Widow Remarries in Sixties

Tao Qianyun’s face twisted with anger.

Next to her, Pan Shenglin was also very upset. He wasn’t sure if his daughter-in-law had done it on purpose or if it was really an accident, but he could only suppress his anger. Forcing a smile, he tried to lighten the atmosphere, “It’s okay, it’s okay. Breaking things means good luck and peace. Come on, let’s clean this up later.”

He then instructed his younger son, “Go sweep the floor. Your sister-in-law is a guest, and you just stand there without doing anything. Don’t you have any sense?”

Pan Jun couldn’t be bothered to respond to him. Instead, he turned to his wife, who was holding their daughter, and said, “Didn’t you hear? Dad wants you to sweep the floor.”

His tone was extremely dismissive.

The woman stood there, looking at the broken pieces on the ground, and then, lowering her head, she set down her daughter and turned to get a broom.

Pan Shenglin glared at his younger son angrily for his disobedience.

Pan Jun walked away nonchalantly.

Jiang Mingchuan glanced at Zhong Xue, who was silently enduring it all, and frowned.

He didn’t understand how things had become like this between the two of them.

Pan Shenglin then invited Jiang Mingchuan and his wife to the living room to talk.

Jiang Mingchuan gently patted Jin Xiuzhu’s back and whispered, “It’s okay now.”

He Yan chimed in, “Mom, didn’t I say Grandpa is a good man? No one’s blaming you.”

Now, Grandpa was considered a good person again.

Jin Xiuzhu nodded delicately, peeking out from Jiang Mingchuan’s embrace with a somewhat embarrassed, shy smile.

Pan Shenglin also smiled, “Come, sit down, have some tea, and rest. You’re a guest at home; there’s no need for you to do such things.”

Jin Xiuzhu replied happily, “You’re the best, Dad. I won’t do it next time.”

Pan Shenglin nodded.

Tao Qianyun glared hatefully at their backs, then at the mess in the kitchen. The more she looked, the more her heart ached.

In the kitchen, Zhong Xue bent over to sweep the floor.

Tao Qianyun walked over and hissed, “Where were you just now? Always trying to slack off. Look at this mess. How did our family end up with someone as useless as you?”

Zhong Xue gripped the broom tightly, her eyes instantly turning red.

When her parents were still alive, their family had tried so hard to please her. As soon as they had an accident, their attitude changed completely. She regretted not listening to her parents and marrying Pan Jun.

Thinking of how Mingchuan had been so protective and caring towards his wife just now, her heart felt bitter and sour.

After venting her anger, Tao Qianyun went to the living room, sitting down next to Pan Shenglin with a sullen expression, watching as her husband and Jiang Mingchuan chatted away. Her own son, meanwhile, was slumped in a corner, dozing off.

Frustrated, she couldn’t help but say, “Why didn’t you let us know you were coming back? We didn’t prepare a room for you, and it’s getting late. Where are you planning to sleep tonight?”

She tried hard to suppress her anger and speak gently, but the frustration in her heart was hard to contain, and it sounded like she was chasing them away.

As soon as she spoke, the living room fell silent.

This time, Jin Xiuzhu didn’t say anything, just looked at Pan Shenglin with a faint smile.

Jiang Mingchuan also looked at Pan Shenglin, silent.

Pan Shenglin felt embarrassed. All the welcoming words he had said earlier were instantly nullified by his wife’s single sentence. He shot a sharp look at Tao Qianyun and said coldly, “If there’s no room, then go tidy one up now. If that’s not possible, let Xiaojun go back home.”

Pan Jun immediately protested, “Why? This is my home.”

Tao Qianyun wanted to say more, but Jiang Mingchuan suddenly spoke up, “It’s okay. My biological mother left me a house. I remember the property certificate and keys are here with mom. I’ll go stay there tonight.”

Tao Qianyun’s face stiffened.

Pan Shenglin was also taken aback. He looked at Jiang Mingchuan, seemingly not expecting him to say such a thing.

Recovering quickly, he said, “This is also your home. There’s no reason to stay elsewhere.”

Then he scolded Tao Qianyun, “Hurry up and go tidy up a room.”

Tao Qianyun’s attitude immediately softened, “You’re such a child. I was just upset that you didn’t tell us earlier that you were coming back. I’m not kicking you out. I’ll go tidy up a room now.”

She then hurried upstairs without mentioning the house again.

Jiang Mingchuan pursed his lips.

That night, lying in bed, Jiang Mingchuan gently touched Jin Xiuzhu’s fingers.

There was a red scratch on the back of her fair index finger, probably from an accidental cut in the kitchen earlier. He felt both distressed and guilty. “It’s my fault. We won’t come again next time.”

He had thought he should at least bring Jin Xiuzhu and the two children back to the capital once. Not only were his adoptive parents there, but also his parents’ friends, and he wanted those elders to meet her.

He hadn’t expected his adoptive mother and brother to not even bother pretending to be welcoming.

Jin Xiuzhu smiled, “What’s the big deal?”

Back when she was a maid, she had endured far more hardships and dealt with all kinds of people. People like Tao Qianyun and her son didn’t even register in her eyes.

She thought for a moment and said, “You’ve already improved a lot. You now know how to stand up for yourself, like asking your adoptive mother for the house.”

Jiang Mingchuan felt a bit embarrassed, “But I didn’t get it.”

In the past, he might have just endured it, but he didn’t want Jin Xiuzhu and the children to suffer alongside him.

Jin Xiuzhu took the opportunity to gently persuade him, “Mingchuan, when I read the letters from your adoptive parents from the capital, I thought they seemed nice. But after coming here today, I realized things might not be as they seemed.”

Jiang Mingchuan stayed silent. He probably knew deep down but had never thought about changing anything.

