Zhulan’s statement had a basis. Jiang Wang Shi was quite gossipy. As soon as she arrived at the Xuemei family, she immediately came over. Although Zhulan didn’t have a good opinion of Jiang Wang Shi, she still had to give her face.

when Yang Shi asserted herself, her sharp words hurt, and she had prepared herself for sarcasm. However, Yang Shi acted as if nothing had happened, making Jiang Wang’s wife more cautious not to underestimate her. “Hey, why asking my in-laws to pour tea? I can do it myself.”

Zhulan had no intention of pouring a second cup. Xuehan also entered the room. In Zhulan’s family, several scholars liked to read in the evening. Since they were all young and growing, there was a constant supply of snacks at home, with various types categorized for guests.

What Xuehan got was the most expensive snack, a soft little cake. Yes, two months ago, Shi Qing’s snack shop opened in the county. It was very popular. People from all over the country knew that they could eat cakes. It was all something worth showing off.

Xuehan put down the pastries and said with a smile: “Shěnshěn¹, have some snacks.”

Jiang Wang Shi knew pastries. Last time, her youngest son brought back half a pound, claiming it cost eighty wén per pound. She took a bite, and when she saw the six pieces served now, totaling nearly a pound, she felt the pinch of eighty wén. While lamenting the cost, she gained a profound understanding of the wealth of the Zhou family. The in-law’s family background is indeed quite substantial.

Jiang Wang Shi’s eyes moved to Xuehan, and she was stunned for a moment, “Xuehan was just a young girl the last time I saw her. I haven’t seen her for a few years, and she is now a big girl. This girl is so good-looking.”

As she said this, she felt sad. The little girl was wearing a light green dress, with a silver bracelet on her wrist, a pair of gold earrings on her ears, and a flower on her head that was only available in the county shop. She was good-looking, and her every frown and smile made her look like a lady from an official family. However, her stature was slightly shorter in the spine. Compared to the Jiang family and the Zhou family, they couldn’t compare. Her son relied on his in-law’s family to find work in the county yamen. So she lacked confidence and sounded even more timid.

Zhulan’s eyes softened when she heard that. Mothers liked to hear praises for their children, and her smile became real. “Please try it, let’s talk while eating.”

Jiang Wang Shi, “Sure!”

Zhulan pondered why Jiang Wang Shi had come, but she couldn’t ask. Then it could seem like she was trying to control her son-in-law’s family, and the relationship between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law had always been a challenging issue. Even in modern times, her nǎinǎi² and mother had a strained relationship. A small part of the reason for her parent’s divorce was related to this. After she graduated from college, her family began to worry about her future. Her wàipó³ had often told her why she didn’t interfere in her mother’s affairs. The more the maternal family intervened, the more minor issues became major problems for the sake of face.

Jiang Wang Shi didn’t eat anymore after eating a piece of pastry. She was also smart. Her sūnzi and sūnnǚ ⁴were fat and white. It seemed that they often went to wàipó’s house to eat delicious food. If she eats one piece less, the children will eat more. “We have been sitting for a while, why are the in-laws at home alone?”

Zhulan explained: “Shuren went to the county, the eldest and the second went to the mountains to collect firewood, and the eldest daughter-in-law and the second daughter-in-law followed to pick fungus and wild vegetables. So I am the only one left to take care of the house.”

Upon hearing about vegetables, Jiang Wang Shi became concerned and said, “Jiang Sheng and his wife are living alone. The vegetables in the backyard have just started growing, so it will take some time before they can be eaten. I was thinking about them, so I discussed with my old man to come and stay for a while. Originally, I thought the old man could help bring back some firewood, but when I entered, there was a pile of firewood as tall as a person. Xuemei said it was picked up by Chang Li and Chang Yi. Jiang Sheng’s small family is entirely taken care of by the in-laws. As a mother, I came, but I can’t help much. I feel embarrassed!”

Jiang Wang Shi indeed felt ashamed. Since her son left home, both she and her old man had done some self-reflection. They came to a profound realization that not only were they disappointed in their son, but he had also given up on them. This realization made her panic. She had softened her stance to talk to her son, intending to come and help. However, upon arriving, she found there was little she could do to assist. She felt her face was burning when she compared her son’s biological parents with his in-law’s family.

Zhulan didn’t want to guess about Jiang Wang Shi’s heart. As long as the Zhou family was better and Jiang Sheng relied on the Zhou family, she did not worry about Jiang Wang Shi bullying Xuemei. As long as the two families lived in peace, there was no need to be serious about life, and there was no need to insist on following the rules. Jiang Wang Shi admitted her mistake. Sometimes it was better to be confused. “Look, what my in-laws said is not just a heretic. Xuemei is my daughter. Her two brothers should help. And who said that the in-laws can’t help? The vegetables in Xuemei’s house are not grown yet. If they want to eat green vegetables, they have to find wild vegetables. Xuemei has to take care of the children and has no time. When the in-laws come, you can pick wild vegetables. You can pick more and dry them in the sun to eat them in the winter to change the taste. Look, we are already drying the bracken and fungus in my yard!”

When Jiang Wang Shi heard this, the heat on her face dropped a lot, “Then I will pick some more and bring them back. My in-laws, can we go with you tomorrow?”

Zhulan said, “….”

No, she didn’t want to. She didn’t want to go to the mountains at all. She even asked Zhou Shuren to buy anti-snake medicine and spread it at home. She heard more than once that a snake had been caught in the firewood pile. When spreading the medicine, she even used her grandchildren as an excuse!

(End of chapter)

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Footnote

1. Paternal aunt, wife of your father’s younger brother. But it can mean any older lady of your mother’s generation like in this case.
2. Paternal Grandmother
3. Maternal Grandmother. This is why I take the time to write the Chinese name of the relationship. The whole meaning of the paragraph changes when you understand the difference between “nainai” and “waipo”. In English it is just grandmother.
4. Grandson and Granddaughter of son.