Liu Chunlan was so angry she wished she could kick Zhang Cuilan.
“What nonsense are you talking?”
Zhang Cuilan, not sparing her any dignity, continued,
“Hey, where am I talking nonsense? Open your eyes and see for yourself.
“Has there ever been a funeral in this village as desolate as yours? Never mind the villagers not coming to see the deceased off.
“Just look—your own daughter-in-law and grandson didn’t even show up.
“Liu Chunlan, I really feel sorry for you.”
Liu Chunlan exploded like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
She knew that ever since Liu Dabing was arrested and Lin Wanyi ran off, the villagers had been sneering at her day and night.
But according to village custom, no matter how deep the grudges or hatred, when someone in a family died, people were supposed to help and offer incense.
Now, not a single person from the village had come.
It was a clear sign of contempt—contempt for her and contempt for the Wang family.
She hadn’t wanted to bother with them before, and she hadn’t had the time.
But now she couldn’t take it anymore. She raised her hand to slap Zhang Cuilan:
“Say another word, and I’ll tear your mouth apart.”
Of course, she didn’t manage to hit Zhang Cuilan.
Wang Hao grabbed her:
“Enough. Is this any way to behave?
“Fighting and arguing with everyone day in and day out—do you still want to live in this village? Is this fun?”
Liu Chunlan felt deeply wronged:
“Haohao, didn’t you hear her? She came looking for me, picking a fight! She said even when I die, no one would see me off!
“Who wouldn’t get angry hearing that?
“As my son, if you won’t help me, fine, but now you’re holding me back?
“Whose son are you, anyway?”
Wang Hao dragged her away:
“Who’s to blame? Blame yourself. You can’t get along with anyone.
“Whether it’s family or outsiders, you start a fight over the tiniest thing.
“You never let anyone get away with anything, and now you’re blaming me?”
Liu Chunlan’s chest ached even more.
Last time she went to the city, Wang Kai wouldn’t talk to her, and neither would Wang Meijuan.
In the end, she still couldn’t bear to spend the thousand-plus on a checkup and never went to any hospital.
Wang Jianguo’s funeral was as simple as it could possibly be.
A tiny grave mound, a cheap headstone—that was Wang Jianguo’s final resting place.
Liu Chunlan kicked the headstone:
“Damn it. If it weren’t for fear of people pointing fingers, if it weren’t for fear of our descendants being cursed, I wouldn’t have even bought him a headstone.
“Old bastard died way too fast. I hadn’t even tortured him enough.”
And so Wang Jianguo was buried in the earth.
A single string of firecrackers marked the end of his simple life.
As soon as the funeral was over, Wang Kai immediately wanted to leave.
Liu Chunlan grabbed him:
“Kaikai, your father just left. I’m afraid to be alone. You three siblings should stay with me for a few days.”
Wang Kai was unwilling:
“Mom, I’ve already been back two days. I need to go pick up the child.”
“Pick up the child, my foot.”
Thinking of Chen Hao made Liu Chunlan furious:
“A kid who won’t even come to his grandfather’s funeral—what kind of future will he have?
“Let me tell you, Kaikai, that son of yours has been spoiled rotten by those Chen family members, spoiled by Chen Qingxiu.
“If you don’t straighten him out soon, he’ll end up on the wrong path.”
“What wrong path?”
Wang Kai was annoyed:
“Mom, can’t you say something good about my son for once?”
Liu Chunlan wouldn’t listen:
“Chen Qingxiu has already taught him to have no sense of family. His grandfather dies, and he doesn’t even come back to see him.
“I’m telling you, when you die, he won’t even break the ritual bowl for you.”
“Mom!”
Wang Kai shouted.
"Can't you say one nice thing for once?"
"I'll be going if there's nothing else."
"You can't leave."
Liu Chunlan held out her arm to block Wang Kai:
"Your father is gone, but I'm still alive.
"You three siblings need to discuss this now—what's going to happen to me in my old age?"
Wang Kai quickly stepped back two paces:
"Mom, what are you talking about? You're still so young and strong, you don't need looking after.
"And I've told you countlessly: I married into that family. I was bought by Qingxiu.
"I have nothing to do with you anymore. Coming back for Dad's funeral is me being respectful. Honestly, I didn't even have to come."
Wang Meijuan repeated her usual line:
"I'm married off too, so I'm even less responsible.
"No, actually, I should say I was sold off just like our oldest brother.
"Mom, you can't ask me to support you in your old age."
They both turned their gazes toward Wang Hao. Liu Chunlan placed her final hope on him.
Wang Hao suddenly remembered, half a year ago at Lin Wanyi's father's funeral, how her family had discussed Li Suhua's care.
But back then, what had Liu Chunlan said?
She'd told Wang Hao not to give a single cent, saying it was the sons' responsibility, not the daughters'.
Now, however, she was demanding money from Wang Meijuan.
He kept his head down, smoking in silence. Finally, Liu Chunlan asked him:
"Son, Hao Hao, your mother still has you, right?
"You're not going to abandon me, are you?
"All these years, I've helped you unconditionally, helped your little family. You'll take care of me, won't you?"
Wang Hao crushed his cigarette butt under his foot:
"Mom, I've already given you a whole lot of money over the last eight years. But you didn't save it properly, so you can't blame me.
"From now on, I need to think about myself. You'll have to figure out your own affairs."
Liu Chunlan's heart plummeted into an abyss.
She sobbed:
"What can I figure out? I'm almost sixty now. If I can't rely on my children, who can I rely on?
"You want me to go out and work for a living at this age? Son, I can't do it. I'm old.
"I can only depend on you. Really, only on you."
Wang Hao thought for a moment and asked her:
"So what do you want?"
Liu Chunlan felt a glimmer of hope and immediately said:
"I'm not asking for much. Just a thousand from each of you every month.
"When I can't get around anymore, you can take turns coming back to take care of me, or I'll go live with one of you.
"That's fair enough, right?"
She thought it was fair. She thought the demand was reasonable.
But Wang Meijuan jumped right up:
"Mom, when Lin Wanyi's father passed away, I heard you cursing her.
"You said taking care of the elderly is the sons' job. You said a married daughter shouldn't have to support her own mother.
"You even said that paying a hundred a month was already too much. Forgotten all that?
"So why now that it's about you, I have to pay an equal share? Why do I have to pay a thousand a month?
"I'm telling you: no way. I'll never give you a single cent."
Liu Chunlan never imagined the arrow she'd shot half a year ago would spin around and strike her own heart.
She frowned and tried to explain:
"How am I the same as that uncultured Li Suhua? She took Lin Wanyi's money just to subsidize her useless son.
"But I'm different. I just need it for my retirement, to not be a burden on you all."
“Juan’er, sons and daughters are the same these days—supporting parents in their old age is your responsibility.”
Wang Meijuan just laughed at that.
She turned and walked away:
“I’m not giving you a single cent. Don’t try to guilt-trip me with talk of responsibility.
Mom, don’t contact me anymore from today on.
But don’t worry—when you die, I’ll still come back to bury you.”
Under Liu Chunlan’s very eyes, she swept off without a backward glance, leaving Liu Chunlan beating her chest and stomping her feet:
“What a curse, what a curse.
Heavens above, who did I offend in my past life to have birthed such unfilial wretches?”
