Accidentally-Born_C07

Chapter 7

Watching her son scream after being beaten by her, Grandma Li’s mood immediately lifted. She set her cane aside, sat cross-legged, and puffed on her smoking pipe. With a sideways glance at Li Mulin, she said, “What did I raise you for? You’ve made me worry since you were little, and now that you’re grown, you never show any filial piety and run off without a trace. Your elder brother didn’t come back for years because he was at war, and later, when he was sent to Fujian, it was just too far to return. Your brother has his reasons, and I don’t blame him. What about you? What’s your excuse?”

Li Mulin’s eyes filled with tears as he was questioned. Over the years, Zhang Chunhua had used work, pregnancy, and the children’s young age as excuses to delay returning home. But had he not done the same, using these excuses to suppress his unease? In truth, while Zhang Chunhua wasn’t entirely blameless, the responsibility still lay with him.

Seeing his 30-year-old son standing there, red-eyed and crying, Grandma Li’s heart softened a bit. She took another puff of her pipe before speaking again: “You’re a father now too. I’ll say no more. You know what’s in your heart.”

“I know! I know!” Li Mulin wiped his tears and nodded repeatedly. He glanced at Grandma Li’s cane, then cautiously stepped forward, “Mom, I got a house last year. How about you come live with me in Ice City for a while?”

“I’m not going!” Grandma Li shot him a glare and snorted, “Didn’t I tell Dongzi no in reply when you wrote last year? I’m not going anywhere. I’m comfortable staying here at home!” Grandma Li tapped the ash off her pipe and tapped it on the kang edge. “Besides, your second brother and his wife are very filial. I live with them and it’s peaceful. Do you think you and your wife could take better care of me than your second brother?!” With that, Grandma Li gave the kang edge a sharp knock that echoed with a loud “bang.” Zhang Chunhua jumped in shock, instinctively shaking her head.

Grandma Li laughed and pointed at Zhang Chunhua, turning to Li Mulin: “Look, your wife even admits your second sister-in-law is better at taking care of me. Don’t bring this up again. I’m embarrassed for you.”

Li Mulin spent the entire afternoon being scolded and hit, feeling like he was being tortured to madness. On the other hand, his wife either poured fuel on the fire or undermined him, dragging him down. Unable to take it any longer, Li Mulin shot Zhang Chunhua an angry look, then immediately promised his mother, “If you don’t want to go to Ice City, we’ll visit you twice a year instead.”

Grandma Li huffed proudly, “Come if you like. If you don’t, I’ll save on food.”

Li Mulin nearly wanted to kneel down before her. “Whatever you say, you’re always right. How about you hit me again?”

Grandma Li casually raised the pipe, and Li Mulin nervously shrank his neck and closed his eyes, bracing himself for another beating. Zhang Chunhua froze in fear, her husband cowering in the corner with tear-filled eyes. This wasn’t the verbal battle she had expected; it was more like getting hit without warning.

Grandma Li raised the pipe high, then lightly tapped it on his head. “Enough, stop acting all tough. Aren’t you ashamed? You’re not afraid of getting hurt, but I am worried about breaking my pipe. It’s a family heirloom.”

Li Mulin glanced at the white mark left by the tap on the kang edge and muttered, “Aren’t you afraid of breaking the kang edge when you knock on it?”

“What did you say?” Grandma Li slowly moved the pipe back into her hand. Li Mulin quickly forced a smile and said, “I was just saying, I brought you some cigarettes. You can try them and see if they’re better than the pipe.”

“I don’t like that stuff. It’s not good!” Grandma Li snorted, finally turning her gaze to Zhang Chunhua. “Fourth daughter-in-law.”

“Yes!” Zhang Chunhua jolted upright, her legs trembling with fear.

Grandma Li put on a kind expression and smiled, “When you two got married, you didn’t come to visit. Mulin only sent a letter, mentioning your family’s situation. I should’ve gone to Ice City to visit your parents, but since I have weak feet and can’t travel far, I didn’t. When you go back, tell your parents not to mind.”

Zhang Chunhua wiped the sweat from her forehead, forcing a smile, “Uh… No problem…”

Grandma Li nodded. “Good. When you leave, I’ll prepare some gifts for you to take back to your parents, so it’ll be like we’ve met.”

Zhang Chunhua looked at Li Mulin in confusion. Li Mulin forced a smile and said, “Well… Mom, it’s been so many years since we got married…”

“We can’t let people say we have no manners.” Grandma Li interrupted, her face showing a hint of sarcasm. “I already prepared the money for your wedding. Each of you brothers got a share. But since your wedding was in Ice City and you couldn’t come back home, the money was never used.” She turned around and pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket, revealing a roll of money inside. “The money for your wedding came from your wife’s family, right? You can return it to them later.”

