Best Mom in the 60s
六零之穿成极品他妈
32 Was she Truly Failing as a Mother?
Upon arriving at Qian Wei Han’s residence, Zheng Jun found himself caught up in the lively games of his cousins, all while being closely watched by their matriarch. After distributing candy to everyone, Qian Shu Lan carefully arranged her belongings on the table, each of her actions displaying a clear sense of purpose.
Qian Ming Hua was the only host present, as her brother was absent. He was taken aback by his elder aunt’s sudden display of generosity, leaving him to wonder about the change in her demeanor. In the past, their interactions had been distant and marked by a coolness that now seemed to be thawing through her actions.
Qian Ming Hua played the role of a gracious host by offering Qian Shu Lan a stool for comfort and assigning Zheng Xiao Hua the task of serving water. As Zheng Xiao Hua presented a glass of water that notably lacked sugar (a sign the guest wasn’t valued), Qian Shu Lan graciously accepted it, going against the norm with her preferences for non sweet things.
With the pleasantries out of the way, Qian Shu Lan directly addressed Qian Ming Hua, getting straight to the heart of the matter. “Ming Hua, it’s time to consider the future. Your nephews are growing up quickly, and they will soon be ready to settle down and start families of their own. We need to secure a piece of land for them to build their future homes.”
Initially prepared for a discussion about dividing family property, Qian Ming Hua was taken aback by his younger aunt’s unexpected proposal. The idea of building without dividing the family’s holdings went against the norm. However, considering his younger aunt’s strong hold on the family’s authority, it was understandable.
Puzzled, he struggled to make sense of this new direction.
“In recent years, our family has grown, and we’ve been fortunate with our land allocation for homes. When it’s time to split our inheritance, we won’t need to start from scratch and rebuild our house,” Qian Shu Lan explained to him in a practical tone.
After some thought, Qian Ming Hua saw the wisdom in her words and agreed, “Alright, I agree,”
Qian Shu Lan suggested, “Let’s use the vacant lot next to our house for the residential land.”
The old Wang family lived next to the village’s communal land. It was common for residential land to encroach on communal areas, but luckily, this plot was less fertile and better suited for growing vegetables. Since the harvest was already done on the communal land near the Wangs’ house, there would be minimal disruption.
If any issues arose, Qian Shu Lan was prepared to swap their family’s land with the Wangs’ in the future. The communal land was due for collectivization soon, making the specifics of land usage less important.
Qian Shu Lan also brought up the matter of cutting down trees for the allocation, to which Qian Ming Hua agreed without objection.
After returning from visiting her eldest brother, Qian Shu Lan eagerly shared the news of securing the residential land with her family. The household brimmed with anticipation at the prospect of a new home on the horizon.
Caught up in her family’s infectious optimism, Qian Shu Lan felt a surge of happiness. She promptly made plans for the next day, assigning tasks to Li Chun Hua and Zhou Xue Mei to wake up early and prepare some delicious pancakes.
During the slow farming season, rural families like theirs often made do with just two meals a day. Qian Shu Lan made sure to steam extra pancakes in case any of the children needed a quick snack to satisfy their hunger.
While sweet potatoes remained a reliable staple, Qian Shu Lan had managed to obtain some rice during her journey. This addition brought a new level of excitement to their meals, as rice was a rare delicacy in the North due to its higher price compared to wheat flour, costing three cents more per catty.
When Qian Shu Lan mentioned that the rice was a gift from Wang Shou Zhi meant for the family to enjoy, a mix of emotions crossed everyone’s faces. Each member of the household had their own thoughts about Little Five.
The matriarch deeply cherished her youngest son, despite his prolonged absence in the city without a single visit home. Locals in the village often gossiped, labeling the youngest son as a heartless wolf. Therefore, the family was surprised by his gesture of sending rice as a tribute to their mother.
Despite the complex feelings towards Wang Shou Zhi, there was a subtle softening of hearts towards him within the family.
