Luo felt a mix of emotions as she thought of her elderly mother.
Her mother was widowed at a young age and raised four children on her own, which was a very difficult life.
Even after all four siblings got married, their mother was still a hard-working woman.
Especially after her eldest and second eldest brothers got married and had children, her mother had even more to worry about. She not only had to put up with her two sisters-in-law's temper, but also had to earn money to support her grandchildren.
Sometimes, although she hated that her mother favored her eldest and second eldest brothers, she still felt sorry for her mother.
"Brother! We'll visit Mother next time. The most important thing right now is to cure your illness."
Ms. Luo didn't bring any gifts; she was too embarrassed to visit her second brother's house.
Xiao Jingchuan's thoughts had long since drifted away. His memory of his grandmother was that of a sharp-tongued, patriarchal old woman. Every time he visited her, she would always save all the good food for her grandsons—those so-called "precious" cousins. They could freely choose their favorite foods, while Xiao Jingchuan could only watch silently, never even having a chance to taste a bite. This treatment made him feel incredibly wronged and disappointed, but he dared not show it.
As time went on, Xiao Jingchuan's enthusiasm for his maternal grandmother's house gradually cooled down, and he was no longer willing to go to that place full of prejudice and indifference.
However, his second uncle was a completely different person. In comparison, his second uncle was more cunning and adept at using various means to maintain family harmony.
He is a hardworking and capable man who takes care of almost all the household chores.
Moreover, my second uncle is very skilled at handling conflicts between his mother and daughter-in-law, ensuring a harmonious family atmosphere. Furthermore, he is genuinely kind to his maternal grandmother, demonstrating his kindness and filial piety.
Although he spent very little time with his second uncle and his wife, he felt that his second aunt was not like his eldest aunt, who would humiliate them at the drop of a hat.
At least my second aunt knows how to consider the bigger picture and doesn't easily lose her temper or ridicule others.
Seeing his mother-in-law looking sad, Shen Yunsheng smiled and suggested, "Mother! If you want to visit Grandma, I'll drive you there."
Xiao Jingchuan casually chimed in, "Mother! Let's go take a look! You haven't seen Grandma in a long time, it's a good opportunity to have a good chat with her."
Mrs. Luo looked at her son and his wife with emotion. No matter how old a daughter is, she will always want to stick close to her mother.
Besides, her mother is getting older, so she'll spend as much time with her as she can.
“Sheng’er! Your second uncle’s house is at the east end of the village. We can walk there.”
Luo Zhiqin also wanted to visit his mother. Since they separated their households, his mother had been living with his second brother and would only come to their house when there was something to do.
"Big sister! I'll go with you."
Luo nodded in agreement. She smiled and glanced at her elder brother before helping him out of the courtyard. Shen Yunsheng and his wife followed.
The group walked towards the east end of the village, chatting with Luo's elder brother along the way.
Soon, they arrived at their second uncle's house.
"Oh, big sister, big brother, what brings you here? Come in and sit down!" Aunt Pan, the second aunt, greeted them warmly.
When Luo saw her mother, Lu, sunbathing in the courtyard, she quickly went over and called out, "Mother!"
When Madam Lu looked up and saw her eldest daughter bringing her son and daughter-in-law to the house, a joyful smile appeared on her face.
“That…that’s Chuan’er?” Madam Lu’s gaze fell on Xiao Jingchuan.
She hadn't seen her grandson for many years. Some time ago, she heard that he had returned. She wanted to visit him, but she was too busy at home.
"Grandma! It's me, Chuan'er. I heard from my eldest uncle that you're not feeling well. What's wrong?"
Xiao Jingchuan first bowed to his grandmother, then asked in a gentle voice.
Ms. Lu frowned slightly. In the past six months, her health had been deteriorating, especially her eyes, which were becoming increasingly severe. They not only frequently watered but also became itchy.
Sometimes, she felt like she was surrounded by black mosquitoes flying around everywhere.
"Alas, I'm getting old and useless." Madam Lu sighed. "Chuan'er, are you married yet?"
Xiao Jingchuan glanced at Madam Luo, then took Madam Lu's hand. "Grandma, I'm already married. This is your granddaughter-in-law, named Shen Yunsheng."
"Oh, that's wonderful." A satisfied smile appeared on Madam Lu's face, then she sighed softly, "She's truly a good girl. I wonder where she's from?"
Xiao Jingchuan was startled by these words. He and his wife had been betrothed since childhood, and now his grandmother was asking where his wife was from? This surprised him greatly. After all, the relationship between their two families was already very close, and they should be very familiar with each other's situations.
However, why would his grandmother suddenly ask such a question? Xiao Jingchuan couldn't figure out the reason for a moment.
Watching from the side, Luo felt a pang of sadness. She knew her mother had always favored her two older brothers and younger sister, and hadn't paid much attention to her, her daughter. But seeing her mother's aged appearance, her heart softened.
"Mother, what's wrong with your eyes? Should we see a doctor?" Madam Luo asked with concern.
"I've seen a doctor, and he said there's nothing seriously wrong, just that I'm old." Madam Lu shook her head. "Don't worry, I'm fine."
After hesitating for a moment, Luo said, "Mother, why don't you come back with us and stay for a while? That way, we can take care of you."
Madam Lu was stunned; she hadn't expected Madam Luo to say that. She looked at Madam Luo, then at Xiao Jingchuan and his wife.
Seeing the puzzled expressions on Shen Yunsheng and his wife's faces, Madam Pan couldn't help but laugh: "Chuan'er, don't be surprised. Your grandmother has become increasingly confused these past two years. She often forgets things that happened before, and sometimes she even mistakes your cousin-in-law for your mother and apologizes to her!"
Shen Yunsheng was startled. She thought to herself that, based on her medical knowledge from her previous life, the old lady's condition should be what is known as Alzheimer's disease, or senile dementia. She couldn't help but sigh, thinking that the reason the old lady was like this was probably because she had always felt indebted to her mother-in-law and could never let go of her resentment, which led to the worsening of her condition.
As Luo recalled the past, she couldn't help but shed tears. She felt her mother's life had been too bitter.
While heartbroken, Luo glanced at her daughter-in-law beside her.
"Sheng'er! Look at your grandmother's eyes, is there any hope?"
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