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Han Cui didn’t feel pressured by her mother-in-law’s words. Zhu Qiyu, in a leisurely manner, glanced at her daughter-in-law, “Daughter-in-law, I’m not just craving this chicken. I also want to recover soon, so you don’t have to suffer along with me. I didn’t intend for today to turn out like this. I don’t want to be a burden. If I can take care of myself better, you all won’t have to endure hardships. Caring for the elderly isn’t easy. So, I’m focusing on taking care of my health to avoid causing trouble for you.”
Han Cui appreciated Zhu Qiyu’s words, almost moved by her sincerity for a moment. However, upon reflection, she couldn’t help but inwardly criticize the old lady for coming up with such good excuses to indulge her desires.
Listening to Wang Zhenjiang describe the gold jewelry he had seen as a child, Han Cui’s heart lightened. She resigned herself to caring for her mother-in-law since it was a shared responsibility, and they wouldn’t be staying long in their house anyway.
“Wife, why don’t we let Mom stay with us? It will show everyone how filial we are. Also, you can try to get those pieces of jewelry from her when you have the chance,” Wang Zhenjiang suggested to his wife.
Han Cui shrugged, “With your mom being so stingy, I doubt I could even get anything out of her, let alone from us. Your idea doesn’t seem practical. If your mom doesn’t give us anything, we’ll end up empty-handed. It’s better to take turns caring for her by each family. Otherwise, I’ll be exhausted, and we might not even benefit in the end. Remember the loss we faced last time. I won’t make that mistake again.”
Wang Zhenjiang, upon hearing his wife’s reasoning, acknowledged her point. He knew his mother’s temperament well and understood that getting anything from her wouldn’t be easy. However, the thought of the dazzling gold necklace did tempt him.
But then he pondered about his two younger sisters. Would his mother give the items to them instead of them? The idea chilled him.
“Wife, let’s just prepare what we usually eat for Mom. No need to make a special meal. Wang Zhi and Wang Mei are still around. Do you think those items will ever come to us?” Wang Zhenjiang asked.
“Yeah, with your mom’s favoritism, those items won’t come to us. Let’s stick to our plan. We’ll have chicken for lunch today, and she can have her soup,” Han Cui decided, eyeing the chicken in her hand with a mix of pity and frustration.
At noon, she stewed half a chicken, saving the other half for later. She then served the chicken soup and bread to the elderly lady, saying, “Mom, here’s your chicken soup. You mentioned wanting some, so I made it for you. Enjoy it slowly.”
At this moment, Zhu Qiyu found herself in a difficult situation but then quickly shifted gears. “Daughter-in-law, I also feel like having some meat. The doctor mentioned that chicken is the best for health. If I could have some chicken, especially chicken leg meat, it would help my leg heal faster. Could you please serve me a bowl?”
Feeling a pinch from his wife, Han Cui, Wang Zhenjiang hurriedly explained to his mother, “Mom, Mingjun hasn’t been feeling well lately. She wants to give the child some nourishment. We didn’t make much chicken today. Can you wait a few days before having it? Let’s prioritize the child for now. Mingjun is your grandson and the future pillar of our family. His health is crucial. Please bear with us.”
Zhu Qiyu was on the verge of exploding from her son’s words. She felt as though her status as a mother was being downplayed. With a sigh, she said, “Son, I won’t argue with you over this meal. I won’t be around for much longer. Save a portion for my grandson. I’m useless and can’t provide any support. Let’s not burden you further.”
Witnessing her mother quietly sipping the chicken soup, Wang Zhenjiang felt a pang of guilt. “Mom, please don’t say that. You’re my mother. Even if I don’t eat, I can’t let you go without. I’ll bring you some meat.”
As Zhu Qiyu leisurely enjoyed the chicken and delicious soup, Han Cui was seething with resentment. She pinched her husband’s waist several times, whispering, “You fool, you forget your surname when your mother says a few nice words.”
Wang Zhenjiang quickly pleaded with his wife, “Darling, she’s still my mother, and at her age, hearing those words doesn’t sit well with me. If I don’t eat, you all can have it.”
Han Cui, not wanting to see her husband upset, stuffed a piece of chicken into his mouth, saying, “Just eat. Fortunately, your father is out networking today; otherwise, we wouldn’t have had much to eat.”
Encouraging everyone to eat more, Wang Mingjun, with oily hands, held a chicken head and gnawed at it. Though there wasn’t much meat, the taste was satisfying.
Meanwhile, Zhu Qiyu finished her meal in her room, leisurely reclining on the kang, enjoying the luxury of being cooked for and attended to, a pleasant change from having to do everything herself.
After spending a week at Han Cui’s house, it was time for Wang Zhenhe’s family to take over. Zhang Lan and her husband brought Zhu Qiyu back to their home in advance. Despite her genuine dislike for her mother-in-law, Zhang Lan had to endure her presence due to the circumstances.
