Seeing Shen Ying kneeling so smoothly, Zhao Meiyun was even more furious. She had been wondering if she had misunderstood her son and was waiting for his explanation. Now, the facts were undeniable; she hadn't wronged him at all.
Zhao Meiyun grew angrier the more she thought about it. She picked up the feather duster hanging on the wall and was about to hit the man hard, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.
After a long standoff, she threw the feather duster on the bed, knelt down in front of her son, and burst into tears.
"What sins have I committed to give birth to a son like you? Your father passed away early, and our family was so poor that we didn't know where our next meal would come from. We had to tighten our belts every day to make ends meet."
For this reason, your older brother went to the next town to become a live-in son-in-law. He originally planned to use the money he received for his marriage and the rest of the family's savings to find you a wife, so you wouldn't have to suffer any scorn at other people's homes.
Everyone who knew about our family situation avoided us like the plague, except for Jiang Yu's father, who was willing to let her marry into the family. But you insisted on being that heartless Chen Shimei (a notorious figure in Chinese folklore known for abandoning his wife). You have no conscience!
Zhao Meiyun became more and more agitated as she spoke, her hands trembling uncontrollably. Although she knew that Jiang Chun had married her daughter off for the dowry, she also understood the prejudice her daughter-in-law had held against their family over the years.
But she was, after all, the woman who had given birth to two children for their family, and she was growing to like Jiang Yu more and more. How could she let her son do something like abandoning his wife and children?
Not to mention the criticism she's receiving, what about her child? What about Jiang Yu?
"Mom, what are you saying?"
Shen Ying's brows furrowed into a deep line as he still processed Zhao Meiyun's words. What did Chen Shimei have to do with him?
"Do you dare say that you didn't come home tonight to help Sui Sui with her homework because you had something to do? I heard that you decided to go out on a date with another woman and left Jiang Yu alone at the clothing store?"
In Zhao Meiyun's opinion, if it was just as Shen Wan said, there must be some inside story. But she clearly saw that Jiang Yu always looked sullen from the time she returned until she left for Wang Cuihua's house, so it was hard not to think about it.
"Although I don't know where you heard the rumor, I still have to explain. I did have something to do tonight, but it has absolutely nothing to do with Chen Shimei's situation. Besides, there were quite a few people present tonight. If you really don't believe me, go to the military compound and ask around to see what kind of person I, Shen Ying, really am."
His voice was loud and clear, laced with anger. If he found out who was gossiping, he would definitely rip out their tongues.
After hearing this, Zhao Meiyun breathed a sigh of relief. Knowing that Shen Ying had never lied since childhood, she gave a general account of everything that had happened that day.
Upon learning that it was his younger sister who had complained, Shen Ying felt a headache coming on. He thought he would find some time to have a serious talk with Shen Wan.
"When Jiang Yu comes back, have a good talk with her. Don't let such a small thing cause a conflict and affect your relationship."
Zhao Meiyun gave him some words of advice out of concern. She was getting old, and now that her relationship with Jiang Yu had improved, she treated her like her own daughter, and she couldn't bear to see their relationship break down.
"knew."
Shen answered readily, got up and went to the outer room, picked up his bowl and chopsticks, ate all the food he had just eaten, and even washed the dishes and tidied up the table and chairs.
After Zhao Meiyun's mood improved, she gradually became more talkative. She chattered on and on about the three siblings' childhood, filled with emotion, and couldn't help but feel sad again.
"It's my fault for being incompetent, making your older brother a live-in son-in-law. He probably hasn't had an easy time these past few years. If you have the chance, go and see him."
When people get old, all they think about is family reunion.
When Shen Ying's older brother Shen Ci got married, he was already working outside, thinking that he would join the army when he reached the appropriate age, so he had almost no memory of his older brother's affairs.
The most memorable person was his sister-in-law, whom he only met once. Not only was she overweight, but she also had a fierce demeanor. Upon arriving at their house, she immediately launched into a tirade of accusations. His older brother stood by, too afraid to speak, looking so timid and submissive that it was heartbreaking to see.
Zhao Meiyun's words brought him back to his senses. He stood up, patted his legs, and sighed.
"Let's forget about it. We used a middleman back then. Your brother has been someone else's man since the day he got married, so let's not bother him anymore."
Seeing his mother's sorrowful expression, Shen Ying was about to say that the leaders would be visiting their area in a couple of days, and he could go with them when the sound of the door opening came from outside.
Chen Niannian skipped and hopped into the house. Seeing her father and grandmother's somber expressions, she asked, somewhat puzzled:
"What secret are you talking about? I'd love to hear it every year."
"No, he's talking to your dad about his childhood."
Zhao Meiyun explained with a smile that she didn't know if Jiang Yu would mind Shen Ci's matter, and she didn't dare to take the risk. Life had finally started to improve, so it was best to forget some things.
As soon as she finished speaking, the three people behind her returned. Seeing that Jiang Yu's expression had softened considerably, Shen Ying spoke:
"Comrade Jiang Yu, come out for a moment, I have something to say."
He tried his best to sound gentle, but his speaking style hadn't changed overnight, startling Shen Wan who was about to speak:
"Is my second brother going to argue with my sister-in-law?" But looking at Zhao Meiyun's expression, which was calm, he patted his chest and breathed a sigh of relief.
In the yard, Xiao Hei lay beside its kennel, looking around. It was a full moon, cloudless, making the ground shine as brightly as day.
Jiang Yu followed the man to the backyard, where they stopped. In her opinion, there was nothing to say, so she kicked a pebble and spoke calmly:
"Speak quickly, I have other things to do."
Her tone was somewhat impatient. While waiting for the man's reply, she glanced around every now and then. Shen Ying hesitated for a long while before asking:
Are you cold?
"It's not cold."
Jiang Yu answered decisively. Although she didn't know why he had called her out to talk about this, she showed respect.
"That's good."
Shen Ying continued talking in a disjointed manner, but Jiang Yu remained silent and did not respond to his next words.
Slowly, the man spoke:
"Jiang Yu, I went to the dinner party today hoping to find out some things from Deng Wei. But I can't tell you these things right now."
I just wanted to use her; I didn't do anything wrong. Because that woman was so infuriating, Bai Chen and I went inside, sat for a while, and then left.
Shen Ying spent a long time explaining, trying her best to avoid the topic of the lost child. Jiang Yu didn't seem to care much about it and couldn't help but respond:
"Actually, you don't need to tell me these things, it's unnecessary."
Just live together as a couple, why make so much trouble?
The scene fell silent for a moment. After nearly five minutes, Jiang Yu wanted to go back, and the man spoke calmly:
"Someone in the city is spreading rumors about you. She knows a lot about you and must be someone close to you."
Shen Ying had guessed it was Jiang Meier and was planning to have someone look for her. But no matter what, he needed to tell the woman in advance so she could be mentally prepared.
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