Divorced by her husband's family and rejected by her own! She defiantly turned her life around

Laifu, along with his younger siblings, watched as their mother was taken away by an oxcart and cried loudly. The villagers came forward to comfort the children, telling them not to cry, as it was windy and they might catch a cold.

"Laifu, what's wrong with your mother?"

"Dear uncles and aunts, grandpas and grandmas, when my mother was pregnant with my younger brother, she was aborted by my grandmother's brother, the Huang brothers. My younger brother died after birth, and my mother suffered a massive hemorrhage. It was Dr. Wu who saved her life."

Later, my maternal grandparents, uncles and aunts went to the Huang family to seek justice for my mother and got back 50 taels of silver as compensation. They gave my mother 20 taels to use to help her recover.

My great-grandmother stole my mother's money, and when my mother refused, she beat her to death.

After hearing Laifu's tearful account, the villagers cursed Old Lady Liu for being heartless, wondering why they hadn't noticed she was this kind of person before.

"Can the past be compared to the present? In the past, she didn't have to worry about anything. She was surrounded by her children and grandchildren and could just be the matriarch of the household."

Now that he has no money and the house is a mess, isn't his true nature being exposed?

"The Liu family is always full of trouble. There's not a single one of them who's easy to deal with. Look at how much trouble they've caused in less than six months, from last year until now."

"Dafu, don't cry. Quickly take your younger brother and sister home and wait for your mother to come back."

"Uncle and Aunt, do you think my mother will ever come back?"

"Good people are always protected by heaven. Your mother will definitely come back. How could she bear to leave you all?"

Laifu, holding his younger siblings' hands, cried as they went home.

When Liu Daniu returned to the village, he returned the oxcart and did not go to the old house to see his mother. He felt ashamed of his mother's behavior.

When Liu Daniu returned home, Ma Qiao'er smiled maliciously, "Honey, your mother is really something. She's been pretending for decades, but she finally couldn't keep up the act anymore. She's even willing to kill her own granddaughter-in-law."

Go out and listen to what the villagers are saying. I feel ashamed just listening to them; I'm too embarrassed to face anyone.

Oh dear, thank goodness our family separated, otherwise I'd want to kill myself.

"Daughter-in-law, please stop talking like that. How can a daughter-in-law speak ill of her own mother-in-law like that?"

"Why can't I say anything? She's capable of such things, so why can't I even say anything? So many people are talking about it, why don't you care?"

"I don't care what outsiders say, but I hope you can understand my feelings. After all, she is my own mother."

"Alright, alright, I understand. I won't say anything more, okay? But I'll also tell you, you should stay out of the Liu family's old house business from now on."

"I know, but sometimes there's no other way, is there?"

Liu Bayue also learned about this matter. Instead of going back to the old Liu family house, she went to the end of the village with Bai Qiming.

"Second sister, you've heard about what happened at the old house, haven't you?"

"I heard that the family is quite lively, putting on operas every day, which is perfect for the villagers to talk about after dinner."

"Second sister, my sister-in-law isn't doing well. I want to go to town to see her. My eldest sister and mother went with her. What will the villagers say about me if I don't go?"

"You can handle this yourself. You don't need to tell me. You're married now, so you should have your own opinions. You don't need me to make decisions for you in everything."

But I have a piece of advice for you: don't get yourself involved, and don't let those who are good to you feel disappointed.

"Second sister, I know. After all, I am a daughter of the Liu family. If I don't go, the villagers will think that my parents-in-law are preventing me from going, which will damage the Bai family's reputation in the village."

Okay, good that you know.

"Qiming, spring planting is just around the corner. What are your plans for your land?"

"Second sister, my parents and I have discussed it. We will plant rice in the paddy fields and chili peppers in the dry land."

Second sister, we didn't have any land before, and we didn't register. If you have any extra chili seedlings, could you sell us some?

"How many do you plan to plant?"

"Of course, the more the better, that way it's easier to manage."

