Font Size:
The old lady couldn’t help but feel resentment towards her eldest daughter’s complaints. Her son had also been influenced by the mother and daughter duo. Even her once obedient third son had become rebellious, specifically targeting her. It was quite heartbreaking for her to think about.
“It’s too late to say anything now. If I had known it would turn out like this, I wouldn’t have raised that troublemaker.”
When Zhu Qiyu and her family returned home to prepare to slaughter a chicken, they discovered that their egg-laying hen was missing. This infuriated Zhu Qiyu, and she stood at the street gate scolding for a long time. She hadn’t paid attention to the chicken’s count when she returned last night, but now that she realized it was missing, it truly pained her. How many eggs could it have laid? It could have been sold for a good amount of money. She couldn’t fathom who had the heart to steal her chicken.
Wang Zhi, sitting on the kang, felt anxious as she watched her mother scold. She hurriedly ran out and grabbed Zhu Qiyu’s hand. “Mom, you should start cooking now. Sister and the others are waiting to nourish themselves.”
Frustrated about losing the chicken and the recent events, Zhu Qiyu grumbled discontentedly, “All you know is eating. You’re all grown up, yet you don’t know how to manage things at home. Look at how many eggs that hen could have laid. It’s gone now. What have I done to deserve this? They’re all against me.”
Feeling troubled, Zhu Qiyu took the rooster she had caught back into the house. Wang Zhi followed behind, saying, “Mom, the chicken is gone, and Dad is gone too. Maybe he took the chicken.”
Zhu Qiyu had considered this possibility, but she didn’t have the time to deal with it now. She would address the issue of the troublesome old ghost later.
Wang Deshan, still concerned about the family, felt relieved when he saw smoke rising from the house and walked back along the road.
As mealtime approached and his father hadn’t returned, Wang Zhenhe went out to look for him. Seeing Wang Deshan returning from the west, he could guess where his father had been.
“Dad, it’s time to come home for dinner. They’re all grown-ups. What could possibly happen?” Wang Deshan silently followed his son into the house. “Come and eat, or your food will get cold,” Wang Qian called out to him as she saw the old man return.
Due to Zhang Lan’s ongoing health issues, the family had decided to have their meals in the adjacent room. Hao Lianchun served her separately, while the rest of the family ate in the main room. Wang Xuan helped serve and replenish the food in the adjacent room.
“Mom, are you feeling better?” Wang Qian asked with concern as she helped Zhang Lan sit up.
“Yes, I’m fine. Auntie, make sure to eat more. You’ve been taking care of me these past few days,” Zhang Lan replied, then said turned to the old lady.
After falling ill, Hao Lianchun had taken charge of the household affairs. She had initially intended to take care of her, but now she felt uneasy about being taken care of by the older woman.
“Silly girl, focus on getting better. Don’t worry about anything else. Everything at home is fine. Later this afternoon, I’ll go buy some new dishes for you. The ones from last time were all smashed by your elder sister. She’s a lunatic,” Hao Lianchun reassured her.
When it came to Wang Mei, Hao Lianchun was also filled with anger. “She can go and arrest people, but why resort to violence? Fortunately, there wasn’t much for her to smash in the Wang family. She looks like a mad dog.”
Wang Qian placed a piece of shredded potato into Zhang Lan’s bowl and said, “Grandma Zuo, people like her are brainless. Who knows what the future holds for her? Don’t be fooled by her current arrogance. I bet when my brothers grow up, no one will dare to do such things. I’ll beat the hell out of her.”
Hao Lianchun brought the hot chicken soup to Zhang Lan. “Lan, let’s drink the chicken soup. Just like what your daughter said, we need to live well and see who will have the last laugh.”
Later that night, after everyone had fallen asleep, Wang Qian brought Zhang Lan into the space. Seeing the golden wheat ears, Zhang Lan’s mood improved. “Qianqian, we can harvest again. But we have to wait until my health improves. Seeing these crops makes me happy.”
Wang Qian picked a bunch of grapes for Zhang Lan to eat slowly, and she planted the ginseng that had already borne fruit in another location.
“Mom, even if we sell ginseng in the future, we’ll have enough to live on. Look, the ones I planted have borne fruit. In another ten years, the ginseng will grow even bigger,” Wang Qian said.
Selling ginseng had provided the capital for their house, which left a deep impression on Zhang Lan. She knew the value of ginseng, but seeing her daughter busy and happy, she felt that her daughter’s happiness was more important than anything else.
