NOVPUB
Chapter 99: Chapter 95 Mother-in-law Wants Grain (Part 2) (3rd Update)
Qiu Shuping glanced at the sky outside; it was getting late. She had food to carry and dozens of miles to cover; it would be night by the time she got home.
So she smiled and said to the elderly Shen couple across from her, "It’s getting late, and I should be heading back home. When I have some free time in the future, I’ll come over to visit again."
Old Shen, hearing her say this, stood up with a smile, ready to see her out.
"Yunfang, your aunt has something to discuss with you, why don’t you walk with her? We can chat along the way." Qiu Shuping grabbed Shen Yunfang’s hand.
She was no fool and knew it wasn’t appropriate to discuss the matter of needing grain in front of the Shen couple; it was better to talk to Shen Yunfang alone.
"Aunt, if there’s anything, just say it. Our Yunfang is young and might not handle complicated matters well. So if there’s anything, you should still tell us. We are like her parents and can surely offer her some advice." Old Madam Shen could clearly see through Qiu Shuping’s intentions; her own two cups of tea weren’t served for nothing.
"Hehe, it’s nothing serious. I won’t bother you with it. Yunfang..."
"Alright, Yunfang, why don’t you walk your aunt out? If there’s anything, we can discuss it when we get back," Old Shen interjected finally.
Compared to Qian Xinxue, the Shen Family was noticeably more courteous to Qiu Shuping. After all, no matter what, Yunfang was to be married into the Li Family in the future. If things became too strained now, it could jeopardize the marriage, and that would not bode well for Yunfang’s future.
Shen Yunfang nodded in agreement, and then she led the two of them outside.
Once outside, Shen Yunfang thought Qiu Shuping would suggest visiting her home, but perhaps feeling that it truly was late, Qiu Shuping went straight to the point.
"Yunfang, I know it’s not easy for you on your own, but this time your uncle is seriously ill. When we went to see him, they said he needs to be well taken care of, or it’s going to be dangerous. His only indulgence his whole life has been eating rice, and you know the situation at our home; where can we get him rice? That’s why I sent Hongjun a letter and then thought of you. I know you’re a good kid and wouldn’t stand by if your uncle was in trouble," Qiu Shuping said, carefully watching Shen Yunfang’s reaction.
Shen Yunfang already knew what the visit was about, so she wasn’t surprised; however, she wasn’t going to give any rice, as she hardly had enough for herself.
"Aunt, my brother mentioned it when he visited yesterday, and I was anxious too. If I had any rice, I would definitely have offered it to my uncle first, but truth is, I really don’t have any right now. I wish I could help, but I just can’t," Shen Yunfang said with a distressed face.
Qiu Shuping and Li Hongxing exchanged glances, then eyed Shen Yunfang skeptically, "You really traded all your rice for other grains, and didn’t keep a bit for yourself?"
"All traded. In my situation, I can’t afford to eat rice," Shen Yunfang glibly responded, even though for the past six months, she had been eating rice for at least two meals a day.
With Shen Yunfang insisting there was no rice, Qiu Shuping and Li Hongxing were at a loss; they couldn’t go around asking who Shen Yunfang had traded grain with. That would be a cause for gossip, especially since her family’s old man was still hale and hearty at home, not showing any sign of illness.
"Since there’s no grain, I won’t make it difficult for you. Just give me the money that Hongjun sent to you by mail; I’ll use the money to have Hongxing find a way to get some grain elsewhere," Qiu Shuping’s face darkened as she spoke, losing the warmth she had displayed earlier.
Shen Yunfang raised her eyebrows. So, no grain but money would do? Either way, she couldn’t return empty-handed.
"Aunt, what money are you talking about?"
"Hehe, Yunfang, don’t pretend you don’t know. Hongjun has been sending you five yuan every month since last year, and in March this year, he even sent you thirty-seven yuan all at once. Isn’t that so?" Qiu Shuping said with a sardonic smile. Shen Yunfang shouldn’t think she could deny it, for the remittance slips were clear as day, in black and white. When they were mailed, everyone in Gaijiatun, from the eighty-year-old elders to the toddlers who couldn’t yet speak, probably knew about it. So, if it came down to finding witnesses, there would be plenty.
"Oh, auntie is talking about that money," Shen Yunfang thought quickly for a way to handle the situation.
"That’s right, I’m talking about that money. I’m not coveting your grain, but you have to repay my son’s money," Qiu Shuping felt indignant, angry at her ineffective son who earned a salary but failed to show filial piety to her, his mother, instead thinking about spending it on outsiders monthly—it was utterly heartless.
