Zhang's mother: "Oh, no matter what, you are still the younger generation. You can't be too picky with the elders. You still have to take the initiative to ease the relationship."
"This old man is still very soft-hearted. As long as the children show more care and filial piety, he will forget everything."
"That's right." Father Zhang nodded in agreement.
Zhang Jiao and Lin Guodong didn't say anything, just nodded.
Seeing that her daughter and son-in-law took her words to heart, Zhang's mother smiled.
"Guodong, you have long legs and walk fast. Go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a fish, a chicken, and four pounds of pork belly." Zhang's mother ordered Lin Guodong to buy food for dinner.
Hearing this, Lin Guodong was slightly startled, then turned his head to look at Zhang Jiao.
Zhang Jiao looked a little embarrassed, but she still gave him a look and told him to go quickly.
Lin Guodong stood up reluctantly.
"Pick big chickens and fish. Your second uncle and his family will be coming over tonight." Zhang's mother instructed with a smile, automatically ignoring the reluctance on her son-in-law's face.
Lin Guodong walked into the door with a dark face.
"Jiaojiao, there are two piles of dirty clothes at home that haven't been washed yet. Come and help mom wash them."
Zhang's mother didn't let her daughter idle either, and asked Zhang Jiao to help her wash clothes.
Zhang Jiao looked at the pile of clothes on the washing table and her eyes twitched.
It turns out that her parents asked her and Guodong to come earlier so that they could buy groceries and do laundry.
I'm afraid she will have to take care of the dinner table tonight.
"Mom, why are you washing my sister-in-law's clothes too?" Zhang Jiao thought it was only her parents', but she didn't expect that there were also her sister-in-law's underwear.
Zhang's mother: "Your sister-in-law and her family have been working overtime recently, so I help them with the laundry. Besides, when your mother-in-law was around, wasn't she the one who washed your clothes?"
Zhang Jiao: “…”
"Guodong just now didn't say it too clearly. For the sake of money, you have to be shameless and try to curry favor with your mother-in-law. You should also persuade Guodong more. Don't be angry with money, no matter who you are angry with."
"Think about it, the conflict between your mother-in-law and your brother-in-law is too deep to resolve. If you and Guodong repair your relationship with her, then the money earned by the dumpling shop and her will belong to you and Guodong in the future."
"Did you hear that?" Seeing her daughter didn't speak, Zhang's mother poked her with her elbow.
Zhang Jiao was washing clothes and whispered, "I heard it."
Zhang's mother: "If you and Guodong can curry favor with your mother-in-law, get the dumpling shop and her money, you will be able to help your brother and nephews in the future."
Zhang Jiao's face turned dark. No wonder her parents changed so quickly. Previously they asked her to ignore her mother-in-law, but now they asked them to curry favor with her. It turned out that it was all for her two brothers and nephews.
Lin Guodong and his friends had a simple meal at Zhang's house, and Lin Guodong helped kill chickens and fish.
Zhang Jiao worked hard for a day to prepare a table of delicious dishes. The Zhang brothers and their two wives all worked early, and the second uncle's family also came early.
There was not enough space at the table, so the children scooped up some rice and some vegetables, then sat on small stools and ate from their bowls.
Zhang Jiao finished cooking the last soup and came over with the bowl, but found that the table was packed and there was no place for her.
The two sisters-in-law were eating and showed no intention of giving up their seats for her.
"Jiaojiao, there's no place to sit. Come over here and sit. You have to stand to eat." Zhang Jiao's second aunt said as she was about to stand up and give up her seat.
Zhang's mother quickly held her back and said, "Just sit still. How can we let a guest like you stand up to eat?"
Zhang Jiao also said: "Thank you, Second Auntie, you can just eat while standing, you can stretch your arms further when you eat while standing."
Lin Guodong turned his head and looked at her with a somewhat cold expression, without saying anything.
As the birthday boy, Mr. Zhang raised his glass and drank with everyone else. Everyone said auspicious words wishing him a long and healthy life.
After putting down the cup, Zhang's mother started praising Lam Kwok Tung and Zhang Jiao.
"Oh, my daughter and son-in-law are so filial. All the dishes for today's banquet were bought by Guodong, and Jiaojiao also cooked them."
After hearing this, the second uncle's family all praised Lin Guodong and Zhang Jiao for their filial piety, saying that Lin Guodong, as a son-in-law, was no worse than his own son.