Qian Shu Lan desired to cultivate a bond of sibling-like affection among these children, even though they were not her biological offspring. She aspired for them to offer one another support and care. Furthermore, she hoped that her efforts would gain the approval of the biological mother, perhaps even winning her some brownie points.
Throughout the day, Qian Shu Lan kept Sun Da Qin occupied with household chores, not allowing her to eat as promised the day before.
Sun Da Qin, exhausted and famished, felt an overwhelming weariness that made her body heavy as lead and her limbs devoid of strength.
Qian Shu Lan instructed Wang Shou Ren to retire for the night, leaving Sun Da Qin alone by the bedside. The old lady scrutinized her, sending shivers down Sun Da Qin’s spine.
“Do you understand your mistake?” Qian Shu Lan asked in a hushed tone.
“Yes, I do,” Sun Da Qin responded quietly.
With a grunt, the old lady maintained her stern expression as she ordered, “Look into my eyes.”
Sun Da Qin sat up straight, meeting her mother-in-law’s penetrating gaze that seemed to delve into her soul, evoking a sense of dread.
Qian Shu Lan, her voice soft with a hint of amusement, posed an apparently unrelated question, “Eldest daughter-in-law, do you consider yourself fortunate?”
Sun Da Qin hesitated, puzzled by the old lady’s words. Despite her confusion, she believed herself to be incredibly lucky; after all, who else had birthed three sons like her? What greater fortune could there be? With a hesitant nod, she expressed her belief.
But Qian Shu Lan let out a scornful laugh and, with an unwavering stare, declared, “No, you are not fortunate! In this entire family, you are the unluckiest!”
Sun Da Qin was shocked by Qian Shu Lan’s statement. Although she wanted to argue, she feared provoking her mother-in-law, knowing that her anger could lead to withholding food. So, with seething frustration, she bowed her head in silence.
Qian Shu Lan noticed Sun Da Qin clenching her fists tightly, a clear sign of her suppressed anger.
With a smile, she continued, “A woman’s fortune either comes from her man or her children. You are well aware of how my eldest treats you, so I need not dwell on that. Let’s talk about Zhen Kang and the others. I punished you with a day without food. I made sure there were extra sweet potatoes cooked, yet none of your three children dared to bring them to you.”
While children and husbands held little significance for Qian Shu Lan, they were crucial to Sun Da Qin. To guide her reform, it was essential to understand her core values: a caring spouse and dutiful offspring.
Suddenly, Sun Da Qin raised her head. Despite feeling lightheaded from hunger, she had asked her eldest son and the others to bring her food, only to receive excuses about fearing their grandmother’s reaction.
“Don’t blame me. After breakfast, I went with the eldest to survey the new land we got, so I was hardly home most of the day. Saying they feared I’d see? That excuse doesn’t hold water.” Even though she was out during the day, Xiao Lian, the mischievous daughter of her third son, loved spreading gossip. Upon her return, the truth was easily revealed.
Sun Da Qin’s eyes widened in disbelief, struggling to contain her astonishment. She was about to confront her three children, but weakened by a day of fasting, she reluctantly settled back down.
Qian Shu Lan was concerned that the woman might starve and fall ill, anticipating the need to spend money on her recovery. With a worried voice, she called out, “Chun Hua, please bring the sweet potatoes we set aside for tonight.”
Li Chun Hua (third son’s wife), who was in charge of the cooking that day and had the keys to the kitchen, swiftly brought over the steaming pot of sweet potatoes.
Sun Da Qin, without hesitation, seized the unpeeled roots and devoured them hungrily.
Observing Sun Da Qin, who usually treated her with disdain, gobbling up the food like a starved ghost, Li Chun Hua couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratification, a faint smile gracing her lips. However, when she turned her head, she noticed her mother-in-law looking at her intently.
