Xiao Duzhuang —
In the dilapidated courtyard, Du's mother was sitting at the door mending clothes, while Du's wife was helping her separate the threads.
"You're just too short-tempered," said Mrs. Du, her eyes lowered, her hands still moving. "So many years have passed, what's wrong with just enduring it a little longer?"
"And...you said your sister-in-law has brought both of her daughters back, the older one is already 13 and the younger one is 11, right?"
"Marrying a wife isn't cheap. Why not let Yong'er and Xuan'er marry her two daughters? They can get two daughters-in-law for free! Isn't that great!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Du immediately flew into a rage: "Does my longevity mean I'm going to hang myself? Do I want to die?"
"Now Ye Daquan is protecting them like the apple of his eye. If he really marries them as his daughters-in-law, won't they be taking advantage of me?"
"Am I marrying a daughter-in-law or an ancestor? Rather than suffer this humiliation, I'd rather just kill myself and find some peace and quiet!"
"You—" Mother Du put down the needle and said irritably, "Then tell me, what do we do now?"
"Your Ye family has always favored her, so you're destined to get nowhere with her! Now you're even making a scene by going back to your parents' home. Do you really expect them to come and get you? You'll just have to slink back home with your tail between your legs!"
"You're just throwing your face on the ground for everyone to step on! You're so old, why can't you understand life?"
Du gritted her teeth and remained silent.
After returning to her parents' home, she regretted it. Because what her mother said was true, and in the end, she was the one who suffered the most.
Just then, a thin man carrying two loads of firewood returned from outside, frowning as he asked, "Sister, when are you going back?"
Upon hearing this, Du's eyes welled up with tears.
When Ye Caiping returned to her parents' home, her two brothers borrowed money to make sure she had white rice to eat.
When she went back to her parents' home, all she did was eat a bowl of rice porridge, but her younger brother felt as if she had eaten two big bites of his flesh.
We're all human, so why is there such a big difference?
"Big sister." At this moment, her sister-in-law came out of the kitchen carrying two wilted radishes:
"Da Ya has been coughing nonstop this morning; she seems to have caught a cold. I'm keeping her in bed with me because I'm afraid she'll get sick too. Here are some radishes from home; please take them home and eat them!"
Looking at the two wilted little radishes, Du was furious. Seeing her younger brother remain silent, a wave of grievance washed over her.
"What? You're carrying two rotten radishes, as if you're afraid I'll eat half a bowl more porridge, and you're trying to get rid of me before lunch?"
"Du Shi, if it weren't for my six taels of dowry back then, would you have been able to get married? Now I've only stayed one night, and you're kicking me out! Don't you have any conscience?"
Du Shi frowned: "What nonsense are you spouting? When did I kick you out?"
He plopped down on a small stool, picked up a wood-chopping knife, and began chopping wood in silence.
"Don't try to smear us, sister-in-law. We've already said it's Da Ya who's sick. If you were to pass on your illness, nobody would feel good about it," her sister-in-law said, hands on her hips.
Mrs. Du's face darkened: "Alright, shut up! It's just one more mouth to feed, how much weight are you going to lose?"
The sister-in-law choked, abandoning all polite words, and immediately put on a stern face:
“Mother, I’m only doing this for my eldest sister’s own good. Going back today is fine, but going back in a few days is also fine! Wouldn’t it be even worse if we went back in a few days? Eldest sister, how will the Ye family look at you then? Will they say how can you be so shameless, still expecting them to come and pick you up?”
Du wanted to retort, but she couldn't refute it, because what her sister-in-law said was true!
"Mother-in-law, you're all here!" a voice rang out.
The Du family was startled. They looked up and saw Old Mrs. Ye and Ye Daquan standing at the door.
"Oh my goodness, what brings my mother-in-law and son-in-law here!" Du's mother jumped up excitedly and quickly went forward to pull Old Lady Ye inside.
Ye Daquan gave an awkward smile and followed behind.
Grandma Ye said, "Daquan and his wife had a few words of quarrel yesterday, which made their daughter-in-law go back to her parents' home. Aren't we here to pick her up?"
Upon hearing this, Du's mother was overjoyed.
The sister-in-law looked uncomfortable. Just moments ago, she had belittled Du, saying that her in-laws would never come to pick her up, but they did come after all. And it was her mother-in-law herself who came.
Although she was happy that her sister-in-law was finally leaving, she also felt embarrassed.
"Elder sister, you've calmed down enough. We can't do without you at home, so come home with me!" said Old Mrs. Ye.
Mrs. Du breathed a sigh of relief: "Look, your son-in-law and mother-in-law have come in person. Let's go back now!"
Although Du was still angry, her in-laws came to pick her up and offered her such a long way out, so she pursed her lips and said, "Then I'll go back first."
Before leaving, Grandma Ye stuffed two radishes and a large cabbage from the basket into Du's mother's hands, saying, "I brought you some vegetables, please don't mind them, in-laws."
There's a famine everywhere this year, so being able to get some vegetables out is already a blessing.
Grandma Ye was heartbroken, but how could she visit relatives empty-handed?
Du's mother beamed with joy: "These radishes are so fresh and delicious, why are you being so kind?"
The sister-in-law blushed slightly and quickly hid the two wrinkled radishes in her hand.
...
After saying goodbye to Du's mother and the others, Grandma Ye and the other two left.
After leaving Xiaoduzhuang, Old Lady Ye finally put on a stern face:
"Eldest brother, although Daquan was in the wrong first, you're too hot-tempered."
“I know you’re targeting Caiping with this. But let me tell you, if Caiping hadn’t pressured Daquan, neither Daquan nor I would have come to pick you up. Caiping has changed because of that setback.”
Although Old Madam Ye had just given the Du family a lot of face, she still had to issue a warning.
Du followed behind, her face ashen.
She doesn't believe people can change so easily.
Ye Caiping might be more restrained for a while because of the divorce. But old habits die hard. It won't last long before her true colors are revealed again.
However, regardless of what Ye Caiping does in the future, the fact that she didn't lose face today is indeed because of her.
Madam Du pursed her lips: "If she can't find someone to marry within three months, she'll give her another month, okay?"
Grandma Ye was finally satisfied upon hearing this.
If we could give her another month, my daughter would have more time to choose!
Grandma Ye said, "It's only a few months anyway. Even if there are many conflicts, just bear with it!"
“As long as she doesn’t cause trouble, I won’t retaliate against her. But now that she’s remarried, the room can’t be kept anymore. We have to make room for Yong’er to get married. Jin’er and her sister will live with Jinhua and Yinhua.”
Grandma Ye thought that Ye Yong was already 19 years old. It was one thing to be poor, but if he didn't even have a separate room, how could he find a wife?
Grandma Ye sighed softly and nodded in agreement: "Okay."
Mrs. Du breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what, Yong'er finally had a chance to find a wife.
Ye Daquan frowned, feeling very sorry for his sister having to make room for him.
But they also knew that the eldest son needed to get married. He couldn't possibly continue to live with his two brothers after the wedding!
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