The girls began to argue.
Fan Yun, realizing she couldn't win against so many, threw down her shovel in frustration and ran home crying.
The other girls, however, didn't back down.
"She's always been mean."
"That's right. I heard if her sister-in-law hadn't been sent to the city hospital, it would've been a tragedy—both mother and child. They say Fan Yun tried to steal her sister-in-law's cotton-padded jacket."
"Her family is awful. Her sister-in-law's clothes were taken by others in the family. She had to wash clothes in the river before even finishing her postpartum recovery."
"My mom says if you don't take care of yourself after childbirth, you'll suffer for it."
"Exactly."
Though they lived in a rural area, being close to the capital meant they were a bit more worldly. Some of the girls had been influenced by modern ideas and spoke with disdain about such backward practices.
