Chapter 179. Classified as borrowing
Lin Qing He had the least grasp of the gossip in the village. She had no sources of information at all and seldom interacted with the villagers.
It was when she was leaving home to head to the school, she heard Huang Family's eldest daughter-in-law from next door talk about.
What's more, it was because Huang Da's wife came back with a perplexing face, Lin Qing He casually asked if there was any new news?
Then Huang Da's wife whispered the matter to her.
Only then Lin Qing He knew.
"You don't know, old Ma's family fought half of the night last night. I heard that Third Ma's youngest son isn't his, but rather Fourth Ma's." Huang Da's wife informed in a hushed tone.
Despite being shocked, Lin Qing He didn't find it difficult to accept.
She and Zhou Qing Bai had witnessed Wang Ling and Fourth Ma's affair long ago.
It's just that she hadn't exposed it. After all, her boys were still young. Since they'll bump into each other often in this area, she must leave an exit for others. Otherwise, what should she do if the dog gets forced to jump over the wall?
Therefore Lin Qing He never mentioned it.
And according to the pair's behavior, who knew when they started the affair.
Wang Ling had given birth to four daughters in a row. It was until the fifth one, she got a son.
Also, there was no real hatred between Lin Qing He and Wang Ling. A large part of it was due to Wang Ling being jealous that Lin Qing He lived better than her.
Because Lin Qing He had all sons for three in a row, while Wang Ling had daughters for four in a row. She often got scolded by her mother-in-law for not being good at laying eggs.
But once the fifth one was a son, she gained a firm foothold in the village ever since.
Lin Qing He was in a hurry to go to class, so she didn't have much time to inquire much. She purposefully headed ran over to ask Eldest Sister-in-law when she got off work at noon.
As expected, Eldest Sister-in-law knew about it.
If talking about how Wang Ling and her brother-in-law's matter got witnessed, then got to blame last night.
Didn't it snow last night? Nobody knew Wang Ling snuck into Fourth Ma's room without anyone knowing in the middle of the night.
It was Wang Ling's second sister-in-law who encountered the scene. She happened to get up in the middle of the night to relieve herself. She never thought that she would run into such a thing?
So shocked, she instantly went to find Second Ma.
The relationship between Second Ma and Third Ma had not been harmonious. They counted as brothers who fought the worst.
The blood-related brothers here often fought and some fought particularly fiercely. For example, Second Ma and Third Ma. They were similar to enemies.
When Second Ma encountered such a matter, how could Second Ma leave it like this?
He simply entered forcefully with a flashlight. It was said that he caught the naked buttocks of Fourth Ma and Wang Ling.
The entire old Ma family was shaken.
It went without saying, Third Ma got into a tussle with Fourth Ma. Second Ma just stood at the side, fanning the flames. He said that Third Ma’s youngest son wasn't Third Ma and it was mostly Fourth Ma's.
They never thought much before because they were all brothers. Now they knew. It wasn't because they were brothers. This was clearly Fourth's Ma's seed ah.
The relationship between Second Ma's wife and Wang Ling was also terrible. She spouted that she could not give birth to a son with Third Ma, so she ran to borrow from Fourth Ma and forcefully get a son.
The entire old Ma's house had been chaotic all last night.
"Then how did they handle it now?" Lin Qing He was stunned.
With such a big family crowded together these days, it goes without saying there will be friction, right? But to expose the family's ugliness like they can't wait to let all surrounding areas know, how deep was the hatred?
"I don't know how they dealt with it. Third Ma is now wondering whether his son is his or Fourth's Ma." Eldest Sister-in-law replied.
"And Wang Ling?" Lin Qing He asked.
Eldest Sister-in-law said: "She got picked up by her old Wang Family. She was beaten badly by Second Ma last night."
At this time, Second Sister-in-law came out of her room. Lin Qing He raised her eyebrows and said: "The weather is pretty cold now. Everyone just finished with the autumn harvest and is worried about nothing to pass the time. Never thought this would occur in the old Wang Family. Second Sister-in-law, did you heard about it?"
