Free Web NovelChapter 87: Chapter 87: Retribution
"Su Li, just stay home and take care of me. You don’t need to go to any job. Tangyuan can support the family! We don’t need that measly dozen-or-so yuan!" ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
’Wages? A job? The most important thing is to keep a close watch on this daughter-in-law. I can’t let her out of my sight!’
’Su Li resents me. If I let her go out, she might start attracting other men. What if someone lures her away!’
Mrs. Tang looked at Su Li’s beautiful face, her own expression turning extremely sour.
Before, she’d thought it was wonderful to have a beautiful daughter-in-law, a worthy match for her Tangyuan. Now, however, she felt that a daughter-in-law being too beautiful was its own kind of problem.
’And with Tangyuan not home, her beauty is an even bigger problem!’
’I was blinded by that paltry dozen-or-so yuan. I almost made a huge mistake!’
Su Li had no idea so many thoughts had flashed through Mrs. Tang’s mind in that instant. She tried to persuade her again, "It wouldn’t cost much to hire some villagers..."
Mrs. Tang didn’t let her finish, cutting her off and bursting into tears.
She wailed that Su Li was just unwilling to take care of her, crying about how pitiful she was with no one to look after her, sniffling and sobbing as if she’d suffered a terrible injustice.
"...You don’t have to think I’m dirty. I can get out of bed now, it’s not like you have to empty my bedpan. All I need is for you to cook for me... And with the cow and pigs at home, we really can’t leave the house unattended..."
"And Momo, that poor child... What will happen if no one takes care of him? Don’t you dote on him the most? Su Li, even if it’s just for Momo’s sake, you can’t abandon us..."
Mrs. Tang cried pitifully, showing she was willing to go all out and play the victim.
"The two of us, one old and one young, you have no idea how much we’ve suffered these past few days. Su Li, just take pity on us..."
As she cried, Mrs. Tang’s own emotions were genuinely stirred, and the truth came tumbling out.
"These past few days, I haven’t been able to eat or sleep well. When I was rolling around in pain, I felt so much regret. I couldn’t help but think that I was getting my just deserts—that because of how I treated you before, Heaven was punishing me."
Tears streamed down Mrs. Tang’s aged face. Su Li was at a loss for words.
’She hadn’t even thought of it as retribution, but Mrs. Tang certainly had.’
Mrs. Tang looked at Su Li with tear-filled eyes. "It was all my fault. I misunderstood you. Su Li, I apologize. Since I’ve already gotten my retribution, can’t you forgive me...?"
Mrs. Tang was an extremely simple person, and yet also very complicated. The relationship between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was the most complex of all. One moment she would find Su Li completely disagreeable, and the next she would be filled with regret.
These words truly came from her heart. She had genuinely thought them. In the first two days after her injury, as she was rolling around on her bed in pain, she couldn’t stop herself from thinking this way.
Later, when she saw that most of the people who got injured were the same ones who had previously wronged Su Li, she became even more convinced that it was Heaven’s punishment for them...
Mrs. Tang had originally only dared to think these things in her heart, but now she was howling it all out.
"Su Li, I’ve gotten my retribution and I’ve suffered for it! You can’t just ignore us! What would Momo and I, one old and one young, do without you? You can’t leave..."
As Mrs. Tang was crying, Little Tang Mo heard the commotion and came running over. He looked at Su Li, then comforted Mrs. Tang.
"Grandma, it’s okay. Mama won’t leave..." he said, then turned his still-reddened eyes to look imploringly at Su Li. "Right, Mama?"
If Su Li had dared to say no, Little Tang Mo would have instantly let loose a torrent of tears.
Through gritted teeth, Su Li forced out a single, "Yes."
Although Su Li had answered yes, the sensitive Little Tang Mo still seemed to sense something was wrong. Or perhaps his sense of security had been shaken again these past couple of days. For the rest of the time, he kept his eyes fixed on Su Li.
If he couldn’t see her, he needed to hear her voice. If he could hold on to her, he would.
