Rebirth: My Mother is a Virgin Mary

"Your father just left and you started fighting and making a fuss. How can you be considered a filial son!" Grandma's body was trembling. She was old and kept coughing.

My uncle listened to my grandmother the most. He knelt down in front of my grandmother. A strong farmer cried like a child. I was surprised by my grandmother's reaction, but I could have expected it. My grandfather's death must have been a huge blow to her. The old lady knew that as the last elder in the family, she had to hold on. But now that the old man had just closed his eyes, the eldest son couldn't wait to beat his granddaughter. It was really...

"There are so many guests outside, where do you put our family's reputation! Your father has lived a clean life, can't he die in peace?" Grandma was so angry that she hit the ground with her crutch. Her voice was hoarse and she was panting after she finished speaking. My aunt stroked her back with her hand to help her breathe. My aunt and Lin Qingmei helped me up and pulled this stool for me to sit on. My forehead hit the coffin and a big bump appeared. Lin Qingmei touched it gently, tears streaming down her face. Her hands were cold, and I felt that my forehead didn't hurt so much. Grandma walked over to me and wanted to touch my head, but I subconsciously dodged. Her hand stopped in mid-air, a little embarrassed, "Nizi..." Grandma never called me by my name, she always called me like this. I don't understand what I did wrong to make these people hate me so much.

"Nizi..." Grandma called me again. Lin Qingmei poked me and I raised my head. As far as I can remember, this was the first time I looked at grandma so seriously. She was really old. The wrinkles on her face told the vicissitudes of life and the stories of life. She was over 80 years old and her back was hunched. Even if she was standing now, she was not much taller than me who was sitting. "These years, I have let you down. Whether it's me, your father, or your uncle, you have been beaten a lot. I know you hate me. Hate me, you should hate me..." Her attitude confused me. She was cold to me during the Chinese New Year. Why is she like this now? Even though the death of my grandfather was a big blow to her, the difference between before and after was too obvious. Not only was I confused, but everyone was confused.

"Your uncle is a rough man with no brains. Don't bother with him. No one dares to hit you when I'm here!" She propped herself up with her crutches. Her aunt moved a chair for her to sit on. She waved her hand and said, "Standing is more energetic. Yun, come here..." Yun is Cheng Xingmin's nickname. The old family has always called him that. The three brothers Cheng Xingmin listened to their grandmother the most. When their grandmother called them, they would naturally come over obediently. "If you hit Nizi again, I will not recognize you as my son!" Grandma said this very seriously. Everyone was stunned on the spot. I myself found it incredible that this grandmother who had treated me like a piece of grass since I was a child would actually speak in my favor. There must be something wrong when things are abnormal. This was my thought at the time...

Cheng Xingmin was also surprised. He and his uncle dared to beat me without restraint. The main reason was that their mother didn't like me either. Even if they beat my grandmother, she wouldn't say a word. They thought that it was her tacit approval and silent support. They dared to do this when my grandfather was alive. After my grandfather passed away, they would only get worse. They thought so, and I thought so too. But now that my grandmother warned Cheng Xingmin in front of everyone, it was hard not to wonder if there was some hidden reason behind it...

"Mom, why are you..." Cheng Xingmin asked with his eyes wide open.

"What about me? You don't listen to me, do you? She's your own daughter! If you keep hitting her like this, she'll be gone!" The old lady poked Cheng Xingmin with the cane in her hand, "Remember, this is not only my request, but also your father's last words! If you are still a member of the Cheng family, remember this! Even if I am gone in the future, if you dare to hit your daughter again, you will make your own parents die with regrets!"

Cheng Xingmin nodded, although he was confused, he also agreed.

The three brothers Cheng Xingmin were famous for their filial piety. They were afraid of their grandfather, but they obeyed their grandmother. In their hearts, their grandmother was the supreme being, and her words were the imperial decree. If she told them to go east, they would never go west. They liked whoever their grandmother liked, and they hated whoever their grandmother hated, even if that person was her own daughter...

Grandma shook her head and left. My family was afraid that she would be hurt by the scene here, so they let her live in my uncle's house next door. The funeral continued. I was beaten by my uncle. My aunt asked me to rest in the inner room. She originally wanted to take me to the clinic to see a doctor, fearing that I would be injured. After all, there was a lesson from the past. I shook my head to indicate that it was okay. This little pain was nothing compared to the past. I was just confused. I didn't understand why my grandma's attitude towards me changed so much. Even if people change, it takes time...

My aunt came in and sat next to me: "There are some things that you should know." I turned to look at her. My aunt sighed and ignored the crying outside, and told me the story like she was telling a story:

"Not long after your mother got pregnant with you, your grandmother fell down while working in the fields and broke her coccyx. She was bedridden for a month. The family members are superstitious and thought that there was something unclean in the fields, so they asked someone to take a look. The fortune teller came to the fields and then came to our house to check the feng shui. He asked if someone in your family had just gotten pregnant. When they heard this, they thought of your mother, who had just gotten pregnant with you. The fortune teller said that this pregnancy was not good and brought bad luck, so they did not recommend giving birth, otherwise bad things would happen more and more. My family is kind-hearted. Although we are superstitious, we don't believe this. It was not easy for your mother to get pregnant with you. Can you just beat her up? We just thought that your grandmother was careless and let it go."

