Chapter 8: Foolish Daughters

The third son was devastated. When the second son got married, he had nothing. It only cost about eighty yuan in total.

How could he marry his Meina with such a meager amount? He didn’t want Meina to suffer!

The third son didn’t argue with Wu Zhiqiu anymore. Today, his mother was probably angry with the eldest brother and his wife, and he hadn’t spoken up for his mother today, so she was also angry with him.

He would talk about it in a few days, anyway, his mother’s job couldn’t be sold to the eldest brother to raise money, that was enough.

The third son didn’t say anything.

Wu Zhiqiu spoke again, “Starting today, you wash your own clothes, the second daughter-in-law cooks, and the third son and Fengchun take turns doing the housework and washing dishes.”

“Mom!”

“Mom!”

The third son and Fengchun shouted in unison.

“What are you yelling for?” Wu Zhiqiu shouted impatiently.

The third son shrank his neck, he wasn’t in the mood to talk today.

“Mom, I still have to study, how can I have time to do housework?” Li Fengchun always considered herself invisible, but now that her own interests were involved, she had to speak up.

“Mom, it’s okay, I…”

“Shut your trap!” Wu Zhiqiu’s shout stopped the second daughter-in-law’s words in her throat.

“Little girl, does housework interfere with your studies?”

Li Fengchun nodded, “It does.”

Wu Zhiqiu nodded.

Li Fengchun thought that as long as she spoke, her mother wouldn’t make her do chores.

“So, if it doesn’t interfere with your studies, you’ll definitely be able to get into university this year?”

Li Fengchun… she couldn’t be sure, moreover, according to her current grades, she might not even be able to get into a junior college.

She couldn’t get in, in her previous life, she took the exam three times before she got into a junior college! Later, she fell in love with a teacher at school and got a chance to go abroad.

In her previous life, she was definitely the best among her children, besides the eldest son.

But she heard clearly that her youngest daughter didn’t want to give her a penny for surgery expenses when she was outside.

She still wanted to enjoy being served by everyone at home in this life, dreaming! Dreams have everything!

“But if I don’t study, I really won’t have any chance at all!”

“After you get into university and get a job, you’ll give half your salary to the family.” Wu Zhiqiu looked at her youngest daughter expressionlessly.

“Why?” Li Fengchun blurted out.

“Why? Because you enjoy the services the family provides you, because your education was paid for by your mother! Why? If you don’t want to give money to the family in the future, then do your own things from now on, and share the housework! I’m only giving you this one chance to go to university, if you don’t get in, you’ll have to figure out your own tuition and living expenses, my obligation is fulfilled!”

“Mom, are you crazy!”

Wu Zhiqiu raised her hand and slapped her youngest daughter hard.

Fengchun’s face immediately swelled up!

The third son gasped, luckily he was smart, he felt that it wasn’t a good time to provoke his mother today, otherwise, that slap would have been on his face!

The second son and his wife felt a chill down their necks, they quickly covered the children’s eyes.

Li Mancang swallowed. The little girl had never been touched even with a finger since she was little, his wife must have gone crazy today!

“Why did you hit me?” Li Fengchun covered her face.

Because I’m your mother! I tell you to do something, and you dare say I’m crazy? You’re eighteen years old, you’re an adult. If you think this family isn’t good enough for you, you can leave! Don’t act like you look down on this and that!

Li Fengchun’s disdain and disgust for this family were obvious to anyone who wasn’t blind! Since that was the case, Wu Zhiqiu didn’t need to be polite with her. If she had the guts, she could leave now!

If she didn’t have the guts, she would follow the rules of this house!

“Dad!” Li Fengchun called out in a tearful and aggrieved voice.

Li Mancang quickly lowered his head. He didn’t have a say in this family, why bother him? What if his wife beat him later?

“Listen to your mother, your mother is the boss in this house!”

The family… Dad, you don’t have to be so direct! We all know!

Li Fengchun glared at the family angrily. Not a single person spoke up for her, who had only half a year left before the college entrance exam.

They still expected her to get a job and give her salary back? They wanted to suck her blood? Dream on! No one would!

She would do it herself!

Li Fengchun slammed the door and went back to her room!

The remaining people in the room didn’t dare to breathe! The old lady was in a bad mood today, don’t provoke her! Don’t provoke her! Don’t provoke her!

Everyone silently chanted in their hearts. The second daughter-in-law cleaned up the dishes.

The second son lit the kang in the old lady’s room and also made the stove in the room burn brightly. He filled the kettle with boiling water and prepared the footbath for his mother.

Wu Zhiqiu didn’t expect to have this kind of treatment after a day of commotion! In her previous life, she and her husband had never enjoyed this kind of treatment!

It seemed that people had to stand up for themselves! If they thought you were bullying them, your family would take turns bullying you!

Li Mancang looked at the old lady’s footbath with longing eyes.

The second son quickly arranged for his father too.

Li Mancang smiled with a face full of wrinkles. His wife was still the best, look at the second son, he was much better than the eldest son! The eldest son wouldn’t even pour him a glass of water, let alone a footbath!

He had said all along that they should take the eldest son’s salary, his wife had said he was selfish, saying that the eldest son had it hard, look now, they didn’t get anything good!

He just didn’t want to speak, whenever he spoke, he was right! Li Mancang’s feet were warm and comfortable, he thought happily.

Wu Zhiqiu didn’t know what was going on in the old man’s mind. She was closing her eyes and resting, she was still very tired after all the commotion today.

Tomorrow, she still had to demand the dowry from the eldest son, there was another tough battle to fight!

Wu Zhiqiu was full of ambition before going to sleep, fifty years old was the age to strive!

In the second son’s room.

“Xingye, do you think Mom really accepts me?” Chunni, the second son’s wife, leaned against her husband’s shoulder and asked worriedly.

“Of course, look today, Big sister-in-law cursed Mom, so many children in our family, no one stood up for Mom, only you couldn’t stand it, and you fought with Big sister-in-law. Mom is biased, but she’s not stupid, she must have seen your good side!”

“You still dare to say that, Big sister-in-law cursed Mom, you, as her son, didn’t say anything, how heartbroken Mom must have been!” Chunni pinched the second son.

“Ouch, ouch, it hurts! Mom has always been biased, who dares to curse the eldest son’s family! Don’t get anything good, and get scolded instead!”

“What kind of words are you saying, just because you’re afraid of being scolded, you let others curse Mom? Are you even a son? If my son does that in the future, just wait and see what I do to you!”

“I’ve realized now, I was wrong! I won’t do that anymore!”

“Don’t always say that Mom is biased, if you had a son who went to university, you would be biased too! We’re not capable, so we should be more filial to our parents, don’t be so petty with each other.” The second son’s wife looked at the dark ceiling, she had also put herself in her mother-in-law’s shoes, if she were her mother-in-law, she would definitely be biased too.

“I’m not feeling sorry for you. You work so hard every day, and you don’t even get to see Mom’s face. I feel bad for you—you’re suffering with me!”

The second son felt heartache for his wife. She was so good, kind, and filial—why wouldn’t his mother even look at her?

“Why feel sorry for me? Even though Mom doesn’t like to talk to me, she doesn’t mistreat me. The chores at home aren’t tiring! It’s even better now—I just need to cook. Mom is still good to me!”

The second son hugged his wife, she was really silly! Just a few kind words from Mom, and this silly girl forgot all the grievances she had suffered over the years!