Chapter 92: You’re Not Brain-Damaged, Are You?
Old Madam Zhao was completely stunned by the scolding!
She already knew her in-law had a temper, but this was way beyond what she expected—getting yelled at right to her face the moment they met?
She looked pleadingly at Su He, hoping for some backup.
But Old Madam Su snapped, “What are you looking at Su He for? Huh? Trying to use her to pressure me? She’s my granddaughter—what makes you think she’d side with a weepy old hag like you?!”
As she said this, Old Madam Su was watching Su He closely, feeling a bit unsure.
But Su He acted as if she hadn’t seen the face-off at all. She turned to Su Yongshi and said calmly, “Second Uncle, could you please carry my grandma inside? Sister Liu and the driver are in a hurry to get back to the station.”
Su Yongshi hurried over to carry Old Madam Zhao.
The moment Su He didn’t get involved, Old Madam Su instantly felt reassured!
She’d long been annoyed with that Old Madam Zhao—always crying like someone owed her eight hundred bucks!
Now was the perfect time to give her a good dose of discipline!
Su He exchanged a few polite words with Liu Jing and the driver, and once they left, she entered the house.
Su Yongshi, seeing there was nothing more for him to do—and not wanting to hang around awkwardly—made an excuse and left.
Su He said to Old Madam Zhao, “Grandma, I still have things to do. You should rest well for now. In a few days, I’ll take you to the county hospital for a checkup.”
Then she said to Old Madam Su, “Grandma, I’m leaving her in your care. I really appreciate your help.”
Old Madam Su pretended to be annoyed: “Su He, what kind of thing is that to say?! Go do whatever you need to do. I guarantee I’ll take great care of her.”
Old Madam Zhao wanted to say something, but before she could speak, Su He had already gone.
Her eyes turned red and tears began falling like rain.
Clang!
Old Madam Su slammed a washbasin down in front of her.
“Cry! Go ahead and cry your eyes out! If you can fill this basin with tears, I’ll use it to wash my feet!”
Old Madam Zhao: “……”
She wailed, “In-law! How can you insult me like this?! If you don’t want to take care of me, just say so. Why stab me in the heart with your words?! When Su He comes back, I’ll tell her to send you back to the village and have Cui’er take care of me instead!”
Old Madam Su tsked, “Listen to you, acting like Su He listens to you! Let me tell you, if you and I both fell into a river at the same time, Su He would definitely save me first. She might even give you a kick while she’s at it! Don’t flatter yourself! The only reason she treats you halfway decent is because of her mother. Take a look at yourself in the mirror. With your constant funeral face, who could stand you?!”
Old Madam Zhao was so furious, she forgot to cry.
She pointed a trembling finger at Old Madam Su, “You… you…”
Old Madam Su put her hands on her hips: “What about me? You say I stabbed you in the heart? What a joke! Tell me, did I say anything that wasn’t true? Aren’t you a professional crier? Always crying and wailing—aren’t you sick of yourself already? I don’t care how you acted in the Zhao household, but here, you listen to me! Keep sobbing, and you’ll go hungry! Missing a few meals won’t kill you…”
Old Madam Zhao trembled with rage, but she couldn’t get a word in.
Old Madam Su kept ranting until her mouth foamed before finally quieting down.
The two old ladies sat silently on opposite ends of the kang bed, ignoring each other.
After a long while, Old Madam Zhao said softly, “In-law… I don’t want to cry either, but my life is just too bitter…”
“Too bitter?” Old Madam Su scoffed. “People walked 25,000 miles on the Long March and didn’t call it bitter. What’s so bitter about your life?”
Old Madam Zhao: “…That’s… not the same thing.
It’s just… being dragged down by my husband’s younger brother was bad enough, but you know it was when I took my second boy to the market that he went missing… Every time I think of it, it feels like needles in my heart…”
Old Madam Su sneered, “So what’s eating you? Missing your second son, or worried people will blame you for losing your son? You think crying makes everyone let you off the hook?”
Old Madam Zhao nearly fainted from anger.
She gasped for air and said, “In-law… those words… you’re stabbing me right in the heart…”
Old Madam Su looked like she was about to break out laughing.
“Stabbing your heart? If I had the skills, I would’ve poked so many holes you’d look like a beehive by now! I’ve had enough of your sickly little act! Your legs are bad, not your brain! Or is your brain full of water, leaking on a schedule every day?!”
Old Madam Zhao’s eyes turned blood red, but she couldn’t out-argue Old Madam Su. She flopped back onto the kang and stopped talking altogether.
Old Madam Su rolled her eyes. Hah! You think I can’t handle one weepy old hag?
—
Meanwhile, Su He was strolling over to Teacher Yuan’s house.
She didn’t need to be there to know how things were playing out at home.
Old Madam Zhao’s tear attacks only worked on people like Old Man Zhao or Uncle Zhao, who cared deeply about her. Old Madam Su? She had zero tolerance for that nonsense.
It wasn’t that Su He was unfilial. It’s just that Old Madam Zhao’s non-stop crying habit really did need fixing.
Otherwise, she worried Old Man Zhao might actually fall sick from all the emotional strain.
At Teacher Yuan’s house, he greeted her with a smile: “You came just in time! I just bought a slab of pork belly—we’re stewing it with wild dried greens tonight!”
Su He casually asked, “You bought the wild greens from the supply store? How much per jin?”
“I buy vegetables?” Teacher Yuan looked indignant. “The mechanical factory sent them as a Dragon Boat Festival gift. Came with eggs and two cushions, too.”
Su He was confused: “Aren’t you with the textile factory? Why’s the mechanical factory giving you stuff?”
Teacher Yuan straightened his back proudly: “Both the mechanical and textile factories wanted me as a consultant. I had no choice but to work part-time for both. So now I earn two salaries—wait, three! The research institute pays me too. Otherwise, how could I afford an assistant like you?”
Su He’s eyes lit up. A whole new world opened before her.
She suddenly realized she’d been thinking too narrowly!
She’d assumed that being a liaison for Huaihua Commune meant she couldn’t take a factory job and earn wages.
Now she saw that was completely wrong!
She could totally freelance!
If this little old man could rake in three paychecks, she should be able to get ten, easy!
Seeing the gleam in Su He’s eye, Teacher Yuan quickly said, “Ahem… While I do earn a lot, my expenses are also high. So, one yuan per hour is plenty for you!”
Trying to get a raise? Dream on!
Su He: “……”
She didn’t stay for dinner—after all, she still had two old ladies waiting at home.
When she got home, Old Madam Su had already finished cooking.
Her face lit up: “Su He’s back? We were just waiting for you to start eating!”
Old Madam Zhao lay on the kang, silent.
Su He asked, “Grandma, what’s wrong with my other grandma?”
“Oh, she overate at lunch and is just lying down to digest. Don’t worry about her. Come on, let’s eat.”
Old Madam Zhao nearly exploded!
She hadn’t eaten a single bite at lunch because she was sulking with Old Madam Su!
Her stomach had been growling all afternoon!
She was counting on Su He to show some concern, so she could gracefully get up and eat.
But Su He just replied with a casual “Mm” and went to wash her hands, then sat down to eat and chat happily with Old Madam Su.
Old Madam Zhao’s tears instantly soaked her pillow.
She wasn’t here for medical care—She was here to suffer!
