Chapter 54 Mid-Autumn Festival
Liang Xiu wiped her hands with her apron and walked out of the kitchen to open the door.
Little Seven was playing in the yard. He heard someone knocking and hurried to open the door.
Liang Xiu stood in the yard and watched.
The person who entered was Su Manxiu, the eldest daughter of the Su family, who hadn't returned to her maiden home for a long time.
She stood awkwardly at the main entrance, calling out softly.
"Third Sister-in-law!"
Seeing her sister-in-law, Liang Xiu smiled and stepped forward, saying, "No wonder the magpies were chirping in the big tree in front of the door this morning. It turns out our Xiuer has come back."
Although according to local custom, married daughters were supposed to return home for festivals, Su Manxiu rarely did.
This was because Su Manxiu had a difficult life at her in-laws' home.
When she first got married, Su Manxiu's life was alright, but after a year, she didn't conceive, and her life at her in-laws' became difficult.
Years passed, and Su Manxiu's life at the Old Wang family was no different from that of a servant.
Every day, she woke up early and worked late to serve the entire Old Wang family, and she also had to work in the fields to earn work points.
Even so, she often didn't have enough to eat and was frequently beaten and scolded by her husband.
The Old Su family members initially provided some subsidies to Su Manxiu, but Su Manxiu refused, unwilling to burden her maiden family.
Su Manxiu's brothers had also thought of helping her vent her anger, but Su Manxiu always said that since she couldn't have children, she owed the Old Wang family, and it was nothing to suffer a little.
Over time, everyone seemed to accept the status quo.
But Liang Xiu looked at Su Manxiu before her, her eyes filled with sadness.
Su Manxiu was twenty-one when she got married, at the prime of her life.
Such a youthful and beautiful girl had been worn down like this in just a few years.
She was only twenty-eight this year, but her face looked older than her thirty-six-year-old sister-in-law.
The clothes she wore were even harder to look at. The patches had been mended so much that there was no good spot left, and her shoes had a large hole, with her toes exposed.
Perhaps sensing Liang Xiu's gaze, Su Manxiu curled her toes, as if trying to hide her shame.
It wasn't that she was lazy and didn't want to mend them, but her mother-in-law had said that she was only fit to wear such unwanted shoes.
"Come, let's go to the main hall first." Liang Xiu affectionately took her sister-in-law's hand. Su Manxiu stiffened for a moment before relaxing.
"Dad, Mom, my eldest sister is back!" Liang Xiu called out loudly with a smile.
Hearing that her eldest daughter had returned, Grandma Su, without even bothering with the half-steamed buns on the stove, rushed out of the kitchen.
"Xiuer, you finally remembered to come back and see your mother." Grandma Su rushed out, but her words caught in her throat as she looked at her daughter.
She too saw her daughter's miserable state.
Her good daughter, how could she have ended up like this?
"Mom, it's a festival today, so I just wanted to come and see you and everyone at home." After a pause, Su Manxiu said, "It's just... it's just... I didn't bring anything..."
As Su Manxiu spoke, her head drooped so low that only her feet were visible.
Liang Xiu had already noticed her sister-in-law's empty hands and knew that given the Old Wang family's circumstances, it was strange if they would prepare festival gifts for her.
"This is your home. What does it matter if you bring anything or not? We are happy that you are here, Dad, Mom, and your brothers and sisters-in-law," Liang Xiu quickly said.
As the sister-in-law, her words would be more reassuring to her sister-in-law than her mother-in-law's.
Grandma Su gave her third daughter-in-law a grateful look.
Indeed, Su Manxiu's expression improved slightly.
But Liang Xiu felt that her sister-in-law was a little different today; she seemed to have been wronged.
This sister-in-law was good in every way, except she was too proud and never spoke of the grievances she suffered at her in-laws'.
She rarely returned to her maiden home and always advised her family not to visit her.
It was rare for her to come to her maiden home proactively like this.
Su Xiaotian was reading peacefully in her own room when she heard the conversation outside. She suddenly realized what she had forgotten.
It was her eldest aunt.
In her previous life, her eldest aunt, because her husband wanted a divorce and out of pride, refused to be a cast-off wife and eventually committed suicide.
However, she was rescued when she jumped into the river.
