Chapter 229: Grandpa Fell in the Fight Between Mother and Daughter-In-Law(1/2)
Li Li was not stupid. Since Han Zhan had said it so bluntly, there was no way Li Li didn’t understand what he meant.
“Do you think my mother usually neglects Beibei like this?”
Han Zhan snorted ambiguously.
Li Li felt like his worldview had been shattered.
Why would my mother be that type of person?
“Is there a misunderstanding? My mother isn’t that kind of person. We’ve depended on each other for so many years. I know her better than you. She wouldn’t do such a thing!”
Li Li and his mother had a very deep relationship. Based on Han Zhan’s conjecture, it was very difficult for Li Li to believe this fact.
After all, he was brought up by his mother and she had suffered a lot for him.
Han Zhan raised his brows and suddenly said, “I finally understand why there are such creatures as mommy’s boy in this world...”
Li Li’s face darkened as he warned Han Zhan. “Mr. Han, be careful with your words.”
Li Li respected Han Zhan, but it didn’t mean that Han Zhan could slander his mother at will.
Seeing that Li Li looked slightly angry, Han Zhan looked at him with a dark gaze and said, “It’s true that your mother treats you well. After all, you are her son and her support. She can spend 99 yuan for you even if there’s only 100 yuan left in the house. I admit that Auntie is a good mother, but Li Li, you have to understand that a good mother might not necessarily be a good mother-in-law.”
“If you don’t believe my conjecture, you can think about it carefully. Has Beibei expressed her unhappiness towards Auntie recently?”
Many men were born with a thick mind when it came to family matters and couldn’t understand a woman’s sensitive emotions. Not to mention Li Li, even Han Zhan himself would sometimes overlook Song Ci’s feelings.
Li Li calmed down and thought about it.
Thinking of this, Li Li really thought of something that he had neglected.
He said, “Half a month ago, Beibei mentioned to me that my mother is old and it’s tough taking care of her. She wants to move back to her own house with me and ask the nanny to take care of her.”
“But I didn’t take it to heart at that time. I even told her that the nanny was not as meticulous as my biological mother. Grandma might not be considerate when taking care of the child, but she definitely didn’t have any bad intentions. Beibei didn’t mention this again after that...”
Speaking of this, Li Li also felt somewhat strange.
Why did Beibei, who had been getting along well with her mother for the past few months, suddenly request to move?
Could it be that the two of them really had a conflict at home?
“I have to investigate this carefully.”
He was Mother Li’s son and Su Beibei’s husband. Being sandwiched between the two women, Li Li could not act properly. He couldn’t easily slander his own mother, but he couldn’t ignore his wife either.
Seeing that Li Li had taken in his words and he had achieved his goal, Han Zhan went downstairs.
By the time Han Zhan and Song Ci returned home, it was already late.
After calling Zhong Buhui to inform him that he wasn’t going back tonight, Han Zhan drove Song Ci to their own home.
There were always part-time cleaners at home, so it was not dirty.
After a busy night, Song Ci didn’t even take a shower. She just wanted to sleep.
Han Zhan came out of the shower and laid on the bed hugging Song Ci. He stroked her big tummy.
Her big tummy was very quiet. It looked like the two little guys were also sleeping.
Han Zhan suddenly bit Song Ci’s ear and asked, “Baby Ci, my grandfather doesn’t treat you badly usually, right?” Han Zhan was traumatized by the Li Family’s dirty deeds.
Song Ci was about to fall asleep but was jolted awake by his words.
“Grandpa dotes on me so much, how could he bear to treat me badly?”
“Just a little.” Song Ci pinched the fat on her arm and said worriedly, “He always tells me to eat more. I’ve already gained weight.”
Han Zhan shook his head and chuckled. “You can lose weight after giving birth.”
“That’s the only way.”
The next morning, Han Zhan went to work and Song Ci accompanied Long Yu to the hospital to visit Su Beibei.
When she arrived, Su Beibei was still unconscious.
