RGL – Chapter 16

It was the New Year after all, and Grandma Su didn’t want to create a scene. That stern face from earlier was just to get her eldest son to bow his head a little. Now that she’d been given an out, she naturally took it.

“Alright, go tidy up first. Later, help Yulan clean up the house a bit. It’ll be good to have everything ready for the New Year tomorrow.”

Su Min curled her lip. “Mom, Dad, where should we put our things? Where are we sleeping tonight? Are we staying in our old room?”

The moment she said that, Li Yulan was at a loss for words. After their family moved out, her own son had taken a liking to that bigger room and insisted on moving in. Now there was no way to give it back.

She laughed awkwardly. “I didn’t know you’d be coming back suddenly, so I let Cancan have that room. Why don’t you stay in his room for now?”

Before Su Changrong or Sun Qiufang could say anything, Su Min smiled and said, “Second Aunt is right. We’re just guests now. It doesn’t really matter where we stay. We’re only here for a day anyway. Didn’t Third Uncle and Aunt also just stay a day and leave? Nobody said anything about that. Dad, Mom, weren’t we going to visit Grandma today? Let’s drop off our stuff and head over—otherwise, if we go after the New Year, it’ll delay us getting back to work.”

Coming back home only to be met with cold faces and orders—it was painfully obvious how differently they were being treated.

Sun Qiufang caught on to her daughter’s meaning right away. If she said this, the old lady would say she was lazy. But coming from her daughter, it passed without issue.

She added, “That’s true. We only get these couple days off. In a few days, we’ll be back in the city working again. It’s the New Year—folks will be setting off firecrackers and whatnot. There’ll be a lot of deliveries.”

“You’re going back to the city?” Grandma Su’s eyes widened in surprise. She had assumed the couple had returned because they couldn’t make it in the city and had come back to beg for help.

Su Changrong nodded helplessly. “Qiufang and I have settled down in the city. That’s where we’ll be staying from now on.”

“Really? You’ve settled down? Does that mean you’ve made money?” Grandma Su immediately perked up.

Li Yulan also asked curiously, “What are you doing in the city?”

Hearing the questions, Su Changrong suddenly remembered what his daughter had warned him earlier—if people knew they were earning money, his mother would definitely try something.

He replied, “Not much money, just enough for daily expenses. Qiufang and I don’t have any special skills or education—what kind of money could we be making? We’re still living in a shack someone lent us.”

Sun Qiufang chimed in, “Yeah, that hundred-something yuan Mom gave us last time—we used all of it on New Year’s stuff. Once we’re back in the city, we’ll have to start working again to earn enough for next year.”

Upon hearing this, Grandma Su’s face fell with disappointment. She snorted. “No money and still running around outside. You’d be better off staying here, helping out with the farming. This whole half-year, Changfu’s been doing everything—farming and going to work in town. It’s been tough for him.”

Li Yulan echoed with displeasure, “Well, we do have Cancan to raise. We need to earn more so he can go to school and get married someday. Otherwise, Changfu and I would’ve gone off to the city too.”

Her tone made it very clear—she was accusing Su Changrong and his wife of being irresponsible and abandoning everything.

Su Min caught the implication immediately—and so did everyone else.

Grandma Su let out a heavy “hmph,” her face growing colder. “Running around outside all year, just trying to dodge the responsibility of looking after us. The eldest is supposed to take care of the parents, but everything’s fallen onto Changfu instead.”

“Mom, that’s just not right,” Sun Qiufang couldn’t take it anymore. Now that they had a foothold and weren’t relying on anyone, she had the confidence to speak up. “You always say the one who supports the parents should get the ancestral house. So if you want Changrong to take care of you, then shouldn’t the house go to him too? And if he was supposed to support Dad, then why did Dad’s old job go to Changfu? Seems like Changfu gets all the benefits without lifting a finger, and Changrong and I are just beasts of burden, is that it?”

“You went and gave birth to a girl…” Grandma Su snapped, throwing out an old-fashioned insult.

Su Min cut her off, “Grandma, if you say I’m just a girl and get nothing, then fine—but no one ever said a girl has to take care of the elders either. So how about we leave that to Cancan?”

