Chapter 52: Old Lady Lu’s Birthday

Zhou Min saw that her mother-in-law and sister-in-law had bought new clothes when they came back, and she was suspicious about the Lu family borrowing money.

If the family had no money, how could they buy two sets of clothes at once?

Knowing that it was Shen Jiale who bought them, Zhou Min was worried that Shen Jiale would also prepare clothes for her grandmother, and then the shoes she made would not be good enough. She

was relieved after hearing from her mother-in-law that she helped make the shoes.

Soon it was Old Lady Lu’s birthday, and Shen Jiale came to the Lu family.

Liang Qiaoli handed the finished shoes to Shen Jiale, and made an extra pair for Shen Jiale.

Taking a pound of pork and two cabbages, the family went to Lu Yongsheng’s house together.

When walking out of the house, Shen Jiale saw that Lu Bailing didn't follow him, so he waved to her: "Bailing, let's go together."

Lu Bailing said: "Second sister-in-law, you guys go, I won't go."

Shen Jiale said: "How can we leave you out when our family celebrates grandma's birthday?"

Lu Bailing didn't answer.

Lu Yongfu said: "Why should she, a girl, join in the fun? She should just stay at home."

Shen Jiale didn't understand and looked at Liang Qiaoli.

Liang Qiaoli said: "Your grandma never lets her granddaughter sit at the table on her birthday."

Is there such a rule?

Shen Jiale asked: "Bailing prepared a gift for grandma, but she is not allowed to go?"

Everyone looked at Lu Bailing with confusion.

Lu Bailing looked at Shen Jiale with a confused look on her face: "Second sister-in-law, I don't have any..."

Shen Jiale walked up to Lu Bailing, smiled and took out a piece of soap from his pocket and put it in Lu Bailing's hand: "You asked me to prepare a gift for you, but you forgot it yourself."

In previous years, when Mrs. Lu celebrated her birthday, the three families brought food, and only Tian Liping gave shoes, and no one else gave gifts.

This year, both daughters-in-law prepared shoes, but he didn't expect his daughter to prepare them too. Lu Yongfu thought that if his mother saw that they prepared so many gifts, she would be very happy, and he would also have face, so he asked Lu Bailing to go with him.

...

When they arrived at Lu Yongsheng's house, Mrs. Lu was sitting on a chair in clean and tidy clothes.

Tian Liping was trying on the shoes she made for Mrs. Lu.

Lu Yongfu came in and urged Shen Jiale and Zhou Min to take out their shoes.

Mrs. Lu took the shoes and said, "I'm so grateful that you still thought of me. Why didn't Mingfeng come?"

Lu Yongfu said, "He's on the night shift and is sleeping at home. I'll call him when it's time for dinner."

Mrs. Lu saw Lu Yongfu's family. Except for Lu Yongfu himself, everyone else was wearing new clothes.

Shen Jiale, Zhou Min and Lu Mingqi were newlyweds, so it was normal for them to wear new clothes, but Liang Qiaoli and Lu Bailing were also wearing new clothes.

Old Lady Lu asked, "Third son, has your family made a fortune? Everyone has new clothes, why didn't they make one for you?"

Lu Yongfu said, "The children have new clothes for their weddings, and his mother and Bailing's clothes were bought by Mingfeng's wife."

When Old Lady Lu heard that Shen Jiale bought new clothes for Liang Qiaoli and Lu Bailing, she immediately felt that the shoes in her hand were not good.

He bought clothes for Liang Qiaoli and her daughter, but only a pair of shoes for herself. Old Lady Lu immediately felt that this mother and daughter were an eyesore.

"Mom, Bailing also came to celebrate your birthday this year. She..." Before Lu Yongfu finished speaking, he was interrupted by Old Lady Lu.

"A little girl, why are you here to make trouble instead of working at home?"

Lu Yongfu explained, "Mom, Bailing has also prepared a gift for you."

Old Mrs. Lu couldn't think of any valuable gift that Lu Bailing could prepare for her. At most, it would be a pair of shoes.

She immediately said, "No need, keep it for yourself. I'm old and useless. I don't deserve your filial piety."

