Three Women in the Cage

That afternoon, the sky was gloomy, as if covered by a huge gray curtain, making people feel depressed and dull.

Yang Yu was still washing bucket after bucket of clothes by the ditch. She lowered her head and rubbed the clothes with her hands. Washing so many clothes almost every day had become a habit for Yang Yu. She washed quickly and concisely, and every piece of clothing was clean and tidy.

Suddenly, a girl from the same village shouted loudly: "It's going to rain soon, everyone should finish washing clothes and go home!" Hearing this, the girls who were washing clothes quickened their hands and began to clean their clothes quickly.

"Yeah, we have to go home quickly, otherwise it will be uncomfortable to get wet," another girl agreed. Then the girls got up, folded the washed clothes and put them in the baskets, then picked up their loads and prepared to go home.

However, just as everyone was packing up and preparing to leave, they discovered Yang Yu was still diligently washing clothes, showing no sign of leaving. "Sister Yu, why are you still washing? It's going to rain heavily! Come with us!" a companion urged anxiously. Yang Yu glanced up at the sky and replied with a smile, "I'll be done soon. You guys go back first. I have two more clothes to wash and will be right back."

As she spoke, she continued to work busily. Seeing Yang Yu's nimble movements, the companion thought she should be able to catch up with the others, so she stopped trying to persuade them and left the river with the other girls, carrying their clothes.

Yang Yu finished washing the remaining clothes in no time. When she was about to pick up the washed clothes, it suddenly started to rain heavily. Yang Yu was caught off guard and was soaked like a drowned dog. However, the heavy rain did not stop her from rushing back.

When she was halfway to the neighbor's door, a voice came, "Yang Yu, didn't your brothers and sisters bring you an umbrella? It seems you care about them in vain." The person looked at Yang Yu with sympathy. The neighbors all knew that Yang Yu had become an old maid staying at home to take care of her younger brothers and sisters. Unfortunately, her brothers and sisters did not seem to understand their eldest sister.

Seeing the man's sympathetic eyes, Yang Yu smiled nonchalantly and said, "My third brother is going to college, how can we disturb his studies because of such a small matter? My little sister is still young and is usually spoiled at home. She might be playing somewhere by herself. This little rain is nothing, just right for a bath." After saying this, Yang Yu quickened his pace to go home.

Suddenly, an umbrella appeared overhead, blocking the pouring rain. Yang Yu looked up and saw it was her younger brother, Yang Ming. He stopped and said with a guilty look on his face, "Sister, the rain is falling too fast. I'm late. I'm sorry I got you wet."

Yang Yu smiled and comforted him, "It's okay, it's quite cool this way. Just think of it as taking a shower in advance, and you can carry two less loads of bath water tonight. But you, why didn't you stay home to do your homework and run out? Look, you're soaked." Yang Ming remained silent, just lowering his head. Yang Yu looked at him with concern and said, "Don't do that next time. What if you catch a cold and miss out on your studies? My parents will definitely nag me."

Yang Ming still didn't say anything, but he insisted on holding the umbrella for Yang Yu, even though Yang Yu was already soaked. Yang Yu smiled helplessly, accepted his brother's kindness, and walked home with him. After returning home, Yang Yu happened to meet his younger sister Yang Su who had returned from playing outside.

Yang Su was standing at the door, all wet, looking at them curiously. "Eldest sister, weren't you holding umbrellas? How did you get soaked by the rain? Oh, no, Third Brother doesn't look soaked at all, but you look like a drowned rat!" Yang Su said with a puzzled look on his face.

After hearing this, Yang Yu couldn't help laughing. She shook her head and said to her younger sister, "You little heartless guy, I haven't asked you yet! Why didn't you send an umbrella to your elder sister? You made us both get soaked by the rain. Moreover, you actually delayed your third brother's study time and asked him to run to send me an umbrella." After hearing what her sister said, Yang Su's face flashed with embarrassment.

She lowered her head and muttered softly, "How can I be so bad..." Turning her head, Yang Su finally noticed the two buckets of clothes next to her. She touched her nose embarrassedly and said guiltily, "Eldest sister, I didn't know you were washing clothes. I forgot about it while playing. Next time, I will remember to bring you an umbrella. I will never delay Third Brother's studies and ask him to bring you an umbrella."

Seeing her little sister's serious expression, Yang Yu rubbed her head and said with a smile, "Go change your clothes, you." Then, turning to Yang Ming, he also said, "You should change your clothes quickly, too, or you'll catch a cold." Yang Su stuck out her tongue, made a face at Yang Yu, and ran back to her room to change.

Yang Ming responded and went back to his room to change. Just then, Yang's parents and eldest brother Yang Yi returned from work in the pouring rain. They were soaking wet, and raindrops dripped down their hair onto the ground, forming puddles.

Hearing that his younger brother and sister were caught in the rain, Yang Yu's parents immediately frowned and asked Yang Yu what happened. Yang Yu briefly described the situation and comforted them, "Mom and Dad, don't worry. They have already changed their clothes. I will boil some ginger water for them to drive away the cold."

However, their parents, perhaps feeling their younger siblings were too fragile, couldn't help but nag. "Yu'er, your younger siblings are still young. I know you've already shouldered enough of the burden for us. Could you please do a little more and take good care of them? Your third brother is preparing for college and can't let his studies get in the way. Your younger sister is still young and has a weak immune system. What if they catch a cold?" Yang's parents were anxious, their words blaming her.

But her parents forgot that Yang Yu was also soaking wet and dripping with water while she spoke. She hadn't even had time to change into clean clothes before answering them. But they only had eyes for her younger siblings. Yang Yu consoled herself by saying, "They're still young. I'm the eldest. It's only natural for me to share the burden with my parents. I'm grown up and don't need my parents to pamper me like a child anymore."

But it was this very strength, the grievances she endured alone, that alienated Yang Yu from her parents. Years later, she even began to wonder if her parents disliked her less because she wasn't as pretty and desirable as her younger sister. She grew increasingly self-conscious, no longer open to others and denying all her good qualities. She blamed herself for not being good enough, forcing others to dislike her. She forgot to love herself, and even for those who didn't love her, making it difficult for others to love her.