Chapter 151 Divorce Papers
Su Daniu remained on the chair and his anger vanished as he looked at his daughter who made him reassured despite her thin figure.
It panicked Mrs. Su a lot to see Su Jiuyue like this. She softened her tone, saying, "You...what nonsense are you talking? You're all my family."
Su Jiuyue gave a helpless laugh. "What a silly idea! Mom, you can't lump us together since we've got different family names. Just one check on the kitchen and you'll know food stocks are running low. If you keep doing so, you will be killing us."
It embarrassed Mrs. Su to be accused by her daughter in front of her son-in-law.
"How dare you be so rude to me? Your granda needs my help since they're badly off. I can't just sit by and watch my family suffer."
Mrs. Su felt bitter about not being related to and even thought it was her daughter's and her husband's fault for not being able to support her mother and brother.
Su Jiuyue frowned with a helpless look and had no idea how her mother's mind worked.
"They're badly off? Are you kidding? Rong'er is much taller and sturdier than Maomao despite the same age. They always go on and on about how poor they are and you happen to take it seriously. Do you remember how long my brothers and sisters have gone wearing shabby clothes like beggars without even a piece of new clothes? Unlike us, my uncle and his family always live a much better life. If you insist on taking these things to them, then there will be no need for you to come back."
Su Jiuyue knew her words were wounding and this was also a difficult decision to make. But she had to do it for her father. Even if there were accusations awaiting her, she wouldn't see her family suffer anymore because of her mother.
Her words stunned everyone present.
Soon Su Daniu stood up and seemed to realize for the first time that he could do something about it instead of resigning himself to whatever happened.
He pointed at his wife, as a gesture of backing Su Jiuyue up, saying, "Exactly. You'd better stay with your mother and brother if you insist."
As for Wu Xiyuan, he just stood aside, neither stopping them nor mediating in it.
He thought Mrs. Su was a disaster as a mother who even made Su Jiuyue's marriage a deal for money to cure her brother's broken leg.
She had even intended to make Su Jiuyue Mr.Cui's concubine after no one in the village could afford ten taels as the betrothal gift she asked for. Fortunately, Su Daniu was resolutely opposed to that. So Mrs. Su had to settle for Su Jiuyue's engagement to Wu Xiyuan who paid five taels as the betrothal gift.
Besides, Su Jiuyue's poor health was the result of the hard search for food to feed her family when the famine broke out.
So whenever it came to people Wu Xiyuan hated most, Mrs. Su must be on the list.
Aware of everyone's stare, Mrs. Su was boiling with rage. She picked up the basket and stomped. "Well, remember what you said. You'll regret it."
Then she charged out of the house.
Su Jiuyue didn't expect her mother to make such a choice, which made her give up on her mother completely.
Then Su Jiuyue turned to her father who seemed somewhat upset.
She looked away, cleared her mind, and said, "Dad, I'll go cook. Since mom has made this choice, just give up on her."
Mrs. Su's departure got Su Daniu lost in mixed feelings. After all, the two of them had been deeply connected after spending years together since they got married young.
"I..."
Aware that her father weakened, Su Jiuyue looked at him with her voice taking on a serious tone. "Dad, anyway, I've been married. So if anyone's to blame for my siblings' starvation, it won't be me. You know mom doesn't care about our family at all and always gives whatever she has to her brother even at the cost of putting our whole family into starvation. If you want to save your marriage, I won't stop you and I will still come to visit you at festivals. But I won't give you any support to make myself another like my mother."
Su Daniu remained silent for a long time with a frown, which made Su Jiuyue think he wouldn't say anything. She was about to go to the kitchen to cook when he spoke.
"I'm going to the Qian's."
Su Jiuyue was stunned. "For what?"
"To ask him to draft divorce papers for me in case your mother comes back," Su Daniu replied in a muffled voice with a frown.
Su Jiuyue had felt it somewhat cruel, but she finally bore to agree at the thought of what her mother had done to them. "Alright."
The way Su Jiuyue tried to be tough didn't scare Wu Xiyuan. Instead, he felt her so adorable like this.
So as soon as her father got out, he walked over and held her hand.
"Jiuyue, don't be sad. I will always be here for you."
Although she seemed strong on the outside, he knew she must feel worse than ever.
His words melted Su Jiuyue's heart and her sadness immediately eased. Then she said, "Good boy."
Mrs. Su's departure got the kids into a terrible situation.
The biggest problem was cooking since Wuyue who wasn't even the same height as the range was too young to cook.
As a married woman, Su Jiuyue couldn't stay at home to take care of her brothers and sister.
It worried her a lot. But what Su Daniu said somewhat reassured her. "Don't worry. It's on me. I'm not so stupid as to make my children starve although I haven't cooked."
He seemed confident, but Su Jiuyue didn't trust him. "Let me show you how to cook."
After some training, she was still worried and had to ask for favors from the neighbor with two potatoes.
With the neighbor's promise to take care of her family, Su Jiuyue finally managed to leave.
Wu Xiyuan knew her worries and said, "If you're worried, you can ride the horse back another day."
Since he was concerned about her, he couldn't even spare a thought for his disguise and spoke in the normal tone of voice.
Su Jiuyue was vaguely conscious that something was wrong, but she didn't give it another thought with too many worries.
The news that Su Jiuyue's visit caused her parents to divorce spread rapidly among the neighborhood. It was common gossip that Wu Xiyuan had got a mean wife.
When Liu Cuihua heard that from someone, her eyes widened in surprise. "What? Don't talk nonsense!"
The man leaned against the wall and said with a grin, "It's not nonsense. Auntie, just go ask your daughter-in-law about it. It's been a common gossip."
Liu Cuihua remained calm and snorted, "Even if her parents divorced her mother, it has nothing to do with my daughter-in-law. Don't gossip about her, or I won't let go of you!"
When the crowd scattered, Liu Cuihua hurried home and headed for Su Jiuyue's room.