Settling the elderly lady in their home for easy care, Zhu Qiyu finally found herself in her son’s grand house, a feeling of contentment washing over her. Everyone loved living in a spacious house, and the new surroundings felt far superior to her own. However, beneath her apparent satisfaction, she silently criticized her third son for not letting her stay in such a nice place earlier, instead allowing others to occupy it for years. This sense of injustice colored her expression with a touch of resentment.
“Son, I’m causing trouble for you all. As one grows older, they become less useful. I can’t help much and don’t want to burden you. Go back to the city to work. The children at home need money for their education. Leaving your wife here alone will suffice,” Zhu Qiyu expressed, feeling like a burden.
Wang Zhenhe smiled in response to Zhu Qiyu’s words, “Grandma, we have our plans for the family affairs. Just focus on getting better. My wife will take care of you during the day, and I’ll be here at night. This way, we can share the responsibility.”
Hearing her son’s response, Zhu Qiyu couldn’t help but mutter a curse under her breath, calling him a stubborn fool. She couldn’t understand why he had to interfere with caregiving when he clearly didn’t know how to handle it. She felt frustrated for having such a clumsy son.
As her son left, Zhu Qiyu narrowed her eyes, observing Zhang Lan busy in the kitchen preparing the chicken for her. “Daughter-in-law, I need to use the restroom. Come help me,” she requested.
Zhang Lan quickly put down the knife and assisted the elderly lady to a chair made by her eldest brother-in-law. However, Zhu Qiyu, unsatisfied, scolded her for not being able to urinate with her watching. She then demanded Zhang Lan to go buy some cakes, mentioning that the food at the second son’s house lacked flavor, and she wanted a change.
Zhang Lan replied, “Mom, I’ll go buy the cakes once you’re done. We’re out of food stamps, so I need to borrow some money from someone.”
With the elderly lady now settled, Zhang Lan hurried outside to ask Liu Hui for a loan.
“Hello, Aunt, why did you come over? I heard the sound of you slaughtering a chicken earlier. Is everything okay with your family’s elderly lady?” The neighbors were worried about Zhu Qiyu’s well-being, knowing her reputation.
Zhang Lan cheerfully responded, “Everything’s fine. She has a fractured leg, so there’s not much she can do. She just suddenly felt like having some cake, and since we’re out of food stamps, I wanted to borrow some from you. I’ll repay you when I come back from town.”
Knowing Zhang Lan was reliable with borrowing and repaying, the neighbor wasn’t concerned. However, she whispered quietly, “Your elderly lady is quite difficult to care for. Your eldest sister-in-law mentioned she won’t even feed herself. At the second son’s house, they don’t indulge her in that behavior. She has to take care of her own meals and drinks. So, be careful not to enable her habits. Kindness is selective, and with her, just getting her to eat is already a feat.”
After advising Zhang Lan, the neighbor quickly fetched five pounds of food stamps and handed them to her. “Third Aunt, be careful not to overfeed her. If she gains too much weight, you’ll suffer too. Given her health, you might not even be able to handle her.”
Leaving the neighbor’s house, Zhang Lan informed the elderly lady before heading to the cooperative to buy some cakes. Zhu Qiyu sat on the kang, enjoying her cake while watching Zhang Lan busily working in the kitchen. When the meal was ready and served to her, the elderly lady had more to say.
“Daughter, I’ll start eating. Please help me heat some water for a bath. I feel dirty and itchy all over. Later, you can help me wash up,” Zhu Qiyu requested, this time not needing assistance with eating. She began eating while Zhang Lan quickly went to heat water, seizing the opportunity to fill her own stomach before attending to Zhu Qiyu’s needs.
“Mom, after you finish the water, I’ll help you wash up. It’s cold, so you shouldn’t go to the bathing room. Let’s just clean up here to avoid catching a cold,” Zhang Lan suggested.
However, Zhu Qiyu had a different idea. She hadn’t seen the bathing room yet and was eager to experience it. She insisted on going there, even if she couldn’t bathe, just to take a look. She felt that after so many years, the third son’s house was completed, yet he hadn’t thought of letting her use the bathing facilities.
Seeing Zhang Lan’s hesitant expression, Zhu Qiyu chuckled softly, “Daughter, I’m worried about flooding your room with water. It’s not good to have everything wet in the cold weather. The dampness would make it uncomfortable to sleep. Just carry me over for a wash. I’m not a child; I won’t catch a cold easily. It’s no big deal.”
Although Zhang Lan wanted to argue, she could sense her mother-in-law’s determination. She understood that Zhu Qiyu wouldn’t give up easily, and even if she meant well, Zhu Qiyu wouldn’t appreciate it. After many years as her daughter-in-law, Zhang Lan had learned to decipher Zhu Qiyu’s intentions. Sometimes, it was best not to engage with her relentless demands.
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