On the winter solstice, Zhao Zhaodi arrived very early with her child and husband.
There was nothing she could do. Her mother-in-law said she was too stupid and didn't know how to please people, so she didn't trust her to come alone and instead called her husband to come along.
Zhao Zhaodi really wanted to say that even if the head of the household came, it would be the same; he was not as good as her, and he was even more tongue-tied.
She had tried to please Xiaoyu and the others before, but did she succeed? They just ignored her.
But she had no choice; she was afraid of her mother-in-law and dared not disobey her.
She took her two children and went back to her parents' home first, then came to her maternal grandparents' home with her parents.
"Mom, what's wrong with you all? What happened to the injuries on my younger brother's face last time? You wouldn't tell me. They seem strange now; they're ignoring each other."
Li knew that her son was in a very bad situation. Today, Sanzhuzi did not come home for the holiday, saying that he was spending it with his brothers in the county town. Neither of his grandmothers would let him into their homes.
The eldest and second sons ignored each other completely. In fact, the second son treated them like thieves and didn't want to have anything to do with them at all.
If it weren't for her mother's recent poor health and the head of the household's insistence that everyone must be present, she would have doubted that her second son would have come home.
Then there's Guo, who hides in her room as soon as she gets back, and you can't get her to come out no matter how much you call her. Not only does she hide in her room, but the children do too.
She was really annoyed, as if they would be in danger if they went out.
Before, when my grandchildren came home, the house would have a bit of warmth and life, and my daughter could play with her grandson. Now, they don't even go out.
The eldest son looked at his second son's family like a wolf seeing sheep, especially his eldest grandson, whose eyes practically gleamed with greed.
Oh no!
He was worried about his second son's lack of respect for his brothers, and even more afraid that his eldest son would do something wrong and harm the children.
Regardless, the child is their own grandson.
"Don't mention it. I'll tell you next time I have time. Anyway, it's a long story."
Fine, if Mom doesn't want to say, then she doesn't want to say. I can tell from the looks of it that the two of them must have had a fight.
She knew before that her parents wanted Erzhuzi to give the work to her younger brother, but he didn't agree. Later, her parents wanted her younger brother to adopt a son for her older brother, but he didn't agree again.
He repeatedly disobeyed his parents' decisions, which infuriated them.
The two families are currently at odds and fighting; it seems there are only these two things at play.
Actually, she felt that her parents were being too presumptuous. Why should their son be given away to someone else? Who would be willing to part with him? They had finally managed to get a job from Xiaoyu, how could they possibly give it to Dazhu?
The younger brothers have already separated from the family. After separating, which family doesn't only care about itself?
Before the family split up, my parents were unwilling to send their child to my third uncle to raise. After the family split up, they only cared about their own little family.
So what can I say? You don't feel the pain until you've cut your own flesh, but when your parents talk about your younger brother, they forget about their own past.
However, she couldn't say anything about it, since it was a matter for her family, and she was already married.
"Mother, try to think more positively. Let your younger brother handle his own affairs. You can help if you can, but if you can't, then forget it. In any case, he's not a child anymore, and he should be able to handle his own problems."
That makes sense, but who could do that to their own son?
“Zhaodi, you’re a mother now, you should know that we absolutely cannot abandon Dazhuzi. He’s had a hard life, his health is poor, he has no wife, no children, and no means of livelihood. We don’t know what he will do in the future.”
Zhao Zhaodi scoffed, "Mother, stop talking. Is he not well? Look at his tall and strong body, how could he not be well? He's just too lazy to work in the fields."
If you and Dad completely abandon him, do you think he'll starve to death?
Li fell silent. She knew that her eldest son was unwilling to move because he had someone to rely on, but what could she say?
Now that he's the only one by their side, they're willing to spoil him a little more.
Seeing that her mother was unhappy, Zhao Zhaodi reluctantly shut up, hoping that her child would be more obedient in the future and not be like Dazhuzi, otherwise she might really not want him anymore.
After holding back for a while, I couldn't help but say, "Mother, this time you want my second brother to do the work or my son? Look at their dark faces, they look like we're their enemies."
“Your second brother is learning to be heartless now. He’s been corrupted by Guo Shi. He hasn’t learned anything good in the county town either. Guo Shi is pregnant again. What’s wrong with giving Dazhu a child? He’s such an ignorant brat.”
That's really true.
“You were very fertile back then, but you still didn’t want to give your third uncle one. You even called them shameless and said, ‘If you’re so capable, have your own children. What’s the point of wanting other people’s children?’”
Another person brought up the past, and Li became angry. "You two only know how to nitpick our mistakes, don't you? Back then, do you think anyone would want to give their son to your third uncle? Could he even raise him?"
“Dazhuzi is not as good as Third Uncle. At least Third Uncle and Third Aunt are hardworking. Look at him, what would he do without you and Dad? Any family with a child like him would be extremely unlucky. Having a father like that, what else is there for him but a burden for the rest of his life?”
Li didn't want to admit that her daughter was right, but she had to admit that she wasn't wrong.
They knew what Da Zhuzi's motives were in wanting Er Zhuzi's child, after all, it was his own flesh and blood.
"Alright, shut up. Everyone says daughters are considerate, but where are you considerate? Are you trying to make me angry? You say your younger brother isn't doing well, but look at how well you've been doing these past few years."
"You'd be better off using the same skills you have for me on your mother-in-law. You're a bully at home, only good at picking on me, but outside you're a complete pushover."
Zhao Zhaodi stopped talking, picked up the child, and walked forward with her head down.
Every family has its own problems, but theirs are even more complicated than her own family's. What can she do?
To put it bluntly, the relationship between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law mainly depends on the man. If her husband is willing to support her, the mother-in-law will naturally not dare to control her, like my father in the past and my third uncle later.
Besides telling her to be patient and filial, what else can her husband do? He gets angry if she nags him a little, scolds her for being unfilial, and even wants to send her back to her parents' home, teach her a lesson, and then send her back.
What can she do besides tolerate her husband's lack of understanding?
However, the more you give in, the more you sometimes suffer, and the less others will take you seriously.
"Mom, if I could choose for myself, I would never marry into their family, not even a poorer one. To be honest, sometimes I envy Ruxin. At least she can be in charge at home, except she doesn't have children. Do you know what it feels like to be controlled in everything?"
Back then you said how wonderful their family was, how good my mother-in-law was, and how ambitious the man was. Did you not investigate properly, or did the matchmaker deceive you?
Li opened her mouth but didn't know what to say. Back then, all she cared about was how much land his family owned, how much savings they had, and how much dowry they would give.
What family doesn't care about these things when their daughter gets married? This girl is just too fussy.
What? Is it your fault?
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