Chapter 60 Treat Her
Mother Xu moaned, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and looked like she was about to faint, "Ah, no, it's just an old problem. I got the confinement disease when I gave birth to a child when I was young, and I've been working hard all year round. After your sister-in-law passed away, I have been taking care of the child day and night, and I haven't slept well every day."
Lin Shu sneered in her heart, are you here to make fun of me or what? No matter how tired
you are, you are taking care of your son's child, not mine. I am also taking care of your son's daughter, and I am not making fun of you.
Could it be that my mother-in-law wanted to give you a bucket of corn rice yesterday to dig out your heart, and you want to take it back today?
Not knowing whether the other party has made her mind clear, Lin Shu decided to let her act for a while longer.
Mother Xu wiped her eyelids and glanced at Xu Xiaoyou, and then said in a breathless tone: "Ah, this child is with her little aunt. Her little aunt has worked hard. Your mother went to bring a lot of food yesterday. I think I can't just give food without vegetables, so... ahem, send a basket of vegetables."
Lin Shu raised her eyebrows. Oh, it turned out that she came here to be gloomy about food.
Are you blaming my mother-in-law for not letting you take care of the child for nothing? You go to ask you for food, and you send vegetables to mock?
What else do you have? I'm standing in front of you, and you refer to me as "her little aunt"?
The smell of tea is really pungent.
Regardless of the original owner's memory or the original plot in the book, Lin Shu doesn't like the part about old woman Xu.
In the original book, although Xu Xiaoyou was bullied by her stepmother and everyone blamed her, Xu Xiaoyou knew that she was always bullied by her grandmother, and her stepmother protected her.
When she was a child, her grandmother didn't give her food, and her stepmother despised her and felt sorry for her, so she sent her to the Lu family.
In fact, her grandmother didn't want her to go to the Lu family, because she had to help with housework at home. She couldn't do heavy work, but she could still do things like lighting the fire, sweeping the yard, feeding chickens, mowing the grass, and washing clothes.
In the original book, after her uncle-in-law died, the little heroine could only do housework at home under the supervision of her grandmother.
Once, she was boiling water and scooping water into a soup pot. Because the small stool she was standing on broke apart, she fell directly into the pot. Fortunately, her stepmother heard the noise and picked her up immediately.
But one of her hands was still pressed in, and it was burned red on the spot.
The stepmother pressed her hand into the well water and wanted to take her to the hospital, but the grandmother did not allow her to spend money, saying that girls should suffer and there was no need to waste money.
The stepmother did not listen to the grandmother and took the little girl to the commune health center. Fortunately, she was treated in time. Although she suffered blisters and scabs on her hands, she did not have scars later.
But the grandmother kept making trouble, blaming the stepmother for wasting the family's money and finding faults every day.
Grandma even pretended to accidentally let the secret slip to others, saying that the stepmother looked kind but was actually evil-minded. She pushed the stepdaughter down and burned her hand. She was scolded by her stepdaughter before she was sent to the hospital. She was afraid that the man would know so she asked her to help hide it.
Grandma also said that the stepmother was stingy, didn’t give the stepdaughter food, regarded the stepson as a thorn in her eyes, and only wanted to give her own son good food and clothes.
But the little heroine actually saw it all. Grandma was not good to the stepmother either. She always instigated her father behind the stepmother’s back and said bad things about the stepmother.
Grandma couldn’t bear to eat it herself. She kept the good things for her son and grandson, and didn’t let the stepmother and her eat it. Anyway, women in the family didn’t deserve to have a full meal. The stepmother
was so hungry that she didn’t want to go home for dinner. She wanted to eat at school, but Grandma said that it was close to home and there was no need to eat at school.
The stepmother was so hungry that she often went to her parents' home for a bite to eat. Even so, she became thinner and thinner, and as a result, the first child died of hunger. Grandma
Fang came over and scolded grandma, and grandma pretended to be pitiful and said that she didn't know, it was not her fault, the family was all run by the daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law had the final say on what to eat.
But the little heroine was smart since she was a child, and she could see clearly that although grandma let the stepmother run the family on the surface, in fact, grandma had the final say in this family.
Grandma said to do something, and if you didn't follow her, she would keep doing it until you were exhausted and weak, and you had to listen to her.
If you didn't listen, she would start with a soft attack with tears. She
didn't eat or drink, and kept crying, accusing while crying.
How miserable and difficult her life was. She lost several babies during pregnancy. Her mother-in-law tortured her and made her suffer from postpartum diseases. She was tired of taking care of the children. Her husband beat her.
She almost starved to death because of the children... If she still didn't listen, she would use force. She was so weak that she couldn't beat anyone, so she started to seek death.
