a lesson, just hit him. His mother and I won't come knocking on your door to cause trouble. Why say such hurtful things and damage the relationship? The young couple will be upset if they know." Ning Jin frowned. What nonsense! They've only been married for half a year, and the couple is in the prime of their relationship. And now you're trying to stir up trouble over such a small thing. For the past twenty years, the word "divorce" has made him feel uncomfortable.
"I've discussed it with Ping An's mom. We'll hire a nanny to take care of Xiao Qi during her delivery, and the cost will be covered by my wife and me. We came here this time specifically to secure the nanny's services so that Xiao Qi and the baby will have someone to look after them. As for childcare, if I can't come, we'll continue to hire a nanny to take care of the child until they start school." Ning Jin didn't let Su Yu speak further. Who's worse off? You're a doctor, and my wife is a department head. You can be temperamental with Ping An, but what's the meaning of giving Su Yu the cold shoulder? Do you expect her to apologize to you?
"A nanny? That's a capitalist practice. Ping An is a public servant; this would have a bad influence. Besides, where can you find nannies these days?"
There are definitely some, but they are not common among ordinary people. The main reason Su Yu came back this time was to inquire about experienced nannies, and she didn't care if the salary was high.
"We will definitely arrange a nanny before Xiaoqi gives birth. Our country has already established diplomatic relations with capitalist countries, so there shouldn't be any issues with capitalist suppression. We will make arrangements in this regard and it will definitely not affect Ping An and Xiaoqi's work," Su Yu promised.
Xu Qingping glanced at Lao Cui. Was the problem solved just like that? She had rushed over angrily demanding an explanation, but instead of venting her anger, she felt even more frustrated. Fortunately, the issue of Xiao Qi's postpartum care was resolved.
“We’re mainly upset with Ping An. He arrogantly told us not to come and help with the postpartum care, and to have Xiaoqi’s mother come instead, acting like it was his right. It made me feel like Xiaoqi was being deceived. We’re all parents, and Xiaoqi is our only daughter. She’s the youngest, and she’s been spoiled rotten by me, her mother, and her two older brothers… If I’ve offended anyone, please forgive me, in-laws.” Mr. Cui said to Su Yu. He now realized that Ping An’s stepmother was indeed a formidable person; everyone in the family, young and old, listened to her. Fortunately, she didn’t seem to have any bad intentions so far. Of course, he wasn’t sure if Ping An’s idea was his own or if he had been influenced by someone else.
"You're exaggerating. It's all for the child's good. There's no issue of offending anyone." Su Yu shifted her posture to prevent him from coming to her for everything in the future. She said, "Ping An and Xiao Qi are 24 and 22 respectively. They're considered old, having just graduated and started working, but they're also already married, and both are highly educated. But we all know they're still clueless about social relationships and interpersonal skills. Sometimes they just say whatever comes to mind, without considering others' feelings. They only care about their own pleasure and think they're being cool, so they say hurtful things. This is something that elders need to teach them. Ping An married Xiao Qi, so you are his parents and elders. If he does something wrong or says something wrong, you should discipline him, even punish him if necessary, and correct him on the spot. His father and I will never blame you. If he gets beaten in front of his in-laws, even if his face is swollen, it's what he deserves."
Mr. Cui shook his head inwardly. She was a formidable woman; he hadn't seen her get angry at all. Her words immediately revealed her superiority, even managing to smooth over his wife's somewhat unreasonable temper. Not wanting to stay and listen to a lecture any longer, he made an excuse that he had things to do at the hospital and pulled Xiaoqi's mother away. From now on, they wouldn't need to interfere in the young couple's important matters; Ping An's parents had everything arranged. Coming over so noisily, even if she was right, made it seem like she wasn't.
"Did you mention to Ping An that I wouldn't take care of my daughter-in-law during her postpartum period?" She asked to confirm, and seeing Ning Jin shake her head firmly, she was a little curious as to why Ping An had suddenly started arguing with her in-laws.
In the evening, Ping An excitedly pulled Xiao Qi into the room and called for them to come in. Su Yu saw that the young couple looked good and invited them to sit down for dinner.
"Is Xiaoyuan coming back soon? I wrote to him before and he said he'd be back at the end of the year," Ping An asked his mother.
"It will take a few more days. He said it's the end of the year, so I guess he'll be home around the 27th or 28th of the month."
