Being a woman with bound feet, she couldn’t handle heavy labor. Over those years, to bring up her two children, she endured every hardship imaginable.
Wu Jinshu knew his mother had suffered a great deal and sighed, "Mom, it’s my fault for being useless, for not having the ability to get you a nice Western-style house to live in. But rest assured, I believe that one day, our family will be able to live in one!"
Grandma Wu wiped away her tears, "Will you burn one for me when I die?"
Living in a Western-style house is easier said than done!
With the current economic situation of Wu Jinshu and Yan Erju, dreaming of a Western-style house was like waiting till the cows come home!
Wu Jinshu helplessly replied, "Mom, don’t talk like that, it’s bad luck."
Grandma Wu continued, "All I’m asking is for Yanyun to get married. Go and ask around, let everyone judge whether what I’m asking as a grandma is too much! Does any family’s girl not get married? Does any family’s boy not take a wife? What, is your daughter made of gold or something? That she won’t get married in this lifetime?"
Wu Jinshu sighed, "It’s not about not getting married, the thing is Yanyun is still too young!"
"She’s already seventeen, not seven!" Grandma Wu retorted. "And you’re not even her real father; you’ve done enough by raising her all these years."
With a helpless sigh, Wu Jinshu said, "My dear mother! Why do you keep bringing this up? In my heart, Yanyun is as much my own daughter as Dalong, Erlong, and Xiaolong!"
"I’m her real grandma, aren’t I?" Grandma Wu said. "The way you talk makes me sound like an evil grandmother! I just want her to get married for her own good. Given our situation, staying with us is just suffering. She would be better off getting married early and enjoying life. I’m thinking of her wellbeing!"
How great are the circumstances at Wu Qiang’s house!
Once Yanyun marries into that family, she would be able to enjoy the good things in life, not just for herself but she would make things better for her own family too!
Wu Jinshu stood up and headed outside, "Mom, don’t bring this up again in the future. Yanyun will always be my daughter. I’m going out to feed the ducks."
"Jinshu!" Grandma Wu grabbed hold of Wu Jinshu’s sleeve. "Jinshu, listen to me, I really found her a good match. The boy’s family owns over thirty houses, and he even promised me that once the deed is done, he would give us one. The house in front of our place, the two-story Western-style one with a yard, you always say how nicely it’s been constructed, right?"
Wu Jinshu shook off Grandma Wu’s hand and said softly, "No matter how nice the house is, I would never trade my daughter for it!"
"How could that be considered trading! We are marrying off a daughter!" said the exasperated grandma. "Besides, they even said they could transfer our whole family’s registration to Beijing, and then we would become Beijingers!"
A child doesn’t stay under parents’ control forever.
Grandma Wu wiped away her tears, recalling the hardships of her past and the grievances of the present. The more she thought about it, the sadder she became, crying so much that her eyes swelled.
When she was young, she went without food and clothes. Now that she was old, she was still depriving herself. What for?
For this family, for the children!
But no one appreciated her efforts!
They were all good people, and she was the only bad one!
No, this time she would have that Western-style house, or else she couldn’t die in peace.
Seeing Wu Jinshu emerge from Grandma Wu’s room, Yan Erju tugged at his sleeve, "What was Mom talking to you about? It seemed so secretive, with the door shut and all."
To avoid friction between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, of course, Wu Jinshu couldn’t tell the truth. He pulled out two Egg Ccakes from his pocket, "You know how my mom is. She’s always worried that I’m suffering. Someone gave her two Egg Ccakes, and she insisted on giving them to me! You take them to eat. I’m a grown man, I can’t stomach such rich food!"
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