After spending some time in the space, Zhang Lan felt much better. She picked a cucumber and said, “Qianqian, if I have the chance in the future, I’ll sleep here. I feel so comfortable here.”
Wang Qian was eager for her mother to sleep in the space. Although it didn’t have the kind of magical spring that could cure her mother’s heart condition, at least Zhang Lan felt comfortable there.
“Mom, why don’t we talk to Dad? If he knows about this, you two can sleep in the space and help with the work. You won’t have to avoid coming in anymore,” Wang Qian suggested.
Zhang Lan did want to tell her husband about this, but the matter was too significant. She had kept it a secret before because Wang Zhenhe always sided with his mother. She had seen through the people in her in-laws’ family after so many years.
However, the current situation was different. Wang Zhenhe had truly given up on those relatives. But considering the gravity of the situation, she had to think more for her children.
Wang Qian could see the hesitation on her mother’s face. Her mother was genuinely considering her. It was something she hadn’t experienced in her previous life, but now she was experiencing it thoroughly.
“Mom, Dad is not bad, he’s just too kind. He used to have trouble letting go of many people, but now it’s different. Look, we have two acres of land here. It’s quite tiring for the two of us to manage. Why don’t we tell Dad? It would be better to discuss any issues with him in the future. We can’t bear to see the vegetables in the space and not be able to eat them,” Wang Qian said.
Zhang Lan understood why her daughter was so eager to tell her husband the truth. Her daughter was worried about her health and feared that she might be overburdened. However, no one could predict fate. If her heart suddenly stopped beating, there would be many consequences. She couldn’t help but consider her children’s future. People talk, and what if… There were some things she didn’t dare to think about or gamble on.
Holding her daughter tightly, she spoke softly, “Qianqian, today I want to tell you something that I haven’t told your brothers and sisters. I feel that they might not understand some things, but I know you will. I want you to remember this. If, by chance, something happens to me, and your father, being still young, decides to remarry, what will you do if he brings a stepmother into the picture? With a stepmother comes a stepfather. If I tell your father, others might find out, and while I’m not saying that stepmothers are bad, good ones are hard to come by. I have to consider this.”
As Wang Qian nestled in Zhang Lan’s embrace, she felt a surge of emotion and wanted to speak, but Zhang Lan held her close. “Daughter, let me finish. I will try my best to live on, but in case something happens in the future, you and your siblings must get along well. Your older siblings will be your support in the future. I currently think highly of them, but I don’t know how their future wives will be. If they mistreat you, both you and your sister can move out on your own. I know you will be fine together. As for your father, you should take care of him more in the future. If his future wife mistreats you, you can move to your maternal grandparents’ house. Your uncle will take good care of you. My bond with your uncle is the deepest, but when you grow up, you should be independent and not rely on others. I believe my daughter will live a good life.”
Zhang Lan’s words were undoubtedly a pre-arranged plan for the future, and Wang Qian couldn’t help but feel emotional. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Mom, please don’t say that. Don’t say anything. You won’t die. You’ll live a long and healthy life. With me around, I won’t let you die. I don’t want a stepmother. I want my own real mother,” Wang Qian said, bursting into tears. Fortunately, they were in the space, and no one outside could hear them. Mother and daughter were embracing each other, weeping.
Zhang Lan didn’t want to die, but some things were beyond her control. She had to consider her children’s future. With such events happening repeatedly, she couldn’t help but think about what would happen to her children if she were gone.
She didn’t know who else to talk to about this. Her youngest daughter was the most understanding and caring. Feeling helpless, she had no choice but to share these thoughts with her daughter.
“Mom, you won’t die. Even if you do, I’ll go to the King of Hell and bring you back. We’ve narrowly escaped death several times, so we won’t die in the future,” Wang Qian said.
Wang Qian is, after all, a person with a mature soul. When Zhang Lan spoke in such a manner, it was evident how helpless she felt. The pain in her heart, as Zhang Lan’s daughter, was no less than Zhang Lan’s. After living two lifetimes, couldn’t she have a complete mother’s love?
If that’s the case, why, oh God, are you so cruel to let her come back here, to experience that heart-wrenching pain once again?
The three green-glowing stones in the air seemed to sense her sorrowful emotions. A warm breeze gently enveloped the mother and daughter, and Wang Qian’s mood seemed to be infected, feeling light and comfortable. The sorrow in her heart had been replaced by a sense of joy.