Second Sister-in-law displayed a touch of awkwardness across her face. Then she stated decisively: "I have cut off contact with Wang Ling."
"It's good to cut off contact, otherwise your reputation will get stinky." Lin Qing He emotionlessly said.
Second Sister-in-law didn't say anything and went in to prepare the meal after washing the grain.
Lin Qing He ignored her and turned to Eldest Sister-in-law: "I was issued a few cloth coupons this year, but my family doesn't have any use of them for now. Eldest Sister-in-law, do you want to exchange?"
Eldest Sister-in-law's eyes slightly brightened, said, "I want, I want."
Zhou Da Ni was seventeen after the New Year, so she wanted to make new clothes.
The two sisters-in-law discussed the exchange price. Lin Qing He went back afterward.
Eldest Sister-in-law got Zhou Da Ni to bring the money and exchange for the few cloth coupons.
Mother Zhou had gone out to chat with little Su Xun in her hold. When she got home, she didn't bring up Ma Family's affairs.
"On such cold weather, aren't you afraid of little Su Xun getting cold, Mother?." Lin Qing He said.
"It's fine. I wrapped him in a big cotton coat." Mother Zhou assured.
Little Su Xun was already asleep. Mother Zhou carried the little guy into the room and then came out to help peel the potatoes.
Lunch was stewed pork and potatoes with mantou. Lin Qing He also cooked a carrot soup.
In the afternoon, the snow fell quite hard. Everyone had the self-awareness to not go to school in this weather. Lin Qing He didn't have to go to school either.
On the kang, she told Zhou Qing Bai about old Ma Family's matter.
Such a big situation, Zhou Qing Bai naturally knew about it. He stated, "They'll separate the family after spring start."
"It's still distasteful even when they separate." Lin Qing He said.
It truly was distasteful, right? They had already committed adultery.
Zhou Qing Bai patted her on the back without speaking.
"Did anyone come here to catch them?" Lin Qing He asked.
At this time, they were quite strict about this kind of thing. If anyone dared to have an improper relationship between men and women, they will be pulled out for criticism.
"Old Ma Family suppressed it." Zhou Qing Bai replied.
"How do you suppress this kind of thing?" Lin Qing He frowned.
Zhou Qing Bai noticed that she wanted to know, so he went over old Ma Family's matter with her.
Old Ma Family resolved the matter on their own. They also released the announcement that Third Ma had a fever after his fourth daughter was born and became unable to do it.
But this branch can't go without a son, so old Ma elderly couple took the initiative to let Wang Ling go to borrow from unmarried Fourth Ma.
This incident wasn't stealing people. Both Ma elders knew about it. It was borrowing.
Lin Qing He found it disgusting.
This old Ma elderly couple actually make this up? It sounded so fake!
"This kind of matter isn't uncommon in the countryside," Zhou Qing Bai explained.
Because they can't give birth to a son, women will borrow from other men.
What's more, due to the countryside's desire and importance for a son, what Wang Ling did with Fourth really didn't count as adultery.
Lin Qing He had the least grasp of the gossip in the village. She had no sources of information at all and seldom interacted with the villagers.
It was when she was leaving home to head to the school, she heard Huang Family's eldest daughter-in-law from next door talk about.
What's more, it was because Huang Da's wife came back with a perplexing face, Lin Qing He casually asked if there was any new news?
Then Huang Da's wife whispered the matter to her.
Only then Lin Qing He knew.
"You don't know, old Ma's family fought half of the night last night. I heard that Third Ma's youngest son isn't his, but rather Fourth Ma's." Huang Da's wife informed in a hushed tone.
Despite being shocked, Lin Qing He didn't find it difficult to accept.
She and Zhou Qing Bai had witnessed Wang Ling and Fourth Ma's affair long ago.
It's just that she hadn't exposed it. After all, her boys were still young. Since they'll bump into each other often in this area, she must leave an exit for others. Otherwise, what should she do if the dog gets forced to jump over the wall?
Therefore Lin Qing He never mentioned it.