At this moment, she didn’t remember her second son giving her ten yuan every month.
"Auntie, I too want to repay you, but what can I do if I don’t have the money?" Even though Shen Yunfang did have money, she had no intention of giving it to Qiu Shuping; she planned to return it directly to Li Hongjun if she were to repay anyone, not to Qiu Shuping.
Qiu Shuping narrowed her eyes dangerously, "Yunfang, we will be family in the future, and you can’t be so sly with your auntie. Isn’t that right? You give me the money, and I’ll keep it safe for you. When you marry Hongjun, I will make sure everything is arranged properly. What if you don’t have money when the time comes to marry? It won’t be possible, right? If Hongjun ever bullies you after your marriage, you just have to tell me, and I’ll take care of it."
Was this a threat? If she didn’t give the money, they would not let her marry Li Hongjun, right? Humph, as if she cared!
So one was dead set on getting the money, and the other steadfastly refused to give. After several stubborn exchanges, both their tone and remarks turned sour.
Qiu Shuping could no longer feign benevolence, her true colors showing, "You’re a nobody without parents, and our Li family has really hit rock bottom to have settled on a daughter-in-law like you. You haven’t even become part of the family, and you dare to be sneaky with me, your future mother-in-law. Your Shen family really knows how to raise a daughter. I’ll say this now; today, you either give the grain or the money, otherwise, forget about stepping foot in our Li family home." Her voice was harsh and piercing, extremely unpleasant to hear.
Shen Yunfang looked at the two people in front of her, blinked, then without a word turned around and walked towards her home—it was a complete waste of time.
"Hey, what do you mean, what do you mean?" Qiu Shuping was feeling smugness at having overpowered Shen Yunfang, not expecting her to just walk away. What did this mean? Was she going to give the money or the grain?
Without looking back, Shen Yunfang said, "Just as auntie wishes; I don’t have money, and I most definitely don’t have grain either. If in the future, the Li family is so poor they can’t even afford their son’s wedding, then forget it."
Forget it? What did ’forget it’ mean? Was she calling off the wedding or would she marry regardless of poverty? Qiu Shuping quickly chased after her, shouting, "Forget it then, forget it! Since you’re not going to be a daughter-in-law of our Li family, you should return our Li family’s money even more! Don’t you go—pay back the money!"
Qiu Shuping was determined not to let Shen Yunfang go, trying to grab her to get the money back.
Li Hongxing, standing to the side, was anxious. As a grown man, how could he bring himself to pull at his future sister-in-law?
"Auntie, you can’t get Li Hongjun’s money from me. You know he came back during the New Year, right? At that time, he borrowed five hundred yuan from me, saying it was for a comrade of his. So these past months, it’s only right that he sends me money every month to pay me back."
"You’re talking nonsense; my son gets his salary monthly and has money. He would never borrow your money. Don’t try to fool me," Qiu Shuping felt doubtful inside; if it was said that her second son borrowed money for his own use, she wouldn’t believe it. However, the matter of lending it to a comrade, she wasn’t so sure.
After all, Li Hongjun had helped his comrades in difficulty more than once during his years in the military, and every time Qiu Shuping found out, she would curse him thoroughly. But no matter how she scolded, he continued to do what he did. Thus, at this moment, Qiu Shuping was uncertain.
"Auntie, your education really is something to talk about. Just now you said I come from a destitute family without parents or manners. In fact, I didn’t even dare to respond when you said that, thinking that the Li family must be well-mannered. But now, with the way you’re yelling and cursing, is that being well-mannered? I truly am enlightened. It seems I’ll never be as educated as your Li family," Yunfang said sarcastically, with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. A clay figure still has some earthiness; she wasn’t even part of the Li family yet and Qiu Shuping already wanted to throw her weight around as the mother-in-law. If she tolerated that, she would indeed be sick.
"Whether it’s nonsense or not, let’s speak with evidence. At that time, he wrote me an IOU. You just wait here; I’ll go home and get it. Over these past months, he has almost paid back two hundred yuan on his own. Your family people came just at the right time to help him pay back the rest. And then our two families can call the wedding off. You also have to return the hundred kilos of rice you took from me last year," said Shen Yunfang.
"Don’t try to fool me. Where would a nobody like you without parents get five hundred yuan to lend to my son..."
"Heh, that’s not for you to worry about. How my dad and mom saved up the money isn’t something I need to explain to you. Anyway, I’ve got the IOU. I’ll go get it..."