Mother Li was lying on the bed beside the nurse. Li Li was dozing off beside Su Beibei’s bed. Song Ci pushed open the door and woke Li Li up.
Li Li looked up and saw that it was Song Ci. He got up and walked over.
“Sister-in-law, shall we go out for a chat?” Li Li obviously didn’t rest well last night and looked very tired.
Song Ci nodded.
The two of them arrived at the lounge area in the middle of the hospital floor. Song Ci supported her pregnant belly and sat down on the metal chair.
Li Li rubbed his eyes and said, “Beibei woke up last night and spoke to me for a while. After knowing that the child was fine, she fell asleep again.”
Hearing this, Song Ci was relieved.
“Madam, there’s something I want to ask you.” Li Li looked very conflicted. He clearly hesitated for a long time before speaking.
Song Ci guessed what Li Li was going to ask. She remained silent and waited for Li Li to ask.
“Go ahead.”
Li Li asked vaguely, “Beibei is very close to you. When you guys chatted on WeChat, did she mention...” Li Li lowered his head and was silent for a few seconds before saying,” How did she mention my mother to you? ”
Song Ci knew that Li Li would ask about this.
Song Ci told Li Li, “Beibei doesn’t like to share private matters with me. We usually chat about novels, movies, or criticizing our friends. But a few days ago, she told me something. At that time, I thought she was just sharing some gossip with me. Now that I think about it, she might be talking about herself.”
Li Li’s expression turned serious. He hurriedly asked Song Ci, “What did she say?”
Song Ci said, “Beibei told me that she has a university classmate who is also pregnant recently. Her husband’s family situation is somewhat similar to hers. Her husband is from a single-parent family and her mother-in-law has suffered a lot to groom her husband.”
“Beibei said that that friend has been complaining to her recently that her mother-in-law is a two-faced woman. She treats her daughter-in-law well in front of her friend’s husband and asks about her well-being meticulously. And when her son isn’t at home, she has another face.”
Song Ci glanced at Li Li.
Li Li could also tell that the so-called friend Su Beibei was referring to was herself!
Beibei said that my mother was a two-faced woman. She had a benevolent and kind face in front of me, but she had another face behind my back?
Is this true?
“Is... is there more?” Li Li’s mood was slightly off.
Song Ci added. “I asked Beibei how that mother-in-law treated her daughter-in-law.”
“Beibei said that in the beginning, Mother-in-Law treated her friend very well. But gradually, when Mother-in-Law realized that her son cared more about his daughter-in-law than her, she felt slightly jealous. When she knew that her son was coming back for dinner, that meal was definitely going to be a splendid one.”
“If the son doesn’t come back, she will just cook two dishes. He also said that her mother-in-law purposely made the dishes that her friend wanted to eat very ordinarily. Her friend could tell that her mother-in-law disliked her and gradually stopped making requests.”
Li Li’s heart was about to explode.
He smiled bitterly and said in a self-deprecating manner, “Perhaps this really only happened to her friend?” Li Li still couldn’t believe that it was true.
Song Ci smiled mockingly. “Beibei said that her friend’s mother-in-law loves to play mahjong. She often goes out to play after lunch. Sometimes, she forgets the time when she plays mahjong and just lets her wife cook something for herself.”
“She also said that her friend’s mother-in-law likes to make dumplings and wantons. She would make a few days worth at once, so her friend often cooks a bowl of dumplings when she is hungry.”
“Li Li, why don’t you ask your mother’s mahjong buddies if your mother was at the market or the mahjong house at 6pm last night?”
Song Ci was angry at Li Li’s incompetence and his neglect of Su Beibei. Her tone was slightly harsh.
It was better to find an older man who knew how to take care of the family.
Li Li was not very reliable.
Poor Beibei.
Song Ci slowly stood up and returned to the ward with a big belly.
When she returned to the ward, Su Beibei was still sleeping, but Mother Li was already awake.
Mother Li was washing her face when she saw Song Ci. She poured some water from the basin and asked, “Song Ci, why are you here so early? It’s not easy for you to run around with such a big belly.”
