CHAPTER 340: CHAPTER 338: PAY MORE ATTENTION TO YOUR NEPHEWS

The days slipped away in the laughter and chatter, and soon, the school let out for the Qingming holiday.

Lin Xue had long planned the trip to take her grandma and grandpa back home.

Zhang Yuan prepared everything in advance, and Lin Xue asked her teacher for a few extra days off, knowing she wouldn’t make it back in time for the next session.

"Mom and Dad! Why don’t you stay? Isn’t it better to stay with us? I feel uneasy with you leaving!" Wang Cuihua felt reluctant upon hearing that her parents were going back.

Tears welled up in Li Xiuying’s eyes, as she too couldn’t bear to part with her daughter. Being so far apart, meeting even once would be difficult. She used to think that as long as her daughter was living well, with food and warmth, it was enough. But now that her daughter was living the life of a wealthy lady, she still found it hard to let go.

"Mom, what can you do back home? At your age, I really wouldn’t feel comfortable with you working in the fields!" Wang Cuihua, seeing her parents remain silent, quickly added.

"Cuihua! As long as we can move, we should do some work. Your brothers’ families aren’t well-off, and we should help them a bit if we can, not just stay here and enjoy life," Li Xiuying said, patting her daughter’s hand.

Grandpa Wang opened his mouth but in the end said nothing, letting his wife speak.

Lin Xue could tell that her grandma was hinting for her mom to consider her brothers more.

However, her mom, such a stubborn person, could hardly forget past grievances so easily.

Especially since it was her daughter who was sick back then. A mother who values her child more than her own life is unlikely to forget such a feud.

True enough, Wang Cuihua quickly dried her tears: "Then take care, Mom and Dad! When you can’t work anymore, come here and spend your old age with us! I’ll be waiting for you!"

Lin Xue didn’t believe her grandma missed the meaning in her mom’s words, but what can one do when someone plays dumb?

"Cuihua! Your mom knows you’ve got abilities, and Xiao Yuan has even more. Your brothers have been farmers all their lives; they can’t change that. But your nephews are still young; they can’t go about digging in the dirt like their fathers! I see Xiao Yuan organizing work for Daliang and arranging schools for the younger siblings with ease. As an aunt, you should think more about your nephews too."

After Li Xiuying’s words, there wasn’t much reaction from the others, especially Zhang Yuan, who didn’t take it to heart. For him, setting up some job arrangements for his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law wasn’t a big deal.

But seeing his wife’s displeased look, he certainly wouldn’t make a move arbitrarily.

Lin Xue sneered inwardly, sure that parents would favor sons over daughters. When her mom struggled with basic needs, the elderly couple Li Xiuying would think a bit more of their daughter.

And because the disagreement with their daughter was with the daughter-in-laws, they would stand by their daughter’s side without hesitation, but when it came to their sons and grandchildren, they still wanted their daughter to help support them, despite the fact that their daughter would have to rely on her husband to make it happen. They still thought about their sons and grandsons.

"Alright! Why talk about it so much now? Cuihua has only just arrived! Where does she have the capacity to set up their futures? You better go pack your bags!" Grandpa Wang, noticing the unfavorable look on his daughter’s face, quickly interrupted.

"I’m just worried! The eldest grandson is of marrying age now, and without prospects, he might have to marry a village girl, wasting a lifetime!" Li Xiuying, this time, wasn’t willing to heed her old man’s words.

She was truly worried about her eldest grandson, "And, Xiao Fang has reached the age for matchmaking too! If she keeps staying at home, she’ll get to marry a farmer. What future is that? Old man, shouldn’t you worry about these things too?"

"Oh, dear sister, let’s pack up. The kids are waiting! We’ll talk about these later!" Bai Xianglan, noticing her daughter-in-law’s displeased expression, was distressed. She knew about the sibling tensions her daughter-in-law had, and with her mother pressuring her now, moreover, Cuihua didn’t have the capability, it would be down to begging the son-in-law.

If the family had to plead too much, her granddaughter in her in-law’s family would have a hard time too, which she didn’t want.

"Younger sister, I was just..." Li Xiuying pushed Bai Xianglan’s hand away, wanting to say more. She needed an answer today, otherwise she wouldn’t feel comfortable going back.

"Grandma, talking to Mom about this is useless. Mom, let alone arranging jobs for my cousins, struggles to find her way back even if she walks too far! What could she arrange? You need to talk to us!" Lin Xue didn’t want her mom to feel sullen, nor did she want her to feel distant from her grandparents.

She only wanted her mom to have a worry-free life, to shop, to dress up, and just to have an easy life.

So, she had to shoulder this matter, but right after she spoke, Wang Cuihua turned and gave her a look.

Li Xiuying rejoiced, "Xiao Xue, Grandma’s love for you hasn’t been in vain! With your words, I’m at ease! Grandma will quickly pack up!" she said, rushing inside.

Grandpa Wang, feeling slightly embarrassed, stepped forward, "Xiao Xue, don’t trouble yourself! Don’t listen to your grandma! Everyone has their lot in life!" After saying this, he too went inside.

Wang Cuihua turned and pulled Lin Xue to her room.

"Mom, what’s up?" Lin Xue laughed; in her mom’s eyes, her own daughter was more important, and compared to her own family, it was insignificant.

"Come inside with me!" Wang Cuihua said, a bit angrily, pulling her into the room and closing the door, though realizing her daughter was pregnant, she did so gently.

"Mom, what are you doing? I still have to pack my bags and leave soon!" Warmth filled Lin Xue’s heart as she spoke with a smile.

"Xiao Xue! Just now your mom could dodge your grandma, but why did you have to step in? We are just mud-legged peasants too, what job can we arrange? Wouldn’t it again trouble Xiao Yuan to offer help? Have you thought about it, asking Xiao Yuan for favors multiple times, in time, how would you hold your head high in your in-laws family?" The more Wang Cuihua spoke, the angrier she became, she almost wanted to pinch this foolish child.

"Mom, don’t worry! Zhang Yuan isn’t that kind of person, and neither are grandpa and grandma! Besides, even if we say to arrange something, do our cousins even know how to read? Without reading, how do they get a job in a factory?" Lin Xue said with a deep insight.

"This child..." Wang Cuihua understood her daughter’s words, and finally laughed, "Be good to your grandparents, for they’ve helped us greatly during troubling times! For anybody else, we will treat them as they treat us, those who scheme against us, pay no mind! Later on, do not consider Mom’s feelings! Mom is the daughter-in-law of the Lin Family! I necessarily stand by the Lin Family!"

Wang Cuihua’s words made Lin Xue see her mother in a new light; her mom hadn’t wasted these years, her character had changed quite a bit. Though she hadn’t been kind to her family brothers before, she would never have said such words.

Now, she was clear-minded and firm in her stances! Be filial where necessary, care where needed, and never forgive what should be hated.

"Mom, don’t worry! I understand your position! Your choice is also my choice!" Lin Xue nodded with a smile, "Now hurry out! Get some good eats prepared for Grandma and Grandpa! It’s going to take several days on the road!" She pushed her out with a warm smile.