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墨書 Inktalez
"Well, since we are not welcome, we will leave," said Old Lady Ma, rising and pulling her grandson along as if to depart.
"Mother, what are you doing? Dazhun and the others are the backbone of our family. I want to see who dares to disregard them!" Ma Lianfa shot a fierce glare at Zhou Xiaoying.
"Eldest, your mother came this time to see if everything is alright. Why haven't you come home for the New Year? You only sent word through someone," she said, her tone softening.
"Your mother and your younger brother were worried, which is why we came over on the first day of the New Year," Old Lady Ma knew exactly how to soften Ma Lianfa's heart, her words carefully chosen.
Hearing this, Ma Lianfa was indeed moved. The reason they hadn't returned for the New Year was largely due to Zhou Xiaoying's influence. She had told him that every year when they went back home, seeing the three daughters made her unhappy. "Why stir up trouble for your mother during the festive season?" she had said.
She also mentioned that since the second son had three sons, they looked down on their family for having three daughters. "It would be better if we just stayed in the city for the New Year and let someone take the gifts back," she suggested.
Ma Lianfa felt a sense of inferiority because he had three daughters. Outside, it was easier to brush off comments; no one would say anything openly. But back in the village, things were different. The villagers didn't hold back their opinions—there were plenty of hurtful remarks about him.
"Look at Ma Lianfa; he’s doing well in the city, but he has a bunch of daughters—what a dead end!" they would say. "So what if he has money? In the end, it all goes to outsiders; he won't even have a son to carry on his name."
The harsh words were endless. So deep down, Ma Lianfa didn't really want to go back home. But now that Zhou Xiaoying had brought it up, he found himself agreeing.
Staying home for the New Year was nice; Zhou Xiaoying and their three daughters would take care of everything for him. However, he hadn't expected his mother and brother to be so worried about him that they would come to check on him on the first day of the New Year.
Ma Lianfa was a filial son; his feelings of inferiority stemmed from having three daughters and from what people in the village said about him. Now that his mother had come to see him, he felt a surge of gratitude and emotion.
"Mother, I'm fine. You don't need to worry," Ma Lianfa said. He couldn't exactly say that he had intentionally chosen not to return.
"You're fine, then I can rest easy," his mother replied, her voice trembling. "I didn't sleep a wink last night, just afraid something might happen to you. You're the eldest in our family, the pillar that supports us. If anything were to happen to you, what would I do?" Ma Lianfa's mother held his hand tightly, tears streaming down her face.
Ma Lianfa had never seen his mother cry before. His father had passed away early, and it had been tough for his mother to raise him and his brother alone. When they were young, as orphans with a single mother, they had often been bullied.
But as he grew older, he learned to read and write and became bold enough to take risks. He seized an opportunity and got a job at a factory, which improved their family's situation.
Looking back at those times and seeing his aging mother before him, Ma Lianfa regretted listening to Zhou Xiaoying's advice. He hadn't returned home for the New Year and had caused his mother unnecessary worry.
"Mother, I was wrong. From now on, I promise to visit more often." He paused for a moment before continuing, "By the way, I bought you some fabric so that Xiaoying can make you some clothes. Also, our factory distributed some enamel basins; I brought one back for you."
Ma Lianfa felt guilty for not returning sooner and making his tired mother come all this way.
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