The Adopted Cannon Fodder Made a Comeback

Seeing the reactions of the Sun Family members, Zhou Erpao felt a sense of vindication. Even if his daughter couldn’t marry into the family, Zhou Gu’er shouldn’t even think about it either.

When Sun Jiaming arrived, the shouting match was in full swing.

The moment Sun Jiaming walked in the door, Cao Qiu unleashed a torrent of abuse on him. She demanded that he apologize to Zhou Erpao and immediately go back and throw Zhou Gu’er out. She told Sun Jiaming to prepare himself—he could only marry Zhou Mei.

Sun Jiaming didn’t move. He sat down, explained the situation, and stated his position clearly: he would absolutely not marry Zhou Mei.

Zhou Erpao felt he’d lost face. He hadn’t expected Sun Jiaming to be so defiant, even in front of his parents.

He demanded Sun Jiaming’s parents give him a proper explanation.

Cao Qiu continued to berate him, but Sun Jiaming refused to back down. Seeing that Sun Jiaming was resolute and that no one could sway him, Zhou Erpao finally uttered a few threats, said he’d wait for news, and left, ignoring the Sun Family’s attempts to make him stay. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

After he left, Cao Qiu looked at her son, who sat there motionlessly. She stopped shouting and started crying instead. She cried about her bitter fate, about being oppressed by her mother-in-law in her youth. She cried about her useless husband and about her son who wasn’t on her side, who was unfilial. Her heaven-and-earth-shaking wails gave Sun Jiaming a headache.

Sun Jiaming wanted to marry a daughter-in-law who would make his mother happy, especially given the precedent set by his sister-in-law. But hearing his mother say such awful things about Gu’er filled him with anger.

He looked at his mother, who was crying and slapping her thighs; at his father, squatting and smoking his long-stemmed pipe; and at his sister-in-law, who wore a mocking expression. A wave of sadness washed over Sun Jiaming.

He had always thought his mother had it hard. With a daughter-in-law who didn’t respect her or treat her well, he’d always believed it was his sister-in-law’s fault, that she was the one in the wrong. But now, he suddenly wondered, ’Mom wants her daughters-in-law to treat her well and respect her, but has she ever done the same for her own mother-in-law?’

He recalled his childhood. His grandmother had been very good to him and his older brother. She was a kind, capable woman who managed everything, inside the house and out. Everyone who mentioned his grandmother praised her. Yet his mother always badmouthed her behind her back, telling him and his brother that their grandmother mistreated and bullied her. She told them that when they grew up, they had to be on her side and never help their grandmother.

His grandmother was his mother’s mother-in-law, and she always gave in to his mother. It was his mother who was always picking fights. His grandmother would only argue when she could no longer bear it, yet his mother was convinced that his grandmother was deliberately trying to make her life difficult. Later, when his grandmother fell ill, his father and the two boys were the ones who took care of her initially. His mother would only put on a show, never actually lifting a finger to help. Even then, he heard his mother behind her back, cursing her as an "old hag who just won’t die."

A son does not speak of his mother’s faults, so Sun Jiaming could only pretend he hadn’t heard. On one side was the mother who raised him; on the other, the grandmother who doted on him. He just wanted them both to be happy.

’Wasn’t it hard, taking care of Grandmother all by myself? Wasn’t it tiring?’

’Of course it was hard, and of course it was tiring. But what could I do?’

’Mom didn’t want to care for her mother-in-law, so she actually dragged Dad off to live in the city. My sister-in-law would never let Grandmother live in the city, so what was Mom’s plan? She wanted me to move to the city, too. And what about Grandmother? Just abandon her in the village to starve to death?’

In that moment, he had truly resented his mother. But he was her junior; what could he possibly say!

Since his mother refused to be a filial daughter-in-law, he would be filial for her. That was why Sun Jiaming had insisted on staying in the village to care for his grandmother. He did it all for his mother’s sake.

’Mom thinks she’s so clever, escaping the duty of caring for her mother-in-law, avoiding the filth and the bedpans, all to enjoy life in the city. She has no idea how many people curse her behind her back. But I’m her son—what can I say!’

