Qi Fenglian returned to work at the shop two days after her third uncle’s visit, but she looked haggard, with especially dark circles under her eyes, and an indefinable irritation furrowed her brow.
Cheng Su frowned as she looked at her, thinking Elder Sister’s current state wasn’t far from that of a resentful wife.
After introducing her to Shi Ling and her daughter, Qi Fenglian sized up the woman. When she respectfully addressed her as Sister Lian, a smile graced her face, and she said, "Now that you’re here, work hard!"
Shi Ling nodded and agreed.
Only then did Qi Fenglian sit down, her face showing utter exhaustion.
"Elder Sister, you just got back; you could have rested at home for a day before coming over. There’s no rush at this moment, I’m here at the shop anyway," Cheng Su said, pouring her a glass of water.
Qi Fenglian offered a forced smile, "How could I do that? I’ve already delayed your work for so many days, and you have exams coming up. I can’t be the reason you’re held back! Who knows, maybe you’ll be the first college graduate from our Qi family."
Cheng Su pressed her lips together in a light smile and asked, "How is Xiao Bao doing?"
Qi Fenglian rubbed her eyes and said, "His fever has gone down, but being so young and not well-nourished, his immune system is pretty weak. You should see him; he’s become so thin... it’s like he’s lost a human shape..."
At home, she pleaded nicely with her mother-in-law, entreating her to take better care of Baobao, her voice breaking with emotion. Her mother-in-law merely retorted with, "It’s my own grandson, wouldn’t I cherish him? If you can do better, then take care of him yourself; don’t ask me to," and with that, she blocked any further discussion.
If the child weren’t so young, she would have been unable to bear it any longer and would have brought him over, enrolled him in a nursery school, and they could have been together as a family.
But how could she manage her job with such a young child?
Qi Fenglian held back over and over again, telling them how hard it was to have her son, how the illness had caused him to lose all the weight they had managed to put on him, and that they should let him eat well. She sent all of Jisheng’s salary back, urging them not to skimp.
Yes, she had conceded, for the sake of her child, ready to abandon the idea of Jisheng keeping any of his earnings, simply wishing her son a better life.
But whether the elders would take her words to heart, she didn’t know. She had said all she could; if even that could not earn genuine care, then there was nothing more she could do.
Baobao was the Zhang family’s grandson, their own flesh and blood, yet they didn’t cherish him. What could she possibly say?
Before coming back, Qi Fenglian quietly instructed her daughter to spend more time with her brother, to feed him more rice porridge, and secretly gave her ten yuan, cautioning her not to let her grandmother know.
Listening to Qi Fenglian’s tearless laments, Cheng Su felt a chill settle in her heart.
The helplessness found in reality is often just like this.
"Sister, I think I understand where you and my mom don’t see eye to eye. Since ancient times, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law disputes are common, aren’t they? My mother-in-law acts like she’s my enemy. It’d be one thing if it were just me she treated as an enemy, but why does she neglect her own grandson?" Qi Fenglian wiped the corner of her eye and sniffled.
"When Baobao gets a bit older, able to talk and walk, we’ll bring them out and find a nursery here to take care of them. That’s possible," Cheng Su offered softly to comfort her.
"This is the only reason I can keep going," Qi Fenglian said with a bitter smile.
Cheng Su pursed her lips, held her hand, and thought about what the third uncle had said. Seeing her bitter expression, she swallowed the words that had been on the tip of her tongue.
It shouldn’t be said; how could such matters be spoken of, the affair between husband and wife was not for her to interfere.
"Let’s open shop," Cheng Su changed what she was about to say and smiled.
Qi Fenglian nodded, went to the restroom to wash her face and gathered her spirits for work.