Caught off guard, Li Chun Hua quickly lowered her head, her face flushed with guilt as if it were ablaze. Qian Shu Lan smiled at the blushing woman and asked, “Have you mastered the characters Kang taught tonight?”
Upon hearing her mother-in-law ask about this, Li Chun Hua felt a bit troubled. She didn’t know what was going on; those characters were so difficult to write. She had practiced them dozens of times but still couldn’t get them right.
It felt like a disability.
Seeing her embarrassment, Qian Shu Lan asked, “Where are Xue Mei and the others?”
Relieved that her mother-in-law didn’t delve further into the matter, Li Chun Hua let out a breath of relief and hastily replied, “Xue Mei and Xiao Lian catch on quickly. Xiao He, on the other hand, is a bit lazy and dislikes studying.”
Aware of the children’s lack of self-discipline due to chores, Qian Shu Lan understood the difficulty of finding a balance between work and study.
People were more interested in immediate benefits, and Qian Shu Lan felt the need for a new approach to motivate them.
‘I swear, they’re as stubborn as bulls. You have to push them hard before they move. It’s a real headache!’ she lamented.
Observing her mother-in-law lost in thought, Li Chun Hua politely suggested, “Mother, if you don’t need anything, shall I step out?”
Qian Shu Lan waved her hand dismissively, allowing her to leave. As the woman exited, she accidentally collided with Zhou Xue Mei (fourth son’s wife) coming out of the main hall.
Zhou Xue Mei held a piece of floral fabric, seeking Li Chun Hua’s opinion, “Sister-in-law, could you take a look? I’m worried I might have measured the dimensions wrong for this robe. I dare not cut it, afraid that one snip might ruin the fabric.”
In the Wang household, all clothes were tailored by Li Chun Hua, whose mother had previously worked in a wealthy family’s sewing room. Though not a professional tailor, she was more skilled than the local girls.
Li Chun Hua, who inherited her mother’s skill, excelled in craftsmanship.
As she accompanied other woman to her room, she noticed that the measurements of the dress were small. She questioned, “Sister-in-law, is this dress for Little Peach?”
Zhou Xue Mei acknowledged, “I have enough clothes. My daughter has been wearing hand-me-downs for years.” She felt uneasy about always altering her old clothes for her only child.
Each season, Zhou Xue Mei would wear the clothes before transforming them for Little Peach.
While observing Little Peach quietly seated on the bed, Li Chun Hua realized that the child was too quiet.
Feeling empathy for Zhou Xue Mei, Li Chun Hua pondered her own daughters’ future. She wasn’t much better off herself. Despite having healthy daughters, once married, they would become part of another family. Just like Zhou Xue Mei, she might end up alone in old age.
In the room, Sun Da Qin ate three sweet potatoes in a row without drinking any water and ended up choking a bit.
As Sun Da Qin considered fetching water, Qian Shu Lan intervened, saying, “Don’t you have three sons? Why not call for them?”
Determined to expose Sun Da Qin’s shortcomings as a mother, Qian Shu Lan urged her to assert her authority over her own sons.
Sun Da Qin’s lifted butt hit the ground again. She couldn’t believe it; her own sons, and she, their mother, couldn’t even boss them around?
Frustrated, she bellowed, “Zheng Kang, Zheng Jun, Zheng Guo, get over here!”
The resounding call reverberated enough to lift the roof off, causing Qian Shu Lan’s scalp to prickle.
She nodded at smug Sun Da Qin, remarking, “With that volume, they must hear you if they’re home.” Glancing outside at the dark night, she found it hard to believe they weren’t at home.
Confidently, Sun Da Qin affirmed, “They’re home.”
Minutes passed, and a sense of awkwardness crept in as the sons failed to appear. Qian Shu Lan’s legs grew numb from waiting, prompting her to shift her pose and casually suggest, “It’s been ten minutes. Would you like to try again?”
Reluctantly, Sun Da Qin, feeling a bit self-conscious, gritted her teeth and shouted twice more.
