The three sisters-in-law and the three Su brothers arrived at the village entrance and saw Su Taohua's family all neatly dressed.
They learned that they were going to visit the sister's home today.
Su Taohua, wearing a brand-new wool coat, had long lost the fierceness she once had. Standing beside Shen Zizhen, she actually had a touch of feminine grace.
Not to mention her three children, they had all grown up so well.
Wang Xianghua, at this moment, remembered that when she first married in, Su Taohua was truly the belle of the village.
But later, everyone only remembered Taohua's fierceness.
Now that she was married to Shen Zizhen and living a better life, she seemed to have returned to her former self.
Su Taohua also felt Wang Xianghua's scrutinizing gaze and asked with a smile, "Sister-in-law, why do you keep looking at me?"
As she spoke, there was a hint of shyness.
"Sister Taohua, you're getting younger and younger!" Wang Xianghua teased.
Qi Liangying and Liang Xiu both looked at Su Taohua because of Wang Xianghua's words. Indeed, she looked much younger than before.
"I'm happy in my heart!" Su Taohua said with a smile, her eyes and brows filled with happiness.
Beside her, Su Xiaotian walked with Su Xiaomei, while the two brothers, Xiao Liang and Xiao Gang, protected them on both sides. They listened patiently to the two young girls chattering about trivial matters, not interrupting them.
The group walked together for a while, and when they reached a fork in the road, they separated and took different paths.
Su Laosan and his wife walked slowly with Su Xiaotian.
They really didn't want to walk fast; the later they arrived, the fewer disdainful glances they would receive.
By the time the family of three arrived at Liang's house, it was cold and unwelcoming, with no sign that their daughter was visiting today or that they should be welcoming their daughter and son-in-law.
In fact, upon seeing the family of three, Grandma Liang and Grandpa Liang gave them a disdainful look.
Su Laosan calmly placed the gifts they brought on the table, sat on the edge of the kang, and said nothing more.
Grandpa Liang looked at the gifts they brought and snorted, as if he was dissatisfied.
Grandma Liang, however, spoke directly: "What? People who make a lot of money in the capital only bring this little bit when they visit their maiden family? Are you trying to embarrass us?"
She intended to put her daughter and son-in-law in their place today.
The news had spread throughout the surrounding villages that they had made a lot of money.
It would be best if they could extract some money from them to support their sons.
Hearing her mother's words, Liang Xiu's eyes turned red, and she almost shed tears.
After all, they hadn't seen each other for more than half a year, and not a single word of greeting?
Su Xiaotian held Liang Xiu's hand and gently comforted her.
"As soon as I got back, I heard people say that Grandma and Grandpa are living well, and I didn't believe it. If they were really living well, would any daughter or son-in-law bring their grandchildren to visit and not offer them food?"
Su Xiaotian spoke very quickly, and before Grandma Liang could reply, she continued.
"But now, hearing what Grandma says, I believe it. These things we brought today cost ten yuan, and Grandma and Grandpa don't even think they're good enough, which shows that they are indeed living well!"
After saying these two sentences, Su Xiaotian also looked up at Su Laosan and his wife, asking for their opinion, "Dad, Mom, since Grandma and Grandpa don't think much of these things, maybe we should take them back with us when we leave later. I want to eat them, but I won't even get the chance."
The two elders from both families heard Su Xiaotian say that she wanted to take the gifts back, and they immediately became anxious.
"You little vixen, you heartless thing, you even want to snatch things from the elders. Those are gifts from your mother to me, and it's not your place to take them back!"
Su Xiaotian rolled her eyes speechlessly, she knew it.
"But, Grandma, didn't you think they were not good enough? If you don't like them, I really cherish them!"
Su Xiaotian said earnestly, and anyone who saw her would not doubt that Su Xiaotian truly cherished them.
Grandma Liang felt that this granddaughter was so annoying that she didn't want to see her.
She didn't know what Grandpa and Grandma Su were thinking, treating this dead girl like a treasure.
She ignored Su Xiaotian and turned to speak to Liang Xiu: "You ungrateful white-eyed wolf, you don't want your job anymore, why didn't you tell your own family?"
Speaking of this, her heart and lungs ached.
Such a good job, gone just like that.
Liang Xiu knew that this matter would eventually have to be discussed.
"The children need to go to school in the capital, and they need money!" Liang Xiu said with a cold voice.
"What school? With this money, can't you buy food for your nephews to eat?" Grandma Liang said unhappily.
What was the use of a daughter who didn't subsidize her maiden family?
Liang Xiu was impatient to continue talking about this; what did her nephews have to do with her? She had three children of her own.
"You ungrateful good-for-nothing, if I had known earlier, I should have sold you into the mountains years ago..."
Liang Xiu finally couldn't listen anymore and stood up directly, saying, "Dad, Mom, I've seen you both. I have things to do at home, so I won't stay long. I'm leaving first!"
She wanted to leave, but Grandma Liang's goal had not been achieved, so how could she let her go like this?
Grandma Liang quickly chased into the yard and grabbed Liang Xiu's sleeve.
"You stop right there for me. If you want to leave, give me money first! You're living a good life in the capital, and your father and I are almost starving to death!"
Su Xiaotian heard Grandma Liang's shameless words and exclaimed in surprise, "Grandma, Grandpa, what do you mean by this? Are my uncle and aunt unwilling to provide you with food?"
Su Xiaotian's voice was very loud and carried far. Since it was in the yard, people outside the yard could hear it.
Grandma Liang heard Su Xiaotian shouting like this and became anxious. She quickly spat and cursed, "You ill-bred thing, why are you shouting so loudly? Are you waiting for people to know that your parents are unfilial?"
Su Xiaotian didn't care: "How are my parents unfilial? They are very filial. My grandparents praise them every day."
"They are unfilial to us!"
Su Xiaotian chuckled: "Grandma, you're wrong about that. My mother is a married daughter. She visits you elders during festivals, gives gifts, and brings some tonics, which is considered filial piety."
"Today, my mother brought you elders pastries from the capital, as well as a can of malted milk essence. Why are you still not satisfied? Or, let's take these gifts and go to the threshing ground to ask people if everyone thinks my parents are unfilial."
"You family eats and drinks well in the capital, and you don't give us a single cent, yet you have the nerve to talk about filial piety?"
"Dad, Mom, it's not easy for our family to make a living in the capital. Grandma, do you think the capital is full of money waiting for us to pick up?" Liang Xiu suddenly said mournfully.
"What kind of place is the capital? Is it a place for people like us to get by? In a couple of years, when the children graduate, we'll have to come back to farm for a living! I was thinking, this time, I'd ask Dad and Mom for some help. If there's grain, lend us some first, and when our family gets through this difficult time, we'll repay you."