Chapter 155: Chapter 157: Saying She is Disobedient
Perhaps it was because she was too competent that, in the eyes of those with an agenda, it was only natural for her to do everything, and also to enjoy everything. At first, Sang Zhilan didn’t make Tang Yuxin wash that many clothes. It was only after she saw Tang Yuxin demonstrating an excellent work ethic, doing her tasks so well. While their family was inside watching TV and chatting, Tang Yuxin was outside by the water pipe washing clothes. Later on, even the underwear of their family of three was thrown out for the child to wash.
Tang Yuxin didn’t mind washing Sang Zhilan’s underwear. Her little hands were soaked in cold water as she scrubbed vigorously, she didn’t speak to anyone. She was like a fool, silently taking the beatings, the scoldings, the orders, doing what was asked and not doing what wasn’t.
At the dinner table, Tang Yuxin brought out a dish. After placing it down, she went back in to get another. The family of three outside had already started eating, not giving a thought to the fact that she was still busying herself in the kitchen, cooking all these dishes single-handedly.
The dish she brought out this time was meat. As soon as she set it down, Sang Zhilan snatched the plate and placed it directly in front of Wei Tian and his daughter.
“Yuxin, you’re still young, this meat is too greasy, children should eat more vegetables.”
Tang Yuxin lowered her head, picked up her chopsticks, and quietly started eating the grains in her bowl.
“Daddy, I want meat,” Wei Jiani’s stubborn voice came from her seat, where she sat occasionally kicking her legs. She assumed that the child Sang Zhilan was referring to included her. She loved meat the most, how could she not have any?
“You can only have one piece.”
Sang Zhilan beamingly put a lean piece of meat into Wei Jiani’s bowl. The meat was cooked by Tang Yuxin, so whether it was fatty or lean, it was not greasy and tasted really good. Even the vegetables stir-fried in the meat carried the flavorful taste. Wei Jiani used a bun to dip into the meat juice, eating with such joy that crumbs were scattered all over the table. They were all enjoying their meal, helping each other with the dishes, only Tang Yuxin sat alone to the side, like a maid excluded from the family. It seemed that she no longer deserved to sit at this table in the future.
“Yuxin, I’m taking Nini to her piano lesson, you stay home and make sure to wash the clothes and have dinner ready.”
While instructing Tang Yuxin, Sang Zhilan began packing clothes for Wei Jiani.
“I want to go too,” Tang Yuxin suddenly spoke up, surprising Sang Zhilan.
“What do you want to do there?”
The smile on Sang Zhilan’s face faltered, “Your sister is going there to learn the piano, not to play.”
“I also want to learn the piano.”
Tang Yuxin repeated her wish, the words she had wanted to say in her past life but never did, like reciting a script. She also wanted to learn the piano, she also wanted to go to the Youth Palace, just like Wei Jiani.
“Yuxin, why are you being so disobedient?”
Sang Zhilan’s face turned stern, “There’s so much to do at home, and you want to learn the piano?” But after she finished reprimanding, she found herself staring into a pair of eyes that seemed indifferent to the world, which sent a chill down her spine. As if realizing something, her face began to grow hot.
She touched her face and let out a cough.
“Yuxin, mom didn’t mean that, you have to start learning piano at age six. You’re too old now, your fingers have fully developed, and it’s too late to learn. Tonight, I will discuss with your uncle Wei to see if there’s anything else you can learn that’s simpler, alright?”
“Alright,” Tang Yuxin agreed, her downward-looking eyes concealing the deep sarcasm in her heart.
Who said that you cannot learn the piano at the age of nine? People in their teens can learn, not to mention her.
Art knows no borders, no gender, and certainly no age.
Oh, she can’t learn.
What a blatant lie.
After Sang Zhilan and her daughter left, Tang Yuxin picked up the broom again, sweeping the floor until they returned. Wei Jiani even brought home a candy-coated haw stick.
Sang Zhilan told Wei Jiani to hide the candy-coated haw stick behind her back, then take it to her room and eat it secretly.
Tang Yuxin looked up, she saw everything but said nothing.
Wei Jiani may not have learned much, but when it came to protecting her things, she was exactly like Wei Tian. She quickly ran into her room and started eating the candy-coated haw stick by herself in secrecy.
“Yuxin, is dinner ready?”
Sang Zhilan asked, hiding her hands behind her back. Although she was smiling, for some reason, she felt uneasy and couldn’t meet Tang Yuxin’s gaze. Surprisingly enough, she found herself afraid of her own daughter. But as for what she was afraid of, she couldn’t put into words.
“It’s ready,” Tang Yuxin replied before retreating to her little kennel of a room and sitting down against the wall.
Sang Zhilan went into the kitchen and, sure enough, dinner was ready. A pot of boiled noodles and some pancakes, all warm, she was now just waiting for Wei Tian to return home to eat.
When Wei Tian came back, she hurriedly brought the prepared food to the table, then called Wei Jiani to eat. Wei Jiani was already filled with snacks and was reluctant to eat, but eventually picked up her small bowl and casually nibbled a few mouthfuls before giving up. In the end, it was Sang Zhilan who fed her bite by bite.
“Aren’t you going to ask Yuxin to come and eat?” Wei Tian asked Sang Zhilan, who wiped the sweat from her forehead. Feeding Wei Jiani was always like going to battle, an exhaustive task.
“She might have eaten already, let’s not bother her,” Sang Zhilan replied, panting slightly. She leaned back and started eating.
Tang Yuxin opened her eyes in her little kennel.
Oh, she’s eaten. What did she eat? Clearly, it was Sang Zhilan who said that before the adults had eaten, you were not allowed to sneak any food. How could she, so timid and scared, sneak food?
After a while, she heard the sound of a door closing. She knew the Wei family had gone out. Today was the weekend, after dinner, they would go visit Wei Jun, Wei Tian’s elder brother, with whom Wei’s mother lived.
In this life, the Wei family had two brothers with each having a daughter. Wei’s mother placed all her hopes on the younger brother, Wei Tian, hoping that he would have a son. Interestingly enough, Wei Tian just went ahead and had another girl without even getting married. Although both brothers had girls, it’s different when the child is not yours. Wei’s mother didn’t like Sang Zhilan but adored Wei Jiani.
Of course, the treatment of the two daughters-in-law by Wei’s mother was vastly different.