Chapter 137: 137: If Only It Were a Boy
Chapter 137: Chapter 137: If Only It Were a Boy
Hearing this, Zhao Xiaojuan looked at her mother-in-law’s hands, then at her daughters, opened her mouth to say something but then closed it, and opened and closed it again.
Finally, with a hardened heart, she summoned the courage to say, “Mom, the clam oil that big brother bought for you, can you let Da Ya and Er Ya use some? The children’s hands are all covered with frostbite.”
Zhang Guihua heard this and immediately retorted in a harsh tone, “Look at the money-losing bunch you’ve given birth to. Feeding them and keeping them alive is good enough, and now they also want my clam oil? Dream on!”
Zhao Xiaojuan, scolded in front of everyone in the room, couldn’t lift her head, did not retort, and simply had her eyes turn red in silence.
Da Ya, who was sensible, didn’t want to see her mother get scolded because of them, and quickly said, “Grandma, please don’t scold my mom. We don’t need the clam oil.”
However, Sun Lixia scoffed at Zhao Xiaojuan: “The second sister-in-law is really stupid. Why care so much about these girls? What’s crucial is to give birth to a healthy baby boy for the Old Jiang Family as soon as possible!”
Of course, she wasn’t about to kindly remind her sister-in-law, as she didn’t want another boy to compete with Zhiwen and Zhiwu for resources.
But Jiang Changhai, seeing his nieces being scolded by his mother over a bottle of clam oil, felt that it was really unnecessary.
So, he turned to Jiang Mianmian and said, “Girl, go and get the clam oil from our room for your elder sisters to use.”
“Alright.”
Jiang Mianmian immediately sprung up from her stool and ran to fetch Jiang Changhai’s clam oil for Da Ya, “Sister, here you go.”
Da Ya, somewhat overwhelmed by the favor, accepted it gratefully, “Thank you, Uncle. Thank you, San Ya.”
During the exchange, it was very obvious to see one hand that was white and tender, and another that was covered with cracks and frostbite.
This stark contrast caused Zhao Xiaojuan immense heartache.
Both were daughters of the Jiang Family, yet the difference in treatment was like heaven and earth. How could she not be heartbroken?
She felt useless, unable to even afford a jar of clam oil.
Da Ya, unaware of Zhao Xiaojuan’s inner turmoil and self-blame, carefully applied the clam oil, moving from one sister’s hands to the others’.
Seeing that she only took a little each time, Jiang Mianmian took initiative to help, “Sister, you need to apply more for it to be effective.”
Er Ya, who also received a large chunk of clam oil, smeared it on while looking towards Jiang Changtao, who had been indifferent throughout the whole situation, and suddenly resentment surged within her.
She couldn’t understand why her father could pretend to hear nothing and not stand up to protect them when Grandma was scolding them and their mother.
Just now, even the Uncle, who was always called good-for-nothing, couldn’t bear to listen and spoke up in their defense, even sharing his clam oil with them.
But her father, who was always praised for his honesty and simplicity, could act as if nothing had happened!
She didn’t expect her father to be like the Uncle, who unconditionally took the side of his wife and daughters, but couldn’t he at least show a little bit of care for them?
She knew that her father had always wanted a son to carry on the family business, but did that mean the girls were not his own children?!
She also thought to herself that if only she had been born a boy.
Then she wouldn’t have to cut pigweed and pick up wheat ears in the sweltering summer fields.
Nor wash clothes in the icy cold river water in winter.
She could, like Zhiwen and Zhiwu, eat meat, wear new clothes, and go to school.
Yu Cheng, who sat quietly beside Jiang Mianmian, keenly caught the fluctuation in her emotions and the resentment in her eyes, but he averted his gaze as if nothing had happened.
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