The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 69 - If a woman wants to stand firm, she must be tough on others or on herself!
69: Chapter 69: If a woman wants to stand firm, she must be tough on others or on herself!
69 -69: If a woman wants to stand firm, she must be tough on others or on herself!
At this point, Old Granny Zhang clenched her teeth, remembering the days when she had to make a living under her mother-in-law’s roof.
It was truly unbearable, and even to this day, she couldn’t let go of those memories.
Wang Yongzhu saw a chance here.
Maybe she could persuade Old Granny Zhang to be more lenient towards her sisters-in-law and kinder to the Little Beans in the future.
“Mom, since you felt that the way Grandma treated her daughter-in-law was too harsh, why do you act the same towards your sisters-in-law now that you’re a mother-in-law yourself?
Could it be that all mothers-in-law are like that?
If that’s the case, I’d be too scared to get married…” She trailed off under the look Old Granny Zhang shot her.
Old Granny Zhang was frustrated with her daughter for not meeting her expectations.
If this weren’t her own flesh and blood, she would have taken off her shoe and smacked her with it long ago.
But seeing her daughter covering her mouth, putting on an innocent look, Old Granny Zhang couldn’t bring herself to get angry.
That’s why her daughter had been softening her approach towards the daughters-in-law recently.
So, the root of the issue was here.
Previously, her daughter never used to think so much.
It seemed someone had been whispering in her ear.
They must be envious of the good treatment she received from her family.
Thinking over and over, Old Granny Zhang’s suspects were only the two daughters-in-law.
How clever of them!
Under her own watchful eye, they took the opportunity, while their young auntie was reeling from a broken marriage engagement, to spread gossip and encourage her daughter to stand up for them.
She had thought she had kept all her sons and daughters-in-law under control over the years.
It seemed there were quite a few with ulterior motives!
Whatever Old Granny Zhang was thinking inside, she did not show it on her face, but she couldn’t help but flick Wang Yongzhu’s forehead.
This maid, so dutiful, but just too gullible.
What would become of her if she got married and met a formidable mother-in-law?
She might just get ground down.
Old Granny Zhang had always thought her daughter was still young; all she needed to do was to enjoy her life before marriage.
She kept her in the dark about everything, but now, it seemed that wouldn’t do.
She needed to teach her daughter about the ways of the world!
“You silly girl!
Mom is telling you, you’re too young to understand the intricacies here!
Let me tell you the truth, if a woman wants to stand firm, she must either be ruthless to others or to herself!
When I was a girl in my parents’ home, I relied on being tough on myself, working more, eating less, being sweet-tongued and having a strong character, in order to get married smoothly.
“Don’t think that just because she married your father and became the stepmother it sounds bad.
But your father’s first wife only left a daughter behind.
As long as I could give birth to a son, I’d be able to secure my place in my husband’s family.
When I first entered the household, I was submissive and worked harder than anyone else, waking up first and sleeping last, managing everything both inside and outside the house.
I had to do everything, attend to your grandmother during the day, wash clothes, cook, and even worked in the fields.
At night, I mended clothes and had to cajole the daughter left by the first wife, I never had a whole night’s sleep or a hot meal.”
“Despite all that, your grandmother would still nitpick every single day.
If I spoke a word wrong or missed a single detail, she would cry and curse, calling me the wicked stepmother, saying I wanted to kill your dead-faced eldest sister!
Your father was wary of me too.
Whenever your grandmother cried and made a fuss, your dad would give me the cold shoulder for days.
My life in the Wang Family was like enduring hardship, which continued until I had your eldest brother, and things got a little easier.
I had to be so careful every day until I gave birth to your eldest brother and finally established my foothold in the Wang Family.
I can’t even begin to describe all the suffering I went through those years.
Would I have survived if I weren’t tough on myself?”
“Later, after they were gone, and I had you and your brothers, I finally became the decision-maker in the house, and life finally got better.