Li Mulin quickly pushed it back. “I saved the money from my job, and borrowed some from my colleagues. I’ve already paid them back. Mom, you should keep it. Now that I’ve been working, it’s my turn to give you money.”

“Fair is fair!” Grandma Li firmly stuffed the handkerchief into her son’s hand. “I’ve lived my life without letting anyone say anything bad about me. This money is to return the wedding gift, so others won’t say I didn’t help when you got married.”

Li Mulin thought for a moment and accepted the money. “Okay, but remember, when I leave, you can’t refuse the retirement money I give you.”

“I won’t refuse,” Grandma Li said. “Your elder brother sends money home every year. I live with your second brother and his wife, so I rely on them for food and lodging. I can’t let them suffer, so I’ll make sure to help them out.”

“You’re right, Mom.” Li Mulin nodded. “Actually, I save a portion of my salary every month. Over the years, I’ve saved quite a bit, and I’ll give it all to you when I come back.”

Zhang Chunhua, who had been listening nearby, widened her eyes in disbelief and shouted, “You actually saved private money?”

Li Mulin calmly glanced at his wife. “It’s not much. I give money to my father-in-law’s family, and I save some for you, too.”

Zhang Chunhua instinctively retorted, “That’s different!”

“How is it different? Sit here and talk to your mother properly,” Grandma Li suddenly said with a smile, waving at Zhang Chunhua.

Zhang Chunhua looked at the cane leaning against the wall and the pipe in Grandma Li’s hand. She silently pulled her hand back, her legs trembling. “Mom, maybe I should just stay here.”

“That’s fine.” Grandma Li adjusted herself comfortably. “Now, tell me, what’s different?”

Zhang Chunhua glanced at Li Mulin, whose face was slightly gloomy. She steeled herself and boldly said, “After we got married, we lived at my house for several years. I gave birth and took care of the baby, and my mom did everything. I think we should give more money to my family.”

Grandma Li nodded. “Chunhua makes a fair point.”

Li Mulin looked at Zhang Chunhua and softly said, “When we lived at my father-in-law’s place, apart from money for food and money for you, everything else went to my mother-in-law. Only in the past two years, since we moved out, have we been able to keep more.”

Zhang Chunhua firmly said, “Before, we lived at my house, and everything—food, fuel—was paid for. What’s wrong with giving it all to them? I’m talking about now!”

“Then how much do you want to give?” Li Mulin asked.

Zhang Chunhua glanced at Grandma Li and quickly turned her head to say, “I’m my parents’ only child. If we give them more money, they’ll be at ease.”

“But…”

“Enough!” Grandma Li shouted loudly, interrupting their conversation. “This is something you should’ve made clear at home. Why are you causing a scene in my house?”

Zhang Chunhua’s eyes reddened, wiping away her tears with her sleeve. “Do I still need to say these things? He should have thought of it himself.”

Grandma Li sighed and looked at Zhang Chunhua. “Actually, I can guess what your family is thinking.”

Zhang Chunhua’s heart sank, and she suddenly stood up, pale-faced and not knowing what to say.

Grandma Li sneered. “I’ve lived so many years, what haven’t I seen? Don’t judge me by my small feet. I’ve even killed two Japanese soldiers in the past.” Seeing Zhang Chunhua’s face growing paler, Grandma Li continued, “But I’m not an unreasonable person. I don’t like those who try to deceive others with small tricks, treating people as fools. If your family had simply told me directly, what’s wrong with asking Mu Lin to support and care for your parents in their old age?”

Li Mulin froze for a moment, glanced at Grandma Li, then at Zhang Chunhua, feeling somewhat confused.

Grandma Li, holding her pipe, pointed at Li Mulin and Zhang Chunhua. “Look at my foolish son. After all these years, he still hasn’t figured out these simple matters.”

Zhang Chunhua’s tears fell like beads, and she lowered her head, biting her lip and not daring to speak.

Grandma Li took some tobacco leaves, stuffed them into her pipe, lit it, and took a few puffs. After a while, she spoke slowly. “Taking on the family name is out of the question. From the names on the marriage certificate and the letters, I know you didn’t have that intention. As for Mu Lin taking care of your parents in their old age, it’s not a problem. Your father is his master, and in the past, a master was like a father. Moreover, after you two get married, your parents are his parents too. There’s no difference between being a son-in-law and a son. What’s so hard to say?”

