CH 75

Being so unreasonably disturbed by her, Han Qingsong’s eyes became slightly colder.

Because of his status as a son(1), he really couldn’t do anything to the old lady directly. Lin Lan saw his helplessness and coughed out in disgust, but started to commence her act of grievance by wiping away her tears that she made sure flowed uncontrollably.

(T/N: Not sure if this works globally, but in Asian culture, age is a big hierarchy sort of thing. Being older would come with expectations that the younger generation would have to respect you. So to stand against your parents is a really big deal, especially in the older times like this novel is being carried out in)

Maisui suddenly burst into tears, “Why do you keep scolding my mother like that all day long? This shrew this, that shrew that; which part of what my mother said was a lie? The fact that you don’t give us food is nothing but the truth. All the good things we have are sent to the county town for my youngest aunt and uncle. They eat white noodles there every day, my uncle rides a bicycle over to a restaurant and my aunt wears that damn watch to show off all the time. She would even make me wash her clothes and not only hers, I would have to wash her classmates’ clothes as well just to please her friend who was the principal’s daughter! But why am I the one washing their clothes?!”

She was so aggrieved as Erwang also began to complain.

“Sanwang is right— grandmother is reluctant to give us food. During the New Year, when our aunt and uncle couldn’t finish the dumplings, they could still heat it up for breakfast the next day; yet, our family can only eat four or five dumplings per person? We have our fair share of food as well, but why are we not allowed to have it?”

“My mother said she wanted to take Xiaowang to see a doctor but you haven’t given her any money. Did you not basically force my mother to pull the trick of taking the money before it ever reached your hands? Last winter, Xiaowang had a fever and she just wanted one dollar for the injection. But you said to her that she had so many kids so what was there to lose, even asking her if she thought that Xiaowang was her only precious son? You gave my mother two cents! On one hand, you told us that you didn’t have the money, on the other hand you bought a new pair of leather shoes worth 10 dollars for my aunt and a 5 dollar work permit for my uncle!”

Erwang had a delicate mind and was good at observation.

Xiaowang looked at this and with that statement coming from his brother, his mouth deflated as he began to cry.

Sanwang was stunned as he nibbled on the pancake. Scratching his head, he asked in doubt, “Such a fragrant two-layered pancake- eh, why are you crying? And Xiaowang was sick? When did that happen?”

Lin Lan, besides playing in the water, this stupid boy doesn’t really know what’s going on around him, huh?

Maisui directed her frustration at him, “You know nothing but eating and playing with water, can you care about something else?”

As Sanwang was scolded, he didn’t know what he did wrong all of a sudden. However, he felt a compelling urge to cry along with his sister.

So he let go of his hesitation and cried aloud.

As someone always full of playfulness and laughter, with his voice no longer infused with happiness but wails, it kind of shocked the others in the room. As soon as he cried, his sadness that was too strong and infectious could be heard throughout, the two little ones in the main and second room both started to cry along with their cousin as well.