si-mexico Chapter 180
Chapter 180
Mu's mother was startled by the sudden figure approaching her, instinctively shifting her body aside.“Don’t be afraid. I’m from the village too,” the woman said, not expecting Mu’s mother to be so timid, and quickly tried to reassure her.
Fortunately, they were in a corner and hadn’t drawn anyone’s attention.
“You’re from the village too?” Mu’s mother stared at the elderly woman before her, frantically searching her memory for any recollection of her, but came up empty.
“You probably don’t remember me. I’m a refugee who came later,” the old woman explained.
Mu’s mother nodded. “What do you need from me? I heard you just mentioned my daughter.”
By the time these refugees arrived, Mu Jingmei had already been married off. Logically, the old woman couldn’t have met her.
“I have a relative assigned to Yang Family Village. Your daughter married the production team leader’s son, right?” the old woman asked.
Mu’s mother nodded.
“Then that’s right. Your daughter asked me to tell you that she’ll be waiting for you tonight on the back hill. She said she has something to talk to you about.” The old woman lowered her voice.
“Why does she want to see me at night?” Mu’s mother frowned.
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because she embarrassed herself the last time she came home. She’s afraid her father will be angry and doesn’t dare visit directly.” The old woman sighed before continuing, “But really, there’s no such thing as an overnight grudge between parents and children. I saw your daughter brought quite a few things when she came back after the wedding. She seems genuinely regretful. As parents, we shouldn’t be too hard on our children. Take some time to go see her—after all, she came from your own flesh and blood.”
With that, the old woman patted Mu’s mother’s hand and walked away.
Mu’s mother stood frozen in place, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
For the rest of the shift, she couldn’t focus on weaving the net. As soon as work ended, she hurried home.
No sooner had she stepped inside than Mu Deyi returned. He seemed in high spirits, humming a tuneless little song.
Seeing him like this, Mu’s mother swallowed the words she had been about to say.
He was still upset with Mu Jingmei, and he was rarely this happy. She didn’t want to ruin his mood.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Mu Deyi noticed her staring at him and came over to ask.
Mu’s mother snapped back to reality and quickly shook her head.
“If you’re not feeling well, tell me. I’m earning enough work points now to support the two of us. Don’t wear yourself out.” Mu Deyi was somewhat chauvinistic, but his brand of chauvinism meant: “Do as I say, but I’ll take care of you.”
Back when they lived in the capital, he never questioned her spending money.
“I know, but Haoxuan and Yongnian are still on Shian’s side. We need to save some money for them,” Mu’s mother said softly.
“You don’t need to worry about that. I’ll save for them. Besides, they’re doing great—earning their own work points now.” Mu Deyi’s voice carried a hint of pride when he mentioned their two younger sons.
They had become the leaders of all the village children, with nearly everyone following their arrangements.
Of course, that was only because Song Nianchu had entrusted the tagging work to them, but managing so many kids still showed their capability.
Nowadays, after finishing his calculations, his greatest pleasure was standing by the window to watch the group of children bustling around the yard.
Whenever they hit a problem they couldn’t solve, he would lend a hand.
Mu’s mother froze at these words, a flicker of disappointment crossing her eyes.
She suddenly recalled what Song Nianchu had said to her before—how she had failed in her parenting.
Now she realized it was absolutely true.
Mu Jingmei had been raised to be spoiled and delicate. Even when their family fell from grace, she still held onto her young lady’s airs, refusing to accept change, just endlessly complaining.
But look at Mu Haoxuan and Mu Yongnian—so young, yet they had fully integrated into the life of Qinghe Fisherman’s Village and were even earning their own work points.
“What’s wrong again? If you’re uncomfortable, go rest in the room. I’ll make dinner tonight.” Mu Deyi said, heading toward the kitchen.
“No, what do you know about cooking? Let me handle it.” Mu’s mother snapped out of her thoughts and rushed to the kitchen ahead of him.
Probably because she had something on her mind, she barely ate during dinner. Mu Deyi thought she was just tired from the day’s work and pulled her into bed early.
In bed, though her eyes were closed, Mu’s mother couldn’t sleep at all. Only after she was sure that Mu Deyi’s breathing had evened out completely did she tentatively call out to him.
“Deyi?”
There was no response.
She called a few more times. Once she was certain he was sound asleep, she gently lifted the blanket, threw on her clothes, and slipped quietly out of the house.
By then, it was completely dark, with only a sliver of silver moon hanging high above.
The old woman had already told her exactly where Mu Jingmei would be waiting. By the moonlight, she walked briskly.
She was actually quite timid. In the dead silence around her, with nothing but her own breathing to hear, it was unnerving.
If it weren’t for the thought that Mu Jingmei was waiting for her, she would never have gone alone to the mountain at such an hour.
Mu’s mother climbed up the bamboo-covered back hill. The night wind rustled, adding an eerie chill to the air.
“Jingmei?” she called out softly.
If one listened closely, they could hear the slight tremor in her voice.
“Jingmei?” she called again a few times, wondering if she was too late and Mu Jingmei had already left.
Just as she was hesitating over whether to go home, a familiar voice called out from behind.
“Mom.”
Mu’s mother turned around and saw Mu Jingmei walking toward her, with Yang Dafu beside her holding a flashlight.
“Mom, you’re finally here.” Mu Jingmei rushed over and threw herself into her mother’s arms.
“Jingmei, you talk with your mom for a while. I’ll go ahead and keep watch,” Yang Dafu said, walking off into the distance.
For a moment, it was just Mu Jingmei and her mother.
By the moonlight, Mu’s mother took a good look at Mu Jingmei.
“Are you doing well? After you went back last time, did your in-laws give you a hard time?” Mu’s mother’s eyes grew moist.
“I’m doing very well. They wouldn’t dare do anything to me,” Mu Jingmei replied.
“That’s good.” Mu’s mother breathed a sigh of relief.
Even though she had never wanted Mu Jingmei to marry Yang Dafu, things had come to this, and there was nothing more to say. As mother and daughter, as long as her daughter was doing well there, she could rest easy.
“Mom, I heard your village has gotten electricity?” Mu Jingmei suddenly asked.
“Yes, it was connected just a little while ago,” Mu’s mother confirmed.
“Then do you know how the village got connected? Who did they turn to?” Mu Jingmei asked, feigning casualness.