RESLW Chapter 24

Chapter 24 Miraculous Soapy Water

   Li Mingqin’s eyes were brimming with angry tears, “Mom, please let me go back and have a look first. If Yezi is alright, I will come back. I promise that I will finish removing all these corn kernels today.”

   “That also won’t do. You’re the Zhou family’s daughter-in-law, so the Zhou family has the final say!”

   Seeing that Old Madam Zhou was so unreasonable like this, Mei Xiaoran also became angry and scolded with her arms akimbo, “Hey landlady, my Maternal Second Aunt was married to your house as a daughter-in-law, not sold to your house as a servant girl! Do you still live in a feudal society? Is the criticism that you have, not enough? “

   Zhou family’s class is not good, which is the landlord’s class. During the Movement*, they were often criticized. Old Madam Zhou was also frightened by the criticism. These words immediately hit her weakness.

(TN : China Land Reform Movement. The elimination of land rent, which termed “feudal exploitation”, and the elimination of landlord status. for more detailed info click here.)

   Mei Xiaoran angrily pushed her away, grabbed Li Mingqin and left. “Maternal Second Aunt, let’s go back quickly. My mother and Maternal Grandmother can’t hold Maternal Fourth Aunt. Without your help, it won’t do.”

   Li Mingqin also did not look at Old Madam Zhou any more and ran back home with Mei Xiaoran as if flying.

   “Mom, how is Yezi?”

   Maternal Grandmother Li has yet to answer, but already heard Maternal Grandfather Li snorted heavily, “Now you know to return home?”

   Li Mingqin did not dare to utter even a word.

   Of all the sisters, she was the least favored. Before her parents gave birth to the youngest pair of siblings, her father’s favorite was Old Fourth. Yezi has a sweet mouth, actively builds relationships, and can always coax their father to be happy. Her mother’s favorite is her Eldest Sister, who is the oldest child of her parents. The way she talks and works, it was all properly and logically arranged. There are many girls in the Li family. One girl has half a son’s usefulness. The relationship between Eldest Sister and their mother is also the closest. even though Third Younger Sister is more favored than her, even though she is not so smart and always muddle headed. What’s rare is, Third Younger Sister has a straightforward personality, in which their mother also takes into consideration. Only she alone, this Old Two, became the least favored person.

   Li Mingye is still tossing there, rolling on the ground, crying and wailing……Maternal Grandmother Li and Li Mingyun couldn’t hold her back at all. Maternal Grandfather Li’s face was ghastly pale with anger, but he was also afraid that if it was made public, then it would only let others jest. After Li Mingqin entered the house, the door was closed with a quick and neat movement.

   But it’s just a matter of plugging one’s ears while stealing a bell. Who doesn’t hear the movement inside the Li family’s courtyard? They just feel too uncomfortable to point it out.

   With the help from Li Mingqin, Li Mingye was quickly held down.

   If in the Li family, Li Mingyun has half-a-son’s usefulness, then Li Mingqin has a-son’s usefulness. Actually, the Li family was also poor and they had many daughters. When Li Mingqin still worked in the production team, she spared no effort working there. The Collective Points she earned was as much as a man laborer’s. At home and in the fields, it was her who made the most effort. It’s just that her personality was not likeable for her parents. So, once Li Mingqin stepped in, they finally stopped Li Mingye. It angered Li Mingye so much that she let loose a torrent of abuse, which in turn angered Li Mingyun and she slapped her several times. Afterwards, Li Mingye becomes a little more obedient.

   “Maternal Grandfather, Maternal Grandmother, what should we do now? Are we going to take Maternal Fourth Aunt to hospital?”

   “Take a fart. Not worried about losing face?” Maternal Grandfather Li worried that it was unsightly and instructed Mei Xiaoran, “Go get some soapy water and force your Maternal Fourth Aunt to drink it.”

   Mei Xiaoran immediately understood her Maternal Grandfather’s intention, and had to say that the common folk’s wisdom in life was still very high!

   Soapy water is originally used to induce vomiting, patients who drank pesticides or had food poisoning, were precisely taken to hospital to clean out the stomach. What they used was also soapy water. The principle is actually the same!

   Although Maternal Grandfather and Maternal Grandmother didn’t know any medical skills, but using this folk method unexpectedly was the most scientific way.

   Under the guidance of her Maternal Grandfather, Mei Xiaoran quickly made a large basin of soapy water. Li Mingyun and Li Mingqin, this pair of sisters, pressed Li Mingye. Maternal Grandmother Li pulled open Li Mingye’s mouth. Mei Xiaoran took the ladle and desperately poured the soapy water down……It was obvious that they were saving life, instead the picture is very funny. But Mei Xiaoran doesn’t dare to relax. She also doesn’t know how much pesticide Maternal Fourth Aunt had drunk. If it doesn’t work, then just pour it a couple more times.