But Jin Xiuzhu wouldn’t tolerate it. She wasn’t the type to accept unfair treatment and wouldn’t allow Jiang Mingchuan to be taken advantage of without a fight.

So, in an even gentler voice, she said, “Do you know, I felt especially sorry for you today. We rarely come back from such a long distance, and we were right at the doorstep, but your adoptive mother and brother didn’t even come to greet us. When they opened the door, your adoptive mother wasn’t welcoming, and your brother gave me uncomfortable looks.”

“I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I just think your adoptive parents might not be as good as you think.”

Jiang Mingchuan looked up at her.

Jin Xiuzhu showed a hint of distress, “You told me that your biological parents were remarkable people and their friends are also very capable. Why didn’t any of them adopt you but instead, it was your adoptive parents? Look at He Yan. We treat him as our own child, and he can feel that, so he likes and trusts us. But think back to your childhood… Did your adoptive parents treat you the same way?”

“Your adoptive parents took you in but didn’t care for you. I don’t understand why. Were they trying to get something from you?”

Jiang Mingchuan thought about his adoptive parents’ careers over the years. His adoptive father was just an ordinary soldier about to retire when he was adopted, but now he was a director in the logistics department. His adoptive mother, who initially didn’t have a job, had been placed in the Women’s Federation, and his brother was now a deputy director in a factory…

Jin Xiuzhu sighed and gently held his hand, “You grew up with them, so you naturally don’t see things as clearly as an outsider like me. I just know that today I felt very sorry for you. I don’t want you to be taken advantage of without knowing it. You’re a kind person and often let things slide, but some things aren’t about letting go. You’re now a husband and a father. Our family needs you to be our backbone.”

She lowered her eyes, “When I left my hometown to follow you, I never thought of enduring anyone’s temper again, nor do I want our children to suffer.”

Jiang Mingchuan squeezed her hand tightly.

“I won’t stop you from being a good person, but you can’t be kind to everyone. That’s not being good. That’s being foolish and enabling bad people to bully good people.”

Jiang Mingchuan couldn’t say a word because no one had ever told him this before. His adoptive parents had always taught him to be tolerant and selfless, just like his biological parents. The elders always praised his biological parents for their bravery and righteousness.

No one ever expressed sympathy for him or told him not to be overly kind to everyone.

Feeling a bit down, Jin Xiuzhu said, “Let’s sleep. I want to go home early too.”

Jiang Mingchuan watched her close her eyes, tugged the quilt over her, and then looked at the two children lying in the middle. The four of them were tightly squeezed onto one bed, the quilt damp and smelling faintly of mildew.

He had grown up like this, and he still remembered the first time he met his adoptive mother. Back then, she was kind to him, but after she had her own son and his adoptive father’s job stabilized, her attitude towards him changed. Yet, in front of others, she always acted like she liked him.

In those years, the trauma of losing his parents left him mute for a while. It was only after being severely beaten by the old lady that he angrily shouted, but he still didn’t talk much afterward.

Reflecting on his past life, he didn’t really know what real suffering was because this was how he had always lived. But Jin Xiuzhu said she felt sorry for him.

This made him feel uncomfortable.

Jiang Mingchuan’s mind raced with thoughts and didn’t fall asleep until the wee hours of the morning.

When he woke up, he suddenly said to Jin Xiuzhu, “Today, I’ll take you to visit Elder Zhang.”

Jin Xiuzhu looked up at him.

Jiang Mingchuan was helping He Yan with his sleeves as he explained, “Elder Zhang knew my grandmother. His youngest son died in the same battle as my father.”

Jin Xiuzhu nodded.

After getting dressed and having some snacks, the family of four took their candies and pastries downstairs. Pan Shenglin and Tao Qianyun were sitting on the sofa with two children beside them, and they could see Zhong Xue busy in the kitchen.

Jiang Mingchuan frowned and glanced over, then told them, “We have some business to take care of. We’ll be back in the evening.”

Pan Shenglin said, “Have breakfast before you go.”

Tao Qianyun remained silent.

Jiang Mingchuan shook his head and, as he reached the door, suddenly gathered the courage to turn back and say, “I remember, you didn’t used to treat Zhong Xue like this.”

He stared directly at Pan Shenglin as he spoke.

Pan Shenglin’s face stiffened.

Only Tao Qianyun frowned deeply and, after they left, she asked angrily, “What does he mean by that? Does he think he can ignore us now? Is he going to start meddling in our affairs too?”

Pan Shenglin felt that Jiang Mingchuan seemed different this time. Hearing Tao Qianyun’s words, he turned his head angrily and scolded, “You’re an idiot. What good does it do to offend him? He’s only here for a few days. Can’t you just endure it? If anything happens to me, it’ll be your fault.”

Tao Qianyun, dissatisfied, said, “Why should I endure it? I’m still his mother. Didn’t you see his wife break all the dishes? It’s all because of you, always favoring him, still thinking about his real mother…”

Before she could finish, Pan Shenglin slapped her hard across the face, making a loud “smack.” She looked at him in disbelief.

Pan Shenglin’s eyes were cold. “Say that again, I dare you. If you’re tired of living well, go back to your village. If I brought you here, I can send you back.”

Tao Qianyun was too scared to say anything else.

Pan Shenglin didn’t even look at her and went straight to his study upstairs.

The little boy nearby had his mouth covered by his sister. He wanted to cry, but Grandpa had scared him too much.

The girl glanced at her grandmother and took her brother quietly to the kitchen.

Tao Qianyun sat there, clutching her swollen cheek and crying softly.

In the kitchen, Zhong Xue’s eyes were red too. She had heard what Jiang Mingchuan said. In this family, only Brother Mingchuan was kind to her.