Song Ci said, “It’s okay. Some pregnant women can cook on their own even when they are about to give birth. This is nothing to me.” Song Ci’s tone was very calm. Hearing this, Mother Li didn’t think much of it.
“Auntie, you must be tired after spending the night here. Why don’t you and Li Li go back and rest first? It’s good to take a shower and change clothes. Long Yu and I will stay here with Su Beibei and come over when Li Li is done cleaning up.”
As Song Ci spoke, Li Li happened to return to the ward.
Seeing that her son had come over, Mother Li asked Li Li, “Ah Li, are you busy at the office? If you are, I will come over alone later. You go to work.”
Li Li said, “Why would I work at this time? I will accompany her.”
Mother Li said, “But your job...”
Li Li interrupted Mother Li and said, “Mother, I work so that my wife, children, and mother can lead a good life. If I leave my wife, who has just gone through a life-and-death situation, in the hospital because of work, do you think I am still human?”
Mother Li was stumped.
Hearing this, Song Ci felt slightly better.
“Sister-in-law, I’ll have to trouble you and Brother Long. We’ll be back soon.”
“Okay.”
After Li Li and his mother left, Song Ci couldn’t help holding Su Beibei’s hand. She looked at Su Beibei’s pale face and thought of her child who was still living in the incubator. She felt especially terrible.
A woman’s life is really not easy.
–
Li Li parked the car at the entrance of a supermarket. He said, “My razor broke. I will go to the supermarket to buy a razor. Mother, wait for me in the car.”
Mother Li also opened the car door. She said, “I’ll go to the market to buy a fish for Beibei. She’s very weak and needs to nourish herself well.”
Hearing his mother’s words, Li Li felt slightly doubtful.
Is my mother really the kind of person Song Ci spoke of?
“Alright then.”
Li Li left the supermarket and bought some candy for Su Beibei. Su Beibei liked to eat this. It was also quite boring to be hospitalized. She might feel better after eating some candy.
After buying the milk candy, Li Li walked into the small market opposite. From afar, he saw his mother squatting in front of the fish vendor selling fish.
There were many fish ponds in front of that stall. The same fish had different prices. The fresh ones were expensive and the dying ones were cheap.
Li Li walked into the fish stall and saw his mother squatting in front of those dying fish, pointing and bargaining with the boss.
Li Li had good hearing and heard his mother say —
“Boss, your fish is dying. It’s not fresh anymore. Sell it to me cheaply!”
The boss said, “It’s not dead yet. I’ll let you have a 1.50 dollar discount at most!”
Seeing that her negotiation failed, Mother Li picked out two of the smallest Yellow Bone Fish with a pained expression.
Li Li’s heart ached at the sight.
He turned around and hurried out of the market. He squatted under a camphor tree outside the market. Li Li’s eyes reddened as he thought of the vows he had made to Su Beibei during their marriage.
I had said before that I wanted to make her happy and give her a carefree life.
But what kind of life did Su Beibei lead after marriage?
Why didn’t that girl tell me the truth?
Mother Li carried the fish out of the market. She was slightly shocked to see Li Li. “Ah Li?”
Li Li stood up and wiped his eyes. He turned and stared at the fish in Mother Li’s bag. “What fish did you buy?”
Mother Li said, “Two Yellow Bone Fish.”
Li Li looked at the quiet bag and asked, “Why isn’t this fish moving?”
Mother Li said, “They’ve akready been slaughtered.”
His family used to sell fish in the past. Li Li knew very well that fish like Yellow Bone Fish were only fresh if they were slaughtered on the spot. “It’s very easy to kill this fish. Why don’t you go home and kill it?”
“Sigh, I’ll do it when I get home anyway. It doesn’t matter if I kill it now!”
Mother Li boarded the car with Li Li. After boarding the car, she continued nagging. “Recently, the price of fish has increased and so has the price of broccoli. The prices are getting higher and higher and the money is running out.”
Li Li told Mother Li, “Mother, I can earn money and am very good at it. You don’t have to be so thrifty.”
