Chapter 99 I am your mother
The Shu Huan from her impression had never used such an impatient tone to speak with her. Xu shi was at loss for words. After quite a while did she say, “Little Huan, did you become muddle-headed because of being sick? I’m your mother.”
Shi: clan
She truly was not embarrassed to say that out loudly!
Shu Huan smiled faintly and corrected her, “Stepmother.”
One word jabbed at Xu shi’s weak spot, making even her thick-powdered face reveal some redness. After being embarrassed for a while did she use a tone of a scoundrel to refer to her foibles with self-deprecating humor, “What about being a stepmother? That is also your mother! Don’t forget, when you were born, you mother had passed away. I married into Shu household when you were just one year old. Over the years, wasn’t it me who raised you up and cleaned your urine and feces?”
While talking, she took out a handkerchief to wipe the corners of her eyes and sobbed, “ After you climbed on a high branch, I didn’t think that in a blink of the eye you would forget my grace of raising you all these years and that you even doesn’t want to recognize your mother anymore!”
Looking at her wiping the corners of her eyes that didn’t shed half a tear, Shu Huan truly felt disgusted. She forced down her impulse to expose her (X) lies and only coldly said, “I remember all these things. I can’t forget even if I wanted to. Mother doesn’t have to remind me again and again. Alright, I still have things to do and have no time to take care of you. You should go back first!”
The stepdaughter in front of her eyes was extremely unfamiliar. Her (SH) words were so sharp, making people unable to continue with a counter-argument. She was no longer weak and timid. However, Xu shi didn’t had the mind to think about why her personality changed after having just married two months. When she saw that Shu Huan was about to leave after she finished talking, she (X) didn’t pretend anymore. She thickened her face, rushed to her and said, “Wasn’t everything good last time? Why don’t you like me anymore this time? Even if I accidentally offended, you should tell me to let me know.”
After having dealt one time with Xu shi, Shu Huan was well aware about the degree of how hard she (X) was to deal with. At first, she didn’t want to see her (X) because she knew that one couldn’t sent such a person away with just a few words. If she wanted peace now and sent her away using only words, perhaps she (X) would come back every few days to cause trouble. So, it was the best to make everything clear at once and it was the best to cut off her (X) objective!
While she was thinking, she answered evasively, “Why did mother come looking for me?”
Xu shi was stunned for a moment, swept with the corners of her eyes at Meijing and said, “It’s nothing. I just came to see you…”
Only a fool would believe that!
Shu Huan didn’t expose her lie and smiled, “Now, mother had already seen me and doesn’t want to go back; what is mother waiting for? One had to know that here is far from the city. It’s better to go back early, lest to delay making dinner for little brother and sister.”
Xu shi was a clever one. She blinked, looked at her and suddenly laughed, “I originally also thought about returning after having seen you. However, now that you are sick, how can I leave you alone without care? Anyway, your resort is so big. Why don’t I stay here for a day or two and leave when you get a bit better? There is your father to make dinner. You don’t have to worry.”
Shu Huan raised her head, put on a straight and stern face and said, “Let’s not talk in circles anymore. Just say it, why did you come looking for me?!
Xu shi saw that she wasn’t easy to fool, her mind also went blank for a moment. She was afraid that if she continued to talk in circles with her, she (SH) would directly chase her away. Hence, she didn’t care anymore whether there were maids around, made a strong face and called her once, “Little Huan…”
Shu Huan didn’t bother with her and just looked at her.
“This time, I…,” Seeing that Shu Huan didn’t bother with her, Xu shi had to continue, “Came to borrow money from you.”
Shu Huan revealed a meaningful smile and said, “Mother also said last time that you came to borrow money, but now I understood that if the money is borrowed, it will not come back.”
Xu shi said angrily from embarrassment, “You shouldn’t say the words so unpleasant to the ears! It’s just that I’m short of money at the moment and can’t pay you back. We are family, could it be that you are afraid that I would renege on your money?”
Shu Huan nodded and said, “It is because that we are family that you would renege on my money. If we are not family, even if you want to renege, you can’t!”
