Auntie’s family had come from afar, and naturally, they were going to stay the night, but Qi Fenglian and company were also there, which made accommodation tight.
In the countryside, when guests stayed overnight and there wasn’t enough room at home, you’d borrow lodging from next-door neighbors and let the guests sleep in your rooms.
The room at Cheng Su’s was impossible to give up, so those who went to borrow lodging were Qi Fengping and Jianguo—everyone was from the same village and could make do by squeezing into the home of a familiar friend for one night.
With the New Year celebration, the weather so cold, and so many people around, Cheng Su was called by her mother-in-law to dig out quilts to make beds for her aunt and company.
"Cousin, this has been so hard on you, we’ve really troubled you by coming!" Cousin-in-law Liu Wenjing, watching her bustling about, couldn’t help but gratefully express her thanks.
"Guests are a pleasure, there’s no trouble at all, it’s just that our means are modest, and I’m sad to put you out!" Cheng Su still pitied this woman.
Liu Wenjing nodded, then said, "Cousin, you really are lucky—married well, have a good life, and are good at doing business; such a capable person. Unlike me, so unlucky."
Cheng Su heard these words; they were all good things, but why did they sound so awkward to her?
"What are you saying, cousin-in-law? Your Gou Sheng is so clever and adorable." Unable to think of other compliments, Cheng Su just brought up her son.
"What’s the use of that? He hasn’t learned to talk yet and he’s already lost his father. He’s also a child of misfortune and sadness." Liu Wenjing sniffled, staring blankly at a corner.
Uh...
Cheng Su found this even more difficult to respond to, so she simply changed the subject and turned back to fluff up the bedding, making it a bit more comfortable.
"My mother-in-law, as you saw today, is very strong-willed. In our family, no matter the size of the matter, she’s the one calling the shots. I, as her daughter-in-law, don’t have any say at all. It was bearable when his father was around, but now that he’s gone, I don’t even have anyone to talk to. My heart aches so much, and sometimes, when I look at the child, I really just want to hold him and follow his father to the grave!" As Liu Wenjing talked, she began to sob softly.
She burst into tears just like that, quite heartbreakingly; Cheng Su was somewhat flustered and said, "Hey, why are you crying all of a sudden? The dead cannot be brought back to life, and the living must remain strong for the sake of your son, you too must stay strong."
"I don’t want to cry, but when I think about how hard my life is, I just feel so awful, and I can’t stop the tears." Liu Wenjing said as she wiped her tears.
Cheng Su felt a headache coming on.
Auntie was a traditionally virtuous moral stalwart, and this cousin-in-law was a Little Sister Lin who only knew how to wallow in self-pity and melancholy, the cousin Weixia was timid as a quail, and as for the youngest Weiqiu, he was unsociable with an air of someone who felt wronged by the world.
What path would this family take in the future?
"So, what are your plans for the future?" Cheng Su thought for a moment, then asked, "You’re still so young, and the child is small, but you have decades ahead of you. Do you plan to remarry?"
The crying stopped abruptly.
Liu Wenjing’s head shot up in surprise, her cheeks flushing.
Remarry, she dared not even think about it.
But as Cheng Su brought it up, her heart skipped a beat.
She was only twenty-five; could she really remain alone until old age? Could she manage to do so?
During the day, with the child, things were still manageable, but at night, in the deep silence, those endless long nights, she inevitably felt lonely and it was in those moments, she missed the child’s father even more and lamented her own misfortune even more deeply.
About remarrying, she had only entertained the thought briefly when the sound of her mother-in-law’s coughing stopped her from thinking further. Her mother-in-law also spent decades raising several children alone. Would she allow her to remarry?