Chapter 15: A Strong Moral Compass

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

Their youngest son had ended up being carried home like that—how could that not be a huge blow?

Chen Aihong had already fainted once yesterday. Although Zhou Quansheng could still hold himself together, how could he not feel devastated inside?

They tossed and turned all night, unable to fall asleep.

Now, seeing Su Luyun, their daughter-in-law, so attentive and thoughtful, patiently caring for their son without a trace of frustration, the elderly couple felt truly comforted in their hearts.

Since Zhou Quansheng still had to go to work, he took their eldest grandson home first.

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

“Alright.” Chen Aihong didn’t refuse and took the bowl to drink. The fish soup had been cooked beautifully.

Su Luyun only had some egg porridge. As for the steamed buns, she planned to save them for lunch and dinner.

Chen Aihong soon finished her soup. She looked gently at this daughter-in-law with whom she’d always had a rather ordinary relationship. “Yun Yun, I know how you feel about Changdong. Mom can feel it.”

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

“If I were a bit more selfish, I really wouldn’t say anything. But I can’t go against my conscience and force a young woman in her prime like you to stay and take care of Changdong.”

This daughter-in-law was only twenty-two. If Chen Aihong had a daughter and she faced something like this, she would’ve made the same decision as the Su Family.

Su Luyun naturally knew that her mother-in-law had a very upright moral compass and had never been biased toward any of the three daughters-in-law.

After the children got married and divided the family, she never interfered in how they lived.

Even toward Lin Fang, the second daughter-in-law who had been married for years but never had children, and toward her—Su Luyun—who had a reputation in the neighborhood as a wasteful spendthrift, their mother-in-law never said a word against them.

Maybe she had her own thoughts, but she had never once interfered.

So Su Luyun genuinely had a good impression of this mother-in-law.

When she didn’t speak, Chen Aihong continued: “Changdong’s condition is likely going to remain as it is, but that’s okay. Your father-in-law and I will take care of him together. The government provides a subsidy every month, and once we’re no longer able to manage, we’ll pay someone to take care of him. You don’t have to worry about him.”

Su Luyun’s eyes welled up with tears. “Mom, are you trying to send me away?”

Seeing her like this, Chen Aihong felt a deep ache in her heart. “Mom isn’t trying to send you away. If Changdong were still fine, I would’ve wished nothing more than for you two to live well and give me a chubby grandson. But with Changdong like this now, I can’t keep you here. You’re still young, and there’s a long life ahead of you.”

The more sensible and kind this daughter-in-law was, the less Chen Aihong could bear to see her future wasted.

She was a woman too—how many good years does a woman really get in her life? How could she stand watching those years be slowly worn away?

Su Luyun was already in tears, her face like a rain-drenched pear blossom. “Mom, please don’t drive me away. I’ve already said I won’t leave. I’m Changdong’s wife—none of you can make me go.”

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

Watching her cry made her heart ache even more. “Mom’s not trying to drive you away. I just want to be honest with you about where the Zhou Family stands. If one day you decide to leave, you can go at any time—no one in the Zhou Family will stop you. If you want, you can still come visit us.”

Su Luyun wiped her tears, then, like a determined NPC in a video game, held the hand of her vegetative husband and professed her love with deep emotion:

“The mountains may crumble, the rivers may dry, thunder may roar in winter, snow may fall in summer, and heaven and earth may merge—but only then would I dare to part from you!”

After saying that, she turned to look at her mother-in-law with firm eyes.

“Thank you for your kindness, Mom. But this is how I feel—I will never remarry in this life. I’ll stay with Changdong. I don’t want anyone else!”

“The mountains may crumble, the heavens may merge—only then would I dare to part from you!”

How could Chen Aihong not be moved?

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

The neighbors, upon seeing her, naturally pulled her aside to ask what had happened.

Chen Aihong shared a brief version of the conversation she had with her daughter-in-law, mainly to express the Zhou Family’s stance—they would never force their daughter-in-law to stay, nor would they hold her back from living her own life.

But the daughter-in-law simply refused to leave. She just wanted to stay by her husband’s side.

The neighbors were all deeply moved by this. Aunt Qian, who had already been emotional and tearful the day before, couldn’t take such sorrowful drama again today.

She dabbed at the wet corners of her eyes. “You really see true love in hardship. Changdong’s wife—she’s something else, really something else!”

Everyone agreed. Who wouldn’t?

“She’s truly a devoted soul!”

He Yuling, of course, also heard about the matter from Chen Aihong.

To her face, she praised a little, but the moment she turned around, her face was full of sarcasm.

She didn’t believe for a second that Su Luyun could hold on for long!

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

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

While the neighbors spoke with admiration and emotion, Wang Guifen only felt her heart twist in pain. That “the mountains may crumble, the heavens may merge—only then would I dare to part from you” nonsense!

What the hell was that dead girl trying to do—become a poet and recite tragic classics?

But not a trace of it showed on her face. She simply headed to her daughter’s place and knocked on the door.

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

Without electronics to pass the time, there was really nothing to do but exercise.

But that was fine—just the right opportunity to reshape her figure.

When she heard her mother’s voice outside, Su Luyun responded and exited her pose to open the door.

“Mom, what brings you here?” Su Luyun asked.

Her mother’s face looked icy cold, and there were dark circles under her eyes. It was obvious she had been so angry she hadn’t slept well last night.

Although Su Luyun felt a little guilty, she still needed her mother’s support at the moment, so she couldn’t say too much just yet.

Otherwise, her mother might not be able to keep up the act.

After all, her mother was way too straightforward in personality.

Wang Guifen shot her a glare, but since there were still some neighbors outside, she only said: “I made some chicken soup and brought it over for you and Changdong to replenish your strength.”

Su Luyun led her inside.

Once the door was closed, Wang Guifen let out a cold laugh. “I didn’t know you could recite poetry. When did you learn that? Even your own mother had no idea you had that in you!”

Her tone was full of sarcasm.

Su Luyun giggled.

Wang Guifen didn’t bother with her and headed into the room to see her son-in-law.

“Have you cleaned up Changdong yet?”

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

As for the rest of his body, there was no need to clean it for now. It was clear he had already been cleaned up before coming back—he looked neat and tidy.

Wang Guifen looked over and found that he indeed looked clean and orderly. “Has he eaten yet? Pour out the chicken soup and feed it to him.”

She had tossed and turned all night and concluded that her daughter wouldn’t last long.

Taking care of a vegetative person wasn’t something easy.

So now she wanted to see whether this stubborn girl could actually manage the job.

“He won’t need it for now. I already fed him a bowl of crucian carp and tofu soup this morning. My mother-in-law also brought over two bowls of rice broth, and I fed him all of it.” Su Luyun replied.

Wang Guifen looked at her. “You fed him, or your mother-in-law did?”

“Of course it was me.” Su Luyun blinked. “I’m taking care of Changdong. I’ll do everything myself. I won’t leave anything to someone else.”

Wang Guifen gave a cold laugh. “Aren’t you capable.”