Farm Tough Girl

Chapter 87 - 87 088 By Means_1

?Chapter 87: Chapter 088: By Means_1 Chapter 87: Chapter 088: By Means_1 Qiao Yuanming, who had been busy receiving villagers with his wife, froze upon hearing these words. Holding filial piety of utmost importance, he couldn’t let his own mother harbor such a misunderstanding about him and hurriedly said, “Mother, what are you talking about? Even if I were unfilial, I would never neglect you.”

Qiao Yuanming’s words were especially sincere, as if he were afraid that Madam Zhao wouldn’t believe him, fretting terribly.

With Madam Zhao speaking so loudly, naturally, all the villagers inside heard it. Madam Liu felt as if she had no place to hide her face—if it was just behind closed doors at home, that would be one thing, but with so many outsiders present, this old lady actually had the shamelessness to go this far!

Madam Zhao was somewhat satisfied with her son’s attitude, but it only made her even more brazen. With a cold snort, she said, “Who knows what you’re really thinking? Even if you do consider your old mother in your heart, that doesn’t mean your cheap wife does. Despite knowing full well that our Qiao family and that Qiao Muniang are at odds, you deliberately got close to her just to spite me—and you say it wasn’t on purpose!”

Clearly, the old lady’s words were aimed at Madam Liu.

Qiao Yuanming looked helplessly at his wife and then back at Madam Zhao, at a loss for what to do.

“Mother, Cuiliu isn’t like that. She is also looking out for the good of the family. We are even planning to send the three boys to private school next year, which will require a fair sum of money. We really had no choice, Mother. Rest assured, I would never forget you,” he tried to reassure her.

Madam Zhao scoffed coldly, “Don’t take me for a fool! The Embroidery House is clearly that little wretch Qiao Muniang’s business. When the money is made, will she give me a single penny? Now you’ve been blinded by your wife, even disregarding your own mother, right?”

With that, she sat down on the ground with a plop and began to wail, “Oh, woe is me, my miserable fate! Not only is my daughter-in-law harsh, but now my son has also changed. Marrying a wife means forgetting one’s mother. Siding with that little wretch, you don’t even care about your own mother anymore. Go on, just do it! You might as well anger me to death!”

Madam Liu’s face turned livid with rage. Madam Zhao simply couldn’t stand seeing her do well for even a moment, now not even caring about her own reputation, all to sully hers. And to think that not only would this debacle possibly spread rumors of her being a wicked daughter-in-law, but it might also reignite strains in the relationship she had finally been mending with Qiao Yuanming.

Qiao Yuanming quickly ran over to help Madam Zhao up, “Mother, what are you doing? When did I ever say I didn’t need you? Even if I can’t have a bite to eat myself, I would still honor you.”

Madam Zhao snorted, “Then why are you still helping that little wretch Qiao Muniang with her work? Isn’t it because you want me to die sooner?”

The implication of her words was clear—if you continue to indulge your wife’s dealings with Qiao Muniang, it would amount to a grave act of filial impiety!

This was an accusation far too severe for the foolishly filial Qiao Yuanming to bear. He became distressed and cast an inquiring look at Madam Liu, as if to say, perhaps we should just stop dealing with the Embroidery House.

Madam Liu’s palms were pinched red with marks, the glimmer of hope she had recently kindled for her husband had instantly crumbled to nothing. In his heart, she could never compare to the importance of his own parents.

Just as she was about to erupt, she remembered what Muniang had told her last time: When you can’t rely on a man, you have to depend on yourself. If you can’t win his heart, you need to use tactics. A woman who knows how to take control is a smart woman.

Her face, which she had wanted to keep cold, suddenly turned pitiful, and two streams of tears flowed down her cheeks. Madam Liu covered her face and started crying, “What on earth have I done wrong? There’s no money at home, the children are hungry, and the few acres of land we were given are nowhere near enough to feed everyone. My only thought has been to earn some silver coin for the household. Now that a good opportunity has come, even if I make money, it’s not for me to spend. Isn’t every mother concerned for her own children? Am I not wishing for my own children to have a better life? Why can’t my mother-in-law think the same way for us?”

This speech was loaded with meaning; being mothers, they treated their children so differently. Everyone listening couldn’t help but feel it really made sense.

Madam Zhao was so angry that she cursed out loud, “What do you mean I don’t think of you? Didn’t you get anything when the family was divided? A peasant’s family should just farm the land honestly, what’s all this fuss about?!”

A cold laugh echoed in Madam Liu’s heart, but her face still wore a pitiful expression: “If you say I’m truly unfilial, then let me carry that bad reputation as an evil daughter-in-law, but in all the years I’ve been married here, I’ve toiled without complaint. When have I ever been disobedient to my in-laws? Even after the family split, I’m still the one cooking for my in-laws; how have I overburdened the elderly? Though we live meagerly, whenever the house has something nice, when have we ever failed to offer some to my in-laws? I’m not complaining, just feeling wronged. I’ve been wholeheartedly looking out for the children, for our home, and yet now I have to be scolded like this.”

As she spoke, she covered her face and started sobbing.

Watching Madam Liu in this state, Qiao Yuanming just couldn’t find it in his heart to force her to give up on the Embroidery House. He could only pacify Madam Zhao, “Mother, I’m not being unfilial to you. It’s just that we are indeed living very difficult lives. Cuiliu doesn’t really mean to go against your wishes; she’s doing it for the children, for our home.”

It was the first time Qiao Yuanming had taken Madam Liu’s side in a conflict between her and Madam Zhao. This truly surprised Madam Zhao, who gave Madam Liu a hateful glare before scolding Qiao Yuanming, “Good job, now you really don’t take my words seriously, do you? Do you want to see me dead before you’ll be happy? Yuanming, you should remember I am your birth mother, ‘though a bone may be broken, the sinew’s still attached.’ And now your loyalties seem to be elsewhere, aren’t they?”

Qiao Yuanming was immediately troubled, standing there not knowing what to say, and Madam Liu felt a surge of resentment. Beneath her pitiful appearance, the warmth in her tearful eyes cooled several degrees more.

“Daddy, I and my brothers are hungry; we want to eat meat,” the crisp voice of Tianniu rang out, breaking the deadlock.

Her innocent voice carried an unspoken message: she is your birth mother, but I am your birth daughter. Where exactly are your loyalties turning?

Qiao Yuanming, seeing his daughter’s pale and emaciated face, felt his heart soften. The children were so young, how could he let them suffer? It had been months since the children had tasted any meat. The only good meal they had was the two pastries that Muniang had sent them.

“Mother, if we make money, isn’t it still meant to honor you? Everyone in our family is living poorly. If the Embroidery House really gets started, I will make sure to provide you with delicacies every day. You’re getting on in years, you should enjoy some good days too, shouldn’t you?” So Qiao Yuanming tried to console Madam Zhao from another angle.