Chapter 13 – The Beginning of Refusal

Wang Yi was genuinely at a loss for words about her grandmother. You’d think with three sons and five daughters, there would be at least one who could help her, right?

Wang Yi couldn’t believe it. Her mother had the softest temper, but even a cornered rabbit will bite.

At that moment, her mother returned. Even before she stepped inside, her grandmother started her performance.

“Oh, my life is so hard! Sons are useless, daughters are no help, and even if I use someone, I have to watch their faces. I shouldn’t have had these kids—what good are they…” Her voice was like a haunting melody. Her grandmother’s acting skills had really improved!

If they didn’t give her a small golden statue, it would have been a disservice to her performance. One second in, tears came streaming down—truly heartbreaking to hear, tear-inducing if you didn’t know the situation.

Wang Yi watched her mother trembling with anger.

“Mom, can you not do this? Every time you come to my house, you force me. Don’t you have other daughters? My eldest sister, second sister, and youngest sister—why not ask them?” Her mother’s voice shook.

She continued: “Jian Guo and I have already harvested the corn for you, leaving only the stalks. Couldn’t they help a bit? Just because they’re busy, does that mean I have all the time?”

“You do this every year—why not use this trick on your other daughters?” Her mother glared knowingly at her mother-in-law.

Then she added, “Because no one else falls for your act, so you think you can exhaust me, right?”

Seeing her mother actually talk back, her grandmother immediately grabbed the wooden poker used to stoke the heated brick bed and swung it at her. Wang Yi quickly stepped in front to shield her mother.

Her mother also hurried to protect her. The anticipated pain never came. Opening her eyes, Wang Yi saw her father standing in front of the two of them.

Her grandmother struck her father repeatedly. Her mother was truly panicking now.

“You can hit your own daughter, that’s fine, she’s your child. But what right do you have to hit my husband?!”

Over the years, no matter how unreasonable her mother’s family’s requests were, Jian Guo never said no, nor did he ever speak poorly of them in front of her.

Wang Yi grabbed her grandmother to stop her from hitting, and her mother snatched the wooden poker from her grandmother and threw it aside.

With tears in her eyes, she said: “Mom, are you trying to kill me? Why do you have to treat me this way? Today I’ll tell you—we won’t do your work anymore. Not this time, not ever again! I’m not afraid of rough work. If you want to make a scene, fine! Go ahead!” Her mother had given up, lying down flat, refusing to engage.

“All these years, the neighbors have seen everything; people’s eyes are sharp and clear…”

“Mom, have you forgotten how my fourth sister died?” Her mother cried out, voicing years of pent-up grievances.

Her maternal grandmother stiffened visibly at the mention of the fourth aunt.

Wang Yi had a fourth aunt who was extremely skilled—making clothes and shoes, paper cutting, knitting sweaters and hats. No matter how difficult the pattern, her fourth aunt could do it at a glance.

Just because she listened to her grandmother, she married a man her grandmother approved of. Even if she got beaten, she didn’t dare go home to complain because, like her mother, she wasn’t favored by her grandmother.

Her grandmother liked the kind of daughter-in-law who would cry about poverty and return to her own parents’ home whenever there was a quarrel—just like her second aunt.

This truly proved the saying: “The child who cries gets fed.”

Her grandmother tried to say something, but her mother stopped her immediately.

Looking her grandmother in the eye, she said firmly, “Mom, you can go back. I won’t do your work. From now on, don’t bring any tasks to us. If you do, we won’t help. During holidays, I’ll give you money or gifts. If you want them, take them; if not, throw them away. It’s up to you.”

How could her grandmother let her mother off so easily?

In a flash, her grandmother dashed out, and soon came loud wailing.

“Sinful! Kicking out my own daughter! I should have just strangled her back then! What a sin!” Sitting outside the main gate, she cried and beat her legs.

Wang Yi could see that her grandmother was really putting her all into it—the slaps sounded painful just to hear.

