Chapter 2: Patriarchal Grandma Su Part 1
Sun Qiufang listened to the old lady's words, her face alternating between shades of blue and white. Suddenly, she couldn't hold back her emotions, and her aggrieved eyes turned red. She gazed at the old lady and said, "Mom, speak with a conscience. You said that Changrong work at the brick kiln should be given to Changfu, and Dad's work will be given to Changrong in the future?"
After saying this, she wiped her tears with the back of her hand and continued, "You and Dad proposed this arrangement, and we didn't object. Over the past few years, Changrong has been dutifully working at home, awaiting the time when Dad would retire from his job in the unit and be able to take over. Now that Dad is finally retiring, why is Changfu being asked to take over again?"
"That's exactly what I've said." Grandma Su appeared rigid, but she didn't feel guilty at all. In fact, she spoke with confidence, "I didn't anticipate the commune's brick kiln to fall apart so quickly. Isn't Changfu already back to farming? Moreover, you can't give birth anymore in this body and only have a daughter. Can it be passed to her? If Changfu takes over, it can eventually be passed on to Cancan. This is the legacy of our Lao Su family."
"I've been meaning to say, sister-in-law, if you had a son, I wouldn't argue without reason," Su Changfu interjected after taking a sip of wine. "What kind of rivalry would I have with my brother? Don't you think so? But we should also consider the old Su family's interests. If the eldest brother get the job, even if he intends to pass it on to Cancan in the future, it still wouldn't sit will. And it will just get messy again."
"That's right, if it's not intended for Cancan, should we bestow it upon your son-in-law?" Li Yulan taunted, raising an eyebrow.
Su Min observed this familiar scene. She had witnessed it rarely before. Just because she was a girl, her parents couldn't counter these arguments. Must she let these people ruin things again in her second life?
Absolutely not!
However, at present, she finds herself unable to say anything.
She must gradually change the situation. First and foremost, she needs to convince her parents to leave the house; otherwise, she'll be subjected to the torment of these blood-sucking insects for the rest of her life.
Sun Qiufang didn't eat much during the meal. She only managed a few bites before retreating to her room.
Su Min quickly followed to offer comfort.
As they left, sarcastic voices from Grandma Su and Li Yulan could be heard in the background.
Upon entering the room, Sun Changrong also arrived with an expression of helplessness. Seeing his wife crying on the bed, he felt anxious and tried to console her, "Qiufang, don't take it to heart. My mother is just like that."
Su Min handed a handkerchief to Sun Qiufang and wiped her face. Upon hearing her father's words, she retorted angrily, "Dad, Mom has endured enough. Must she continue to endure? This is not the first time. It has always been like this. Just because I'm a girl, does my mother have to bear this injustice?"
She couldn't comprehend why her mother was being looked down upon by everyone just because she gave birth to a daughter.
Su Changrong also felt remorseful, yet he was more embarrassed. "Well, this is a situation we can't do much about. It's hard for the family to openly quarrel about it. Don't you think so?
Sun Qiufang raised her head from the quilt and remarked, "If your parents really dislike me so much, let's get divorce. You can find another woman who can bear you a son. I'll take Minzi and beg for food."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Su Changrong approached, seated himself on the edge of the bed, and gazed at Sun Qiufang. He said, "It's been over the years. There's no need to argue about such matters. Let's maintain the harmony of our family."
Listening to these words, the long-buried resentment in Su Min couldn't be contained. She clenched her fist and exclaimed, "Dad, tell me, what future do you envision living a life in such confusion? Neither you nor Mom have a penny. Have you ever thought about how second uncle has lived his life compared to yours over the past few decades? Who doesn't save money to build a house nowadays? Does our family have money? Even if I'm able to continue my studies now, it still depends on my grandmother opinion. If she's not willing, I won't be able to continue my study anymore."
Su Changrong listened and fell into silence. The issue of the child's tuition fees was indeed a challenge for him.
Observing their silence, Su Min continued, "Look at Third Aunt's family – her two brothers have moved out and are living independently. Each family has their own space. You can save money and do as you please. Why must we continue living together? I'm all grown up, and yet I still share a room with you. What am I supposed to do when I become a grown woman?"
"Oh..." Su Changrong sighed, "It's all my fault. I don't have the means to build a house now. If we were to move out without having a place to go, where would we live?"
Su Changrong had indeed contemplated moving out earlier, but as the eldest son, he found it difficult to bring up the topic, fearing that it might be interpreted as his reluctance to support the elderly. Moreover, there was no extra house available at home. Where could they possibly move to?
"Move to the city," Su Min said resolutely. "Even if we have to sleep under a bridge, it would be better than staying in this house. With the hard work and determination of our family, we won't starve. No matter how tough or exhausting it is, we can endure it. It's still better than living here without any hope."
"You're speaking nonsense," Su Changrong ruffled her hair and said. "Even living in the village is hard and we still go in the city. Isn't it a joke? Oh well, forget it. You're still young. Don't worry about these matters. Go wash up quickly and go to bed."
With that, he turned to Sun Qiufang and added, "I know you're feeling wronged, but there's nothing we can do about it. This job belong to Dad, and he's unwilling to pass it to me. Trying to forcibly take it from him won't help. Don't be upset, okay?"
Sun Qiufang didn't respond. She turned away and looked at the wall.
Seeing her like this, Su Changrong sighed, got up and left the room.
Seeing them both exit the room, Su Min felt a mixture of emotions. Her father's optimism contrasted with her mother's quiet despair. She understood from her own experiences what lay ahead, but her parents were unaware. Yet, being young, her words weren't taken seriously.
She settled on the bed, lying on her own small cot.
Gazing at the worn-out roof, she was reminded of the countless solitary days and nights she had spent in this house in her previous life.
No, staying here any longer was not an option.
She had to gather the courage to urge her parents to make the difficult decision – to leave this house with whatever money they had.
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