"Oh, goodness! Qiao Qingqing, why are you being disobedient again?"
Just as Qiao Qingqing had managed to send her son off, a cry of alarm rang out from behind her, causing her to look instantly guilty. She turned around to see her mother-in-law, Shi Meiyun, hurrying toward her. Without a word, Shi Meiyun snatched the water ladle from her hand. Qiao Qingqing tried to reason with her, "Mom, I really don't feel that fragile. Doing chores like washing vegetables or cooking is no problem for me at all."
Five years of labor had transformed Shi Meiyun. She was no longer the woman from years ago who would burst into tears at the slightest provocation; years of hard work had not only strengthened her physique but had also tempered her spirit. Even the clothes she wore were stitched together by her own hands—simple, durable, and sturdy enough to last for years. Yet, as she had become tougher and more resilient, she had, in turn, begun to treat her daughter-in-law as if she were made of porcelain.
Chapter 398