“What kind of nonsense is that! A little girl dares to talk back to me now? Just like mother, just like daughter!”

Grandma Su was fuming, glaring and cursing as she ranted.

Su Changrong looked torn. What a mess for New Year’s—his family couldn’t even spend the holiday in peace. “Mom, please don’t do this. Do you want Qiufang and me to stay for the New Year or not? If not, I’ll just take her back to the city now.”

Back when they all lived under the same roof, there was tension. Now they’d moved out, and it was still drama. Couldn’t things ever be calm?

Grandma Su glared. “So now that you’ve split off, you don’t even see me as your mother anymore, is that it?”

“It’s not that I don’t recognize you as my mother,” Su Changrong said, “but honestly, what kind of family puts their son and daughter-in-law through this during the New Year? If you really don’t want us here, we’ll leave.”

He couldn’t take it anymore. Back when they all lived together, he’d tolerated things to keep the peace. But now they lived separately, and still had to endure this kind of treatment? If she didn’t want them around, he’d just send money during holidays and not come back to be insulted.

Seeing his tone harden, Li Yulan didn’t want things to go too far either—it’d make the family a laughingstock in the village. After all, she and her family still lived here. She tried to calm things down.

“Mom, forget it. It’s New Year’s—no need to make ourselves miserable. Let’s talk after the holiday, okay? Look, even Cancan’s too scared to come out. Don’t get yourself all worked up.”

Grandma Su still respected Li Yulan, who’d earned her favor over the years. And hearing that her grandson was frightened, she didn’t want to keep fighting either. She just let out a snort and went back inside.

With her backing down, Su Changrong and Sun Qiufang couldn’t very well walk out now. Li Yulan quickly arranged for them to stay in the small room that Cancan had been using.

Once inside, after setting their things down, Su Changrong tried to comfort her. “Qiufang, we’ll leave first thing tomorrow after New Year’s Eve. Don’t let it get to you.”

As she tidied the bedding, Sun Qiufang said, “I used to tolerate it when we were all under one roof—at least we were trying to get by. But now we’ve moved out, and even after a whole year we come back only to be treated like this? Like we’re still living off them? You might be able to stomach it, but I can’t. We’re earning our own money now, we’ve got our own place. If she starts again tomorrow, you can come home next year on your own.”

“I know, I know. Didn’t I just speak up too? She’s still my mom. I can’t really go all in on her. And it’s just these two days out of the whole year.” He sounded worn out. No matter how difficult she was, his mother had raised him and been part of his life for decades—he couldn’t completely cut her off.

Su Min said, “I think Grandma only responds to strength. Look at Third Uncle—everyone tiptoes around him. When have you ever seen her give Third Aunt that kind of attitude? Mom, Dad, you really have to learn from them. Otherwise, even if we’re making money in the future, she’ll still look down on us and make trouble every time. And when has she ever dared ask Third Uncle for money? But with us—did you see how her eyes lit up just now when she asked if we’d made money? If we’d said yes, she’d definitely have asked for some.”

“What Minzi said makes sense. I’m not putting up with this anymore. Sure, I didn’t give the Su family a son, but my daughter is no worse than anyone else’s. Let Su’s precious grandson come up with a way to earn money and see what he can do.”

Sun Qiufang wasn’t worried about anything anymore. Life was better now that they were living in the city, and she had no desire to come back to the village. She no longer cared about offending the old lady. Besides, she and her husband were making more money than Su Changfu’s family, and they didn’t rely on the old couple’s house or land to get by. Why should they put up with being treated badly?

Su Changrong felt a pang of discomfort. He understood exactly why his mother looked down on him. His second brother had a son and had provided a male heir for the Su family. His third brother had married a city woman and settled in the city, which made their mother feel proud and dignified. But him? He had no son and no money, so their mother had always looked down on him.

Still, he had worked hard over the years, hoping to build a good life for his family. If it hadn’t been for the way his mother had repeatedly targeted his daughter—going so far as to say she shouldn’t be allowed to go to school—he wouldn’t have decided to split from the family and move out. Now they had their own household, and yet his mother still treated them this way—it just wasn’t right.

