Chapter 523: Chapter 270: Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law of Two Generations_1
Deep into the second watch of the night, calling for pink.
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Hearing Zhao Xiue’s scolding, Lian Zhizhi and Sister Manman exchanged glances. Since returning to the Lian Family, Zhao Xiue seemed to be following her own family’s instructions to no longer stir up trouble or talk back as much and had become rather compliant. But it had only been a few days, and now she was arguing again. Had she grown too comfortable and couldn’t hold back her frustration any longer? Or was it that a person’s nature ultimately can’t be changed?
Manman was wondering who Zhao Xiue might be arguing with when the voice coming from outside gave her the answer immediately.
"I’m not your mother-in-law, what daughter-in-law doesn’t have to listen to her mother-in-law’s commands and do the work? Have you ever seen anyone who pushes all the chores onto their mother-in-law and just lies on the kang bed doing nothing?" That was the loud voice of Lady He, "So what if you’re pregnant? In a farmstead, which daughter-in-law gets pampered just because she’s carrying a child? Doesn’t everyone carry out their work as usual? I haven’t had you wait on me for a day, am I supposed to play the diligent mother-in-law and wait on you?"
So it was Lady He and Zhao Xiue, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, going to battle.
Since Zhao Xiue had returned, she claimed not to feel well and needed to nurture her fetus, avoiding any kind of work. The rules of the Lian Family were that the daughters-in-law took turns doing household chores. When it was the second branch’s turn, with Zhao Xiue doing nothing, Lady He had to do all the work. Of course, there was also Lian Yaya from the second branch, who was the same age as Manman and capable of working. However, Yaya had bound feet, and Lian Shouyi and Lady He held certain expectations for her future, so following the example set by Lian Xiuxiu and Lian Duoduo, they also didn’t allow Yaya to do heavy work, fearing it would make her feet bigger and her hands rougher or darken her face.
Lady He had hoped to enjoy the status of a mother-in-law like Lady Zhou, having her daughter-in-law take over all the household chores. But instead of enjoying the mother-in-law’s benefits, she had to take on even more work at home because of the pregnant Zhao Xiue.
Zhao Xiue was only taken back in by the Lian Family after the intervention of her relatives from the Zhao Family. Lady He thought she could keep a firm grip on Zhao Xiue and after bearing it for two days, finally erupted.
The cause of today’s fight was Lady He asking Zhao Xiue to wash potatoes. Not only did Zhao Xiue refuse to do so, but she also threw the basin at Lady He’s feet.
Of course, Lady He became angry and after hearing Zhao Xiue say she didn’t have the right to order her around, retorted with those words.
Zhao Xiue, upon hearing Lady He’s words, began to laugh loudly while clapping her hands.
"Oh my, let everyone in the family who can breathe come and listen to this. And the neighbors too, come and judge for yourselves," Zhao Xiue walked to the middle of the courtyard, raised her voice, and pointing at Lady He, she yelled, "Look at you, acting like a mother-in-law with me. Pah! If it weren’t for your being Erlang’s mother, I would have slapped you already. Which mother-in-law’s brother owns a backside full of debts and then seizes her daughter-in-law’s dowry to settle them? You’ve got the nerve to do it, but I’m too ashamed to even speak of it. If I were you, I would’ve quietly hung myself somewhere by now. How can you have the face to wander around with your belly full and issue orders at me?"
Zhao Xiue was now aiming her artillery solely at Lady He and the absent He Laoliu, without mentioning a single word against the Lian Family.
"What have you done all day? Why don’t you take a look at your room? It’s so filthy there’s nowhere to step foot in. If it weren’t for my cleaning every day, it would be filthier than a privy. It’s not that I want to eat the food you cook. If I weren’t pregnant and irritated by you and your beloved brother, would I not be able to work? Fine, you don’t care for me or treat me like a human. But how can you be so heartless, not caring a bit for your own grandchild? Do you have to torment us mother and child to death before you’re satisfied? Did you so wish to take my dowry and give it to your precious brother?" Zhao Xiue fired off a continuous burst of words, leaving Lady He opening and closing her mouth several times without managing to intervene.
"Heaven has wronged me. I know nothing about snatching your dowry. Your own uncle was tied up then, how could he have taken your dowry? Whoever took your dowry, go and talk to them about it," Lady He finally found a chance to speak when Zhao Xiue took a breath.
"Second Uncle’s wife is no match for Sister-in-law Xiu E," Manman whispered to Zhizhi inside the West Wing Room.
Zhao Xiue focused her attack on Lady He and He Laoliu, without implicating the Lian Family at all. But as soon as Lady He spoke up, she managed to offend nearly everyone in the Lian Family.
"You tell me who took my dowry; I’ll seek them out," seeing Lady He walk right into the trap, Zhao Xiue was inwardly pleased. She was not about to let the matter rest and pressed forward a step.
