Su Manxiang had barely reached the main entrance before she began calling out to her parents in an overly dramatic fashion.
Since it was the weekend, she had brought her son and daughter with her.
"Dad, Mom, it's the weekend today, so I brought the children to see you," Su Manxiang said, a wide smile on her face, presenting herself as a dutiful daughter.
However, Grandpa Su and Grandma Su were well aware of their daughter's true character and maintained a distant attitude, showing little joy.
Su Manxiang had come with an agenda and didn't care about her parents' demeanor. She walked directly into the main hall and sat down on the edge of the kang.
"Did you come to apologize to Tian Bao?" Grandma Su asked, her face cold.
"Mom, we're all family, what's there to apologize for?" Su Manxiang's expression soured.
Just a worthless girl, and she expected an apology! Her mother was getting more foolish by the day!
"Mom, I left early this morning just to visit you both, and I haven't even had breakfast yet. Do you have any good food at home? Bring it out, I want to eat something first!"
Sitting on the edge of the kang, Su Manxiang unceremoniously demanded food.
"Don't you know what our conditions are? It's good enough if we can eat sweet potato flour," Grandma Su's tone grew even colder.
She didn't know how her daughter had turned out this way, becoming someone who only acted if there was a benefit.
Her early arrival today could only mean she had heard about the third son buying meat yesterday.
"Mom, didn't you buy meat yesterday?"
Su Manxiang, unable to keep her thoughts to herself, blurted out her purpose.
Grandma Su wore an expression of "I knew it."
The three daughters-in-law of the Su family had just finished clearing the dishes. They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with disdain.
But as daughters-in-law, they knew that at times like these, they absolutely could not speak.
Grandma Su, with a stern face, scolded, "Only you would have the nerve to come empty-handed! Which daughter visits their parents without bringing gifts? Only you! You come with your hands swinging and have the audacity to demand meat!"
Su Manxiang chuckled sheepishly and said, "Mom, why are you saying that? I came to see you. I think about you and Dad day and night at home!"
Grandma Su looked at her glib-tongued daughter but said nothing.
Su Manxiang then realized she had spoken her mind too quickly and began to backtrack.
"Mom, you know my husband doesn't earn much, and he still has to support a large family. Otherwise, why would I come empty-handed?"
"But my husband and I are filial to you in our hearts. Mom, don't worry, when our conditions improve, we will definitely bring the best things home."
No matter how nicely Su Manxiang spoke, the family already knew her true nature.
The three sisters-in-law stood by, listening without a word, curious to see what else Su Manxiang would say!
Grandma Su merely snorted, and Grandpa Su, puffing on his pipe, seemed indifferent.
Liang Xiu was relieved that she had listened to Little Tian and eaten all the meat patties yesterday.
Otherwise, today, that shameless Su Manxiang would have gotten them for free.
It wasn't that she, as the elder sister-in-law, was being petty, but this sister-in-law truly didn't deserve it!
"Eldest sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, third sister-in-law, what's going on? I've never seen such aunts.
"Don't you see my nephew is thirsty from the journey? Hurry up and make some sugar water for them to drink."
"And don't be stingy with the meat at home, bring it out for them to eat. The children are tired from the journey, they need to replenish their strength!"
Su Manxiang, unaware of her unwelcome presence, continued to bossily demand food and drink.
Liang Xiu couldn't help but roll her eyes when others weren't looking.
Did she really think she was that important? To have the nerve to say such things?
Eat meat? You'll eat nothing!
Seeing that the three sisters-in-law didn't react and didn't move, Su Manxiang's face darkened, and she cursed, "Do you think I'll eat your food for free? Don't you think about our family's conditions? Mei Hua's father has a stable job and can get a lot of scarce goods."
"If your family is well-off, you can eat well at home. We certainly won't come to your house to beg for food!" Liang Xiu couldn't hold back any longer and retorted.
Grandma Su looked at her third daughter-in-law, then at her shameless daughter and her nephew and niece beside her.
No wonder the daughters-in-law didn't like her daughter; her daughter was truly out of line!
"Eldest daughter-in-law, pour a few bowls of water. There's still a bit of sweet potato flour left. Let's make some porridge and add some small greens; it will taste good too."
Grandma Su, unable to bear it completely, still arranged for food to be prepared.
Her daughter was not a good person, but no matter how bad she was, she was still her own flesh and blood. What more could she say?
Su Manxiang, who had come for the meat, was unhappy to hear her mother planning to make only sweet potato flour porridge.
What did this mean?
Was she looking down on them?
"Mom, didn't my third brother buy two catties of sugar yesterday? Are you reluctant to make sugar water for my children?" Su Manxiang's face fell as she yelled at Grandma Su, "Sweet potato flour porridge, is that how you treat guests? Am I not your own daughter?"
"Your third brother did buy two catties of sugar, but it was to thank the person who saved Tian Bao, and it was sent away long ago! Even my Tian Bao didn't get to drink a single sip," Grandma Su glanced at her daughter, her tone growing colder.
They say daughters are a mother's little padded jacket, but why was hers so leaky and drafty?
Hearing that there was no sugar water, Kang Mei Hua was displeased.
All the way here, her mother had been telling her that she would drink sugar water and eat meat at her maternal grandmother's house. Now, all that sugar was gone, and it was because of Su Xiao Tian. She really couldn't stand it.
"Grandma, why do you always think of Su Xiao Tian? That was two catties of sugar, and you gave it all away?"
In Kang Mei Hua's mind, Su Xiao Tian was just a country bumpkin. Why did she deserve so much pampering?
She was a girl from town, much more precious than Su Xiao Tian. Anything good should be given to her.
"What? Is my Tian Bao's life worth less than two catties of sugar?" Grandma Su now looked at her granddaughter with undisguised disgust.
She used to think she was well-behaved and cute, but why had she become so unbearable in the past two years?
At such a young age, she was cruel and vicious, even pushing Tian Bao into the river.
This child had clearly gone astray.
Or perhaps it was because the Kang family people were inherently bad, this child was bad from the root!
Kang Mei Hua was speechless and didn't know how to answer, but she felt quite unconvinced.
What was Su Xiao Tian? Sugar could sweeten one's mouth, but Su Xiao Tian was only annoying and useless.
"Mom, don't say that. Two catties of sugar is a lot; it's understandable to feel reluctant. To thank someone, giving them a small portion would have been enough. You can't give away two whole catties!" Su Manxiang also felt a pang of regret.
Two catties of sugar! Even her husband, who worked at the supply and marketing cooperative, wouldn't buy two catties of sugar all year round.
Why was her mother becoming more and more extravagant?
It must have been that little vixen Su Xiao Tian who instigated this. This wouldn't do; she had to have a good talk with her.