Chapter 184: Refuse to Return
"What I mean is that my husband is gone, he left more than half a year ago. I've returned home with the child and I'm not leaving anymore. I'll take care of my younger siblings myself and won't trouble Uncle and Aunt."
Liu Guizhi knew that clearly stating this would incite a storm, after all, being a widow in these times was not a good thing.
Although it wasn't her choice, the fact that her husband died was undeniable.
In the eyes of others, she might as well be a jinx, and none of the widows in the village were living well.
Most of them returned to their parents' homes and were remarried before long.
Either to a widower or as a stepmother, plus she had brought her child back.
A widow returning like this was generally unwelcome.
Even if someone wanted to marry her, they wouldn't want to take in an extra burden.
Liu Guizhi understood this, which is why she said she would take care of her younger siblings, having no intention of remarrying from the start.
If she could raise her younger siblings and her own daughter well, she would be satisfied.
The old woman and Zhao Guilan were dumbfounded.
The old lady angrily said, "How could your man just die, explain it clearly! Bringing back a child, what's that all about? Even if you want to raise the child, you should raise them properly with your husband's family, not bring them back here to do it yourself.
What is with that mother-in-law of yours, just letting you take the child away?"
Zhao Guilan also got anxious, if Liu Guizhi really came back to take care of her siblings, what would happen to their own family? They couldn't force her out of the house!
Such a perfect plan, ruined by someone else.
"Yes, Guizhi, what exactly is happening here?"
Liu Guizhi glanced at her daughter sitting on the kang, huddled in the blankets, looking at her in a daze.
Grinding her teeth, she needed to be strong.
"Grandma, Aunt, last winter when my husband went out to deliver goods for someone, he encountered robbers on the way and was stabbed, leading to his death. After we completed the funeral arrangements and got everything in order, my mother-in-law said she was too old to raise a child, let alone support me, and told me to take the child and fend for myself.
She wanted to go to her daughter's place, and I, as a widowed sister-in-law, couldn't follow her there, since that was my sister-in-law, so I had to come back."
Zhao Guilan was infuriated,
"How can that family be so unreasonable, even if their son is gone, there's still you, the daughter-in-law! What does she need her daughter for, why not stay with you and raise the kid? This is absurd!
No way, Guizhi, you can't listen to your mother-in-law. Your husband is gone, but the house, the property still belong to you and your child. If you don't stay with your mother-in-law, the family assets will just benefit someone else.
Come! Uncle and Aunt will take you back, I must talk sense into your mother-in-law, how could this be right."
Liu Guizhi sighed, "Uncle and Aunt, just let it be. The house and land didn't belong to us in the first place, they were acquired by my parents-in-law, they have nothing to do with me. My mother-in-law already left, saying she's going to find her eldest daughter.
I even got my household registration transfer letter, even if you go make a fuss now, it can't be helped."
The old lady angrily said, "How can you be so spineless, your mother-in-law chased you out with nothing and you just return with the child? Are you out of your mind? You've returned with a child and your parents aren't here, you still have two underage siblings.
Can you support four mouths on your own? Besides, you know how things are in our production team. Have you ever seen a widow move her household registration back to our village? Are you related to the village head, his daughter maybe?"
Liu Guizhi stayed silent, knowing her grandmother's words were true, the household registration issue indeed wasn't resolved.
She couldn't even argue back.
"Grandma, my sister's situation is like this now, even if you scold her to death, can you drive her away? She's returned with niece. No matter what, we have a little shelter, a place for my sister and niece to stay."
Liu Shuren couldn't bear seeing his sister being scolded by their grandmother.
"What do you know? Your sister brought your niece back and without a household registration in our village, how can she work or earn work points or food rations? Without those, your family of four will either go hungry or rely on Uncle and Aunt."
The old lady was truly anxious.
Zhao Guilan was also panicked upon hearing this.
Their family already had so many mouths to feed, adding four more would really lead to starvation.
Moreover, why should they support the child of the eldest brother, not just the child, but a granddaughter too? That doesn't make sense!
Getting no benefit but having to pay out.
"Guizhi, take my advice and go back to your mother-in-law with the child. No matter what, you're still a part of their family, even if your husband is dead, staying with your mother-in-law is only right.
At least there're food rations and work points, you have nothing here in our village. Uncle and Aunt can't afford to support four mouths."
Uncle Liu Baoguo nodded solemnly.
They really didn't expect such a thing to happen in their elder brother's family, troubles really never come alone.
"Uncle and Aunt, don't worry! I'll find a way to support my younger siblings and daughter, I definitely won't be a burden to you. I can't go back, the household registry has already been moved, where do you expect me to go?
The world is vast, but the only place I can settle is my parents' home. Uncle and Aunt, there's no need to persuade me, my mind is made up. From now on, I'll take care of my siblings and guarantee not to trouble you."
Liu Guizhi made a firm promise, did she have any other options?
Zhao Guilan exchanged glances with her husband.
"Guizhi, you speak well, saying you won't burden us, but everyone in the village is watching. If you're without a household registration, couldn't earn work points or food rations, and come borrowing food from us, could we as uncle and aunt cruelly say no?
Wouldn't that lead to us being gossiped about by the villagers? You're making things difficult for us."
Zhao Guilan didn't agree to Liu Guizhi staying.
"So what do Uncle and Aunt mean? Should I take the child and wander outside, beg for food, and not return to the village?"
The question was heavy-hearted, Liu Guizhi didn't understand, since she wasn't bothering Uncle and Aunt, why would they stop her from coming back? If she couldn't return, where could she go?
"How could you say that! We're not making you like this. If your life is such a mess, it's not because of us, blame your parents, but you can't come back."
Zhao Guilan didn't agree to Liu Guizhi returning.
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