Fasting was a daily behavior. Then she would strangle me with a rope, or she would say that living was a burden and she would jump into the river and choke to death... After
such a set of boxing, singing, reciting, acting and fighting, most people can't stand it.
Not to mention the pressure of filial piety on the son and daughter-in-law.
The neighbors had to persuade them, how could they not be filial? How could they make the old lady so sad?
What a big deal!
So, in the end, she had the final say on all matters, big or small. She also had to say, "I don't know, I don't care, our family is headed by the daughter-in-law."
The stepmother didn't drive her crazy, it was the stepmother who was big-hearted and thick-skinned.
However, the stepmother's family suffered misfortunes one after another. Her brother and sister-in-law died, her father died, her mother was blind, and she was controlled by her father's cold violence. She was tortured by life and gradually became numb and darkened. The girl who was originally full of energy and youth turned into a numb and rough yellow-faced woman. She disliked her stepdaughter more and more
. When her grandmother said she wanted to find a husband for her when her stepdaughter grew up, the stepmother didn't stop her.
So Xu Xiaoyou ran away.
She didn't understand why the stepmother liked her father and why she didn't run away. The stepmother liked her father so much, but her father didn't like him.
No matter who he said he loved, he only loved himself!
He started out like an ascetic monk who hated women, and then he became like a playboy, a womanizer.
Later, he dated several women at the same time, got drunk and said he was lonely.
Xu Xiaoyou thought he was a jerk!
He didn't deserve to be loved by anyone, but what was infuriating was that his stepmother loved him without regrets, and she didn't leave him even though he hurt her all over.
Xu Xiaoyou later analyzed that his stepmother had dedicated her youth and everything to him, and even gave birth to children for him. She was trapped by his brainwashing, and her spirit and vitality were all sucked dry by him.
If she left, it would mean denying all her tracks and values in the world, and then she would have no meaning to exist.
Her sunk costs were too high, and she was trapped in a cage for life and couldn't escape.
Fifteen-year-old Xu Xiaoyou didn't understand such profound truths, so she ran away by herself.
After learning about the Xu family's affairs, Lin Shu looked at Xu's mother with particularly complicated eyes.
Fang Dihua is such a powerful person, she is not afraid of being scolded as a violent woman, and dares to fight with men, but she has no tricks against Xu's mother, an old woman. People like
Xu's mother appear to be weak and fragile. You can poke her to death with a finger, and you can scare her to death by yelling, but you are not her opponent.
She is not afraid of pain or suffering. If you hit her, she can endure it and cry miserably, which is pitiful.
If you don't give her food, she will be hungry. If you let her work, she will be exhausted. Anyway, she is willing to suffer for her sons and grandchildren.
She is afraid that the woman who she thinks should suffer as much as she does will not feel pain or suffering.
She can't bear to see her daughter-in-law and granddaughter eat their fill, or sit idle without working. She is afraid that her daughter-in-law and granddaughter will live a happier life than her.
Lin Shu insists that Xu Xiaoyou eat and drink enough, go to school and play, and live a comfortable and happy life every day!
It will make the old green tea girl angry.
She doesn't want to care about Lu Hehuan.
Lu Hehuan is obsessed with love, and no one can pull her back unless she gets over it.
After all, she is obsessed with love. The man uses cold violence on her, but she thinks that he didn't hit me, he loves me so much.
The man hit her, but she said that he didn't hit other women but only hit me, he loves me so much.
He was with another woman, and she still said that he earned money to support me, and didn't spend his salary on that woman. He married me and let me serve his mother, and he loved me so much...
Lin Shu didn't intend to take care of Lu Hehuan's affairs, which was thankless. After all, Fang Dihua, her biological mother, didn't have a son.
But this doesn't mean that Xu's mother can use her "I am weak, so I am right" approach to bully Fang Dihua.
Whoever bullies my mother-in-law is bullying me, and I will never allow it!
Lin Shu faced Xu's mother's face, which was very haggard but still showed the beautiful features of her youth.
She looks like a pretty lady, how could she be so twisted? She
really deserves a beating.
You rely on your weakness, and Fang Dihua, a strong woman, doesn't dare to hit you, right?
That's good, I'm also weak, we are equally matched, and we are evenly matched.
People like Xu's mother are most afraid that others don't know the hardships and sins she has endured. She is most afraid that others will deny the hardships and sins she has endured.
Then she will deny her hard work and suffering, saying that she is asking for trouble by making trouble, and scolding her son for being unfilial. Not only will she not praise her for being so great, but she will also deny her and her son from the root.
Let's see if she will be anxious.
