Chapter 7: Talking Back to Mother-in-Law

Chen Rou took out a fan and fanned him. “Rest a bit before getting back to work.”

As expected, Han Guobin didn’t ask about the rice and braised pork, but he could tell that eating like this must cost quite a bit. So he said, “Once the autumn harvest is over, I’ll go into the mountains and see what I can find.”

Chen Rou thought to herself that she’d definitely follow him when that time came. She had plenty of experience with hunting too.

She didn’t say anything aloud though. She just sat with him and rested for half an hour. Han Guobin dozed off briefly, and when he woke up, his eyes were bloodshot.

Chen Rou was quite moved by the sight. This man really didn’t have it easy, even though he never once complained.

She made him drink a whole bottle of water, then leaned over and kissed him.

Han Guobin immediately blushed and couldn’t help but glance around. Seeing that no one had noticed, he finally looked at his wife, his voice softer than he even realized himself, and said in a low tone, “Go back now.”

“Mm.” Chen Rou responded and only left after watching him walk off to continue working. She then put on her straw hat and went home.

The sun was scorching. Once she got back, she started doing chores: washed the laundry, laid things out to dry, and shelled some peanuts she’d pulled up recently.

So even though it looked like she had plenty of free time at home, there was no shortage of things to do.

When it was almost time, she began preparing the dough for steamed buns. They had only a bit of bran flour left, so she mixed in some regular flour to make bran buns.

While she was kneading the dough, their neighbor Zhou Zhen came back. Her face was flushed red from the heat, and when she saw that Chen Rou hadn’t gone out to work today, she was visibly envious. “You’ve got it so good today. I’m exhausted.”

Chen Rou had a good relationship with her. She poured her a bowl of water and even stirred in some white sugar. “I have to work again tomorrow. Just taking one day off. So many work points in a day—it’d be a waste not to earn them.”

After so many consecutive days of work, she really was a bit worn out. A day of rest made her feel much better, and naturally she’d go back to work the next day.

Zhou Zhen was slightly embarrassed. “You didn’t have to add sugar. Just water’s fine.”

“Just drink it,” Chen Rou said.

She thought to herself that next time she went to town, she’d need to buy some brown sugar. She needed it to make ginger tea—especially useful during her period.

Zhou Zhen sipped the drink slowly, savoring it, and after she finished, said, “Let’s go together early tomorrow morning.”

“Okay, come get me,” Chen Rou replied with a nod.

Zhou Zhen went home to cook. At this hour, it was usually the young daughters-in-law who came home earlier to make dinner, all sent back by their mother-in-laws.

Once the dough had risen enough, Chen Rou steamed the bran buns, washed a batch of greens, picked some tomatoes, and got everything ready. When it was close to dinner time, she stir-fried the greens with lard and pork cracklings and made a simple tomato soup.

Even though she took out seven or eight eggs, she had to be careful with them. Today’s meal was already more luxurious than usual.

Dinner would be simple.

When Han Guobin returned, he didn’t eat right away. He grabbed some clothes and went with Zhou Zhen’s husband to the river to bathe.

Not just the two of them—at this time of day, all the men and half-grown boys in the village gathered at the river. Most were there to wash up.

After they returned, it was time to eat.

Chen Rou and Han Guobin had dinner together, and then she went to bathe herself. She had also washed her hair in the afternoon, so now she smelled fresh and clean.

After a whole day of hard labor and with a good meal in his belly, Han Guobin couldn’t help but feel a little frisky.

Chen Rou, exasperated, said, “Go wash the clothes.”

Ordering her man to do the laundry, she was famously known as a lazy wife, but she didn’t care one bit.

Still, after going back into the house, she made him a bowl of milk.

He didn’t get it every day, just every few days. She’d give him some occasionally and drink some herself. If they drank it daily, how long would those three cans of milk powder in her space last?

Even though they were family-sized and came in big tins, they still wouldn’t last long if consumed daily.

But someone passing by saw Han Guobin washing clothes in the courtyard and couldn’t keep her mouth shut. She went straight to Han’s mother to stir things up.

“I just passed by and saw it myself. Your son Guobin worked all day, and when he got home, he still had to wash clothes for that lazy wife of his who doesn’t even go to work. I’ve seen lazy women, but never one this bad!” the gossipy old woman said.

Han’s mother, already exhausted to the point she could barely breathe, completely lost it when she heard that.

Without a word, she stormed over—and sure enough, saw her son hanging laundry.

She shouted immediately, “Where’s your wife? This kind of task isn’t something a grown man should be doing! We brought her here to work and take care of the household, not to treat her like some ancestor to be waited on!”

Chen Rou was sitting in the corner of the courtyard in the shade, sewing shoes. She had seen her mother-in-law get up earlier, so there was no way the older woman hadn’t noticed her. These scolding words were no longer indirect—they were clearly aimed straight at her.

Chen Rou had always been someone who gave respect where it was due—but now that her mother-in-law was being like this, there was nothing more to say.

“Anyone who didn’t know better would think you doted on Guobin so much. A good man like him didn’t marry until he was twenty-four. Meanwhile, the younger sister below him got married at twenty. She’s two years younger than her second brother, and her kid’s already a year old. If it weren’t for Third Uncle getting married, I bet Guobin still wouldn’t have had his turn. So now you’re coming to our door pretending to be a loving mother?”