After hearing this, Lu Bailing put down her hand that had been put into her pocket and looked at Shen Jiale sadly.

Shen Jiale patted her shoulder and said, "You didn't even want to use it yourself. Since grandma doesn't want your gift, you can keep the soap for yourself."

When Old Mrs. Lu heard that it was soap, she regretted it.

A bar of soap costs 1.5 cents, and she usually doesn't want to buy it.

However, the words have been said, and it's hard to take them back. She watched Lu Bailing leave.

The shoes were also sent out. Liang Qiaoli took the meat and vegetables to the kitchen. Lu Yongan and his wife came.

Liu Xiaocui said, "Third sister-in-law, you are also a mother-in-law. It's time to enjoy your life in the future. Let your daughter-in-law do these things. Let us take a rest."

Liang Qiaoli said, "They just got married and are not good at doing things. I'll do it."

After hearing this, Zhou Min immediately walked to Liang Qiaoli, took the meat and vegetables from her hand and said, "Mom, you take a rest. I and my sister-in-law will take care of it in the future." It

is the responsibility of the younger generation to help cook for the elders' birthdays. However, Mrs. Lu's behavior made Shen Jiale feel that she was not a respectable elder.

Several young granddaughters-in-law were busy cooking in the kitchen. Liang Qiaoli took Mrs. Lu's clothes out to wash.

When the meal was ready, Tian Liping served the food to the table.

There were two tables. On one table sat old lady Lu, her three sons and daughters-in-law, and several grandchildren of the Lu family. Lu Mingxuan did not come back. On

the other table sat Shen Jiale, Zhou Min, Tian Liping, and Liu Xiaocui's daughter-in-law Jiang Chunfang.

Lu Yongfu asked Lu Mingqi to call Lu Mingfeng to come over for dinner.

Tian Liping served the dishes to the table, and Shen Jiale found that all the meat dishes were served to the elders' table, and there was only a stir-fried cabbage and wowotou on their table.

Lu Mingfeng came over and saw the food on Shen Jiale's table, so he sat next to Shen Jiale.

Old Mrs. Lu said, "Mingfeng, come and sit over here."

Lu Mingfeng said, "There are too many people at that table, so I won't squeeze in."

Old Mrs. Lu looked at Liang Qiaoli and said, "Old Third Wife, you go over there, and let Mingfeng come over."

Liang Qiaoli stood up and was about to leave the table without saying a word. Lu Mingfeng came over and held Liang Qiaoli down.

"Every year on grandma's birthday, my mother cooks in the kitchen. Don't you even have the right to sit at the table and eat?"

Liu Xiaocui said, "Your mother didn't cook this year. It was your wife and Mingqi's wife who did it for her."

"Sister-in-law and Jiale cooked to give mother a break, not a reason for mother not to sit

at the table." Lu Yongsheng said, "There are too many people this year and there is no room at the table."

"Then why don't you let eldest aunt and second aunt come down? Grandma, Bailing came here sincerely with gifts to celebrate your birthday, but you drove her away. If you don't want us to eat, just say so. Why bother my mother and Jiale? They brought meat dishes and worked hard to prepare the meal. Do they deserve to eat cabbage and wowotou?"

When he came, he met Lu Bailing. When he heard his sister say that she was driven back, Lu Mingfeng was very angry. Now he saw his mother being driven away from the table and he and his wife could only eat cabbage, so Lu Mingfeng was furious.

Old Lady Lu slammed the table, pointed at Lu Mingfeng and said angrily: "Are you blaming me? I thought you would change your temper after getting married, but you are still a dog that eats shit. Are you going to piss me off to death?"

Everyone at the table urged Old Lady Lu to calm down.

Lu Yongfu said: "If you don't want to eat, go back and don't piss your grandmother off here."

Lu Mingfeng took Liang Qiaoli's hand and walked away. He walked to Shen Jiale and said: "Wife, let's go home. You don't have to endure this humiliation. I'll buy you some meat."

Just like that, Lu Mingfeng took his mother and wife in one hand each and walked out of Lu Yongsheng's house.

Old Mrs. Lu was so angry that she sat on the ground and cried loudly: "Oh my God, why am I so miserable, having such unfilial children..."