Chapter One: Mother of Three
Su Di awoke amidst a cacophony of noise. Looking at the dilapidated thatched roof and the mud-plastered walls, she was utterly astounded!
What in the world is this place?
The previous night, she had caught her best friend with her boyfriend in bed. In a blaze of fury, she took a lighter and set the curtains on fire, expecting herself to perish alongside those two scoundrels in the roaring blaze. Yet, she woke up to find herself in this nearly collapsing thatched hut.
Damn it!
Could it be that those two conniving b*stards sold her to some godforsaken rural area?
Shock made Su Di abruptly leap from the bed. Just then, her mind was suddenly racked with intense pain. Immediately after, unfamiliar memories played out like a film in her mind.
Su Di was an educated youth sent down to the countryside during the fictional era. She and her first love, Wang Tao, were sent to Niujiagou together. They had promised to share weal and woe, but on the third month in the village, Wang Tao accepted the proposal from Ma Lu, the daughter of the county's deputy director of public security, to become their family's son-in-law.
When Wang Tao left, Su Di, unable to bear the shock, jumped into the river but was saved by Zhao Rushan, who happened to be passing by.
In the Seventies, relationships between men and women were extremely `sensitive. Many people saw Su Di, drenched all over, being held in Zhao Rushan's arms. Therefore, the village secretary proposed their marriage on the spot.
Although Su Di didn't like Zhao Rushan, she didn't object to the marriage because she thought it would be quite good not having to see Zhao Rushan, who was a soldier and often away.
On the third day of their marriage, Zhao Rushan was urgently summoned by a telegram. A month later, Su Di found out she was pregnant.
The next year, Su Di gave birth to triplets. Twins were rare enough, yet Su Di had three at once. At the time, it simply sensationaled the whole of Niujiagou.
The isolated Su Di in the countryside regarded her three children as her treasures. However, for these three kids, she suffered a great deal.
Zhao Rushan's birth mother had already passed away. The woman now called his mother was his stepmother, who despised Zhao Rushan, her stepson. She hadn't shown Su Di any kindness since her marriage into their family.
Su Di now has triplets, isn't that three more mouths to feed?
When the whole team found this extraordinary, Zhou's wife was furious. She threatened to kick Su Di and her children out. It was finally the team leader who mediated and allowed Su Di and her children to stay at the Zhou's house.
In these turbulent times, Zhou Ruishan has only returned home once when Su Di was giving birth, and has never returned since then.
He used to send home money, but has not done so for the past few months.
Some said Zhou Ruishan has a mistress outside, others said he had died in a war.
Even though Su Di doesn’t love Zhou Ruishan, as his wife, she was deeply worried. But her stepmother-in-law didn't care a bit about the life or death of his first son. Instead, after losing Zhou Ruishan’s allowance, she ruthlessly kicked her and the three children out of the house.
On the day Su Di was kicked out by Zhou's wife, it was pouring rain. Su Di had no choice but to take her three children to her hometown, but was hit by a military vehicle halfway there.
So, the original owner of the body died, and the modern Su Di of the same name took her place.
As soon as Su Di digested the information in her mind, she heard Zhou's wife exclaim outside, "You lazy women, isn't it just being hit by a car? Who are you pretending to be dead for on the bed now!"
"Our Zhou family must have bad luck for eight generations to end up with you! You always try to run back to the city without working! I can't find any woman in the team lazier than you!"
Zhou's wife wished that Su Di and her kids just died and never returned. But again, the party secretary mediateda and without his help, they would not be possible to return to the Zhou family.
Thinking of having four more mouths to feed made Zhou's wife's anger rise. Just when Su Di's third son, Zhou Xiaohu, was passing by her with a bowl of medicine, the old lady, without saying a word, kicked Zhou Xiaohu's behind.
The porcelain bowl rolled far away, spilling its dark medicine on the ground. Zhou's wife scornfully said, "Pah, you people of no value, why bother taking medicine? You might as well die, the Zhou family would be much quieter then!"
Zhou Xiaohu was used to Zhou's wife's beatings, he stood up silently, intending to pick up the bowl. But the old grandmother stepped on his hand.
