Chapter 621: Liu Mother's Origins

Seeing the look of nostalgia all over Mother Liu's face, she asked, "Surviving those years was no easy feat. I wonder if they had my luck?"

"Mom, you rarely mention Grandma's family. Tell me about them."

The moment those words left her mouth, Mother Liu seemed to fall into a reverie.

After a long while, Mother Liu slowly began, "I never saw my own father as far back as I can remember. Back then I was still young and foolish, and I pestered your grandma about your grandpa plenty of times. But every time, your grandma was either in a bad mood or sneaking off somewhere to cry. Once I caught her, I got so scared I never dared ask again.

Your grandma probably missed your grandpa all those years, and on top of that she had the whole household's burden on her shoulders. She wore her body out. The year I turned eleven, she couldn't hold on any longer and took to her bed, never to rise again.

From then on, your two uncles and I had only each other to rely on. Life was already hard enough, but then an accident happened on top of it.

The son of White Dog from the village snatched the firewood your Second Uncle had gathered on the mountain. How could your Second Uncle be willing to let that stand?

While the two were tugging at each other, they accidentally tumbled down the mountainside. Maybe that boy was just unlucky — the back of his head split open and bled, and he was gone on the spot.

After something this big, that family naturally wouldn't let your Second Uncle off. They smashed up our house, and on top of that said once their son was carried out for burial, they'd have your Second Uncle buried with him as a living sacrifice.

If it weren't for the village elders shielding him, your Second Uncle would probably have been dragged off by that family right there on the spot.

The White family ran the village like tyrants. Your Eldest Uncle was terrified, afraid they'd really take your Second Uncle away. The three of us fled that very night.

But when it rains, it pours — not long after we escaped, we ran into a riot. The three of us were swept up in the crowd and got separated.

A few days later, I finally made my way back to the spot where we'd been scattered, but I waited and waited for many days and no one showed up.

After that, that whole area was locked down without any warning, and I couldn't even get back in.

The food I'd brought with me had long run out. I survived by begging, staying there in constant fear for over half a month. In the end, I still didn't find them. Half-starved and exhausted, I collapsed by the roadside. Your grandma (my adoptive mother) took me home out of kindness, and after several moves I ended up following them back to the old home in Changping."

What came after, Chuxue naturally already knew. After all, the original host had heard plenty from her eldest aunt about how a household with no sons had spawned a litter of money-losing goods — and now she herself had become such a household with no sons.

That was because by the time Mother Liu married Father Liu, her adoptive mother had already passed, leaving her an orphan.

Knowing she had no natal family to speak of, and being a biological daughter at that, that snobbish eldest aunt naturally looked down on her in every way.

As for the old Liu couple, they had their own secrets tucked away, and since she wasn't their own daughter-in-law, they naturally turned a blind eye — which only let Ge Xiulan grow more brazen.

Luckily Father Liu shielded her. The grandparents wanted the horse to run fast; seeing their second son's attitude, they knew where his bottom line lay, and only then did they rein in their eldest daughter-in-law.

Even so, in the Liu household there was still endless work and endless scolding.

Chuxue didn't dare bring up Zhao Dujuan, planning to wait until the news was confirmed before mentioning it to her. "Mom, tomorrow I'll help you with the field work. Until the baby's stable, it's best you rest. After all, you know your own body best.

The work will never be finished, but if you really wear yourself out and something goes wrong, that would be more loss than gain."

Mother Liu had originally planned to go to work the next afternoon, but once her daughter's words landed, she felt they made sense.

Getting pregnant again at her age, she truly couldn't afford any mishap. "Alright, I'll do as you say."

Just then, Chunxiao came rushing in like a gust of wind. "Mom, I heard from the villagers that you're pregnant?"