Chapter 38: Biased Parents
Zhu Guifu glanced around at those present, picked up his small wine cup, and took a sip of the hot yellow wine. "Xiangyao wrote to me a few days ago, saying he’ll be discharged and coming home next year. I was thinking that our house isn’t big enough, and Xiangyao will need a place to live when he returns. So, I’m planning to build a room on the plot of land to the left. What do you all think?" It was less of a question and more of an expectation that each family would contribute money and labor.
Neither the Zhu Jingu couple nor the Zhu Yingu couple spoke up. As married daughters, they were like water spilled out of the house; while they could inquire about certain matters, they had no say in major decisions like this. Besides, contributing labor was one thing—it was merely helping out—but if money were involved, they had to consider whether their own parents-in-law would agree.
Zhu Shunyao took a light sip of wine and then said calmly, "This homestead belongs to Father. If Father wants to build a house for someone, I have no objections. In fact, I’m planning to build a room myself early next year. The children are growing up, and with the third one on the way, this thatched mud-brick hut can’t accommodate so many people." You don’t say it outright, and I won’t either. If you want me to chip in, then you should be the one contributing to help me first. Zhu Shunyao was stubborn as an ox in public, but he was smart enough to handle his parents with ease.
"It’s already a favor that you have a thatched mud-brick hut to live in. Some people don’t even have houses like this for their children’s weddings," Gan Juhua said, her tone laced with dissatisfaction.
Xie Xinlian paused slightly upon hearing this. It wasn’t that she was overly sensitive; she knew Gan Juhua was referring to her. Although the Xie family had many sons, they indeed lacked extra rooms, which was why Xie Jingyu had moved into the dormitory near the cinema after her marriage. But that was the truth. No matter how angry she felt, she couldn’t refute it.
Zhu Shunyao chuckled. "True. I don’t have the subsidies that Xiangyao does. As the children grow up, they’ll need their own rooms. They can’t just live with us indefinitely. After some thought, I decided to renovate a house on my original homestead. I’ve already borrowed the money from our factory director. I just wanted to ask Mother to cook for a few days when the workers come to build." Part of Zhu Xiangyao’s subsidies went to her parents, and part to her wife and children. Zhu Shunyao didn’t envy her, but she certainly didn’t want her parents to covet her own money.
"Why bother? I don’t have time," Gan Juhua rejected the request outright. Zhu Guifu, standing nearby, showed no anger; instead, he seemed to support his wife’s stance.
Zhu Shunyao felt a pang of disappointment. Just as her wife had predicted, her mother seemed unable to bear seeing her succeed. But they were still her parents. Even if she was upset, she wouldn’t lash out directly. "Since Mother doesn’t have the time, I’ll hire someone else to help," she said. After so much disappointment, she no longer felt heartbroken. After all these years, the bonds of亲情 had worn thin.
"Hire who? Isn’t your wife a person?" Gan Juhua’s remark bordered on unreasonable.
Zhu Shunyao felt a surge of anger but forced himself to suppress it. "Xinlian has to work, and she only gets an hour for lunch. If she weren’t pregnant, it might be different, but since she is, I don’t intend to have her rushing back and forth to cook."
"As if she’s so delicate. A young lady’s body with a servant’s fate," Gan Juhua sneered. The moment the words left her mouth, not only did Zhu Shunyao and Xie Xinlian’s expressions darken, but even Zhu Jingu and the others looked uncomfortable, thinking that their mother (or mother-in-law) was being unreasonable.
"Mother, have a piece of fish. I heard that eating fish makes children smarter. Little Brother will become smart if she eats fish," Zhu Yanyi said, seemingly oblivious to the tension, as she picked up some food and placed it in Xie Xinlian’s bowl.