Cao Qiu started to speak, but Sun Zhuzi tugged at her. She flung his hand off.
Sun Jiaming looked at his mother, not backing down an inch.
Cao Qiu clenched her jaw and thought for a mont. Instead of losing her temper again, she went into the house.
’Why? Because she was about to tell her son that he needed to co to the city with her. It would be harder to convince him if they were in the middle of a huge fight.’
After his parents went inside, Sun Jiaming gestured for Gu’er to go in too.
Gu’er told Sun Jiaming to go ahead, then bent down to pick up the red gauze scarf from the ground.
The scarf was torn and had been trampled into the dirt.
For so reason, Gu’er’s heart stirred. If Sun Jiaming’s parents hadn’t returned today and he had given her the scarf, she might not have worn it. But now, looking at the ruined and dirty scarf, she felt a pang of heartache.
She placed the scarf on the rear rack of the bicycle, then gathered the things from the ground one by one and moved them into the kitchen.
Ordinarily, with Sun Jiaming back, her work was done and she could leave. But she had promised Grandma Sun that if they couldn’t co to an agreent, she would go find soone for her, so she couldn’t go.
Gu’er didn’t want to listen to what was being said inside—she could guess most of it anyway. She lit the stove and started making dinner. She didn’t care whether his parents ate, but Grandma Sun and Brother Jia Ming needed to have their al.
As she was chopping vegetables, Gu’er heard crying and shouting from inside the house.
’That must be Cao Qiu,’ she thought. ’Sun Jiaming must not have agreed to her demands, so now she’s acting up.’
Gu’er continued to chop the vegetables, pretending she hadn’t heard a thing.
When Gu’er finished cooking the al, she sat on a stool and silently watched the flas in the stove.
After a little while, she could still hear faint voices. It seed they hadn’t resolved anything yet.
Gu’er stood up, walked into the main room, and approached the door to the inner room.
"Sun Jiaming, you ungrateful wretch! You’d abandon your own mother for so girl! Has a dog eaten your conscience?! I’m telling you, if you don’t co to the city with , if you refuse to listen to , then fine! Sun Jiaming, I’ll act like I never gave birth to you! I’ll go find a rope and hang myself from the front gate! Let’s see how you marry that Zhou Gu’er then!"
Before Gu’er could even step inside, Cao Qiu’s voice rang out.
Gu’er froze. ’Weren’t they supposed to be talking about Grandma Sun? How did I get dragged into this?’
’What do I have to do with whether or not he goes to the city? He wasn’t planning on moving to the city before he even knew , was he?’
"Mom, I’ve already told you, this has nothing to do with Gu’er. As long as Grandma is in the village, I can’t possibly move to the city. Why do you have to keep dragging Gu’er into it? Let’s not talk about this anymore, it’s not good if soone overhears. Mom, it’s enough that my brother and sister-in-law are in the city. I’ll stay here at ho to take care of Grandma. Isn’t that for the best?"
’Sun Jiaming truly didn’t understand. Why couldn’t his mother listen to reason? He’d said it countless tis: he wasn’t moving to the city. At the very least, he would never abandon Grandma in the village. He couldn’t do such a thing, and he shouldn’t.’
’Besides, Gu’er was here in the village. And as for so match from the city... no matter how great she might be, he didn’t want her. He had already set his heart on Gu’er for this lifeti.’
’Even if he did move to the city soday, he wouldn’t live with his brother and sister-in-law. He would buy his own place and bring Grandma and Gu’er with him. They would build their own life, not the one his mother envisioned.’
"Don’t try to sweet-talk or lecture about what’s reasonable. All I know is that I gave birth to you, so you have to listen to . What I say *is* what’s reasonable!"
Cao Qiu waved her hand dismissively. She wasn’t going to be persuaded by her son. She had made up her mind this ti, and nothing he said would change it.
"Zhuzi, did you hear what your wife just said?" Grandma Sun’s voice was laced with sarcasm. "You’re *my* son."
Sun Zhuzi blushed and stamred, unsure of what to say.
