CHAPTER 421: CHAPTER 421: THE HEART CAN’T BEAR IT

"Yes, big brother brought her to City Z the day before yesterday," Song Yuan Yao said with a sense of helplessness. She roughly mentioned the time when Song Tianxin arrived at her place, "It’s because big brother’s marriage has been fixed. They’ve agreed that in a few days she’ll enter the family formally. Mom has been anxious too, worrying that some problem might crop at this critical juncture, so she phoned me to discuss it. Tianxin was almost always with me when she was little, she’s clingy and we have a good relationship. I didn’t refuse, thinking it would be okay. The day before yesterday, big brother even closed his stationery shop for a day to bring Tianxin over. Then yesterday, he hurried back. Actually, I quite welcome Niuniu, as she’s not that old either. But now, what’s giving me a headache is that I’ve arranged a school for her, but Niuniu absolutely refuses to go. Yesterday, she even talked back to my mother-in-law at home, calling her ’old hag,’ which really upset her."

Song Yuan Yao thought back to yesterday when she returned home from school and heard Song Tianxin’s unrestrained talking inside the house; she felt unbearably embarrassed because her mother-in-law, not wanting her to overthink, had tolerated Tianxin. When she entered the room, she even pretended as if nothing had happened.

"She won’t go to school? And argued with your mother-in-law? Have you told mom about these things?" Xu Xiuxiu asked after listening to Song Yuan Yao’s troubles, at a loss for words.

"I didn’t dare tell mom; I didn’t want her to worry," Song Yuan Yao eventually was a girl who had come out of the countryside and was considered successful. Now that she’s married, she still knows to be grateful for her family’s sacrifices. Thus, when Mrs. Song asked her to help look after Tianxin for a few days, though she hesitated, after discussing with her husband, she still didn’t have the heart to turn down Mrs. Song’s request. Moreover, she understood that Mrs. Song made this decision because she was concerned about Song Yuantao spending his days alone in sadness, so she naturally didn’t have the nerve to refuse.

But what she hadn’t expected was that the current Tianxin could be so difficult to manage. Tianxin was such a well-behaved niece when she was little, but now that she was at their home, she was incredibly rebellious. Her sharp demeanor was even more intense than some of the street ruffians outside.

It’s one thing to ignore advice—children reach an age where they tend to be rebellious. But Tianxin stay at home without wanting to go to school is another matter. Yuan Yao had just gotten pregnant and the fetus wasn’t even stable yet. Her father-in-law and mother-in-law were naturally courteous and treated her very well. Knowing that she was pregnant, the mother-in-law even traveled from the countryside to City Z just to care for her nearby, worried that she wouldn’t get enough nutrition.

But ever since Tianxin came to City Z, she’s caused quite a stir at home, angrily smashing two bowls on the dining table and then kicking and breaking a thermos. The elderly in the countryside are meticulous with household items. A thermos could last many years for her in-laws, but Tianxin kicked it away in an instant, and her mother-in-law couldn’t help but to complain a few words, which was justified. Besides, Tianxin wasn’t very old, and she wasn’t their own granddaughter, so her mother-in-law spoke with a polite tone, just asking her to be more careful next time. But right in front of her, Niuniu would just speak harshly; it’s unfathomable how such a young girl could say such hurtful things. Her mother-in-law was really angered.

Today, when Yuan Yao got off work and returned home, Niuniu inexplicably threw a tantrum right in front of her again. It’s one thing to put up with it once or twice as an adult, but for two days straight, not allowing anyone a moment’s peace, either smashing things or complaining about the food being terrible. Although her mother-in-law may not come from a cultured, high-quality family, she knows propriety and etiquette and has an incredibly good temper. Yet in these two days, she had been run ragged by Tianxin, exhausted to the brink. Yuan Yao began to feel unbearable heartache and guilt, which is why she was so troubled that she phoned Xu Xiuxiu to confide.

"Yuanyao, take your sister-in-law’s advice and call mom to discuss it, try to find some time to send Niuniu back to your hometown," Song Tianxin was like a hot potato; she was worried about Song Yuan Yao, who had only just become pregnant. With Song Tianxin causing trouble at home all day, it was fortunate that Song Yuan Yao’s in-laws were easygoing, otherwise, who knows if they might have given Song Yuan Yao a hard time by now. But those were secondary concerns; Xu Xiuxiu was most worried that if Song Tianxin continued to cause trouble in Z City, she could harm the baby in Song Yuan Yao’s womb, which would be a grave sin.

Although there was no need for her to think so ill of a young girl like Song Tianxin, Xu Xiuxiu was very clear that the family environment could easily lead to a child developing flaws or even becoming twisted in character.

"Sister-in-law, Niuniu has only been in Z City for two days, if I send her back now, won’t mom think I’m a heartless aunt who can’t even bear to have her niece over for a meal?" Song Yuan Yao’s tone was troubled; her concerns weren’t unfounded, especially since gossip was something people in their hometown were particularly sensitive about.

"Yuanyao," Xu Xiuxiu said with a hint of helplessness in her voice, "you’re already married, you need to think of yourself, and learn to be selfish sometimes. Niuniu has just arrived, and she’s already behaving without restraint. If she stays longer, who knows if your in-laws will end up getting upset. That would be tough for you too. Of course, to be selfish, I hope you’re doing well, so I really don’t want you to have any accidents. You actually know what Tianxin is like, it’s not me trying to twist words or blacken her name as her aunt, but sometimes, people need to be a bit selfish, to defend their own peaceful lives, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Besides, Niuniu has changed, you can’t look at her issues with the same eyes as before, and after all, she is not your responsibility."

Even though she was an aunt, she wasn’t a parent, so she had neither the responsibility nor the obligation to take care of Song Tianxin, especially knowing she was trouble. It would be best to deal with it sooner than later.

"..." Xu Xiuxiu’s words made Song Yuan Yao hesitate for a moment.

"Yuanyao, why don’t you discuss it with Wu Lixue tonight? See what he thinks. If he wants you to send Niuniu back, don’t hesitate. You and he are meant to spend a lifetime together; there’s no need to let Niuniu’s arrival ruin that, and mom would understand if she knew," Mrs. Song would sometimes not be willing to think the worst of situations, believing she was doing it for the sake of her eldest son, without realizing that Song Tianxin was no well-behaved girl. Everywhere she went, trouble followed, and the Wu Lixue mentioned by Xu Xiuxiu was Song Yuan Yao’s husband.

"Alright," Song Yuan Yao agreed after thinking it over, truly worn out by Song Tianxin’s recent shenanigans.

After discussing Song Tianxin’s situation, the sisters-in-law did not say much more and hung up. But after the call, Xu Xiuxiu thought about what Song Yuan Yao had said and found herself speechless, meanwhile also feeling anxious for Song Yuan Yao.