And according to the pair's behavior, who knew when they started the affair.
Wang Ling had given birth to four daughters in a row. It was until the fifth one, she got a son.
Also, there was no real hatred between Lin Qing He and Wang Ling. A large part of it was due to Wang Ling being jealous that Lin Qing He lived better than her.
Because Lin Qing He had all sons for three in a row, while Wang Ling had daughters for four in a row. She often got scolded by her mother-in-law for not being good at laying eggs.
But once the fifth one was a son, she gained a firm foothold in the village ever since.
Lin Qing He was in a hurry to go to class, so she didn't have much time to inquire much. She purposefully headed ran over to ask Eldest Sister-in-law when she got off work at noon.
As expected, Eldest Sister-in-law knew about it.
If talking about how Wang Ling and her brother-in-law's matter got witnessed, then got to blame last night.
Didn't it snow last night? Nobody knew Wang Ling snuck into Fourth Ma's room without anyone knowing in the middle of the night.
It was Wang Ling's second sister-in-law who encountered the scene. She happened to get up in the middle of the night to relieve herself. She never thought that she would run into such a thing?
So shocked, she instantly went to find Second Ma.
The relationship between Second Ma and Third Ma had not been harmonious. They counted as brothers who fought the worst.
The blood-related brothers here often fought and some fought particularly fiercely. For example, Second Ma and Third Ma. They were similar to enemies.
When Second Ma encountered such a matter, how could Second Ma leave it like this?
He simply entered forcefully with a flashlight. It was said that he caught the naked buttocks of Fourth Ma and Wang Ling.
The entire old Ma family was shaken.
It went without saying, Third Ma got into a tussle with Fourth Ma. Second Ma just stood at the side, fanning the flames. He said that Third Ma’s youngest son wasn't Third Ma and it was mostly Fourth Ma's.
They never thought much before because they were all brothers. Now they knew. It wasn't because they were brothers. This was clearly Fourth's Ma's seed ah.
The relationship between Second Ma's wife and Wang Ling was also terrible. She spouted that she could not give birth to a son with Third Ma, so she ran to borrow from Fourth Ma and forcefully get a son.
The entire old Ma's house had been chaotic all last night.
"Then how did they handle it now?" Lin Qing He was stunned.
With such a big family crowded together these days, it goes without saying there will be friction, right? But to expose the family's ugliness like they can't wait to let all surrounding areas know, how deep was the hatred?
"I don't know how they dealt with it. Third Ma is now wondering whether his son is his or Fourth's Ma." Eldest Sister-in-law replied.
"And Wang Ling?" Lin Qing He asked.
Eldest Sister-in-law said: "She got picked up by her old Wang Family. She was beaten badly by Second Ma last night."
At this time, Second Sister-in-law came out of her room. Lin Qing He raised her eyebrows and said: "The weather is pretty cold now. Everyone just finished with the autumn harvest and is worried about nothing to pass the time. Never thought this would occur in the old Wang Family. Second Sister-in-law, did you heard about it?"
Second Sister-in-law displayed a touch of awkwardness across her face. Then she stated decisively: "I have cut off contact with Wang Ling."
"It's good to cut off contact, otherwise your reputation will get stinky." Lin Qing He emotionlessly said.
Second Sister-in-law didn't say anything and went in to prepare the meal after washing the grain.
Lin Qing He ignored her and turned to Eldest Sister-in-law: "I was issued a few cloth coupons this year, but my family doesn't have any use of them for now. Eldest Sister-in-law, do you want to exchange?"
Eldest Sister-in-law's eyes slightly brightened, said, "I want, I want."
Zhou Da Ni was seventeen after the New Year, so she wanted to make new clothes.
The two sisters-in-law discussed the exchange price. Lin Qing He went back afterward.
Eldest Sister-in-law got Zhou Da Ni to bring the money and exchange for the few cloth coupons.
Mother Zhou had gone out to chat with little Su Xun in her hold. When she got home, she didn't bring up Ma Family's affairs.
