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Chapter 194: A Grudge from the Postpartum Period, Unforgivable
Chapter 194: A Grudge from the Postpartum Period, Unforgivable
In the world of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships, there's a chilling phrase: "A grudge from the postpartum period is unforgivable."
A quick search online reveals countless examples, most of which involve daughters-in-law enduring various unpleasant experiences during their postpartum period, leading them to harbor deep resentment towards their mothers-in-law.
These events, which occur over just a few months, become lifelong burdens that they can never truly overcome.
As the saying goes, "Where there's smoke, there's fire." Even if the phrase "A grudge from the postpartum period is unforgivable" is somewhat exaggerated, its prevalence as one of the hottest topics in mother-in-law and daughter-in-law circles indicates that during the postpartum period, mothers-in-law and fathers-in-law should indeed take their responsibilities seriously.
In his previous life, Deng Shirong, in his later years, spent his time reading novels, scrolling through short videos, and browsing news.
While the internet is rife with toxic "motivational soup", with content of varying quality and authenticity, there were indeed some profound insights to be found. Deng Shirong drank his fair share of this digital elixir, and combined with his personal experiences, he acquired some valuable lessons, which proved to be quite beneficial.
One of these insights was how to treat his daughter-in-law.
It turned out that Deng Shirong's approach was very effective. From the moment his eldest daughter-in-law married into the Deng family, the family had always been harmonious. Every young wife in the village envied her.
In many cases, the so-called postpartum grudges aren't as severe as they seem. Some issues, once the postpartum period is over, are forgotten and don't linger for a lifetime.
However, the problem arises when comparisons are made. A daughter-in-law might have forgotten the unpleasant experiences of her postpartum period, but when she discusses it with other women who have gone through the same experience—sisters, classmates, colleagues, or even the mothers of her child's classmates—she realizes that others had far better treatment.
When the comparison reveals that others, who may be in less favorable circumstances, received better care, the psychological imbalance is inevitable. What should have been forgotten becomes impossible to let go, and every time the topic is brought up, she can't help but mock her in-laws.
Deng Shirong heard plenty of such gossip in his village during his previous life. Stories of who had how many chickens killed and cooked with ginger wine for their daughter-in-law, who had a daughter-in-law who didn't even get to eat a single chicken, who had a daughter-in-law who had to cook and wash clothes the day after giving birth, and who had a daughter-in-law who didn't even have to wash her own underwear.
Since these comparisons are inevitable, Deng Shirong was determined to make his daughter-in-law stand out. He wanted her to be the best, no matter who she was compared to.
Thus, the postpartum treatment Zhang Xiuping received was truly jaw-dropping for the entire village.
Firstly, in terms of food, she was guaranteed a chicken cooked with ginger wine every day, along with a variety of other dishes, ensuring she never got bored. This alone was enough to outshine every other daughter-in-law in Naye Village, as no one else received such treatment during their postpartum period.
If food is a matter of economic conditions, then the next aspect is purely a matter of affection.
For example, during her postpartum period, Zhang Xiuping never touched a drop of cold water, never washed a single piece of clothing, and even the water for her baths was prepared by her sister-in-law, who boiled it with maple leaves and brought it to the bathroom for her. She never had to soothe the baby in the middle of the night.
Whether day or night, as soon as the baby cried for more than a minute, her sister-in-law would immediately appear and take the baby away.
In summary, Zhang Xiuping found her postpartum month to be incredibly comfortable. With excellent nutrition and a positive mindset, her health improved day by day. For other young brides, the postpartum month often felt like an eternity, but for her, it passed by almost unnoticed.
"Xiu Ping, if I could have even half the treatment you received when I sit my postpartum month, I would be so grateful to my ancestors!" Ou Guohua said with a wistful expression.
Zhang Xiuping smiled and replied, "Don't worry, I'll talk to Brother Tai about it and make sure your husband, Yuan, understands. We'll ensure that you won't lack for good food during your postpartum month. While we can't promise a chicken every day, we'll make sure you have ginger wine with every meal.
"As for the rest, it depends on your mother-in-law's goodwill. It's not something we can force, or it might upset her."
Ou Guohua responded, "I'm not too worried about the food. Even if Brother doesn't mention it to Yuan, I believe my mother-in-law won't skimp on my meals. After all, we haven't split the household yet, and Yuan is the main breadwinner of the family. No one with a brain would deprive me of food during my postpartum month."
Ou Guofang nodded in agreement, "That's true. The combined earnings of everyone else don't even match Yuan's. If they don't treat you well during your postpartum month, it might as well be time to split the household."
Ou Guohua sighed, "We as daughters-in-law often dream of living independently, but the decision to split the household isn't ours to make. It's up to the in-laws. If they don't agree, there's nothing we can do about it."
Zhang Xiuping quickly reassured her, "Guohua, don't think about splitting the household for the next few years. The villagers will talk if they find out. However, if your mother-in-law treats you poorly, don't suffer in silence. If your in-laws refuse to split, you can ask my father-in-law for help."
Ou Guofang added, "That's right, Guohua. If it comes to that, with Ninth Uncle's influence, it'll only take a word to settle the matter."
Ou Guohua, thinking of Ninth Uncle's standing in the village, couldn't help but smile, "That's true. Tonight, I'll talk to Yuan and have him gauge his parents' thoughts. I'll see if they agree to me giving birth in the county and how they plan to treat me during my postpartum month.
"As long as they don't go overboard, I won't hold a grudge for Yuan's sake."
Zhang Xiuping smiled, "It's good to have that mindset."
...
As previously mentioned, in the customs of Shuangwang, the celebration for a male child can be held earlier, while for a female child, it must be delayed. Although Little Dong'er had reached her full month on the eleventh of November, Deng Shirong postponed the celebration for his granddaughter until the seventeenth.
On the afternoon of the sixteenth, guests began to arrive, including members of the county theater troupe. Those helping out started slaughtering pigs and preparing the more time-consuming dishes.
Over the past year, the Deng family had hosted several banquets, large and small. Deng Shirong's eldest daughter was now very experienced and could manage everything smoothly without his intervention.
(End of Chapter)
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