Chapter 15: Impeccably Moral

Last night, Chen Aihong and Zhou Quansheng, the elderly couple, truly didn’t get much sleep.

Their perfectly healthy youngest son was carried back in such a state—how could the blow not be severe?

Chen Aihong had already fainted once yesterday. While Zhou Quansheng could still hold on, how could he not feel distressed?

He truly tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep.

Now, seeing their daughter-in-law, Su Lüyun, being so meticulous and caring, taking care of their son without a hint of impatience,

The old couple felt deeply comforted.

Zhou Quansheng still had to go to work, so he took their eldest grandson back first.

But Chen Aihong stayed behind. Su Lüyun scooped a bowl of fish soup for her mother-in-law and said, “Mom, have some soup.”

“Okay,” Chen Aihong didn’t refuse. She took the bowl and drank it. The fish soup was perfectly seasoned.

Su Lüyun drank her egg porridge. As for the steamed buns, it was fine to save them for lunch and dinner.

Chen Aihong quickly finished her soup, her gaze gently falling upon her youngest daughter-in-law, with whom her relationship had always been rather ordinary before. “Yunyun, Mom knows your feelings for Changdong. Mom can feel it.”

“This is what I should do, Mom, you don’t need to say anything,” Su Lüyun replied.

“If Mom were a bit selfish, I really wouldn’t say anything, but Mom can’t go against her conscience and force a girl of your prime age to stay and take care of Changdong.”

Her daughter-in-law was only twenty-two years old. She didn’t have a daughter, but if her own daughter encountered such a situation, she would make the same choice as the Su family.

Su Lüyun, of course, knew that this mother-in-law was impeccably moral and had never shown favoritism towards any of their three daughters-in-law.

After they married and separated their households, she never interfered with how they lived their lives.

Even towards Lin Fang, her second daughter-in-law, who had been married for years and hadn’t had children, and towards Su Lüyun herself, who had gained a reputation as a spendthrift woman in the neighborhood, her mother-in-law had never uttered a single word of criticism.

Perhaps she held some opinions in her heart, but she never interfered.

So, Su Lüyun’s impression of this mother-in-law was truly good.

Chen Aihong saw that she wasn’t speaking and continued, “Changdong’s condition will likely remain as it is. But it’s okay, your dad and I will take care of him together. The government will also provide a monthly subsidy. When we can no longer care for him, we’ll pay someone to do it. You don’t need to worry about him.”

Su Lüyun’s eyes reddened. “Mom, are you trying to chase me away?”

Chen Aihong, seeing her like this, also felt deeply saddened: “Mom isn’t trying to chase you away. If Changdong were healthy, Mom would also hope for the best for you two, that you could give Mom a chubby grandson. But with Changdong in this state, Mom can’t keep you. You’re still young, and you have a long life ahead of you!”

The more sensible and good her daughter-in-law was, the more she couldn’t bear to hold her back.

She was also a woman. How many good years does a woman have in her lifetime? She couldn’t bear to see them wasted like this.

Su Lüyun was already in tears, her face streaked with them. “Mom, don’t chase me away. I told you I won’t leave. I’m Changdong’s wife; none of you can make me leave.”

Chen Aihong truly hadn’t expected her third daughter-in-law to be so deeply devoted to her third son!

Her crying made Chen Aihong unable to bear it: “Mom isn’t trying to chase you away. Mom is just making the Zhou family’s stance clear to you. Whenever you want to leave, you can leave at any time. The Zhou family won’t stop you. If you’re willing, you can also come visit us in the future!”

Su Lüyun wiped away her tears, like a ruthless NPC, holding her comatose husband’s hand and passionately declaring, “Until mountains crumble, and rivers run dry, until winter thunder rolls, and summer snow falls, until heaven and earth merge—only then will I part from you!”

After speaking, she looked resolutely at her mother-in-law, “Thank you for your kindness, Mom, but this is my intention. I will not remarry in this life. I will only live with Changdong; I don’t want anyone else!”