The divorce eventually happened, and her eldest aunt returned to her maiden home, Hongxin Village, with her injuries.
After returning, some villagers in the brigade gossiped about her, and the rumors became unbearable, leading her to jump into the cold river and perish.
It should be this year, so did her eldest aunt's sudden return to her maiden home mean she had already decided to die?
No, absolutely not. Her eldest aunt was just visiting, right?
Thinking of this, she quickly stepped out of the small partition. As expected, her eldest aunt's expression was not right.
Su Xiaotian's eyes darted, and she skipped over to Su Manxiu.
"Eldest Aunt, you're here? Tiantian missed you so much!"
Su Xiaotian's smile was very healing, warming Su Manxiu's heart.
But this warmth lasted only for a moment. She then thought of her own lack of children, while that woman was already pregnant. She couldn't help but want to cry again.
She asked herself if she had ever done anything wicked, so why was heaven tormenting her like this?
Her mother-in-law was right; what was the point of living as a woman who couldn't even have a child?
The fleeting smile on Su Manxiu's face was noticed by Su Xiaotian, and her heart sank.
In her previous life, her eldest uncle had an affair with a young widow in the village.
The woman became pregnant, and her eldest uncle wanted to marry her, so he forced her eldest aunt to divorce him. Her eldest aunt was a very traditional woman and naturally unwilling to be a cast-off wife, so she pleaded bitterly.
However, the man was determined to divorce. If her eldest aunt didn't divorce, he would beat her.
In this life, it would likely be the same.
How could her brainless self forget such an important matter?
Su Xiaotian felt that she couldn't solve such a problem.
In fact, at her current age, even saying a few more words would be wrong.
Su Xiaotian was troubled.
But she suddenly thought that even if she couldn't solve it, she could ask her family to pay more attention to her eldest aunt after she returned to the village and be wary of her.
At worst, she could take more leave from home to watch over her eldest aunt.
As for the divorce, Su Xiaotian didn't think it was a big deal; it was just a scumbag anyway.
Su Manxiu felt the deep affection from her family, and her heart ached even more, but she didn't speak of her suffering.
"Mom, I'll go make something good for my eldest sister to eat." Liang Xiu thought that perhaps because she, the sister-in-law, was present, Su Manxiu felt embarrassed to speak, so she found an excuse to leave.
In the kitchen, Liang Xiu quietly shared her guesses with her two sisters-in-law.
Wang Xianghua couldn't help but spit and say, "I've always known that Wang Gouzi is not a good person. Our Su family's good daughter was married to him, and look what he's done to her!"
"Let's make something good to nourish our eldest sister. If our eldest sister were like our youngest sister and came to her maiden home to cry, her life wouldn't be so difficult," said Qi Liangying.
Her sister-in-law's life seemed to be going well, yet she often found excuses to come to her maiden home to ask for things. On the other hand, her eldest sister, who didn't have enough to eat or wear, refused to ask for help from her maiden family.
"I'd rather give that grain and meat to my eldest sister!" Liang Xiu sighed.
Su Manxiang, that ungrateful white-eyed wolf, ate their food and still slandered her Tiantian.
Wang Xianghua sneered and said, "Even if we gave it to our eldest sister, it would just benefit the Wang Gouzi family. Since our eldest sister is here today, let's make her something good."
Liang Xiu and Qi Liangying agreed wholeheartedly.
The three sisters-in-law took out the dried noodles brought by Chen Zi'an and cooked noodles for Su Manxiu. They also didn't forget to poach two eggs for her and finally added a large spoonful of meat sauce.
What was originally a simple bowl of noodles became instantly different with so many good ingredients added.
When Liang Xiu carried a bowl of noodles into the main hall, the atmosphere was silent. The three family members didn't say a word.
"Mom, the food is ready. Let eldest sister eat first. The steamed buns will be ready soon too," Liang Xiu said to Grandma Su with a smile.
"Come, Xiuer, you eat a bowl of noodles first, and then have a steamed bun. Your favorite oil-residue pumpkin steamed bun," Grandma Su said with concern.
But Su Manxiu mumbled, "Mom, I won't eat it. These noodles are too good; they should be saved for the children!" Su Manxiu looked at the noodles, her stomach growling with hunger, but she still shook her head, "I just came to see you and Dad. Now that I've seen you, I should go!"
