Old Granny Zhang was as good as her word. Since marrying into the Wang Family, she had never returned to the Zhang Family Village, pretending she had no maiden family.
And the Zhang Family treated it as if Old Granny Zhang didn’t exist either.
Later, it was heard that after Old Granny Zhang got married, the Zhang Family beca the laughing stock and was warned by the clan.
Their reputation in Zhang Family Village was ruined, and no one wanted to associate with them.
Although they had so money, who would want to marry their daughter into such a family? They had no choice but to buy two wives from the mountains.
The daughters-in-law were married in, but within a few days, there was a dispute, and the three sons drove out Zhang Dabao, Lady Zhao, and Zhang Qiuju.
It was said that later, Zhang Dabao and Lady Zhao would cry and regret whenever they saw soone, admitting they made a mistake back then and even sent a ssage to the Wang Family, but Old Granny Zhang dismissed them all.
Since then, no one dared to send any more ssages carelessly.
Later, it was heard that Zhang Qiuju was sold by Zhang Dabao and his wife to a peddler as a wife. A few years later, it was heard that Zhang Dabao and his wife both died.
The funerals were organized by Zhang Dongi and Zhang Qiuju when they returned, barely giving them a proper burial.
After that, Old Granny Zhang never heard any more news about the Zhang Family.
After saying all this, Old Granny Zhang looked very indifferent, but Wang Yongzhu bit her lip tightly, feeling deeply for her as she hugged Old Granny Zhang, "Mother, don’t worry, with Brother Song and by your side, we’ll make up for all the hardships you endured in the past!"
Old Granny Zhang smiled and patted Wang Yongzhu’s arm, "Mother hasn’t suffered! With you, all the hardships in my life have been worth it! Besides, now following you, I get to enjoy the blessings of the eldest sibling! Not to ntion this entire county, just in our Shiqiao Town, I’m probably the luckiest old woman around!"
"No need to speak of the distant past, just the recent illness, if it were another family, they wouldn’t have had the money, or the children wouldn’t be willing. How could it compare to ? My daughter and son-in-law are so filial, willing to spend on without any hesitation."
"Your mother has endured half a lifeti of hardship, but heaven has finally treated well by giving such a daughter. My life is worth it!"
At this point, Old Granny Zhang’s eyes reddened.
She knew in her heart, and it was clear to her.
Many people like her, who, once they were too old to work and earn money, faced disdain from their children. The more conscientious ones might still give so food, so they wouldn’t starve to death, which was already good enough.
But there were many without conscience who would kick their parents out, not caring if they lived or died.
Zhang Chuntao had cut ties with the Zhang Family long ago, and she had prepared herself for being disliked and driven out by her children when she got old. She had thought it through—if the day ca where she was truly incapable, she’d find a deserted place to end her life, rather than suffer the petty cruelties of her son and daughter-in-law.
Later, she had this old-age daughter, Yongzhu, whom she cherished deeply. She thought, no matter what, as long as she could keep going for one more day, she’d protect this old daughter. If she could no longer work, she absolutely would not beco a burden, quietly ending her life instead.
This ti, she fell ill, and her daughter and son-in-law spent silver like water. The dicine they brought ho, the likes of which she had never even heard of, ca as if it cost nothing. They even hired two old won to care for her.
Her condition fluctuated, and anyone else might have given up, but her daughter and son-in-law stubbornly wrestled her life back from Lord Yama.
This treatnt, who would dare imagine it? Which parent doesn’t want their children to be this filial and considerate?
That’s why, even though Old Granny Zhang had been sick for these days, she felt joyful in her heart! Even the deep lines from years of hardship on her forehead seed to soften, and her expression grew kinder and more peaceful.
Seeing Old Granny Zhang’s red eyes, Wang Yongzhu quickly comforted her, told a few jokes, acted spoiled, and eventually managed to make Old Granny Zhang laugh.
The mother and daughter looked at the sky, realizing it was already noon, so they called the shop assistant and ordered a few light dishes to have lunch there.
The shop assistant hurriedly wrote down the order and went downstairs to get the dishes.
Seeing Old Granny Zhang had cald down, Wang Yongzhu then asked about so doubts.
"Mother, do you rember anything from before you were secretly taken away?"
Old Granny Zhang shook her head, "I can’t rember anymore. Even the old woman who held , I have no impression. After I got to the Zhang Family, I fell ill, burning for a whole day and night, almost losing my life. I managed to survive, but when I woke up, I couldn’t rember much from before."
Wang Yongzhu guessed her mother was young at the ti, taken by strangers, she must have been frightened, then taken to an unfamiliar place, getting sick from the unfamiliar environnt.
"So mother didn’t have any objects on her at the ti? Or any clothes or bundles? By the way, you said that before the bundle was burnt, there were two colorful pieces of paper that fell out, what were they?"
Hearing this, Old Granny Zhang gave a sarcastic smile, "With the Zhang Family’s situation, if there had been any identity-proving belongings on , they would have been stolen and sold long ago. As for the clothes and the bundle, I once secretly touched them when Zhang Qiuju wore them, made of fine cotton, soft and warm. Even the bundle’s fabric, although the colors were a bit old-fashioned, it was very durable."
Stopping here, Old Granny Zhang paused and then continued slowly, "As for the two colorful pieces of paper that fell out, I didn’t know them before, but later I found out they were silver notes! Each worth at least fifty taels!"
"Silver notes? Fifty taels?" Wang Yongzhu was stunned and then couldn’t help but smile wryly.
The Zhang couple had never seen silver notes and couldn’t read, they probably thought those silver notes were just ordinary paper, and afraid Old Granny Zhang would find out, they simply burned them.
If they had known those burnt silver notes were worth at least a hundred taels, they would probably be livid even in death.
"Indeed! If they hadn’t had such thoughts, not to ntion the clothes, if they had kept the bundle fabric to remind , I would have rembered them a little. But they pushed to the brink, so I can’t be blad!" Old Granny Zhang snorted.
"Mother is right! The Zhang Family treated you so harshly. If it hadn’t been for them, you’d probably be living a life of luxury now! You wouldn’t have had to endure so much suffering! They are the ones who hard you!" Wang Yongzhu raged.
Even if Old Granny Zhang’s biological family were just ordinary folks, her life before marriage wouldn’t have been so harsh, nor would she have had to beco a second wife, but could have married into a suitable family, had many children, and lived a lively life.
Zhang Dabao and his wife, to satisfy their own desire for children, stole soone else’s child without knowing the heartache her biological parents must have felt when they discovered Old Granny Zhang was gone.
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