Song Dingxiang [Completed]

C57. Runaway.

Chapter 57

In the afternoon, Wu shi brought back a large bowl of meat and vegetables, while her daughter-in-law carried a large plate of steamed buns. Both of them looked happy, discussing how many meals they could make with the food.

Wu shi set down the bowl and called Song Jiaoxing over, smiling, "I saved a chicken leg specifically for you, have a bit to fill your stomach. Tonight, we'll stew eggplants with this dish, all meat, very fragrant."

Song Jiaoxing looked at the bowl of meat and vegetables. Normally, being able to eat so much meat would be a happy occasion, but she was feeling irritable now, saying, "It's just leftovers from others, what's so good about it?"

Wu shi looked at her in surprise, noticing the slight redness in her eyes. She then took her hand and led her out of the kitchen into her room, asking, "Xing'er, what's wrong with you? Are you crying?"

Song Jiaoxing pushed her hand away, angrily saying, "I'm upset, why can Song Zijin marry into such a family, why do I have to marry a peasant?"

"Jiaoxing!" Mrs. Wu quickly covered her mouth, then looked outside a few times, lowering her voice, "What's wrong with you? Weren't things going well before?"

Tears streamed down Song Jiaoxing's face as she cried, "Mother, I feel uncomfortable. I'm better than Song Zijin, I'm prettier, and my embroidery skills are better than hers. But why, why... And Song Taohong, she's so reckless yet managed to become the wife of a county magistrate, what about me? I work hard all day, earn money, take care of my siblings, but what do I have, I have nothing! You don't even let me take the things the Wang family sent, those are things I exchanged for!"

"Xing'er!" Wu shi furrowed her brow, "You see the situation in our family. If you take all those things with you, how will your siblings fare in the future? And the family I found for you is not bad either, he's the only son in his family, his older sisters are all married off, he can also help out at home. The youngest sister below you is still so young, if you have a child, she can help you look after the baby."

"That makes him a peasant too!" Song Jiaoxing wiped away her tears and said, "I don't want to marry a peasant, why is it that they all can marry well, why do I have to marry someone who farms? Even if I have a child, that child will also be a farmer, working hard all their life and barely earning any money. But look at Song Zijin, what has she done? She just has good parents and sisters, so much dowry, even when Song Dingxiang got married, she didn't have that much dowry... She doesn't have to farm anymore, she can live a life of luxury as a wealthy lady. But we all have the surname Song, why..."

Wu shi also cried, saying, "Xing'er, it's all because your father and I are incapable, we have failed you. But you see the situation in our family, your father is the most honest, he only knows how to farm, do you think I'm not worried? I wish I were a man, going out to make more money. Do you know why I insisted on getting a share even if it meant not taking advantage of your aunt? It's all because of Song Dingxiang, she had a falling out with your aunt, but we managed to stay on good terms, and she treated us better."

Song Jiaoxing cried even harder, saying, "But I can't understand, how did Song Dingxiang manage to become so wealthy? Her husband disappeared and she doesn't even know if he's alive or dead, isn't it hard for her to be a living widow at home? And she's always showing her face in public, doesn't she feel ashamed? Mother, I live decently, I just want to marry into a good family in the future... Mother, please go and ask her, she knows Wang Daren in town. Do you remember, it was the Wang family who arranged the marriage for Song Zijin, we both have the surname Song, I'm also her younger sister, mother..."

Wu shi sat on the edge of the kang bed, looking at her daughter who was crying with tears all over her face, feeling a sharp pain in her heart. She prided herself on being smarter than Zhu Shi, being better at socializing and reading people's expressions, and also being more hardworking.