Madam Qian’s tears kept flowing. Looking at her, Su Xiaolu thought of Madam Zhao.
Su Xiaolu did not feel good. She nodded and said, “Auntie, don’t cry. I’ll go take a look at Uncle Hu.”
Su Xiaolu walked toward Chen Hu and his family’s room. When she passed by Madam Qian, she saw that her hands were cold and red. Her clothes were very thin.
On the other hand, Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu were also wearing thin clothes. It was already November and it was really cold.
Su Xiaolu looked away and walked towards the house.
Even after two lifetimes, she could not understand this question.
Why give birth to them if you don’t like them?
She clearly enjoyed being served by the “child” that she did not like, but she still had to torture her like this. She was born the same way, so why did she have to be treated differently?
1
Su Xiaolu pushed open the door and went in. Chen Hu was lying on the bed, motionless under the blanket. His son, who wasn’t even a month old, was sleeping beside him.
Su Xiaolu walked over and took Chen Hu’s pulse. His pulse was not good.
Su Xiaolu opened the needle bag and administered acupuncture to Chen Hu.
Madam Qian, Chen, and Chen Erniu followed her into the room and looked at Su Xiaolu nervously.
After a while, Chen Hu’s face was filled with needles.
After that, Su Xiaolu cleaned the wound on Chen Hu’s head. She did not know what had hit him, but his flesh was broken and it was swollen.
Su Xiaolu applied medicine for him. At this moment, Chen Hu woke up.
He moved his lips and managed to speak. “Xiaolu.”
After saying that, Chen Hu looked at the Qian mother and daughter and said, “Dear, I was incompetent. I’ve let you down and made you suffer.”
As he spoke, Chen Hu’s nostrils flared violently. He was crying.
Madam Qian also cried. She went forward and held Chen Hu’s hand. “It’s fine. I’m not afraid of hardship. Rest well and recuperate. I’ll do whatever Mother wants me to do. I’ve already recovered. I can take it.”
Madam Qian was already very satisfied with what Chen Hu had done for her. She did not blame him for anything. This was her fate.
If she suffered a little, she could still endure for a few more years. If Chen Hu insisted on going against his parents, he would be beaten to death.
Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu lowered their heads and sobbed softly.
Outside the house, there was the sound of footsteps, accompanied by Mother Chen’s cursing. “Madam Qian, you piece of trash. I told you to wash the clothes, but you didn’t even do it. You don’t want to listen to me anymore, right? You piece of trash, feeding my son with bewitching soup every day. See if I don’t beat you to death.”
When Chen Hu heard Mother Chen’s curses, he looked like he was in pain and wanted to sit up.
However, Madam Qian wiped her tears and turned to leave. Before she left, she told Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu not to come out.
As soon as Madam Qian went out, they heard a loud slap.
There was also Madam Qian’s choked and hoarse voice. “Mother, I was wrong. I’ll go wash the clothes now.”
Mother Chen went to watch Madam Qian do her chores and did not come into the room to take a look.
“Sniff…”
Chen Hu cried even harder. He clenched his fists tightly and looked at the black and yellow pillar above his head. He was in so much pain that he wanted to die.
Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu were also crying, their eyes filled with fear and confusion.
Su Xiaolu pursed her lips. She said nothing.
After taking out the needles for Chen Hu, she went home silently.
When Su Xiaolu returned home, only Zhou Heng and Su Hua were at home.
She guessed that her third sister had gone to tell her parents.
Su Xiaolu sat beside Zhou Heng gloomily.
“Xiaolu.”
Su Hua walked to Su Xiaolu’s side and squatted down. He stroked Su Xiaolu’s hair and pulled her head over to lean on his shoulder.
Su Xiaolu sniffed. “Second Brother, I’m so sad.”
Su Hua was also sad. He hugged Su Xiaolu tightly and said, “Second Brother will always be with you.”
Zhou Heng also reached out and touched Su Xiaolu’s hair. After a while, Zhou Heng asked, “Xiaolu, what happened at Uncle Hu’s house?”
Su Xiaolu said, dejected, “Erniu’s Grandma wanted Auntie to work, so Uncle Hu argued with his parents for Auntie, so his head was hit. Auntie was washing clothes and her hands even turned red from the cold. Daniu said that they were not forgiven even if they did a lot of work. I was very sad when I saw it… I don’t want to grow up if I have to suffer so much when I grew up.”
This was the first time Su Xiaolu felt down. She was born in this era and was destined to be a layman.
No matter how high she climbed, she couldn’t avoid these things.
A person who did not fit in with the rest of the world would only become an anomaly hated by all the women in the world.
By then, the world would be so big but there would be no place for her. As she thought about it, sorrow welled up in her heart.
“Don’t be sad. Second Brother will always protect you.”
Su Hua looked at Su Xiaolu seriously. He knew that Su Xiaolu was very sad. The light in her beautiful eyes had faded. She was unhappy, but he did not know how to comfort her.
Zhou Heng stroked Su Xiaolu’s hair and said, “Don’t be afraid, Xiaolu. There’s actually a way.”
Su Xiaolu looked at Zhou Heng.
Zhou Heng said gently, “Xiao, roads are made by people. Don’t you have a good example around you? Look at your father and mother. They are a good example. When Third Uncle comes back later, I’ll talk to him.”
Su Xiaolu nodded. She felt better, but she needed to mediate her low mood.
Zhou Heng stroked her hair gently again, silently comforting her.
Not long after, Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao returned.
When she returned home, Madam Zhao also looked worried.
Su Sanlang was about to put down the farming tools and go over to take a look when Zhou Heng said, “Third Uncle, I have something to say.”
Su Sanlang knew that Zhou Heng was knowledgeable. He stopped in his tracks and looked at Zhou Heng with respect. Zhou Heng was still a child, but his eyes were very deep. He was not a child from an ordinary family. Su Sanlang looked at Zhou Heng gently and said, “Heng, tell me. I’m listening.”
Zhou Heng’s expression was calm as he said, “Third Uncle, if Uncle Hu’s family wants peace, there’s only one way. That is to become a second you.”
Su Sanlang was shocked when he heard that. Just as he was about to say no, he heard Zhou Heng continue, “Even if Uncle Hu Zi puts up with it for a while, he won’t be able to gain peace. If his parents cared about him at all, they wouldn’t have ended up like this. They can bear with it for a while, but in a few years, Auntie’s body won’t be able to take it anymore. The children she leaves behind won’t have it easy. The two sisters might be married off casually like doing business. As for the boy, he’s not well-liked, to begin with. Perhaps he’ll die of illness before he grows up. Uncle Hu is their biological son. They don’t even care if he’s sick, let alone his children.”
“My teacher once warned me that in this world, there is no reason for love. There is also no reason for hate. If one hates someone to the extreme, they will trample on them regardless. However, if people don’t love us, we should love ourselves. Filial piety only applies when the parents have worked hard to raise the children. The children should repay them in that case. However, if the parents have never been loving to the children, the children are not obliged to be filial to repay them. Foolish filial piety has always been an irreparable tragedy.”
7
Zhou Heng finished speaking calmly and looked at Su Sanlang without saying anything else.
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