Chapter 11 : Twilight Years

"If you dare hit my daughter again, I''ll fight you to the death!" I threatened him with a knife at my daughter''s house.

“你要是再敢打我女儿，我就跟你拼命！”我拿着刀跑到到女儿家指着女婿道。

There''s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. How could a village girl like my daughter marry a man of such higher status?

这个世上从来就没有天上掉馅饼的事，一个山野村姑，即使容貌好点，又怎么能嫁到高出自己水平好几个层次的男人？

My naive daughter thought she had married well and changed her fate, but she was too innocent. She never asked herself what qualities she possessed to deserve such a marriage.

事出反常必有妖，我那苦命的傻女儿以为抓住了婚姻，高嫁了，从此就改变了自己穷苦的命运，可是她终究是太天真了，也不自己想想，自己何德何能呢?

Why would someone marry beneath them? Was it for love? Or for talent? Or wealth? None of these. If someone marries down, it must be because they have irreparable flaws!

他人为什么甘愿低娶？是为了情？真的爱你如命？还是为了才？或者财？什么都不是，那他人低娶肯定是自己也有无法弥补的缺陷呀！

As I grow older, I often think about how wonderful it would be if I could live my life again.

人老了，就时常回想，如果我的人生能够重来一次那该多好呀！

I look around and see people who, like me, have been poor, suffered, and struggled all their lives and who eventually died in misery. On the other hand, those who had better conditions in all aspects not only avoided the hardships we endured but also raised successful children. At the very least, their children didn''t burden their parents and could stand on their own two feet.

我环顾四周，发现那些个和我一样的贫穷，和我一样的受尽磨难，和我一样苦的人一辈子也基本是一苦苦到死，而那些条件比我们好的，各方面都好的人。不仅不需要吃我们吃过的这些苦，儿女基本也都是成才的，至少虽不至于说能力大到光宗耀祖，至少不会拖累自己的老父亲老母亲，能自力更生，自立门户。

What is the reason for all of this?

这究竟是为了什么呢？

Why is fate so unfair, making my life so full of misery?

为什么老天如此地不公，竟让我有一个这样凄苦的一生？

Oh, heavens! You have been too unjust and cruel to me!

老天爷呀！你对我也太不公平了，太狠了点吧！

In my lifetime, I, Lotus, have contended with countless hardships, with resilience forged in blood, sweat, and tears. Yet, I grapple with an unnerving question - why, even on the precipic