Chapter 38: A Mother's Kindness and a Son's Filial Piety

"Dear husband, why do you insist on fulfilling your filial duties all by yourself?"

Lady Chu’s voice was uncharacteristically firm.

"What would a woman like you understand? That is my own mother; what is wrong with me showing my filial piety?"

"Then why didn't you follow Qing'er's suggestion and split the cost with Brother Second?"

Liang Mingxue took a deep breath, trying his best to keep his voice low. "Your second brother still has to provide for Youcai's schooling. Besides, it would be shameful to bicker over the cost of buying something for Mother."

"Husband, you... you only have your mother in your heart. Do you even care about this family of ours?"

Lady Chu’s voice choked with emotion; she pressed a hand to her chest, struggling for breath.

"Why are you talking like that? I already told you I would pay you back. Just give it to me."

"Go talk to Qing'er about it."

Lady Chu wiped away her tears, clutching her purse tightly.

Liang Yunqing waited for the right moment before walking in slowly, pretending she hadn't heard a thing.

"Father, Mother, aren't you asleep yet?"

Liang Mingxue turned away in embarrassment. Lady Chu wiped her eyes and managed a faint smile. Liang Yunqing didn't say much. She lay down fully clothed on the side against the wall to sleep. Some things could not be rushed; only by laying the facts out in the open could people truly come to their senses.

The next morning, Li Pinghua put on her new clothes, hitched up the donkey cart, and headed to town. Meanwhile, the grandmother sat by the door, deliberately rubbing her waist. She repeated over and over how the wooden bed at home was uncomfortable, complaining that her old bones ached all over after sleeping on it.

Liang Mingxue hadn't intended to rush to buy a bed, especially after just receiving his wages—he had planned to wait a few days to order one. But hearing his mother’s lamentations, he frowned, grabbed his money pouch, and headed out.

Lady Chu started to follow him, wanting to say something, but when she caught the calm and indifferent gaze of Liang Yunqing nearby, she understood. She stopped in her tracks and instead turned back to the kitchen to continue her chores.

Not long after the meal, Auntie Ma arrived carrying a basket of eggs.

"Yunqing, I’ve come today to thank you."

Auntie Ma seemed years younger, her complexion glowing with health. She placed the eggs on the table.

Liang Yunqing walked over with a smile. "Auntie Ma, there’s no need for such formalities. You earned that money through your own hard work. How are the trees in the field doing?"

"They're doing great, just great! Da Niu goes to guard them every day to till the soil and water them. The seeds we sowed are growing incredibly fast—frighteningly fast, even."

Hearing this, Liang Yunqing gave an awkward laugh.

Of course they were fast. With the boost from the land converter, the time it took for the seeds to grow into prickly ash trees was significantly shortened.

Auntie Ma then pressed something wrapped in red cloth into Liang Yunqing's hand.

"Your third aunt specifically asked me to bring this to you. You must accept it."

Liang Yunqing took it and unwrapped the red cloth to reveal the contents: a plain silver hairpin, small and somewhat worn. It looked familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before.

Seeing that she couldn't quite recall, Auntie Ma spoke up. "Don't you remember? This is your mother’s dowry. It was pawned to my family a while back."

With that, it clicked. The original girl did indeed have this memory; it seemed that to scrape together tuition for Liang Youcai, Lady Chu had taken her dowry and borrowed 100 wen from Auntie Ma’s family.

"Thank you, Auntie. Let me pay you back."

Seeing Liang Yunqing reaching for her money, Auntie Ma quickly stopped her. "You silly child, if I had come to demand money, why wouldn't I have sold the hairpin long ago? This is meant to be returned to you."

Liang Yunqing touched the hairpin, a warm current flowing through her heart. Lady Chu emerged from the kitchen upon hearing the commotion. She took the hairpin she hadn't worn in so long, silent tears falling onto it; it was something her own mother had passed down to her.

"Thank you, Auntie Ma."

"Yunqing’s mother, you’re too kind. I’d say you’ve had it rough, but from now on, life will be good."

Thinking of the suffering they had endured, Auntie Ma couldn't help but shed a few tears herself. Now that they had the livelihood provided by Yunqing, her own family would no longer have to go hungry.

After expressing her immense gratitude and chatting with Liang Yunqing until the afternoon, Auntie Ma wiped her red, swollen eyes with a handkerchief and thanked her one last time before leaving.

Once Auntie Ma was gone, Lady Chu calmed herself. She put on the silver hairpin and, without a word, returned to the kitchen to work. Liang Yunqing wanted to follow and help, but Lady Chu coaxed her away. She knew her mother wanted some peace and quiet, so she didn't disturb her further, handing over the eggs before leaving the kitchen.

The grandmother had been hiding in her room, listening to everything. She felt too guilty to show her face, as she was the one who had originally suggested pawning Lady Chu’s dowry to Auntie Ma.

That night, everyone returned home. Liang Mingxue came back drenched in sweat but in high spirits. He gulped down two large mouthfuls of water before catching his breath. He excitedly said to Lady Wang, who was eating, "Mother, I’ve ordered your bed."

"Ah! Wonderful, wonderful! My eldest son is truly filial."

The grandmother was overjoyed. She hurried over to wipe the sweat from Liang Mingxue’s brow, a picture of motherly love and filial devotion.

Liang Zhiyan was nowhere to be seen. He had been coming home later and later these days; sometimes he would only take a few bites of dinner before running off again. Li Pinghua was too preoccupied with sewing clothes for the children to bother asking him about it.

Liang Mingxue basked in the rare care and attention from his mother, the exhaustion of spending all his money and walking back from town melting away. Lady Wang even made the unprecedented gesture of giving him the largest steamed bun. On any other day, the largest bun and the thickest porridge would have gone to Liang Zhiyan.

Liang Mingxue was deeply moved and ate heartily. Only Lady Chu looked on, her heart aching as she watched his blistered feet. Liang Yunqing noticed as well, but she stayed silent, looking at Liang Zhiyan’s empty seat, lost in thought.

By the middle of the month, the prickly ash trees were in their growth phase, with clusters of tender green seeds hanging from the branches.

The new bed was delivered by several workers. Three sturdy men efficiently assembled the bed frame and boards. Liang Yunqing gave them a 10-wen tip. The men worked even more meticulously, even using the leftover wood to craft stools on the spot as a gift for Liang Yunqing.

Liang Youyong leaned against the door. He had realized that some money simply couldn't be saved, and that what his mother had told him wasn't always right. The bed was exquisite and beautiful, and even the stools were lovely.

Liang Yunqing poured some cool water for the workers before seeing them off. She then went to town to pick up the mattress and two cotton quilts she had ordered. With the fluffy, clean bedding spread out, the small room of less than 50 square meters looked brand new. The two small stools were placed by the door, making it convenient for changing clothes. Liang Yunqing calculated that if she ordered a table and a wardrobe later, it would be perfect.

A few days later, the bed Liang Mingxue had ordered for the grandmother was delivered. The workers assembled it in the standard fashion and prepared to leave. Lady Wang was displeased. She pointed to the discarded wooden boards on the floor and asked, "Why didn't you make these boards into stools for me?"

One of the men laughed helplessly. "Ma'am, we didn't even charge you for the assembly, and you want us to make you stools too?"

Lady Wang’s face flushed red, and she assumed an arrogant air, inspecting the bed one last time before allowing them to leave. She happily spread her quilt over it and lay down, savoring the scent of the fresh wood. Now that the room next door had a new bed, and she had one too, she felt as sweet as if she had eaten honey.

The peaceful life continued until the end of the month.