Chapter 47

When Lù Bái Wēi was interning in the county, Lù Jiāo Jiāo went to the educated youth point to ask Hé Yàn for the five yuan needed to apply for the barefoot doctor exam. Hé Yàn ended up arguing with her.

The argument at the educated youth point was explosive.

The news about Yǐn Zhìhé’s impotence spread like wildfire in Xiàngyáng Dàtuì.

By the time Lù Jiāo Jiāo finished arguing with Hé Yàn and returned to her family’s house, her mother-in-law, Shěn Guìxiāng, already knew.

“That crazy woman, Lù Jiāo Jiāo, is going to get herself killed. She went to the educated youth point to embarrass herself and is ruining your reputation everywhere.”

Shěn Guìxiāng, frustrated, scolded her son: “What kind of nonsense is going on in your head? I carefully chose Lù Bái Wēi, that quiet, mild-mannered girl, because I knew she would be easy to handle. But no, you had to get involved with Lù Jiāo Jiāo.”

“Lù Jiāo Jiāo is a spoiled brat, spoiled by Liú Chūnhuā. How do you expect her to have a good temperament?”

“Look at her since the wedding, causing a scene at every turn. She’s climbing all over your head, making a mess.”

“Every day without a beating, that woman dares to go to the educated youth point and ruin your reputation! How are we ever going to hold our heads up in Xiàngyáng Dàtuì?”

“Lù Bái Wēi managed to get into the barefoot doctor exam, and she’s already interning at the county hospital. What has Lù Jiāo Jiāo done? She’s just a lazy good-for-nothing, always expecting me, her mother-in-law, to serve her and never doing anything herself.”

“All she does every day is stir up trouble.”

“If you had listened to me back then, you’d have married the barefoot doctor from the village, whose uncle is the village head and whose other uncle is an officer in the army.”

“How did you end up with this mess…”

Shěn Guìxiāng kept complaining without stopping.

Yǐn Zhìhé regretted it too!

If he had known Lù Jiāo Jiāo was like this, he would never have married her, no matter what.

The more he thought about how he could have married Lù Bái Wēi, with her helping to support him and his mother, the more Yǐn Zhìhé regretted it.

The more he regretted not marrying Lù Bái Wēi, the more he hated Lù Jiāo Jiāo, who was out there ruining his reputation.

The gossip about his inability—how was he going to live in the village after this?

“Mom, now is not the time for this.”

What man could tolerate being called incapable?

Yǐn Zhìhé was furious and wished he could twist Lù Jiāo Jiāo’s neck. “There are rumors spreading in the village, and people are pointing fingers at our door. What do we do now?”

“What to do? If I don’t skin that woman, then my name is not Shěn Guìxiāng.”

Her son was her lifeblood.

Shěn Guìxiāng now hated Lù Jiāo Jiāo with a passion.

She coldly advised Yǐn Zhìhé: “Son, you need to listen to me this time.”

“That nasty woman went back to her family’s house, right? Let’s take some things over there and bring her back.”

“That nasty woman went back to her family’s house, didn’t she? Let’s bring some things over and bring her back home.”

Yǐn Zhìhé thought he had misheard.

He looked stunned. “Mom, what are you saying?”

“Are we really going to bring things and fetch Lù Jiāo Jiāo back?”

“Look, why are you rushing? Let me explain it to you.”

Shěn Guìxiāng’s eyes gleamed with malice. “We need to bring her back first, so we can deal with her properly, right?”

“When that nasty woman falls into our hands, how we deal with her will be entirely up to us, mother and son.”

“If she dares to ruin your reputation in the village, we’ll make sure the whole village knows that Lù Jiāo Jiāo is the one who’s really useless.”

Yǐn Zhìhé became excited. “Mom, what do you suggest we do?”

“Like this, like this…”

Shěn Guìxiāng whispered something into Yǐn Zhìhé’s ear, and both of them couldn’t help but laugh with delight.

After making their plan, Shěn Guìxiāng wasn’t being stingy this time. She and Yǐn Zhìhé took two pounds of flour, a bottle of malt milk, and a jar of orange preserves to visit Lù Jiànguó’s house.

The Lù family was having lunch at the time, and Lù Jiāo Jiāo was about to scoop some egg custard when Liú Chūnhuā reached over with chopsticks and smacked her hand.

“The egg custard is for your brother.”