Su Li then washed Little Tang Mo up and cooked a meal. Just as the food was ready, she heard a voice calling from the courtyard, "Momo?"
"Here!" Little Tang Mo answered, immediately running outside. "Aunt Hua."
"Oh? Momo, why are you in such high spirits... Did your mama come back?" The voice from the courtyard was familiar.
Su Li followed Little Tang Mo outside and saw that it was the same round-faced woman who had criticized Qin Shanshan earlier.
"Yeah, Mama’s back!" Little Tang Mo’s voice was bright as he hurried to grab Su Li’s hand when she came out.
The round-faced woman smiled when she saw Su Li come out. "It’s so wonderful you’re back! Look how happy it’s made Momo."
Su Li stroked Little Tang Mo’s head.
"Well, since you’re back, I’ll get going. It was my turn to cook for Aunt Tang and Momo these past two days. I’m running a bit late because I was so busy."
The round-faced woman was very forthright. "If you need help with anything, just come and call for me."
After Su Li nodded, the round-faced woman went to say hello to Mrs. Tang as well.
Before leaving, the round-faced woman patted Little Tang Mo’s head. "It’s true what they say, a child with their mother is a treasured thing. Your return made all the difference. Momo’s full of life all of a sudden."
Her house had also collapsed, but thankfully, no one was hurt. She’d been so busy with the chaos that she hadn’t been able to pay much attention to Little Tang Mo. Seeing him so clean and neat in front of her now, she realized she hadn’t taken very good care of him before.
She felt a little guilty.
Su Li looked at the energetic Little Tang Mo and couldn’t help but smile. "He’s just happy to see me. Thank you so much for taking care of him before."
"Don’t be so polite. If you’re this polite, I’ll be too embarrassed to show my face..."
The round-faced woman left, still feeling a little guilty.
"Time to bring Grandma food." Little Tang Mo hadn’t forgotten about Mrs. Tang. He went back to the kitchen, helped Su Li dish out a bowl, and brought it to his grandmother.
Mrs. Tang had injured her left foot and left hand, but she was still able to eat by herself.
After the meal, several more groups of people from Xinghua Village came by.
Everyone greeted Su Li warmly, their faces showing an obvious mix of guilt and a desire to curry favor.
Compared to before, Su Li’s attitude was much colder, but no one dared to complain.
Many of them forced themselves to make a bit of small talk with Su Li before leaving.
For Little Tang Mo’s sake, Su Li had no choice but to stay in Xinghua Village and face these people again, steeling herself to ignore and disregard them.
As the villagers came and went, Su Li also heard more news about Qin Shanshan.
After what happened that day, Qin Shanshan couldn’t stay in the village any longer. She left home before dawn the very next day to go to her uncle’s house.
After such a thing happened, Aunt Li fell gravely ill and was rumored to have not yet fully recovered.
Just as Mrs. Tang said, after acting so arrogantly, things did not go well for the villagers.
Many people’s houses had collapsed. Even the ones that hadn’t collapsed were in a similar state, leaking so badly it was no different from being out in the open.
Ever since the rain started, they had spent day and night at home collecting water from leaks and bailing out what flowed inside. Not a single person in the entire village was doing well.
The sky had been clear for several days now. Those whose houses had collapsed were busy rebuilding, putting up a place to live first, no matter how small.
For those whose houses hadn’t collapsed, their homes and bedding had only just now dried out.
Everyone in Xinghua Village had lost weight and looked utterly dispirited. There were only worried frowns and a bleak, gloomy atmosphere.
Before Su Li returned, some people had been so desperate they’d come to Mrs. Tang to borrow money. But now that Su Li was back, no one dared to ask.
They were too ashamed to ask.
It was strange, but most of the people whose houses had collapsed or who had been injured were the very same ones who had been the most vocal in accusing Su Li of adultery.
No wonder Mrs. Tang thought it was retribution. The villagers didn’t say it out loud, but many of them were thinking the same thing.
It was precisely because they thought this way that their feelings upon seeing Su Li were all the more complex, and why they tried to curry favor with her.
After seeing all these people off, even Su Li was starting to think it was retribution.
