After spending a night at her parental ho, Cheng Su and Qi Taiguo had breakfast and were ready to head back to Huangtian Village. Cheng Su was extrely reluctant to leave. Once she got back, she would have to cater to her mother-in-law’s moods and serve the whole family; it was truly exhausting!
Mother Cheng pulled her aside and said, "You haven’t gone back to Qing City these past two days, have you? We have so cured pork at ho. Co and collect it when you leave. I won’t give it to you now; if you take it back, I’m afraid it won’t be you who ends up eating it."
This was her way of protecting the food, fearing that if taken back ho, her daughter’s in-laws might consu all of it, leaving nothing for her to bring back to Qing City.
Cheng Su found it amusing but felt a warm feeling inside. She said, "Okay, I’ll swing by the house before I leave."
Mother Cheng nodded and added, "With the New Year coming up, try to control your temper a bit, and don’t take it to heart what your mother-in-law has been spreading about you being in business. There’s no need to compete with her over who’s right. She’s your mother-in-law. If you argue with her, you’re the one who’ll suffer. Nowadays, people, right or wrong, will instinctively side with the elderly first."
This was out of fear that Cheng Su would argue with her mother-in-law when she gets back!
Cheng Su simply replied, "I understand."
"Make sure it’s not just talk. Don’t just say it without following through. And let tell you, what’s said is like water spilled; it cannot be taken back. Anyway, no matter what she says, you won’t agree and do as she says, so just let it go in one ear and out the other!" Seeing her daughter’s indifferent look, Mother Cheng added with more emphasis, "If I hear about you being disrespectful or back-talking, when you co back, I’ll twist your ear for sure!"
Cheng Su playfully tugged at her ear and said, "Mom, I’m your own daughter. Why are you not siding with first? Are you implying I was picked up from a pit?"
"I picked you up from the stove corner! You are just ungrateful. It’s because I’m on your side and don’t want you to suffer losses that I advise you not to be obstinate. Anyway, you never listen to . Stop hanging around before and go on, you ungrateful girl!" Mother Cheng pretended to look disgusted.
"Fine, seeing how disgusted you are, I must really be picked up." Cheng Su said, chuckling. "Then I’ll co back in a couple of days!"
"Mm!"
After Cheng Su and Qi Taiguo left, Mother Cheng continued to sigh and shake her head until they were out of sight, then she returned to the courtyard.
"What’s the matter, did you say sothing to Su Girl again? You’re shaking your head and sighing so much, if it were winter with leaves on the trees, you’d have sighed them all off!" Father Cheng asked upon seeing this.
"It’s nothing much. I just think this girl is too stubborn and quick-tempered. The saying ’too rigid, too easy to break’ is true, and I really worry she might suffer because of her temperant one day!" Mother Cheng expressed her deep concern.
Father Cheng said, "How could that be? I think her behavior has beco much more reliable than when she was a girl; she has changed a lot." After a pause, he continued, "Actually, I think she’s becoming more and more like her grandmother in how she conducts herself."
Mother Cheng was startled: "Grandmother?"
Father Cheng nodded and said, "Not only does she resemble her in appearance, but also in her mannerisms."
Mother Cheng was even more shocked. Her grandmother had not lived long and had died in sorrow.
"Stop talking; you’re making more anxious." Mother Cheng did not want to think about it.
Father Cheng followed her inside.
anwhile, Cheng Su and her husband quickly returned to his family ho. Upon seeing the eldest sister and the others, they exchanged greetings, handed out red envelopes to the children, chatted for a while, and as nearly noon approached, Cheng Su went to the kitchen to start preparing lunch.
"Let help you," Qi Fenglian offered with a smile as she followed her to the kitchen.
Mother Qi, who was entertaining Baobao, heard this and wanted to say that as the sister-in-law, you’re a guest; guests aren’t supposed to help with chores.
But thinking that her daughter might have sothing to say to Cheng Su, she let it go.
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