Three Women in the Cage

Since Yang Yu had already decided to go back, she stopped worrying about it. But she also wanted to save face, so she stood up and said, "I'm going back with you because I'm pregnant, but that doesn't mean I'm forgiving what you did. If you bully me again next time, even if I'm pregnant, I won't go back with you."

"That's right, that's right. Even for the sake of the child, we will never let you suffer any injustice," said Zhang's mother firmly.

"It's noon now. Since everyone has agreed, let's have lunch first," Yang's mother said. Turning to Yang Su, she said, "Susu, please bring out lunch and put it on the table. It's getting late and everyone is hungry." Yang Su agreed and started to get busy. Yang Yu also turned to the kitchen to help. "Eldest sister, you should take a break. You did most of the work this morning. Now it's my turn to help. Besides, the nephew in your belly must be tired too," Yang Su joked, gently pushing Yang Yu to go out and sit.

Yang Yu was pushed out and sat down, no longer vying for help. Instead, Zhang's mother was attentive and said, "Hey, I'll do it, I'll do it. Yu'er has to take care of herself now. We can do these things." After saying that, she patted Yang Yu's hand and turned to go into the kitchen.

After a while, the food was placed on the table. Zhang's mother helped to greet everyone, "Come, everyone, come and have dinner. The dishes on the table smell so good. I'm almost drooling. Everyone, come and sit down quickly. Father-in-law Yang, mother-in-law, you, the hosts, should come and sit down first, so we can shamelessly follow suit."

"Stop talking so much nonsense and just sit down and eat. Why bother with all that etiquette?" Father Yang said indifferently.

Everyone took their seats. Father Yang sat next to Father Zhang, and Zhang Erfa squeezed in next to Yang Yu. The others sat wherever they pleased. Fearing any awkwardness, Father Zhang took the initiative to start a conversation and toasted Father Yang. "Father Yang, come on, let's have a drink. It's been ages since we've had a good drink together. Today, let's take advantage of Yu'er's pregnancy and have a good time." He clinked his glass with Father Yang's and drank first as a gesture of respect. Father Yang then took his glass, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

Zhang's mother also called out, "Yu'er, have some of these eggs. They're good for your health. Come on, eat more," as she placed some egg chunks in Yang Yu's bowl. Yang Yu frowned at the pile of egg chunks in her bowl. She didn't like people serving her food, especially when Zhang's mother used her own cooking to curry favor with her. It made her feel like she had to thank her for accepting the food, which disgusted her even more. Moreover, she knew that this was just a facade Zhang's mother was so good at. It was hard to show anything outwardly, so she just ate in silence.

After finishing her meal, Yang Yu was ready to go back to her room to pack her clothes. She said goodbye and turned to go into the inner room. Most of Yang Yu's clothes were the ones she brought with her when she got married. Here were only the few clothes she brought back from her parents' home last time when she was injured. She packed them up quickly. After sorting them out casually and preparing to put them away, Yang Su walked in and said, "Eldest sister, do you still want to go back? You know I don't want you to leave. This is your home too. Can't we really live together as a family like before?" Yang Su obviously couldn't understand why her eldest sister had to go back. They had obviously bullied her like that, but she still chose to go back. Touching Yang Su's head, Yang Yu sighed and said, "Su, there are many things that are incomprehensible and unreasonable. You can't help yourself. You are still young, don't pay attention to these." After that, without waiting for Yang Su to ask anything else, he turned and walked out.

Looking at Yang Yu's back, Yang Su felt sad. She couldn't bear to see her elder sister leave. She wanted to see her elder sister every day like before and eat the hot meals she cooked. But now, her elder sister, who was so good to her, was going to that place, and the people there didn't cherish her well and hurt her so much. She felt sorry for her elder sister. She was obviously unhappy there, but she still chose to go back without hesitation. But she couldn't do anything. She couldn't keep her elder sister, let alone protect her. For a moment, she was overwhelmed with thoughts and her eyes were blurred. She raised her hand and touched it, and her hands were stained with the remaining warmth of tears.

After Yang Yu came out, she glanced at her parents and said, "Dad, Mom, I'm going back with Erfa and the others first." Yang's father, with his back turned, softly murmured, his emotion invisible. Yang's mother walked over, took Yang Yu's hand, patted it, and said, "Go ahead, live well. If you're wronged, come back." She turned around, pretended to have sand in her eyes, and rubbed them.

Yang Yi stood aside with his hands behind his back, his head lowered, kicking stones with his feet. He looked at Yang Yu, wanting to say something but stopping himself. In the end, he said nothing. He turned to look at Zhang Erfa with a warning look in his eyes.

Yang Ming walked up to Yang Yu and said worriedly, "Sister, are you really leaving?" Yang Ming really didn't want his sister to follow him back so easily. This was the second time his sister came back covered in injuries, and he didn't even have the courage to beat up the culprit. The only thing he could do was to keep his sister away from that place.

"Well, don't worry about me. But you must study hard and don't be like your elder sister and get stuck in this field. I'm looking forward to you taking us to see the outside of the mountain," Yang Yu said with a relieved smile.

Seeing that the time was almost up, Zhang's father gave Zhang Erfa a look, and Zhang Erfa stepped forward and said, "Yu'er, it's getting late. Look, should we hurry on our way?" Yang Yu glanced at him, and without stopping, turned around and said lightly, "Let's go," and then walked out first.

Zhang Erfa followed immediately. Zhang's father and mother watched them go out first, stood up, said goodbye to Yang's parents awkwardly, and followed them out, leaving Yang's parents worried for a while.

After an hour's journey, they finally arrived at the village. The dusty appearance of the group returning home caught the attention of the neighbors. Thinking about not having seen his new wife for a week, they started joking, "Zhang Mazi, what big event are you all doing with all this big party? And why haven't you seen your new wife out much lately?" Zhang Mazi was the nickname they gave Zhang's father because of his obvious pockmarks on his face, so everyone teased him.

"Oh, big news, great news. My new daughter-in-law just got pregnant and was a little uncomfortable. She really missed her parents' home, so she went back to live there for a few days. That's why we went to such great lengths to invite her back today." After saying this, Zhang Fuyi couldn't help laughing happily.

When everyone else heard this, they congratulated him one after another, "Oh, you, Zhang Mazi, are so lucky. You just married a new daughter-in-law and will soon have a grandson. Congratulations." Amidst all the congratulations, Zhang's father and mother showed off quite a lot.

"Okay, okay, I won't joke with you anymore. Her mother has to go back to make bone soup to nourish her eldest grandson. I'm leaving, leaving," she said, waving her hands in the air twice.

After they walked away, a neighbor started complaining, "Hey, everyone knows how loud the beatings and scolding were that day. You didn't hear the screams. Oh, don't be too cruel, I can't bear it. It's the new bride who was beaten." He made a tut-tut sound, and another neighbor joined in, "He didn't even get pregnant, he got beaten to death. Zhang Mazi is lucky." Several people gathered together and started to complain. The whole village was full of gossip, and everyone complained about each other, and it was all used as a casual after-dinner conversation.