After Wang Meijuan left, Liu Chunlan sulked for a long time.
"Stupid idiot! I told her countless times just to stay at home, and Li Jun would definitely come to pick her up before the New Year.
"Otherwise, the people in his village would laugh him to death. I even said that as long as he came, we would bleed him dry.
"What a great opportunity! And that spineless thing just went back with him like that?
"I'm so mad, I'm really furious! Fifty thousand yuan! The more I think about it, the angrier I get."
Wang Jianguo smoked one cigarette after another.
"She deserves to be beaten. Next time she gets hit, none of you should go help her."
Liu Chunlan picked up a rag.
"Lin Wanyi, clean up! Aren't you the hostess of this house? These chores are meant for you to do."
Lin Wanyi tossed the rag straight to Wang Hao.
"Are men not human? Can't men do chores? Who made that rule?"
Wang Hao didn't say much. He picked up the rag and started wiping the windowsill.
Wang Jianguo's face completely darkened.
"Wang Hao, you're a fucking disgrace. Put that rag down! Look around, is there a single man in this whole village who does housework?
"Do you want the whole village to laugh at you?
"Let go of it!"
Wang Hao's hand, holding the rag, froze in mid-air. He pleaded with Lin Wanyi,
"Honey, the rule around here really is that women do the housework. My dad isn't lying to you this time."
Lin Wanyi didn't care.
"If you don't want to do it, then don't. Let it stay dirty. I don't care."
What face was there to save? She was about to get a divorce and make a huge scene anyway, so why would she care about saving face?
The spring cleaning ultimately fell on Liu Chunlan's shoulders.
She cursed Lin Wanyi as she worked.
"Damn it. Just one more month. I'll tolerate you for one more month. Once you're pregnant, let's see how arrogant you can be.
"When you give birth, I'll torture you. During your postpartum confinement, I'll torture you too!
"I'll torture you to death!"
Zhang Cuihua, holding her grandson, saw her huffing and puffing while cleaning alone. She smiled so wide it reached her ears.
"Hahaha, Chunlan, has your outsider daughter-in-law rebelled? Every year she used to do the spring cleaning. Why is she nowhere to be seen today?
"Look at my daughter-in-law. She started cleaning two days ago.
"As for me, I'm too old to do heavy lifting anymore. I can only hold my grandson and play with him all day long, hahaha."
Liu Chunlan nearly fainted from anger. She threw a basin of dirty water straight at Zhang Cuihua.
Zhang Cuihua jumped up and cursed,
"Liu Chunlan! This is the Zhang family's eldest grandson! If you make him catch a cold, I'll never let you hear the end of it."
Liu Chunlan was even more furious.
Fortunately, the next second, she received a call from Wang Kai.
"Son, really? You guys are coming back tomorrow for the reunion dinner?
"Great, great, Mom will be waiting for you. It's been so many years since you came back for the New Year.
"Qingxiu is coming back too, right? And my eldest grandson?
"Okay, okay, Mom understands. Arrive early tomorrow. Mom will definitely prepare all your favorite foods."
Liu Chunlan was happy again. This was the first time her son, daughter-in-law, and grandson were returning as a family of three for the reunion dinner.
She suddenly had the energy to clean.
In their room, Wang Hao asked Lin Wanyi,
"What exactly did you say to my sister-in-law that day to get her to agree to come back?
"She hasn't come back once in all these years."
Lin Wanyi didn't say a word.
She only knew there would be a good show to watch tomorrow.
However happy Liu Chunlan was now, that's how devastated she would be tomorrow.
Neither of her two daughters-in-law was going to let her off the hook.
Liu Chunlan also cooked dinner. Lin Wanyi did absolutely nothing now, and Liu Chunlan was helpless against it.
At the dinner table, she spoke with a passive-aggressive tone,
"Tomorrow your older brother and sister-in-law are coming back to reunite. Speaking of which, Qingxiu is much better.
"Her family has money, she's of good character, and she gave me a big grandson.
