Mother Chen said nothing, though her husband told her that with a child Yu Dong will come back on the right track she never believed it. That girl, she was rotten to the core, no good value and manner only know how to goof around and drink, how can she even take care of a child, if Mi really had a child with her, that child will only prove burdensome, because without a child they could at least marry off Chen Mi again to a rich widow once that Yu brat dies after drinking too much but with a child, it would be troublesome!
But contrary to her beliefs she really got on the right path!
If Yu Dong knew what Mother Chen was thinking she would have nodded her head and said ' you are completely right mother in law, your worries weren't wrong !'
Chen Mi's family lived on the other side of the mountains and they only had three plots of farms and mostly they were depended on Mother Chen's salary that she earned after working in the town as a mason. The Chen family didn't have a comfortable life but it wasn't as bad as Yu Dong's life before she died, at least with their hard work the Chen family could get two meals to eat but Yu Dong house's only had some cabbages that Ye Liu stole from others farms.
Chen Mi had two sisters, the eldest sister was a sturdy and tall woman, she was used to helping her mother while Mother Chen did masonry, her husband was a gentle-looking mer, though he wasn't that awestrucking beautiful, his gentle aura made up for his average looks. And he was hardworking as well, sometimes he would sell pieces of his embroidery work in the town and subsidised the income of the family.
Together they had two mers, the eldest mer, named Chen Ying was thirteen and was betrothed to an honest farmer of their village. He was waiting for his coming of age before he could get married and the second son was around Chen Mi's age, he was looking for a match but no one could satisfy him, he was still waiting for a good and honest man, who will treat him well in the future.
The second sister of Chen Mi was called Chen Han. She was honest and hard-working, she was the one responsible for taking care of the farms while Mother Chen and Oldest sister Chen were busy in the town. The output of her hard work was better than the others her only flaw was her husband, who was a bit petty and selfish. Because his family was a bit rich and he gave birth to a daughter and son, he thought that he was superior to Eldest brother in law Chen who only had two mers as his son.
The Chen family didn't split off branches before Chen Mi's marriage. Mother Chen took care of her siblings along with her family, what her family had, her siblings' family would definitely have as well, whether it was food or clothing, her sisters were never short on anything. But then Chen Mi's second cousin sold Chen Mi and destroyed his life, though Second cousin Chen said that she didn't do anything wrong and Chen Mi was just a mer, no way he could compare with her, who was a daughter.
But mother Chen was like those crazy mer loving maniacs, who loved her son despite him being a mer. She split of branches then and there and never bothered with her sisters anymore, the two brothers-in-law of the Chen family saw how ruthless their mother in law can be when she wanted to and didn't even dare to bring up separation. Though even if they brought it up, Chen Mi's sisters were so filial and respectful of their mother, they would never support their husbands.
The Chen family lived in the Big Forest village, which was only an hour away from River village. If they wanted they could come and meet Chen Mi every day, but because of Yu Dong they never dared to come here. When Mother Chen received Chen Mi's letter only then did she realise that so much happened to her son, not only were they kicked out of the old Yu family Chen Mi also had a child! And what was more that child was a mer! Mother Chen was worried that after giving birth to a mer, her son's life might have gotten harsher than before, so she immediately packed a lot of household goods and bedding. She thought if she gave a few things and some money to Yu Dong the latter might treat her son better because maniacs like her who treated their mer son well weren't easier to find!
Yu Dong who could see her mother in law's darkening face as the latter stared at the dilapidated house of theirs and wanted to slip back inside but Ye Liu pushed her in front before he whispered " you have to deal with them anyway, just say hello and be done with it. Mi's mother is a nice lady, as long as she knows you treat Mi well, she won't hold a grudge against you"
Yu Dong knew that what her husband said was right, so she squared her shoulders and walked up to the Chen family with a smile that was both polite and welcoming " father in law, mother in law, I'm really glad to see you two. Mi why are you keeping your family stand outside, take them inside and give them some water to drink, they have travelled for so long, let them take some rest"
Yu Dong was so warm and welcoming that both Mother Chen and Daddy Chen were shocked. The last time they came, this daughter in law of theirs chased them with a cleaver but now she was welcoming them as if they were her own?
Daddy Chen was humbled by Yu Dong's good attitude and hurriedly said " no worries, we are not that tired"
However, Mother Chen was suspicious.. She thought that maybe Yu Dong was planning of skimming their pay and that was why she was being so polite. Still, for her beloved son she might as well suffer this much!