Wealthy Beauty in the 60s
Chapter 105 - 104: Creating a Stir (Monthly Pass 245+)

Chapter 105: Chapter 104: Creating a Stir (Monthly Pass 245+)

"This house just isn’t fit for people to stay in anymore," Zhao Xiaolan made a fuss.

"What’s going on?" Xia Jianguo walked in with a furrowed brow.

"What did I do? I didn’t do anything. Everyone’s dissatisfied with me," Zhao Xiaolan said with a face full of anger.

"What happened?" Xia Baoguo and Xia Weiguo also walked in.

Li Wenjuan didn’t speak. She had been at odds with Zhao Xiaolan not just for a day or two years, and she was certainly the first to disagree with what Zhao Xiaolan said about her daughter.

But now, with the New Year festivities, Li Wenjuan didn’t want to argue with Zhao Xiaolan.

Xia Wei briefly explained the situation, and Xia Weiguo turned to Li Wenjuan, "How could you speak ill of your sister-in-law?"

"Why don’t you ask what the sister-in-law said? Is this something an aunt should say? Our younger daughter is naturally beautiful and even in the countryside, she doesn’t have a dirty face. The sister-in-law says our younger daughter’s hands don’t look like they do work, and wonders how she got by in the production team. What does that mean? The sister-in-law had better clarify," said Li Wenjuan.

"How can you talk like that?" Xia Jianguo said to Zhao Xiaolan, discontented.

"Am I wrong? Look at Xia Xiao’s hands. Do they look like those of someone who works in the fields? It seems like you haven’t seen what someone who does fieldwork looks like," Zhao Xiaolan turned and addressed Xia Xiao.

Xia Xiao was at a loss for words. Why didn’t her hands have calluses? Well, they did have thin ones, which were intentionally kept by Xia Xiao.

"Aunt, I worked in the production team, toiling in the fields without the luxury of not doing household chores, yet my skin remains fair and tender because I take good care of it. Perhaps you were beautiful when you were young, otherwise, my uncle wouldn’t have chosen you, but now standing next to my uncle, you look like an older sister to him. This is because you haven’t taken care of yourself. Women who don’t take care of themselves naturally age faster."

When Xia Xiao dropped this bombshell, everyone’s eyes widened, not expecting Xia Xiao to dare say such a thing.

Zhao Xiaolan had been quite beautiful when she was young, but after marrying Xia Jianguo, she really neglected her appearance; she gained a lot of weight and indeed looked older than Xia Jianguo.

"How dare you speak to me like that?" Zhao Xiaolan’s eyes widened, equally surprised at Xia Xiao’s boldness to criticize an elder.

But Xia Xiao really wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, "Aunt, just stand next to my uncle with a mirror and you’ll see for yourself. Look at my second aunt, she’s not much younger than you. Especially my second aunt, she is of the same age as you are, right? Yet she looks much younger. Everyone gets tired from working; my mother gets even more tired. You should be more mindful of what you say in the future."

Xia Xiao didn’t want to say these things either, but Zhao Xiaolan’s words were really unpleasant, as if Xia Xiao was up to something shameful back in the countryside.

Zhao Xiaolan felt like she was going to faint from anger after being talked to like this by Xia Xiao, who then said, "Aunt, shall we see who is stronger or who can work faster and better?"

Comparing with the people from the production team, Xia Xiao couldn’t match them, but she felt no pressure when going against Zhao Xiaolan, who didn’t often do housework.

Yet Zhao Xiaolan hesitated, thinking it would be disgraceful if she lost to a younger relative like Xia Xiao.

"You’re not even as good as your niece," Old Man Xia commented.

"I can’t stay in this house anymore. Everyone’s ganging up on me. Jianguo, look. Over the New Year, no one wants me to have a good time. Now, a younger relative is lecturing me, too. I can’t stay any longer." Zhao Xiaolan’s dissatisfaction grew stronger. Normally Old Man Xia and Mrs. Xia said nothing against her, but now with her other two sons and their wives back home, they all appeared displeased with her.

"Then go back to your maternal home. You go there often anyway, and my grandchildren are still there, having not returned yet. Your dad and I have just this small courtyard. If you don’t want to live with us, then move out. We two old folks can live well on our own," Mrs. Xia waved her hand dismissively at Zhao Xiaolan, thinking that she’d spoiled the eldest daughter-in-law rotten over the years.

Xia Jianguo was taken aback and hurriedly said, "Mom, Xiaolan doesn’t understand. Don’t be mad at her. She’s just been upset about things not going well at the factory, and since Xiao Fei has been to the countryside for years without returning or even sending a letter home, Xiaolan’s been distressed. It’s not on purpose. Xiangzi and Yanzi went to a dance; they’re at the age for finding partners. Attending these young people’s dances more often makes it easier for them to find someone."

"How am I the one who doesn’t understand? I married into your family and bore children for you. But look how favorably your parents treat you," Zhao Xiaolan had long had her own grievances, feeling that Old Man Xia and Mrs. Xia favored her well-educated and successful second son and doted on the youngest son while neglecting the eldest son and their daughter-in-law.

Her words brought a chill to the room, not just to everyone else, but especially to Old Man Xia and Mrs. Xia.

Old Man Xia spoke up, "Since everyone is here today, you should voice your grievances. As a family, we need to lay out our issues to solve them."

Like Mrs. Xia, Old Man Xia’s patience with the eldest daughter-in-law was wearing thin, but for the sake of family harmony, he usually turned a blind eye.

"Jianguo, she didn’t mean it," said Xia Jianguo again, worried that Old Man Xia would lose his temper.

"Enough, stop speaking for her. Let her talk. If these issues aren’t voiced, they’ll only fester and be harmful to everyone," Old Man Xia said, waving his hand.

Zhao Xiaolan glanced at Xia Jianguo’s signal, then at the stern faces of Old Man Xia and Mrs. Xia, and began to regret speaking out. It clearly wasn’t wise to make a fuss with Old Man Xia and Mrs. Xia.

"Mom and Dad, I’m sorry. I was wrong," Zhao Xiaolan quickly apologized. She had indeed been stressed recently due to things at the factory, the conflict with the third branch of the family, and since Xia Family’s granddaughters from the second and third branches had returned from the countryside but there was no news from her own daughter, Xia Fei, which made Zhao Xiaolan feel distressed when she saw Xia Xiao.

Previously, when Li Wenjuan lost her chance to be promoted, Zhao Xiaolan sneered at her, but couldn’t remain smug for long, as her own name was missing from this year’s list of permanent factory workers.

With all her pent-up dissatisfaction, including feeling neglected by the elders and frustration at work, Zhao Xiaolan’s grievances had surfaced.

Mrs. Xia looked at Zhao Xiaolan’s concession not with happiness but with worry. She wasn’t afraid of Zhao Xiaolan making a fuss and expressing her discontent. What truly frightened her was the possibility that Zhao Xiaolan’s accumulated grievances might turn into hatred.

Even with her own dissatisfaction towards Zhao Xiaolan, Mrs. Xia wouldn’t quibble over it considering her son and grandchildren. At her age, she hoped only for the well-being of her children and grandchildren.

"I know you have resentments in your heart. I just wonder if Jianguo feels the same way, thinking that your dad and I play favorites," Mrs. Xia said.

With that, Xia Jianguo immediately responded, "Mom, I don’t think so."