My dad said that once the soil is dry, we'll start tilling it.

"How long will it take to till all your land?"

"My eldest sister said that she would let August stay at home to take care of Sheng'er, and she would go with us to till the land."

It just rained, the soil is moist and soft, if the four of us work together, we can work on 4 mu (approximately 4 acres) of land a day.

What have you been doing at home these past few days?

"Since there's nothing to do at home right now, I've been tidying up the tools I need, and they're very handy when I start tilling the soil."

"Is your leg all better, sir?"

"Alright, Dr. Wu has examined you, and you're perfectly fine to work."

"Here's what we'll do. I'll get some oxen. You and your father can quickly plow your family's land and your sister's land, and then get the villagers to help me plow those thirty-odd acres of land."

"Second sister, that's wonderful!"

"If we had two cows, my sister and I could finish drying our land in three days."

"Then it's settled. I'll have someone bring the cow back tomorrow."

"Go about your business. The cows are back; I'll send someone to fetch you."

"Second sister, we're leaving now."

"Go, go."

After Liu Bayue and Bai Qiming left, Siyue went to find her second uncle. "Second Uncle, have someone bring the cattle from the estate back tomorrow. I'll have Bai Qiming plow their land first."

I had the Bai family and the villagers help me cultivate my 32 mu of wasteland.

"Then I'll go and bring the ox back now. It'll be ready to use first thing tomorrow morning. I'll take you to see the estate."

"I'll have Lei arrange for someone to go with you."

"No need, it's so early, it won't take Uncle long to come and go."

"How about letting Qingwu go with you? What if something happens on the way?"

"Really, there's no need. Second Uncle isn't that precious. He used to travel back and forth from town so many times by himself, and nothing happened to him."

Don't people always come and go? What's the matter?

Even though our family is doing well, we can't become so spoiled!

"I can't argue with you, whatever makes you happy!"

"When are you going to start that rice seedling cultivation and chili seedling cultivation thing you mentioned before?"

"We won't use the old rice seeds this year. I bought new rice seeds, which are very precious. They're all stored in our house in the county town."

The person selling the rice seeds said the rice had a high yield, was drought-resistant, and had thick, sturdy stalks that prevented lodging.

"Really! How much did you pay for the rice seeds? How many did you buy? Is it enough for our family to grow?"

"Rice seeds cost 500 coins per pound, and the seller only had a few hundred pounds left, so I bought them all."

When I saw it, everyone thought it was too expensive, and nobody...

I wanted to buy it, but I didn't know if what the person said was true. I was afraid I'd waste my money and end up getting a bargain.

"That's so expensive! What kind of rice variety is it? Everyone else is afraid of wasting money, but aren't you? You bought several hundred catties at once, that must have cost several hundred taels of silver!"

What if that person is a swindler? Wouldn't all those hundreds of taels of silver have been wasted?

"What if what that person said is true, and I didn't buy it? Wouldn't I have missed this great opportunity for nothing? So, if you have the ability, you must seize the opportunity when it comes."

There's always a trade-off. If we succeed and increase grain production, won't everyone be able to have enough to eat? That would be a wonderful thing!

"Don't tell anyone about this. It's just a family matter. If someone with malicious intent finds out, our family will be in big trouble."

"Second Uncle knows, Second Uncle knows."

"Second Uncle, I've already given you that estate. The produce from that estate will be yours. If the rice harvest is good, I'll buy all the rice seeds."

"Why buy it? That was yours to begin with."

"Second Uncle, you'll have to take care of things at home from now on. I don't want to get involved too much. I have a lot of things to do and can't find the time."

The money for the rice seeds will be deducted from the rice yield.

"Are you trying to distance yourself from your second uncle?"

"Second Uncle, you're overthinking it. I just feel that all of us sisters need to go out and make our own way in the world, so the family will have to rely on you."

We need to settle all the accounts clearly so that our family can stay together for a long time to come.