Earlier, when the family had been quarreling, many people had already gathered to watch. Now, even more had come.

“That old lady is at it again! Every time she comes, she makes Dongmei and her husband work like donkeys!” one informed aunt remarked.

“Exactly. Every year it’s always those two. I remember when Dongmei’s father was bedridden, Dongmei didn’t come home for two or three months. Back then, Yiyi and Yangzi were like motherless children,” said Aunt Liu from next door.

“I know. That year, Dongmei barely spent any days at home. What about the other daughters and sons? This family just bullies them. Truly, they pick on the soft ones like squishy persimmons,” her elder aunt said angrily.

“Relatives, if the child really did something wrong, I wouldn’t say anything if you scold or hit her. But a few days ago, during the harvest, the second family even moved their own corn stalks aside to help you first. Now our family only has a little work—just some corn stalks. Is it really impossible to find someone else?” Her grandfather looked at her grandmother and asked.

Her grandmother noticed something was different this time. Normally, she would have immediately gone with her to move the corn stalks.

“Relatives, there’s not much. We’ll finish quickly; the others don’t have time,” her grandmother said.

Her words lacked a bit of confidence.

Her eldest aunt spoke energetically:
“Auntie, in other daughters’ homes, do you act like this too? Is it the same attitude? If they don’t go, do you make a fuss?”

“Auntie, if other families don’t do it this way, that won’t do. We must treat everyone fairly—no one gets left out. I’ll go with you; no family should be missed. If we can’t finish today, that’s fine. We’ll stay at the last house we visit and continue tomorrow. We’ll finish when we finish, and then go home.” She said this while helping her maternal grandmother toward the door.

Her grandmother wasn’t having it. She gently pushed her aunt away.
“No need. Some of them can come tomorrow. I’m just impatient. Since you’re busy, I’ll leave.”

Then it was over in a flash. The outcome caught everyone off guard. Wang Yi clearly saw that everyone hadn’t had their fill of gossip—ah, eating melon (watching drama) knows no boundaries of place, age, or gender!

Her father knew her mother was still worried about her grandmother, so he followed her grandmother and helped her onto the car.

Everyone tried to persuade her mother in turn, and then each returned to their own homes, each seeking their own mother.

Finally, only her grandparents, eldest aunt, and the mother-daughter duo remained.

“Before, Dongmei, you didn’t stand up for yourself, so we didn’t say much. Today, seeing you refuse, I’m genuinely happy. Maybe I spoke rudely to your eldest aunt today, but there’ll be another chance to apologize later,” the eldest aunt said cheerfully.

Wang Yi didn’t see any embarrassment in her aunt—instead, she sensed a feeling of “not quite finished yet.”

Her mother knew her sister-in-law was acting in her best interest. Previously, she had been weak; today, she sincerely thanked her sister-in-law for her support.

“Sister-in-law, thank you for helping me. I realized I don’t have to be embarrassed; refusing isn’t that hard. In fact, saying no makes me feel so much lighter,” her mother said earnestly to the eldest aunt.

“That’s great! Mom’s first battle with Little Golden Boy—victory! Madam/Ms. Qu, keep it up! The organization is rooting for you!” Wang Yi, ever the little strategist, summarized with delight.

Her mother rolled her eyes.
“You just enjoy watching the drama and making things bigger. Who’s the Little Golden Boy?”

Wang Yi didn’t dare tell her mother—that was the nickname she had given her grandmother. Besides, it was obvious, wasn’t it? She just wanted her grandmother to get a reality check; otherwise, the little old lady would be unstoppable.

She didn’t know what kind of inhumane treatment her father had gone through along the way. Wang Yi silently mourned for a second—her daughter had done her best.

Looking at the closest family in the room, united and supporting one another, Wang Yi felt genuinely content.

Her grandmother could finally rest for a while, and she herself would have to keep striving forward.