After Lin Shu thought it through, she immediately smiled, warmly took Xu's mother's arm, and said loudly:
"Auntie, my mother-in-law has always said that you are a kind and honest person, and you will not let me raise a child for nothing.
I didn't believe it before, and thought that you, the Xu family, just wanted to take advantage of me. Not only did you not give my sister-in-law a dowry, but Xu Shihua also took away my sister-in-law's job. Look, how ignorant Xu Shihua is!"
Lin Shu raised her voice and emphasized the three words Xu Shihua to make sure everyone could hear clearly. She wanted to promote Xu Shihua's reputation.
Mother Xu was so angry that her face turned pale and she was shaking all over. She was about to retort, "You, don't talk nonsense, my son..."
Lin Shu immediately rushed over to her and said in a crisp voice, "Auntie, don't be anxious. Xu Shihua is ignorant, and you didn't instigate it, right? You said that he, a grown man, didn't hurry home after work, and let his wife grind the mill and fetch water, let his mother feed the pigs, and let his wife's sister-in-law take care of the daughter. Oh, I misunderstood, I apologize to you, auntie. You didn't pick the door, it was Xu Shihua who was ignorant."
Lin Shu's voice was sweet, and although she spoke loudly, it was not harsh. Instead, the ups and downs of her voice made people listen to it as beautiful as singing an opera, and they wanted to continue listening.
Jin Ping'er and several old ladies and men were there, praising Xu's mother, "She is a kind person, she should pay five yuan as a reward for the
hard work of Shaotang's wife." The 93-year-old old uncle said, "Instead of paying the hard work, buy two meters of flowered cloth for the young wife so that she can make new clothes for her husband to wear when he comes back."
The old woman next to him patted his knees to shut him up.
Lin Shu snatched Xu's mother's basket and put it on the ground, then she pushed Xu's mother and said loudly: "Auntie, you are too polite. You asked my family to scoop two scoops of fine noodles? What? You said that Xu Shihua used the food coupons to buy fine noodles and brought them back for Xiaoyou? That's great. He is a father who loves his children. I misunderstood him. Oh, you still want to give her a few eggs? Yes, yes, yes, I will go and get them from you now."
Without saying a word, she carried Xu's mother to the north, and did not forget to turn around and ask Jin Ping'er and others to help look after the child.
Jin Ping'er: "Go, your aunt is a kind person, we all heard it!"
In order to appear pitiful and fragile, Xu's mother usually did not eat enough, and today she deliberately ate even less. Low blood sugar and low blood pressure made her really dizzy.
Lin Shu was weaker than the others, but she was bigger than Xu's mother, so she was more than enough to carry her.
Lin Shu held Xu's mother and went to Xu's house in Houtun.
Lu Hehuan went to work, and Xu Shihua was at home.
He was sitting on a chair in the yard with a handwritten poetry collection in his hand, staring at the sky in a trance, while his son was playing with a paper windmill on the ground.
Seeing Lin Shu suddenly coming, Xu Shihua's originally dull eyes suddenly lit up, and he stood up and walked forward, and then he saw Lin Shu supporting his mother.
He was startled: "Mom, what's wrong?"
Lin Shu: "Get out of the way, auntie is fine. She said Xiaoyou is staying at my place and I am working too hard, so she wants to give me five yuan as a reward. She also said Xiaoyou can't eat my family's food for free, so she asked me to scoop two buckets of flour. Where is the flour?"
Xu Shihua is a thin man, about 175 cm tall, wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses, with very fair skin, and a look of sadness between his brows all year round.
He is not the kind of man who is very energetic and aggressive. When he meets a fierce person, his first reaction is to avoid and avoid conflict.
When Lin Shu asked this, he subconsciously pointed to the main room.
When Lin Shu entered the room, she saw a white flour bag on the table, with about five pounds of flour in it. She walked up and carried it directly.
Xu's mother: "No, no."
Lin Shu said loudly: "Auntie, you are so kind, you even gave me eggs!"
She saw a gourd ladle with two onions on the table, so she turned the ladle over and knocked it, then went to look for eggs.
Xu's house was empty, with no furniture, and the basket for eggs was under the table.
Seeing this, Lin Shu started to pack eggs, both chicken and duck eggs.
Xu's mother rushed over, grabbed Lin Shu's hand tightly, and begged, "Her aunt, you can't, you can't take it away. I can not eat it, but his father, your sister-in-law and my grandson, they can't not eat it."
Lin Shu smiled and said, "Auntie, what are you talking about, I didn't take all, there's still some in there. Besides, isn't the chicken still laying?"
