The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 748 - 747: Have You Had Enough Trouble?

Chapter 748: Chapter 747: Have You Had Enough Trouble?

Speaking thus, she stood up and walked toward the back courtyard.

Wang Yongzhu and Song Chongjin hurried to thank Liu Xiaoqiao and rushed to follow Old Granny Zhang to the back courtyard.

Jinhoo’s face was burning with shame as she and Jindou, after apologizing to Liu Xiaoqiao and Wang Yongping, dragged Lady Lin to the front courtyard.

The entire family of the eldest household followed them back.

Lady Lin sat at the table, and since being dragged back by her two sons, not a single person had spoken; they only stared at her, making Lady Lin feel an array of unease.

She constantly felt as if there was a needle under her buttocks, making her restless.

When Wang Yongfu returned with Jinguan, Lady Lin hurriedly stood up and put on a smiling face, "Head of the family, I—"

Before Wang Yongfu could speak, Jinhoo was the first to open her mouth, "Mother, have you had enough?"

That question left Lady Lin dumbfounded.

"Jinhoo, what are you saying?"

"I’m saying, Mother, have you caused enough trouble?" Jinhoo asked sternly and deliberately, her face emotionless as she looked at Lady Lin.

Lady Lin became frantic, "Mother... I... When have I caused trouble? Look at you, ungrateful child, have you forgotten your own mother after being with your aunt? What do you mean by that?"

Jinhoo rubbed her face, the young adolescent’s features unable to hide the evident fatigue and weariness, "Mother, we could have peaceful days, so why must you stir up trouble and make everyone unhappy?"

Lady Lin refused to back down, "What trouble have I caused? Didn’t I agree to cook tomorrow? What else do you want from me? To provide for your aunt and grandmother as well?"

"Look at you Jinhoo, your true mother can see it now! You’re nothing but an ingrate with a heart of stone! So what, if you have meat to eat with your aunt, you’ll just stick with her, right? You look down on me, your birth mother who has raised you with toil and hardship?"

"You’re not even married yet and act so defiant; if you were to get married one day, I’m afraid you would want to get rid of your own mother, perhaps even send her to live in the pigsty!" Lady Lin slapped her thigh and began to wail.

"Mother, rest assured, with a mother-in-law like you, I wouldn’t bring misery upon someone’s daughter by marrying her!" Jinhoo retorted coldly.

"What did you say? You unfilial thing—" Lady Lin’s crying came to an abrupt halt as she looked up at Jinhoo.

Jinhoo looked at Lady Lin with an indescribable sadness in her eyes, "Mother, isn’t it true that you rely on giving birth to me, my older brother, and my younger brother, and you think that on account of us three brothers, Father won’t divorce you?"

Lady Lin was at a loss for words and hung her head guiltily, "Nonsense! Mother... Mother didn’t think that way!"

"Mother, whether you’ve thought that way or not, we are painfully aware! Since it’s just our own family here today, Jinguan, you stay as well. Let’s lay everything out on the table!" Jinhoo pulled Jinguan over.

Wang Yongfu disagreed somewhat and made a feeble attempt to stop him, "Jinguan is still young, why let him listen to all this?"

"He’s not young anymore! He should be aware of these family matters by now, or else, at his age without a clue, he could be easily coaxed into foolishness with just a few sweet words!" Jinhoo said firmly.

Wang Yongfu had no choice but to give up.

Jinguan uneasily watched the faces of his parents and two brothers, quietly sulking to one side, not daring to make a sound.

After taking a deep breath, Jinhoo began, "Mom, when did you become like this? Is it fun for you? Having the whole family resent you, does that make you happy?"

Lady Lin, looking into her son’s eyes, didn’t know why, but felt an overwhelming sadness welling up inside her, and the words she had kept suppressed at the bottom of her heart finally found their way out, "Do you think I want this? If I don’t act this way, it’s like I’m dead in this family. Who would care about me? Who would pay attention to me?"

"Mom knows, when your dad had that trouble, I made a wrong step and now I can’t raise my head with dignity. You ask your father, didn’t my risking my life to save him make up for the bad judgment and intentions I had at that time?"

"Your father always talks about living a good life, but deep down, he has always held a grudge! Now that it’s all out in the open, I’ve got no face left to lose! Ever since I came back, your father has not touched me—" Lady Lin blurted out.

Wang Yongfu, in front of his sons and under their gaze, blushed crimson with embarrassment and roared, "Lady Lin Xinghua! What kind of nonsense are you spouting in front of the children? Are these topics you should be discussing in front of them? Do you have no sense of shame or decency left?"

Wiping away her tears, Lady Lin sneered, "What kind of face or decency do I have left to lose now? I might as well lay it all out—I’ve had enough! The man doesn’t want me anymore, and my own children despise me too. It’s true I did wrong in the past, but I sincerely repented and came back to live with you! And you, Wang Yongfu, you agreed to it so insincerely while making me live like a widow—"

Wang Yongfu, under the astonished gaze of his three sons, defended himself, "Aren’t you living comfortably now? You came back because you had no way to survive! Are you now lacking food or clothes? Aren’t your days now a thousand times better than when you were at your parents’ house? What more could you possibly be unsatisfied with? The household runs under your command, and you have the silver to spend! Are these days not good enough for you? If that’s the case, go live your good life and don’t cling to our Wang Family!"

Hearing this, Lady Lin abruptly sat down on the ground, began slapping her thigh, and started wailing, "Wang Yongfu, you heartless man! I bore you three sons and even risked my life to save you, yet this is how you treat me! You brothers, judge for yourselves—"

Jindou couldn’t stand it any longer and tried to help Lady Lin up but was stopped by Jinhoo.

Jinhoo, looking intently at Lady Lin, said, "Mom, let’s make a deal. If you can do as I say, I’ll give you one taël of silver every month!"

Upon hearing about silver, Lady Lin’s tears stopped, and she quickly got up, wiping her eyes, "What’s the deal? As long as you give the silver, I’m willing to do anything!"

A complex emotion flitted across Jinhoo’s eyes, "Starting today, from this moment! Mom, if you can manage to cook every day without causing trouble, be polite to Granny, Old Aunt, and our uncles and aunts, I’ll give you one taël of silver every month!"

Lady Lin hesitated before asking, "Really? Just be polite, and I’ll get one taël of silver every month?"

Jinhoo nodded.

Wang Yongfu interrupted anxiously, "Do you realize what you’re saying? Where will you find one taël of silver every month?"

Then he turned and scolded Lady Lin, "Have you really fallen for money that much? Aren’t you pressuring the child?"

Lady Lin blew her nose and sneered with contempt, "Who can I count on now, if not myself? If I don’t secure some silver, who could I rely on when I get old? I figured it out long ago; you can’t count on men, and you can’t rely on siblings or even your own parents. Your children belong to someone else too. The only thing reliable is silver!"

"The young lady knows how to make money, has silver, and can marry a Scholar Master and enjoy a leisurely life in the city with her mother, living like a Scholar’s Lady. I, Lin Xinghua, might not have such abilities or ask for that much, but if I save up some silver, even if my children shun me, I can still live comfortably."

"Mom, what are you saying? When your sons get married and take wives, they will naturally take good care of you!" Jindou couldn’t bear listening any longer and quickly said.