Tom looked disgusted. “You guys insist on making me hug Grandma. I hate hugging old people. You have to buy me candy.”
Frank ruffled his hair. “If you can keep Grandma happy these few days, I’ll buy you candy every day.”
Tom beamed. “Great! Flattering Grandma is easy—she's so gullible. I just give her a hug and she thinks I adore her.”
The family of three laughed heartily, while my heart sank to the bottom.
My train was about to depart. Without hesitation, I bought a new ticket and boarded at the last moment.
On my way home, Frank and Lily kept calling me, but I immediately blocked them.
Four hours later, I returned to my own home. Lying on my familiar bed, I slept more soundly than I had in half a year.
Early the next morning, I got up to cook. I cooked my favorite dishes, without having to worry about my son's family's preferences.
At this time, there was a rough pounding on the door outside that startled me.
I barely cracked the door open before Frank and Ivy barged in, followed by a large group of relatives.
Each had a grim expression and it seemed they were ready to confront me.
Frank sat on the sofa, arms crossed, scowling. “Mom, what's going on?”
“You promised to come back home with us — how could you just get on the train without saying anything?”
"Do you have any idea how sad Tom is? He was crying for his grandmother in the middle of the night."
I let out a cold laugh.
Before I could respond, Ivy's mother approached me and sighed. "In-law, no matter how upset you are, you shouldn't abandon your child and run back like this. That's terribly irresponsible.”
“In other families, parents and elders do everything they can to support their children. But you? You just throw tantrums and drag them down.”
“In-law, I must say, I’ve never seen anyone like you before.”
I replied coldly, “Do you want to support them? So, why haven't I seen you washing clothes, cooking meals, or caring for the children at their home?”
Ivy's mother immediately became anxious and shouted, “What? Do you need others to watch your grandson while you care for him?”
“In-laws, is that how you show affection to your grandson?”
Frank's second uncle stepped over, pulled me aside and sighed helplessly. “Sister-in-law, you really did handle this poorly.”
"Frank had kindly brought you to stay with him in your old age. But you beat him and refused to do anything. How could you act like this?”