chapter 2
Since Sister-in-law had become my Sister-in-law, my brother must have been willing.
But my brother has a bad habit: he only likes those who are good-looking. And if that good-looking person cries in front of him, his money pouch is like a sluice gate thrown open-he’ll give away as much as they want.
He never took in any concubines, but he did end up being a sucker for a whole bunch of women outside.
Ever since Sister-in-law married into the family, she’s accompanied him, pushed him to improve himself, and multiplied the family fortune several times over. But the opportunities for him to play the sucker have also multiplied several times.
Sister-in-law has been so worn out that she spends her days wielding her Rolling Pin-blocking brothels to the east, raiding pleasure boats to the west. Out of three years, she’s spent two chasing after her husband.
Every time she finally catches up with him, my brother clings to Sister-in-law’s leg and begs for mercy: “Good Wife, you know what I’m like. I just wanted to feast my eyes a little. In my heart, there’s no one but you.”
After a bit of a quarrel, the young couple would make up and be affectionate again, but it left my mother feeling miserable.
She didn’t dare provoke Sister-in-law, so she could only complain to me: “Heavens above, what did our family do to deserve this? Which family’s daughter-in-law chases her husband around with a stick every day? Our Feng Family has lost all face.”
I set a bowl of blood bird’s nest in front of her: “Mother, eat, eat! If you eat this every day, you’ll live to a ripe old age. Sister-in-law bought you a whole heap of it.”
She looked at the bowl of blood bird’s nest and fell silent. We used to be only modestly well-off and couldn’t afford such delicacies. It’s all thanks to Sister-in-law’s Rolling Pin that we have these good days now.
Sometimes, when her complaints got on my nerves, I’d ask her in return: “Mother, I’m your daughter. Would you rather I live a life like Sister-in-law’s, or like those other daughters-in-law?”
She is my mother, after all. Even when I made her so angry she was huffing and puffing, she couldn’t bring herself to say she wanted me to become a meek little daughter-in-law.
I thought our family could keep bumbling along like this, living in peace and comfort.
But on another bright, sunny day, while Sister-in-law was still teaching me how to keep the accounts, a delicate little lady, hiding behind my brother, stepped into the main hall of our home.