Witty Wife, Better Life-Chapter 59 - 57 Will you give it or not

Chapter 59: Chapter 57: Will you give it or not?

Chapter 59 -57: Will you give it or not?

On one side, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were engaging in a battle of wits and bravery; on the other, the two young ladies were also at it with their open confrontations and hidden jabs.

Shen Yunxiu was leaning against the doorframe with a half-smiling, half-mocking expression as she watched Shen Yunfang approaching and sizing her up.

“Oh, you’ve been to the city and you still look like a country bumpkin.”

“What are you talking about, child? If there’s nothing important, you’d better go inside and stay there.” Mrs. Shen over there was scolding her daughter-in-law but also heard her own daughter’s provocative words. She hurriedly stepped forward and gave her a shove on the back. If the old man heard this, they were both in for a scolding.

Shen Yunfang could clearly see that her mother’s reprimand was more bark than bite. She understood; they were mother and daughter after all.

“Why are you hitting me? I didn’t say anything wrong. Just look at her. After one trip to the city, she still dresses so dowdy. And that fabric she bought—oh my heavens, it’s dyed such a color. After making clothes out of it, she’ll look like a beggar’s patchwork.”

Shen Yunfang smirked to herself, why shout about heaven and earth; is the fabric I bought supposed to please you? It’s not like it’s for you to wear.

“Just keep quiet and go inside. If your father comes back and sees you acting like this, I won’t interfere,” the mother said sternly, her face turning sour.

Speaking of that fabric, she also felt uncomfortable. Before the New Year, this niece asked her to help make a cotton-padded jacket; she found it tiresome and refused. You could’ve pleaded a little more. Who knew that the girl would turn around and have Mrs. Wang (Wang Family’s Mrs.) make it for her? This wasn’t the end of it. This time, she acquired cotton and cloth from the county, saying she wanted to make a quilt. Now she didn’t even ask her own family, just sent it straight to the Wang Family. My, one can only guess how much they’d skim off the top. These girls, why don’t they think to give such perks to their own family?

“Sister, I actually went to Mrs. Wang’s house to see that fabric. Though the color isn’t much to look at, it’s good enough to make a pair of pants to wear underneath. Your second cousin just happens to need a pair of underpants like that. Look what a commotion this is causing. How about you spare a piece for your second cousin?” The second cousin’s wife wasn’t just eyeing that piece of pork anymore; upon hearing about the fabric, she promptly stepped forward and took Shen Yunfang’s hand, all buddy-buddy.

“Have you no shame? That’s Yunfang’s stuff. How can you, as her cousin’s wife, have the nerve to just ask for it like that?” Mrs. Shen chastised, her fierceness belying her nervousness.

“What’s there to be embarrassed about? We’re all family. When Yunfang came to our place to eat, I didn’t say a word.” The second cousin’s wife rolled her eyes.

“Still, it’s not okay…”

Shen Yunfang kept a smiling face as she watched the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo put on a two-person act. Their conflict was an internal one a moment ago, but now with her involved, they both turned their spears outward—it really was a family affair.

Yet in her heart, she felt sorry for her second cousin. Brother Zhiwen was a decent man, so how did he end up choosing such a wife? It would be a miracle if they could live a good life together.

“Are you giving it or not? Just spit it out,” Shen Yunxiu said, annoyed at Shen Yunfang, who looked as unperturbed as ever.

“Yunxiu, that fabric already has a use. It might be just one piece, but there’s not much of it; after making a quilt, there’ll hardly be anything left over,” Shen Yunfang explained amicably.

She had secretly kept some of the fabric for herself, mainly for making sanitary pads. During this time, there were no sanitary napkins, and even toilet paper wasn’t easy to come by. So, women used cloth pads during their periods.

At first, Shen Yunfang was quite uncomfortable with the idea, but given the circumstances, discomfort was not an option.

When she had just purchased the new fabric, her first thought was to make a few new ones for herself. Even if she couldn’t change the situation, she still needed to consider her own needs more.