Until mountains crumble, and heaven and earth merge—only then will I part from you!

How could Chen Aihong not be moved?

When she left the house, her eyes were still red.

When the neighbors saw her, they naturally pulled her aside to ask what was wrong.

Chen Aihong simply shared a few words about her conversation with her daughter-in-law, primarily to express the Zhou family’s stance: they wouldn’t force their daughter-in-law to stay and delay her life.

But her daughter-in-law simply refused to leave; she only wanted to stay by her husband’s side.

The neighbors listened, deeply moved. Aunt Qian, who had also been emotionally moved to tears yesterday, couldn’t bear this tragic story today either!

She dabbed at the wetness in the corner of her eyes, “True affection is seen in adversity. Changdong’s wife is beyond words, truly beyond words!”

Everyone agreed with this sentiment, exclaiming, “Indeed!”

“What a devoted child!”

He Yuling, of course, also heard about this from her mother-in-law, Chen Aihong.

To her face, she offered a couple of compliments, but the moment she turned away, her expression became utterly scornful.

She simply didn’t believe Su Lüyun could keep it up for long!

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Around ten o’clock, Wang Guifen arrived, carrying a food container.

Some neighborhood aunties saw Wang Guifen and pulled her aside to talk about what happened that morning.

The neighbors were full of praise and emotion, but when Wang Guifen heard it, she felt her heart ache. “Until mountains crumble, and heaven and earth merge, only then will I part from you!”

What on earth is this stubborn girl trying to do? Is she trying to be a poet reciting eternal verses?!

But she showed no sign of her true feelings, simply walked over to her daughter’s house and knocked on the door.

Su Lüyun had already cleaned the house, fed Zhou Changdong, and was currently doing yoga in the courtyard.

Without electronic devices to pass the time, there was nothing else to do but exercise.

But it was fine; it was a good opportunity to reshape her body.

Hearing her mother’s voice outside the door, Su Lüyun responded and then stopped her posture to open the door.

“Mom, why are you free to come over?” Su Lüyun asked.

She saw her mother’s face was icy cold, and there were dark circles under her eyes, clearly indicating that she had been so angered by her that she hadn’t slept well last night.

Although she felt a little bad, she still needed her mother’s help for now, so she couldn’t tell her too much.

Otherwise, her mother probably wouldn’t be able to keep up the act.

After all, her mother’s personality was too straightforward.

Wang Guifen glared at her, but because there were still some neighbors outside, she simply said, “I stewed some chicken soup for you and Changdong to replenish yourselves!”

Su Lüyun led her inside.

As soon as the door closed, Wang Guifen sneered, “I never knew you could even recite poetry? When did you learn that? Your own mother didn’t even know you had this trick up your sleeve!”

Her sarcasm was overflowing.

Su Lüyun chuckled sheepishly.

Wang Guifen ignored her and went into the room to see her son-in-law.

“Have you cleaned Changdong up?”

“Yes,” Su Lüyun nodded. “I wiped his face and hands.”

His body didn’t need immediate cleaning, as he had clearly been cleaned before returning; he was spotless.

Wang Guifen also saw that he was clean and tidy: “Have you fed him anything? Pour out the chicken soup and feed it to Changdong.”

She had tossed and turned all night, and eventually, she too thought that her daughter wouldn’t last long.

How could caring for a comatose person be so easy?

So, at this point, she also wanted to see if this restless girl could take good care of him.

“Not for now. This morning, I fed him a bowl of crucian carp tofu soup, and my mother-in-law also brought two bowls of rice oil over, which I also fed him,” Su Lüyun said.

Wang Guifen looked at her, “Did you feed him or did your mother-in-law?”

“Of course, it was me,” Su Lüyun blinked her eyes. “I want to take care of Changdong, so I’ll handle these things myself, without relying on others.”

Wang Guifen scoffed, “Then you truly are capable!”