“You…”
Shu Huan interrupted her, “Mother doesn’t have to say more. If there was paying back after borrowing, then it wouldn’t be difficult to borrow again. When you return the money you had borrowed last time, it would be easy if you come to borrow again. I also didn’t open a silver mine; where would I find so much silver to fill a bottomless hole?”
Xu shi was extremely shamed by her words, “I raised until you became so big. Spending some money from you is also a matter of course!”
Shu Huan smiled faintly, “That was why I didn’t intend to get back the money I lent mother last time. I will take it as showing my filial piety towards mother for mother to spend as pocket money.”
After she said that, she asked, “Ten silver liang wouldn’t be considered a small filial piety, right?”
Xu shi had been blocked by her that she was stumped for words. Her expression was extremely bad.
After killing the idea that Xu shi had to take her (SH) as a little fat sheep to kill and reach out to grab money from her, Shu Huan didn’t want to talk with her anymore. She turned, wanting to leave and said, “Meijing, pack some desserts and fruits to let my mother bring back for my siblings as snacks. It is also my token of appreciation for coming to see me.”
Meijing held back her laughter and promised with a clear voice. Then, she said to Xu shi, “Madam-in-law, please come with me. I will send you out.”
Xu shi came all the way here and had spent a lot money on a carriage ride. Now, she didn’t see any money, how could she be willing? However, after seeing that Shu Huan’s speech didn’t leave any leeway, she knew that even if she pretended to beg in a humble voice, she wouldn’t get any money. She tightened her heart and shed all pretense of cordiality. Immediately, she put out her shrewishness that she had at home. She didn’t leave, sat on the ground, kicked away her two shoes, held one in each hand, patted with them on the ground and cried…
“Heavens should truly take a look. There is actually such an unfilial thing under the heavens! Even of this old madam raised a dog, it would know how to bark. I raised her for more than a decade, this thing that is less than a pig and a dog actually want to drive me out…”
Although, Meijing was a maid, but she had never seen such an unreasonable and hoodlum scene. She was stunned after seeing Xu shi cry loudly like that. When she heard that she (X) was putting the blame of being unfilial on Shu Huan and the words she scolded with was vulgar, her (M) face turned even paler.
In ancient times, being unfilial was placed on par with serious crimes like revolting. If reported to the feudal official, the heavy sentence would be immediate beheading. The lighter sentence would be exile. Even if Shu Huan had married, her reputation would be very bad after being labeled as unfilial.
Xu shi was still crying here, “A thing whose conscience had been eaten by the dog! If I had knew that she would be so unfilial, I should’ve killed her in the bucket of urine… Why let her live to wreck her father and mother…? Unfilial! You will get struck by thunder! Heavens, open your eyes and take a look…”
The more she scolded, the more vicious the words became. Meijing’s face had completely paled. She looked at Shu Huan with panic, “Second young mistress…”
Shu Huan nodded at Meijing with a calm face which made her (M) heart feel a bit calmer.
Xu shi originally wanted to put a big crime on Shu Huan and scare her a bit. She hoped that Shu Huan would compromise and soften her heart because of nervousness and obediently take out money to keep the peace. Who would’ve thought that she cried and caused a scene for so long, but she (SH) didn’t have any reaction at all? Feeling unsatisfactory, her voice gradually became smaller. From time to time, she would use the opportunity when she wiped her eyes to quietly take a look at her (SH) from the corners of her eyes.
When Shu Huan saw her like that, she couldn’t help but smile faintly, “Has mother cried enough? Should I let Meijing bring a chair and a cup of tea for you to cry slowly while drinking tea?”
Xu shi’s face turned green because of her words. She deeply regretted that this move of her didn’t happen in the right place. If she cried like this in the alley where Shu family lived, all those neighbors would help out. It happened that here was Gu household’s resort. It was secluded and empty. Not to mention people to help, she didn’t even see a passerby. It seemed that it was useless even if she continued to cry. She would only tire herself out.