"Mother, you can't take everything. Leave these two books behind, or I won't work as a housekeeper anymore."
Mrs. Li had grown a bit bolder this month. She had devised a way to deal with Mrs. Lai, her mother-in-law, by targeting what mattered to her.
"Oh, Mrs. Li, you've learned to make threats after a month away? Not only have you been seducing other men outside, but you also dare to commit such outrageous acts. Aren't you afraid of being drowned in a pig cage?"
How could Mrs. Lai's years of domineering as a mother-in-law compromise with Mrs. Li's threatening words? She responded with rage and cursing.
"Mother, how can you speak like that? When you speak about your daughter-in-law like this, where does it leave the face of your son?" During the scuffle between Mrs. Lai and his sister for possessions, Hongji thought that it was only fair for a family to share a few items, considering the children still had clothes and shoes.
He didn't understand why Mrs. Li cared so much about those two books but knew that Mrs. Lai's scolding of Mrs. Li was indirectly scolding himself as well.
Only a useless man would make his wife fancy someone else. Moreover, this matter might just be a fabrication by his mother.
"Son, I'm doing this for your own good. I'm disciplining your wife. If I don't keep her in line, she will surely rebel. She was out at a wealthy family's house for a month and even received gifts from someone."
Mrs. Lai felt her dignity challenged as Mrs. Li had learned to resist, which was a direct challenge to her authority.
"Mother, if you truly want what's best for your son, then please don't say those things. The walls have ears. If word gets out, I can't hold my head high outside. If you think my wife behaves improperly outside, then don't let her work as a housekeeper. It's easier for me if she stays at home."
In the past month, acting as both father and mother, Hongji had fully realized Mrs. Li's difficulties. For a strong man like him, maintaining the household was no easy feat; it was uncomfortable living like a monk in his prime.
"Son, you're being foolish. What about the two taels of silver? Mrs. Li can't make money if she stays at home. If she doesn't work as a housekeeper, what will her children eat?"
Mrs. Lai was not only angry but also resentful towards Hongji for siding with his wife, perceiving it as the adage of choosing his wife over his mother.
Seizing the moment, Hongji snatched the two books Mrs. Li cared about from Mrs. Lai's arms.
"Mother, leave the books and please step out. I need to speak privately with my wife."
"You…" Mrs. Lai stared angrily at the two books in her son's hands and glanced at the children's clothes on the bed. Her eyes darted around, and she rushed to grab the clothes laid on the bed, thinking of keeping these fine items for future gifts.
Mrs. Li, now holding the two books, smiled at her husband. She knew Mrs. Lai's aggressive meddler personality wouldn't let the matter rest and watched her movements vigilantly.
She grabbed the handmade children's clothes before Mrs. Lai could take them.
"Mrs. Lai, give me the items, hurry up..." Mrs. Lai, clutching her coat with one hand to protect the toys inside, pointed accusingly at Mrs. Li with the other.
"Mother, our children have never had new clothes before. These are the clothes I made for them, gifted by the Madam. I can't let you take them away to give to someone else."
Tears welled up in Mrs. Li's eyes, filled with sorrow. Making clothes for the children had almost gotten her punished, and she had struggled through many nights sewing under a lamplight.
"Mother…, do you really want to take the clothes I made for our children and give them to someone else? Am I still your son?"
Seeing Mrs. Li cry, whom he hadn't seen for a month, and having taken on both parental roles, Hongji felt deeply that daughters were as precious as sons.
"Who said I was going to give them to someone else? Don't spout nonsense. I'm their grandmother; how could I possibly give their clothes away? I only want to keep the clothes safe. The children don't know any better and might tear or dirty them."
Mrs. Lai, under Hongji's accusing gaze, did not admit to her intentions. She had been bullying Mrs. Li because of her son's filial piety. Over the years, she had relied on her son's devotion to continually torment Mrs. Li and her children. But Hongji was her own son; what if he became disobedient in the future?
"Mother, the children are so well-behaved; they won't dirty their clothes," Hongji assured his mother as he patted his chest, seeing her unwillingness to give back the children's clothes.
Mrs. Lai had nothing to say at that moment, her anger not subsided. Her sharp, triangular eyes glared at Mrs. Li. Now that her son was protecting her, she hadn't been able to do anything to her. But once she went back to work, would she not be able to bully Mrs. Li's children?
Mrs. Li, just wait, this isn't over yet.
As Mrs. Lai left the room, the drama came to a halt.
Mrs. Li packed the children's clothes and shoes properly and glanced around the simple room, finding no place suitable for hiding anything.
Her mother-in-law had once rummaged through her dowry chest, taking the only silver bracelet made for her by her mother, which she hadn't been able to retrieve.
Finally, she settled her gaze on where Wuwa slept. She could use the bundle as a pillow for the baby. The mother-in-law, who never held the baby, surely wouldn't have thought of it, as the clothes and shoes she made were all made of soft cloth.
Mrs. Li really wanted to hold Wuwa longer but couldn't stay too long. She wanted to go to the fields to pick up the children.
With that thought, Mrs. Li closed the room door.
She took off her good clothes and changed into an old outfit, topping it off with a tattered hat.
"Wife, where are you going?" Hongji's gaze was intense as he watched his wife change clothes, swallowing a few times; his heart warmed, longing to hold his wife and keep his eyes fixed on Mrs. Li.
"I'm going to check on Daya and the others outside," Mrs. Li wasn't unaware of Hongji's intense gaze. With so little time, she couldn't afford to indulge in romance, especially since it was broad daylight; she had to avoid her husband's gaze and headed out with her head lowered.
"Uh, alright then!" Hongji had no choice but to hold back, rubbing his hands together tightly.
"Husband, the Madam said I need to be back by the afternoon; I must hurry to see the children," Mrs. Li said, then opened the door and walked out.
"Ah..." Hongji watched his wife's departing figure in bewilderment, his heart aching at the thought of holding his wife at night.
"Hongji, why are you still inside? Come out and get to work," Hongji's father called out while entertaining the driver with tea. The noisy chatter inside the house made him blush and turn pale in front of a guest.
The driver seemed indifferent to the noisy quarrels of the family, showing no reaction on his face.
Feeling that the break was long enough with so much work to do, Hongji's father urgently called for Hongji to come out and work.
"Oh, I'm coming," Hongji called out loudly to the outside and then told Siwa, "Take good care of your sister."
"Dad, Siwa knows," said four-year-old Siwa, who was almost two and strong enough to lift her sister.
Tang Shiqi stared with her round, round eyes, always watching the drama; of course, she knew, having read this book before.
Having transmigrated into this baby girl's body from the book, this family's surname was not Tang but Ye. The elder sisters, being girls, hadn't attracted the grandparents' attention and had not been officially named yet.