Chapter 25: Every Family Has Its Own Troubles (3)

"Finished so soon?" Su Qiao was surprised by how quickly Fang Xiaoying had eaten.

"Yes." Fang Xiaoying blushed slightly in front of her mother. "At the educated youth site, everyone fought for food. If you were a bit slow, the meal would be gone. And the Chen family..." Fang Xiaoying found the memories too painful to revisit.

Seeing the deep, suppressed anguish in her daughter's eyes, Su Qiao cursed the people at the Fang family estate once more in her heart. As for the Chen family, she mentally dragged each one of them out to curse their ancestors.

Noticing that half a container of dumplings remained in her mother's lunch box, Fang Xiaoying urged her to eat more. "Mom, these are chive-filled dumplings. In this weather, they'll spoil by tomorrow morning. You should eat a few more."

"Mom is truly full; I can't eat that much."

"What should we do then? Such good food, it’ll be ruined by morning."

"It’s fine, Mom will find a way." Su Qiao thought that if they couldn't finish the dumplings, she could hide them away in her supermarket stash when no one was looking.

With a plan in mind, Su Qiao picked up the two lunch boxes. "Xiaoying, Mom is going to the washroom to rinse these. If you need anything, just call out for me."

"Mom, I'll go with you." Having eaten her fill, Fang Xiaoying wanted to walk around with her mother for a bit.

Su Qiao realized that if they both left, the hospital room would be empty. If someone light-fingered wandered in and things went missing, they wouldn't be able to clear their names. She told her daughter, "Xiaoying, you stay in the room for a while longer. Once someone returns, I’ll come back and help you out for a walk."

"Alright."

Su Qiao took the lunch boxes toward the washroom, but before she reached it, she heard voices coming from inside.

"Dad, Mom, when are you coming home?"

Master Zhou, a straightforward man, spoke his mind. "The doctor says my leg still needs a few more days before I can be discharged."

Sister-in-law Zhou was more perceptive. "Youngest, tell Mom, what’s the matter?"

"Mom, nothing’s wrong..." Thinking of what his sister-in-law had said, Zhou Jiabao hung his head, looking timid and dejected.

Sister-in-law Zhou had a short temper; seeing her youngest son’s expression, she knew he had been bullied. "Jiabao, tell Mom the truth. Was it your eldest and second sisters-in-law talking nonsense again?"

"No, nothing." Saying the final word, Zhou Jiabao looked utterly defeated. "Mom, I’ve been eating very little, but my sisters-in-law still tell each other that I’m eating their white rice for free."

"Well, you two, Wang Meijie and Liu Xiaona, how dare you scheme and call my son a freeloader!" Hearing her youngest son's words, Sister-in-law Zhou was furious. "Even if my son eats white rice, he's eating what his father and I provided. It has nothing to do with them!"

"That's right! We haven't been home for a few days, and those two have gotten arrogant."

"Those little brats! When the tiger is away, they play king. Once I get back, I’m splitting the household!"

Upon hearing his mother mention dividing the family assets, Zhou Jiabao’s eyes lit up. "Mom, when are you splitting the family? If you do, will I finally be allowed to sit at the table for dinner?"

"What? Jiabao, tell Mom, where have you been eating these past few days?"

"On the kitchen counter. My eldest sister-in-law said that since you and Dad weren't home, they were eating in their own rooms. She said it wasn't appropriate for a brother-in-law to enter their rooms."

"And your eldest and second brothers didn't say anything?"

"No."

"Those two spineless cowards! Fengqin, help me get home. I’ll break their legs!"

"Dad, you can't get angry. Your leg hasn't healed yet; you can't go home."

"I’m so angry I could die!"

"Now, now, Old Zhou, don't act rashly. If something happens to your leg, what will become of our third, fourth, and youngest sons?"

"That's right, my third brother is still in the countryside."

"Those two little rascals... just wait until I’m out of the hospital."

"Old Zhou, it's good we know what they are like now. Once you're discharged, we'll split the household."

"Yes. It's just that my youngest has suffered these past few days."

"Dad, it's okay. I can hold out for a few more days."

"Ah, my youngest is still the most sensible."

"Dad, Mom, please hurry and eat. I have to go back."

"Jiabao, have you had dinner?"

"No. My eldest sister-in-law told me to go back and eat."

Hearing this, Sister-in-law Zhou understood everything. "That wicked woman! We’re still out here earning money, and she treats Jiabao like this."

"Jiabao, eat with us."

"Dad, I’ll go back. You and Mom eat."

"It’s just this one container of thin rice soup and two steamed buns; there’s nothing worth splitting. Come, Jiabao, you and I will share, and your dad can have the whole one."

Zhou Jiabao knew that even if he went back, there would be no dinner for him. Just as he hesitated whether to take the bun his mother offered, he heard someone call out from outside the washroom: "Sister-in-law Zhou!"

"Yes? Is there something you need, sister?"

Seeing that no one was paying attention, Su Qiao lowered her voice and handed over the lunch box. "Sister, these dumplings are chive-filled. They won't last in this weather. Could you please help me..."

Su Qiao gave a sheepish smile—the kind she felt was particularly silly—and turned back toward the hospital room.

Sister-in-law Zhou took the heavy lunch box, not knowing what to say.

From inside the washroom, half of Sister-in-law Zhou’s figure was visible. Seeing that the person she was talking to had left and his mother still hadn't come in, Zhou Jiabao called out: "Mom, come over and eat quickly. I have to head back soon."

"Coming!" Sister-in-law Zhou replied, walking inside with the box. "Come, while there’s no one else here, let’s eat quickly." She opened the lid to reveal the remaining half-portion of dumplings.

"Mom, these are pure white flour dumplings." Zhou Jiabao thought back to the last time they had white flour dumplings—it was before his second brother got married. It had been years.

Sister-in-law Zhou didn't answer. Seeing the ten perfectly arranged dumplings in the box, her heart felt even more unsettled. She heard her son swallow hard, so she picked up the chopsticks, placed five dumplings in his bowl, and gave the remaining five to Old Zhou. "Come, both of you, taste Sister Su's dumplings."

The father and son looked at the dumplings in their bowls, and with a silent understanding, they each picked up two and placed them back onto the lid of Sister-in-law Zhou’s box.

"You two... hurry up and eat. Don't let anyone else see, or Sister Su will face trouble," Sister-in-law Zhou said, placing one dumpling back into each of their bowls.

Zhou Jiabao took a bite, his eyes brightening. "Mom, these dumplings are even better than the ones we make for the New Year."

"Of course. Comrade Su is a chef herself, and I heard her father is a master cook. Even though he’s retired, people still often hire him to prepare banquet meals."