Chapter 3: Yuan’er Protects Her Mother

The Wang family’s house was built by the riverside, forming a large square courtyard with east and west wings. The main house was in the central position, and Wang Yuan’er’s family occupied the east wing, which had three rooms. The second family occupied the west wing.

As she saw her home in the distance, Wang Yuan’er’s heart raced with excitement, and she couldn’t help but quicken her pace.

In her previous life, after marrying Landlord Li, he kept a strict watch on her and didn’t allow her to visit her family. This was the first time she had seen her home again in six years. As she approached the entrance, she heard a commotion inside, mixed with low sobs and loud noises.

Wang Yuan’er’s body stiffened. It was her mother crying. She hurriedly entered the house and saw Madam Liang standing under the eaves, wiping her tears with her sleeves. Her large, pointed belly protruded awkwardly. Since her father’s passing, her mother had cried every day, growing weaker and frailer. Now, she looked even more fragile.

At her mother’s feet, her five-year-old sister Lan’er clung to her leg, crying along with her. Her third sister, Qing’er, stood in the courtyard with her hands on her hips, glaring angrily at their second aunt, Madam Zhang, like an angry little calf.

“Mother,” Wang Yuan’er couldn’t help but call out, looking at the scene before her. She asked, “What’s going on here?”

Madam Liang shook her head, her eyes red and swollen.

Before she could speak, the hot-tempered Qing’er couldn’t hold back and shouted, “Eldest sister, you’re back just in time. Our mother is being bullied. It’s second aunt; she’s scolding our mother, calling her… a jinx and a curse.” As she spoke, Qing’er’s eyes also reddened.

Wang Yuan’er’s face darkened. She knew how venomous and unrestrained Madam Zhang’s mouth could be. When things didn’t go her way, she would say anything.

Thinking carefully, what could have happened to Madam Zhang this time?

She remembered that Madam Zhang loved playing cards and often went to the town’s gambling house. In her previous life, she once took the money from selling pigs to gamble and lost it all, even owing high-interest loans. Their grandmother was so angry that she threatened to send her back to her family, causing quite a stir. It seemed she had lost money again this time!

“Did I say anything wrong?” Madam Zhang, still fuming, shouted, “Crying every day, bringing bad luck to the family. It’s been a month since he died, and she’s still crying every day. Can’t we have some peace?”

Madam Liang’s face turned pale.

“You…” Qing’er clenched her fists in anger, ready to charge forward.

Wang Yuan’er stopped her and glared at Madam Zhang, saying, “Second aunt, my father is gone, and my mother is his wife, newly widowed. Can’t she even cry for him? Instead of being understanding, you lost money at the gambling house and took it out on my mother. What kind of logic is that?”

Madam Zhang’s face changed when Wang Yuan’er mentioned the lost money, and she nervously glanced at the main house, awkwardly defending herself, “Who, who lost money? Don’t talk nonsense.”

“Whether it’s nonsense or not, we all know the truth.” Wang Yuan’er glared at her, her eyes like poisoned daggers, making Madam Zhang shiver and fall silent.

“What’s all this noise about? The sun is almost up, and the stove is still cold. Do I, the old woman, have to do everything?” Grandma Wang came out of the house, her sharp eyes first sweeping over Wang Yuan’er and her sisters, then glaring at Madam Zhang.

“Mother, I’ll go cook right away.” Madam Liang quickly wiped her tears and headed to the kitchen.

Seeing Madam Liang go to the kitchen, Madam Zhang also made an excuse to go to the vegetable garden and slipped away.

Chapter 4: Persuading Mother

In Changle Town, people referred to meals as “court.” After the morning ‘court,’ Madam Liang returned to the east room to sew shoe soles, occasionally coughing, making everyone uneasy.

Wang Yuan’er lifted the curtain and entered the inner room, seeing Madam Liang sitting cross-legged on the kang, pulling thread through a shoe sole. Due to the recent mourning, she wore a plain gray outfit, her hair tied into a small bun with a small white flower pinned to it. The sunlight streaming in made her look even more delicate and frail, causing Wang Yuan’er’s eyes to redden.

In her previous life, her mother had given birth to her younger brother prematurely. Due to her father’s death, she was deeply depressed and passed away without even completing her postpartum recovery. At just fifteen, Wang Yuan’er had to take care of her three younger sisters and the newborn brother, struggling to survive.

Thinking of the past, Wang Yuan’er couldn’t help but sniffle and wipe away a tear.

Madam Liang looked up and saw her eldest daughter, asking, “Child, what are you doing standing at the door?”

“Mother,” Wang Yuan’er couldn’t help but rush over, hugging her waist and crying.

Madam Liang, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Wang family, was a farmer’s wife but came from a scholarly family, making her gentle and elegant with a serene and peaceful demeanor.

Wang Yuan’er, recalling the past and smelling her mother’s familiar scent, felt a mix of emotions, as if she were in a dream. Seeing her mother and sisters again was truly a blessing from the Buddha!

Seeing her cry, Madam Liang became anxious and asked, “What’s wrong? Did your grandmother say something?”

Wang Yuan’er shook her head. Madam Liang asked a few more questions, but she remained silent. Remembering her late husband, Madam Liang’s nose twitched, and tears fell like broken beads. “It’s my fault, it’s my fault.”

Feeling the coolness on her face, Wang Yuan’er quickly looked up and saw her mother crying again. She hurriedly grabbed a handkerchief to wipe her tears. “Mother, please don’t cry!”

Madam Liang nodded but continued to cry for a while before finally stopping.

Wang Yuan’er sighed and shook her head. Her mother was too weak; no wonder her second aunt could bully her.

Noticing her mother’s prominent belly, Wang Yuan’er felt a pang in her heart and couldn’t help but grab her hand, persuading, “Mother, it’s been a while since father passed. The dead are gone, and you shouldn’t dwell on it. You still have my little brother in your belly. You must take care of him. He’s father’s posthumous child and the last one.”

As if responding to Wang Yuan’er’s words, Madam Liang’s belly moved. She pursed her lips, touched her belly, and said, “How could I not know? I just can’t help it.”

Wang Yuan’er knew her mother’s gentle and soft nature. She continued, “Mother, just think more about us sisters. Father is gone, but if something happens to you, we sisters and the baby in your belly will truly be orphans.”

Madam Liang, most concerned about her daughters, was shaken by these words. She turned to look at her eldest daughter.

Seeing her haggard face and red eyes, Madam Liang thought, if she were gone, what would happen to the children? Their grandfather was not very responsible, and their grandmother was strong-willed. The second uncle and aunt wouldn’t help; they might even make things worse.

Thinking of this, Madam Liang’s heart felt like it was being tightly squeezed by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe. She had almost made a terrible mistake!