Su Yu ignored him and, after finishing her meal, brought Xiao Qi a plate of fruit and dried persimmons. "Xiao Qi, you eat first. If you're sleepy, go to sleep. I need to ask Ping An something."
"Hey, Mom, don't worry about me, you go about your business."
Ping An followed his mother into her bedroom, and his father came in as soon as he entered.
"This morning, Xiaoqi's parents came to see us and said that you were acting like a jerk at her house, and that you wouldn't let me come to take care of you during your postpartum period and that they wanted your mother-in-law to come instead. Why did you suddenly have this idea?" Su Yu asked.
Ping An frowned. "They came to see you again? What did they say?"
"I'm asking you a question, not asking you to ask me." Su Yu kicked him in the back of the knee. "Stand still, or you'll be shaking your leg all night in the snow. Why are you acting like a fool in front of your in-laws? You even have the nerve to ask your mother-in-law to come and take care of Xiao Qi during her postpartum period?"
He immediately straightened up after being kicked. "I did it on purpose. She asked me when you were coming back to help Xiaoqi with her postpartum care, and I told her you weren't coming back and that she could help me out. I knew you definitely wouldn't quit your job. My original plan was for me to take care of Xiaoqi after she gave birth, and for my dad to come and help me with the baby. He can cook, and we have a washing machine at home, so we wouldn't have to wash the baby's diapers by hand. That should be enough."
"Anything else?"
"Also, I'll ask my mother-in-law to help take care of the child in the future. I know that's impossible, she has a job too. I just said it on purpose because she always wants to interfere in my family's affairs. She even suggested that I and Xiaoqi go to her house for the New Year, hoping to get rid of you guys." Ping An frowned. He couldn't quite describe the feeling. It seemed like his mother-in-law wanted to interfere in his mother's life arrangements, wishing that things would go according to her wishes, such as having his mother come back to take care of him during his postpartum period and the baby, and obediently revolve around her daughter-in-law and grandson.
Su Yu felt something was off. She looked Ping An up and down and asked, "Why are you suddenly so assertive? I remember you were always so compliant in front of your parents-in-law." Even when his mother-in-law didn't take her seriously when they were discussing the wedding date, he was the one who apologized on her behalf, just to avoid her taking her anger out on his wife.
"Do you think that once you're married and your wife is pregnant, your in-laws have no choice but to grit their teeth and accept it?"
“Before the marriage, my mother-in-law didn’t take you seriously. After the marriage, she tried to criticize you. I don’t like her behavior. It feels like she’s trying to act like a mother-in-law in front of you. I don’t like her mannerisms. Before the marriage, she looked down on you and didn’t treat you like a mother-in-law. After the marriage, she wants you to fulfill the duties of a mother-in-law, take care of your daughter-in-law during her postpartum period, and quit your job to stay home and take care of the child. It’s true that you are a stepmother-in-law, and it’s true that she is her biological mother. Since she didn’t take you seriously from the beginning, then she should take care of her daughter during her postpartum period.”
Su Yu narrowed her eyes. According to current ideologies, Ping An's idea was simply outrageous. His mother-in-law should think that her daughter was giving birth to a child for the Ning family, and the child wouldn't even take her mother's surname. Why should she, as the maternal grandmother, serve the Ning family's grandson? She didn't deny that Ping An's thinking was wrong, and she couldn't rule out the possibility that she was the beneficiary. She also agreed with Ping An's last sentence: since he looked down on her from the beginning, then she would take care of her daughter during childbirth and postpartum confinement. Obviously, Xu Qingping didn't have that kind of courage. When she stirred up trouble, she didn't think about her daughter having this day, or perhaps she thought that since her family was well-off, everyone should be subservient.
If the mother-in-law doesn't expect her daughter-in-law to support her in her old age, then taking care of her during postpartum confinement is a favor, not an obligation. Her refusal to serve Xiaoqi or personally care for the child suggests she's determined not to be cared for by her daughter-in-law in her old age. But they're both women, with no grudges. Xiaoqi is a generous and sensible young woman. Bearing the responsibility of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, she's willing to cover the cost of hiring a caregiver and offer assistance to this young woman who has just entered marriage, helping her to live a better life.