In response to his mother-in-law's praise, Lin Guodong just pulled up the corners of his mouth and smiled perfunctorily.
When his father-in-law celebrated his birthday, he, as the son-in-law, was also considered a guest. Not only did he bring gifts, but he also had to pay for the food and kill chickens and fish, which took most of the work.
His two biological sons just need to wait for the food to come, but isn't this just taking advantage of his son-in-law?
Do you think that if you praise him in front of his relatives, he will accept it happily?
Never again!
After three rounds of drinks, Zhang's father started bragging to his brother's family about how rich his son-in-law was, how good his family was, and how his mother-in-law opened a dumpling shop and earned several hundred dollars a month.
Zhang Laoer's family was amazed when they heard this. Zhang Laoer's son kept toasting Lin Guodong and calling him brother.
"Guodong, take your time. Come often when you have time." After dinner, Zhang's mother sent her daughter and son-in-law, who were leaving to catch the bus, to the door and said attentively.
"Okay, Mom, you go back." Zhang Jiao turned around and waved to her mother.
Lin Guodong had already walked to the front holding his son.
Zhang Jiao ran a few steps to catch up, complaining unhappily: "Mom was talking to you, but you didn't say anything and just walked away with Junjun in your arms."
Lin Guodong said unhappily: “I didn’t hear it.”
Zhang Jiao frowned, "Why are you so angry? There's no one to make you angry today."
Lin Guodong: "No one is angry with you, but you are being taken advantage of. When it comes to your family's birthday, the sons should take the brunt of the expenses, but when it comes to your family, it is you, the son-in-law, who has to spend money and effort to kill chickens and fish."
Zhang Jiao was actually a little unhappy, but after hearing what Lam Kwok Tung said, she couldn't help but defend her mother's family.
"What do you mean you're being taken advantage of? My family married you to their daughter, whom they raised for more than ten years. As a son-in-law, shouldn't you be filial to your parents?"
"If you want a filial son-in-law, then what are the use of your two brothers?" Lin Guodong asked back.
"Are the red envelopes and gifts during the Chinese New Year and other festivals less than those from your parents?"
"When did I come to your house empty-handed? I came with my hands full and had to borrow some money to buy things."
Zhang Jiao defended herself, "But every time you come, your parents treat you very well. Today, they even praised you to my second uncle and others at the dinner table."
"Okay, that's just talk. Just now, when we were at the table, you wanted to pick up a chicken leg for Junjun to eat. When your mother saw you pick it up, she quickly gave it to your eldest brother's son, and the other leg to your second brother's son."
"There were two pairs of wings, one in her bowl and one in your dad's bowl. I only gave 놖 and Junjun a piece of chicken neck, which got stuck in their teeth."
The vegetables were bought with his own money, but he and his son couldn't even have a good piece of meat. Who could stand this?
Lin Guodong thought of his mother. When they ate chicken at home, one of the two chicken legs was his and the other was Lao Er’s, and the chicken feet were all Xiaoyu’s.
His father loves chicken wings and wine, and his mother eats chicken necks.
"Every time Junjun comes, your brother's two children eat biscuits and candies. Who gives him a piece or half a piece to eat?"
"I stayed at your house for one night before. I ordered half a bowl of noodles at night. Both of your sisters-in-law said that you have a good stomach and the children didn't have enough to eat."
"You are so embarrassed that you don't know whether to eat or not to eat. Your parents didn't say a word. How can you be good to your son-in-law?"
If you really want to treat him well, you should tell your two wives to shut up and then go and order some noodles instead of pretending to be deaf and dumb.
In the past, she always said bad things about his mother in front of him, saying that his mother was wrong. Now that she knows that his mother is making money by running a store, she asks him and Zhang Jiao to curry favor with his mother.
What are they for? I just want to get some benefit from it.
"..." Zhang Jiao was speechless after being asked this question. She opened her mouth but didn't know how to explain.
"From now on, except for visiting my parents on the second day of the Lunar New Year, I won't come if there's anything going on at your house. If you want to come, you can come alone."
After saying this, Lin Guodong left with his son in his arms.
Zhang Jiao stamped her feet and hurried to catch up.
If anything happens in her family in the future, Guodong won’t come. How can she, as a daughter, hold her head up in her parents’ home?
(There is another chapter in the evening.)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
