Ch 66: Ordering Her Around Like A Servant
“This isn’t because something happened at her home…”
Tian Shufang didn’t want to discuss Wang Cuie’s family matters outside, so she vaguely glossed over it.
“You’re just foolish!”
Tian Shumei, however, felt that Wang Cuie had come to mooch off the Gu Family’s benefits, and was extremely displeased. She couldn’t help but say a few more bad things about Wang Cuie.
But after getting along with her yesterday, Tian Shufang thought Wang Cuie was quite good and didn’t listen to Tian Shumei’s words at all.
Seeing that Tian Shufang didn’t take her words to heart, Tian Shumei became even angrier and decided to get Wang Cuie out of the Gu Family.
That evening, after the Gu Family members got off work and Shen Mingyue drove back from the clothing store, she learned that there was an extra person at home.
At first glance at Tian Shumei, Shen Mingyue felt that this person was not a kind one. One can tell a person’s temper from their facial features.
Tian Shumei didn’t look unpleasant, but she had a pair of inverted triangle eyes, and when she looked at people, there was a hint of picky scrutiny, which was somewhat mean-spirited.
However, since she was her mother-in-law’s own elder sister, and she would only be staying at the Gu Family for a few days, Shen Mingyue decided to let it go for the sake of appearances.
Shen Mingyue didn’t pay much attention and went straight to her room after dinner.
These two days, she had been thinking about what new clothing designs to put in the clothing store. As soon as she returned to her room, she immediately got busy designing patterns.
Gu Yuanzhou came home from work and pushed open the door to see the woman’s beautiful figure in the light. Walking closer, he saw Shen Mingyue’s focused and serious profile as she was deep in thought, and something in his heart stirred slightly.
He did not disturb Shen Mingyue, but went to the other side to read a book.
The room was quiet, but not awkward. If an outsider were to see this scene, they would surely exclaim how pleasing it was to the eye.
“Cuie, can you wash my clothes too? My hands can’t touch cold water.”
In the living room, Tian Shumei carried a basin of her dirty clothes to the restroom and said this to Wang Cuie, who was washing clothes.
Wang Cuie was stunned for a moment, but still agreed.
Tian Shumei put the dirty clothes on the ground, but didn’t leave immediately. Instead, she leaned against the door and looked at Wang Cuie with a disgusted look.
Her gaze fell on Wang Cuie’s rough hands with hangnails, and she couldn’t help but say with disgust: “You country bumpkins are so rough. Your hands are like tree bark. Be careful not to ruin my clothes.”
She then showed her own hands. The man she married wasn’t as well-off as Tian Shufang’s husband, but she always paid attention to maintaining her hands. The contrast between their hands was stark.
Seeing this, Wang Cuie felt a pang of inferiority. She didn’t say anything, but she softened her movements as she washed the clothes.
Even if she were thick-skinned, after today’s events, she could sense Tian Shumei’s malice and dislike, but she didn’t understand why.
But she didn’t want to add trouble for her daughter over such a small matter, so she could only give in.
Seeing the embarrassed look on Wang Cuie’s face, Tian Shumei felt very proud and left with a snort.
Looking at her back view, Wang Cuie sighed and silently finished washing and hanging the clothes.
The next day, everyone in the Gu Family went to work, Shen Mingyue went to the clothing store, and only Wang Cuie, Tian Shumei, and Zhou Xiaofei were left at home.
“Wang Cuie, clean this floor, and make sure you do a good job.”
This was a chance for Tian Shumei. She ordered Wang Cuie like she was the mistress of the Gu Family.
Wang Cuie didn’t want to argue with her. She had lived in the Shen Family for so many years, and her temper had been worn down. She didn’t say anything.
Seeing Wang Cuie so obediently cleaning, Tian Shumei felt a sense of pleasure and felt even more that Wang Cuie should be her servant.
Zhou Xiaofei knew that her aunt was looking for trouble, so she came out of her room to watch the excitement. Seeing Shen Mingyue’s mother being treated like a servant by her aunt, she was so happy that she couldn’t stop smiling.
Shen Mingyue is treated well in the Gu Family, so what? Her own mother is treated as a servant and doesn’t even know it.
Because of Wang Cuie’s meekness, Tian Shumei became even more aggressive and found ways to boss her around, even making her wash and bring the fruit.
Wang Cuie finally finished Tian Shumei’s chores and found time to iron her daughter’s clothes in her room.
Tian Shumei discovered that she couldn’t find Wang Cuie and found her ironing clothes. She deliberately pushed her.
“Ah!”
Wang Cuie was unprepared and fell to the ground. The hot iron meant to iron clothes burned her hand, causing her to scream in pain.
“Oh dear, Cuie, I didn’t mean to. I didn’t see you ironing clothes here. I wanted to ask you to wash my bedsheets!”
Tian Shumei pretended not to know, but her acting skills were too poor, and the mockery in her eyes was about to overflow.
Wang Cuie knew it was intentional, but she was helpless against her, and silently got up to rinse the burn.
When Zhou Xiaofei heard Wang Cuie’s scream, she ran out.
Seeing the red burn on Wang Cuie’s hand, she felt extremely pleased, but quickly expressed concern, but did not take the initiative to get burn ointment for Wang Cuie.
“Mom, what’s wrong?”
Hearing Shen Mingyue’s voice, Zhou Xiaofei’s expression tightened, and her heart skipped a beat. Why did this woman come back now?
Shen Mingyue’s gaze fell on her mother’s burned hand, and her calm gaze suddenly became sharp.
“What happened?”
“It’s nothing. I accidentally burned myself.”
Wang Cuie mumbled, quickly hiding her hand behind her back.
How could Shen Mingyue not understand her temper? Knowing she was lying, she suppressed her anger and said softly, “Mom, tell me the truth. Don’t worry about adding trouble for me.”
Her daughter’s tender words made Wang Cuie’s eyes redden, but she still pursed her lips and shook her head.
Tian Shumei stood aside watching with a look of amusement, occasionally sneering.
At this point, Shen Mingyue naturally guessed what had happened.
She turned to Tian Shumei and stared intently into her eyes, “Aunt, I showed you respect before because you are an elder, but it seems that you don’t understand your position.”
“Why is your speech so harsh? As expected of a country bumpkin, you’re just as unrefined as your mother.”
Tian Shumei’s face instantly drooped. She didn’t expect Shen Mingyue, this country bumpkin, to dare to question her, and didn’t consider her own identity.
“Country people aren’t necessarily unrefined. In my opinion, a troublemaking elder is the most unrefined. Is this your home? Do you have the right to act superior here?”
Shen Mingyue showed a mocking expression. Thinking of her mother’s burned hand, her anger grew even stronger.
“You… what do you mean by that? Is this how you talk to your elders?”
Tian Shumei didn’t expect Shen Mingyue to be so strong and was somewhat surprised.
“What’s going on here? Why are you arguing?”
Tian Shufang also came home from work and saw her own sister and daughter-in-law confronting each other as soon as she entered the door.