Cheng Xiangling was lost in thought on the way home, and by the time she strolled back, it was already completely dark.
As soon as I entered the room, my sister Cheng Wan's gentle voice came from inside.
"Xiangling is back. There's some fruit left for you in the kitchen. Go and eat it."
Instead of being happy to hear this, Cheng Xiangling felt a pang of sadness.
She knew a little about her sister's in-laws' situation.
Cheng Wan's mother-in-law was a very stingy person. Even when Cheng Wan was pregnant, she was reluctant to give her good food, let alone buy fruit for her sister-in-law.
Most of the food in the kitchen was saved by Cheng Wan from her own food rations because she felt sorry for her younger sister.
Cheng Xiangling felt very sad thinking about this, so she hurriedly walked towards the house, pretending to be relaxed as she said:
"No need, sis, I don't want any. Aunt Zhao just treated me to grapes and gave me a lot of other goodies to bring back for you..."
Before he could finish speaking, his words came to an abrupt halt the moment he pushed open the door.
Cheng Wan was unaware that she had already entered the house and was still busy cleaning.
In a few days, it will be time for her to give birth. She is swollen all over and finds it difficult to even walk a few steps.
But now she's heavily pregnant, kneeling on the floor wiping it.
Because she couldn't bend over, every movement of Cheng Wan's was extremely difficult, and she was soon covered in sweat.
Her husband, Wen Jun, was sitting on the sofa next to her, picking his toes and laughing at the black and white television.
Cheng Wan's mother-in-law, Cao Tongwen, stood beside her with a frown, supervising her work.
"Who told you to be so clumsy and spill your food? Of course you have to clean up the mess yourself."
"Since you've already done it, why don't you take a rag and wipe down the cabinets while you're at it?"
Cao Tongwen muttered impatiently as she tied her hair up.
"I made you some chicken soup the other day to help you recover, and it ruined all the furniture in the house."
Cheng Wan wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, struggled to her feet while holding onto the corner of the table, and after catching her breath for a while, she whispered:
"good."
Cheng Xiangling couldn't see her sister's expression, but she could tell how tired she sounded.
She was furious. Without thinking, she rushed forward and snatched the rag away.
"Sister, you're about to give birth, you need to rest and recuperate first, how can you still work?"
"Go back to your room and rest. I'll be here for the next few days, so you can leave the housework to me."
"Xiangling, you must be tired after traveling all day. Let me do it."
Cheng Wan felt sorry for her younger sister and hesitated before agreeing.
Cheng Xiangling held onto the rag tightly, refusing to let go, and comforted her sister with a smile.
As for her brother-in-law, who was as indifferent as a dead man, she looked down on him.
But not wanting to put her sister in a difficult position, she suppressed her anger and said:
"Brother-in-law, there are too many cabinets for me to clean by myself. Can you help me?"
"oh."
Wen Jun responded and slowly stood up.
But those eyes remained glued to the television, not moving an inch for a long time.
Before he even touched the rag, Cao Tongwen felt a pang of heartache.
“Jun Jun, don’t listen to her. She’s just a little girl and doesn’t understand. Housework isn’t something a man should do.”
“Besides, Junjun has already worked a full day at the factory. He’s exhausted. It’s understandable that Cheng Wan can’t help him, but why should she expect him to come back and take care of his wife?”
Cheng Xiangling gripped the rag tightly, her vision blurring with anger.
Wen Jun earns only a pittance each month, barely enough to support his family, so she doesn't believe he can work that hard.
Cheng Wan was easy to talk to, but Cheng Xiangling couldn't stand it.
She flung open the door and stood in the courtyard, adopting the posture of someone who would debate with a group of scholars in the village, and shouted:
"It's true that men have a tough time at work, but is pregnancy and childbirth an easy thing for women?"
“My sister is about to give birth, and she’s carrying such a big belly every day. Any man who cares about her should help with the housework!”
"This isn't just my sister's home, why are you putting all the blame on her!"
Cao Tongwen knew that if what she had done got out and outsiders found out, she would be criticized behind her back.
She was so angry at Cheng Xiangling's tirade that she quickly pulled her back, grabbed the rag with her other hand, and scolded her irritably.
"This little brat is getting sharp-tongued every day. Bring me a rag, I'll go wipe the cabinet, okay?"
Cheng Xiangling didn't argue with her and let go very readily.
"Okay, then you can wipe it yourself."
She smiled on the outside, but in her heart she was practically rolling her eyes to the heavens.
I find Cao Tongwen's practice of wiping the wound herself rather than letting her precious son suffer utterly despicable.
Wen Jun watched the two of them arguing the whole time before finally having the audacity to help Cheng Wan sit down and rest.
Cheng Wan sat down on the sofa following his movement, but did not say anything.
She simply lowered her head, her other hand gripping the sofa armrest tightly, so tightly that her fingertips turned white.
Cheng Xiangling was supervising Cao Tongwen while she was working, but when she saw that her sister's expression was off, she became extremely worried.
"Sis, why is your face so pale? Are you feeling unwell?"
She was young and inexperienced, and with no one in charge around her, she couldn't help but be anxious and restless.
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