Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Mrs. Zhangs annoyance with Ms. Zhang grew stronger, as she believed her daughter not only brought no benefits to the family but also caused her precious son to be beaten. Consequently, Ms. Zhang was cast out by the Shao Family and forced to rely on her mother’s support.
Mrs. Zhangs frustration escalated, leading to verbal and physical abuse towards Nis. Zhang. She compelled her daughter to rise before daybreak and perform exhausting labor in the fields, while intentionally depriving her of sufficient food.
Ms. Zhang received only half a bowl of rice and a bowl of rotten vegetables, devoid of salt and oil. She was constantly referred to as “the useless woman” and “trash” who only consumed without contributing anything positive to the family.
This treatment left Ms. Zhang feeling deeply saddened and burdened by guilt. She believed herself to be useless to her mother’s family and accepted the curses and blame as her way of atoning for her perceived sins.
Silently enduring the hardships, Ms. Zhang worked even harder, convinced that it was the only way to repay her sins and earn her mother’s forgiveness.
Unfortunately, her physical strength waned, and she soon fell ill due to exhaustion and hunger. Ms. Zhang held onto the hope that her illness would garner care, forgiveness, or at least a decent meal, considering the tremendous effort she had put into her work.
However, Mrs. Zhang responded with even more furious curses and harsh disappointment, shattering Ms. Zhangs expectations.
Mrs. Zhang directed her anger towards Ms. Zhang, accusing her of intentionally falling ill to avoid work and bringing misfortune to the family as a heartless and wicked woman. She withheld any concern, care, or food from her daughter, offering only disdain and hatred.
These words pierced Ms. Zhang’s heart like a sharp blade. Her hope crumbled, shattered by her mother’s lack of compassion.
Shocked and disheartened, Ms. Zhang’s motivation to work hard diminished. She became less active in labor, frequently pausing and becoming lost in her thoughts. Tears would stream down her face as she cried silently.
Mrs. Zhang, however, grew even more relentless in her treatment of Ms. Zhang. She continued to berate her for being useless, emphasizing that even receiving any portion of food at home was futile, as she believed raising her had been a pointless endeavor.
Nis. Zhang felt immense sadness, shedding tears in solitude every day.
Unable to bear it any longer, a few days ago, she impulsively fled Zhang Village and embarked on a journey to Shading Village, crying heavily along the way.
So one morning, when Ms. Niu opened her home’s door, she let out a piercing scream, nearly fainting in fright at the sight of a disheveled and distressed woman standing in the cold weather.
As Ms. Niu realized that the woman at her gate was Ms. Zhang, she couldn’t bring herself to allow her former daughter-in-law to collapse there, Despite her stingy and greedy nature, she couldn’t leave her in such a dire state, especially considering the cold and rainy weather that could have led to her demise.
Begrudgingly, Ms. Niu enlisted the help of Ms. Yan to carry Ms. Zhang into a room, where she was provided with a bowl of ginger soup. It was an act of begrudging kindness, compelled by the circumstances.
In the evening, when Shao Erlang returned home and discovered the situation, he was taken aback and immediately went to summon a doctor. Overwhelmed with emotions, the couple embraced each other and wept.
Shao Erlang hadn’t anticipated the extent of the suffering Ms. Zhang had endured in her own home. Seeing her dressed in tattered clothing, significantly thinner, and with hands marred by wounds and scars, his heart softened.
The sight of their mother in such a pitiful state brought tears streaming down the faces of their two children..