Although Wei Hua had left, Qin Huairu had no interest in doing laundry. Qin Huairu was naturally aware of her mother-in-law and Yi Zhonghai's plans.
Qin Huairu thought they were out of their minds. Clearly, a house wasn't as important as a job, yet they were fixated on the house.
The house belongs to the government; even if we take it over, we only have the right to reside there. Taking the house like that wouldn't really make much sense. A job is different. Once I inherit the position, it's mine. As long as I have a job, the Jia family's life will immediately improve. But no one seems to care about my feelings.
Just as Qin Huairu was feeling down, Jia Dongxu and his mother returned from outside. Seeing her mother-in-law back, Qin Huairu could only hurry up and get back to work.
Qin Huairu was already used to the kinds of words her mother-in-law used. If her mother-in-law didn't spew profanities, she wouldn't be her mother-in-law.
In those days, it was common for women to sit on the ground after a fight. Calling for spirits and cursing were also frequent occurrences. It was just that her mother-in-law was slightly more assertive than others.
Qin Huairu knew that a widow raising a child alone would be bullied if she wasn't assertive. But when this happened to her, Qin Huairu still felt somewhat uncomfortable.
"Qin Huairu, what are you still standing there for? Hurry up and go into the kitchen to cook. Do you want us to starve to death? You wash clothes every day, and if you keep doing that, you'll ruin them."
"Mother-in-law, I'll go make dinner right away. You and Dongxu must be exhausted, please go to your room and rest!"
After Qin Huairu finished speaking, she quickly wrung out the clothes and hung them up to dry. Once the clothes were hung up, she went into the kitchen.
Looking at the simple kitchen in her home, Qin Huairu couldn't help but think of what had happened a few years ago. If she hadn't been fooled by Jia Zhangshi and Yi Zhonghai back then, she would never have been able to marry into the Jia family.
Who would have thought that Yi Zhonghai, a senior fitter, would actually deceive her? Thinking about the relationship between Yi Zhonghai and her mother-in-law, Qin Huairu was filled with questions.
To avoid being scolded by her mother-in-law, Qin Huairu could only hurry up and cook. When you're busy, you don't have time to overthink things.
But just as the food was being cooked, Qin Huairu heard her daughter crying. She quickly stir-fried the vegetables for a couple of seconds, then poured a basin of water into the pot. She then rushed into the room.
"Dongxu, the pickled vegetables are almost ready. Go check on them in the kitchen."
Seeing Qin Huairu breastfeeding her daughter, Jia Dongxu turned and went into the kitchen. When the food was ready, Qin Huairu brought cornbread and pickled vegetables into the room.
But as soon as the food was served, Jia Zhangshi put half of the pickled vegetables into her own bowl. Then she grabbed two cornbread buns and started eating.
Seeing that Qin Huairu was still breastfeeding, Jia Zhangshi quickly put the remaining pickled vegetables into her son's and grandson's bowls.
By the time Qin Huairu finished breastfeeding, almost all the dishes on the table were gone. Jia Dongxu could only transfer the pickled vegetables from his bowl to Qin Huairu's bowl.
"That's just how my mom is, don't mind her, just eat."
Hearing her husband's words, Qin Huairu felt a warmth in her heart. She grabbed a steamed bun from the basket and ate it with relish, finding it more delicious than anything else.
"Dongxu, you are the breadwinner of our family. How can you manage without eating nutritious food? If you don't eat your fill, where will you get the strength to work at the steel mill? What if you become ill?"
"Qin Huairu stays at home all day and does nothing. She's lucky if she gets to eat cornbread. Back when I was a daughter-in-law, I had it even worse than Qin Huairu. My mother-in-law wasn't just talking; sometimes she would even hit me."
"Mom, you were a daughter-in-law once too. Why are you making things difficult for Huai Ru? She only gave birth a few months ago, and she needs to eat well. Right now, she's just eating some pickled vegetables. You don't need to make things difficult for her!"