“Aiyo, that’s your hard-earned money. Can you spend it just because you have money?”
With that, Mother Li started to complain. “Beibei is still the fiercest when it comes to spending money. Any dress costs 10,000 to 20,000 yuan. My heart aches just looking at it. Isn’t that just a piece of fabric? Won’t it hurt to buy such an expensive one?”
“This child doesn’t know how to live.”
Mother Li had also said this in the past, but she didn’t mention it often. Li Li treated it as if his mother had worked hard her entire life and was thrifty her entire life, so she couldn’t stand Su Beibei’s lifestyle and said this casually.
But after hearing those words from Song Ci, the smart Li Li felt that his mother was brainwashing him by saying such enticing words. It made him feel like Su Beibei was a spendthrift.
Li Li took advantage of the red light and turned to say to Mother Li, “Mother, Beibei is a novelist. Her annual copyright fees, royalties, and other adaptations are not a small sum. It’s enough for her to buy a few dresses that are over 10,000 yuan and nice bags.”
“Not to mention that she spent her own money, it’s only right for her to spend your son’s money!”
Stunned, Mrs. Li said, “She shouldn’t spend money like this even if she’s rich... She just doesn’t have parents to support her. She doesn’t know that it’s not easy to get money.”
Hearing his mother attack Su Beibei’s orphan background, Li Li suddenly growled. “Mother! Don’t say such things again!”
Mother Li’s expression froze.
Firstly, it was because his son had suddenly raised his voice. Secondly, it was because his son was overly protective of Su Beibei.
“Why are you scolding me? I just said a few words casually. I didn’t say it in front of her!” Mother Li didn’t feel that she was in the wrong at all. She felt that everything she said was reasonable.
“You’re talking about spending money. I’ve never seen a lady who can spend as much as Beibei. Look, your Auntie Zhang’s wife’s most expensive clothes are only 800 yuan!”
Li Li couldn’t help retorting. “Auntie Zhang’s daughter-in-law runs a small restaurant and your daughter-in-law is a writer. How can we compare? You only see that her daughter-in-law is thrifty, but you don’t see that your daughter-in-law is talented. Who doesn’t praise her as a talented girl?”
Mother Li’s eyes reddened at Li Li’s fierce words.
She said, “You just like her and protect her. Ever since you got a wife, you forgot about your mother. You forgot who saved up money to give you books. That year, when our family was so poor that we didn’t have the money to buy rice, I had to make sure you were full even if I wasn’t.”
“Your life is better now. You are so successful now, but you are already despising a vulgar mother like me.”
Mother Li started to spout nonsense.
Hearing this, Li Li felt angry for the first time.
Li Li was enraged and his voice turned cold. He said to his mother, “Mother, do you want to write about how you raised your child painstakingly and publish it in a book? Perhaps some film company will take a fancy to it and buy the rights to film a television drama. By then, the entire country will know that I, Li Li, was raised by you!”
Being mocked by Li Li, Mother Li widened her eyes and started crying silently.
Li Li suppressed his anger and didn’t coax her.
Arriving at the district, Li Li had just parked his car when Mother Li opened the door with reddened eyes and carried the two fish upstairs.
Li Li suddenly called out to her. “Mother.”
Mother Li thought that Li Li was going to apologize to her. She turned around smugly and looked at Li Li.
But Li Li stared at the fish bag in her hand and said, “Mother, that lady whom you despise so much is my favorite girl. She is my baby. Don’t bring such a dying Yellow Bone Fish to Beibei. She is delicate and expensive. It is harsh on her to eat this.”
Mother Li’s expression changed slightly.
“You...”
She realized that Li Li had seen her buying fish.
Not wanting Li Li to hate her, Mother Li instinctively said, “Li Li, when I bought this fish, it was still breathing. It’s not a dead fish! It’s okay!”
Li Li felt very tired knowing that he couldn’t reason with his mother. “I’m going to buy something.”
Li Li turned and walked out of the community, his face full of fatigue.
