Mrs. Li did not choose to retort. She only thought about family harmony and prosperity, chickens and eggs, and given the current affluent state of their family, it was not as if they couldn’t afford it.
It didn’t mean she was weak, it was entirely for her husband and children, to maintain such kinship, even if that kinship was somewhat indifferent.
Mrs. Li looked up at her husband and nodded at her mother-in-law, and then instructed her daughter to make sure her sisters looked after their brother.
The five sisters did not receive their mother’s guidance; they went to meet their younger cousin and didn’t express any opinions!
Ye Shiqi and her sisters actually felt the same way. The second aunt, along with the eldest and third aunts, did not show much affection towards them.
The relationships between people are not necessarily strong just because they are relatives. It starts with the elders caring for the younger ones, who in turn respect them, and as they grow up, they also show concern for these elders in everything.
Otherwise... they just regard each other with corresponding indifference!
Mrs. Lai, as a grandmother, shockingly, after her daughter gave birth, sent her daughter-in-law to visit without even bringing a red envelope for her, let alone sending clothes and shoes for the child.
Logically, since they knew Ye Shuzhi’s child was about to be born, as her mother, or a close sister, sister-in-law, they should have prepared clothes and blankets for the unborn child.
Especially the maternal family members, regardless of the child’s gender, would prepare things for the newborn in advance.
Mrs. Lai, being the mother, did not prepare anything for her married daughter, and as a sister-in-law from the maternal side, Mrs. Li had actually bought some cotton fabric a few months ago while making clothes for her son and daughter, and prepared an extra portion when making a cotton quilt for her son’s winter clothes, thinking it might be needed.
In the future when those three younger sisters-in-law have children, her mother-in-law would surely send her again.
Mrs. Li felt helpless but obliged towards her mother-in-law’s stinginess, who never thought of her for good things but only remembered her when it was time to spend money and effort.
The attitude of her younger sister-in-law, who was unkind toward her, made her realize that she still had not grown up. Why should women make things difficult for other women?
Mrs. Li had heard about how good the family was from the matchmaker before she married, how capable the father and son of the husband were. It was only after getting married that she realized how skillful the matchmaker’s deceit was, making the dead appear alive.
It had never been mentioned that, besides the two capable men in the family, the other family members’ morals were not very good.
Only after entering the family did she realize that her husband simply couldn’t make decisions in this household. She, unassertively birthing daughter after daughter, had to endure this humbleness and busily work at home for the sake of her daughters.
Today, having made it through, she and her husband could finally have a say in the household. As for the outrageous family members and relatives’ actions, she turned a blind eye and focused on doing her best.
Regarding her mother-in-law’s and sister-in-law’s previous poor attitudes toward her, it wasn’t that she held no grudge, which also involved her father-in-law’s influence, but she felt that one should not live in the past forever.
Being broad-minded did not mean being foolish. Considering they were her husband’s family, Mrs. Li strove to do her duties well, letting others say what they would about her.
Mrs. Li had heard her mother-in-law’s words the previous night, and she had already prepared everything by evening.
Chickens and eggs, and first thing in the morning, she had sent the household worker to the estate to catch chickens and collect fresh eggs.
The worker hadn’t come back yet. The first to enter their courtyard was Ye Shuying, the elder sister-in-law, holding her own son and carrying no other items.
"Sister-in-law, are you ready yet? It’s already late morning."
Ye Shuying’s loud voice appeared in the Ye family’s courtyard, making it seem like everyone in the Ye family knew the purpose of the elder sister-in-law’s visit.
Seeing her holding her son with empty hands made everyone feel speechless.
No one thought that Ye Shuying, coming to the Ye household with empty hands, would head to town to buy things for her sister. She clearly relied entirely on Mrs. Li to prepare everything.
Ye Shuying, holding her son, planned to bring him along to freeload a meal at her sister’s house, not bothering to walk herself. Wasn’t there a cart from her parent’s home?
Ye Shuying’s calculations were quite loud, believing that her wealthy parental family wouldn’t choose to carry so many chickens and eggs on foot.
Mrs. Li was playing with her son when she heard her elder sister-in-law’s loud voice. She didn’t rush out to the doorway, confident that her elder sister-in-law would seek her out by herself.