Free Web NovelChapter 476: Chapter 476: Vicious Mother-in-law 22
Soon, it was the twelfth lunar month; the weather was gradually getting colder. Yuan Chun took out twenty yuan and bought Qian Hongmei and her two daughters each a new cotton-padded jacket and a new pair of cotton shoes.
Ma Xiangling was envious and resentful as she pouted to her mother, "Mom, the cotton-padded jacket I made last year is worn out and not warm. Could you buy me a wool coat? I heard the department store recently got a batch of wool coats; they’re really pretty."
Slap slap...
Yuan Chun raised her hand and slapped her twice.
"Shameless fool, I see I’ve been hitting you too infrequently lately. Do you have the gall to dig your own grave? Is a wool coat something someone like you, who digs in the dirt for food, can wear?"
"You barely earn six work points a day, which isn’t enough to support yourself, and you still dream of wearing a wool coat. Can you afford it? Even if I sold you, I couldn’t afford a wool coat."
Yuan Chun glared at her with disdain. "Look at your pathetic self. Forget wearing a wool coat; even if you were decked out in gold and silver, you wouldn’t shed that rural stench."
Ma Xiangling covered her face, tears streaming down as she complained, "Boohoo, this rural stench is all your fault for forcing me to work in the fields. Otherwise, my skin wouldn’t be so tanned and rough. Mom, look at my hands, full of thick calluses from months of work."
Slap slap slap...
Yuan Chun slapped her a few more times. "Ungrateful thing, a few days without a beating and you forget yourself. You thought you had it tough? Back when you were studying, with your hands never touching a drop of spring water, and had your nieces serving you, when did you ever feel wronged?"
"Each time you tricked money out of me to buy snow cream, scarves, new clothes, and new shoes, did you ever feel wronged?"
"I only made you work in the fields to earn work points and support yourself, and you feel it’s too much. You just want to enjoy life like a lady without putting in the effort."
"Don’t want to do farm work? Then go find a job. I didn’t invest in your education for nothing. You read so many books but can’t find a job; who’s to blame for that? Surely you don’t expect me to support you, do you?"
"Pah, I’m not beholden to you. I’ve supported you all these years, and you still expect me to keep doing it? Keep dreaming."
Yuan Chun kicked her, "Get out, get out, get out of my room. I don’t want to see you. Seeing you, this ungrateful wretch, just makes me angry."
What else could Ma Xiangling say?
After taking a few slaps, the courage she had worked hard to muster crumbled. She covered her aching face, sobbed, and ran out.
That night, Ma Xiangling didn’t return home.
Ma Xiangdong was worried about his sister, "Mom, let’s have Hongmei go look for Lingzi at some of her friends’ places. It’s getting dark, and Lingzi’s never returned this late before."
Yuan Chun snorted, "Eldest, don’t worry about her. She’s old enough; she won’t go missing."
"Mom, Lingzi’s a girl; I’m worried..."
"Eldest, don’t worry about her; she must have gone to the third child’s house." Yuan Chun already knew from 007 where Ma Xiangling was.
After running out, Ma Xiangling went to the county town.
She went to Ma Laosan’s house.
Ma Xiangling poured out her grievances to Ma Laosan and then coyly demanded money and tickets from him, wanting to buy a wool coat.
Ma Laosan and Wang Yingying turned their wages in to the family every month, so there wasn’t any money left. Even if the couple scrimped and saved a little, they couldn’t bear to spend it on a wool coat for Ma Xiangling.