He stayed silent, unsure of how to comfort his daughter and wife.

Su Min didn’t push him. These kinds of things had to be addressed step by step. After all, they’d lived under these conditions for so many years, and certain habits and beliefs were deeply ingrained. A few arguments or bits of mistreatment wouldn’t be enough to completely change that. She herself had only come to understand the coldness and selfishness of family after experiencing a lifetime of ups and downs. Her parents hadn’t yet faced that same kind of reckoning, so how could they possibly have her level of awareness?

What she needed to do now was help her parents see their relatives’ true nature while their life gradually improved—so they’d stop being so easily manipulated. Even if they didn’t sever ties with their family, they at least shouldn’t let themselves be led by the nose anymore.

After tidying up their luggage, Sun Qiufang announced that she wanted to visit her family to pay respects for the New Year.

Since they were heading back to the city right after New Year’s Eve, they didn’t have time to visit later. They’d have to go now and return straight to the city afterward.

The three of them took out the gifts they’d prepared for the Sun family and packed them up. Just as they were about to open the door, Su Min tugged on her mother’s arm and whispered, “Mom, did we bring the money?”

Sun Qiufang immediately understood her daughter’s point. She glanced at the large backpack on the bed, walked over, reached in, and pulled out a bundle wrapped in a handkerchief. She tucked it carefully into the inner pocket of her cotton jacket.

When the three of them came into the main hall, Li Yulan was busy checking over the vegetables and meats Su Changrong had brought back. Seeing them come out, she smiled and said, “All packed? I was just about to start preparing the New Year’s dishes. Big Sister-in-law, you’re just in time to lend a hand.”

“I don’t have time. Changrong and I are heading to my family’s place to pay our respects,” Sun Qiufang said coolly. She’d seen things clearly now and knew how to hold her ground. They’d just been in an argument—how could she turn around and work like a servant now? That didn’t make any sense.

Li Yulan hadn’t expected her normally helpful sister-in-law to refuse. Her expression soured immediately.

Grandma Su came out of the kitchen and frowned when she saw the three of them carrying gifts. “Where are you all going?”

Su Changrong felt uneasy every time he saw his mother now, worried she’d start another scene. He awkwardly replied, “Qiufang and I want to visit Sunjia Village. It’s been over half a year since we’ve gone. After the New Year, we’ll be heading back to the city again, so we figured we should go pay our respects first.”

“You just got back and now you’re leaving without lifting a finger? What kind of behavior is that?”

Su Min rolled her eyes. “My parents spent over a hundred yuan just on groceries this time. Every fish and piece of meat here was bought by them. Why can’t they go out for a bit? When Third Uncle and Third Aunt come back every year, you never say a word.”

“You little brat!” Grandma Su raised her hand as if to hit her.

But Sun Qiufang immediately stepped in front of her daughter. “If you dare lay a hand on my girl, I’ll take everything we brought and go spend the New Year at my mother’s instead.”

Li Yulan quickly stepped in to calm things down. “Mom, come on, just let them go. It’s the New Year—no need to make things unpleasant. Okay?”

Grandma Su, worried that Sun Qiufang would actually walk out with all the food, fumed but said nothing. She grumbled a few curses under her breath and took a few fish back into the kitchen.

Sun Qiufang, completely unfazed, pulled Su Min along and walked out. Su Changrong followed behind, frowning.

Once outside, Sun Qiufang said, “It’s exactly what I thought. If we hadn’t bought any meat or fish today, she really wouldn’t have let us leave.”

Su Min laughed. “Mom, you were amazing today. Look how fast Second Aunt and Grandma backed down once you lost your temper. You’ve got to keep it up—don’t let kindness be taken for weakness.”

“I’ve got money in my pocket. What do I have to be afraid of?” Sun Qiufang said with a deep breath, finally feeling a bit of relief. She took her daughter’s hand. “Come on, let’s hurry to your grandma’s. I still have to pay back your uncle—he works hard for his money too.”