Second Lang's wife came excitedly, but instead of finding something to laugh at, she was scolded and returned home angrily.
The already six-year-old Da Ya was fighting with her two-year-younger sister Er Ya over food, with both sisters arguing red-faced and crying loudly over a cob of corn.
Second Lang's wife's head was ablaze, she grabbed the back collar of Da Ya, raised her hand, and slapped her bottom.
Da Ya cried even harder.
Just then, Song Erlang returned from the fields, saw the scene, frowned, and asked what was going on.
Second Lang's wife glared at the pair of crying sisters and gritted her teeth, "If it weren't for that jinx next door, how could I not give birth to a son? I said long ago to invite a witch to perform a ritual to drive away the evil and bad luck, but no one listened. Now it's good, they've come with words and sarcasm saying I can't bear a son. Erlang, tell me, it's obviously Third Son who brings bad luck, why is the blame on me?"
Song Erlang washed his face, patted the dirt off himself, and asked her, "Did Mom come over and scold you?"
Second Lang's wife hesitated, her momentum weakening, "I... wasn't I just thinking that Third Son is getting married, so might as well visit?"
"Then you asked for it yourself."
Second Lang's wife couldn't swallow this, "Well love, Third Son is still my little brother-in-law, don't you think since he's giving out such a big dowry, Mom should have come and informed us? Originally our own family should've gone, but Mom is quite cruel, she ignored our family and invited those two lads from the Xie Family to show up. Isn't that obviously disrespecting you, Erlang, and treating us as outsiders?"
Second Lang's wife's tantrum was like a noisy toad in a pond, clamoring endlessly, one moment saying the mother-in-law is biased, recalling how, back then, Dowries for Da Lang and Second Lang were as shabby as they could be. Now, Third Son is marrying a mute who can't even speak, yet he gets a grand ceremony.
Another moment saying, during the family split, the mother-in-law must've hidden plenty of money, giving less to their second house. Otherwise, how did Third Son have so much money to set up a dowry now?
Song Erlang sat down, listened to the rant, and finally waited for his wife to calm down before going next door.
Granny Song saw him coming and knew there couldn't be anything good, so she blocked him at the door, "Your wife sent you?"
Song Erlang was a bit guilty, but upon thinking about it, he found his wife's words quite right, and straightened his back, facing his mother, "I heard, Third Son's dowry was quite eventful?"
Granny Song could discern good from bad talk, and with one sentence knew her son's intentions, "Whether it was eventful, that's his own idea, doesn't need me, this old woman, to worry."
In other words, I'm the mother and I don't care, you who've split from the family, dare come with a shameless face to ask?
"Anyway, Third Son still should call me Second Brother, we're blood brothers. For such a big event like his dowry, Mom, why did you invite those from Aunt's family without saying a word to us? Aren't I still here?"
"You're here, but your wife wouldn't let you go, isn't she afraid you'd be jinxed dead?" Granny Song shot back, unleashing a rapid fire, "What was said when splitting the family? You feared being jinxed by Third Son and couldn't bear sons, not wanting to live together anymore. Fine, you wanted to split, I let you split, took what you should've taken, how many eggs has she laid over these years? Have you seen one with a handle? All those years you never thought of Third Son as your blood brother, allowing that shameless wife to ruin his name everywhere. And now just because he's getting married and giving dowries, you put your old face out to claim brotherhood, if he turns his luck around and passes the civil exam becoming an official, wouldn't you wag your tails to beg for food?"
Song Erlang was choked by his mother's words, turned around miserably, and went back home.
Second Lang's wife saw her man coming back like a defeated rooster and quickly asked if he was scolded too.
Song Erlang sat on the bed, his face still green.
Second Lang's wife panicked, "Say something, did you ask about the dowry?"
Song Erlang immediately got angry, "Dowry, dowry, all day you focus on the dowry in the next yard, what does their marriage have to do with you?"
"How could it not concern me? Did you forget, when the family split, the share for Big Brother's house was in parents' hands, they said that money would be used for Yuanbao's upbringing, but later, didn't Yuanbao go with Third Son?"
At their event today, you saw the display. In ten miles and eight villages, where can you find such a grand scene? Don't you think carefully, where did Third Son suddenly get so much money? Isn't it just that Mother favored Yuanbao going with Third Son, so she took the share from Big Brother's house to prepare the dowry for him? Watch out, this is just the beginning, wait till next year's spring banquet, don't know how much Silver it will cost!"
Though Song Erlang lived a bit wretched in front of his wife, he wouldn't resort to petty calculations, saying since Yuanbao was raised entirely by Third Son, it wasn't wrong for Big Brother's house's money to fall into Third Son's hands.
Second Lang's wife wouldn't let it go, "Talking lightly, is it just a few taels of Silver? Yuanbao is only the size of a palm, how much can he eat in one meal? How much money can he use all year round? The rest, doesn't it all go into Third Son's pocket?"
If raising just that small mouth could bring over Big Brother's house's share of money, then speak to parents, say Third Son is about to marry a new wife, she's nominally the stepmother, but once they have their own children, surely she won't be good to Yuanbao anymore. Besides, she's a mute, how can she care for Yuanbao? It's fortunate our house has no sons, let Yuanbao come to the second house, as long as parents agree to hand over Big Brother's house's share, I'll promise to love Yuanbao like he's my own heart and flesh."
Song Erlang sat still, "If you want to go, go yourself, I couldn't bring myself to say it."
Third Son is educated. Everyone knows he's meticulously raised Yuanbao over the years, though Yuanbao idles in school, privately he's recognized all the characters taught by Third Son, the father. Don't be fooled by his mischievous behavior; he's actually quite clever!
If Yuanbao truly came to the second house, with this couple not recognizing a single character, wouldn't they ruin the kid?
By then, their mother's spittle alone would be enough to drown the pair.
Besides, it's clear their family is targeting Big Brother's house's share of split money; knowing their mother's personality, agreeing would be a miracle.
Second Lang's wife angered by his lack of boldness, pointed at Song Erlang, "Why are you so cowardly?"
Song Erlang remained silent, unwilling to make that move. Having already been thoroughly scolded in front of his mother, going again would not go well. She might even sweep him out with a broom.
Second Lang's wife, impulsive as ever, went visiting again after dinner, spraying spittle and belittling the mute sister-in-law not yet married as completely useless, finally hitting the point saying Wen Wan couldn't speak, couldn't even handle basic communication, managing herself would be hard enough, let alone Yuanbao? Henceforth, the task of raising Yuanbao would have to be up to their second house. It's just that with the second house already having three girls, life is tight. If the grandparents were willing to bring out Big Brother's house's split money to support, there'd be no problem.
...
Second Lang's wife was eventually chased out with a basin of foot-washing water by Granny Song.