Chapter 30

“Mother.”

Lu Huai Mei shrunk her neck timidly. In the entire Lu family, no one was afraid of Wang Dani.

“Come here!”

Wang Dani’s tone was unkind. Lu Huai Mei knew that if she didn’t go over, her mother would really get angry. She could only slowly shuffle over.

“Mother, let me explain.”

“Don’t explain to me!”

Wang Dani was very angry, “The person you hurt isn’t me, it’s your third brother and sister-in-law!”

“I…”

Lu Huai Mei dared not meet Tang Wan’s eyes, her eyes full of guilt.

“Explain!”

Wang Dani’s voice trailed off, clearly mocking her. Tang Wan didn’t have to do anything, her mother-in-law could handle it all.

“I didn’t know Hongying was so bold.”

Lu Huai Mei rubbed her clothes, “She said she wanted to come see the third brother and sister-in-law get married. I thought she had liked the third brother for so many years.

I just fulfilled her little wish. Who knew it would turn out like this.”

She regretted going to the brigade leader’s house. She wanted to turn back, but Lu Hongying saw her.

Hearing that her third brother and sister-in-law were having a wedding, Lu Hongying begged her to bring her along.

Lu Huai Mei was easily swayed and lost her reason after being persuaded.

“She caused such a scene, making your third brother and sister-in-law lose face, and you still feel wronged?”

Wang Dani didn’t expect to raise such a selfish girl. She was so angry that she grabbed a broom nearby and started hitting Lu Huai Mei.

“Mother, I was wrong, I know I was wrong, please forgive me!”

Lu Huai Mei dodged while glancing at Tang Wan, hoping she would intercede.

However, Tang Wan didn’t. She stood there with her arms crossed, watching Wang Dani give her a good beating.

Dare to cause trouble at her wedding feast? If it weren’t for the fact that she was Lu Huaijing’s sister, Tang Wan would have already done it herself.

But getting beaten by her own mother wasn’t bad either.

“You little rascal, you’re no good. Your brain has been damaged by all that studying!”

Wang Dani chased Lu Huai Mei all over the yard, hitting her. Everyone saw it, but no one stopped her.

This was also Wang Dani’s way of showing everyone that she recognized Tang Wan as her daughter-in-law.

Anyone who dared to say anything would face the same fate as Lu Huai Mei.

Finally, Wang Dani stopped, out of breath. She stood with her hands on her hips, “Apologize to your third sister-in-law!”

“Third sister-in-law, I’m sorry.”

Lu Huai Mei was crying from being beaten by Wang Dani. This was the first time her mother had ever hit her so hard.

Not only did her body hurt, but she also felt ashamed.

“Meizi, you’re not a child anymore.”

Tang Wan took on the posture of an elder, “I see many girls in the brigade who are your age, they’ve all started families and become mothers.

Your mother and brother and sister-in-law let you go to school so that you could learn more, not so that you could listen to outsiders and make things difficult for your family.”

“Your third sister-in-law is right. Don’t associate with Lu Hongying anymore!”

Wang Dani thought about Lu Hongying’s shameless behavior today and suddenly realized she had been blind.

“Mother, didn’t you say before that Hongying was the brigade leader’s daughter and we should be close to her?”

Lu Huai Mei felt more and more wronged, her tears flowing freely. Wang Dani was exasperated.

“Before, I thought you two were just good friends. Who knew she had ulterior motives!”

Her eyes flickered slightly. Before, she thought that the Tang family looked down on her son, so she didn’t bring up marriage.

If they waited another two years, and the Tang family girl got married, she would have to find someone else for her third son in the brigade.

Lu Hongying was indeed one of the people she had her eye on, but not the only one.

“Alright, Mother.”

Tang Wan waited for Wang Dani to finish scolding before smiling, “My little sister is young and easily influenced.

Since she didn’t mean it, let’s forget about it. It’s a lesson learned. She shouldn’t listen to outsiders anymore.”

Anyway, she had already been hit and scolded, so Tang Wan didn’t mind leaving a good impression on Wang Dani.

Sure enough, Wang Dani’s expression softened, “My third son’s wife is so understanding and generous. Some people should learn from her.”

She said this deliberately, stretching her neck towards Li Cuifang, who was being petty in the inner room, making Li Cuifang almost drop the bowl in her hand.

“Sister-in-law, be careful. If you break that bowl, we’ll have to pay for it.”

Wang Shuhuan reminded her. Li Cuifang wiped the bowl in frustration, “She gets to be both the good person and the bad person!

Mother thinks she’s understanding and well-behaved. Isn’t that infuriating?”

“She’s really capable.”

Wang Shuhuan admired Tang Wan. With just a few words, she managed to drive away everyone from the old house.

She couldn’t do that. Her sister-in-law only knew how to curse like a shrew.

Outside, after being reprimanded, Lu Huai Mei regretted it deeply. “Mother, I really know I was wrong.”

“Go back and clean up the dishes.”

Wang Dani glared at Lu Huai Mei again. Lu Huai Mei ran away as fast as she could, like a mouse seeing a cat.

“Sister-in-law and second sister-in-law, let me help you.”

“This child just needs a lesson!”

Wang Dani smiled kindly at Tang Wan, “You’ve been busy all day, you must be tired.

Go back to your room and rest. We can handle the rest.”

The third son was a soldier, strong and capable. He would probably be busy tonight, so Wang Dani was thinking of Tang Wan.

“Okay.”

Tang Wan naturally wouldn’t miss this chance to rest.

But when she went back to her room, Wang Dani took out a cloth bag and gave her all the money she had received in gifts today.

“Third son’s wife, this is the money and gift list from the guests who came to give gifts today. Count it yourself.”

“Mother, are you giving this to us?”

Tang Wan was a little surprised. She thought this was for the family, after all, their wedding feast, except for Lu Huaijing’s roe deer meat.

Everything else was paid for by Wang Dani.

“Of course, it’s for you.”

Wang Dani was a very open-minded matriarch. “Not only for you, but before your eldest brother and second brother got married.

I didn’t take their gift money either. They have to return the gifts themselves later.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

Tang Wan was newly married and didn’t understand these things. Since her mother told her to keep it, she did. There was no reason to refuse money.

“Tomorrow, you and the third son will leave for the army. You’ll have your own little family to take care of.

Tell the third son not to send money back home.”

Wang Dani’s expression was a little sad. Her third son always came and went in a hurry. How could a mother not miss him?

“Mother, that’s not good, is it?”

Tang Wan was a little embarrassed. She couldn’t let Lu Huaijing abandon his mother after marriage.

Lu Huaijing, who was returning to the room, also heard this. He couldn’t help but feel a little sad.

“Mother, that’s my filial piety to you.”

“I can still work. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Wang Dani sighed, “When a tree grows big, its branches spread out. When your younger brother gets married, I won’t be in charge of this family anymore. You’ll each have your own lives.

You’re different from the eldest and second sons. You don’t live at home. It’s not worth it to send money back.

The eldest lives with me, and his public expenses are also covered by the family. The second son has a formal job in the city.

He also gives me ten yuan every month. I didn’t take that money for nothing. During the summer and autumn harvests, I gave them a lot of grain.

I can still move around. I’m not old enough to retire yet. When I get older, you brothers can discuss how much to give me each month.”