Li Li arrived at the mahjong house outside the community.
Seeing Li Li, Auntie Zhang waved at him. As she played her cards, she looked up and asked him, “Li Li, I heard that your wife acted up last night? Did she give birth? Is it a boy or a girl?”
Su Beibei’s due date was these few days. They didn’t know that Su Beibei had given birth last night due to massive bleeding and thought that she had acted up normally.
Li Li followed their lead. “It’s a boy.”
“Aiyo, you are so lucky to have a boy in your first pregnancy.”
Li Li’s attitude towards boys and girls was the same. Hearing what the auntie said, he couldn’t be bothered to argue with them.
Auntie Zhang added, “Yesterday, when we were playing mahjong, your mother said that Beibei’s due date was still three to four days away. Why did she suddenly give birth? Your mother was so agitated when she received your wife’s call to say that she was giving birth. She must be overjoyed to have a male grandson.”
Li Li’s expression remained unchanged as he smiled at Auntie Zhang. “Yes, it acted up a few days in advance. Yesterday, when Beibei flared up, my mother was still playing mahjong with you guys, right?”
“Yes, I didn’t expect your wife to give birth a few days in advance.” Auntie Zhang didn’t realize that Li Li was trying to trick her and didn’t pay attention to his words.
Li Li chatted a little more with Auntie Zhang before turning to leave.
On the way back to the community, Li Li’s expression was dark.
It turned out that when Beibei bled profusely at home last night and nearly lost her life, his mother was not on the way to buy fish but at the mahjong table!
Ever since Mother Li underwent surgery, Li Li forbade Mother Li from going to work again, so Mother Li found herself a hobby of playing mahjong.
Before he got married, Mother Li stayed at the mahjong house every day. After Su Beibei got pregnant, they got married and stayed together. Mother Li was rather happy then. Thinking that she was going to be a grandmother, she stopped playing mahjong and stayed at home to accompany Su Beibei.
Li Li thought that his mother never went to the mahjong house again.
She was even playing mahjong during mealtime. It was obvious how addicted her mother was to mahjong.
And Su Beibei had never told him about this!
Why didn’t she say so?
Li Li was deep in thought the entire way home. He didn’t see Mother Li in the living room or the dining room.
Guessing that Mother Li was probably sulking in her room, Li Li walked to the door and was about to knock when he heard her mother crying.
Li Li stood at the door and waited for a while before knocking.
Some things couldn’t be avoided just by crying.
Hearing the knock on the door, Mother Li hurriedly wiped her tears.
Li Li opened the door and entered the house. He looked at his mother with tears streaming down her face. “Are you crying?”
Mother Li’s wrinkled face was filled with self-mockery. “My son bullied me for a woman. Shouldn’t I cry?”
Li Li felt very tired.
This kind of fatigue was even more tiring than working overtime for a week.
He walked to the windowsill of his mother’s room and sat down.
Looking at his mother’s aged face, Li Li couldn’t bear to look at her face. He looked elsewhere and said, “I met Auntie Zhang just now.”
Not understanding why Li Li suddenly mentioned Auntie Zhang, Mother Li asked him, “What’s the matter with meeting her?”
“She told me that you received a call from Beibei yesterday. After knowing that Beibei was about to give birth, you left your mahjong game in surprise and ran off.”
Hearing this, Mother Li’s expression froze slightly.
She felt slightly guilty as her eyes twinkled. “She must have remembered wrongly. I didn’t even go to play yesterday...”
“Mother.”
Mother Li glanced at Li Li sheepishly. “Mmm?”
Li Li clenched his fists. “I know a service company with a very good reputation. They have a very good nanny.”
Mother Li frowned. “What? You want to hire a nanny? I can just take care of Beibei. I am in good health and it won’t be a problem to take care of a pregnant woman.”
“Mother!” Li Li interrupted Mother Li’s incessant chatter. “I will find a reliable and capable nanny to take care of you.”
Mother Li was stunned.
“Li Li, what do you mean?” Mother Li’s expression changed.