This time, it was Wang Shou Ren who tugged in his son. “Why are you shouting so loudly, summoning spirits?”
Wang Shou Ren had spent the entire day measuring foundations and recruiting people to chop trees the next day. Exhausted, he lay on the bed trying to rest, but the continuous screams from the room next door filled with his wife’s voice made him uneasy. Thinking something was wrong with his mother, he quickly grabbed his eldest son and rushed over.
To his surprise, his mother was fine. So, what was his wife screaming about this time? It felt like trouble was brewing every day!
Sun Da Qin ignored Wang Shou Ren’s question and stood up, pulling Zheng Kang to her side.
Frustrated by the long wait, she snapped, “Your mother is calling for you so loudly, are you mute? Can’t you respond?”
Annoyed, Zheng Kang pursed his lips and furrowed his brow, pushing his mother’s hand away. “Mother, it’s late, everyone’s sleeping. Why aren’t you sleeping? What are you doing in my grandmother’s room?”
Realizing her son’s fatigue, Sun Da Qin was about to ask him to go back to bed when her mother-in-law coughed.
“Quickly, pour me a glass of water, mother is thirsty!” Sun Da Qin hurriedly requested.
Zheng Kang, looking at his mother strangely, wriggled out of her embrace and hurriedly left. “Mother, do you have no hands or feet? Can’t you pour it yourself? I’m tired, I want to sleep!”
Without waiting for a response, he darted past Wang Shou Ren and swiftly left the room like a gust of wind.
In less than ten seconds, Sun Da Qin was left dumbfounded by the swift series of events that unfolded.
Qian Shu Lan smirked and turned to Wang Shou Ren. “Eldest, I’m feeling thirsty. Could you bring me a bowl of water?”
Without hesitation, Wang Shou Ren exited the room to fulfill her request. Qian Shu Lan noticed the subtle tension in Sun Da Qin’s shoulders. When her son returned, he held only one bowl of water.
It seemed that he had overlooked Sun Da Qin’s earlier request.
Taking the bowl, Qian Shu Lan casually asked, “Isn’t your wife thirsty too? Why didn’t you bring her a bowl?”
Sun Da Qin squirmed uncomfortably upon hearing the question.
However, Wang Shou Ren remained composed. “In our tradition, it is customary for the wife to serve her husband, not the other way around.”
Qian Shu Lan’s hand holding the bowl trembled slightly in disbelief. A mama’s boy and a chauvinistic pig? Oh my!
Qian Shu Lan sent a sympathetic look towards Sun Da Qin, who was seated by the kang. Startled by the look, she leaped up, brushed past her man, and hurried out of the room.
Disregarding Sun Da Qin’s exit, Qian Shu Lan tapped the edge of the kang and faced Wang Shou Ren. “Eldest son, your approach is flawed. Despite your wife’s imperfections, she has given you three children. It is your responsibility as a husband to show empathy.”
Wang Shou Ren frowned. “Mother, didn’t you once say that wives are meant for bearing children, and if they disobey, they deserve to be disciplined? If you’re too lenient, they will take advantage. Just look at Fourth Son’s wife, always bossing him around, turning him into a henpecked husband, completely lacking in manliness.”
Qian Shu Lan wanted to curse original self. Was she doomed to always bite her tongue when trying to change her words?
Pushing aside these thoughts, she spoke firmly, “I misspoke before! Treat Da Qin with consideration. If she defies you, you can scare her, but never harm her. She is your wife, not a slave. It’s wrong to mistreat her.”
To reform Sun Da Qin, a mix of discipline and rewards was necessary. After all, she only needed to talk, not labor. This would show Sun Da Qin that her husband’s kindness stemmed from his mother’s advice. As an example, see how I can control mine sons but you can’t control yours? You’re such a failure as a mother.
It’s all about psychologically suppressing her, instilling fear in her that if she didn’t change, she would be no different from a woman with no sons.
