Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Isn’t This What You Should Do? Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Isn’t This What You Should Do? “Lu Youxi, you’ve really grown some tough wings, even inciting your parents to divorce!” Old Madam Lu stamped her foot in exasperation.
Lu Youxi was actually surprised, “Weren’t you just supporting my parents’ divorce when you were inside the house?”
“That doesn’t mean you should be the one to suggest it!” Old Madam Lu declared, without allowing for any argument, whatever Lu Youxi said was wrong!
Lu Youxi ignored her, and turned her head to ask Liu Yushu, “Mom, what do you think? Was bringing up the divorce just a spur-of-the-moment outburst, or can you really make up your mind about it?”
Liu Yushu was sobbing with her head lowered, silent the whole time.
Lu Youxi wasn’t in a hurry. She had anticipated Liu Yushu’s reaction long ago.
After all, she had been a passive person for most of her life.
Liu Yushu’s personality wasn’t formed overnight, nor could she change it so quickly.
Liu Yushu’s character was related to her original family background.
The Liu Family was also from a nearby village. During Liu Yushu’s youth, families favoring sons over daughters were not uncommon, definitely not as good as it is now.
And even now, the Lu Family still favored sons over daughters, which could be considered quite odd.
Liu Yushu’s family favored sons over daughters, treating Liu Yushu badly, similar to the current mindset of the Lu Family’s elders who believed that a daughter would eventually marry and become part of another family.
Before she married, they only allowed Liu Yushu to attend school up to high school and then no longer allowed her to continue, believing that there was no necessity for further education.
All she needed was to learn all the household duties and do them well. As long as she could manage the household work in her in-laws’ home in the future and not cause them to criticize her parental home.
Even during New Year, from the eve to the second day, Liu Yushu was not allowed to visit her parental home.
Growing up in such an environment, marrying into a peculiar family like the Lu’s, and continuing to accept a similar set of beliefs, even more intensified, her passive character had gradually deepened.
Lu Youxi never intended to completely change Liu Yushu’s character; she just wanted to bring Liu Yushu away from this home, to make Liu Yushu’s life a bit more relaxed in the future.
With a lighter life, less psychological pressure, there would still be some change in character, albeit slight.
But even if Liu Yushu changed her mind now, and didn’t want a divorce, Lu Youxi could have predicted it.
At that moment, the villagers gathered outside the courtyard began to discuss among themselves in hushed tones.
“The Lu Family’s daughter really is formidable, even instigating her parents to divorce.”
“The Lu Family’s elders are no good, but their daughter is no pushover either!”
“I agree.”
“Ha! If it wasn’t for Lu Youxi’s strong character and her ability to make her own decisions, she would have long been worn down by the Lu Family’s elders and turned into another Liu Yushu.”
“Exactly, how can she cope living with the Lu Family if she isn’t formidable?”
At this moment, Liu Yushu slowly looked up, “I meant what I said.”
Lu Youxi looked at Liu Yushu in amazement; she truly hadn’t expected Liu Yushu to have such courage this time.
It made Lu Youxi think that perhaps she had been too narrow-minded herself.
Having been reborn, she had decided to see Liu Yushu in a new light, to understand her, but deep down, she still somewhat underestimated Liu Yushu.
Yet it was Liu Yushu who had shown resilience worth admiring.
“Yushu!” Lu Zhenguo cried out in shock.
He, too, had thought that Liu Yushu’s words were just spoken in the heat of the moment.
She had been in this family for most of her life, how could she leave easily?
But he had never expected Liu Yushu to truly have made up her mind.
In front of Lu Youxi, the village chief, and numerous villagers outside the courtyard, she spoke those words.
“Ah! The two old folks from the Lu Family must treat her so badly normally for the daughter to be unwilling to leave her mother alone.”
“You have no idea.” Aunt Lin, who had been present in the crowd, spoke out, “I live right next door to them, and every day I can hear the old couple from Lu’s cursing Youxi’s mother so nastily. They treat Youxi and her just like beating chickens and scolding dogs; even I, as an outsider, can’t bear to listen. I always complain to my husband, wondering how Youxi’s mother endures it. If my in-laws dared to treat me that way, I would have divorced and left long ago. All the inside and outside chores are done by me, everyone is attended to by me. Getting up before dawn to wash clothes and cook, serve tea and pour water, and then to be cursed like that? Ungrateful wretches! I say, Youxi’s mother should have divorced long ago. Such a household, it’s like a den of wolves!”
“Are you really going to divorce me?” Lu Zhenguo couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and he looked at Liu Yushu with equal disbelief.
“Zhenguo.” Liu Yushu turned towards Lu Zhenguo, “I ask you, have I ever done anything wrong to your family since I married into it?”
“Ever since marrying over, I’ve been dutiful to your parents, keeping the household chores tidy, and still helping you with farm work after I’m done with the housework.” Liu Yushu seemed calmer as she spoke.
But the calmer she appeared, the more anxious Lu Zhenguo became.
“Wretch! Isn’t that what you should be doing?” Old Madam Lu pointed at Liu Yushu and cursed.
Liu Yushu retorted sarcastically, “See, that’s how my mother-in-law usually curses at me, even worse than that. Lu Zhenguo, ask yourself, should she curse at me like that? Do I deserve it?”
Lu Zhenguo remained silent.
Liu Yushu continued, “Even when she cursed me like this, did I ever say one bad word about her to you?”
“In this household, Youxi and I are the lowest. Just because she’s a girl, she doesn’t even deserve to eat an egg!” Liu Yushu, as if throwing caution to the wind, turned to face the crowd outside, “I’m not afraid of being laughed at, but I also want you all to know what era we are living in now. Who can’t afford an egg nowadays? Even if there is no money, the eggs laid by our own chickens should be enough for the children. But in my household, even if we can afford it, they won’t give Youxi an egg! Because my in-laws say, Youxi is a girl, giving her an egg is a waste!”
“The meat in the house never goes to Youxi and me either. Even getting some meat soup to mix with rice is considered to be treating us well.” Liu Yushu, eyes red with crying, said, “It’s my fault as a mother, being useless in this family, not being able to protect my own daughter. From the time she was born until now, she hasn’t even eaten a single egg!”
Lu Youxi hadn’t expected Liu Yushu to be so shrewd.
She always privately saved eggs for her to eat.
But in public, the Lu Family indeed did not allow her to eat them.
Liu Yushu didn’t mention these things; she only said the Lu Family didn’t allow her to eat.
“This is too much,” the crowd said.
“Yes, now eggs aren’t some precious thing that is unaffordable, how can they not even give a child an egg?”
“Just giving the child meat broth is too excessive,” someone said. “Our village may not be wealthy, but we aren’t so poor that we can’t give our children eggs.”
“Those two old things from the Lu Family are just biased, thinking it’s wasteful to feed eggs to the children!”