Ye Shuying had not considered sending her son to a private school, primarily to save money, as the calculations were quite clear. After all, her family paid for everything. Why not take advantage of a good deal?
She felt that since her son wanted to play, let him play for now—after all, he was only a little over three years old. He could go to her family’s home to study when he turned five or six.
Ye Shuying also felt that she and her sisters were not well educated and knew only a few characters. Except for her being a farmer, her husband could still pick up business and earn money, and they could live reasonably well.
Although she couldn’t compare to her two younger sisters, she thought, as a woman and a farmer girl, her situation was already good. She felt that her eldest brother hiring a teacher to teach the girls in the family to recognize characters was unnecessary. After all, they were just girls, and knowing more characters was just that—they were still girls.
It would be better to save that money and use it later for her son to hire a teacher or support a boy’s education.
Ye Shuying not only thought this way but also nagged about it beside her mother, whispering among themselves. At that time, her third sister had not yet married!
Unfortunately..., the days when parents ran their lives had long since passed. The eldest brother and sister-in-law, controlled by their parents, handled all the income.
Now, with the Tang Family’s support, they were able to earn money independently, no longer controlled by their parents and not heeding their advice, pampering the daughter from their home.
Previously, Ye Shuying had given birth to a son. Her mother, who had continuously given birth to daughters, doted entirely on her son. He not only helped her take care of the child but also supported her in every way.
But now, the eldest brother and sister-in-law not only had money, they also had a son.
Although her family was helping her husband, her family had stopped working for them. Fortunately, her family had risen to their feet. Previously, her mother-in-law wouldn’t help her care for the child, but now she could stay home and help.
The younger brother’s new wife seemed very diligent and was incredibly astute. In order to establish herself in the family, she displayed her assertiveness everywhere.
To not be overshadowed by her sister-in-law, Ye Shuying had to be even more industrious. Since having her eldest son, her sister-in-law from her family had already given birth again, while her belly showed no sign of pregnancy.
In fact, she was also afraid that her younger brother’s wife would have a child before her, at which time all the farmwork would be handed over to her.
At the Ye family’s dinner table, there was a plate of red eggs and pig’s feet in ginger vinegar, with about ten pounds of ingredients now reduced to just a little bit. In the ginger vinegar, one could not see the pig’s feet but could see the ginger and eggs.
At noon’s meal, which included a teacher, they would have two tables. In the morning and evening without a teacher, the family would sit at just one table.
With these two dishes on the table, Hongji and his wife looked at each other, sensing there must be a story behind them.
They had not yet heard from their daughters where these two items had come from.
During the meal, Mrs. Lai asked a worker to fetch her a small meal as she was already full from the pig’s feet. She was sitting there merely to assign tasks to her son and daughter-in-law.
Hongji’s father also did not know about this matter. Upon returning from the factory, he first washed his hands and smoked his bamboo pipe. Since his son had taken over the household responsibilities, he, a peacemaker, had far less work to do.
"Hongji, your sister has given birth. This is the red eggs and pig’s legs your second sister-in-law sent over. Mrs. Li, you should visit tomorrow and bring the chicken and eggs," said Mrs. Lai.
When Mrs. Lai mentioned the chicken and eggs, she did not feel distressed. After all, it was her daughter, and her son and daughter-in-law were so generous when giving away things. But for her own daughter who had given birth, she still felt a bit pained.
Upon hearing Mrs. Lai’s words, Hongji and his wife exchanged a look. Hongji didn’t particularly second sister, but after all, she was his sister. He looked at his wife as if to say that he was leaving this matter to her.
Mrs. Li understood her husband’s meaning from his gaze. She, like a mother to her husband’s siblings, had always been kindhearted and never held a grudge, despite the younger sisters-in-law always treating her poorly. She just felt that they were immature.
Having such a mother, they had become so; a bit more forgiving since the family had grown wealthier and could make decisions. She tolerated her sisters-in-law to some extent but was not overly affectionate toward them.
After all, they were not her own sisters and had always treated her poorly. One must reciprocate feelings, exchanging one’s warmth for another’s coldness.
Mrs. Li nodded at her husband, acknowledging his request. Tomorrow, as a representative of her parental home, if their mother did not visit the woman who had given birth.’
As the eldest sister-in-law, she certainly must visit, not only to bring food for the mother but also to lend a bit of support.