That woman is a real shrew. Don't be fooled by her cheerful demeanor; that's only if you don't provoke her. I've personally witnessed her fighting with her sister-in-law.
"Mom, is what they're saying outside true? Do you really want to smother Daya to death?" The eldest brother, Liu Maolin, sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) looking at his mother.
"Nonsense, that's my granddaughter. Why would I want to smother her? Li Cuihua is talking nonsense." Liu Wangshi said she would never recognize her. If she did, how could she go out in public?
"Mom, my third sister-in-law's brothers are all here, they're in the yard. My in-laws' aunt will be here soon too. What do you think we should say?"
"Why should I tell them? What have I done with raising you sons? Just to watch your old mother get bullied?"
Liu Maolin was speechless. His mother always acted tough with her brothers. "Everyone in the village saw my third sister-in-law carrying my daughter, whose face was turning purple, to my second uncle's place. What do you suggest we do?"
“That spendthrift woman, I never liked her in the first place, and now look what’s happened, she’s made our whole family lose face.”
Liu Maolin felt he couldn't talk to his mother anymore. Whatever, things were already like this. What could his mother do even if she didn't admit it?
"Hey, my husband's wife's mother is here. She wants our mother to leave. If she doesn't leave, she'll come in."
"This is outrageous! Is she some kind of bandit? How dare she act so arrogantly in our house?" This shout was heard by everyone outside.
Grandma Li stood up and patted off imaginary dirt. "Is this a call for me to come in? Second nephew, niece-in-law, are you coming in with me?"
Liu Maosen and his wife exchanged a glance and reluctantly followed him inside. The Li brothers didn't move, and Liu Maocai, accompanying them, also remained still. Only Liu Wangshi's loud voice echoed from inside before silence fell. Liu Maocai watched as his brothers-in-law sat to one side, seemingly unconcerned.
About half an hour later, the old lady of the Li family came out with a smile on her face, and the two brothers, Liu Maolin and Liu Maosen, also came out. "Maocai, don't blame your mother. I've already talked to your mother about dividing the family property tomorrow. I'm just doing this because I feel sorry for my daughter."
"Mom, what are you saying? Whatever you do, we, as your children, will follow suit."
"Alright, we'll head back now. Cuihua and Jianguo will be staying at Mom's tonight, so you don't need to pick them up."
The Li family all left in a flash, and the courtyard immediately became quiet. Liu Maosen patted his chest exaggeratedly.
Liu Maolin looked at Liu Maocai and said, "Mom wants us all to go inside. Maocai, don't make a sound for a while, Mom is upset." Liu Maolin ignored his older brother, who spoke so lightly, as if it wasn't his child who almost died.
When Liu Maocai entered the room, he saw his mother sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) holding her newborn sister, wiping away tears. He didn't say anything, nor did he sit down; he just stared at his mother. His mother was so moved by his gaze that she almost fell off the bed.
"Third son, are you just going to watch the Li family bully your mother?" Liu Maocai didn't even reply. The room fell into a stalemate. Liu Wangshi wanted to make a scene again, but seeing her sons and daughters-in-law looking at her with stern faces, she lost the courage to do so.
Li Maolin had no choice but to speak up. His father had only been gone for less than a year, and with the family dividing the property, the eldest brother, like a father, couldn't possibly agree to it. "Alright, Mom, since you've agreed to give up the third son, let's get down to business. How do you want the third son to be divided, or should we all divide the property?"
The two daughters-in-law immediately perked up when they heard about dividing the family property. Who wouldn't want to divide the family property and make their own decisions?
"You bunch of ingrates! Your dad just passed away and you're already thinking of abandoning your mom to live a good life on your own."
Liu Maolin scratched his head helplessly. "Mom, stop making a fuss. You say you won't separate, but what about the third son? Are you going to leave him too? Is the Li family capable of anything?"
"You coward, you don't even know how to stand up for your mother. I shouldn't have given birth to a bunch of ungrateful wretches. Third brother, do you really want to split up the family?"
Liu Maocai remained silent, staring intently at his mother.
"Fine, fine, you can leave with nothing. I won't need you to support me in my old age. But you have to give me fifty yuan upfront, and you'll have to give fifty yuan when your sister gets married in the future."
"Does Mom mean I have to leave with nothing, but I still have to pay her?"
"That's it. If you agree, we'll separate tomorrow. If you don't agree, we'll stay together as a family."
"Mom, have you thought about where our family of four will live if I leave with nothing? Where am I going to get fifty yuan?"
"Isn't there the Li family? They're all bad news, always trying to sow discord between my daughter and me."
Liu Maocai looked at his mother one last time and said, "Okay, let's divide it like this. I'll get the village chief to come and witness tomorrow, and we'll divide it the way Mom said." Liu Maocai was truly hurt, and this was for the best. After saying that, he turned and left. There was really nothing more to say. That was his mother; no matter how wrong she was, she was still his mother. Could he just ignore her when she had nothing to eat? But his mother's circumstances had truly broken him; she didn't care about him at all.
Thinking of this, Liu Maocai still felt a lump in his throat. Looking at the sleeping Li Cuihua, he crawled into his wife's bed and watched her snuggle closer to him, feeling content.
If I hadn't heard my eldest daughter's words today, I wouldn't have thought of all this. I'm doing well now, but my two older brothers still live together and haven't separated the family. With so many people in the house, it's always noisy and chaotic; even chopsticks are constantly clattering against the bowls. How can there not be conflicts? His mother is still as troublesome as ever. Although I've given her all the money we agreed on when we separated the family, I still send her gifts during holidays. It seems his mother sees that I'm doing well and is trying to cause trouble again.
As for his eldest daughter, he could only raise her. He wasn't joking today; he genuinely wanted to find her a husband as soon as possible. Sending her off to her new home would be the best he could do for her. He wouldn't expect anything from her in the future. He'd be grateful if she didn't change her mind.
Liu Maocai fell asleep while thinking. But his mother was still tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She had offended her third son again, and she was afraid he wouldn't give her the fifty yuan he promised to give her sister. Her youngest daughter was already fourteen, and her health was deteriorating. She had to find her a good husband quickly, lest no one care for her after she passed away. She thought of good young men in the surrounding villages and hoped to find her a wealthy family, preferably one where they could separate from the family after marriage. No, tomorrow she would have to ask her eldest son's second son's family to help her think of a match. They had to help find someone good for her. She knew her own daughter well; she was no good at anything, and she had spoiled her. It would be even better if she could find a government job in the city, so she wouldn't have to toil in the fields. Only her third son knew people in the city, no, tomorrow she would have to go to her third son. He had to find a good family for his sister; she couldn't let Li Cuihua take her away.
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