Xu's mother grabbed the bag of noodles again, gritting her teeth and crying, "Her aunt, you can't take it away, doesn't your sister-in-law have to eat too?"
Lin Shu raised her eyebrows and laughed softly, "Auntie, can my sister-in-law have a bite of noodles? Can she bear to eat it? You... Are you willing to let her eat? Look how plump she was originally, but after marrying your family for more than half a year, she has been like a refugee who can't afford to eat. You said she is young and hasn't had a child yet, is it because you starved her? What if she gets pregnant, doesn't have enough food and has to do heavy work, and if she dies, she will be your Xu family's grandson. "
She lowered her voice, "Do you want to continue to let your daughter-in-law die, and then you continue to take care of the children?"
Mother Xu was frightened by her and her face changed, "I didn't stop her from eating, she is the head of the family here, how could she not eat enough?"
Lin Shu held Mother Xu's thin wrist and pulled it apart easily.
This old green tea wants to show how miserable and difficult she is. She is really hungry and can't bear to eat, and she can't bear to give it to her daughter-in-law and granddaughter.
Why did Xu Xiaoyou's mother die in childbirth!
Isn't it because she can't bear to let him go hungry?
Now Lu Hehuan makes her own money, but Xu's mother still treats her like this.
What's the matter? Is your home a death field for your daughter-in-law?
Aren't you pretending to me? Aren't you being weird to me? If
you dare to give it to me, I dare to take it.
Those who set up the gambling game are obviously scammers. Why don't they just rob you of your money instead of tricking you into gambling and then come to take your house and car?
Of course, it is to establish a legal connection with you.
Is it okay to rob for nothing? But it's okay if you owe them.
Your granddaughter is raised in my house, and you go to deliver the food yourself. You give me such a good excuse, how can I not take advantage of it and come over to get more?
If I don't do this, how can I justify your calculations as a green tea?
It's not in your script, right?
That's right.
Xu's mother called out weakly, "Hua Zi, hold her back, don't let her take it away."
Who is Xu Shihua?
He is a poet, not a vulgar person, how can he look down on
people arguing over a little flour? He can argue with people about who is greater, Confucius or Socrates, who reflects reality better, Water Margin or Les Miserables, and whether ancient poetry or modern poetry has more practical value, but he can't argue with people over a bowl of rice.
Especially with a beautiful woman with a bright and radiant appearance, who seems to illuminate the entire lifeless sky around her and has a very strong vitality.
He felt the vigorous vitality from her, which is what he wanted.
"Lin..."
Before he could finish his words, Lin Shu interrupted him, "Call me sister-in-law! I'll help you look after the children. Your mother said she would give you five taels of money, noodles and eggs. I'm going to take them back now."
Xu Shihua: "Let's talk nicely."
Lin Shu: "You are not a serious person. Stay away from me. I won't talk to you."
Xu Shihua's face turned pale, "Sister-in-law, why are you humiliating me like this?"
Lin Shu sneered, "You pretend to write poetry, but what classic masterpieces have you written? In which newspapers and magazines have you published them?"
Xu Shihua's face turned paler and he defended himself, "In today's world, there is no way out for writers. It's not that I'm incompetent. My works..."
"Pfft!" Lin Shu said sarcastically, "Our leader also writes poetry, and you also write poetry. Do you think you are very good and talented?" She said in a tone that said, "You can't even take care of your wife and children, and you still write poetry. I think you are a reincarnated vampire."
After saying that, she pushed Xu's mother away, carried the flour bag on her back, and strode out with the eggs in her hand.
We'll talk about the five yuan later.
Xu's mother chased after him, but she was too weak and fell down in the yard after running two steps. She urged Xu Shihua, "Hua Zi, hurry up and chase after him. Leave the bag of flour behind. Leave it behind. It's food for you and Yaoyao."
Xu Shihua was not the kind of person who was willing to quarrel with others in the street. Moreover, he had to save face. He felt ashamed when Lin Shu accused him of not taking care of his wife and children and leaving his daughter to her to raise.
He said, "Mom, why did you send Xiaoyou to trouble relatives?"
Xu's mother sat on the ground, "Why me? Isn't it because your wife is lazy? She refused to take care of the child and left it to me because she was tired. You see, I cook, feed pigs and take care of Yaoyao every day. How can I have time to take care of other things? I'm almost exhausted."
Xu Shihua didn't say anything.
He was afraid that his mother would nag him, so he hurried out.
Lin Shu was carrying a bag of noodles when she went out. When she saw Xu Shihua chasing after her, she said, "Auntie, you're welcome. I'll come back to get it after I finish eating. No need
for you to send it." She turned around and left. How can I win without curing this disease for you?