CHAPTER 26: CHAPTER 26: HOUSEHOLD AUTHORITY

EDITOR: ATLAS STUDIOS

"Heh heh, Third Aunt is truly a kind-hearted person!"

Chai Tieniu, who was driving the carriage outside, overheard and responded with a laugh. Long Yue’s face darkened, luckily this person spoke up, or she almost forgot he was there.

She hurriedly lowered her voice and mumbled, "Older Sister-in-law, I really want to be better to you all."

Mrs. Wang, being astute, immediately realized that some words shouldn’t be heard by outsiders and also lowered her voice, "That would be wonderful, what’s going on?"

"Look, Xiangxiang is learning embroidery with me, but what about your Bai Chuan? He can’t just idle around all the time, what future will he have then?"

Bai Chuan is Mrs. Wang’s son, the same age as Li Xiangxiang. At this age, always idling at home or playing wildly outside seems like a waste.

Mrs. Wang also realized this and, worrying about her son’s prospects, grew anxious, "Exactly, I’ve tried several times to persuade Mom to let Bai Chuan go to school, but she says Bai Chuan isn’t cut out for it, and our family can’t afford to send two people to school..."

As she spoke, Mrs. Wang’s tears started falling. Long Yue watched her indifferently, whether Mrs. Wang’s emotions were genuine or pretend, since what mother doesn’t want what’s best for her child? Especially a son.

"Ah..." She sighed softly, "Actually, I could think of some way to gather some money to send Bai Chuan to school. Whether he’s suited for it or not, having some knowledge and culture is better than knowing nothing at all, right? In the future, he might not be erudite, but he shouldn’t be called a ’country bumpkin,’ right?"

"Oh my, Sister-in-law, you truly speak to my heart! How can you be so good? If Mom were half as good as you, I’d call her my real mother, oh!"

Long Yue pursed her lips, smiling without speaking.

"Sister-in-law, do you mean you can gather money for Bai Chuan’s studies? Are you serious? Don’t fool me!"

"No such thing." Long Yue felt she had guided the conversation enough and turned to the main point, "Older Sister-in-law, it’s feasible to gather money for Bai Chuan’s studies, but I don’t have the authority. If Mom finds out later, she’ll surely be unhappy. She’s the family head, and this money should theoretically go into her pocket to be distributed, right?"

"This..." Mrs. Wang suddenly deflated, feeling a bit resentful, "That’s how it is, but... but couldn’t we hide some private money and then..."

"Should Bai Chuan secretly go to school like he’s stealing?"

"This..."

Mrs. Wang was dumbfounded, indeed, going to school secretly wasn’t the proper way!

"Older Sister-in-law, in this family, it’s ultimately Mom who decides things. There are some matters I can only help with as much as possible, but others, truly I can’t. Mom should have quite a bit of silver saved; if it were up to me, I’d surely let everyone eat better meals, but our family?"

"Hmph, not a single meal with meat throughout the year!" Mrs. Wang got mad just thinking about it, angrily saying, "She’s saving all that money for the fourth and fifth child, and last time I even heard her say she plans to give Qingxue ten taels of silver as dowry! Ten taels, how much meat could that buy? Isn’t she scraping all that money from us?"

The more Mrs. Wang spoke, the angrier she became, and finally, she even pounded the carriage board, "She plays favorites!"

Long Yue didn’t speak, only blinked her eyes.

"Sister-in-law!" Mrs. Wang vented her frustration and then turned to Long Yue, crying out, "Tell me, why is my fate so bitter? My child is also her grandson, why doesn’t she show any care?"

"Even ten fingers are of different lengths, let alone a person’s heart?"

Long Yue reached out and carefully inspected her slender fingers. Ah, recently she had done some rough work, a callus had formed in her palm; she should take good care of it, otherwise, her hands would become too coarse to do delicate embroidery.

This statement caught Mrs. Wang like fire, she angrily jumped and cursed, "She’s just biased, ever since I was young she never liked my husband, her favorites are the second and fifth child!"

Ah, no wonder Mrs. Zhang could be so arrogant!

Long Yue pouted slightly, speaking softly, "Isn’t that so? Love extends to the house and all in it. Look at the second sister-in-law, Mom never dislikes her, ah... If I were running this household, I’d make sure everyone was cared for equally."

"Isn’t it true, ugh..."

Mrs. Wang slipped her tongue for a moment, then looked shocked.

"Um, third family, you..."

"Older Sister-in-law, just listen, none of this counts, don’t take it to heart."

Long Yue spoke as she looked outside, seeing they had entered the village and were about to get home, so she stopped speaking.

This matter can’t be rushed; she mustn’t show any eagerness, or Mrs. Wang might follow through with some excessive requests.

She had plenty of time, while Mrs. Wang? Her son was already twelve; in three more years, he would be marrying. Wouldn’t a mother be anxious?

At that time, she might act on impulse, hmm...

Long Yue smiled, satisfied.

After returning home, Long Yue noticed Mrs. Wang’s attitude toward Mrs. Li Zhou seemed less favorable. The years of oppression and grievances erupted with a few words of Long Yue’s provocation, the resentment not a small amount, grew magnified vastly. And once the conflict arose between them, any rift between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law would only grow larger.

At lunchtime, Mrs. Wang did not disappoint Long Yue, and directly threw down her chopsticks.

"Mom, we’re eating plain meals every day, my Bai Chuan is almost starving, should we continue living like this?"

Mrs. Li Zhou looked bewildered, when did this timid daughter-in-law dare to contradict her? This girl’s head must have gone crazy!

"What are you fussing about, our family doesn’t have money for meat. If you have the ability, earn money and buy it yourself!"

"Mom, how can you say that without feeling your tongue will be twisted by the wind? Everyone knows you have plenty of private money hidden in your room! Oh, there’s no money for Bai Chuan to study, but there’s other silver; you’re really showing favoritism, Bai Chuan is at least your grandson!"

"Eldest family, how are you talking to Mom?"

Zhang Meihua spoke with a chuckle; she loved stirring up trouble from the sidelines, especially when Mrs. Wang, who usually ingratiated herself with her mother-in-law, was now quarreling? This was entertaining!

"I’m talking to Mom, don’t intervene!"

Mrs. Wang, rarely tough, retorted to Mrs. Zhang. Seeing Long Yue holding back, she didn’t stir up trouble, only pouting her lips, and snorting.

Mrs. Li Zhou felt a bit frustrated that Mrs. Wang would speak to her like this and coldly said, "Nonsense, where did you see money with me?"

"I heard you last time saying you plan to give Qingxue ten taels of silver as dowry! Isn’t that favoritism? Mom, I’m not asking for much, just let Bai Chuan go to school; he’s already twelve, can’t be illiterate, right?"

"Nonsense, there’s no ten taels of silver!"

Mrs. Li Zhou was exposed publicly and suddenly felt guilty, so she raised her voice angrily. She might seem timid with Long Yue, but she was notoriously strict with Mrs. Wang, clearly bullying the weak and fearing the strong!

"There is! I heard it with my own ears!"

"Shut up! It’s not true, stop making a fuss. Eat quickly if you’re eating, or leave if you’re not. As for Bai Chuan, if he wants to learn, have the third one teach him later, why waste money?"

"Mom!"

Listening to her words, Mrs. Wang felt completely disheartened!