country bumpkin

Chapter 23 Old Lady Wu

In mid-November of the lunar calendar, dark, ink-black clouds pressed down heavily.

Snowflakes began to fall, and gradually, the density of the snow increased, and the speed was much faster than at the beginning. The sky turned into a silvery white expanse, like a sky full of white butterflies dancing gracefully, or like pure white fireworks falling from the sky.

Snowflakes fell in a flurry, as if the whole world was shrouded in a white veil.

People flocked indoors to enjoy the warmth of the fireplace. A chill permeated the streets and alleys, with only a few pedestrians hurrying by, leaving behind a trail of deep and shallow footprints.

In this quiet village, there is a small thatched hut, from which wisps of smoke rise, adding a touch of life to the cold winter day.

Inside the house, an elderly woman sat on the bed, needle and thread in her hand, mending a worn-out cotton-padded coat. Her gaze was focused and gentle, as if telling a story of time through the fine stitches.

This is Gao Qinglian's mother, Wu Guilan. She is 68 years old this year, with a full head of white hair and a face full of wrinkles.

She was wearing a black cotton-padded jacket and trousers, with several small holes in the sleeves. The exposed cotton was already black.

She became a widow at the age of 40 when her husband died in an accident while working in the production team. She and her children were left to depend on each other for survival.

She has one son and two daughters. Her eldest daughter, Gao Qinglian, and her second daughter, Gao Qingzhi, like her sister, are married in the same village and often come to visit her.

She also had a son, Gao Yunfei, who got married and had one son and two daughters, but he didn't care whether Granny Wu lived or died.

Her two daughters also came to their elder brother to reason with him, questioning his neglect of their mother and threatening to report him to the village committee. The argument ended badly, with no resolution reached. Old Mrs. Wu was left only in the dilapidated thatched hut of the old house.

Both of Wu Guilan's daughters came to pick her up and offer her a place to stay. But the old woman refused to go to either house, saying she felt more at ease staying in her own little corner of the world.

She also knew that her eldest daughter had a bad temper. There were so many other children in the family, and her husband wasn't a good-tempered man either; he would curse and hit her at the drop of a hat, and she had suffered a lot of grievances at her in-laws' house.

When Gao Qinglian came to visit her, she often advised her daughter: "Qinglian, you also came from the clutches of a wicked mother-in-law, so why can't you be nicer to your eldest daughter-in-law? It's not easy being a woman. Don't hold grudges against the younger generation. You'll understand when you get old and need people."

Gao Qinglian disagreed, "Mother, she has to suffer all the hardships I endured. Why should today's daughters-in-law enjoy a life of luxury while I was tormented by my mother-in-law and beaten by my husband? Besides, my useless eldest son never laid a finger on her."

Old Mrs. Wu shook her head and questioned, "Then why don't you treat your second daughter-in-law like this? Why?"

Gao Qinglian said, "How can that be the same? The second son is smart, he went to school and is literate, so he's capable. I'll be counting on him to take care of me when I'm old. His wife is also shrewd; I can't do without her. If both sons turn against me, who will I be able to rely on when I'm old?"

Old Mrs. Wu waved her hand, "Those who don't listen to their elders will suffer the consequences. Do as you please!" and said no more.

It's snowing heavily today, and the second daughter has come to visit her elderly mother again.

Gao Qingzhi entered the house and saw her mother mending clothes for her, a feeling of deep emotion welling up inside her. She gently walked to her mother's side, knelt down, and took her mother's hand.

"Mother, it's so cold, don't overwork yourself," Gao Qingzhi said with concern.

Wu Guilan smiled at her daughter, "It's alright, I can still do it. Once this garment is mended, you can wear it for a few more days."

Tears welled up in Gao Qingzhi's eyes. "Mother, you've worked hard your whole life. It's time for us to be filial to you."

Wu Guilan patted her daughter's hand, "As long as you are doing well, I am happy."

The snow was still falling outside the window, but the house was filled with warmth and family affection.

Gao Qingzhi married Li Daniu, the village butcher, and they had two daughters and a son. She was like Granny Wu in personality—gentle and virtuous. Perhaps because she was the youngest in the family, her mother and brother doted on her.

My older brother changed after he married my sister-in-law; he listens to her in everything. She's also the one who runs the household.

Gao Qingzhi's family was doing fairly well, but her husband was a mama's boy. Her mother-in-law ruled the household, mistreating her and cutting back on her food allowance. Her mother-in-law, on the other hand, wore new cotton-padded coats and shoes, showing them off everywhere. Her husband listened to his mother and ignored her completely.

Her son and husband were all dressed in new clothes and shoes. Only she and her two daughters wore cotton-padded jackets and trousers with holes and patches.

Old Mrs. Wu felt sorry for her daughter, so she found a cotton-padded jacket and trousers that a wealthy family had thrown away, took out the cotton inside, and used them to mend the jacket and trousers for her youngest daughter.

"Qingzhi, next time you come, bring the two girls with you. Let them snuggle into the quilt to warm up, and I'll mend their clothes and change the cotton padding. The cotton in their old cotton-padded jackets from last year is all stiff and they're not warm enough to wear."

Gao Qingzhi's eyes were red, and tears welled up in them. She had married into a family that wasn't poor, so why had things turned out like this? And now she was even causing her mother so much trouble.

Gao Qingzhi nodded bitterly, knowing her mother always worried about them. She secretly vowed to herself and her children to give them a better life.

A few days later, when Gao Qingzhi brought her two daughters to her parents' home, Old Mrs. Wu felt a pang of sadness when she saw her granddaughters wearing tattered cotton clothes.

She quickly took out the new cotton she had prepared and began mending their cotton-padded clothes. The two sisters took off their cotton-padded jackets and trousers and crawled into bed to keep warm.

Old Mrs. Wu added a few shovelfuls of charcoal, making the house warm and cozy. The charcoal was delivered by the village head; the brigade committee had helped struggling households apply for relief.

Back at his in-laws' house, Li Daniu and his mother didn't realize their mistake. They continued to do as they pleased, showing no concern for Gao Qingzhi and her daughters.

However, Gao Qingzhi had already made up her mind to change the status quo. She began to quietly save money, planning to leave this home and find happiness for herself and her children.

Even if she had to suffer alongside her mother, she would be happier than living in the Li family. No one in her husband's family treated her and her daughter like human beings.

Every day after closing up shop, Li Daniu would go to the toilet first. He would put his money bag on the bedside table and cover it with the blanket, as if afraid Gao Qingzhi would see it.

After all these years together, it's hard not to know. Gao Qingzhi secretly slipped to the bedside, quietly lifted the quilt, grabbed a handful of banknotes, stuffed them into her shoes, rolled up her trousers and socks, and tiptoed to the kitchen.

Li Daniu usually doesn't go to the kitchen, except when it's mealtime. Gao Qingzhi hid the money in an old, unused jar. Then she kicked the jar to a corner of the wall.

This corner is filled with broken old bowls, shattered frames, and rotten jars. No one would notice.

Anyway, she's the one who cooks every day; her mother-in-law is always visiting neighbors and showing off, never home. When she does come back, she never goes into the kitchen. She complains about the grease and soot, saying everything is dirty. She lives like a landlady.

Gao Qingzhi plans to save up more money before taking her daughter away. Otherwise, how will she support her child?

People say that marrying well is worse than working hard. No matter how capable a woman is, if she marries a scumbag, she'll still suffer. Isn't it better not to marry at all and be beautiful on her own?