"Who would have thought that this would happen so fast? Your aunt was also pregnant with your brother Xinlin at that time. She was older than your mother. One time, she almost fell down the stairs and your brother almost died. Your aunt was scared and remembered what the fortune teller said. She made a fuss and insisted that it was your fault. Your family definitely disagreed and said that it was your aunt who was careless. Your father took your mother to the county and tried not to come back if possible. I don't know if your mother told you that you were born prematurely, more than a month earlier than the original month. Your mother suffered a lot when she gave birth to you. She stayed in the delivery room for more than an hour but didn't give birth to you. Your grandfather and your grandmother had arrived, just waiting for you to be born. Strangely enough, you didn't cry. You were born with your eyes wide open. It was the doctor who made you cry. At that time, your grandfather said that this granddaughter was not an ordinary person."

"Originally, this was a happy event. Your grandparents were so happy. Your grandma had just finished taking care of your aunt during her confinement, and it was just in time for her to come to your house to take care of your mom. The old lady said at that time that she was tired but happy. Unfortunately, you were born on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, the Ghost Festival. No matter how taboo it is, you should avoid this day. On the day you were born, your mom was the only one in the entire obstetrics and gynecology hospital. That's fine. You know your grandpa's death anniversary without me mentioning it. Your grandma's relatives are very transparent and don't believe these things, but you can't prevent someone from taking it to heart... Your grandma usually... Chang just likes to believe in ghosts and gods, plus the two things that happened when your mother was pregnant with you, she doubted it no matter how much she didn’t believe it. She heard someone introduce her to another place and invited a fortune teller. As soon as the fortune teller came in, he said that there was too much evil spirit. He asked your grandmother if there was a newborn baby, and who could your grandmother think of. The fortune teller said that although he hadn’t seen you, he could sense that you had an evil star in your life, and you might be the one who killed people in the future... Your grandmother was scared, and she didn’t even take care of your mother during the confinement period. Your mother was in a bad mood, and your father was annoyed when he saw you. I went to see you in the middle, and you were thinner than a monkey..."

"Your grandma had a trauma in her heart, and she treated your mom badly. She didn't mention your full-month banquet, and the matter was left unattended. Your grandma didn't value you, and so did the others. I remember when you were one month old, I took your grandpa to see you. Your grandpa made a small silver lock for you. He said that his granddaughter was different from others and would become a great person in the future. He wanted to put it on you himself. Your grandpa loved you... But sometimes it just happened that I took your grandpa back to my hometown and he fell ill. He was sick for more than half a year. Child, don't tell me what your grandma thought at that time. Even I began to doubt whether you really had a destiny of unlucky people!"

"After that, the whole family believed that you were born with bad luck and were a person who would bring bad luck to others. They were indifferent to you. It was not until your brother was born that things got better. Your grandfather didn't believe in these things and always protected you. I know that you have had a hard time all these years, and you yourself don't know why your family treated you like this. But in the final analysis, child, you are innocent. Those things were just coincidences. Your grandmother was old and she was indeed careless. Your aunt didn't get along with your mother to begin with, and she usually threw dirty water on your mother. The Cheng family has a history of genetic diseases. Your great-grandfather died of this disease, and your grandfather would die sooner or later. How can you put all the blame on you! Your grandfather kept muttering a few days before he left, saying that the Cheng family was sorry for you and that your grandmother didn't have much time left. She always thought about the past and knew how you got through it. Your grandmother is not a bad person by nature. Alas..."

My aunt cried as she spoke, and at the end she couldn't hold back and cried bitterly. Was she feeling guilty for the miserable life I had lived for the past decade? My face was expressionless, but my heart was already in turmoil. This is how it is, this is how it is, what a ridiculous person, who believed in such ridiculous words and did so many ridiculous things...

So, is Lin Qingmei alienated from me because of this? She believed it, right? Of course I know my grandpa’s death anniversary… It’s also the 15th day of the seventh lunar month… It was the 15th day of the seventh lunar month when I was three years old… I don’t have much impression of my grandpa. I was too young when he passed away. All I know about him is from my uncle. Lin Qingmei seldom mentions my grandpa in front of me. I always thought that she had some conflicts with her father. It turns out that it’s not that she doesn’t want to mention it, but that she is unwilling to mention it in front of me. No wonder, I have never celebrated my birthday since I was a child. They didn’t let me celebrate it and said I was unworthy. The birthday on my ID card is an auspicious date, and I have always been proud of it. Maybe they think that my original birthday is unlucky, so they make up for it here?

I lay in bed, tears streaming down my face unconsciously. Even though it has been so long and I have been reborn, I still feel sad and wronged when I think of these things. What blood relationship, what family affection, because of a word from an irrelevant person, because of superstitious thoughts, they have been treating me harshly, and it has even become a habit. I tolerated and evaded, but it became their bargaining chip for more unscrupulousness, and it became worse. It won't happen this time. Some people must pay the price!