I thought, now I can enjoy the blessings of having sons and daughters-in-law, but once your brother got married, there was someone new by his side, and he began to have his own thoughts.”
“Take your eldest sister-in-law, for example.
Your eldest brother may be honest, but your eldest sister-in-law has her plans.
She thinks too highly of herself as the eldest son’s wife.
Your father and I aren’t even dead yet, and she’s already treating the Wang Family like it’s her own.
She’s proud of giving birth to three sons for the Wang Family and wants to divide you all out.
The cunning she has, I’ve seen it all before in my younger days.
If I don’t keep her in check, she might just turn the world upside down.”
“Then there’s your second brother, who’s ungrateful.
The family spent so much silver on his education, enough to produce a Little Ren, and yet, after marrying a wife from the city, he simply hides away in the city and doesn’t come home.
When he does visit yearly, he cries poverty to me, saying life in the city is hard.
Pah!
It’s just that his wife has blown into his ear, causing him to lose his conscience and forget his parents!”
“And your Third Brother, he’s useless too, never at home, hardly making a difference whether he’s here or not.
You think your Third Sister-in-law is pitiable, right?
She’s left to drag along three kids on her own without a helping hand most days.
We’re only lenient because it’s our own family.
If it were someone else’s, a daughter-in-law who couldn’t keep her husband would have been chased out long ago.
But you must know, her pitiable state is of her own doing.
When she first married into our family, she cried and sulked all day as if we owed her something.
She never gave her husband a smile or spoke kindly to him.
What man could stand that?
If a wife doesn’t offer warmth and understanding at home, wouldn’t a man naturally look outside?”
“I’ve lived for most of my life, and though I haven’t read the books your second and third sisters-in-law have, I’ve seen a lot and understand things clearly.
Since ancient times, this is how the world works—it’s hard for a woman to get by.
To live well, a woman must flatter and yield to men, making them happy to get what she wants.”
“You’re my daughter, would I harm you?
While your father and I can still work, I’ve been thinking, you should marry someone nearby.
I’ll give you a generous dowry so you can stand tall in your husband’s family, and with your brothers looking after you and the proximity to home, your in-laws wouldn’t dare bully you.
Once married, you just need to bear a son, and you’ll be set for life!
Rest assured, your parents definitely won’t carelessly marry you off to a family where you’d suffer.
We’ll choose a good household, ensuring you have an easy life for the rest of your days.
That’s the only way I’ll be able to rest in peace.”
These words came straight from Old Granny Zhang’s heart.
If not for her own daughter, who would lay everything out like this, making it clear one by one?
Wang Yongzhu naturally felt Old Granny Zhang’s earnest heart, “Mother, I remember all that you’ve said.
I know you only want what’s best for me.
I just feel sorry for you, after giving birth to my brothers and me, you still can’t enjoy your life and have to worry about us.
It’s really shameful!”
“Nonsense!
A mother cherishes her own daughter!
I gave birth to you and naturally hope everything goes well for you!
I’m telling you, with your honest nature, find a well-known family to marry into.
Your mother’s family will be your support, and with several brothers like yours, let’s see who dares lay a finger on you,” Old Granny Zhang said, her heart melting and souring at her daughter’s words.
“Mother, you always scold my sisters-in-law so harshly, don’t they have their parental homes too?
Don’t they go back and complain?
Why haven’t I seen their family come over to our place?” asked Wang Yongzhu, expressing skepticism.
Old Granny Zhang let out a cold laugh, “That depends on what kind of parental home they have!
Your eldest sister-in-law was chosen by your grandmother, a distant relative through a roundabout connection.
Otherwise, does her family even deserve to have ties with ours?
At that time, they demanded five taels of silver as a betrothal gift from us, and all they provided in return was a trunk of old clothes, not even a cotton quilt.
With that kind of background, could your eldest sister-in-law and her family have a say in the Wang Family?
If she had not given birth to three sons, would your father and I even look at her twice?
Would she be where she is today?”