"On such cold weather, aren't you afraid of little Su Xun getting cold, Mother?." Lin Qing He said.
"It's fine. I wrapped him in a big cotton coat." Mother Zhou assured.
Little Su Xun was already asleep. Mother Zhou carried the little guy into the room and then came out to help peel the potatoes.
Lunch was stewed pork and potatoes with mantou. Lin Qing He also cooked a carrot soup.
In the afternoon, the snow fell quite hard. Everyone had the self-awareness to not go to school in this weather. Lin Qing He didn't have to go to school either.
On the kang, she told Zhou Qing Bai about old Ma Family's matter.
Such a big situation, Zhou Qing Bai naturally knew about it. He stated, "They'll separate the family after spring start."
"It's still distasteful even when they separate." Lin Qing He said.
It truly was distasteful, right? They had already committed adultery.
Zhou Qing Bai patted her on the back without speaking.
"Did anyone come here to catch them?" Lin Qing He asked.
At this time, they were quite strict about this kind of thing. If anyone dared to have an improper relationship between men and women, they will be pulled out for criticism.
"Old Ma Family suppressed it." Zhou Qing Bai replied.
"How do you suppress this kind of thing?" Lin Qing He frowned.
Zhou Qing Bai noticed that she wanted to know, so he went over old Ma Family's matter with her.
Old Ma Family resolved the matter on their own. They also released the announcement that Third Ma had a fever after his fourth daughter was born and became unable to do it.
But this branch can't go without a son, so old Ma elderly couple took the initiative to let Wang Ling go to borrow from unmarried Fourth Ma.
This incident wasn't stealing people. Both Ma elders knew about it. It was borrowing.
Lin Qing He found it disgusting.
This old Ma elderly couple actually make this up? It sounded so fake!
"This kind of matter isn't uncommon in the countryside," Zhou Qing Bai explained.
Because they can't give birth to a son, women will borrow from other men.
What's more, due to the countryside's desire and importance for a son, what Wang Ling did with Fourth really didn't count as adultery.
Whoa, this is like watching a trainwreck. *Makes popcorn*
ReplyDeleteI mean, I've heard of men marrying their brother's widow. My guess is that, pragmatically, it helps keep the wealth and inheritance in the family and all that... but having the wife sleeping with the brother-in-law while her husband was still alive? That's new.
This is just too weird that I don't even know what reaction I'd have, and what sort of face to put on. I mean, yeah, I know that the presence of a son is that important for families in rural China at the time, but...didn't know it was to this extent.
Just...wow, I guess.
In this case, it's not really that the Ma couple actually "borrowed" their 4th son for their 3rd daughter-in-law. They're trying to cover up the adultery. It's still extremely strange for the parents to rent out their 4th son to his brother's wife, but I guess it's less shameful than outright adultery.
DeleteMarrying the brothers widow was also a way of making sure she was taken care of because in the distant past it was almost impossible for a woman to survive on her own. In some cultures it was also considered having children for their brother to carry on his name.
DeleteI agree though that "borrowing" when he's still alive is just icky.
I know they're just covering for the adultery--anyone who actually reads this novel wouldn't make the mistake of forgetting that the damned affair just happened several chapters earlier. I'm not that dense to miss that.
DeleteBut the fact that the excuse works means that such practice exists in the country, even if it's rare/not that common.
_That_ was what I found to be really weird...
Let just set aside the adultery case because it seems we're agree about how disgusting it's.
DeleteBut, it didn't expect this many (English speaking) people felt disgusted by the excuse. I mean, considering the rise of support(?) (written in English language articles) for infertile couples--any couple who can't have children naturally for various reason--and single adults to have an anonymous sperm/ovum donor from the banks if they so wish to have child, I think that is not much better than the "borrowing seed" they "have practiced." 😶
Hunter Biden has entered the chat
Delete@Pomelo It’s probably because the pressure to have a son was immense back then. The crazy thing is that a lot of the pressure seems to come from other women, eg Mother Ma marginalizing Wang Ling for having 4 daughters or Mother Lin and the two Lin sister in laws marginalizing Third Sister in Law Lin for not having any sons.
