Transmigration: On the Gossip Front-Chapter 1974 - 1975: Old Mrs. Zhang Reborn in the ’70s Remakes Her Ungrateful Children 6
When they exclaimed, their voices weren’t controlled, the neighbors next door definitely heard it, either hiding at home with ears perked or openly walking into the yard to listen.
"Yes, splitting the family, the kids have grown up, they have their own ideas, they think I’m too controlling, then we’ll split up."
"I was thinking, in a few days at the beginning of the month, they’ll have to cook for themselves, and that’ll require some practice, they’ll have to learn to cook, wash dishes, do laundry, and such."
"But when I asked them to wash the dishes," Zhang Yu shook her head helplessly, "not one of them listened..."
If the news of splitting the family was shocking earlier, what she’s saying now is even more so, "Let them cook for themselves?"
How could everyone not be shocked, after marriage, there were quite a few sons who lived separately, many young couples would pay for living expenses monthly, and the elders would handle household expenditures, since the kids had to work, especially in dual-income families, the elders would help as much as they could.
But for Zhang Yu, she had split the family completely, everyone was truly surprised.
Zhang Yu was also quite helpless, "Yeah, your daughter-in-law helps out after work, but in my family?"
"The clothes that need washing every day, it’s all me, even the sheets and blankets are washed by me."
"I’ve told them to wash the dishes, and yet each one of them pretends not to hear."
"Before, they handed their salaries over to me, if I didn’t do it, they’d surely complain outside, but now that I don’t take their salaries, why should I do it?"
"And ever since my third child got married the month after, after deducting the living expenses each family pays monthly, as well as the pocket money already given to them, I’ve refunded the remaining money back to them." Yes, yes, this important news cannot be missed.
Oh? Everyone didn’t expect Zhang Yu to distribute the money like this, "How much did she give?" an old neighbor cautiously asked.
Zhang Yu straightforwardly reported the money she gave them, "I thought about it too, after all, they need to buy more things, stoves, pots, dishes, and such."
Oh? Initially, everyone was feeling Zhang Yu was generous in giving the kids so much money, but upon hearing Wei Jiang needing to purchase so many things, they were no longer envious, buying these things also requires money.
"That requires quite a few tickets, doesn’t it?"
Zhang Yu hummed in agreement, "So, I told them they can use mine before buying theirs, but I need to use it first."
It’s not like she doesn’t let them use it, "Since we’re splitting the family, let’s make it clear, I won’t need to wash a big basin of clothes every day."
"And I won’t need to go to the market early in the morning to buy vegetables," thinking about how she’s about to live such a leisurely life, Zhang Yu’s mood became very good.
Auntie Wang and Granny Jiang see Zhang Yu bustling every day, up early to make breakfast, then sending the kids to school, and going to buy vegetables, and then washing clothes back home.
Once everything is done, it’s already noon, after eating casually and resting slightly, then she needs to prepare dinner stuff, otherwise, waiting for the kids to come back and managing them, it’s really too busy.
"That’s nice." They both felt their old friend shouldn’t be so busy.
Living in the east wing room of the courtyard at the back, Uncle Ge cared about one issue, "Granny Zhang, if you don’t wash dishes, and wait for them to come back to wash, isn’t it too late to cook then?"
"Cooking what?" What a good neighbor, each one more anxious than her, "I’ve told Old Wei, today we’re going out to eat."
"The young folks can go out to eat, we can’t wrong ourselves."
"Should eat what we should eat."
Originally thinking that with Zhang Yu stirring things up like this, there’d definitely be some fun to watch, but who would’ve thought, Zhang Yu and her husband decided to go out for dinner, it’s hard not to be jealous.
"Going out to eat, isn’t that going to cost a lot of money?" Widow Luo quietly asked.
Regarding this Widow Luo, even without the memory of the original, Zhang Yu knew she was quite the lazy person, after losing her husband, she took over his job at the factory, claimed to work, but had most of the tasks done by others.
Her son Luo Yu became of age and immediately took over his mother’s position, working as a mechanic at the factory, unsure if he learned from his mother’s laziness, for years of employment, his skill never advanced, matching the level of newcomers.
Once her son Luo Yu got a job, Widow Luo hoped he could marry a capable wife from her side, but due to her poor reputation, and Luo Yu being incompetent, nobody willing to settle down would want to marry him.
Later, with no choice, he married a girl from the countryside, and even though they were married, they couldn’t transfer the household registration to the city, their children’s registrations stayed with the mother in the countryside, with low income and five people but only two shares, so grain is either priced high or bought from the wife’s side, economically it’s tight.
Luo Family, including Luo Yu’s wife and their two kids, harbored resentment towards the neighbors in the quadrangle with better conditions who wouldn’t lend them a hand, like Zhang Yu.
Widow Luo thought of Zhang Yu going out to eat at a restaurant, truly felt upset. If her husband were still around, her life would have surely been better than Zhang Yu’s.
People envied Zhang Yu going out to eat at a restaurant, few could afford such a luxury in those times, the restaurant food was delicious but expensive, ordering two dishes casually was enough for the whole family to eat for a day’s meal.
Upon hearing Widow Luo’s sour words, no one spoke up to stop her, because they truly were feeling all kinds of envy.
"My Old Wei’s income is high, it’s not like we’re going out to eat all the time, truth be told over these years, raising children, calculating money all the time, I’ve lived this long and only been out to eat twice, once was upon being invited by the Yue family from my third child’s side."
"And the other was when the third got married, we invited the in-laws and relatives for a simple meal."
"Now looking back, we’ve really treated ourselves poorly, so since they won’t wash the dishes, I don’t want to wash either, I’ve already told them to wash, but they keep delaying."
"I estimate in their hearts my words as their own mother can be completely ignored."
"So I need them to know, when I say something, I will definitely do it."
"Otherwise they’ll use excuses like busy work or no time, and continue dining together, then what?"
"I’m tired, I’m old now," Zhang Yu patted her old waist, indeed, this body has accumulated quite a few issues over the years.
Previously the original owner held it together, small illnesses became big illnesses after prolonged labor, but now Zhang Yu doesn’t want to regret anything as she ages.
Today I’ll go to the hospital for a check-up, treating illnesses if there are any, pursuing health if none, in any case, I must live well.
