Chapter 2
We were still at an impasse when someone pushed open the courtyard gate.
My sister-in-law came in carrying a basket. At the sight of me, her face fell.
“Oh, our little princess is back again?”
She set the basket on the ground with a mocking smile.
“Anyone would think we had royalty living here. Always running back to her mother’s house. Hasn’t she any shame?”
Mother’s expression changed. She hurried over.
“You must be tired. Sit down and rest.”
She went to the kitchen and brought out a bowl of washed peaches.
“I just washed these. They’re sweet. Have some.”
Looking at the peaches, I gave a sudden little laugh.
I’d been home all morning, and she hadn’t even offered me a cup of water.
Her daughter-in-law didn’t have to do a thing, and the peaches were brought right to her.
My sister-in-law glanced at me.
“Xiaochun, I hate to have to say this.”
“You’re married now. You ought to act like it.”
“Running back here all day—what will people say?”
I looked up at her.
“And if Fan Erzhu beats me to death, that’ll look all right?”
Her face stiffened.
Mother flared up first.
“How dare you talk to your sister-in-law that way?”
She raised her hand to hit me again.
This time, I didn’t flinch.
I stared at her and spoke slowly, each word clear. “If you hit me again today, I’ll go straight to the village entrance and kneel there.”
“I’ll tell everyone I see that my husband is beating me to death, my own mother won’t take me in, and my brother and his wife don’t care. That you won’t even let me sleep on some bedding in the yard.”
“You’re afraid of disgrace, aren’t you? Then let the whole village see what a heartless family the Zhangs are. You took the money and shoved your daughter into hell!”
“Don’t you dare!” my sister-in-law shrieked.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
I pointed to the half-healed wound on my forehead.
“I’m almost dead anyway.”
“Either way, I die.”
“Before I do, the whole village deserves to know exactly how it happened.”
I turned to my sister-in-law.
“Then what decent girl do you think will dare marry into a cold-blooded family like yours?”
“Your two precious sons can stay bachelors for the rest of their lives.”
Her face drained of color.
Mother stood frozen too, her lips trembling. For a long moment, she couldn’t get out a single curse.
Suddenly, it seemed absurd.
When I knelt and begged, they didn’t care.
When I threatened to take them down with me, they were afraid.
Tears were useless with them. Only hitting where it hurt would work.
I walked over and took the biggest peach from Mother’s bowl.
Instinctively, she reached to stop me.
I looked at her.
Her hand drew back.
Peach in hand, I turned and left the yard.
Behind me, my sister-in-law muttered,
“She’s gone completely mad…”
But she didn’t follow.
On the dirt road back to the Fan house, I bit hard into the peach.
Sweet juice burst out, running from the corner of my mouth to my chin.
So sweet it turned sour.
So sour it made my eyes ache.
But I didn’t cry.
I ate every last scrap of flesh and held even the pit in my palm.
Some things would never be given to you, however much you begged. You had to fight for them.