DeleteAmerican culture used to have something in the same vein. Back when abortion was illegal in the US, rich girls with teenaged pregnancies would suddenly announce a Europe trip to get an abortion. Taylor Tomlinson made a few references to this in her stand up skit
DeleteOkay, that policy is so weird..thx for the chapter 😆😀
ReplyDeleteOh my God... That is so disgusting! What kind of policy is that?! So disgusting!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chapter!
I have see a new world...
ReplyDelete🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
DeleteI mean the Ma family can cover up all they want, but I think everyone is still pretty clear in their hearts..... WL is going to have a hard life from now on. Thanks for the chapters!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chapter!!!
ReplyDeleteSo they do know that the baby's gender depends on the father's side!
But they still blame the woman for being a hen that can't lay eggs(?)?!
Did Wang Lin simply liked her affair or did she want to have more sons?
If they didn't treat women who gave birth to daughters as trash then the affair most likely would not have happened. Not all men are like MCs brother who still treats his wife well after 3 daughters in a row! Even if the man didn't mind his mother will but in the and give her hell. These poor women were so pitiful.
ReplyDeleteSo the obvious solution is fucki your husband's brother don't you see something wrong with that logic adulterers be damned no one wants to get cheated on
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis excuse really works, although it's disgusting, but it works. I've seen it happen. It happens here (Nigeria) especially in the rural areas. In fact, during ancient times, a woman can be made to marry 2 or 3 brothers at the same time, especially for child bearing purposes, or made to marry the brother if the husband dies. So yeah, not really surprised. Thanks to advancement tho, these practices are being abolished.
ReplyDeleteПрактика, на которую ссылается семья Ма, шокирует. Во-первых, они знают, что пол ребёнка зависит от мужа, но за рождение дочери ругают жену? Лицемеры. Просто мужчина, которого довели, может врезать в ответ, а женщина может только плакать от бессилия... Во-вторых, если после "заимствования" родится дочь, то женщину ждёт ад в двойном размере, да?
ReplyDeleteThis adultery situation is fucking disgusting it making me had a goosebumps.And it was also fortunate that the mc brother, brother inlaw and sister inlaw are not like that, its just second brothere was so unlucky to his chosen wife base on the last update there still not divorece and it was so fucking annoying hope for that girl to have a character development if not hope for this author to delete this cannon fodder who had a problem in her brain to this story
ReplyDeleteWhat I like about this novel is I gain so many insight. I have never know the kind of life in 1960 China so this is new.
ReplyDeleteThe borrowing reminds me of Mahabrata
Ewwww
ReplyDeleteActually in this time anyone who is catch doing adultery would definitely be sent to prison to be "straighten out " usually the family members of the adulterous couple would be implicated as well, so some people would rather say they borrow the seed to cover up the act. But honestly cheating is still a cheating I hope the 3rd son would not take his anger to his daughters
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteSameee, they are just the result not the cause. They don't deserve bad treatment for such a reason that can't be proven. I mean how do they know that the daughters isn't his?
DeleteHm.. I think I saw it in a Chinese manhua ones where they drop their blood on water and if they mix or not means that they are related or not. Though personally I Don't think that is trustworthy.
Totally agree. The Ma's elders tried to save their family from the sentence. Since we've never heard about the eldest Ma or if they have sisters, imagine if they're actually decent and innocent people: After the adultery became a public consumption, it's unfair to let the adulterers go. But, the innocent would be dragged down by this case and it'd be too unfair for them. But, if the Ma tried to avoid the punishment just because one of the adulterers was their son (the 4th son), then 🙂💢 they can pay their punishment debt in the afterworld.
ReplyDeleteHow can they tell who the son belongs to? They don’t have DNA testing back then
ReplyDeleteI don't actually know maybe because the timing of her getting pregnant wasn't right or the child looked a lot more like the fourth ma. And not the third one. Anyway, I did not know this kind of thing existed!! Itsss horrible!!
Delete