“Your dad and I discussed this when you were planning to get married. We’ll hire a nanny when Xiaoqi is about to give birth. She’ll take care of you during your postpartum period, and she’ll look after the baby after that. We, as your parents, live far away and can’t help you much with your lives, so we’ll hire a nanny to share the burden. We’ll pay for the nanny’s salary.” Su Yu gave you a heads-up about this. “When you get back, remember to tell Xiaoqi not to worry and to focus on your pregnancy.”
"Hire a nanny? Isn't that inappropriate? This is a socialist country, who would still want to work as a nanny?" Ping An was surprised. He had never thought about hiring a nanny before. Families with nannies were all marked by capitalist practices.
"Yes, I'll inquire about it." In some wealthy and powerful families, nannies have another identity: distant relatives of the employer. Whether this is true or not, no one bothers to investigate.
“Ping An, I don’t know if you have the same idea I mentioned before that you think you can tie someone down just because your wife is pregnant after marriage. You better not. Today, your mother-in-law said that if you do, she’d rather take Xiao Qi back and have her abortion than not divorce you.” Su Yu stared into Ping An’s eyes, watching him awkwardly look away. She said, “If I had a daughter, if Xiao Qi were my daughter, and you dared to act like a brat in front of me when she was first pregnant, I would slap you so hard you’d be letting yourself down for calling me ‘Mom.’ It’s only because Xiao Qi is young and doesn’t have a strong personality that she’s like this. Otherwise, if you acted like this in front of her parents, she wouldn’t need her mother to pull her; she would go to the hospital for an abortion and divorce you herself.”
Ping An's intentions were for her benefit, and Su Yu appreciated it, feeling that her son still had a conscience and wasn't an ingrate. She also forgave him for being young and inexperienced in handling things; you couldn't expect someone who got married right after graduation to be perfect in every way, especially since he was naturally slick. But she couldn't let him continue down this wrong path. A perfectly good young man with this kind of behavior would look particularly unsightly and tasteless.
"Your generation each had several children, but your child is the only one in the family. After marriage, he will not only have to support his parents but also his in-laws. All four elders are his parents. Think about your actions. You married this girl but don't respect her. It's normal for your in-laws to think it's a marriage fraud. Look at your father. You should remember when I went back to my parents' home in 1970 to get a divorce. My father stood up for me and had your grandparents take him to apologize. Afterward, your father had to treat him with affection and respect. If this happened to you, wouldn't you hate your mother-in-law so much that you wish her old bones would fall and die?"
Noticing Ning Jin was suppressing a laugh, Su Yu gave him a sharp look and continued, "I won't say whether your previous behavior was right or wrong. I'm happy that you stood up for me, and I understand that you don't like your mother-in-law's behavior. But you have to be mindful of your methods. Your parents-in-law genuinely want what's best for Xiao Qi, and you like Xiao Qi too. For her sake, you should respect her parents. Put yourself in their shoes. If you had a daughter, and after she got married, your son-in-law's words and actions were inconsistent, wouldn't you want to beat him to death?"
She noticed his fists were clenched and said, "I hope I only need to tell you this once. When you act impulsively or don't know what to do, try to put yourself in their shoes. Imagine you gave birth to a daughter, so you're the father-in-law. Treat your in-laws in a way that's acceptable to you. Your wife wasn't forced into marriage by your father or me, and you knew about your in-laws before the wedding. You chose them yourself. If you felt it was acceptable before the wedding, then don't regret it afterward." Without listening to his words, she kicked him out. She'd said everything she needed to say; whether he changed or not was up to him.
After Ping An left, she took the water cup Ning Jin handed her and drank it down in big gulps, her mouth dry.
"You've worked so hard, you've worked so hard. The thing I'm most proud of in my life is marrying you."
"Get lost, stop being so glib." Su Yu elbowed him, glared at him, and said, "Don't you think Ping An is influenced by you? You've been yelling and beating up your former mother-in-law and brother-in-law, and when he doesn't know how to handle these kinds of relationships, he turns to you."
“I have great respect for your parents, but there’s nothing I can do about his bad habits.” Ning Jin frowned, not daring to deny it with certainty. “You have to use different methods for different people. People like his maternal grandparents and uncles will only give up if I turn my back on them.”
"He might approve of your rough approach to problem-solving, or perhaps he thinks that way of handling things is cool."
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