"Unlike some people, who aren't even fit to carry her shoes."
Lin Wanyi picked up some food for Wang Keke.
"What a pity. Her son's surname is Chen, and he has probably never even called you Grandma."
Liu Chunlan slammed her hand on the table.
"Lin Wanyi, you just have to hit where it hurts, don't you? Even if his surname is Chen, he is still my son's flesh and blood. He is my grandson, and that will never change."
Lin Wanyi remained very calm.
"It doesn't matter what you say. It only matters what my sister-in-law says. That is her son."
Liu Chunlan tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. Lin Wanyi's words had infuriated her.
But the truth was exactly that.
Back then, when she found out Chen Qingxiu had given the child the surname Chen, she almost died of anger.
She had gone to Chen Qingxiu many times, but Chen Qingxiu had said,
"Give me a bride price of six hundred thousand yuan, and I will change the child's surname. Are you going to pay or not?"
Liu Chunlan couldn't produce the money, and she didn't want to borrow it.
Wang Jianguo had said at the time,
"What's the rush? I have two sons. Are we going to let her control us?
"Just don't give it to her. Not a single cent."
They constantly gave Wang Kai ideas and called to pressure him, wanting him to quietly change the surname back.
But Wang Kai seemed even angrier than Chen Qingxiu. He said,
"Other people's parents prepare the money for their sons to marry wives early on. What about you?
"Why is it so difficult when it comes to you? And to think I gave you my salary to keep safe all these years, but now you won't give me a single cent.
"Mom, since it's like this, I will be a live-in son-in-law for the rest of my life!"
The grandson's surname became a sore spot for Liu Chunlan for many years, as well as a joke among the villagers.
Having barely slept all night, early on the morning of the 28th day of the 12th lunar month, Liu Chunlan got up before dawn.
She thought about how rare it was for Chen Qingxiu to come back. She had to cook something delicious today and take the opportunity to discuss changing her grandson's surname again.
She knocked loudly on Lin Wanyi's door.
"Your older brother and sister-in-law are coming back today. Get up and help me cook."
Lin Wanyi, woken up by the noise, pulled the blanket over her head.
Liu Chunlan kept shouting,
"Are you dead to the world? Do you know what time it is? Hurry up and come help."
Wang Hao quickly got up and went out.
"Mom, Wanyi was exhausted last night. Don't call her. I'll help you."
Liu Chunlan kicked the door again.
"What can you help with? Cooking is a woman's job. What can a grown man like you do?"
Wang Hao pulled her into the kitchen.
"I can at least light the fire for you, right? Mom, let me tell you, before the Lantern Festival, Wanyi will definitely get pregnant with your big grandson."
"Really?"
Liu Chunlan finally stopped yelling.
She complained while washing the vegetables,
"Fine, I'll tolerate her for a few more days. If she still can't get pregnant after this, I'll just sell her and get you a new wife."
"Mom!"
Wang Hao quickly interrupted her.
"You can't just say things like that."
Liu Chunlan finally shut her mouth.
She kept busy, preparing cured meat, sausages, pig trotters, ribs, beef, and large prawns.
After all sorts of main dishes were prepared, she checked the time.
11:00 AM.
Zhang Cuihua came over to visit again, holding her grandson.
"Today is only the 28th of the lunar month. Chunlan, why are you cooking so many dishes?"
Liu Chunlan looked out the door.
"Hmph, my eldest grandson is coming back today. Zhang Cuihua, it's not like you're the only one with a grandson. What are you showing off for?"
Zhang Cuihua curled her lip. "Heh, you mean the grandson with the surname Chen?"
Liu Chunlan glared at her and called out to Wang Hao,
"Hao Hao, give your older brother a call. They should be here by now."
Before Wang Hao could make the call, the sound of a car came from outside.
"They're back!"
Liu Chunlan was overjoyed and hurriedly ran out of the kitchen.
"My dear grandson, my precious boy, you're finally home! Grandma missed you to death!"