She hadn't brought anything when she came to her maiden home, so how could she stay and eat?
Her maiden family had so many children, and they weren't wealthy. She couldn't be so selfish.
"Eldest Sister, the noodles are all cooked. How can you just leave like this? If you leave on an empty stomach today, how can Dad and Mom feel at ease?" Liang Xiu quickly grabbed Su Manxiu and said.
"But..."
"There's no 'but.' You're home, you should eat something good. Your sister-in-law also poached an egg for you!"
Su Manxiu eventually ate the bowl of noodles, but she ate them with tears.
After Su Manxiu finished the noodles, Wang Xianghua came in with a plate of steamed buns and placed them on the kang table, saying, "Mom, the steamed buns are ready. Let eldest sister taste them."
Su Manxiu had already eaten a bowl of noodles with eggs and meat sauce, and felt very embarrassed. Seeing these steamed buns, which were bigger than an adult man's fist, she was unwilling to eat them.
"Here, Xiuer, you like this flavor." Grandma Su picked up a hot steamed bun and, without explanation, put it directly into her daughter's hand.
Su Manxiu did like pumpkin steamed buns before she got married, but after getting married, in all these years, let alone thinking about what to eat, just being able to eat her fill was already very satisfying.
"Mom, save the steamed buns for the children!" Su Manxiu was about to put the steamed bun back on the plate, but Su Xiaotian stopped her.
"Eldest Aunt, let's eat together. Grandma made a lot of steamed buns."
Su Xiaotian said, reaching out to pick up a steamed bun and put it in Grandpa Su's hand, then picking up another and putting it in Grandma Su's hand...
Soon, everyone in the room had a steamed bun in their hand.
"Xiuer, eat together, eat together. We have plenty at home, and there are enough for the children," Grandpa Su said, taking a bite of the steamed bun first, but his appetite was somewhat diminished.
He knew his daughter wasn't living well at her in-laws', but his daughter said that since she didn't have children, it was understandable to suffer some grievances, and he also felt that since his eldest daughter hadn't given birth, the Old Wang family had reason to complain.
But after not seeing her for more than half a year, why had his daughter become like this?
A father's heart ached!
"I think you shouldn't go back tonight. Stay with Mom and chat. How long has it been since you stayed at home since you got married?" Grandma Su said without eating the steamed bun.
Su Manxiu didn't want to agree at first, but thinking of that man, she finally decided to stay for one night. Perhaps this was her last chance.
Just then, Su Manxiang arrived with her entire family of five, not missing a single person. Even Kang Rende, who basically never visited, arrived with a smiling face.
The family brought a festival gift, which was half a bag of sponge cake.
Grandma Su frowned, looking at it. Who were they trying to belittle?
They even claimed to be cadres in the town, and cadres acted like this?
"Mom, it's a festival, so your son-in-law and I brought the children to see you and Dad!" Su Manxiang said with a full face of smiles, speaking very nicely.
But Liang Xiu's expression immediately changed. If Kang Rende hadn't been there, she would have immediately beaten Su Manxiang out.
"Mom, I want to eat steamed buns." Kang Xiaobao saw the large steamed buns on the table and immediately spoke.
Before anyone else could speak, Su Manxiang said, "When you're at your maternal grandparents' house, it's like your own home. You can take whatever you want to eat."
She hadn't gotten anything good on her recent visits to her maiden home, so she deliberately brought the children today.
Even if they were reluctant to give it to her, they couldn't stop her from eating, could they? A family eating their fill for a day would consume quite a lot.
It was better when they were poor, but now that they were rich, they still didn't subsidize her. It was truly getting richer and stingier.
Su Manxiang thought unhappily, feeling that her maiden family members were not good and didn't love her.
Kang Xiaobao, upon hearing Su Manxiang's words, immediately reached out to take a steamed bun, but after reaching out, he found that the steamed buns were gone.
Su Xiaotian had gathered all the remaining steamed buns in her hands and was coldly watching Kang Xiaobao's outstretched claws.
"Mom, look at this dead girl. You've spoiled her so much! Why is she eating alone? There are so many steamed buns, why not share some with Xiaobao? Meihua, Dabao, you two also want to eat. Get Mom one too."
Seeing Su Manxiang's demeanor, Wang Xianghua didn't want to waste any more words. She turned and went out.