Qian Shu Lan was strongly against domestic violence, as it brought up painful memories of her grandmother. Though Wang Shou Ren wasn’t a bad person, there were certain dynamics in their relationship that needed to change, especially resorting to violence during disagreements.
Seeing his mother’s frustration, Wang Shou Ren reluctantly agreed with her. After a brief chat, he left the house, closing the door gently behind him. Leaning against the door, he looked out at the moonlit night, letting out a deep sigh.
His mother’s moods were always unpredictable.
Running a hand through his hair, Wang Shou Ren remembered his mother’s advice and prepared a bowl of hot water. Holding it carefully, he opened the door quietly.
The room was small, with two beds. Wang Shou Ren and Sun Da Qin shared the larger one while their children slept on the smaller bed.
Approaching his side of the bed, Wang Shou Ren noticed that his wife was facing away from him. He softly nudged her, mindful of not waking their kids, and whispered, “Are you thirsty? I brought you some water.”
Sun Da Qin, pretending to be asleep, was actually wide awake. She had almost argued with her husband earlier but in the end, she didn’t dare.
Returning home in frustration, she closed her eyes to feign sleep when she heard him enter. Surprisingly, he poured water for her. Sun Da Qin was taken aback. When did he become considerate? Did he sense her anger?
A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She got up, took the bowl from her husband’s hand, and drank from it nonchalantly.
Mid-sip, she sensed something was amiss. Her husband, usually as stubborn as an ox and indifferent to moods, seemed to have picked up on her feelings. Could he really tell she was upset? It was hard to believe.
She cautiously inquired, “Why are you pouring water for me?”
Her husband replied honestly, “My mother told me to.”
Sun Da Qin’s hand holding the bowl paused, unsure whether to drink or not, feeling a mix of emotions. Drinking water poured by her husband that was approved by her mother-in-law felt suffocating.
She sighed, pretending to casually ask, “Did your mother say anything else to you?”
Wang Shou Ren, a man of few words, recounted his mother’s words faithfully.
Sun Da Qin’s surprise was evident on her face as she listened.
Was this the same mother-in-law who said that men should be considerate to their wives? Sun Da Qin couldn’t believe it. She eyed her husband suspiciously, wondering if he was just trying to butter up his mother deliberately?.
Lost in her thoughts, Wang Shou Ren was oblivious to her skepticism. Seeing her hesitate, he urged, “Hurry up, I need to return the bowl, and I’m exhausted.”
The room was cramped, barely accommodating two kang beds, let alone a table. So, the bowls needed to be returned to the main room.
Sun Da Qin quickly composed herself and finished the water in one go.
After Wang Shou Ren left, she lay back on the kang.
When Wang Shou Ren returned, he kicked off his shoes and drifted off to sleep, snoring softly. Sun Da Qin found herself unable to sleep.
Her stomach, empty all day, had left her drained. She had forced herself to sleep earlier, but now, with a full stomach and quenched thirst, sleep eluded her.
Reflecting on her mother-in-law’s words, Sun Da Qin couldn’t help but question herself. Was she truly failing as a mother?
Sun Da Qin shook her head vigorously. Failure was out of the question. She was Sun Da Qin, a mother of three sons. Who in the village could boast more blessings than her?
Yet, it felt as though two tiny voices were battling inside her mind.
One voice accused, “You called out Zhen Kang’s name several times, and he didn’t respond. Clearly, he doesn’t care about you.”
The other voice countered, “Nonsense. He’s just asleep, probably didn’t hear you, that’s all.”
The first voice persisted, “Stop kidding yourself. If you can wake up your husband sharing the same roof, why couldn’t you wake up your son?”
The second voice argued back, “Maybe Zhen Kang is simply a heavy sleeper. It’s not deliberate.”
…
Feeling overwhelmed, Sun Da Qin covered her head with the blanket, willing herself to drift back to sleep.
─── ❖ ── ☆ ── ❖ ───
( )………( )
(๑✪ᆺ✪๑)
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