Li Li said, “Perhaps every child’s love for their parents is inferior to their parents’ love for their children. I know that you have suffered your entire life for me. I should be filial to you.”
“But Mother, everything in this world is difficult. If I am filial to you, I will be letting Beibei down and my child down.”
“I am now a man with a family. I must protect my wife and my child. Mother, I am sorry. I intend to move out with Beibei.”
“I’ll let you stay in this house alone. When I am on leave, I will also bring Beibei and my grandson back to visit you. Since you like to play mahjong, focus on playing mahjong and enjoy your retirement. Leave the cooking, mopping the floor, and washing clothes to the nanny.”
Li Li finished what he wanted to say calmly.
With that, Li Li saw his mother sitting on the bed like she had been struck by lightning, staring at him silently.
Li Li lowered his head.
He knew that his decision was very cruel to his mother, but he had no choice. He couldn’t think of a win-win solution and could only do so.
He couldn’t let Su Beibei suffer just to make his mother happy. Nor could he change wives.
historical
Mother Li suddenly grabbed her cell phone from the bedside table and threw it at Li Li’s chest.
Li Li endured the blow and didn’t move.
Mother Li broke down and cried. She scolded Li Li. “Li Li, you are really a jerk! You were really bewitched by Su Beibei! You actually abandoned me for her!”
“Have you forgotten what kind of life we had in the past? I raised you painstakingly. You, Li Li, can’t live without me today! Now that you’ve grown up, you really don’t want me anymore?”
“Li Li, how can you do this to me?!”
Li Li lowered his head and apologized with reddened eyes. “I’m sorry, Mother. I am unfilial.”
“Don’t apologize!”
Mother Li pointed at her own face and scolded. “Look at my face! Look, we are both in our fifties, but your Auntie Zhang looks like she is in her forties. What about me? I am like that old woman in her sixties or seventies!”
“Li Li, your father is a coward. He knocked someone down and died. He handed you over to me! I am a woman. It is not easy for me to support myself and my child. Do you know that?!”
“That Su Beibei, her parents were knocked into the river by your father and drowned. In order to compensate her, we sold our only house!”
After that, we were homeless and had nowhere to go. Have you forgotten the hard times of renting houses everywhere?!”
“At the end of the day, our hardships have something to do with Su Beibei!”
After scolding her, Mother Li shut her mouth and sat by the bed, hitting her own chest hard as she panted heavily.
nly after hearing Mother Li’s scolding did Li Li realize what the problem was.
“You hate Beibei and can’t stand her at all times. Is it because you know about her parents?”
Li Li was still wondering why his mother’s attitude towards Beibei had suddenly changed.
So Mother knew about Su Beibei’s parents!
This was the problem!
“Yes, I knew! It was too late when I found out. You two were already married then. If I found out about this before the wedding, you two wouldn’t be able to get married!”
She didn’t want her son to get a divorce and she couldn’t get along with Su Beibei without any ill feelings. As a result, she could only ignore Su Beibei and target her at all times, making her unhappy.
Mother Li felt terrible after suffering all those years!
Li Li looked at his mother’s fierce expression and finally realized that there was a dead knot between his mother and Su Beibei. If it was just a simple in-laws relationship, then living separately might solve this problem.
But Mother hated Su Beibei...
Li Li sighed. “Mother, since you hate Beibei so much, Beibei will never appear in front of you again. In the future, when I go home, I will only bring my son back.”
“But you must know one thing.”
When his mother looked up at him, Li Li looked into her eyes and told her, “Su Beibei is my wife. You can hate her and not like her, but you are not allowed to hurt her.”
“Similarly, I will also request Beibei not to speak ill of you. Just treat the two of you as strangers.”
Li Li packed a few sets of clothes and left the house.
Once he left the house, he called the housekeeping company and got them to send someone to clean up Su Beibei’s house.
—
Su Beibei was completely awake the next day.
She opened her eyes and narrowed them at Li Li, who was standing under the blinding sunlight. Having survived a disaster, she felt like crying when sh-->>