He couldn’t count on his father at all. The man had no mind of his own; he did whatever his mother said. The moment he decided to move to the city with her, Sun Jiaming knew he could never rely on his father for anything.

For the past few years, every time he saw his mother, all she could talk about was getting him to move to the city. And every time, he would remain silent, a quiet refusal offered because he didn’t want to embarrass her.

’The only reason Mom scolds Gu’er is because Gu’er has nothing. If Gu’er had powerful relatives to lean on, if her family was well-off, Mom wouldn’t be acting like this at all.’

’Mom says we’re unfilial for not finding daughters-in-law that meet her standards. But what are her standards?’

’Someone like Zhou Mei? I will never marry a woman that vicious.’

’Mom is always finding fault with this person and that person, saying this one is wrong and that one is no good. As her son, I tried not to think too much about it before. But is she right?’

’She’s the one who’s wrong, first and foremost. If Mom can’t be a filial daughter-in-law herself, how can she expect her own daughters-in-law to be filial to her!’

He did want to find a daughter-in-law who would please his mother, but he knew in his heart he could never agree with her views. If he found a wife who satisfied his mother, he would never be satisfied himself.

Sun Jiaming’s heart grew cold.

Before, no matter what, he had always sympathized with her. She was his mother, and he felt her life hadn’t been easy. But now he understood: she was the source of most of their problems.

Sun Jiaming looked at his mother, who was still crying, cursing, and listing everyone else’s faults. His gaze grew clear and resolute.

He was her son, that was true, but he had a mind of his own. When he couldn’t agree with her, he shouldn’t feel obligated to obey.

He would not marry Zhou Mei. No matter what. Nor would he marry any girl his mother picked out for him. He liked Gu’er, and he wanted to marry Gu’er. He believed that one day, his mother would eventually come to accept her.

’Gu’er is a good girl; she’s not a troublemaker. If Mom treats her poorly, then Gu’er and I can just continue living in the village. I won’t be taking advantage of my brother’s family, so my sister-in-law will have nothing to say. Besides, while my sister-in-law is formidable, Gu’er is no pushover. If she wants to bully Gu’er, she’d better think twice. If she dares to give Gu’er a hard time, then Gu’er and I will just stop visiting her home.’

’As for Mom and Dad, if they move back to the village, Gu’er and I will be filial to them. But not blindly so. We’ll be filial on the condition that Mom doesn’t cause trouble or target us. If they stay in the city, Gu’er and I will just come and visit them once a month.’

’It’s not that I’m unfilial. It’s that Mom’s way of thinking needs to change. I can’t just keep blindly submitting to her.’

Sun Jiaming had thought it all through. And so, he stood his ground.

Cao Qiu was a little surprised. In the past, her son had always sympathized with her. Whenever she acted wronged and started crying, he would hold her, comfort her, and promise to be filial and provide her with a comfortable life in the future.

But today, her usual trick wasn’t working. Even as she cried and cursed, she was secretly observing her son. She found his attitude to be incredibly firm. She had been crying for ages, and he hadn’t offered a single word of comfort.

A chill ran through Cao Qiu’s heart. ’Is this son not on my side anymore either?’

Her anger toward Gu’er intensified. ’A fatherless, motherless orphan dares to dream of marrying my son? Is she even worthy!’

’I will never agree to this. I have to drive that Gu’er away. I’m the one who decides who my son marries! It’s not Zhou Gu’er’s place to enter the Sun Family!’

’And that old hag,’ she thought, ’I’m sure she didn’t say a single good word about me. I have to get my son to the city; he can’t stay in that village any longer. As for that old crone... she’s been paralyzed for years. Why isn’t she dead yet? All she does is burden everyone!’

At this thought, a venomous look twisted Cao Qiu’s features.

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A bonus Chapter for Karl King’s He Shi Bi! Please vote for the story. To my dears with monthly passes, there will be more bonus Chapters if we get enough. I’d also like to recommend "Rebirth of a Fierce Rural Wife" by Si Ye He.