In the kitchen, she and Qi Liangying immediately got to work, packing up the mooncakes and steamed buns they had just steamed, putting them in the cupboard, and not forgetting to lock the cupboard door.
With so many good things, if Su Manxiang saw them, she would probably leave nothing for their own family.
They couldn't suffer such a loss again in the future.
In the main hall, Grandma Su glanced at her daughter. She had initially wanted to say nothing for the sake of the children, but when she looked at Su Manxiang, she inadvertently saw Kang Meihua's venomous gaze.
Instantly, she sobered up. This family was ungrateful.
"Xiuer, you keep eating. It's rare for you to come back to your maiden home, so you must eat something good!" Grandma Su urged her eldest daughter.
"Mom, why are you so biased?" Su Manxiang immediately became indignant. What did her mother mean?
Did this hen who couldn't lay eggs deserve to eat such big steamed buns?
"I am biased. How much food and drink have I given you over the years? Your sister is honest and never complains, so I pretended not to see it. I have wronged her. Are you unhappy that she's eating a steamed bun?"
As if that wasn't enough, Grandma Su added, "If you can't stand it, then go back to your own home!"
This was her telling her to leave. Liang Xiu finally felt a little relieved. She was afraid that her mother-in-law would be swayed by her sister-in-law's words and take all the good things from home to her sister-in-law.
"Mom, it's just that things have been difficult for me these past two years. When life gets better in a couple of years, I'll give you more gifts!" Su Manxiang showed no shame and instead shouted, "With your sister like this, do you expect her to be filial to you and Dad?"
"I can't expect anything from you either, with this half bag of sponge cake?"
"Mom, this is sponge cake. It has sugar and oil in it. It's soft and fluffy and tastes very fragrant. Don't just look at this half bag. It's not easy to make. Rende only got a pound in total, and I left half a pound for my mother-in-law. This half pound is for you. You and Dad are getting old, so eating some sponge cake is good for digestion."
Su Manxiang had always been good at talking. She called it sponge cake, and those who didn't know would think it was some high-end pastry.
Kang Rende worked at the supply and marketing cooperative, and it wasn't difficult for him to get sponge cake. This Mid-Autumn Festival, Kang Rende received four pounds of sponge cake, and it didn't even require coupons.
But Su Manxiang always felt that she couldn't let her maiden family know that her family was living well, so she was accustomed to crying poor.
When she came this time, she had planned to bring nothing, but thinking that she had been criticized by her parents for not bringing anything on previous visits, she reluctantly took half a pound of sponge cake.
For this, Kang Rende was very unhappy.
It was only after Su Manxiang said that if she could coax her parents into being happy and say a few words in front of the county officials, perhaps he could be transferred to work in the county town, that he became happy.
"Aunt and Uncle, this is a small token of my and Manxiang's affection. Please don't dislike it. Life is not easy these days, and the city is not like your countryside." Even at this time, Kang Rende could not let go of his condescending attitude.
The entire Su family were country bumpkins, and he looked down on them. If it weren't for Su Manxiang's beauty, which had captivated him, he wouldn't have been foolish enough to marry a country girl.
"So you're here to assert your presence? Besides, it's just a town. You keep talking about the city. If people didn't know, they'd think you were from Beijing." Liang Xiu retorted sarcastically.
Kang Rende's face immediately fell. The people of the Su family were unruly. He was a guest when he came, and his children were also guests. Not only were they not treated well, but they were also being mocked!
If he hadn't been thinking of relying on his in-laws to speak for him to get a job in the city, he would have left long ago.
Liang Xiu originally thought that Kang Rende would leave immediately after she said that, but she didn't expect Kang Rende to stay, only looking displeased.
Did the sun rise from the west today?
"Third Sister-in-law, please speak politely. My husband is here; he is a distinguished guest!" Su Manxiang said haughtily, "We've been traveling and are hungry. Since there are ready-made steamed buns, we won't be picky. Just get us some egg soup to moisten our throats."
This condescending demeanor truly made Liang Xiu want to laugh. She couldn't help but glance at Su Manxiu, who was sitting beside her like a quail.
How could two daughters born to the same parents be so different?
Su Manxiu looked at her smug sister and became even more silent, lowering her head and not daring to say a word.