Chapter 43:
“Su Family, not that I’m saying this, but your sons are all useless.”
Big Sister Ma was munching on a melon seed when spat it out and stared at Mother Su.
Mother Su has never suffered anything in her life. Even when her family’s living conditions weren’t very good, she never suffered.
When she got married, her mother-in-law was still in good health, and she did not do any farm work except for giving birth and raising children. Even the pig’s food was prepared by her husband, and she just carried the ladle to feed it.
Both the husband and the mother-in-law were good-tempered. Even though the whole village said Mother Su was a lazy woman, both the mother and son never even so much as scowled at Mother Su.
Later, when her mother-in-law died and her several children grew up, they followed their father to do housework. They were brainwashed by him all day, saying that their mother worked hard and it wasn’t easy to give birth to them, so they had to honor their mother.
When he died, a few of the children joined the workforce and got married. She took on the role of mother-in-law, and her daughter-in-law took over from her father-in-law and continued to do the work at home.
Although her daughter-in-law wasn’t happy, they were all women. Why should one’s mother-in-law enjoy blessings when she was a wife, and continue to enjoy blessings when she becomes a mother-in-law?
Her husband wasn’t helping her. In addition, there is a promising second son of the Su family, Su Yuyang, who is earning money in the city. The whole family has been waiting for him to benefit from his success.
How about getting in on the action? You now have to honor the Old Lady of the Su family! Otherwise, when Su Yuyang comes back next time, Mother Su would complain, and it would be the end of it for you. Not only would the money and things be gone, but if you want to ask him to do something in the future, he would just ignore you.
Mother Su then became the first decision holder in the village..
If she doesn’t agree, then, even if Su Yuyang wanted to, he wouldn’t do it.
As a result, Mother Su became an object of envy and fawning attention by the whole village.
In their village, there was only one capable person who got married, gave birth to a son, and took root in the city.
Although the villagers begged to curry favor with her, they still despise Mother Su deep inside, taking advantage of it and still not mentioning that they want to do anything more. When Su Yuyang fell, Mother Su lost her financial ability and could no longer help them. Thus, her status in the village plummeted.
She was so proud of herself, but she hasn’t gone out often in the past two years. She lies at home all day, just humming in bed, and the distressed family all obeyed her even more.
In addition to the daughter-in-law of their family, the villagers heard that their family quarreled every other day. All of them were fights between their eldest son and his wife.
At these times, Mother Su would hide from home and wander around the village.
She gets annoyed when she hears that woman’s noisy attitude. Isn’t it just doing some house work? Her mother-in-law washed clothes and cooked meals for a large family, and she didn’t complain about anything.
Nowadays, there is a washing machine, a refrigerator and rice cooker. It’s much easier to cook than back then, so why was she still not satisfied?! That woman deserves to be taught a lesson by her son. It was best to beat her up and make her obedient.
However, if she stayed at home when they fought, she can’t stand by and watch. She was at least an elder, so when her younger ones fought, if she didn’t stand up and pull them apart, her in-laws would think that it’s time to come to the door to ask for an explanation.
In the end, after only a few steps, she met Big Sister Ma, the woman with a big mouth.
“No matter how bad my son is, he’s still a successful one, much better than those bastards of yours!”
Mother Su was very unhappy with Big Sister Ma. She was the fastest when taking advantage of them. Later, when it came to stepping on their family, she was the most diligent.
So, every time she saw Big Sister Ma, she can’t wait to have a quarrel with her. It gives people indigestion!
“Ha ha, my family’s boys are not good, but they are all good at being filial. Compared with the boys in your family, getting rich and then disowning his poor relatives. Mine are so much better!”
Being scolded by Mother Su, Big Sister Ma wasn’t angry, but she laughed.
Rural people, how could they speak politely? Anyway, if you scold me, I’ll scold you back. If you are angry, you need to stifle it? How unproductive.
“You’re full of sh*t!”
Mother Su thought of Su Yuyang, who was the only successful son in the family. The oldest one is idle, who married a wife and took her to play cards and fish together. The land they owned was not planted and instead rented to others. All day long, he quarreled about the little work at home.
The third child studied outside and did find a job, but the salary he earned wasn’t enough for him personally. So, he always came back to ask for money.
Her eldest daughter married a man who was also useless. He couldn’t make enough money to support her daughter and grandchildren, and she couldn’t watch them starve to death.
The second one is the opposite. He found a good salary, but also very frugal. He regularly comes back to see her, but the wife isn’t a good one. Although the family is well off, she was too spoiled to be a filial wife in the countryside.
But she also makes a lot of money, which isn’t bad.
It’s a pity that he was married for so few years. The second child was given nothing by her when she was divorced from the second child, which was really cruel.
(TNote: excuse me? Ma’am, that’s not how divorces work…)
But the second child is also out of luck. At that age, he had become like that. It’s not good for her as a mother to see her son become like that. But after all, her son was already an adult. What happens after is none of her business.
However, her son would never do something so ungrateful as to disown his mother when he became rich and powerful. It was absolutely impossible.
“Ha ha, I’m bullsh*tting? How many years has it been since you’ve been to the city? How does your son really live in the city? You will find out.”
