bookrebus Chapter 271 Lin Mei rebels against her mother over marriage
Chapter 271 Lin Mei rebels against her mother over marriage
Just as Lin's mother was about to explode in anger, Lin's father pulled her back and smoothed things over, saying, "Alright, alright, Li Ju'an is a good kid. It's no big deal. Kids aren't like we were back then. There are plenty of young people in the village who are in love freely now. Don't be so stubborn."
Lin's mother angrily shouted at him, "What do you know? Where does Li Ju'an get the money for the bride price? How is your second son going to get married without a bride price? You go out to play every day and don't bring any money home. Where are you going to get the money for your second son's wedding? You're being a good person, saying all the nice things. If you delay your second son's marriage, see if you, as his father, will get a lot of gossip."
Lin's father, angered by his mother's rebuke, threw down the wooden board in his hand and roared, "Haven't I been bringing in money for the family? Who pays the family's monthly salary of 43 yuan? It's me! Who am I doing all this for, running to the market in the dead of winter? You woman, don't you know the difference between good and bad?"
As Lin's mother spoke of this matter, the resentment that had been building up inside her finally surfaced. She turned her head and shouted sharply, "I was blind back then, leaving you without asking for any furniture or money. Now I can't even hold my head up when I go back to my parents' home. And you, you took several quilts from my parents' home and left with nothing. Now I'm thinking about the children, and you're blaming me?"
When Lin Mei saw her parents arguing fiercely over her matter, she was so frightened that tears welled up in her eyes, and a wave of regret washed over her.
Lin Mei wrung her hands and whispered, "Mom and Dad, stop arguing. Stop arguing."
The argument between Lin's mother and father intensified. Lin's mother started hitting him, her sharp, long fingernails tearing off his clothes and leaving long nail marks on his back. Lin's father, shirtless, stubbornly suppressed his anger, which only fueled Lin's mother's rage. His back was covered in long, bloody nail marks.
Lam Ka-tung was stunned. He stood there, not knowing what to do. Just like when he was a child, he could only look at his sister, hoping she would say something.
Lin Mei cried and shouted, trying to break up the fight. Lin Jiadong quickly followed his sister to stop the fight, just like he had done countless times when he was a child.
"Mom and Dad, stop fighting, let's talk this out."
Lin's father was being pinned down and pinched by Lin's mother, who was scratching and clawing at him. He was also getting angry. He picked up a wooden stool that was half full, raised it, and was about to smash it on the ground. His eyes were wide open, and he shouted loudly, "Don't you want to live anymore? If you don't want to live anymore, then nobody else will have a good life either."
When Lin's mother saw that Lin's father was truly angry, she was also frightened. She sat down on the ground, slapped her thighs, and howled, crying out repeatedly.
Lin's father finally managed to restrain himself and didn't smash the stool down on his wife's face. Instead, he angrily threw the stool to the ground with a loud crash, shattering it into pieces and scattering planks all over the floor. He then went outside to smoke, chain-smoking one cigarette after another.
Lin Jiadong sat blankly on the ground, just like when he was a child, not knowing what to do. The shadow of her past family, the moral blackmail, and the emotional blackmail from her relatives caused Lin Mei immense pain, like a heavy mountain pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe. The more she tried to struggle, resist, and escape, the heavier this mountain became, and the tighter the shackles of family and morality bound her.
Lin Mei cried and hugged her mother, who in turn hugged her daughter and cried.
Lin Mei's eyes were full of resentment, but she was also helpless. Just like when she was a child, her parents would quarrel and they couldn't make ends meet because of her, and she would make countless compromises. She lowered her head and said silently, "Mom, I'll listen to you, I'll listen to everything you say. You can decide on the marriage, Mom."
Lin's mother then stopped crying and smiled, hugging her daughter and saying, "This is our good daughter. Jiadong, come here quickly. From now on, the money for your wedding will depend on your sister. You must also help your sister. You two must get along well and live a good life together."
Lin Mei's eyes were empty and lifeless; there was no longer any sadness or sorrow, only helplessness and resignation.
Suddenly, Lam Ka-tung shouted, "Mom, I don't want you to sell my sister so I can get married!"
Lin's mother was stunned for a moment, then shouted angrily, "Second son, what nonsense are you talking about? Who taught you to say such things?"
Lin Jiadong straightened his back and shouted confidently, "Brother Li Ju'an taught me this. Brother Li said that a man who relies on his sister to get married is a coward. He will never be able to hold his head up high. I want to be like Brother Li Ju'an, to get married with my own hands, build a house, and help my parents. A real man should stand up straight."
His words were forceful and resolute. The young man, who was only sixteen or seventeen, was very determined. His expression made Lin Mei stare wide-eyed. She vaguely noticed that her younger brother's eyes were somewhat similar to Li Ju'an's.
Lin Jiadong spoke even louder, his voice rising several octaves as he firmly declared, "Mom! Brother Li Ju'an said that one must take control of one's own happiness, not rely on parents or sister. I cannot be a bloodsucker, sucking my sister's blood. My sister has been good to me since childhood, and I cannot take advantage of her. I must earn a lot of money to spend on my sister; that's what a man should do."
Lin Mei covered her face and wept.
Lin's mother stared wide-eyed in astonishment, and it took her a long time to recover.
Her beloved son kept mentioning Li Ju'an, as if he had been brainwashed by him, his eyes and heart filled with adoration for this man. She couldn't believe that Li Ju'an had given her son some kind of spell; how could Lin Jiadong have become like this in just a few months?
Lin's mother shouted, "Jiadong, tell me properly, what did Li Ju'an teach you? Did Li Ju'an really say all these things?"
Suddenly, Lin Jiadong felt a surge of youthful energy. He made a face at his mother and shouted, "Mom's going to try to morally blackmail me again! I'm not listening, I'm not listening! I'm going to apply for a dormitory at the film studio. I'm not staying at home anymore, so I don't have to put up with my parents' attitudes when I get married. I want to be good to my future partner, so I can't listen to you like my sister does. Otherwise, whichever partner will suffer with me? That won't do."
The boy, sticking out his tongue, ran off, intending to apply for workers' dormitories at the county town's workers' cinema and not return to live there.
Lin's mother was so angry that she was panting heavily, clutching her chest, slapping her thigh, and shouting shrilly, "That Li family brat, he's got a silver tongue, he's completely bewitched our second son. And you, Amei, don't go out these next few days, lest you get bewitched by that Li family brat and start siding with outsiders, not listening to your mother anymore."
Seeing Lin Jiadong's retreating figure as he ran out the door, Lin Mei's eyes suddenly lit up, as if her courage had been activated. She said, "Mom, when do you think we should invite Aunt Song to come to our house?"
Before Lin's mother could react, Lin's father, who had just finished smoking, returned after seeing his son run out and asked, "Aunt Song? Song Lanhua? What's she doing here?"
Lin Mei mustered her courage and said, "Dad, Mom, Li Ju'an and I fell in love on our own, without a matchmaker. Li Ju'an and I have discussed it, and we'll find a time when he can come to visit us."