"Chu's gotten remarried?"
Mother Chen was a little surprised.
Although she had known from the beginning that it was possible, now that it was actually happening, she couldn't help feeling a little shocked.
"Yeah."
The round-faced old woman nodded. "His new wife is from the city. She's quite pretty."
"But she doesn't look like she'd be easy to get along with."
"Keke's little brother is one thing. He's a boy, after all, and the family dotes on him too."
"But Keke..."
The round-faced old woman shook her head. "She's always by herself."
"When it's mealtime, she doesn't come home, and no one even comes out to call for her."
"Things were already like this when she didn't have a stepmother. Now that she does..."
The round-faced old woman sighed. "Poor child."
"A child without a mother is like a blade of grass."
"Keke's mother died far too young."
"It's all because of Keke's grandmother."
Mother Chen frowned in displeasure. "Old Chu didn't say anything, but she insisted that Keke's mother have another child, a son."
"How old was Keke's mother already?"
"In the end, she got her son, but lost her daughter-in-law."
"Is she satisfied now?"
"What does she have to be dissatisfied about?"
The round-faced old woman snorted. "Didn't she go and find herself another pretty city wife?"
"Ah..."
Mother Chen shook her head.
The middle-aged man saw the two old women chatting away and gave an awkward laugh before interrupting them. "...Mom."
He had meant to ask the round-faced old woman directly, but realized he had no idea what to call her. After a pause, he turned to Mother Chen instead.
"Oh, right."
Mother Chen lightly tapped her forehead. "Look at me. I nearly forgot why we came."
"I got sidetracked chatting with you."
She looked at