Lù Jiāo Jiāo, furious, slammed the chopsticks onto the table. “Mom, then what am I supposed to eat?”

“Everything you’ve had since you were little has been for Lù Wénhuá.”

In a fit of anger, Lù Jiāo Jiāo shouted at Liú Chūnhuā, “You gave birth to both of us. Why do you always favor Lù Wénhuá? I’m also a piece of your flesh and blood!”

Lù Jiànguó was watching them at the table.

He had never been happy about Lù Jiāo Jiāo coming home for free meals.

Liú Chūnhuā scolded her, “Don’t you have any self-awareness? Can you compare to Wénhuá?”

“You’re a worthless burden, how can you be compared to Wénhuá?”

“All you do is eat, eat, eat. You’re married, yet you come back to fight with Wénhuá over food. It’s outrageous.”

“Eat some eggplant, have some stir-fried chili. It goes well with rice.”

“Mom, you’re too biased! No wonder my sister doesn’t recognize you.”

This comment struck at Lù Jiànguó’s heart.

Lù Jiāo Jiāo didn’t even notice Lù Jiànguó’s displeasure and continued to argue. Just then, Shěn Guìxiāng and Yǐn Zhìhé entered the house with smiles on their faces.

“Jiāo Jiāo, you’re something! You argued with Zhìhé, slammed the chopsticks, and came back to your parents’ house.”

“Jiāo Jiāo, look at you, just a few words with Zhìhé, you throw the chopsticks and go back to your parents’ house,” Shěn Guìxiāng said with a smile, like a smiling tiger, speaking to Liú Chūnhuā. “Look at Jiāo Jiāo’s temper, spoiled by you. She gets married to Zhìhé, and you can’t say a word to her. The moment you speak, she gives you the cold shoulder.”

“It’s only because I’m such a patient mother-in-law, willing to take care of her and not making a big deal out of it.”

Is this the way you speak to people?

Liú Chūnhuā didn’t believe a word of it.

The injuries on Lù Jiāo Jiāo were undeniable. Her daughter had been beaten, and Liú Chūnhuā wasn’t willing to give Shěn Guìxiāng a good face.

Shěn Guìxiāng took the lead, placing the things she had brought on the table before turning to speak to the head of the household, Lù Jiànguó.

“Dear in-law, look, your son-in-law had an argument with Jiāo Jiāo, but he knows he was wrong.”

“He himself said he would come over to apologize and bring Jiāo Jiāo back home, and even said he would bring the malt milk that her sister bought to offer it to you, her father.”

“There’s also a bottle of orange preserves here, a rare treat. Zhìhé said it’s sweet, and the kids like it. He also wanted to bring it to Wénhuá to try something new.”

“Since Jiāo Jiāo is married to Zhìhé, Wénhuá is also our family’s Zhìhé’s younger brother, isn’t he?”

“Now that several of Wénhuá’s older sisters are married, he’ll be able to live well and be well taken care of by Jiāo Jiāo and her husband.”

Shěn Guìxiāng kept talking and talking, “Inside there are two pounds of flour, too, for Wénhuá to make steamed buns.”

Liú Chūnhuā couldn’t say anything back.

Lù Jiànguó was more than satisfied.

Lù Wénhuá was his pride and joy.

Why did he raise daughters?

He wanted his two daughters to take good care of their younger brother, Lù Wénhuá, and provide for him as he grew up.

Yǐn Zhìhé had a bad habit of being physical, but he was willing to spend on Wénhuá, which was more than anything else.

Just based on that, Lù Jiànguó was certain that Yǐn Zhìhé was a good son-in-law.

And if the Yǐn family really struck gold underground, Lù Jiànguó was confident that Wénhuá would get his share too.

Receiving the gifts from Shěn Guìxiāng, Lù Jiànguó felt pleased and began exercising his power as the head of the family.

“Jiāo Jiāo, every couple has their disagreements, but they always make up. Who doesn’t go through that?”

Lù Jiànguó advised his daughter, “Even the teeth and tongue sometimes clash. Your mother and I argue often too. It’s normal in a marriage. Once it’s over, it’s over.”

“A married daughter shouldn’t always stay at her parents’ house fighting with her brother for food. It doesn’t look right if the people in the village see it.”

No matter how many signs Liú Chūnhuā gave him, Lù Jiànguó firmly concluded, “Alright, the fight is over. Now, go pack up and go back home with your son- in -law.”