Su Xiu wiped her mouth and was about to stand up to greet Su Wenshan and Chen Xiue.
"Uncle, Aunt, you're here…"
Before she could finish speaking, Zhao Manfen pulled her back down, preventing her from standing.
Zhao Manfen said sarcastically, "Oh, what a rare occasion. The great director from the steel factory has actually lowered himself to visit our shabby home. What is it? Are you here to pick a fight?"
Chen Xiue glared at her. "Zhao Manfen, don't twist the truth! I'll tell you this—I came today to settle accounts with you! You've lost your conscience, trying to match my Su Yun with a fool. Aren't you afraid of retribution?"
Before Zhao Manfen could respond, Su Yonghe spoke up. "Sister-in-law, Xiu's mother meant well. She saw that Su Yun didn't have a match yet, so she introduced the supply cooperative director's only son. Yes, he may be a bit slow, but he's physically fine. If Su Yun marries into that family, she'll live a comfortable life. Once she has a child, they'll treat her like a treasure. Her life will be secure."
"These are all good things—how did it become us trying to harm Su Yun in your eyes?"
Hearing this, Chen Xiue trembled with anger.
She turned and glared at Su Wenshan. "Listen to your good younger brother—is that even something a human should say?"
Su Wenshan's expression darkened as he looked at Su Yonghe. "Second Brother, is that really what you think? You agree with your wife about marrying my daughter off to a fool?"
Faced with Su Wenshan, Su Yonghe seemed somewhat intimidated. He lowered his head and avoided eye contact. "Brother, he may not be smart, but he's the son of the supply cooperative director. His background is good."
"If his background is so good, why don't you marry Su Xiu to him?" Su Wenshan asked coldly.
Su Yonghe replied awkwardly, "I only have one daughter, Su Xiu. She's supposed to bring in a husband, and she's getting married soon. Her fiancé will move in next month…"
At this moment, Su Xiu couldn't hold back anymore. She stood up and spoke, "Uncle, Aunt, this is all my mother's fault. I've already scolded her. She's always like this, always stirring up trouble. Please don't hold it against her. I apologize on her behalf."
"Xiu'er!"
Zhao Manfen stood up agitatedly, clearly unhappy. "Why should you apologize? What did we do wrong? As your aunt, I found a good match for my niece—what's wrong with that?"
Then she shot Chen Xiue a sideways glance. "I know you've always looked down on our family. You think that because I only have one daughter, we're doomed to have no descendants! Even when those two old folks were alive, they constantly picked on me and gave all the good things to you!"
"When your family got the good job at the steel factory and the spacious courtyard house, what did my Xiu'er get? When she was born, she didn't even have milk to drink! At that time, you had just given birth to Su Ling. I asked you to help feed her, but you said your own child didn't have enough milk—how could there be any for mine?"
"You've taken all the benefits, and now you come here to make trouble and show off your power. Do you really think we're afraid of you?"
Her distorted version of events infuriated Chen Xiue.
Clutching her chest, Chen Xiue glared at Zhao Manfen. "Stop pretending to be the victim! What do you have to feel wronged about? My husband earned his position at the steel factory through his own ability, and we saved for over ten years to buy our house. What does any of that have to do with you?"
"And why didn't Su Xiu have milk when she was born? Because you, her mother, were so busy scheming against me that you slipped into a pond just before giving birth, caught a chill, and lost your milk supply!"
"And now you're trying to blame me for that? Do you have any conscience? Is that even something a decent person would say?"
"Yes, our parents helped me a lot back then, but in the end, they still favored you because you had no son. They gave you the coal mine job and seventy percent of the family savings. Even then, you weren't satisfied—you were still full of resentment. What more do you want?"
Faced with this, Zhao Manfen still looked defiant.
Su Yonghe remained crouched by the doorway, silent and avoiding eye contact.
Only Su Xiu stood there in tears, her face full of shame.
Zhao Manfen sneered. "As if anyone envies a job at the coal mine. If you want, we can switch—you try working there and see how it feels!"
"Mom, stop talking!"
Su Xiu stepped forward and suddenly knelt in front of Su Wenshan and Chen Xiue. "Uncle, Aunt, this is all our family's fault. I promise you, from now on my mother will never cause you trouble again, and she will never scheme against Su Yun. I will watch her and persuade her. I won't let her stir up trouble anymore."
"Xiu'er!"
Zhao Manfen tried to speak, but Su Xiu interrupted her. "Mom, I'm begging you—please stop causing trouble, okay? Uncle and Aunt don't owe us anything. Why do you always have to create problems to feel satisfied?"
"I know you're disappointed that I'm not a son, but I promise I will take care of you in the future and give you a good life. Please stop blaming others, okay?"
Zhao Manfen hurriedly said, "Xiu'er, how could I dislike you? You're my only hope!"
Su Xiu wiped her tears, crying bitterly.
Zhao Manfen's heart ached. She hugged her daughter and said, "If you don't want me to speak, I won't say anything. Just don't cry—your tears are breaking my heart…"
Su Yonghe, still crouching nearby, also had reddened eyes.
Su Wenshan sighed.
For Su Xiu's sake, Chen Xiue decided not to pursue the matter further. She only said, "Zhao Manfen, if you ever bring up that fool again, I won't let you off. I can expose that mole on your backside anytime—don't test me!"
Without staying long, Su Wenshan and Chen Xiue soon left on their bicycle.
After returning home, Su Wenshan carried the bicycle inside as usual. Chen Xiue sat on the kang, still sulking. "Originally, I wanted to grab Zhao Manfen and beat her properly, so she'd never dare come to our door again. But when I saw that child, Su Xiu, I just couldn't bring myself to do it."
"Back then, after I gave birth to Xiao Ling, I did have milk. It was just because I didn't get along with Zhao Manfen that I refused to let Su Xiu nurse from me… sigh…"
After finishing wiping the bicycle, Su Wenshan replied, "Why bring up the past? It's been so many years. Didn't Su Xiu grow up just fine? Besides, back then my mother found a ewe for her. She wasn't left hungry—she's even grown taller than our Xiao Ling."
Chen Xiue sat in silence for a while before speaking again, "Xiao Ling is over nine months pregnant now. She might have already given birth. I wonder if she received the milk powder I sent her?"
"Children are all burdens of the heart—none of them let you rest easy! Zhao Manfen only has one child and still isn't satisfied. Does she think having more children is such a blessing?"
As the saying goes, every family has its own difficulties—yet everyone believes others have it easier.