Free Web NovelChapter 483: Chapter 483: Vicious Mother-in-Law 29
Ma Xiangling stared at her incredulously, "Mom, you’re too much, you actually want me to take things from my husband’s family to bring back to my own family. Mom, what do you think of me? Do you want me to become a sister who sacrifices everything for her brothers? Sob... Brothers are your sons, but I am also your daughter. How can you favor boys over girls? Mom, how have you changed like this? Weren’t you the one who loved me the most? You even said you would save money for me to keep, and now you’re holding onto my dowry money. If word gets out, aren’t you afraid of being laughed at?"
Yuan Chun retorted confidently, "What’s there to laugh at? In our village, when daughters get married, the dowry and betrothal gifts are always withheld. The families that don’t keep the dowry and betrothal gifts are rare exceptions."
"Lingzi, it wasn’t easy for Mom to raise you. Don’t you think about how much money I spent on you from when you were little until now? Every year, you used three bottles of Snow Cream, needed a new outfit for each of the four seasons, and the snacks you wanted to eat every day—calculate how much I’ve spent on you. It’s not a thousand, it’s at least eight hundred."
"Also, you’re always craving food. Half of the eggs at home were given to your third brother, and the other half went into your mouth. Lingzi, from when you were little until now, Mom hasn’t mistreated you, so don’t be ungrateful."
"Sob... Mom, if you really care about me, don’t just send me over alone. Otherwise, I can’t live in the Han family in the future. Sob... At least prepare a dowry for me."
"Oh, your wool coat, you can wear it over there on the day, and all your clothes, shoes, and other personal items, you can take with you."
Yuan Chun considered herself to have some conscience; otherwise, even with Ma Xiangling, a thankless person who can watch her own mother die without chipping in, she wouldn’t let her take a single thing, and no one would dare say anything.
After all, she’s her mother.
Ma Xiangling cried and asked angrily, "Mom, what about the quilt, the celebratory bowls, and the shoes I have to give to my in-laws after the wedding? Aren’t you going to prepare those for me?"
In this place, it is customary for a new daughter-in-law to give her in-laws a pair of shoes as a token of respect.
Yuan Chun nodded, "I’ll prepare the shoes for your in-laws, and I’ll give you two celebratory basins, as well as a pair of enamel mugs, soap, and towels."
A lot of defective goods were bought last time, including many items that were intended as dowry for Ma Xiangling.
She may not want to prepare a dowry for Ma Xiangling, but she’s still going to prepare some of the dowry that the local customs require from the bride’s family.
After all, the Ma family still cares about face.
"The quilt you sleep in is indeed a bit old, so I plan to add cotton and replace the cover. You can take it to your in-laws’ place."
Upon hearing this, Ma Xiangling started crying again.
"Mom, that quilt is old and ragged, stiff and not warm at all. It can’t be used to cover anything. I don’t want that quilt. You need to buy me two new quilts. Mom, you’ve withheld my betrothal money; you can’t not even give me two new quilts."
"Lingzi, Mom doesn’t have cotton tickets. How can I buy them for you? Your wedding date is set so quickly, I didn’t have time to save up cotton tickets. Even the cotton I’m adding to your quilt is what I had planned to use for my own cotton-padded jacket. If you weren’t my own daughter, I wouldn’t have been willing to give it to you."
"Sigh, since your wedding is set so hasty, Lingzi, instead of pushing me, why don’t you ask your third sister-in-law? She works at the supply and marketing cooperative. She can definitely help you find two quilts. After all, she wouldn’t want her sister-in-law to marry her superior empty-handed. She’s your matchmaker, and if you marry too poorly, she would lose face too."
