Witty Wife, Better Life-Chapter 784 - 774

Wang Dan certainly wasn’t afraid of her, and she had no expectations from those old folks anymore; besides, in her own home, she couldn’t let an outsider bully her.

"Oh, look at you, Mother, causing a scene as soon as you’re back. If you have something to say, then just say it nicely—positioning like a young maiden, aren’t you afraid of being laughed at?"

Wang Dan’s words made the faces of mother and son change repeatedly—Li Hongxing from embarrassment, Qiu Shuping from anger.

"Hongxing, listen to what your wife is saying. Your mother hasn’t seen my son for so long, I’ve been thinking, thinking about him every day until my eyes are nearly blind from crying," Qiu Shuping had changed from the person she used to be. In prison, she had seen all kinds of people, among them women with a ’white lotus’ persona, and she hadn’t failed to learn from them. She also realized how rough and wrong her past approaches had been. Returning home this time, she planned to use the new tricks she had learned to tidy up all these riff-raff around her.

"Pfft..." Wang Dan couldn’t help but burst out laughing again, "Mom, better you don’t cry in front of your son. If you really have the time, better go home and cry to Dad, otherwise, I’m afraid you might not have the chance later."

"What do you mean by that?" Qiu Shuping immediately caught the hidden message in her daughter-in-law’s words.

"No special meaning. It’s just that, you know, men are men, and a woman, no matter how capable, has to first get her household in order, don’t you think?" Wang Dan was also somewhat considerate. What she was implying was to remind the old lady to take care of her home and keep an eye on her own man, rather than making choices like dropping the watermelon to pick up sesame seeds.

Qiu Shuping narrowed her eyes to scrutinize the meaning behind her daughter-in-law’s words, the more she pondered, the narrower her eyes squinted, and her hand, which was clutching her son’s clothes, also loosened, "Son, it reassures me to see you’re doing well. I’ve been missing you so much while we’ve been apart, I was planning on coming over at noon to cook a delicious meal for you, just like when you were little. But seeing how well you and your wife are living, I won’t interfere." As she spoke, she theatrically wiped her eyes, "Then I’ll be heading home first, you two take care of yourselves, and as long as you’re fine, that makes me happy." With that, she released her grip on her son and started walking toward the door.

Her daughter-in-law’s words were very true; there was never a rush to deal with a daughter-in-law, but she had to make sure to tidy up her home first. That way, she could be free of worries, couldn’t she?

After leaving the eldest son’s house, Qiu Shuping didn’t head straight for her own home, but instead made her way to her close friend’s house. At mealtime like this, it’s normally quiet with no one visiting, but Qiu Shuping was restless and disregarded those customs, heading straight there.

After watching Qiu Shuping leave, Wang Dan just smiled to herself. It had been so easy to send the mother-in-law away, and she was quite pleased about it. But when she turned around, she saw her husband’s conflicted face—a clear sign he felt guilty—and her good mood vanished in a puff of smoke. Without even washing her hands, she reached out and grabbed his ear.

"Well done, Li Hongxing, after I’ve borne and raised your children, managed the housework, and taken care of you comfortably every single day, you dare to give me this attitude. What do you mean by that, huh? Tell me!" Wang Dan’s words mirrored those of her mother-in-law.

"Ah, ah, what you doing, wife? I meant nothing by it! I haven’t said anything!" Li Hongxing, having his ear tugged, didn’t dare to resist and just followed the direction his wife was pulling, looking somewhat pitiful.

"You didn’t say anything, but what did that look on your face mean? Do you think I was too harsh on your mother? If you’re not satisfied, go ahead, pack your things and get lost, roll back to the old house and share a quilt with your mother," Wang Dan was fierce, at home her word was law, and if a man showed the slightest bit of resistance, she could make a huge drama out of it.

"Wife, wife, let go, you’re killing me," Li Hongxing could only grab his own ear and beg for mercy, "I really didn’t mean that, don’t wrong me."

"Hmph, I doubt you’d dare," Wang Dan said, deeming it enough and let go of him, sparing Li Hongxing, "Let me remind you, we’ve already split from your parents, don’t you remember how biased they were towards your no-good younger brother Hongqi? I sure remember clearly. Since it was decided back then that Hongqi would take care of the elders, don’t even think about taking advantage here later. It’s not fair if Li Hongqi gets all the benefits, and when it’s time to put in effort, they turn to our big house. I won’t tolerate such cowardice."

Li Hongxing rubbed his ear and still tried to defend his parents, "My mother didn’t mention anything about being taken care of when she came over, why are you thinking so much?"

"Pah, I’ve been married into the Li family for so many years, I’m not meeting your mother for the first time, I know exactly what she’s up to the moment she sticks her butt out," Wang Dan went back to the kitchen, continuing her tirade while not forgetting that lunch needed to be prepared, and there was more work waiting in the fields.

"Keep it down, keep it down. If my mother hears, it’ll be another issue," Li Hongxing, worried that the adjoining old house might hear, hastily gestured wanting his wife to lower her volume. "Do you want to spend a peaceful day today or not?"

Neither of them knew that Qiu Shuping, whom they were discussing, hadn’t returned home but had gone straight to find out about the very matter they were speaking of.

"Hmph, you think I’m still the new bride who married into your family all those years ago? I was afraid of her back then; now, you see if I’m scared of anyone." Wang Dan said so, but her voice had lowered nonetheless.

Who wouldn’t want to live a good life? Only someone with a screw loose would look for a fight.

"Hey, I’m telling you, I know you’re filial, but you can’t be foolishly pious. You’ve seen yourself the things your parents have done these years, even if I don’t mention them. Can any of those stand up to scrutiny? Forget it, let’s not talk about that, we’ve split from that household anyway. Whatever commotion they want to make, I don’t care, as long as it doesn’t reach our doorstep," Wang Dan usually viewed the old house’s drama with a spectator’s eye, "But with Hongqi and his wife about to make their move, for the sake of the children, we also need to maintain a good relationship with them. So regarding the old house, we need to be clear about where we stand. In the future, if your mother comes to you with anything, you don’t have to reject her outright, just push it onto me."

Li Hongxing, feeling stifled, just sat down at the dinner table without expressing his opinion. To be honest, after so many years of his mother raising him, how could he have no feelings for her? But her previous actions did indeed hurt him, and now that he had a formidable wife, he just sided with her, keeping his distance from that side of the family. However, seeing his mother now with tears and snot, saying she missed him, still made him, as a son, feel terrible inside.

Wang Dan, having said her piece, didn’t pay him any more mind, she scooped up a bowl of watered-down millet porridge and passed it to him.