Chapter 7

Chapter 7

At breakfast, my mother-in-law had laid out a spread just like usual: fried dough sticks, soy milk, sandwiches, milk, fruit, cucumbers… a mix of East and West, served in a variety of large plates and small saucers.

Between staying up all night writing her novel and waking up early to cook, she really was pushing herself to the limit.

My father-in-law returned from his morning run, drank a cup of digestive tea, and sat down slowly at the dining table to peel an egg.

At sixty-six, even though his skin had long since begun to sag, he still possessed a sharply defined bone structure.

He had high brow bones, deep-set eyes, and a pair of peach-blossom eyes that drooped slightly at the corners. There was always a hint of melancholy in his gaze, giving off the impression that he desperately needed to be loved.

I peeked at him secretly, superimposing his image onto the Old Warlord surnamed Li from “Idle in her boudoir, by the little window.” I began to imagine him in full military regalia, brandishing a leather whip as he tormented poor Wanniang all night long…

I’m doomed!

I can’t look at my father-in-law with a straight face anymore!

“I’m talking to you. Stop spending all day thinking about useless things.”

My father-in-law spoke suddenly, giving me a start.

I watched as he placed the egg on a saucer, dipped it in a bit of soy sauce, took a bite, and only then slowly looked up at my mother-in-law.

My mother-in-law was also startled. Then, as if realizing something, she said guiltily, “You found out?”

My father-in-law didn’t say a word, keeping his head down as he continued eating his egg.

My mother-in-law wiped her hands on her apron and sat down on the very edge of her chair.

Even after more than twenty years of marriage, she still occasionally showed a student-like restraint in front of him.

She picked up the eggshells he had peeled, pinching them bit by bit into a tissue. She crumpled it into a ball and squeezed it through the paper for a long moment before finally finding the words to explain cautiously:

“I only agreed because it was hard to refuse such a kind invitation. Sister Tang caught the flu, and they had no one to play Feng Suzhen. They kept begging me, asking me to step in for the emergency.”

I knew about Sister Tang. She had put together a Huangmei opera troupe and took on roadshows everywhere-mall openings, product promotions, weddings, and funerals. As long as they paid, she never turned them down.

But who was Feng Suzhen?

Oh, right, I remembered. She was the female lead in the Huangmei opera “Female Prince Consort,” the original pioneer of humble-bragging.

“To save my husband, I left my home, who would have thought I’d top the imperial exams” was one of the famous lines from it. My mother-in-law loved to hum that part while she cooked.

My father-in-law finished his egg and glanced at her again, still silent.

“They’re paying six hundred yuan a show,” my mother-in-law added.

My father-in-law raised an eyebrow.

My mother-in-law stood up abruptly like a schoolgirl who had done something wrong. Fidgeting with the ball of tissue and eggshells, she stammered:

“Six hundred a show, but I didn’t take it. I told them that if they really wanted to hire me, my appearance fee would be at least thirty thousand. For the sake of our friendship, I told her I’d waive the fee and perform as a favor.”

For an actor, sometimes not charging a fee was a better way to show one’s status than charging one.

My father-in-law’s expression softened slightly as he said slowly, “With your limited skills, you might actually stand out in Sister Tang’s amateur makeshift opera troupe.”

Having said that, he turned his head to look at the stage photo of Zhou Lixuan on the living room wall and sighed softly.

My mother-in-law looked as if she had been stung. Her shoulders slumped, and she whispered, “Then… I won’t go?”

My father-in-law kept his eyes down, silently sipping his porridge.

My mother-in-law was forced to answer her own question. “I’ll get back to Sister Tang in a bit and tell her I can’t make it. It’s been many years since I’ve been on stage; my voice and movements are rusty. I can’t go out there and embarrass Teacher Zhou.”

With just two indifferent sentences and a sigh, my father-in-law had used his ‘white moonlight’ ex-wife to crush my mother-in-law’s spirit into the dust.

The atmosphere at the table was heavy.

Li Muzhou was still dawdling in the bathroom.

I buried my head in my sandwich, realizing belatedly that I shouldn’t be sitting here.

When a person doesn’t dare to stand up to the one making them look foolish, they often take their frustration out on the person watching them look foolish.

Right then, Li Muzhou finished changing and poked his head out from the entryway.

“Yu… Mom! I’m skipping breakfast. I have morning inspections today.”

My mother-in-law didn’t react at first. It wasn’t until Li Muzhou closed the door and left that she gave a soft, delayed “Oh.” Then, tears began to fall in heavy drops.

She lifted her apron to wipe her eyes and shot a glance at me. Her eyes were red, and deep within them, there was a flicker of resentment.

Wait, what!?

Why do I feel like… a storm is brewing?