The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 283: Severing Ties

Chapter 283: Chapter 283: Severing Ties

Wang Yongzhu saw other children had seats at the table, but she had none, with only a bowl of rice in front of her, she couldn’t stand this humiliation and immediately went to Old Granny Zhang to complain.

Old Granny Zhang was livid!

The Wang Family had sent a substantial birthday gift to give Wang Yongzhen face, and what did she do? She didn’t even arrange a seat at the table for her own sister, shoving her off with a bowl of rice by the stove as if she was some beggar!

She confronted Old Lady Sun right there, asking if this was the kind of hospitality the Sun Family practiced?

Old Lady Sun feigned innocence, saying Old Granny Zhang was making too much of a fuss. She claimed they were overwhelmed with guests that day, and mistakes were prone to happen. After all, it was just a child—what did it matter where she ate?

Old Granny Zhang didn’t waste her words. She just looked at Wang Yongzhen and asked her if this was her doing, why she had arranged things this way?

Naturally, Wang Yongzhen sided with her mother-in-law and also said they had too many guests to accommodate. She thought since it was her own younger sister—who was still little and couldn’t eat much—it would be fine for her to sit by the stove. She then blamed Wang Yongzhu for making a fuss over such a trivial matter.

Wasn’t this just causing unpleasantness among relatives?

Then there were those relatives of the Sun Family smirking and whispering snide remarks on the side; everyone knew they were seizing the opportunity to badmouth the wife of Sun’s Eldest Daughter-in-law’s future mother-in-law.

Without saying anything more, Old Granny Zhang dragged Wang Yongzhen over to the children’s section, where, although it was full, even Wang Yongzhen’s own two children had been seated. So why was Wang Yongzhu singled out to sit alone by the stove?

After all, Wang Yongzhu was an elder; it was simply unheard of in this world to have elders without a seat while the younger ones sat comfortably.

When put on the spot, Wang Yongzhen had the audacity to claim that Wang Yongzhu, being just a daughter, was just a liability not worthy of sitting at the table.

Old Granny Zhang lost her temper on the spot.

She flipped over the table and summoned Wang Yongfu with his wife, instructing them to smash the birthday peaches and noodles the Wang Family had sent. As they destroyed them, she declared she’d rather feed them to dogs than to such a vile creature!

By then, Old Lady Lin had already passed away, so Old Granny Zhang was the one in charge of the Wang Family. When Old Granny Zhang said to smash, Wang Yongfu naturally obeyed.

Lady Lin knew what was clear at that time: the Sun Family was offending the Wang Family’s dignity. Being the Wang Family’s daughter-in-law, she naturally stood with them, crying while berating the Sun Family for their shamelessness and ignorance of proper conduct.

She complained that the Wang Family had come to wish the Sun Family matriarch a happy birthday with such valuable gifts, yet her own sister-in-law wasn’t even assigned a position at the table! Even distant relatives from who-knows-which nook were seated, why couldn’t her own sister-in-law be?

This was an outrage! Was it because they thought the Wang Family was weak?

By that time, Wang Yongan had already become a Scholar, and the Wang Family was respected everywhere they went.

They had never encountered such disrespect before!

The Sun Family knew they were in the wrong, but having their feast ruined was like the Wang Family had slapped them in the face.

Without even eating, Old Granny Zhang, carrying Wang Yongzhu, left with her son and daughter-in-law, returning to the Wang Family home.

Crying and cursing, the commotion lasted for three whole days, disrupting the peace of the Wang Family daily, until Wang Laozhu had no choice but to disown Sun Family completely. Only then did the conflict come to a rest with both families agreeing to cease all contact until death.

In the following years, the two families indeed had no dealings. After several more years passed, it was only through the occasion of Wang Yongan’s family welcoming a baby girl that Wang Yongzhen, returning to her maternal home with gifts, awkwardly mended the relationship.

However, it was only Wang Yongzhen who visited her maternal home each year; the Sun Family never set foot in their house again.

No wonder Wang Yongzhu had so little memory of this eldest sister.

After recounting these stale grievances, Old Granny Zhang was still infuriated: "It’s lucky that the eldest girl isn’t my own. Otherwise, I would’ve been angry enough to drop dead! Back then, at that birthday feast, our Wang Family graciously supported her face, and she had the gall to belittle her own maternal family. She thinks she can hold her head high at the Sun’s by throwing her own family under the bus? What a fool, completely brainwashed by that despicable old hag!"

"But from what I see, ever since our family cut ties with the Sun Family, your eldest sister has finally started to wise up a bit, probably due to the Sun matriarch’s mistreatment. Otherwise, with your sister’s stubborn mind, she wouldn’t have silently sneaked back to give a present during second brother’s baby celebration. At least that somewhat reattached her to our family!"

With that, she warned Wang Yongzhu, "Listen to me, don’t you dare follow in your elder sister’s footsteps. She’s just foolish! ’Girls are a losing proposition’? Pah! You’re my daughter, my precious gem! All this nonsense about women being born inferior to men, serving men—if you demean yourself, there’s no pulling you back! Let me tell you, I gave birth to you for you to enjoy life, not to serve others! Understand? My daughter is so pretty, able to make money, and strong. In the future, if the man you marry doesn’t treat you well, kicks up a fuss, just give him a beating! A couple of beatings should straighten him out!"

Wang Yongzhu nodded seriously in agreement, "Mum, don’t worry! If the son-in-law I bring home disrespects you or doesn’t treat me well, I’ll beat him until he starts behaving!"

After appeasing Old Granny Zhang, Wang Yongzhu said, "Mum, should I go have a look outside? Regardless of what we say, it’s not polite for us all to be holed up inside when the eldest sister has come for her return visit. Besides, with her and her family coming back at this time, who knows what they’re planning? If we’re not there to keep an eye on things—"

Hearing this, Old Granny Zhang, who initially had no intention of stepping out, suddenly became vigilant, "That’s right, your father has always been fond of your eldest sister. Wasn’t it just her bringing shame upon herself, begging to come back, that mended the relationship with our family? Now that our family’s business is doing so well, I wouldn’t put it past her to come back looking for a handout. I need to keep an eye on this!"

With that, she was the first to leave.

Because Old Granny Zhang and Wang Yongzhu were hiding in the house and not showing themselves, it was clear that they were angry and had complaints. Lady Jiang also stayed crouched in the kitchen, washing the same few bowls as if she could go on endlessly without emerging.

The young brother-in-law found an excuse to slip away, leaving Wang Yongfu, Wang Laozhu, and the visibly displeased Jindou and Wang Yongzhen couple exchanging awkward glances.

Sun Daming surely wasn’t foolish and naturally understood where he stood with his wife’s family.

In the past, he wouldn’t have tolerated such disdain, but now the Wang Family’s fortunes had risen. Plus, life at the Sun Family had grown tough.

After expenses for several younger siblings’ marriages, and now with his two sons growing up,

the eldest, Shitou, had married a few years back, draining the family resources. And now the second, Mutou, was also looking to get married; they were truly hard-pressed.

He had to come to the Wang Family for the sake of his sons, right? After finally persuading his wife, they couldn’t afford to waste the trip.

Thinking this over, he swallowed his pride.

Considering his presence wouldn’t allow his wife to bring up matters with her father, and since Wang Laozhu was the only one who would show some concern for his wife,

And fearing that Wang Yongfu and Jindou might ruin the request, he contented himself with chit-chatting with them about inconsequential matters.