Cao Qiu gritted her teeth. ’This old hag always has to go against . So what if my husband is her son? He’s my husband, so he has to listen to !’
"Sun Zhuzi, say sothing! Your mother is claiming you as her son now. If you want to stay here, then go ahead and stay. I won’t stop you. But either way, *my* son is coming to the city with ."
Cao Qiu was essentially forcing her husband to declare his allegiance.
"I... I never said I was staying."
Sun Zhuzi imdiately chid in. He glanced at his wife, not daring to look at his own mother. His wife had been raising hell just now; if he didn’t side with her, she’d make his life miserable, and he certainly didn’t want that.
Anger surged in Sun Jiaming’s heart. ’How can my father be so spineless? Grandma is his own mother!’
"That’s enough. There’s no point in talking about this anymore. I’m not going to the city. Dad, Mom, if you want to stay, you’re welco to stay in the village for a few days. If not, I’ll take you back to the city tomorrow. As for Grandma, I will take care of her for the rest of her life. I will not abandon her. And as for that match you ntioned in the city, I’m not going to et her, and I’m not going to marry her. Don’t bring it up again. The matter is settled. I’m going to go make dinner."
’Arguing any further is pointless,’ Sun Jiaming thought. ’These are my parents, not strangers. I can’t treat them the way I’d treat outsiders.’
"Stop right there! Don’t you leave! You..."
Seeing Sun Jiaming reach the doorway, Cao Qiu rushed over and grabbed his arm, trying to stop him. But he was already at the threshold, where Gu’er was also standing. Both he and Cao Qiu saw her.
The mont Cao Qiu laid eyes on Gu’er, her own eyes reddened with fury. She had just spent ages trying to persuade Sun Jiaming with carrots and sticks; she’d yelled, she’d cried, she’d made terrible threats. Yet Sun Jiaming was adamant—he wouldn’t go to the city, and he wouldn’t et the girl there. ’It’s all because of this Gu’er that my son has turned out this way,’ she thought. She despised Gu’er.
"It’s all your fault! All your fault, you shaless girl! I’ll..."
As she spoke, Cao Qiu lunged for Gu’er, but Sun Jiaming held her back firmly.
"Jia Ming, tell her to get lost! If you won’t co to the city with , if you insist on choosing her, then I’ll die right here in front of you today! See if I don’t!"
Cao Qiu was genuinely enraged, but her words were mostly empty threats. She had no real intention of killing herself.
Before Sun Jiaming could say a word, Grandma Sun yelled, "She wants to die? Jia Ming, Gu’er, don’t stop her! Let her go! I’d like to see if she has the nerve. If she really has the guts, then I’ll finally have so respect for her. If she dies, this old woman will trade my life for hers!"
Grandma Sun sneered. She didn’t believe for a second that her daughter-in-law had the guts to do it.
"Why is my fate so bitter? My husband is worthless, my mother-in-law despises , and even the son I gave birth to isn’t on my side! Why was I even born? I’ve suffered so much... why on earth did I marry into the Sun Family? All I ever wanted was a better life for our family! What was it all for? I don’t want to live anymore! I just can’t go on! Everyone is bullying ... I’ll just go hang myself from the gate and be done with it!"
She didn’t need her mother-in-law’s prodding. Cao Qiu imdiately burst into tears, slapping her thighs and wailing as if she’d suffered the world’s greatest injustice and was truly on the verge of suicide.
"Qiu, don’t... don’t be like this."
Sun Zhuzi hurried to pull her back.
anwhile, Sun Jiaming’s face was dark, a vein throbbing on his forehead. He was holding himself back with all his might.
Gu’er sighed. ’Every family has its own cross to bear,’ she thought. ’I never imagined Brother Jia Ming had a mother like this.’
————————————
Sorry for the late update. I’ve been feeling awful today; I even threw up this afternoon and felt like I was going to faint. After picking up my child, I fell asleep without even checking her howork. I’m feeling a little better after waking up, but my whole body still aches and I haven’t had dinner. Going to take so dicine and go to sleep. Goodnight, everyone.
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