Chen Rou’s name might sound soft and gentle, but she was anything but.

The original host wasn’t, and she herself definitely wasn’t either.

If this mother-in-law wanted to act high and mighty in front of her, then Chen Rou would not be polite.

After being ruthlessly mocked and criticized, Mother Han immediately exploded with anger. “Is this how your Chen family raises daughters? How dare you speak to your mother-in-law like that?”

“We’re living in a new society now, not the feudal old days where mothers-in-law could bully their daughters-in-law as they pleased. Say what you want, I’ve got a clear conscience and I’m not afraid of being judged. Unlike some people, whose hearts are already biased to the heavens, yet still put on a show of treating everyone equally. Who in the village doesn’t see through that? Aren’t you embarrassed?” Chen Rou retorted sarcastically.

Old Ma’s family next door, and Old Cai’s family further down, all came out to watch—after all, Mother Han hadn’t exactly arrived quietly.

Zhou Zhen had also come out, a smile already playing on her lips. She didn’t say anything, but it was clear she was siding with Chen Rou.

Mother Han was thoroughly humiliated. She had no idea when this second daughter-in-law had gotten so sharp-tongued. Unable to win the argument, she turned to her son. “Second, are you just going to stand there and watch your wife defy your mother?”

“I think, Old Lady, you’re still living in the past. Your thinking hasn’t caught up with modern society. What era do you think we’re in? You’re still using words like ‘defy’? That’s a leftover from feudalism,” Chen Rou interjected. “And have you not realized yet that your family and ours are now two separate households? If you want to live peacefully, then don’t come to my home stirring up trouble. As for your retirement, your three sons will work that out among themselves. Whatever’s fair will be done—we won’t shortchange you and Father. But how we live in our house—whether it’s the wife or the husband doing the laundry—that’s our own business. You’d best mind your own, and if you reach your hand in too far, don’t blame me for chopping it off!”

She was never fond of trouble, but if trouble came knocking, she wouldn’t shy away from it.

She just wanted a peaceful life, so now that the old lady had come looking for trouble, she wasn’t going to be polite. Otherwise, how could she hope to live in peace in the future?

The households had already been split. They were now two separate families. Who had the right to dictate how her family lived?

Mother Han was furious, but seeing that her own son didn’t say a word, she flew into a rage and stormed off.

Everyone in the village knew that Chen Rou had always been a shrew who could make a scene—but they hadn’t known her mouth could be this sharp.

“Ever since she hit her head, it’s like her whole personality changed. She doesn’t throw tantrums or make scenes anymore, but her tongue sure got sharper.”

“She completely silenced that old woman—wasn’t that hilarious?”

“She wasn’t wrong either. Now that the families are split, they’re two separate households. Why should the old lady still meddle in how the couple lives their lives?”

“But making her man do the laundry is still going too far.”

“Even if it is, that’s none of our business. As long as the couple themselves are fine with it, what’s there to say?”

“…”

Everyone gradually dispersed, each with their own opinions.

Chen Rou, unfazed, continued stitching shoe soles. These were for the winter and needed to be thick—otherwise, snow would soak through easily.

As for Mother Han’s visit, she didn’t take it to heart, but what needed to be said still had to be said. She looked at Han Guobin and said, “We’ve split from them. We’re two separate families now. They’re your parents and our elders. In the future, we’ll provide the necessary grain and supplies for their care—we won’t neglect that. But if they want to interfere with how we live, then I won’t stand for it.”

“Mm.” Han Guobin nodded and, after a moment’s thought, added, “Whatever happens at home, you have the final say.”

Chen Rou glanced at him to make sure he wasn’t upset over how she had scolded his mother. Only then did she continue working on the shoe soles.

Then she remembered what her mother said—that she needed to go pick up the cotton and cloth tonight—so she said, “Go inside, drink your milk, and then get to bed.”

“It’s still early,” Han Guobin replied. He wanted to spend a bit more time with his wife. Though tired, he wasn’t ready to sleep just yet.

It was probably around 6:30 or 7:00 PM—not really early anymore. He had to wake up around 3:00 AM to head out in the dark for work.

Chen Rou could tell what he meant and said, “Then let’s talk for a bit?”

Han Guobin sat down and said, “Don’t let what my mom said bother you. You’re the one in charge at home.”

“Mm.” Chen Rou nodded and didn’t dwell on the topic. She said instead, “I’ll go to work with you tomorrow. Tonight I’ll cook some porridge. You can come to the kitchen and eat it in the early morning.”

“Alright,” Han Guobin agreed.

Chen Rou checked the time and went to the kitchen to start cooking. She set rice to boil for porridge. It wouldn’t be very filling, but she’d bring a proper meal to him later when she got to the worksite.

She chopped some pickled vegetables, mixed them with crispy pork drippings, and set them aside in a bowl for him to eat with the porridge.

By the time she finished all this, night had fully fallen. She said quietly, “I talked to my mother earlier today. She said for you to head over after dark to pick up the cotton and cloth I bought.”