When the old granny saw his face twisted in pain, half of her anger subsided. She jabbed Zhou Xiaohu's forehead with her finger and cursed, "you little rascal, you only know how to make medicine for your lazy mother, instead of doing housework. You debt carriers, evil omen, why didn't the car kill you all? Tell me, what's the use of you guys living?"
Having said that, she ruthlessly crushed Zhao Xiaohu's hand with her right foot.
"Ah!" Zhao Xiaohu yelled in pain.
Upon hearing this, Old Madame Zhao immediately scolded, "You pitiful wretch, what are you screaming for? You've consumed so much of my grain, a mere foot trample should be nothing… Ah!"
Before the old woman could finish her sentence, a sweeping broomstick landed heavily on her kneecap. She held her knee while hopping in pain, resembling a circus monkey.
"Xiaohu, are you alright?" Su Di hastily helped Zhao Xiaohu up. Seeing the boy's hand trampled red and swollen, she was so furious that she picked up the broom and started hitting Old Madame Zhao.
"Old Witch," she queried, "Are you even human? How can you be so cruel to a small child?" Su Di was an orphan in her previous life. She was regularly beaten while in the orphanage, so she now detests child abuse.
"What are you doing, stop it!” shouted Old Madame Zhao as Su Di began to hit her. “You can’t even manage the bastard you raised, he can’t even hold a bowl, and you have the nerve to blame me!”
"Ah! Ah! Ah! Su Di, have you gone crazy, you lazy thing? How dare you actually start a fight. Stop, stop it now!"
Old Madame Zhao, hurt and numb from the broom blows, tried to yell for help. But she remembered that everyone else at home had gone to work. In desperation, she had to flee.
"Old Witch," warned Su Di, hands on hips in a fiery pose, "if I ever see you hitting my son again, I will beat you every time I catch you!"
Zhao Xiaohu watched Su Di in surprise, wondering what had gotten into his mother. She actually dared to hit the old witch!
Su Di tossed the broom aside and turned around to see Zhao Xiaohu silently stunned. She thought that he was scared by the old woman and immediately ran over, intending to check his injured hand.
Although Zhao Xiaohu was only six years old, he was worked like a donkey day-in-day-out by Old Madame Zhao. Su Di, who was a meek person, had been beaten half to death by Old Madame Zhao herself and had no way of protecting her three children.
She saw Zhao Xiaohu's small swollen hand, covered in crusty scars. Su Di hadn’t paid attention earlier. Now that she saw the injuries, she was even angrier. She wished she had beaten the old woman to death earlier.
Afraid of causing his mother sorrow, Zhao Xiaohu quickly sucked in a breath and obediently reassured her, "Mom, Xiaohu is not in pain!"
Even though the child was just six years old, he was already so sensible, even knowing how to comfort himself. Thinking of this, Su Di's heart pinched, and she instantly thought of her past in the orphanage.
What else could one expect from a child who had no one to rely on, except for being obedient and sensible?
Su Di held Zhao Xiaohu's hand to her mouth and gently blew on it, whispering, "Good boy, mommy will blow and it won't hurt anymore!"
"Mom, you hit the old witch today. She definitely won't let you off!"
The thought of the old witch whipping his mom with a rod made Zhao Xiaohu immediately open his arms and embrace Su Di: "Mom, Xiaohu will protect you!"
Upon hearing this, Su Di felt her heart melting. She picked up Zhao Xiaohu and gently kissed his nose, "Mmm, Xiaohu will protect Mom, and Mom will protect Xiaohu. From now on, Mom will never let anyone bully you!"
The original owner couldn't protect these three children, so from now on, she'll give the children a safe haven!
Zhao Xiaohu, who was in her arms, was also blissfully content. Just then, the child's stomach emitted a "gurgle" sound. Su Di heard this and laughed, asking, "Are you hungry?"
Zhao Xiaohu's face turned red with embarrassment, and he responded shyly.
Su Di looked outside and murmured to herself, "Looking at the sun, it should be lunchtime!" With that, she went towards the Zhao family's main house with Zhao Xiaohu in her arms.