Big Sister Ma wanted to see more of Mother Su’s shocked face, so she didn’t reveal everything she knew all at once. Instead, she hung her appetite bit by bit and wanted to see what she looked like after she found the truth.
“I know I don’t, what’s it to you? Do you think you know my son better than I do? Besides, why do you stare at other people’s sons every day? Is your son too shameful and a glutton for punishment?”
In terms of fighting, Mother Su has never really been afraid of anyone. Even if what Big Sister Ma said made her feel a little bit guilty, she wouldn’t lose the battle.
“Ha, just that son of yours. The car he was driving, the expensive clothes he was wearing. Tsk tsk, putting on airs! I almost didn’t recognize him. Seeing me, he tried to chase and bribe me. Oh, wasn’t I thinking about you? As his mother, you’re not enjoying it, how could I go too far as an Aunt? So, I rejected it. But I was afraid you didn’t know, so I’m kindly reminding you now, but you’re not appreciating it. Forget it!”
After Big Sister Ma finished, she turned to leave. She snorted angrily and left. The old woman’s curiosity was left hanging, but it wasn’t enough to satisfy her. She wouldn’t be able to sleep well.
Look at her still flaunting outside all day long, over 50 years old, and still behaving like a 30-something young person. Who does she think she is?
“Stop! Tell me clearly!”
Mother Su wasn’t one of those petty little wives who could let someone run away after being played with like that.
If she doesn’t ask, she won’t be able to sleep well. If she doesn’t sleep well, she would be in a bad mood. If she was in a bad mood, she would look old. She didn’t like that.
“Bah! I won’t say it!”
Big Sister Ma is worthy of her name Ma Dajiao. She can walk very fast, much faster than Mother Su’s short stumpy frame.
(TNote: 马大脚 [Ma Dajiao] = Horse Big Foot.)
However, Mother Su is not in a hurry, monks can run away but the temple can’t. They were all from the same village. She didn’t believe this woman wouldn’t go home to cook at night.
Slowly and leisurely, she chased after her, walking towards the Ma family home.
Ma Dajiao’s home was located at the entrance of the village, which was not far from her home, but it still took about 10 minutes by foot.
When Mother Su approached, she saw Ma Dajiao standing at the entrance of the village looking at something.
“Ma Dajiao! Tell me clearly!”
Mother Su didn’t care what she was looking at, and seized her clothes as soon as she stepped forward.
“Tell you what? Don’t you have eyes! Just look over there!”
Ma Dajiao’s heart was happy.
Hey, she didn’t have to say, she couldn’t stand the nagging. She had just told the old woman about Su Yuyang, and the man himself showed up in a car.
She didn’t catch up with Su Yuyang that day, but she saw Su Yuyang’s car.
It’s exactly like this one! That’s right.
She wanted to see what Mother Su’s reaction would be when she saw her son disowning her.
“What are you looking at? Who hasn’t seen a car before?”
Mother Su has never seen such a beautiful car. It’s brand new! Oh, if she gets one of these for her youngest son, her daughter-in-law won’t be picking on her all the time and refuse to take her to live in the city, right?
Her second child wants to take her over, but that woman was reluctant. She likes her youngest son and daughter and lives with them. It’s their blessing, but that cheapskate was still reluctant.
But all these, in front of Ma Dajiao, have to be covered up. Otherwise the b*tch would laugh at her again.
“Look, who’s driving the car?”
Ma Dajiao was smug. Humph, let’s see you being proud now. You’re going to get hit in the face by your own son, right?
Then Mother Su saw the car parked in front of her. She didn’t know the person who got out of the car. He was dressed in bright clothes. Isn’t one of the big shots in the city, right? Aiyo… What is he doing standing in front of them? Asking for directions?
“Mother, it’s me. Yuyang.”
Su Yuyang tidied up his clothes, stood in front of Mother Su and spoke.
People here grew up calling their parents ‘Ma’, and those who weren’t close were called ‘Mother’, such as his younger brother, his siblings and the youngest sister.
The ones who are closer, called them ‘Ma’ or ‘Niang’.
(TNote: —婶儿 [Shen-er] = Mother, but it gives off the feeling of calling your mother ‘Ma’am’, or ‘Auntie’. —妈 [Ma] = Mom/Mommy. —娘 [Niang] = Mom/Mother.)
Su Yuyang used to call her ‘Mom’ and felt so fashionable and close.
But now …
“Yuyang?”
Mother Su was stunned. It was her son Yuyang? But it doesn’t look like that. No, it looks like that, but the whole spirit of the person was different, and the name he called her was different.
“Hey! Yes, it’s Yuyang. Yuyang’s Mom, how come you don’t even know your own son? Is it some kind of dementia?”
Ma Dajiao was enjoying the drama, and her voice was frighteningly loud. It soon attracted many people to come and watch.
The Su family’s boy, Su Yuyang, was someone they all knew. They had forgotten when the whole village drove him away, but they remembered how generous Su Yuyang was to them.
Su Yuyang is back, and he’s driving such a shiny compact car! How rich must he be?
It’s a great thing that the Su family’s boy has made a success of himself! They can all get their share!