Zhang Chunhua covered her face and started crying. Li Mulin looked at Zhang Chunhua, still confused. “Father-in-law has no son, who else would take care of him? If not me, Why cry about it?”

Zhang Chunhua looked at Li Mulin with disbelief, her face full of surprise and regret. Seeing this, Grandma Li couldn’t help but laugh. “If you had said this earlier, it wouldn’t have been so complicated. All these unnecessary things are just a hassle!”

Liu Xiulan, who had been watching the whole scene, couldn’t help but laugh as she saw her sister-in-law crying like a brokenhearted person. “It’s not surprising that your family thinks too much. The older generation believes that a daughter is like water once married. They’re just afraid no one will care for them in the future.”

Grandma Li snorted. “Do you think I’m that kind of person? Don’t just talk about your sisters-in-law. Even when I brought back Guihua, raised her from young age with hard work, I didn’t treat her harshly. Every year during festivals, I always let her take something home to see her family.”

Liu Xiulan laughed again. “Not many old women are as understanding as you!”

“Alright, alright, stop flattering me!” Grandma Li waved her hand and smiled. “I heard the East Room is lively. Go and ask your second sister-in-law to bring Zhenzhen over for her uncle to see. She’s the first girl in our family.”

Zhang Chunhua went out to wash her face, and when she returned, Grandma Li had roughly untangled her years-old worries. Zhang Chunhua seemed much more cheerful than when she was in Ice City, and her smile appeared more genuine.

Liu Xiulan got up to call someone, and Zhang Chunhua sat awkwardly, trying to find a way to break the silence. “Mom really likes girls, huh? Not many people treat girls like you do nowadays.”

Grandma Li, who was directing her son to wave away the smoke, glanced at Zhang Chunhua. “Don’t give me that sour look. I’ll tell you clearly: my granddaughter is far more precious than my grandson. Zhenzhen is the only golden flower in five generations of our family.”

Zhang Chunhua’s face turned red with embarrassment, and she chuckled awkwardly, “I wasn’t saying anything.”

Grandma Li pursed her lips. “I prefer to speak the harsh words first, to avoid any discomfort during the holidays.”

Zhang Chunhua closed her mouth, not daring to speak further, her eyes fixed on the door, eager to see what kind of precious little treasure her mother-in-law adored so much.

In no time, Wang Sufen brought Zhenzhen in, followed by four other children, each holding small toys like rattles, trying to make Zhenzhen laugh.

As soon as Grandma Li saw Zhenzhen, she couldn’t help but smile, reaching out to take the baby. “Come, let me see if our Zhenzhen has gained weight.”

Mingbei rolled his eyes. “Grandma, you’ve seen her eight times today. How can she gain weight so fast?”

Grandma Li picked up her cane and hit Mingbei’s bottom, then quickly smiled as she held Zhenzhen in her arms. “Look at Zhenzhen smiling at her grandmother. This little face is getting more and more handsome.”

Zhang Chunhua greeted her second sister-in-law but quickly went over to look at Zhenzhen.

Normally, a baby’s head shape and face might not look good during the first month, and they tend to be somewhat unattractive. But Zhenzhen was exceptionally cute. Her black grape-like eyes were full of life, her long eyelashes resembled tiny fans, her soft, fair skin, and delicate red lips made her a natural beauty. Even though Zhang Chunhua felt a little sour inside, she couldn’t help but admit the little girl was stunning.

Mingxin squeezed in front of Zhang Chunhua and, raising his face sincerely, said, “Mom, can you give me a little sister tomorrow? One as beautiful as Zhenzhen!”

Zhang Chunhua instinctively responded, “What’s so special about girls…”

Before she could finish, Grandma Li was already reaching for her pipe, and in a moment of inspiration, Zhang Chunhua quickly changed the subject. “This girl is too beautiful. I’m afraid I can’t give birth to one.”

Grandma Li placed the pipe back and, happily watching her granddaughter, shot Zhang Chunhua a look. “With your nature, you indeed won’t be able to.”

Zhang Chunhua clutched her chest. Her mother-in-law was too blunt—painful!

—
Author’s note:

Zhenzhen: Grandma, how did you kill the two Japanese soldiers?

Grandma Li proudly raised her pipe, chest out: “Back in the day, I was both wise and brave. I set up a trap for the enemy, and without a single sword or gunshot, I sent those two Japanese soldiers to the afterlife!”

Zhenzhen: ???

Li Muwu: “Those two unlucky soldiers fell into our cellar, knocked their heads and fainted, and Grandma poured countless jars of water to drown them.”

Zhenzhen: !!!

Grandma Li raised her pipe and chased Li Muwu around: “I told you not to talk too much!”