Actually, although Ma Laosan worked in the county town and didn’t stay home often throughout the year, the original owner favored him and left him a room, forcing Qian Hongmei and her two daughters to live in the shed.

It was a drafty thatched hut.

Fortunately, this was the south, so it wasn’t too cold in winter; otherwise, Qian Hongmei and her daughters would have frozen to death.

And now, Yuan Chun was here, and of course, Yuan Chun wouldn’t let Ma Xiangdong’s family live in a thatched hut.

Yuan Chun looked at Daya and Erya and instructed them, "Go pack your mother’s things and move to the west front room. Your parents will live there from now on. Pack your things too and move to your aunt’s room."

"Okay, grandma, we’ll do it right away."

Both Daya and Erya were very happy to move into a new room.

Yuan Chun entered the main room and saw two large bags on the floor. She picked up one in each hand, went into the west front room, put the bags down, and said, "Eldest daughter-in-law, these are the parcels that the eldest brought back. Keep them well. You don’t have to make lunch today; I’ll have the second daughter-in-law and Lingzi cook. You just stay in the room and take care of the eldest."

The sudden kindness of her usually mean mother-in-law left Qian Hongmei a bit bewildered. After a long pause, she said, "Mother, don’t worry, I’ll definitely take good care of Daya’s dad."

Yuan Chun nodded and said, "I’ve asked Daya to move your things here. From now on, you and your husband will live here. The third son doesn’t come back often, and leaving the room for him is a waste, so it will be for you."

Qian Hongmei showed a hint of surprise on her face. Thinking of her two daughters, she carefully asked, "Mother, can Daya and Erya live with us?"

Yuan Chun’s face toughened as she said, "They’re all grown up. It’s time they stop sharing a bed with you. Don’t worry about them; I’ve arranged for them to stay with Lingzi."

Yuan Chun said this and was about to leave.

Ma Xiangdong suddenly said, "Mother, there’s malted milk, brown sugar, and white sugar in the parcel. Make some to drink. I bought them especially for you."

"There’s no need. At my age, eating such good things is a waste. Save them to replenish your own nutrition. You were so severely injured this time; your body must be weak. If you don’t eat well, how will you recover?"

Yuan Chun unexpectedly teared up, took her eldest son’s hand, and choked, "My eldest, in the past, I wronged you. I always thought of you as the murderer who killed your father and made things difficult for you. I tortured you, but in my heart, I knew that your father’s death was an accident and not your fault."

"If I had seen you drowning back then, I wouldn’t have hesitated to risk my life to save you. Your father did nothing wrong. It was me who couldn’t accept losing your father and vented all my pain on you, an innocent child. My eldest, I wronged you. I was wrong."

Ma Xiangdong’s face was instantly covered in tears.

Actually, it wasn’t just his mother who resented him.

He resented himself for causing his father’s death.

During countless sleepless nights, he regretted his actions. If he hadn’t played by the river that day, would his father still be alive?

He regretted, resented, and blamed himself.

But his father was gone, and no amount of regret could change that.

So he endured his mother’s torment in silence.

Because only by suffering could he ease the pain of losing his father.

However, today, his mother said that his father’s death wasn’t his fault.

It was an accident.

If it had been his mother back then, she too would have risked her life to save him.

Ma Xiangdong cried.

A grown man who hadn’t shed a tear despite his injuries and losing a leg, but now, because of his mother’s words, he cried like a child.

Originally, Yuan Chun was just acting, but at this moment, she couldn’t help but shed tears, embracing her precious eldest son and crying together.

Even Qian Hongmei silently wiped her tears.

After they had cried enough, Yuan Chun instructed Qian Hongmei to take good care of Ma Xiangdong before leaving.