   After pouring soapy water, still have to stimulate the vomiting. This, Mei Xiaoran was embarrassed to do it. Her Maternal Grandmother asked her to take a pair of chopsticks, pressed downLi Mingye’s tongue, and after the head of the chopsticks went straight up to her throat……Li Mingye cries and vomited. Li Mingyun and her younger sister used all their strength to press her tightly. After tossing once, she still wants a second one, a third one……Even Mei Xiaoran also feels unwell for Maternal Fourth Aunt. Everything is in a good condition, yet she had to drink some pesticides. Fortunately, she was saved by her maternal grandparents who had wisdom in life, using the native method. If it was switched with those kind of parents who have no general knowledge, and was not sent to hospital in time, wouldn’t one died?

   After a series of tossing, Li Mingye had already vomited till her breath was barely perceptible. Both the older sisters also do not need to hold her down that tightly anymore. Instead, they went according to their old mother’s instruction and carried her to the bamboo bed inside the room.

   Although Li Mingye’s complexion is still very pale, but after pouring soapy water for several times, she could basically be confirmed to have no harm. After taking a good rest for two days, she is sure to be brimming with energy again.

   This one whole bustle, when it stopped, it was already half past three in the afternoon.

   This time, Li Mingyun has just remembered that her daughter had been busy along herself for a long time. She didn’t even go to school!

   “Ranran, quickly go to school. Your Maternal Fourth Aunt is already okay now.”

   “Better forget it. What time is it now anyway? When I arrived at school, it should also be the time the school is over. I already told Leilei to ask for a leave from my teacher.”

   It’s not until now that everyone finally breathes a sigh of relief.

   Li Mingqin kept thinking about removing the corn kernels and said she would go back, but Mei Xiaoran stopped her. “Maternal Second Aunt, don’t go back. Even if you don’t go back to work for a while, your mother-in-law also can’t do you any harm. What are you afraid of her for?”

   Maternal Grandmother Li’s face sank as soon as she heard this. Needless to say, it must be that Old Madam Zhou again who bullied Mingqin because she(LMQ) was an honest one!

   Mei Xiaoran took the opportunity to dramatically tell the detailed story about her experience just now when she went to call Maternal Second Aunt. After she was done speaking, the several adults present, except Li Mingye, all revealed angry faces.

   Li Mingqin all the more apologetically trying to justify her mother-in-law’s actions, “My Mother-in-law was usually not like that, it’s just, doesn’t know what had happened to her today!”

   “Forget it. Even if your Mother-in-law bullies our family, we only have one little boy, your little brother here.”

   When it comes to Mingqin’s marriage, Maternal Grandmother Li and Li Mingyun both blame themselves. At the beginning, they married Mingqin to Old Zhou’s family with the intention for Mingqin to stay closer to her parents’ home, so it would be easier to take care of things if anything happened in their family. After all, Li Mingyun’s marriage partner was a farmer and lived far so could not be relied upon. But the result is, no one had ever thought that Old Madam Zhou could bully people so much that Mingqin couldn’t even live a peaceful life……The only thing worth rejoicing about is that Zhou Jincheng is a benign and uncontentious old man and also knows how to dote on his daughter-in-law. Otherwise, Mingqin’s life will be more difficult. Old Madam Zhou dares to bully the Li family precisely because they only have one boy who hasn’t even grown up yet. Li Mingqin has no brothers from the maternal side to rely on.

   “Mingqin, it’s not that mother wants to blame you. Your Mother-in-law is not a good thing. You have to be tough when you should be tough.” Maternal Grandmother Li also couldn’t understand. When the second daughter was at home, she used to be as tough as a man. After she got married, even her bravery was also ‘got married’ out into nothing……Unlike the Oldest one. Although the eldest daughter married the farmer Mei Zhonghua, Mingyun forced Mei Zhonghua to move into the city, and also moved their household registration to the city. This goes to show that the eldest daughter still has a standing at home. At least, her husband’s family did not dare to bully her openly.

   Li Mingqin sighed carefully, “Mom, it’s not that I don’t want to harden my heart, it’s Taozi him. He always instructs me to yield to his mother, saying that his mother is muddle headed and I shouldn’t bother myself arguing with her!”

   “Maternal Second Aunt, what Maternal Second Uncle-in-law said is not right. Then, if Grandma Zhou killed you, would you not say anything too? Since Maternal Second Uncle-in-law doted on you so much, why didn’t he come out to protect you?”

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