Upon hearing her son's words, Jia Zhangshi immediately became unhappy. She slammed down the bowl, sat on the stool with a deadpan expression, and stared at Jia Dongxu with a red, brooding expression.
Seeing her son's indifferent expression, Madam Jia immediately began muttering to herself.
"Old Jia! Why did you leave so soon? Why did you leave me alone in this world to suffer? I was both your father and your mother in raising your son. But this good-for-nothing forgets his mother as soon as he gets a wife."
"You've only just started to gain some ability and you're already criticizing me. What's the point of me living? I might as well go down and join you, instead of suffering all this scorn from others."
Upon hearing his mother's words, Jia Dongxu felt a pang of guilt. Thinking of all the sacrifices his mother had made over the years, Jia Dongxu immediately surrendered.
"Mom, it's all my fault. Please don't say that anymore. I know you've sacrificed a lot over the years. It's all because I'm an unfilial son."
"Tell me your demands, even if it's to hit or punish me. I have no objection. Please, stop slandering yourself."
“How dare I ask for anything? I’m almost 50 now, an old woman. How can I compare to your wife? I’m superfluous now, I think I might as well die, so as not to be a burden to you here.”
Upon hearing his mother's words, Jia Dongxu immediately knelt on the ground.
“Mom, when have I ever looked down on you? Without you, I would have starved to death long ago. You have raised me with such hardship for the past ten years. I could never let anyone down, but I would never let you down.”
"I wasn't blaming you just now, but Huai Ru is also a woman, someone else's precious daughter. She's had what you've been through, so why should women make things difficult for each other?"
After saying this, Jia Dongxu immediately knelt on the ground and started crying. Torn between his mother and his wife, Jia Dongxu didn't know what to do.
Jia Dongxu wasn't unaware that his mother was wrong. But he lost his father at the age of six, and his mother had raised him single-handedly.
Jia Dongxu knew his mother wasn't a good person, but she was definitely a good mother. He had never suffered any injustice growing up; whenever anyone dared to bully him, his mother would defend him fiercely.
Jia Dongxu will never forget the time when he was 14 years old and was bullied by the people from the next courtyard. His mother went to make a scene for a month straight. Even though she came back every day with injuries, she didn't stop until the other party apologized.
From then on, not only people in the courtyard, but also outsiders dared not provoke him easily. Even knowing that his mother was being unreasonable, Jia Dongxu could only lower his head.
Madam Jia didn't intend to cause trouble in the household. She simply wanted to maintain control of the Jia family. Seeing her son kneeling on the ground, she stood up from the stool and quickly picked him up.
To maintain her life as an empress dowager, Lady Jia did not apologize to her son; instead, she picked him up and looked at him, blaming herself for her mistakes.
The reason Jia Dongxu was made to keep saying these things was simply so he could tell his daughter-in-law. He wanted her to know who the head of the Jia family was.
Seeing Jia Dongxu's state, Qin Huairu was at a loss. Her husband was good in every way, except that he listened to his mother too much. Whenever his mother said those things, her husband would surrender unconditionally. He would obey without any limits, no matter what.
Her husband had already knelt down, and Qin Huairu knew that if she didn't kneel down and admit her mistake, this matter wouldn't end. Knowing her mother-in-law's personality, she would definitely keep pressuring her husband. For the sake of family harmony, Qin Huairu had no choice but to bow her head.
Although she hated her wicked mother-in-law to the core, Qin Huairu had no choice but to kneel before Jia Dongxu.
"Mother-in-law, this whole thing is my fault. Please forgive Dongxu."
Qin Huairu had barely uttered a single sentence when Jia Zhangshi helped her up. Jia Zhangshi was indeed quite adept at assessing situations.
If she continues to act aloof, it might cause resentment in her son and daughter-in-law. Madam Jia only wants to gain a voice within the family; she doesn't want to cause chaos and turmoil within the Jia household.
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