Rebirth in the 50s: The Couple with the Hidden Space-Chapter 612 - 490: Lin Family’s Chen Jingru (Part 2)

"Xiao Ru, quickly fetch some bowls. Let your mother do the house chores, okay?"

Mrs. Chen raised the ladle and waved it fiercely outside, "Do you hear this old fool? He’s been like this all his life—making me do all the housework. One day if I don’t cook, he’ll have to drink the northwest wind. I think I should just get a divorce from your dad. Being stuck with this man, there’s no good days ahead."

Seeing this, Chen Jingru stifled a laugh, turned, and took two bowls and chopsticks out of the kitchen.

Old Chen, seeing his daughter come out, chuckled joyfully.

He turned to Lin Aiguo nearby and boasted, "This kid is so filial, as soon as she arrives, she doesn’t stop working..."

"Dad, have some wine." Chen Jingru opened the lunchbox and saw it contained pig head meat, and the other was full of cabbage and shredded meat, leaving her with mixed feelings—how long had it been since her son tasted it?

She considered saving half for her son, but after hesitating for a moment, she abandoned the thought.

"Liu will come over later, after dinner, you all should head back soon. Xiao Ru, I won’t keep you; there’s not enough food at home, better to return."

Old Chen had a few drinks with his son-in-law and seeing they still weren’t talking, grew anxious. He decisively spoke up, these two are too slow. Whatever the matter, go home and argue if needed, but after arguing, they must still live well.

Thinking of divorce, what’s the big deal! This silly daughter has been like a widow for so many years, now that her husband is finally back, who allows her to divorce? The son-in-law has come back so many times now, it’s enough.

"Dad, it’s all my fault. Xiao Ru, come home, everything’s a mess without you. If you’re angry, take it out on me, don’t stay silent. How will I know what to change if you don’t tell me?"

Chen Jingru glanced at him, then turned and went back to her room. At this moment, she didn’t even want to be in the kitchen, to avoid hearing her mother nag again.

In the small room, two wooden beds were closely placed together, barely room to turn around. It was still the two nieces sharing a bed, leaving one for her. Thinking of this, Chen Jingru stood at the door, a bit lost.

She really couldn’t stay any longer!

Old Chen saw his daughter leave without a word, patted his son-in-law’s shoulder, and said meaningfully, "Treasure your wife, it’s your wife who’s dear when you’re old. After you go back, live well, and later when Liu comes back, I’ll find a way to make her return. Couples bicker, that’s normal, what’s important is not to hurt each other’s hearts. Once the heart is wounded, it’s really too late."

After saying this, Old Chen took a sip of wine and looked at his silent son-in-law, continued speaking.

"It’s not that I’m praising my daughter. Years ago, many people wanted her to remarry; she refused. Back then Liu hadn’t even started school yet, and someone had taken a liking to her, sending many matchmakers to persuade. But she always said she hadn’t fulfilled her duty to the family and still wanted to take care of your parents. Just like that, she lived with your parents."

Regarding this, Old Chen felt sad when he thought about it. He knew his in-laws looked down on their family. So except for necessary social occasions, he never let his family visit the Lin Family. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

His daughter was stubborn, who knows how much grievance she suffered at her in-laws.

"Dad, I know Xiao Ru hasn’t had it easy these years. She’s taken on the responsibilities that were mine. It’s my fault, making her suffer all this time."

Old Chen waved his hand. The son-in-law might say these things, but if he’d done as he said, would his daughter only now be causing a fuss about divorce after finally waiting for the man to return?

This matter he was tired of discussing, but his poor eldest grandson still needed a father.

"Xiao Hui has also had a hard time. At about five or six years old, such a little child told his mom that others called him a fatherless wild child.

Although the child seems distant from you, in his heart he wants to be close to you. You should spend more time with the child. In a few years when he begins working, then you’ll find you won’t have the time to even chat with your son."

After Old Chen finished speaking, he saw his son-in-law deep in thought and didn’t want to say more. It wasn’t that he was truly satisfied with this son-in-law, not at all. If it weren’t for his daughter, he wouldn’t even bother with him. Having returned alive for so long, aside from holidays, he hardly ever visited their home.

At mealtime, the Chen Family and Lin Dinghui returned one after another.

After dinner, Lin Dinghui leaned back on a chair with a book, occasionally glancing at his father chatting with a few uncles, then continuing to read.

Old Chen saw it was getting late, asked his wife to pack his daughter’s things, then called his daughter out. Without much more to say, he handed the bag to his eldest grandson, and pushed their family out the door, waving them off.

Watching the departing family of his younger sister, the eldest of the Chen family worriedly said, "Dad, will our little sister stay elsewhere? If she really doesn’t want to continue living like this, let her be. She has a job and a son, what’s there to be afraid of."

The youngest son of the Chen family agreed, "Dad, this isn’t right. Without Xiao Hui’s grandfather coming over, our sister shouldn’t be sent home with the brother-in-law."

Old Chen glared at them, "Stop talking nonsense. How many times has your brother-in-law come here? Do you really want your sister to spend her later years alone?"

The youngest of the Chen family grumbled, "Only coming now, what was he doing before?"

The eldest son of the Chen family saw his father glaring angrily, smacked his brother, "That’s enough. Want to be a laughingstock to outsiders? Go inside."

The family went inside, but Old Chen remained standing there, unsettled. Even when it became dark and he could see no further ahead, he kept looking into the distance.

After what his youngest son said, he wasn’t sure if he’d done right or wrong, only hoping his son-in-law would heed his words and treat his daughter and grandson well.

After some time, Old Chen noticed that whenever his daughter visited home, she no longer asked to stay for a few days, and his grandson mentioned that his mom was doing well, which eased his heart.

But Old Chen didn’t know—having Mrs. Lin as a mother-in-law, his daughter couldn’t possibly live peacefully.

An age-old battle between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is a protracted one, and the outcome depends on the man caught between them.

Who knows the future, everyone has the path they must walk.