country bumpkin

"Gaga gaga... Oh my! Yun girl is all better now, gaga gaga..."

A sound like a goose honking came from behind.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was Granny Zhang from across the street from Mu Shuyun's house.

Granny Zhang was the neighbor who helped look after the pigs, geese, and chickens while Yunya was hospitalized. Granny Zhang had a cheerful and outgoing personality, and her mouth was faster than her legs, earning her the nickname "Big Mouth." Wherever she was, you'd hear her voice before you could hear her.

She has one son and two daughters. Her eldest daughter is already married, and her second daughter and her fourth aunt, Kong Xiufang, are childhood friends of the same age. The two families have always gotten along well and helped each other.

Mu Shuyun said, "Granny Zhang, what brings you here? Come in and sit down." As she spoke, she brought over a tall chair.

Granny Zhang said, "I heard the sound of a donkey cart coming from your house outside, so I came to check. I didn't expect you to be back. Is the girl all better now?"

"Okay, everything's all set up. Thank you for looking after my house these past few days. Oh, by the way, my eldest daughter and son-in-law are here. Why don't you stay for dinner?"

Granny Zhang said, "No need for such formalities. You helped me a lot when my family had trouble last time." Then she laughed heartily.

The laughter was truly captivating, making little Yunya imitate it, laughing "ga ga ga ga." The laughter attracted Kong Xiujuan and Sun Chunmei. Sun Chunmei, looking bewildered at her sister and grandmother laughing so loudly, also started to imitate them, laughing "ga ga ga ga..."

Everyone exchanged glances and then laughed.

Granny Zhang stayed there until dark before going home. She loved to chat and knew everything about the village—celebrations, funerals, good news, bad news. Mu Shuyun had been busy and away from home these past few days, which had made her very restless; she had so much to share with no one.

In the evening, Kong Tongming returned home from work, and the whole family gathered around the table for dinner, a lively and joyful occasion.

After settling into their lodgings, everyone rested. Yunya slept with her maternal grandmother, while the eldest daughter's family shared the room with the third and fourth daughters. The second son slept in the room he shared with his younger brother.

A good night's sleep...

The next day, Kong Xiujuan and Sun Zitao went home. They had been away for several days, and if they didn't go home for a long time, their mother-in-law would scold them again.

Sun Zitao leisurely drove his donkey cart home. When he came, the road was covered in snow and difficult to travel, but now the weather was sunny, and although the sun was shining, it was still very cold.

During the coldest days of winter, the ground can even crack from the freezing temperatures. They moved slowly, without any rush. Walking slower meant they would be a little warmer. It took them several hours to get home.

As soon as Kong Xiujuan entered the door, her mother-in-law, Gao Qinglian, started yelling. With one hand on her hip and the other pointing at her eldest son and daughter-in-law, she began to wail.

"Look at you two, you still know how to come back, you still know you have a home? You're so unfilial, you don't even care about your old mother at home, you're a bunch of ingrates! Why do you make me do all the housework? Do you want to work me to death? You heartless ingrates, sob sob sob..." She cursed and pretended to wipe away tears.

"Oh, right, you guys said that little brat was going to die, is she dead or not? If she is, don't bring her back, it's bad luck!" As he said this, he spat on the ground in disgust.

Sun Zitao was honest but not good with words, so he just stood there blankly, letting his mother yell and scold him.

He was stunned by his mother's scolding...

Kong Xiujuan held the child and protected her; the little girl was already crying in fear.

Kong Xiujuan wasn't originally like this; she was honest and dutiful, but not cowardly.

Because in this day and age, there is a strong preference for sons over daughters, she had two daughters after marrying into the family, and therefore had no status in the household.

Her mother-in-law always favored her second son, Sun Zihao, making him go to school while her eldest son never attended school and didn't even know which way the school gate faced.

Sun Zitao started working at the age of thirteen, doing all kinds of jobs, as long as he could manage.

He raised pigs at home, delivered goods and carried loads, felled trees, sawed wood, hauled bricks, and did anything to make money.

Even after marriage, they're not allowed to separate the household; all earnings must be handed over. The family still has some land, and all the harvested grain is given to them. Luckily, Kong Xiujuan hid her dowry money. Otherwise, what would they do in case of an emergency?

Last year, his younger brother Sun Zihao got married, and this month his sister-in-law Liu Xiuju gave birth to a boy. His mother-in-law dislikes his eldest son's family even more.

"Mother, don't frighten the child. Besides, Er Ya has been discharged from the hospital and is all better. Don't say such unpleasant things," Kong Xiujuan said.

"Tsk tsk tsk... What, can't I say anything? What's so great about a little girl? If you're so capable, give birth to a son. That would be something to be proud of. All you know is how to give birth to girls. What other skills do you have? Humph!"

With that, she tossed her head, turned around, and left to visit her eldest grandson at her second wife's house.

"You old woman, how can you be so biased!" Kong Xiujuan finally couldn't help but retort, "Sun Zihao is your son, but isn't Sun Zitao also your son?"

The mother-in-law stopped and turned around to glare at her fiercely. "Shut up! If you're so capable, give me a grandson too!" she said, then quickened her pace and left.

Kong Xiujuan trembled with anger. She hugged her child tightly, tears welling up in her eyes. She secretly vowed to raise her two daughters well, to send them to school, to ensure they would have a bright future and never have to suffer such injustice again.

After the wicked mother-in-law entered her second son's room, she went straight to the cradle, looked at the baby in the swaddling clothes, and smiled.

She turned to Liu Xiuju and said, "Second son's wife, you've really brought honor to our Sun family! This chubby boy is so lovable."

Liu Xiuju replied with a smile, "Mom, this is all your good fortune. Thanks to you, I was able to give birth to this child smoothly."

The wicked mother-in-law nodded in satisfaction, then her gaze swept around the room, finally settling on a small box on the table.

She pointed to the box and asked, "What's this?"

Liu Xiuju quickly replied, "These are supplements that Zihao bought for me, Mom. Would you like to take a look?"

The wicked mother-in-law opened the box, inside were some precious tonics.

Her expression changed, and she sneered, "Hmph, the second son really knows how to be filial to his wife, buying you such expensive things. Unlike some people, who only give birth to money-losing children."

After saying that, she left the room with a smug expression, leaving Liu Xiuju looking embarrassed.

Liu Xiuju also understood the hidden meaning in his words: he was blaming her second son for not being filial to her and for not buying her any tonics.

Thinking this, Liu Xiuju pouted, "Hmph! I'm giving birth, you don't need to take any supplements, who are you trying to convince with your sarcastic remarks?"

Liu Xiuju is quick-witted, has over 800 schemes, is very tactful, and always says things that others want to hear.

The villagers said he was a typical example: eloquent but stingy.

She acts one way behind people's backs and another way in front of them, but her mother-in-law falls for it. So, on the surface, their relationship is harmonious.