“Excuses, these are all excuses. You just don’t want to give it up. Why even mention all that?” Shen Yunxiu fumed.

“Yunxiu, you’ve misunderstood me. How about I delay making the quilt and make a pair of underpants for our second cousin first?” Shen Yunfang said with an innocent look.

Having a cousin make underpants for a male cousin, she thought to herself how absurd their idea was.

“Go on, don’t listen to your sister Yunxiu talking nonsense. How could we let you do that for your second cousin Zhiwen? If Zhiwen is short on clothes, let your second sister-in-law figure it out herself.” Auntie Shen couldn’t bear to scold her own daughter, so she could only glower at the daughter-in-law who had started the conversation.

If others knew about it, they would say the Shen Family, just to make a pair of pants for their son, had ripped apart their younger brother’s daughter’s quilt – how embarrassing would that be, it would be a disgrace to grandma’s house!

“Hehe, okay then, I was just thinking how it would sound for a cousin like me to tear up a quilt to make underwear for my cousin. Not exactly decent, is it?” Yunfang still chuckled, “Auntie, let me help you cook.”

“No need, no need, both your sisters-in-law are at home, and you’ve just got back. Just go in and sit for a while,” Auntie said, clearly not nearly as enthusiastic as she’d been when Yunfang had first arrived.

Yunfang loudly exclaimed an “Aiya” and without another glance at the remaining two, she dashed into the house.

“Come on, eat some more meat, Yunfang. We’re able to have this stewed meat all thanks to you,” Auntie Shen ignored the looks from the second auntie and kept adding meat to Yunfang’s bowl, even if it was just a thin slice amidst the veggies.

Yunfang was speechless; the vegetables in her bowl were piled high, but the meat amounted to only three small pieces. The pettiness was simply too exasperating.

If Auntie kept on serving like this, Yunfang figured she might end up eating just vegetables for her meal.

“Auntie, you shouldn’t say that. The meat was given by my sister-in-law’s mother-in-law, and she did it not for my sake but out of respect for my Uncle and Second Uncle,” Yunfang said, glancing and smiling at her Uncle and Second Uncle at the table.

Yes, when it came time to eat, Uncle Shen had called over his younger brother’s family, too. How could he not? After all, the meat Yunfang had brought over was from the Wang Family, her Second Uncle’s in-laws, and not inviting them would surely have been seen as improper.

As for when the second auntie returned from the county, Yunfang had no idea.

The second auntie smiled smugly, deftly grabbed a big slice of meat with her chopsticks, and leisurely placed it in her little daughter’s bowl. She then quickly grabbed another piece, chewed on it, and said, “My in-laws, they really know how to do things right. Every time we visit, it’s always with large and small packages of things to take, and although our means are not as good as theirs, we certainly don’t lack meat to eat. Yunfang, what do you think of my in-laws?”

Yunfang nodded in agreement. She couldn’t speak for their character, but they sure knew how to be personable, a trait the second auntie could learn from.

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“I hear that my sister-in-law’s father-in-law is a leader at the department store, right?” Auntie Shen asked.

“Yes, the second-in-command; he’s about to be promoted,” the second auntie announced with immense pride.

The second-in-command, about to be promoted. That means he’s going to become the head.

“Hehe, well, my niece-in-law sure is capable,” Auntie Shen nudged her daughter under the table.

Yunxiu, somewhat reluctantly, served the second auntie some vegetables, “Second Auntie, have some vegetables.”

“Oh, our Yunxiu is as close to her second auntie as can be,” Auntie Shen exaggeratedly proclaimed.

Yunfang kept her head down and continued eating, unable to bear watching. She knew all too well what her auntie was up to without even looking.

“Yunfang, come over here,” Uncle Shen called from the other table.

“Auntie, Uncle’s calling me. I’m going to the other table now,” Yunfang hastily picked up her bowl and chopsticks. She couldn’t stay at this table any longer, time to make a quick exit.